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A Little Background on Vedic Astrology

Obama''s Vedic Horoscope: What it Reveals

A Little Background on Vedic Astrology

There is a world of difference between Vedic and Western astrology. Whereas Western astrology presupposes that we are the captains of our fates and that the horoscope reveals potentials, Vedic astrology is rooted in Hinduism, with its notions of karmic destiny: This life is but a wave in the sea, rising and falling, then reborn to rise again. But the water remains the same.

That is why the Sun—personal identity, the ego—in Vedic astrology is considered to be malefic, hot and burning. Contrast that with Western astrology, where the Sun is the only thing that many people know about their own horoscopes. The individual is supreme. In Vedic astrology, the Moon is considered to be more important in the horoscope because it represents the soul’s journey.

Although I can see Vedic astrology’s point of view—and even embrace it—the Western part of me still likes the idea that personal transformation is always possible. I suppose that is why I find it difficult to fully discard my Western idea that we are capable of making choices which help to control our own fates.

Still, there is something ancient, intuitive, spiritual, and omniscient about Vedic astrology. It’s not as tuned-in as Western astrology to all the psychological nuances of our lives, but it is great for looking at what happens in life, at the complexity of our lives: why someone gets in audit trouble with the IRS in a particular year; has a wonderful, loving child (or a thankless slacker); marries late in life; has a spouse or domestic partner who ends up with a large inheritance; has bad, scarring acne; has an older brother; loses a parent early in life; hears poorly in one ear; excels in math; or just about anything else you can think of.

Vedic astrology uses the constellational (or sidereal) zodiac, which backs up planets about 23 degrees from where they would be in the Western (or tropical) horoscope. Therefore, while Obama’s Western astrology horoscope Ascendant is in Aquarius, his Vedic Ascendant is in Capricorn. It’s not hard to picture how Capricorn is also very descriptive of his managerial style.

Vedic astrology has an uncanny ability to unveil the thrusts of destiny that suddenly propel an individual from relative obscurity to the peaks of fame and power. When a powerfully placed planet in a Vedic horoscope coincides with a major Vedic planetary period (called a mahadasha, lasting from 6 to 20 years) or shorter sub-period (called a bhukti) it becomes possible for an individual to experience a meteoric rise in a chosen field.

Obama''s Vedic Horoscope: What it Reveals

Barack Obama’s Vedic horoscope tells a powerful planetary narrative that shows how the doors of his destiny were opened. His rise to the presidency was itself an amazing story. He was elected to the state senate in Illinois in 1996. This early election victory took place just after he began his Vedic Jupiter mahadasha, a 16 year planetary cycle which will end in 2012.

Jupiter rules Obama’s Vedic 3^rd house of communication. Mercury, the planet of communication, is placed in an angle in Obama’s birth chart and is also exalted in his Navamsha (an important harmonic chart). Obama demonstrated his rhetorical power when, while still a state senator in 2004, he delivered a stirring keynote address at the Democratic Convention, a speech that propelled him to national attention. That same year, Illinois voters elected him to the U.S. Senate. Two years later, Obama declared himself a candidate for president and was elected to the White House in 2008.

The ruler of his Capricorn Vedic Ascendant, Saturn, is placed in its own sign in Obama’s 1^st house. It is a strong Saturn, being also vargottama (in the same sign) in several of his harmonic charts, including the Navamsha. However, as we shall see, Obama’s Saturn also sets up the potential for election difficulties in 2012.

Obama’s very strong 5^th house Moon is exalted in Taurus and aspected by benefic Jupiter. This strong yoga (union) gives both of these planets a lot of power. His Moon also rules an angular house, the 7^th, and is placed in one of the “trinal” houses, which gives it added strength. When Obama was elected president in 2008, his Moon was activated in one of the planetary sub-periods (called a bhukti) that are a unique interpretive tool of Vedic astrology. At the same time, his Jupiter mahadasha was in effect. The union of his Jupiter and Moon took him all the way to the top.

Obama is continuing to experience his Jupiter mahadasha, or major planetary cycle. Jupiter is in his 1^st house, along with Saturn. Normally, this would not be so good because Jupiter is considered to be debilitated, or weakened, if it is in Capricorn. However, a special case called Neechabhanga causes the debilitation to be "cancelled."  Without going into lots of Vedic detail, Obama’s Jupiter attains an improved status due to one of the houses it rules and the fact that it is aspected by Saturn (ruler of the sign where Jupiter is debilitated, and one of the ways the debilitation gets cancelled). In addition, Jupiter in Obama’s Navamsha (or 9^th harmonic) chart is in its own sign of Pisces, which gives it strength and doubtless contributes to his strong marriage (the Navamsha is the marriage chart, as well as providing other insights into the main birth chart.).

In 2012, about four months before the next national election, he will begin his Saturn mahadasha, another major planetary cycle lasting 19 years. He will be entering a new phase in his life.

As noted earlier, Obama’s Vedic Saturn would appear to be strong. It is in its own sign and vargottama, which bodes well. However, Saturn goes into the 12^th house in Obama’s Bhava Chakra chart, a special horoscope that uses equal houses (instead of the equal signs of the main Vedic horoscope) to help forecast results of mahadashas. This change of house—from the 1^st in the birth chart to the 12^th in the Bhava Chakra—is an important indicator.

The 12^th house in Vedic astrology rules loss and endings. So that does not look good for Obama in 2012.

One thing about Obama, though, has been his good fortune in having weak “enemies,” i.e. political opponents. In his U.S. Senate primary race, his Democratic opponent was in the lead until domestic abuse allegations surfaced and Obama went on to win the primary. In the general election for U.S. Senate, Obama’s opponent quit the race due to a sex scandal and was replaced by Alan Keyes, an opponent who ended up with only 27% of the vote.

These fortunate (for Obama) occurrences are likely due to Obama’s having a strong 6^th house, which in Vedic astrology is the house of enemies and “combat.” He has benefic Venus strongly placed here, in the sign of a "great friend" and ruled by a powerful Mercury (which is exalted in the Navamsha). During the aforementioned U.S. Senate election, Obama was running his Venus bhukti.

Although Obama will not have the protection of Jupiter and Venus planetary cycles in 2012, he still has a strong 6^th house. In 2012, even though Obama will lack some of his former political power as foreseen by Vedic analysis, much will depend on the strength or weakness of his Republican opponent.

Obama's Western Horoscope and the 2012 Election

Solar return horoscopes are calculated for the exact moment when the Sun returns to one’s birth sign and degree. They are useful forecasting tools for the year ahead. Obama’s solar return horoscopes for Aug. 2008-Aug. 2010 are very revealing.

Obama’s 2008 solar return horoscope (which covers the time of his election and inauguration) should show us the story of an individual’s upward thrust into prominence. His 2008 solar return Ascendant was in Virgo, which means that his natal 8^th house came to the forefront of his life. The 8^th house is karmic, ruled in modern astrology by Pluto. Planets on one of the angles are always important, and in the 2008 solar return chart, Obama had Uranus on the Descendant angle opposite a Moon-Mars conjunction on the Ascendant.

Obama’s solar return chart, set for the White House on August 4, 2009—and covering his second year in office when the health care and financial reform bills were passed—was remarkable. The Ascendant was Sagittarius, bringing Obama’s political 11^th house front and center. Saturn was exactly on the Midheaven, showing his control and executive position.

In the 2012 solar return chart, Pluto will be in his 4^th house, which some might interpret as signifying a change of residence. However, Jupiter will conjoin the Midheaven of the 2012 solar return chart, indicating the probability of a favorable outcome for his career during the year.

See also: Saturn, Neptune, and U.S. Presidential  Candidates; Sarah Palin's Vedic Horoscope; Hillary Clinton