Navagraha
Earth from Space
According to Vedic Astrology, nine planets (Navagraha) appear to circle the earth through a Zodiac of twelve constellations. At the moment of birth each planet will appear to be in one of those constellations (“sign” in English, “Rashi” in Sanskrit). The sign that is rising above the eastern horizon at the moment of birth determines how the planets will influence each of twelve different areas of life (“house” in English, “Bhava” in Sanskrit).
The birth chart is a map that shows where the twelve signs, the planets, and each house is located at the moment of birth. In a sense the Navagraha take the undifferentiated light and shape it into the potentials of that new human birth. The Sanskrit term for these potentials is “Karma,” which I see less as fate or destiny and more as a symbolic picture of what we might best make of our lives. The Sanskrit word for Vedic Astrology is “Jyotish:” the science of light.
Vedic astrologers will use the birth chart for many different purposes. Some will use it to make predictions and recommendations for the future life of the client. Others are more interested in helping the client understand their basic energies and their human potential. This latter is often referred to as humanistic Vedic astrology. This is the area of my interest, to help a person understand themselves in new ways, inviting them to a more symbolic interpretation of who they are.
The Navagraha are like an artist’s palette, with each planet providing distinct shades of color ready to an emerging painting. As our individual life reflects the birth chart picture, the bright fiery energy of Mars may show up in the tenth house of career, bringing warrior qualities of passion, leadership and assertiveness in the work environment. Or the pearly light of the Moon may show up in the fourth house of mother and home, indicating a potential for compassionate, emotional and nurturing qualities in one’s mom—or in one’s own life as a mom. The emotionally cool and focused energy of Saturn, often a harbinger of loss, may land in the house of siblings, bringing obstacles to making connections with brothers and sisters. The picture becomes increasingly complex as each of the nine planets exerts its unique influence in multiple ways on the birth chart. The chart ultimately becomes a confluence of distinct planetary qualities, and a complex picture or story emerges. Each person will will be formed with distinctive patterns of the nine planetary qualities, affecting their potentials in all twelve areas of life. Making each person quite extraordinary! Making each person “human” in their own ways.
Consider some of the essential attributes of the Navagraha. Where do you think they are showing up in your life?
Jupiter—Brings great goodness and abundance. Joyful, loves children. A wise teacher or guru. Generous, healer and protector. Can be self-indulgent and occasionally pretty full of himself in an ego-driven person.
Venus—Connections with others, fairness, balance, beauty. Love in many aspects, including sensual and sexual. Represents the feminine or Yin qualities in either man or woman.
Mars—The warrior in all things, assertive, even aggressive. Goal oriented in a multi-tasking manner. Hot, passionate, sexual. Can be a healer, and yet can be violent. Represents the masculine on Yang quality in either man or woman.
Mercury—The brightness of intellect and effectiveness of communication. Moves quickly. A chameleon who blends in with others. Playful, quixotic. A mediator, who according to legend is a messenger who can serve in all realms.
Saturn—Cool, practical, sober, idealistic, managerial. Does things slowly, one at a time. Gets to the goal—eventually! Mediates loss and is often termed a natural “malefic” planet. And yet, the influence of Saturn can be one of the most important signs that the person’s life will evolve toward liberation or Self realization. Sometimes termed “the inner guru.”
Moon—Maternal, nurturing, compassionate, sympathetic, intuitive, emotional. The fullness of the Moon, and its waxing or waning state, determine how auspicious the Moon will be in the giving of the lunar gifts to the person. Often Moon is seen as an indicator of the mother.
Sun—Bright and hot, the center of the essential energy, from which all the planets derive their light. Can burn too hot, combusting the character of planets that get too close. Represents the essential life energy, or in the Vedic tradition, the Atman or pure consciousness. Sun may indicate qualities and potentials of the father in the person’s life. Sun may also highlight a person’s self-absorbed egoic nature.
Rahu—Not a physical planet, but a shadow cast by earth’s relationship to Moon and Sun. It is the shadow that forms an eclipse. Promises expansion, but may be more delusion than real. Acts almost as a “wild card” in the birth chart, bringing surprising and unforeseen outcomes.
Ketu—The other of the shadow planets, again shadow of Sun and Moon’s position, diametrically opposite to Rahu. Also an eclipse point. Has a deeply spiritual quality, especially leading to transcendence and non-attachment. Can also signify loss in the life of the person. The key in understanding Ketu is to see how the loss may be gift or grace in its own right. In some cases, for example, losing a relationship may lead to wonderful new possibilities!
When someone says that one planet or another signifies their life, know that they are over-simplifying. All nine of these energies are integrated into the whole, complex human being. Yes, they are all there, bringing different colors and different patterns to the symbolic picture of your life.
If you’d like to begin to understand the potentials that the Navagraha reveal in your birth chart, please let me know. Just click “Services” on the EnAstros main page, and send me an email at bruce@enastros.com.