Time for Karmic Cleansing: 20th sep- 4th Oct

Kalsarp Yog + Pitri pakshya: 20th Sep - 4th Oct

As I narrated in detail my earlier post, Kalsarp Yog is going on from from 28th April- 2nd Oct. MUCH more significant is, that the last leg of this Five month long Kalsarp Yog, overlaps with annual Pitri/ Preta Pakshya or Shraddh period from 20th Sep - 4th Oct.  Making this a Super Special period for all kinds of Karmic Cleansing. Be it regarding paying tributes to departed souls of near and dear ones, or be it to tribute and honour to past experiences. I would say, that this is a special period for the 12th house in your horoscope. Signifying past debts, past Karmic Connections. It is highly advisable not to commence anything NEW or fresh in this period. merely use it to continue older things, regurgiate, older and continuing things. Bring your to focus to LONG PENDING issues.

Significance of this Rare Period
This IS a very special phase where Kalsarp Yog is OVERLAPPING with 2013's annual Pitra/ Preta Paksha period. This conjunct has tremendous Karmic/ occult significances. Kalsarp yog as explained in detail in my earlier post, is a period when ALL planets (excluding the oscillating/ shifty Moon), are HEMMED/ HEDGED on Side of the Rahu Ketu axis. This period signifies the Shedding of the older skin of the Kalsarp, the Serpent of Time. And as evryone already knows Pitra/ Preta Paksha period is to pay homage to departed souls, old matters before the Fresh new period of Navaratra sets in. Hence, BOTH these extremely Regressive phases overlapping each other brings special energies to the environment around us.

Personally speaking
After the blast/ high of my 40th birthday, Iwas feeling very much dehydrated. On 19th noon, i had a old leftover ice cream bar, lurking in the back of the ice box. As soon as i had it, i felt something was wrong. I later tried to compensate by having a lot of hot pepper. At night, I had leftover spicy meat curry from my birthday gift from Rinku. From 20th morning I was completely down and out, in illness, throat infection, fever, etc. But more than the bodily discomfiture, I noticed that my mind was running all over the place. Random thoughts from lurking corners of the shadowy past were blooming all over my consciousness. The brain was going in a retro mode. To the world of blurred edges, margins, fringes. Long lost issues, pending thoughts suddenly made their way into the forefront. At least, I was IN TUNE, with the universal order of things. From 19th evening itself, I had spontaneously faded in, into this regressive, illness, mode. And, though from a bodily standpoint, feeling obviously bad, FROM a Broader perspective... perfect timing!
Slowly, i noticed, that a lot of people from past histories were making their entrance into my life. So at least, in this illness/ regression/ contemplation, i can do some effective Karmic Cleansing. From 20th sep- 4th Oct!!

Suggestions for this phase

1. Charitable acts, donating food items to poor is a great way to appease the departed souls. 
2. Participating in Tarpan rituals, memorial homage to their memories assist their journey across heavens. 
3. Helping, assisting others in their problems. Lending a kind shoulder.
4. Prayers, chanting, meditation is really helpful. 
5. Any kind of reflection, remembrance, nostalgia, retrospection, and contemplation is perfect!

Occult/ Karmic Potential of this Phase:
This very special phase where both Kalsarp Yog and Pitra/ Preta Paksha are in conjunct brings many occult/ Karmic potentials to those aware of it. Just imagine, Kalsarp, the Serpent of Time has entered the Ghost Zone, Preta/ Pitra Paksha. Making it IDEAL for accessing pending, haunting, issues in our lives. And trying to make amends to them. This period gives EASY access into the subconscious, semi consciousness of our minds. To access those gray lurking, areas in the fringes, edges of our consciousness. You mind suddenly find yourself regressing into past thoughts, pending and vexing matters. Don't worry, you ARE perfectly on universal schedule! In fact THIS is the TIME to not move forward BUT wait, pause, chew the cud, face your inner demons, resolve them, and finally move forward with FRESHEST NEW energy the Universe has to offer, from 5th Oct!!

Sombre White V.s. Sexy Black:
sombre White V.S. sexy Black I always wondered about the Vedic association of the colour white  to sraddha, mourning, widowhood, funeral rituals. Why not black, as universally ascribed in the Western
world to mourning rituals, funerals, gloominess, etc. This preta paksha + kalsarp yoga, I've ACTUALLY comprehended the underlying connection of white and mourning. Actually personally experienced it in a subjective and physical manner. Especially, after online interaction with a Qabbalah scholar and  magickal practitioner, Ty Dawson. Who had some fantastic insights in facebook notes on  the sephiroth dynamics. Especially in the cosmic Opposition/ dynamics of sephiroth (2) Chokmah, representing the Divine Cosmic Father versus Sephiroth (3) Binah, representing the Divine Cosmic Mother.

After much thought, i came to an overwhelming conclusion. The best way to describe my past ten days of Pitru Paksha (especially boosted by the current Kalsarp Yog ): I have been feeling WHITE! White as in paleness, colourless, sparse, ni- ras ( devoid of rasa). White as in the universal scourge that bleaches our life, and makes it colourless. As opposed to serpentine, magickal, fluidic potency of Black. Black as in Kali/ Tara, mystery, power, occult, magic of Shakti. WHITE as in the formal, sombre white, sterile interiors of a hospital, or the white board room of a corporate interiors. Black as in the feminine, energies of the night, Saturnine mysteries, the Third Sephiroth of Binah. WHITE as Chokmah, the blazing energy, the masculine Godhead, The Jupiterean father, Divine cosmic Father, Pitra/ Brahma/ Brihaspati.

The SOMBRE WHITE connecting all rituals during Pitru paksha, paying obeisance to the Divine father, Brahma, Brihaspati, Pitra, worshipped in form of departed ancestors. WILD BLACK, as in the prevalence of shakti energies running fluid, and dynamic, for the entire course of the rest of the year! It's interesting to note that due to various curses, lord Brahma/ Pitra is only worshipped during this period of Pitra Paksh! Hence, original Vedic standpoint is more from the point of Binah ( worship of Cosmic Divine Mother), rather than Chokmah signifying the worship of Cosmic Divine Father, represented by
christianity.

Damn! due to the influence of Pitru Paksh/ Brahma/ Pitra, I'm sounding like an Jupiterean scholar, a priestly guy, a knowledgeable scholar. Not me, at all!! FOR, I'm a Saturnine, Binah ruled guy, full of flux, duality, fluid motion, and deconstruction. And this Pitra/ Chokmah (2) phase is helping me understand and recognise my own inner Binah / Saturnine nature much better! BUT FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME IN MY LIFE REGRADLESS/ IGNORANT OF MY INNER NATURE, i had been ADOPTING and IMBIBING the Jupiterean principles of Chokmah/ Divine father/ Cosmic Patriarch/ Brahma principles. At my own cost. At my own great undoing..!!

Personal updates, 30th sept, Monday:
I had planned a Live update for this very special phase from 20th sep- 4th Oct, where both Kalsarp Yog and Pitra/ Preta Paksha are in conjunct. But events unfolding found me in such a scattered mode, that it was difficult to cohere and integrate the ideas together. Here, I attempt, at the Tenth day:

1. Firstly, there was a noticeable lack of constructive/ productive activities. Especially in a usual, slow, unfolding, continuing way, that it normally happens for me. All positivity happened in spurts/ flashes and vanished. There was a lot of combustion, irritation, all around. 
2. And my illness which began from 20th Sep, has somehow magically persisted, continued into this TENTH day. On many occasions I found myself indulging in diet, stuff that regressed the healing process. Neither did I managed to land up at an allopathic doctor for qucik, and fast solution. Somehow, I had (in) voluntarily LINGERED this long illness, even as I write now! The entire time has passed by in a hazy, blur of incoherence.
3. A Lot of Pending Issues, vexing matters were resurrected all around me. People went into retrospection modes. Old pending stuff from years and years back has been unearthed. Which brought a very heavy mood to me overall. Definitely, acceleration, forward motion, change had completely halted all around. I could distinctly feel a REGRESS into my old habits, moods, dispositions.
4. I started seeing series of repetitive haunting dreams in this period. Especially those, that I associate with the typical taste of past life residues. In these past  10 days, it's like, I became a zombie, walking around in a cloudy haze. More than the account of my prevailing ilness, it was the natural disposition. I had briefly gone to the mall, yesterday, with a friend Nayanika. But even then, amidst the hulabaloo of the shining lights, we traversed on OLD, pending topics, unearthing dark, shady secrets. Very unlikely, in the bright, lights of Select Citywalk Mall, Saket. 
5. Today, as I write this, on the hustle of a workday morning, I STILL feel the linegring, oppressive, cloudy haze. Have I managed to cross these last tend days appropriately? All i can remember is a hazy blur. This entire week lies ahead. Only will it get over, hopefully, on Saturday! Cheers/ all d best!    

 @ Fag End of Kalsarpa's Tail
I had planned to update earlier, but, due to technical editing, formatting problems, it's only now, today morning, that I am being able to manage. These events/ phases/ energies have their own life/ Ego, they Choose WHEN to be updated or narrated! ;)
The cough, cold, that began on 20th Oct, still somehow continues, after brief pauses of relief, release. Even, i'm not helping it by two bouts of cold beer drinking, once, on the Eve of Kalsraps end.
1st Oct, Tuesday
Evening, we went to drop sango's employee Sugandha to her home at Hauz Khas, bcos it was too late. Later ended up partying at Cafe OTB, terrace floor. Suddenly partying, just 14 hrs before the FIVE MONTH long Kalsarp Yog ended. On the Very EVE of Kalsarps end! Later at home was called by Landlord/ guide Sunil at 11:30, (u-characteristically, as he sleeps sharp by 10 pm) to check a horoscope of his family friend. They too going thru this Kalsarp effects since past five months. Reading the horoscope at midnight hour felt so omnious of the changing times. Later chatted and reconnected with old pal Neeraj from my traumatic Mumbai struggling musician in Bollywood days. So many past memories were awash all over me. So very much of them. The Hindi term is: SAILAAB: the flood of emotions!! Till 2:30 am, until wife gave jhaaru on me! 
 2nd Oct, Wednesday 
Awoke, foggy, drowsy, cloudy brain, hang over, from all that spicy food, beer, outside it was a National Holiday, Gandhi Jayanti. Felt so Barren/ white/ Wednesday morning. The barren white scourge of death. gimme sexy/ black night time, ANY day.. er night! PALE, dead WHITE, barren desert. The VOID of  Wednesday morning! Sun +Mercury (Budha+ aditya Yog)  in my 12th house of Karmic Debts/ loss. Every morning feels so drained for me. ESPECIALLY, Wednesday and Sunday mornings.Eemphasising Karmic Debts. This Preta Paksh morning felt so ESPECIALLY barren, VOID, desert like. What Deleuze calls the "Desert of the Real". 
Later afternoon had to go to friend Pratisha's pre birthday celbrations at Gurgaon. The entire day wife was stuck in sending some important online document. Later, no auto, driver on holiday, metro was unimaginably late!!  We finally reached her place at Sohna road, Gurgaon, around 4 o clock, for LUNCH! Ominously,  much after 2:25 pm, the exact moment of Kalsarp's end, as Venus moved into Scorpio, ending this FIVE MONTH long Kalsarp Yog! After we reached Pratisha's place, I partied hard. Drowned myself in beer and fried chicken. In fact, I almost conked off towards the end! What astrological timing, this celebration AT the very END of 5 months of Kalsarp Yog! But I deferred to put up her b day snaps, UNTIL Saturday, once this Pitra Paksh phase also finally ends! I wanted this sickly photo, sickly body, sickly mind, sickly state  of mine to REMAIN until the end of Pitra Paksh. Wanted to do this by the book, this Karmic phase. Later evening, we came to meet our Landlord sunil, and joined him in Chanting for 1/2 hour. Later at night, I did/ could feel some pressure points of the body trickle away. Definitely Kalsarps invisible pressure were relenting. I found it AMAZING that the body/ mind, being able to sense and register these Phase changes!! 
3rd Oct, Thursday
Morning I can distinctly feel the continuing morose stranglehold of Pitra Paksh. The cloudy, white, hangover, feeling of moroseness. Perfectly and exactly like a sradhh/ Vedic funeral ceremony. The very whiteness of Brahma's sterile, austere clothes.  Because prior to this year, I somehow had quite the partying and energising during Pitra Paksh, strange! And a definitive sense of body burning,  ONCE Devi Paksh began! I can say, that this phase has adhered since Pitra/ Devi Paksha of Oct, 2005. A month before my marriage. This time, also the partying has happened, but on EVE of Kalsarps end and the HOUR of Kalsarp's end. And today morning, I still feel the extreme morose, gloomy atmosphere of the Vedic sraddha/ Funeral. The exact description of Edgar Allan Poe's classic story, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, regarding the invisible layer of desolation. 
I can also relate this feeling of Death, Pale Whiteness to Dhumavati, the cosmic Widow! The morose sterile austerity of a monk, bereft from the juicy, blood/ sweat/ tears/ ooze of physical, material reality. I can understand Brahma/ Pitra's energies. The cloudy, misty, desolation of Pale white.

1: 40 pm: Today, 3rd Oct, Thursday, while going to the nearby Sanatan Dharam, Navagraha Temple, for my weekly Daan/ donation to Brihaspati/ Jupiter, I prayed to Jupiter as Brihaspati/ Brahma/ Pitra. Like my late astro guru T.N. Sarma once indicated, that only Jupiter indicating Pitra/ Brahma can be worshiped during Pitra Paksh/ sraddh. So for me, it was merely substituting the alternative names of Jupiter/ Brihaspati during my weekly ritual. And after exiting the temple, I brought biscuits and distributed them to poor people around. Todays Chaturdashi Tithi, penultimate day of Pitra Paksh, special day for praying for souls of departed who died of Violent/ unnatural deaths: accidents, violence, suicide, poisoning, unnatural circumstances. After returning from the temple, I was browsing briefly through my journals of earlier years.. and yes, there was somehow a LOT of partying involved annualy during this period of Pitra Paksh/ mourning. I felt like such and utter fool, reading my crawly handwritten journal notes. About "celebrating in memorial to departed ancestors, dead souls'. "partying" in memory to their memories. Haha! Conversely, today, I feel the burning white of the air around. The sterile heaviness of the light ( I could have been a poet). 

9: 58 pm:  An Ode to Poe and lovecraft
The day went by in so much heaviness. Even though my friend Susmit had come down early from work, and I had gone off to get some snacks for the office from CR Park, Market No.2. My wife haad indigestion after having the samosas and was cursing me.  I had to go see some furniture samples with wife to traffic jam packed Yusuf  Sarai @ evening jam. Problems with the driver. Stomach feeling queasy from haphazard food. I'm feeling a vast lethargy, all around me. I was reading through some stuff bu my favourite writers H.P Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe, and it's hard not to believe, that such desolate, dark demonic emotions specific to this Pitru Paksha had not touched their subconscious, their creativity. Meanwhile could only crawl to Chapter VIII of the Garuda Puran, as rituals suggested during this phase. Paramount heaviness. A gloom that must have crawled from ancient ages. The description of Vaitarani river in Garuda Puran, the river of catharsis and gloom. One should read these texts to understand the prevailing heaviness of this Tamasic phase. What I find ironic, that this phase in the past many years was quite buzzing and boosting for me. Something has changed along the way.  Maybe my equation with Shakti- Pitra polar opposition. 
LATER, one friend had called me over for dinner at his place, as his mum had come over. But somehow, i couldn't gather myself together, to reach or set out. I regressed back into the stupor of  severe domestic inertia. Even in the daytime, as i had randomly regressed through facebook, I came upon Demonic pages from far and across. Even my mind was slow,  I regressed into times, far and ancient. Of heavy topics, and desert wastelands, crossed in yore. Let these words of mine pay homage to the hovering spirits, homeless wraiths of Pitru Paksha. When the daemonic, un-resolved souls descent to earthly realm.
Damn, re reading these lines, I could have become a profound writer, but sadly the juice oozes only during cathartic expulsions, i.e, when I'm NOT trying to CREATE but rather exorcise/ catahrsize myself of heavy, burdensome loads upon my soul. In a ritualistic and cathartic manner. ONLY when I'm trying to exorcise these passing inner demons! Sun+ Merc in 12th house, Virgo makes this phenomenon slightly understood. Damn, i should be getting PAID for these writings, insights, but no, hardly they ever get read ( i have  considerable observation of Google analytics of each post), but especially MORE SINCE, these additional paragraphs have been ADDED to the original post. May my lost words be a dedication/ homage to the lost Pitrus/ Pitras/ spirits/ wraiths/ homeless wandering souls across limbo,  in this Pitra Paksha period. I should lament NOT, that human eyes may NOT hover over these heartfelt ramblings, but I should take comfort, that slightly in-human eyes MAY do hover over them, ;)! Good, i didn't go for dinner/ diversion! This Preta Paksha Chaturdashi, fresh after 5 month Kalsarp is a rare astrological transit to experience and narrate. And as mortals, burdened/ with astrological knowledge of such transits, It becomes mine personal duty to lay testimony to the emotions and spirit of this passing phase. Lest, some another mortal eyes wandering over these lines, can empathize with similar sentiments, that they might be experiencing! And thereby understand the overwhelming influence of passing astro transits! (I do feel temporarily possessed by the spirit & narrative style of my eternally favourit Edgar Allan Poe). My homage to them, mighty spirits, whose dark styles do continue to inspire and move us, across the Aeons!