Part 2 of 2
I would later learn that my sade sati began towards the end of my stay in Japan. Sade sati is often referred to as the 7 and a half years of bad luck where Saturn, the planet related to difficult karmas and restrictions takes a kind of hold on you. Technically speaking, this is a time when Saturn transits the moon in your natal chart, and things don’t always work out the way that you imagine (especially if you are meant to be on another path). They say that the more that you attach yourself to what you think should be happening (your ego) and not what actually is happening, the harder it can be for you. The sade sati that takes place during early adulthood often coincides with the loss of grandparents, and for me, this was true. I got back from Japan just in time to spend some time with my Nana before she passed, and by the end of my sade sati some years later, I had lost my grandmother as well. Saturn isn’t a gentle planet. Cold and restrictive, he might take from us to show us what options we have from what is left behind. I don’t want to scare anyone. For some, sade sati can bring great gifts. It can put your entire life on track.
My sade sati wasn’t all that bad, but it certainly was a confusing time for me. I was doing alright on the outside, but inside, I felt lost and confused, about everything. By the time I found Āyurveda, I knew something had to shift. With the help of some amazing teachers, I dove into the Yogic, Vedic, and Tantric traditions. When the pandemic hit, I was able to devote myself to full time to learning Vedic Astrology. As time progressed, I saw that when I was able to let go of what I thought I should be doing and just and be with what was, things began to come together, inside and out.
This all took place toward the end of my Rahu Mahadasha. This is an 18 year period during which Rahu pretty much rules over your natal chart. Rahu is the head of the serpent that causes eclipses, and this shadow “planet” is responsible for unexpected changes, disruptions, and illusions. Rahu can encourage us to make bad, or misaligned, decisions. But Rahu can also bring immense success and recognition. It is an innovative planet that enjoys taking a different approach to things, and changing the status quo. Where Rahu lands in your chart often reveals points of fixation, the things that consume your attention. For me, Rahu is in the 12th house, which is related to foreign residency, immigration, isolation, and excessive spending. It is in the sign of gemini, which points to an attraction toward unconventional and innovative modes of learning and communication (like film), and is in a configuration that can bring success in this area for some. My Rahu is also in a Nakshatra Parivartana with Jupiter in the 4th house, which is a relationship that loops Jupiter into things associated with Rahu. Jupiter is the great guru or teacher, and is associated with wisdom on the deepest and most meaningful level. He can steer us toward spiritual wisdom and the ultimate truth of life. It is with Jupiter that our quest to explore the deeper meanings and find the answers in life begins (and it is also Jupiter that might bring us abroad in pursuit of this knowledge). So it makes sense that I learn the way that I do, and that I am interested in research through film, and educational pursuits related to and in far off lands.
This is all to say that life doesn’t always turn out the way that you expect it to. I know it does for some, but for those who feel like the meaning behind everything is just impossible to grasp, I assure you, it is there. You just have to let go and be with what is to see what you are being called towards. I didn’t have to look at the astrology to learn the direction that my life should take, but I have to admit that it did help me untie some of the knots that I was holding onto. And it did help me to see and understand the big picture of the past ten or so years.
A lot has changed since I went to Japan, but the call to return certainly hasn’t. I just know now that when I go back again, it will be in pursuit of a different kind of knowledge than before. A deeper knowing of an innate truth that connects all of the dots and interests that I have accumulated throughout this strange life, and it will be as lovely there as it is here and now, in my home, cooking food and enjoying time with my family, building a life that I feel seated in while helping others with their unfolding.
