Eye on the sky – Solar eclipses of 2022

Eye on the sky – Solar eclipses of 2022

Eclipses are all about shadows and hidden desires. Rahu is the ascending node, where the Moon gains latitude and where one’s desires become more prominent. Rahu causes re-birth and we are born again and again in this earth due our accumulated desires. Ketu is the descending node, where Moon’s latitude starts to recede, pulling us away from materialism towards knowledge and spirituality. Ketu is the planet of liberation and letting go. They create conditions whereby the mind is churned between the opposite needs of Rahu and Ketu to gain wisdom. The placement of Rahu and Ketu in a horoscope show the axis where the maximum wrangling happens.

Eclipses and the transit of Rahu and Ketu are wake up calls or opportunities for transformation. It is worthwhile to think about what planets and houses are eclipsed and what needs to change within us. There is always opportunity to transform when troubles knock on our doors. In the famous 6^th verse of Dakṣiṇāmūrti strotram of Ādi Śaṁkara (Rahu grahsta Divakara), this concept is brought to light that the consciousness is always ever present even in deep sleep like the rays of the Sun and the Moon that are only eclipsed momentarily. It is for us to wake up. It is said that to escape a dream which is a nightmare, we simply have to wake up.

This year, the solar eclipses have moved away being too close to the solstices as the previous years. The first eclipse is in April after the spring equinox. Both the solar eclipses are partial eclipses. A partial eclipse is called apasavya, where the shadow is on the northern side, it is said that people will perish as a result of the tyranny of the kings.

Rahu and Ketu will transit into the signs of Aries and Libra on the 13^th April and will stay there for 18 months until September 2023 and the eclipses will fall in this axis of cardinal signs of Aries and Libra. Aries is the first sign and is a fiery sign with boundless energy. Rahu’s transit into it will bring new energy, creativity and opportunity. Aries is also the sign of royalty and the ruler, so one can expect some trouble with governments and politics.

We can already see the impact of the forthcoming eclipse in Bharaṇi in Aries on the politics of many countries. Pakistan is an Aries Ascendant and the incumbent Prime Minister is trying to stay in power by flouting democracy. The French elections are due next month and it is worthwhile to note that the current PM Macron has his Moon, the amatya karaka in Bharaṇi. Further upset to the public in Hong Kong is expected with Hong Kong’s Moon in Bharaṇi. They are going to have an uncontested election for the next Chief Executive next month. Sri Lanka is undergoing a serious economic crisis, Mercury the significator of wealth, the lord of the 2^nd and 11^th house of wealth and gains is in Bharaṇi.

The Libra is a sign of balance and Ketu’s transit through it can create some upheavals particularly of a financial nature and the markets particularly when it transits the nakṣatra of Svāti where the second solar eclipse in October falls.

The two solar eclipses will be followed by lunar eclipses with a fortnight which does bodes well for the harmony.

Eclipse	Date	Visibility	UTC/GMT	Nakṣatra of Sun	Sign
Partial Solar Eclipse	April 30	Pacific, South America	20.42.36	Bharaṇi	Aries
Partial Solar Eclipse	Oct 25	Europe, NE Africa, Mid East, W Asia	11.01.19	Svāti	Libra
Source : NASA – Solar Eclipses: 2021 – 2030

 

Partial Solar eclipse on 30^th April in Aries in Bharaṇi

People or countries with their natal Ascendant in Aries will have to make allowances for a substantial changes in life. This is very good opportunity to bring about changes by doing something different from the usual to remove ‘stuckness’ from our lives. These changes will be visible from the time when the nodes will move into Aries- Libra Axis from April 13^th this year. If the natal Sun is in Bharaṇi, the one’s health, reputation, finances or father’s health could be an issue. If the natal Moon is in Bharaṇi then it is a matter of concern for health, mother or maternal relations. In case of countries, if the natal Sun is hit, it could mean difficult times for the ruler and finances whereas if the natal Moon is hit, then it is a matter affecting the public.

The eclipse in the artha pada (2^nd pada denoting security and wealth) of Bharaṇi which falls in Virgo navamsa. Bharaṇi is a fierce nakṣatra and the symbol is a yoni, the female sexual organ or a womb. It represents a doorway for lives to enter and leave the earthly plane. Yama as the deity of the Nakashtra guards this doorway. Bharaṇi then can be understood as a container for the unborn potential or the dead- something lost or wasted. Bharaṇi energy is very complex, thrusting and creative. It is very secretive and can fester. Rahu finds expression easily in this energy and the transit in this nakṣatra will lead to good results, however an eclipse at this point can provide some way for creative destruction.

According to Varahamihīrā a solar eclipse in Aries causes grief to warriors and those that work with fire. Who are the modern day warriors? One can find them in the military, in the corporate world, the athletes who excel to make their country proud. The ones who work with fire are chefs, engineers and firemen.

The eclipse is in Aries does not involve directly any other planet other than the Sun and the Moon. However, the slow moving planets are themselves agitated or unstable. Saturn is the day lord and is in rashi sandhi and at zero degrees making it very unstable and aspects the eclipsed sign. Saturn is conjunct with the lord of the eclipsed sign Mars making a yama yoga aspecting the signs of Aries, Cancer and Libra. However, at Mars and Saturn are outside the orb of influnece and Mars is much ahead of Saturn, this yoga is athitha (in the past), reflecting events of the conjunction from the past month.

Mars exchanges with Rahu showing storms in the sign of Aquarius, however the lord of the house aspecting the sign shows some protection. On the same day the two preceptors Jupiter and Venus of Devas (noble) and Asuras (greed) are in a war. Jupiter wins but is hemmed between the Yama yoga and eclipsed house showing lack of progress of movement. Jupiter does not aspect the eclipsed sign. Mercury, the planet of business and communiccation is outside the grip of the nodes, which is a positive, however is aspected by Mars, the lord of the eclipse.

The sign of Aries traditionally indicates the region of UK, Germany and Denmark and Japan. The table below indicates some troubles ahead for Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is worthwhile to note that the current PM of Pakistan Imran Khan is at the verge of losing a confidence vote that he is attempting to escape at the expense of democracy of the country. An eclipse on the Moon sign of Hongkong does not forebode well for the public whose freedoms have been restricted in the past years by the impostiion of National Securuty bill favouring China as well as severe restrictions from Covid. For UK, the eclipse falls in the 9^th house of fortune and the Yama Yoga is in the 7^th house of relationships.

Celebrities and Countries with Ascendants or Sun and Moon in Aries in Bharaṇi
Aries Ascendant	Sun in Bharaṇi	Moon in Bharaṇi
Afghanistan	Japan 1947 & 1942	Hong Kong SAR
Pakistan
Christian Lagarde	Tony Blair	Bill Clinton
Penelope Cruz	George Clooney	Jeremy Corbyn
	David Beckham	Emmanuel Macron
	Penelope Cruz	Meryl Streep
	Adele Atkins	Bjorn Borg
		Bernard Arnault

 

Partial Solar eclipse on October 25^th in Libra in Svāti

The solar eclipse in October falls in Libra in Svāti (1^st pada) and will be visible in most parts of Europe. People or countries with their natal Ascendant in Libra will have to make allowances for a substantial changes in life. These changes will be visible from the time when the nodes will move into Aries- Libra Axis from April 13^th this year. If the natal Sun is in Svāti, the one’s health, reputation, finances or father’s health could be an issue. If the natal Moon is in Svāti then it is a matter of concern for health, mother or maternal relations. In case of countries, if the natal Sun is hit, it could mean difficult times for the ruler and finances whereas if the natal Moon is hit, then it is a matter affecting the public.

Libra is a sign of market place and a sign of nidhi (treasury). Wealthy persons usually have their moon in Libra and Svāti is where Saturn in exalted. It is a nakṣatra where is there is much prosperity. The presiding deity of Svāti is Vayu – the might wind god, therefore there is an inner strength in this nakṣatra and a strong need for balance. Ketu transiting through Svāti and the eclipse is in the dharma pada of Svāti which falls in Sagittarius navamsa. This can signify a need for embracing the newer ways of doing business which means allowing for more disintermediation and change in the ways of conducting business.

According to Varahamihīrā a solar eclipse in Libra will affect traders and business. Libra is the natural west direction – western parts of a country will get affected.

Eclipse is in Libra and the lord of the sign Venus is in the eclisped sign. Saturn from Capricorn again aspects the eclipsed house. There are no benefic aspects of Jupiter or Mercury on the eclipsed sign but the presence of Venus (bhavesha) will offer some protection to the eclipse sign. However, Venus in the eclipsed sign does not bode well for relationships and diplomacy, women, health, travel or ministers. Venus is also the significator or Karaka for shares and we can expect some turbulence in the share market. Jupiter is strong in his own sign protecting the dual signs and Mercury is exalted in Virgo. The eclipse is in Svāti, a nakṣatra owned by Rahu, and Ketu transiting this point should cause some imbalance or change in structure.

Those with ascendants and Moon in Libra produce many statesman as the connection of 1^st and 8^th lord leads to understanding politics. I have made a small list of personalities and countries that may be effected by this eclipse.

Celebrities and Countries with Ascendants or Sun and Moon in Svāti
Libra Ascendant	Sun in Svāti	Moon in Svāti
Isreal	Turkey
Switzerland	Hilary Clinton	Boris Johnson
Nicola Sturgeon	Bill Gates	Ted Snowdon
Narendar Modi		Julian Assange
Vladimir Putin		Steven Spielberg
Ammachi		Lady Gaga
Lewis Hamilton		Amitabh Bacchan
Rafael Nadal
Jennifer Aniston
Nicole Kidman

 

Remedies

The Solar energy or the Agni (Fire) gets weakened in an eclipse. Agni or precisely jātargni aids in digestion, therefore one should observe fasting at the time of the eclipse as the digestive process will be weak. After the eclipse, bathing is prescribed. Seekers and those affected should worship the Sun or in our tradition pray to the “Father of the Universe” to reduce bad energy and restore the glory of Sun. We recommend praying to the teaching form of Shiva called Dakṣiṇāmūrti with mantra

ॐ दक्षिणामूर्ति रतरोम्

om dakṣiṇāmūrti ratarom

Giving to charity on this day is also highly encouraged.

References

• • Based on the teachings of my Jyotish Guru Pandit Sanjay Rath
  • Bṛhat Samhitā – Varahamihīrā, M. Ramakṛishna Bhat, Part 1, Motilal Banarasidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd, Delhi, India
  • Eclipse Data from https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/solar.html
  • Picture of eclipse from Time and Date.com Solar & Lunar Eclipses Worldwide (timeanddate.com)