Rahu Dasha and Trump's America

In 2016, Donald Trump a flashy, outsider and reality TV star, broke every political and social rule of winning an election and clinched the presidency of the United States. People on both sides of the political spectrum are stunned by his victory and his ongoing challenge to the established social, political and economic norms. Can Vedic Astrology explain this current political climate in America?

Based on the ancient Vedic algorithms of the 120-year cycles of the vimshottari dasha system, which forecasts our destiny decade by decade, month by month and day by day the United States began its Rahu dasha planetary period on Sept 25, 2015. In Sanskrit Dasha simply means “condition” or “state” – a planetary Dasha shows the level and strength with which a planet in the horoscope wields its influence on our mind, or in the case of a country the collective consciousness.

A sidereal horoscope based on the most accepted date and time of the birth of the United states, July 4 1776 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 6:30 pm shows that the United states was born in Rahu Dasha and has cycled back to her third Rahu dasha in September 2015.  The first 18 years Rahu Dasha ran from 1776-1793. This one will go form 2015- 2033

In a nation’s horoscope the first Dasha shows the foundation under which the nation was born.  Like the early settlers that founded America, Rahu is unorthodox, foreign and an outsider. His energy is directed towards changing the status quo for good or ill, and exploring original and untrodden paths. The return of the Rahu Dasha in the Vimshottari Dasha cycle shows a major turning point in the nation’s collective evolution.

Rahu, the north node, is in every horoscope Who is he, and how does he influence our destiny? In Sanskrit he is referred to as a Chaya Graha, which means a  force that functions as a shadow or eclipser. Unlike the other planetary influences, he and his counterpart the south node Ketu, have no physical form, they are mathematical calculation that explains lunar and solar eclipses.

In Jungian psychology Rahu is the "shadow", or the repressed, hidden part of the psyche that the conscious ego does not identify with. The primary function of the shadow in a good story is to destroy the status quo forcing the hero to accept something totally unfamiliar and foreign to his nature and understanding. Rahu is that foreign territory the hero must examine to complete his journey.

" Jung said that “filling the conscious mind with ideal conceptions is a characteristic of Western theosophy, but not the confrontation with the shadow and the world of darkness. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious”.

In a good story the shadow, whether an internal or external adversary, mirrors the hero in some way and makes the story more believable, as it humanizes him and reminds us that he is much like us and not some perfect demi-god. In Hindu mythology even the gods have their shadow side. Rahu is also that shadow influence that creates those internal doubts and fears that the hero struggles with that have the potential to send him down the twisted path if he is not careful. 

In the ancient Vedic texts Rahu is described as the out-cast, radical and lawless. He tends towards militancy, extremes and unexpected activities, He breaks apart cultural norms, status quo, and defies established institutions and civil behavior. Rahu like the shadow is the immigrants, and foreigner we would rather not deal with. If well-disposed in the horoscope his unconventional ways give him the hypnotic ability to influence the masses.

The ancient texts also compare compared Rahu to smoke and fog that distorts reality.  His agenda is hidden from us and he is indicative of clandestine activities. Jung referred to this when he said, “everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well-meant intentions.”

Finally, the ancient texts describe Rahu as one who looks to work around the system to achieve his results.  His winnings always have a quality of not playing fair and square and he is very prone to cheating if afflicted.

In many heroes’ stories the hero may have a Nobel Rahu quality because at some point he goes rogue, to break up the status quo to defeat the enemy.  The founding fathers of America’s audacity to break free of Britain and the declaration that "all men are created equal" was a bold, radical and noble Rahu influence at the time.

In Hindu mythology Rahu is a head with no stomach and no body this symbolizes that he is a part of us that cannot always digest the experiences and knowledge that we consume and without a stomach we can never be full or satisfied. Without a body we can easily become dissociated with our physical existence and this is why Rahu risks going to extremes/

We are living in the Rahu age regardless of personal planetary Dasha, or that of the country we live in. His influence on the media, internet, and VR is eclipsing out our ability to connect fully with our physical existence. His veracious appetite for explorations and new experiences and the internet age are a perfect marriage. Rahu’s collective influence on us today is much stronger than it was in Americas first Rahu Dasha when the country was founded.

Remember Rahu is in every horoscope, saints and sinners, winners and losers. His negative qualities are greatly feared but depending on his placement in the horoscope he can make you win or lose beyond your wildest dreams Regardless, he always sows seedsnof chaos confusion and turmoil and upends life as you knew it.

As a head with no body he over indulges in whatever he pursues. His will scream in your head go for it: the facts don’t matter, you can have your cake and eat it too. When in the grip of Rahu it’s hard to distinguish whether it is Rahu’s temptation or our heart and inner wisdom talking to us. His urgings can range from material to spiritual, self-obsessed to altruistic. Knowing to distinguish Rahu’s shadow from the light is the main goal of our yoga practice.


Rahu results vary in every horoscope depending on the house, sign and other influences upon him. In the USA horoscope Rahu is placed in the eighth house in Cancer. The eighth house is the area life that leaves us feeling powerless, vulnerable and exposed. In Sanskrit the eighth house is called Mrityu Bhava, or house of death. An intense rebirth is predicted each time each time we cycle through the Dasha of planet in the eighth house.

In the US horoscope, Rahu is in the feminine lunar, feminine sign of Cancer , which will continue to bring women and children’s issues to the forefront and increase the polarity between the masculine and feminine agendas.

Vedic astrology is called the science of light as it sheds light on the internal state of our consciousness reflecting out into the world. Vedic Astrology as a tool for forecasting can give us many data points that can help us navigate and anticipate the possibilities that lie ahead.  One thing is for sure we are under the influence of Rahu in the United states, regardless of which side of the political debate you stand

So what lies ahead for the United States?

Rahu Dasha will continue to oversee the destiny of the United States through 2033. But there are many astrological indications along the way which point to changing events and circumstances. One of those is July 2018, as the Dasha has shifted from the intensity of Rahu Rahu, to Rahu Jupiter, this cycle will last through November 2020.

Jupiter as the antithesis of Rahu is the planet of lawfulness, impartiality, and upholding ancient traditions, he is also the ascendant lord for the US and strongly placed in an angle in the seventh house in the US horoscope.. Jupiter’s qualities of wisdom, discernment, justice and checks and balances were carefully crafted into the US constitution at its inception.  As Jupiter takes his place in the cycle, we can expect the nation’s courts, justice systems and the different branches of the government to go head to head with Rahu’s desire to destroy the established social and political systems.

Rahu has revealed our shadow side. Underneath the melting pot and welcome mat for foreigners, there is also brewing a great deal of fear of those not like us. Underneath the democratic ideals lies the fear of losing ourselves to too much freedom and search for limits. Underneath fairness and balance lies the shadow of going into extremes. It is said in Vedic Astrology that the only planet Rahu sometimes listens to is Jupiter. How deep this shadow goes, and how deep the social and political unrest Rahu will bring is now up to Jupiter’s will and wisdom.