In America, we really like our space. The expression, “You’re invading my personal space” used to be quite popular. We can take a break from a relationship saying, “I need my space”. That is reason enough, we rationalize. We talk about not having enough room in our homes, closets, offices, etc. Storage units are the thing to have and keep cropping up all over the place. We may never touch these items again, but still feel the need to hang on to them.
Plenty of people suffer from claustrophobia – fear of enclosed spaces. They feel they can’t breathe. Being physically “trapped” has psychological repercussions for these people. We need to get outside and breathe some fresh air to get over this. People don’t often pay attention to what they are breathing or how they are breathing; it’s often the thought that they are breathing, so that is sufficient.
Go across to somewhere like India and you’ll see five people living in a space that’s as large as your kitchen. They’re breathing just fine despite the pollution and their lack of “personal space”. It’s another dynamic altogether; they’re just happy to have their own home.
In astrology, we have 12 houses of the zodiac, from Aries to Pisces. Each occupies an arc of 30 degrees, so the zodiac is a total of 360 degrees. The planets “transit” or move through the zodiac in their own fashion and pace. They move from Aries to Taurus to Gemini…
Jyotish or Vedic astrology utilizes 5 true planets (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn), the Sun, Moon and the North and South nodes (Rahu and Ketu). These are not the same as the nodes used in Western astrology. The nodes are “shadow” planets as they cannot be observed astronomically. Rather, they are points on the ecliptic and analogically, they can create situations that are difficult to anticipate or handle. The nodes also “move” backwards, so instead of going from Aries to Taurus, they go from Taurus to Aries.
Since there are nine planets and twelve houses, then there is usually a good chance that the planets are distributed throughout the houses. That they have their “space”. Mercury is always with the Sun or in an adjoining house. Venus is never far from the Sun either. So it’s getting a little less spacious. Then the planets have their own time for staying in a house of the zodiac. Speaking very generally, Sun, Venus and Mercury will stay for a month. Mars can stay for 6 weeks or longer. Moon stays for 2.5 days. Jupiter inhabits a constellation for 1 year. The nodes take up residence for 1.5 years. Saturn stays put for 2.5 years.
The planets, like us, like to be in their own place. The 7 planets each “own” constellations of the zodiac. They have their own property that they own free and clear – no mortgage. Mars rules Aries and Scorpio. Venus rules the adjoining houses: Taurus and Libra. Mercury gets the next ones: Gemini and Virgo. The Moon gets Cancer and the Sun is regal in Leo. Jupiter owns Sagittarius and Pisces. Saturn is the only planet to own 2 adjoining houses: Capricorn and Aquarius. So the planets are happy when they are in their own sign. They can also be in the sign of a friend or an enemy; they can be exalted or debilitated, but that’s another discussion.
Saturn, Ketu, and Sun are all occupying the constellation of Leo presently in Vedic astrology. Mercury was there for about a month but has now moved into Virgo. Venus was there recently as well but it has gone retrograde and moved into Cancer, but it will be back. The Moon is there for at least two days a month as well. So Leo is a bit crowded these days.
What this means to any specific individual depends on what house Leo rules for each individual. For an Aries ascendant, Leo is the fifth house of the zodiac. For a person with Taurus rising, Leo is the fourth house of the zodiac. For the Aries person, they may be having problems with their kids or their kids may be having some challenges. There could be issues with discernment and finding suitable advisers or mentors. This would all be colored by whatever planets natally are situated in Leo in the first place.
Regardless of the ascendant, it is important to see the situation as objectively as possible. Take a breath, step back and try to accurately assess the situation and your reaction to it. Don’t rush to jump to conclusions or take hasty actions. Seek the advice of a trusted friend or professional if the issues continue to be troubling. Be clear on what your needs and goals are with any given situation. As we say in business school, do a SWOT analysis. Assess your strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats (possible challenges). Give yourself the space you need to reflect on the situation and make sound decisions with the best intentions.