We are entering a particularly mystical period this month as Mercury and Venus join Rahu in the nakshatra of Shatabishak. Mercury meets Rahu on February 13 in the early morning hours, followed by Venus joining this cosmic conversation on February 18. Both conjunctions occur in Aquarius between 6.40 and 20 degrees, the realm of the Hundred Healers.
Shatabishak is ruled by Rahu himself, which creates an intensification, like a planet returning home with gifts and challenges in equal measure. This nakshatra governs healing, mysticism, technology, and the hidden realms that lie beneath surface reality. When Mercury, the planet of intellect and communication, meets Rahu here, our minds open to intuitive insights that bypass ordinary logic. Rahu fares best with Mercury among all the planets – these two are natural friends who can elevate each other towards genius-level innovation and spiritual advancement.
The Mercury-Rahu conjunction gives us flashes of brilliance, unconventional thinking, and the ability to see connections that others miss. This is Einstein territory; Remember, your rise on Ardra gave you those deep intuitive leaps into understanding how the universe works. During this transit, you may download ideas during meditation, wake up with solutions to problems you’ve been struggling with, or suddenly understand spiritual teachings that previously seemed opaque.
When Venus joins Rahu five days later, the energy shifts toward relationships, creativity, and our deepest desires. Rahu amplifies everything it touches, and with Venus, this can manifest as heightened attraction, heightened artistic inspiration, or a yearning for beauty and connection that is almost overwhelming. Venus and Rahu working together can produce extraordinary creativity – think of the limitless imagination that creates innovative art or music. The challenge is that Rahu never knows when enough is enough, so Venus’ natural appreciation for pleasure can become excessive if we are not aware.
Most affected ascending signs:
ascending aquarius: Both conjunctions land directly in your first house of self and identity. This is your time to reinvent yourself, embrace unconventional spiritual practices, and trust your intuitive hunches about relationships and creative projects. The key is to connect this electrical energy through meditation and service work.
Gemini ascendant: These transits activate your 9th house of higher wisdom and spiritual teachers. You may find revolutionary teachings or question traditional spiritual paths. Mercury, the ruler of your chart, meeting Rahu here can bring profound philosophical breakthroughs, but be discerning about who you follow.
Libra rising: With both conjunctions in your fifth house of creativity and romance, expect heightened artistic inspiration and powerful attractions. This is great for innovative creative work, but remember that Venus is the ruler of your chart; Do not allow Rahu’s infinite appetite to lead you into relationships or indulgences that do not serve your highest good.
Remedies for everyone:
The antidote to restless longing for Rahu is always meditation and grounding practice. Shatabishak’s healing energy responds wonderfully to service work: volunteer at a healing center or offer your skills to help others. Physical exercise keeps Mercury’s nervous energy channeled productively and remembers that Rahu’s greatest gift is to show us where we are ready to overcome old limitations and discover new possibilities for growth.
Remember, there is nothing to fear. These conjunctions offer remarkable opportunities for spiritual insight and creative advancement if we remain aware and grounded in our practice.
About the author
Barry Rosen has been practicing Vedic Astrology since 1987. He has visited and studied India on four occasions and has spoken numerous times at the American Council of Vedic Astrology Conferences in Sedona, AZ since 1999 and also at the British Association of Vedic Astrologers in London since 2006. He has been involved in Vedic culture since 1973 and is a long-time meditation and yoga teacher and published poet.
Recently, he has pioneered research in other areas of Vedic astrology, including Vedic astrolocality, the effects your current physical location has on your chart, connecting astrology with hatha yoga for therapeutic purposes, and developing transformational healing work to traverse the karma and spiritual dimensions of Vedic astrology. He is a Neo-Vedic astrologer and uses the outer planets. He is particularly interested in Jaimini astrology and the journey of the soul through the physical world and its karma and purpose and has taken live seminars in London with Sanjay Rath.
If you have questions, please contact Barry via email at: [email protected] or call Fortucast at 800-788-2796.
