All of the houses of the Zodiac have meaning. We can relate them to each area of our lives, both what happens outside and what happens inside us. The 9th house would correspond to our ideals. It is what we believe. It can be our faith. It is spirituality and religion. Sagittarius is the 9th house in the natural Zodiac counting from Aries. In this way, we can think of Sagittarius as being the sign related to our ideals.
Rising from behind the archer ruled by Jupiter, sattvic, golden in color, strong at night, fiery, a kshatriya, two feet at the beginning, and four at the end, of regular limbs, holding a bow, standing in the east, moving through grounds and splendorous creation of Brahma.
Parashara
Sagittarius is also known in Vedic Astrology as Dhanu. It is a dual sign. This means that Sagittarius natives have the ability to make new decisions if required or to remain where they are in order to perfect the skill they want to develop.
Sagittarius Is Ruled by Jupiter
The ruling planet
for Sagittarius is Jupiter. As a result, Sagittarius natives are enthusiastic people. They always seek to learn and teach. Their attitude is generally kind and caring.
It is a sign related to dharma (knowledge), meaning they seek a truth that makes them transcend. This is part of his sattvic nature. The term sattvic refers to the quality of goodness, truth, serenity, balance, and peace that is drawn towards Dharma. Sagittarius natives seek to perform good works through the mere enthusiasm of doing them or giving joy to others. It makes them very reliable people and great friends.
Within Sagittarians, we also will find people who are not believers, from a religious standpoint. Being a Sagittarius does not automatically ascribe them to religiosity. Sagittarians always will have an ideal, something that they are passionate about. This could be religion or it could not be. For example, it is common to find Sagittarius natives that are dedicated to teaching.
Who is more generous than a teacher? A teacher offers their time and energy to students, educating them by transmitting the most valuable thing that they possess: knowledge. Sagittarius is the sign of the teacher, whether they are academic or spiritual teachers. But even among those Sagittarians that are not formally educators, you frequently encounter those that still are imparting what they know with family and friends. Sagittarians are teachers by nature.
The Sun Rules the 9th House of Sagittarius
The Sun rules the 9th house for the Sagittarius native, which is the sign of Leo.
At this point, I suspect that you may be somewhat confused. Previously, I told you that Sagittarius is located in the 9th house, but now I tell you that Leo resides there. This apparent contradiction is resolved by understanding that I am speaking of two different contexts.
From the natural zodiac perspective, Aries occupies the 1st house. Counting clockwise from there, Sagittarius resides in the 9th house. However, from the ascendant zodiac point of view, Sagittarius is now the 1st house and Leo is in the 9th house. Therefore, it is important to understand from which perspective an analysis is being done to avoid confusion.
As I was saying, the Sun rules the 9th house, where Leo is located, from the Sagittarius ascendant zodiac perspective. That is why the sage Parashara says that they were made with splendor. The Sun gives Sagittarians the ability to develop discernment about what to believe. This means that they will not blindly follow the religion of their parents or that of their social group if this does not constitute something that is internally true for them.
If they become followers of philosophical traditions or religions, without them first having passed the scrutiny of their internal discrimination, then Sagittarians would be acting against their own nature. If this were to occur, it would be the equivalent of the weakening of the Sun in the 11th house. Interestingly, the Sun actually is debilitated in the 11th house for Sagittarius and some natives actually do wind up following a group or philosophy for reasons that are not related to an authentic spirituality.
It is difficult for anyone to find a path that leads to a spirituality in which they fully develop that sense of wonder that the soul seeks: an astonishment at everything created, a sense of amazement that the soul wants to recover and conquer again, and to see God in everything and everyone. When one’s own ego and that of others interfere with this search, the longed-for sense of wonder is replaced by dogmas.
Whereas this experience can be common to anyone of any ascendant sign, in Sagittarians it is a central theme of life. Therefore, Sagittarius is the idealistic sign par excellence, so much so that they can look at life and its situations with a great perspective, finding no reasons to behave in a lighter or superficial way.
Dogmatic behavior or following old belief structures, is indicated by the weakening of Jupiter in Capricorn (2nd house). It causes the Sagittarius native to lose the enthusiasm and purpose that they normally have to carry out great actions in their lives.
As stated previously, these actions are not restricted to spirituality or formal religion. They can take the form of a life project or a cause that motivates them. A Sagittarius native could be an elementary school teacher dedicated to giving their best to inform new generations. It could be a counselor that makes every effort to improve the lives of people through their knowledge and experience. The list of all possible life ideals for a Sagittarius is endless.
The influence of Mercury on Sagittarius
An important planet that will help Sagittarius natives to carry out their projects is Mercury.
For Sagittarians, Mercury imparts a logical behavior, always taking into account the appropriate discrimination that will keep them on the right track. Conversely, a behavior in which emotions are taken into account above logic will lead them to error. A consequence of this will be isolation from relationships with others, from their dharma, and their search for truth.
When Sagittarians lose their ability for logical discrimination and embark on an adventure based exclusively on emotions, it transforms them into a fanatic.
The substitution of logic and the ability to identify and choose among options, by attachment to beliefs based on emotions that come from the ego, causes fanaticism to arise within any person. This paradigm of life is clearly explained when we study the Sagittarius native. In fact, almost any paradigm of life can be explained in the science of Vedic Astrology, which is what makes its study so fascinating.
Sagittarius: The Sign of the Kinnaras (or Centaur)
The Centaur in Greek mythology or the Kinnaras in Hindu, is the representation of Sagittarius. It is a being with a human head and torso, and the rear half of a horse, specifically a stallion.
This indicates that we can encounter various types of Sagittarians. One that behaves in a flexible way, making changes when they are necessary, represents the human part of the sign. The stallion half of the Centaur represents one who insists on a particular position and is influenced by his emotions. It is the part that has more stability than the human two-foot posture, but loses flexibility.
Recognizing these inclinations in your nature, tendencies towards flexibility or stubbornness, can help you make better decisions for any of your life projects.
Exaltation of Jupiter in the 8th house of Sagittarius
The exaltation of Jupiter in Cancer (8th house) of Sagittarius indicates that in order to evolve they will have to transform their belief system. These beliefs can be changed throughout life, along with the emotions that arise from having an ideal. This position also indicates the abandonment or transformation of ways of thinking or dogmas. It can also indicate that following a correct ideal, or following its dharma, can give Sagittarians seemingly easy achievements, such as increasing their generous, optimistic, and joyful nature.
The opposite of the above will occur in a person that has many dogmatic positions. They will be uninspired, attached to the material world, and even greedy.
Sagittarius and Health in Vedic Astrology
Jupiter is the determinant of health for Sagittarians. If this planet is strong, then they will be in good overall health.
The parts of the body that correspond to the sign of Sagittarius are the hips and thighs, arterial system and nerves.
The health conditions that Sagittarians present typically are related to Pitta-type disorders. This is because the element associated with Sagittarius is fire. Therefore, a Sagittarius person can have diseases related to burning digestion or gastritis, flatulence, liver or gallbladder diseases, fevers, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and hip or thigh problems.
When the slowest moving planets around the Sun (Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu, and Ketu) transit in Taurus, they can cause health problems for Sagittarians. In addition they may experience problems related to disputes and problems in their profession.
When the planet Mercury transits Venus and the Sun in the sign of Taurus, during the months of March and April, health-related problems may also occur for Sagittarians.
Sagittarius and Love in Vedic Astrology
The house of relationships for Sagittarius corresponds to the Gemini sign (7th house). As a result, Sagittarians tend to have a partner that is curious and likes to play in a good way. As a couple, they can learn that it is not necessary to behave constantly as though something extraordinary is happening. Instead, they can develop an appreciation for enjoying the moment, engaging in activities for no other reason than to have a good time.
Mercury rules the 7th and 10th house for Sagittarius. This indicates that their partners might come from the same field or profession as they are in.
Harmony in the relationship may be determined by a fairly neutral behavior on the part of the Sagittarius native. Use good discrimination when making decisions, without being overly emotional. Mercury is debilitated in Pisces (4th house), the house of emotions, for Sagittarius. Behaving emotionally can cloud good judgment for Sagittarius in the relationship.
The Moon is the determining planet of marriage for the sign of Sagittarius, for both men and women. Jupiter is also important in the birth chart of a Sagittarius woman because it represents her husband. For a Sagittarius man, the planet Venus represents his wife.
Professions of Sagittarius
Mercury rules the 10th house (Virgo) for Sagittarius natives. This makes it the determining planet of their profession.
Sagittarians tend to be counselors, teachers, and scientists. These types of professions are ideal for them, as they have a good appearance, inspire confidence with their friendly attitude, and above all they like to learn and share knowledge.
Mercury connects the careers of Sagittarians with relationships or friends. In this way, they could meet their partners at work, the couple could engage in the same activity, or the partner could support them in an important way in what they do.
There could be ups and downs in the careers of Sagittarians, due to the rapid transit of Mercury through the different dushtan houses (uncomfortable houses) or by the influence of malefic planets. These could cause Sagittarius to have some dissatisfaction with their professional successes, as their successes sometimes fall short of the capacity and degree of knowledge that a Sagittarius possesses.
The influence of other planets in the ascendant, the 2nd and 10th house, also help determine their careers.
Common careers for Sagittarians include:
- Teachers and professors
- Counselors
- Psychologists and psychiatrists
- Priests or ministers
- Scientists
- Analysts
- Lawyers and judges
- Business administrators
- Merchants.
In Summary
Sagittarius is the sign of the Kinnaras (or the Centaur). Its element is fire and it is ruled by the planet Jupiter. Also the planet Mercury has influence on Sagittarius. They are smart with leadership skills, due to their vision and strong decision-making qualities. Sagittarians often gravitate toward careers that involve teaching and analysis.
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to my professor, Sam Geppi, founder of the American Academy of Vedic Art and Science, for his infinite patience and tenacity in teaching me many of the concepts expressed in this article.
I also appreciate the teachings of Professor VK Choudhry, founder of the very effective study of the natal chart: Systems Approach, the basis for effective and reliable readings.
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