I write this in response to Libra Noir’s thread, Coronavirus and the Collective Soul, but I didn’t want to place such a hefty post in that thread, so as not to derail—I will link it there, as that’s what it’s really meant for. I love the mythology and archetypes of Rahu and Ketu, but I've refrained from posting about it as I’m not sure of the interest here. Since I did make a separate thread, though, I will leave some prompts down below, if anyone does want to respond (I will respond if there is interest), but if not it’s totally cool.

The italicized excerpts are from Ernst Wilhelm’s Graha Sutras, which I highly recommend as the stories and writing are beautiful and magical, and provide a slightly different perspective, which feels to me to be complementary rather than contradictory. Just a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. 

In Vedic astrology, Ketu (the South Node of the Moon) is a spiritual point, or graha (in Vedic Astrology, planets, which most of the time includes the nodes, are referred to as grahas, which means to grasp, or seize). This excerpt is not the story of the creation of Rahu and Ketu, but a story about the avatar of Ketu, used to illustrate his significations.

At the end of the previous Kalpa, Brahma, the Creator, went to sleep and the world became submerged under the Waters. When Brahma was sleeping, an Asura stole the Vedas from him and disappeared under the waters. Previous to this event of the world becoming submerged under the Waters, a saintly king by name Satyavrata ruled the world. One day Satyavrata was performing his ablutions on the banks of the river Kritamala. When he took up the water in his cupped palm he found a tiny fish in his hands. He promptly dropped the fish back in the water. The fish spoke and said, “O king, have pity on me, I am so small and afraid of the big fish which threaten to eat me up. Please take me away and protect me.” The king was touched by the fish and took it home and placed it in a suitable vessel filled with water.

The next morning the fish said, “There is not enough space, please place me in a wider pot.” Sure enough, the fish had outgrown his new home overnight. Satyavrata wondered at this and placed the fish in a much wider pot, but within an hour the fish had outgrown the new pot. Satyavrata then placed it in a pond and the same thing happened. He kept placing the fish in larger and larger ponds and lakes but the fish kept growing and complaining that it did not have enough space. Finally Satyavrata took it to the ocean and dropped it there. The fish said, “The Ocean is full of sharks and whales which will surely eat me up. Why did you bring me here?” Satyavrata smiled and said, “You are no ordinary fish. I know who you are. You are the Supreme Lord who has donned this form for some good purpose.”

…

Miina was a fish who was discontented with all smaller vessels except for the ocean of Spirit. Similarly Ketu is never contented with anything of the world and only finds contentment in Spirit. Miina taught the knowledge of Self-realization to Satyavrata and returned the wisdom of the Vedas; Ketu provides the Jnana (knowledge) of Truth and is the producer of Moksha, liberation.

Ketu in the natal chart shows the area (vessel) that our spirit-soul has outgrown, and in its quest for more space (to merge with the ocean of spirit), it searches for a new vessel, in the material, in Rahu.

In contrast to Ketu, Rahu is a material graha. At first, Rahu seeks his “vessel” in worldly affairs. However, after being split from his bottom half, Ketu, Rahu has no stomach (all head and throat), and is thus insatiable. In his consumptive obsession, Rahu can’t discern when to cease his pursuit for more.

As humans on the journey between the nodes of the moon, we must return to Ketu with what we have learned from Rahu. When Rahu returns to his tail (completing a circle), he is able to merge, once again, with the ocean of spirit, with the knowledge of the world, turned wisdom, to prepare him for the pursuit of his next vessel.

In regards to the coronavirus and other currents events described by the current positions of the South Node, or Ketu, in Capricorn, (as an aside, Ketu rules bacteria and viruses), and the North Node, or Rahu, in Cancer, we, as a collective, feel constricted by the traditional Capricornian structures of old. Our souls need more space, and as described by Rahu in Cancer, we are finding it in the comfort and safety of our own homes. We have time to tend to our inner landscapes, to nurture and nourish ourselves and others.

In true Rahu fashion, however, many at this time have become completely obsessed about securing what we feel we need (Cancer). We must take care to check our insatiability—Rahu may not have a stomach, but we do. At the individual level, all of us will return and move forth from our own natal Ketu numerous times throughout our lives. However, as a collective we must be willing to return to Ketu, with the wisdom of Rahu, together, in this lifetime. Doing so means that we must intercept the insatiability of Rahu.

While events are still developing, let’s work towards temperance (to be prepare for Ketu in Sagittarius)—let us temper our fear (Capricorn), but also our need for security (Cancer).

At some point in our current, often crazed, pursuit toward Rahu in Cancer, we’ll have to ask ourselves: Are we full yet?

So as not to detract from the thread Coronavirus and the Collective Soul ( https://elsaelsa.com/forum/astrology/coronavirus-and-the-collective-soul/ ), let’s return to our individual natal charts. Do you feel too big for your Ketu placement? Where is it pushing you? What obsession, or insatiability, does Rahu describe in your chart? What have been the higher and lower manifestations of each placement?