Note: The close conjunction of Saturn and Ketu for 28 weeks (April 5 — October 18) represents serious issues worldwide.

Cases in point: Tornadoes and Extreme Weather Patterns in USA, Notre Dame Cathedral Fire, Bombings in Sri Lanka, Earthquakes in the Philippines, Clashes in Paris, Measles and Herpes Outbreak, Deadly Shooting at a California Synagogue, Attempted Coup in Venezuela, More Mass and School Shootings, et al.

Exercise care and patience, take care of your health, finances and family life, and focus on your spiritual practices.

Where the Vedic Astrology Planets are this Week

• Sun transits its exaltation sign, Aries from 17:24 to 24:11°. Sun is under the 5^th aspect of Ketu, May 5 –15. This connects the soul with meditation and spiritual pursuits. Leaders, physicians, administrators and governments are likely under stress.
• Moon is waning/waxing and transits Pisces, Aries, Taurus and into Gemini.  The new Moon is in Aries, May 5^th.
• Mars transits out of Taurus and into Gemini, May 7^th at 9:23 a.m.  Mars is weak in degrees until May 15^th. There may be issues for the military, police, athletes, executives, firefighters and property matters.
• Mercury transits out of its debilitation sign, Pisces, and into Aries on May 3^rd at 7:32 p.m. Mercury is weak in degrees until May 6^th. Be patient with stocks, business, computers, finances, technology, communications and intellectual property.
• Jupiter transits Scorpio, from 29:31 to 28:59°. Jupiter is weak in degrees until June 13th. This may cause issues with the law, religion, publishing, teaching, education, and advisory roles. Jupiter is in  retrograde motion until August 11^th.
• Venus transits its exaltation sign, Pisces from 19:51 to 28:21°. This should be good for women, romance, luxuries, vehicles, medicine, legal matters, finance, entertainment, and the fine, healing and performing arts. Venus is under the 5^th aspect of Jupiter, May 6 – 12. Taurus, Cancer and Capricorn rising sign persons, companies and countries (including USA) are under stress.
• Saturn transits Sagittarius, from 26:23 to 26;19°. This connects law, religion and education with the elderly, the poor and needy, immigrants, agriculture, manufacturing and working-class persons. Saturn is in retrograde motion until Sept. 18^th and is closely conjunct Ketu for 28 weeks — April 5th to October 18th.

• Rahu and Ketu transit Gemini and Sagittarius, respectively, from 26:10 to 25:13°. There is likely to be significant stress for those persons with planets in “odd” signs (Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius) between 23 to 28 degrees – or whenever Rahu or Ketu are within 5 degrees of a person’s rising sign degree (in any house), or any planet (by aspect or conjunction).

The Impact of the Transit Planets for each “Rising Sign” (not “Sun Sign”):

• Aries: Get extra rest through May 15. Be patient with expenses and separations with partnerships and family life. Children, education, investments and creative projects remain favorably forefront. Focus on leadership activities. Expect a lift with health and finances soon. Income and friendships remain vulnerable through mid-Oct.
• Taurus:  Be patient with expenses and separations with property, vehicles, and family life through mid-May. There may be similar issues with children, education and investments. Expect gains from women, loans and legal matters, but exercise patience to manage debts and disputes with income and friendships. Be vigilant at work through mid-Oct.
• Gemini: Expect both gains and losses with income, friendships, authority figures and your own self-efforts. Connect women, children, education, investments, and property with your career. Redecorate your work space and focus on the fine, healing and performing arts. Relationships are vulnerable to debts and disputes through mid-Oct.
• Cancer:  Take a leadership position at work and focus on writing, business, finance and communications. Connect with authority figures. Expect gains at work and good fortune with property, vehicles, and home life. Be vigilant with marriage, windfalls, inheritance, and to avoid accidents through mid-Oct.
• Leo: Continue to enjoy good fortune for you and finish up any long-distance travel by mid-May. Recent setbacks with your status and family life begin to dissipate. Connect entrepreneurial ventures with research and knowledge, but be patient with delays and obstructions. Relationships remain vulnerable through mid-Oct.
• Virgo:  Focus on research, language, mystical sciences and occult knowledge. Be patient with setbacks. Recent stresses with father or religious figures dissipate. Your best bet is with partnerships and joint ventures – these contribute to your status and family life. Be vigilant to manage debts, disputes and health issues through mid-Oct.
• Libra: Spend another week on health, finances, legal and insurance matters, and then expect a lift. Recent issues with sleep patterns and long-distance ventures dissipate. Connect income and friendships with partnerships and joint ventures, but be patient with setbacks through May 6. Protect your children and investments through mid-Oct.
• Scorpio: Study the fine, healing or performing arts. Be patient with expenses and separations with children and investments. Manage debts, disputes, fire, theft, accidents or false allegations at work through May 15. There may also be issues with income and friendships through May 18. Take care of property, vehicles and home life through mid-Oct.
• Sagittarius: Redecorate your home and enjoy music, the arts and luxury. Consider a new car. Be patient with debts, disputes or health issues with children, education, physicians, investments, and authority figures. Think leadership. Be reclusive, watch your health and reputation, and be vigilant with entrepreneurial activities mid-Oct.
• Capricorn: Connect work with entrepreneurial ventures. Focus on design, photography, architecture and the fine, healing or performing arts. Be vigilant at home and while traveling to avoid accidents. Spend another week on property matters. Manage expenses and separations with family life through mid-Oct.
• Aquarius: Connect partnerships and joint ventures with entrepreneurial activities and large, spiritual, medical or government organizations. Spend one more week working out of you home. Expect good fortune with your status and family life. Teach, publish and advise through Oct. Protect your health and reputation through mid-Oct.
• Pisces: Be easy for a few days with relationships. Focus on writing, language, literature, computers, technology and intellectual property. Work on independent projects involving property and your organizing skills. Enjoy teaching, publishing and consulting. Be patient with losses, expenses or separations through mid-Oct.

About the author: David Hawthorne