Karma – Mary Dodd

May 28, 2020May 8, 2021

The Death of George Floyd

On the evening of Monday, May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an African American man, appeared to be brutally murdered by a police officer in a horrific videotaped event in Minneapolis Minnesota. Cities were on fire as the public erupted in outrage. Although there were other facts that eventually became known and muddied the water on what really happened, this event lit a fuse and provided a reason for some to become violent.

What does this mean for the United States? We can gain some insight by looking at the chart of the United States for that day.

Violence – Mars (rules the police) in deluded Pisces was square Uranus – bringing sudden violent events as well as riots. The square to the Ascendant reflects the shock and revulsion that people felt as they watched the video of this horrific event.. The racial aspect of this event is mirrored in the multiple aspects to Natal Neptune in the 9th house.
Obfuscation – Neptune can obscure the truth and it is interesting that video (also ruled by Neptune) was the instrument through which this fuse was lit. Neptune was is in the dreaded last ten degrees of Pisces, when terrible things can happen.
Karma – The Nodes of the Moon bring karmic events to the world as well as to individuals. On that day, many difficult aspects were in play. The transiting South Node (calamity) was in the first house of the people. The Nodes, which are always exactly opposite one another, were conjunct/opposing Natal Venus (values).
Could it be that this terrible event will somehow transform us?
Outrage – Fanning the flames of the intense human reaction to this horrific event is transiting Neptune. Difficult aspects to Mars and Natal Neptune add to the emotional fervor and outrage.
The People – The people are angry and their response is fiery and powerful now as evidenced by the transiting Moon conjunct Natal Sun. We are seeing this in the fiery words and literal burning of cities.
Government – Transiting Sun conjunct Natal Uranus brings sudden out of the blue and shocking, powerful events that illuminate something important. This death that has caused such turmoil for individuals as well as government shows up in the Transiting Sun (government) square the Moon (people).
Tyranny – This powerful and truly evil incident is teaching us important lessons, if we can just hear the message. Saturn brings difficult lessons and also represents tyranny and government control. It opposes Mercury, which represents how we thing, our ideas and our prejudices. It is conjunct Pluto, that is a symbol for evil and powerful change. The connection to the karmic North Node shows that this event will have great repercussions.
Media – The media has been playing this shocking video almost non-stop, it is too painful to watch, yet it is on every platform, forcing us to look . This is reflected in the aspects created by transiting Mercury which conjoin Venus (our values).
Powerful Change – Pluto brings big transformation. Pluto is making connections to change our thinking and increase our compassion. Transiting Pluto is conjunct Pluto, making this a doubly powerful event with the ultimate promise of regeneration at some future point.
Could it be that we are forced to see this so we will embrace compassion for one another?

April 1, 2020April 1, 2020

Karma and the Astrology of the Current Time

As many of you may know, I am a student of both Western and Vedic Astrology. There are many similarities but also vast differences between the two approaches. In both systems, the Nodes of the Moon are very significant. They are the harbingers of cultural change on the world stage and reveal our fate, destiny and karmic path.

Perilous Times Ahead

Between February 11, 2020 and April 21, 2020, there is great danger and possibility for treacherous events. This is due to two perilous Nakshatras that are occupied by the karmic Nodes. Rahu moved into Ardra on September 27, 2019 and remains there until April 21, 2020. Ketu moved into Mula on February 11, 2020 and remains there until September 19, 2020. So from February 11, 2020 until April 21, 2020, both Nodes will be in these difficult and dangerous Nakshatras, full of pain and suffering. As Mars and other planets make connections, energy can be activated.

Unique to Vedic astrology, the very ancient Nakshatra system is similar to the signs of the zodiac, but smaller divisions of the 360 degree wheel which provide precise insight into the energy of the time. They are derived from the constellations and fixed stars. They indicate how life may flow as planets and points move into and out of these subsections. Each Nakshatra has a ruling planet and a symbol.

What are these two Difficult Nakshatras?

Ardra is ruled by the storm god Rudra, bringing destruction, emotional upheaval, natural disasters and sickness. This is the dark night of the soul and there is much suffering and sadness. This destruction paves the way for a new dawn after the calamity. The symbol is a teardrop.

Mula is ruled by Nirrti, the goddess of dissolution and destruction whose wild dance destroys illusions and helps us see reality, for good or bad. The symbol is a bunch of roots.

Historically, when Rahu and Ketu are in these Nakshatras, something massive and shocking occurs for the United States as they especially activate the natal chart for our country. It takes 18 ½ years for Rahu and Ketu to go around the zodiac, so every 18 ½ years, they return to this hazardous place. Here are some examples of difficulties associated with these Nakshatras:

2001 – 9/11
1981 – AIDS virus
1964 – War authorized against North Vietnam
1945 – WW2 and the bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

The big picture view of what we are experiencing now is truly monumental, massive and world changing. There are many more powerful aspects to come this year in both Vedic and Western systems, which I will share in posts to come.

Remember the greatest power of all is love and it is important to share love and compassion with one another now, more than ever. Stay centered and do not feed the fear as we go through these big changes together. In the end, our world will be very different once this transformation has been completed. The dark night is necessary before we see the dawn of the new day that lies before us.

January 12, 2020January 12, 2020

Karmic Changes – the Nodes of the Moon Shift in 2020

Major karmic events, both global and personal, revolve around the position of the North and South Nodes of the Moon. In November 2018, the North Node moved into Cancer and the South Node in Capricorn. The Nodes have a cycle of 18 ½ years, so at the halfway point and quarter points, hard aspects are formed bringing about change.

The North Node represents what we should move towards in our evolution and in the natal chart, it represents your life’s path. The South Node indicates what has been mastered in the past and the talents that are available to support the North Node transformation. However, because the North Node energies are new and unknown, we may be tempted to fall back on the tried and true and miss our opportunity for growth.

Currently, the North Node is in Cancer, calling the world to focus on humanity and operate from the heart rather than the head. We are urged to nurture the people (Cancer and the Moon North Node) rather than the command and control all-business approach of the Capricorn South Node. The best expression of the North Node would be to harness the administrative talents of Capricorn to help others.

On May 5, 2020, the Nodes move into Gemini and Sagittarius and will remain there until January 18, 2022. If you have your natal nodes in Gemini or Sagittarius, strong third or ninth houses or planets in Gemini or Sagittarius, this will affect you more than others.

The North Node in Gemini calls us to energetically gather new information, make new choices and embrace change. Gemini rules the mind, rapidly moving from one topic to another and sometimes just skimming the surface and not delving deeply into knowledge.

As Mercury rules Gemini, it will take on an important role in 2020 and Mercury Retrograde periods will be significant. Remember that during Mercury Retrograde it is a time to pause and reflect on your path and progress, be careful with details such as contracts and watch for misunderstandings and delays.

The South Node is about our past and we are asked to review what we have accumulated to determine what should be kept or discarded. Sagittarius rules foreign countries and travel, exploration and adventure. Expect to see outcomes emerge from ideas or efforts begun in the past.

Sagittarius South Node asks us to use the skills of focus and deep understanding to augment the Gemini accumulation of information. Sagittarius is the seeker, gathering deep information especially about spiritual and higher mind topics. Guard against religious fanaticism and self-righteousness at this time.

Sagittarius and Gemini polarities represent the pull between the city and the country, between boredom and fascination, surface information and deep wisdom, entertainment and truth. During this time we are called to remain curious and question dogmatic viewpoints. We should be willing to consider new viewpoints and integrate new perspectives if they resonate with our souls.

Jupiter will have great significance as it rules Sagittarius. We will need to understand what needs to be discarded and what needs to be nurtured. With Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn, this is about understanding what needs to be permanently changed, transformed and regenerated.

When Jupiter enters Aquarius in December and moves toward a conjunction with Saturn in Aquarius on December 21, this will cause a major shift in our experience of the South Node, bringing greater humanitarian focus, inventive ideas and dreams. Expect great leaps forward in space travel and trade with foreign nations. There will be changes in immigration laws, universities, publishing and the Internet.

Changes to expect during the Gemini/Sagittarius Nodes:

New ways to provide advanced education, look for reduced cost and new educational approaches especially in universities
Changes to the Internet and all modes of communication
New ways to travel
Changes in space travel
Increased trade – working with foreign countries and foreigners
Big innovations in publishing (Kindle was introduced during Pluto in Sagittarius years)
1983 had an unusually large cluster of Sagittarius factors, so cycles, people and issues from 1983 may return to you during this nodal placement (2020-2022)