…another perspective on the Moon’s Nodes

©Kristen Svendsen

This article is a snippet for those unfamiliar with the sometimes very alien
experience of Vedic or Hindu astrology. The Nodes in Vedic Astrology have
some similarities to those multivariate interpretations that evolved in the
Western tradition such as Classical, Ebertin & Rudhyar, but digress radically in
their essentially malefic nature.

You won’t find definitions of nodal delineations exactly like these in the Hindu
astrological texts. The following are my derived delineations based on a
collection of influences and applied methodologies.

Rahu and Ketu

Rahu is the North Node (Dragon’s Head). It is part of the polarity with Ketu, the
South Node (Dragon’s Tail). They function as ‘shadow’ planets; they mostly
work in tandem with other planets, taking on their nature and ‘deranging’ it,
whilst in turn eclipsing the planet’s healthy functions.

For the most part they function as malefics, but can bring positive results in some
circumstances. Each has its positive and negative characteristics but in a
polarized way the positives of one are the negatives of the other. My findings
indicate the following which includes some strong similarities with traits
attributed to those ‘new boys’ Uranus and Neptune:

RAHU KETU

+ positive/unafflicted RAHU positive/unafflicted KETU

= Positive Uranus = positive Neptune

_ negative/afflicted RAHU negative/afflicted KETU

= negative Neptune = negative Uranus
 Rahu

Rahu, in its positive effects, is akin to a positive Uranus with additional traits
that are not Uranian. Like Uranus, Rahu’s upbeat characteristics are offbeat,
eccentric, radical, inventive, original and foreign or alien. Rahu delights in the
unexpected.

What is non-Uranian about a positive Rahu?

Strangely, Rahu is materialistic, and when positive will often bestow material
success and material acquisitions in abundance. This is because one of its major
negative traits pertains to an excessive desire nature due to it being the mouth of
the serpent that only tasted the immortality. However, Rahu does augment one’s
fantasy life in the area of mental desires as well as the material. Whereas Venus
will rule one’s everyday desires, comforts etc, Rahu will augment one’s capacity
for mental rather than physical delicacies.

So in turn, negatively, Rahu is insatiable, driven, greedy and clamoring. Rahu

usurps and it not trustworthy. This brings us to its negative traits, which are akin
to a negative Neptune. Rahu, when afflicting or afflicted, undermines, deceives,
coerces and perverts. Unlike Ketu, Rahu disrupts (Uranus) and vexes rather than
destroys. Rahu would rather horrify or spook you, increasing anxieties and
phobias (Neptune) rather than annihilate totally because it requires somebody or
something to torment.

Ketu

To a degree both nodes are mindless, the dumb and dumber of planets. Ketu is
more so because it is the immortal tail of the serpent where the Amritsar was
digested and achieves immortality without the mind and ego to direct it.

Unlike Rahu, Ketu is prepared to withdraw from contact with others. Indeed,
Ketu withdraws from the entire material sphere. Ketu tends to drain away
attachment in whichever house it is positioned. Like a positive Neptune, Ketu
signifies spiritual and aesthetic liberation. Ketu is detached, self-sacrificing and
reclusive.

If we think of the mythical Neptune holding his trident then we can picture the
warrior element in Neptune that we don’t usually associate with the Neptunian
astrological influence. A positive Ketu embodies this element in the ‘Greenpeace

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warrior’ who would go beyond even death for a cause. The downside of this is
Ketu’s terrorist talents and anarchistic bomb throwing expertise. When afflicted,
Ketu will take on negative Uranian influences with a touch of Martian impetus,
and can often destroy with impersonality.

Put simply, Ketu is reclusive, whilst Rahu is exclusive. Ketu is introspective,

whilst Rahu seeks external stimuli. Both nodes are involved in scandals and
‘outing’ one’s private foibles at embarrassing moments; Rahu out of
mischeviousness and Ketu because it strips away untruth and pretentiousness.
Both are usually present when one is poisoned, especially by snakebite!

The nodes share a number of disagreeable traits that are commonly

unpredictable and are neither Neptunian nor Uranian; and they will take on and
exaggerate the nature of the planets they aspect or conjunct. Watch for them near
personal points and check that person’s ability to stay on the straight and
narrow!

Here are some practical examples. Please forgive the usual recourse to using the
‘famous’ or ‘celebrity’ natal chart examples to ‘prove’ a thesis via the selected
best case studies approach. Remember that the chart positions are for the
Sidereal zodiac and the House system is Whole sign as used by both Vedic and
Ancient Western astrologers.

Let’s look at the physical aspects of the Nodes as they apply to the charts of
Karen Carpenter of the 70’s musical duo and Christopher Reeve, the actor most
famous for his Superman role. As I described in Part 1, the nodal polarity is
particularly concerned with too much or too little. Rahu devours and gluttonizes,
and thus accumulates; and, Ketu shuns and withdraws, and thus diminishes.

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The Ruler of the 6th house (illness) Mars is in partile conjunction to Ketu. In this
case the lord of illness is eclipsed literally by the great subtractor. Of course, this
alone doth not make a fait accompli but along with Mercury as Ascendant ruler
and dispositor of the 6th ruler in the malefic 8th house shows a repeated theme of
a potentially weak constitution as seen through the 1st (life force/ vitality) and 6th
(Illness) rulers. Karen died of heart failure due to Anorexia Nervosa on Feb 4 th
1983 in her Venus Dasa (in 8th House and Rules 12th) and Ketu Bhukti
(conjuncting 6th lord) the planetary period timers of events that are an essential
part of Vedic Astrology.

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Christopher Reeve was rendered a quadriplegic on 27th May 1995. Here we see
the ruler of the 6th (Jupiter) again afflicted by the Nodes. As also observed in
Medieval Western Astrology, Jupiter is at the “bendings” (at the midpoint of the
nodes). In turn this is physicallized by the tight conjunction of Ketu (paralysis)
on the Ascendant degree and with Sagittarius the sign on the 6th indicating the
spinal area as a target of affliction. Secondarily a combust Mercury (nervous
system and ruler of 3rd house of movement) is besieged between restrictive
Saturn and the Sun, both malefics in Vedic Astrology. Christopher was in his Sun
Dasa Jupiter Bhukti when he was paralysed.. Like the eclipsing nodes, tight
conjunctions of planets link the Dasa/Bhuki timing by association. Here the Sun
Dasa is relevant because it is tightly conjuncted by the afflicted Mercury along
with the relevant Jupiter sub period as a timer of potential movement/spinal
afflictions. Christopher was in his Mercury Dasa from birth to the age of 13.5 and
the ages of 8 – 10 were also a possible danger period for the “promise” of the
natal chart.

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It is obvious that the nodes do not account for the whole affliction in these cases
but they are necessarily present to flavour the type of affliction. In Karen and
Christophers’ charts Ketu flavoured their types of physical afflictions.

Next I will illustrate the nodes by their effects on mental health.

In the previous discussion, I emphasised the physically afflictive capacities of

Rahu and Ketu the Vedic named nodes of the Moon. I will now illustrate their
tendency to disturb or enlighten the mind.

Firstly here is the Vedic chart of the late British comedian Spike Milligan.

Again like Karen Carpenter, the Moon ruler of the 6th (illness) is eclipsed /
associated by Ketu. The Moon is the significator of the mind in Vedic astrology;
particularly the soul/mind connection. So planets conjunct the Moon go deep.
This time even though Cancer on the cusp also relates to the stomach, Ketu’s
downside brings a lot of spasmodic disturbances and reclusive tendencies to the
Moon that saw Milligan suffer bouts of bipolar disorder that lead to at least 10
nervous breakdowns. Saturn in detriment, disposited by the Moon, in the 6th is

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another confluencing depressive feature of Milligan’s natal chart. On the upside,
Milligan channelled a lot of this into the Vedic 5th house – the house of creative
intelligence assisted by a Gemini Moon - a love of mimicry that resulted in a
manifold variety of Goon Show voice impersonations.

According to one source Robin Williams is “normal”, with no bipolar skeletons

in his closet. Compare his chart below to Milligan’s above.

Robin William’s health/illness 6th house is fortified by a strong Jupiter in its own
rulership. This time however there is a Rahu conjunction, in the 5th, to the Moon
his 10th ruler – his career and public notoriety. To define the differences between
the Nodes, Rahu is less destructive and much more extrovert than Ketu. Rahu
drives more manically than depressively and William’s has made a career out of
his manic creative intelligence.

It would be interesting to see if fellow comedian Jim Carrey also has this manic
Rahu signature?

Let’s now look at the enlightening influence of the Nodes. Here is the spoon
bending psychic showman Uri Geller’s Vedic chart.

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From his 10th ruler the Moon (mind significator and career / public notoriety) in
the 1st conjunct the expansive Jupiter and a strong Venus, we see the charming
entertainer. It is given the psi power via Mercury (the output of the mind)
conjunct Ketu. Not Ketu alone, but also because Mercury rules the two Vedic
house of higher learning (9th) and the house of spirituality (the moksha 12th). In
the 2nd this combo becomes a source of income.

David Helfgott (below) channelled his overdriven (Rahu conjuncting) Mercury

ruler of his creative talent 5th house by physicallizing and overcoming
breakdowns through the Vedic house of vitality, the 1st. Rahu also associates with
his Sun, an indicator of a strong life force in the 1st but also indicates that his
father (Sun as significator) looms large in his personal space; and, afflicted by
Rahu is also a driven and insatiable person in David’s life.

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To conclude, the nodes do not make life easy. They disturb and challenge us to
gain control and fight the demons within. They work in tandem with other
important chart factors and are personalised when linked to the inner planets or
angles. It need not be stressed enough that the nodes closely conjunct planets in a
large number of charts and thus should be delineated in light of other
confluencing themes in the chart whether physical or mental; positive or
negative in their manifestations.

If you would like to discuss this further, you can email me at

krissvendsen@hotmail.com

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