Rahu is the name given to the ascending node of the Moon and is the 8th Graha in Vedic astrology. Rahu is, without a doubt, a fascinating and mysteriously powerful force in our everyday lives. Yet Rahu has always been hard to define, however, in Hindu mythology and Vedic spiritual literature many references can be found. So let's talk about Rahu! The "shadowy planet" (Chaya Graha) and it's potential meaning and influence, in Vedic astrology.
First of all, one must quickly mention Rahu's other half Ketu the descending node of the Moon and the 9th Graha in Vedic astrology. Rahu is characterised as the head of a serpent, whereas Ketu is related to the tail or body separated from the serpent's head. Both Rahu and Ketu are described as shadowy planets because they are associated with the eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. These shadowy planets have developed powerful myths and have powerful conscious contributions to our evolution. Rahu is our entrapment in the material world, while Ketu signifies our final liberation from the material world and the karmas of the soul. Rahu and Ketu are aligned directly opposite one another and travel counter-clockwise through the zodiac belt. The nodes are the most powerful of all the planets for they cause the eclipses of the luminaries, the Sun and the Moon. The nodes block out the light or consciousness. Rahu is the material world and all the desires it creates. It gives material things, which will never bring lasting happiness. This is the illusion of Rahu.
So let's talk Rahu also known as Ahi, Rahu is known as a first-rate malefic in Vedic astrology. This is because Rahu externalise's certain deep-rooted faults in the individual, which produce unfavourable conditions in order to eradicate personality weaknesses and eventually instil the strength to face the ordeals arising in the process of spiritualization.
Rahu commandeer's and connects many deep and dark facets of the self. Rahu can prompt illusions, deception, fantasy, deep wounds, obsessions and can push forward the deep unknown. Rahu is also known for high mystical states through unhealthy means, blowing things out of proportion, foreign lands, seizure moments, excessiveness, one extreme to another, to name a few characteristics. Rahu magnifies the subjective self and brings it into the concrete world, which can be bitterly painful, dark and twisted. This can disrupt and direct the individual to the unknown parts of one's consciousness. The dark extensions of ourselves that through introspection can be truly terrifying and if not dealt with will manifest and expand into our concrete reality.
What Rahu does is bring our deep subjective energies and feelings and how we feel about ourselves to the forefront and when Rahu comes alive through an 18 year Dasha, these energies become concrete realities and start reflecting in your life. Your deepest fears manifested right in front of your face. Subsequently, it's no wonder why Rahu is the number one planet responsible for insanity and suicide. Rahu creates wounding pain, pull your heart out and step on it moments. Life becomes a mirror, a most vivid picture and how you feel about yourself on the deepest level, deep down inside. What Rahu shows us is that human consciousness is extremely subjective, Rahu extroverts your subjective weaknesses into a concrete reality.
As stated, Rahu represents the head of a serpent this represents the mind and all the sense's that goes with the mind. This emphasises the I-ness within each of us and affects the mental realm or the psycho-somatic composition of the being, Rahu's effect is always indirect. There can be impulses at a psychological level which, interceded by something else, creates perversions, derangements, psychological imbalance or physical ailments.
These are some of the steps that Rahu tries to rid the self of I and My, the more, I and My, the more subjective holes we have. Rahu and Ketu, primarily deal with destroying the asuric or demonic tendencies within us. This is why Rahu is referred to as a mountain of darkness because materialistic tendencies must be aroused to their fullness before they can be destroyed. Rahu accentuates darkness so that it must be effectively eliminated. Another malefic tendency of Rahu is to produce disenchantment with material attachments and physical well-being, the most coveted aspects of human life. This can be tantalising painful and abrupt for the individual as it chips away at the I-ness and every time we lose a bit of I, we lose a bit of our ego.
The key to helping Rahu is through the 7th Graha, Saturn. Saturn controls concrete reality and is the last visible planet. Rahu will give problems if you haven't dealt with Saturn, first. Saturn is the 7th and Rahu the 8th Graha. There are 7 concrete days just as there are seven visible planets. The Sun is the beginning and Saturn is the end. Rahu and Ketu are the 8th and 9th Graha's and represent the shadowy subjective planes of consciousness, whereas the seven visible Planets represent the concrete material realities of consciousness. That's why we have 7 days to the week. So, back to Saturn and it's role in helping Rahu, Saturn rules the end of materiality and signifies the 'My' consciousness and Rahu represents the 'I' consciousness. To destroy the I-consciousness you must have already annihilated My consciousness and this is the job of Saturn. The nature of Saturn is the end of materiality and Saturn robs us and starves us of materiality. Saturn is known for restriction and is known as the Lord of karma and it is Saturn who stands at the gates of initiation, ready to put all who aspire to a higher state of consciousness to the test. And Saturn does this through stripping away our conscious relation to materiality. Saturn literally robs us of self of esteem, relationships and our material objectivity with the objective of liberating us from the illusions of materiality and My syndrome; My partner, My car, My house and My shoes. Saturn restricts and takes away our compulsions for material securities. Breaking us away from such material delusions until we are left bereft and isolated with nothing but a broken ego. Saturn primarily works in the physical realm evolving the individual to move from the gross material environment to help galvanise spiritual liberation. Saturn severely limits an individual and strips away material wants and needs. This is with the implicit purpose of liberating the individual and the soul from material means. Everything, in the end, is guaranteed to end and this hurts the ego and makes us feel pain. Saturn can only take away the 'My' but it's only us who can take away the I, only you can surrender the I and by surrendering the ego, allows us to get to grips and develop Rahu.
Rahu gives deep acting results. Acting both ways, like wisdom and poison, Rahu gives spiritual attainment, regeneration and enlightenment with regard to eternal truths, as well as our downfall in one's status, affliction with malignant diseases, poisoning and decay. When Rahu strikes it is ruthless. Yet when Rahu shields a person, none can harm him. Rahu tends to show were and what we want to develop as a person in life. What part of us we need to grow and manifest in life.
The best parts of a story are the Rahu parts, the path we're travelling to become whole and spiritualized, all comes from within, brave to acknowledge it, surrender the ego, it's truly a movie coming from your innards.