Yama exits the sky

The standoff which began between Saturn and Mars on July 1st will end on August 18th, the same day the Venus emerges from Kazimi.

Anytime Saturn and Mars are in opposition they tend to destroy the areas they are influencing. Their combined influence is called “Yama Yoga” and can create a large amount of distress, both in a horoscope and in transit. They bring in the energy of the deity Yama, who is associated with death or an exacting control. When they are together in a sign, they tend to eliminate that area of life. When they are in opposition they create a certain kind of insanity which will be focused on the sign Saturn occupies. If, for example, a horoscope has Saturn in the 7th house and Mars in the 1st opposing one another then partners (seen in 7th house) will tend to be slightly unhinged. This is a placement that can actually create violence in relationship, with the individual themselves (1st house) being the one who is the subject of the aggression.

In transit, Saturn has been in Aquarius for the duration of this opposition. Aquarius is associated with revolution and societal change which comes from ‘the people.’ This transit shows that anyone in that position is under a heavy Saturn influence during this time and will therefore not have a completely clear head. This can lead to more aggressive and possibly violent behavior toward Mars in Leo, which represents politicians and those in positions of leadership or established authority.

On an individual level this opposition can be read as a general feeling of distance or difference inside your social sphere, resulting in more pronounced and assertive actions directed toward the way you govern your personal life, decision-making, sense of authority and creativity. Fundamentally, Leo and Aquarius represent the individual will vs. collective action, making these areas very tense during this time.

Mars will move on to Virgo August 18th, where it will concern itself with the organization and application of logic—especially as it relates to communication.

During this time, Pisces will remain afflicted by three malefic influences, now with a direct aspect from Mars in Virgo. This suggests a disruption to rest in general, and the subconscious in particular—both areas ruled by the sign Pisces, which signifies sleep, retreat, meditation and the places we must go in order to regenerate. It is also the place of moksha, or the deepest type of letting go an individual is capable of. So much affliction here suggests that collectively we are all holding on a little bit harder than usual, possibly for reasons we cannot name or due to feelings or intuitions which have not completely surfaced.

All of this has been fomenting since Rahu and Saturn began their hemming in of Pisces in Spring of 2022. It suggests there are subterranean events or influences unsettling us which we cannot yet see but may be able to feel. It is a good practice to notice this with as much objectivity as possible, without trying to eradicate or fix the sensations they generate, since the sensations themselves are a source of important information we may not be able to glean in any other way.