EYE ON ASTROLOGY:Â THE FATAL FLAWS OF THE ELEMENTS BY RISING SIGN PART 2
As we discussed in Part 1, (see: https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com/hidden-challenges-rising-signs-achilles-heals-part-1/) our rising sign, which is called the Lagna in Vedic astrology, represents our personality, our temperament, disposition, tendencies, confidence, self-love and self-esteem and its afflictions reveal our inherent internal struggles. If the owner of the rising sign is strong and well-placed in his own or exalted sign or in friend’s houses or aspected by benefics, then he brings out his best qualities. More often than not, because we are human and working on perfecting our life, there is some affliction to the rising sign by a malefic or placed in an enemies’ sign or being connected with difficult houses like the 6th, 8th or 12th so then its more challenging qualities come out.
When I was in London at the British Association of Vedic Astrologers, I attended a great talk by Andrew Foss summarizing the fatal flaw of certain rising signs based on the 5 elements which are know as the five Tatva doshas. If you know your rising sign in the Vedic System, then this material may apply to you but it will probably also apply in a lesser way to Vedic Sun and Moon signs.  I have added to their insights from my experience and thoughts from Ayurvedic astrology and other challenges that can occur when the 1st house or the lord of the first house is afflicted which is so often the case.   (Of course all rising signs refer to the Sidereal zodiac and not the tropical one and the difference is 23 degees) :
FATAL FLAWS OF THE ELEMENTS:
ARIES: Has problems with water or jala or the water element and hence they have difficulty with emotion, love, food and connecting to the public. Venus and the Moon become difficult planets for them creating relationship problems unless the Moon and or Venus is well placed in the chart or if the 4, 8th and 12th house offer some compensation. The antidote is connecting more to Mother Divine energy through mantras or worship. If Mars or the 1st house is afflicted, Aries rising have to be careful with impatience, selfishness, “I want it now,” arrogance, recklessness, and leaving tasks undone.
TAURUS: This sign has problems with the fire element or AGNI and hence they have problem with getting up and go and so the fire planets, Sun, Mars and Ketu cause problems. Taurus is know for being the most earthy of the signs and the most grounded. They get stuck or hold onto money or material things in their life too easily. Taurus needs help with the fire signs and fire planets and if they are well placed then some of these tendencies may not be as strong and obviously lots of fiery exercise is important to get this sign moving and unstuck. There can be a tendency toward heaviness, depression and melancholy and one can sense why Jupiter is such an affliction if placed here causing problems with weight gain, diabetes and Taurus has to be careful with sweets if Jupiter is afflicting it.  Jupiter afflicting Taurus or with Venus afflicted in the chart can create stubbornness, inflexibility, greedy, laziness, self-indulgence, ultraconservative positions, intolerance and over-accumulation. Increasing the air element with vigorous aerobic exercise is very key. Taking motorcycle rides and being out on the ocean in windy conditions is very invigorating for getting Taurus unstuck.
CANCER: This rising sign has problems with the earth element and hence with material success and structure and manifesting in the material world. Hence a strong balance of well-placed planets in Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo can be helpful if in the chart to offset this latent flaw. A well-placed Venus or Saturn can offset this imbalance particularly if they are well- aspected or are in Taurus or Capricorn. Cancers have to actively focus on saving money, taking those success seminars and getting out in the material world when they would rather just meditate and bathe in the wonders of the spiritual world. If the moon or the 1st house is afflicted, Cancers have problems with being too dependent or clingy, hoarding, hypersensitivity, moodiness, winsomeness, abandonment and picking dysfunctional friends and partners. Forcing themselves to get grounded in the material world is essential so doing earthy activities like building and carpentry and gardening is helpful. Increasing the fire element through active and fiery aerobic exercise is important to get the solar plexus enlivened and get the fire moving.
LEO: Leos have problems with the air element or Vayu and hence Saturn and Rahu need to be strong or strengthened in their charts  Archetypically, the king needs good servants to be successful and hence needs a good relationship with Saturn and yet Leos have the most difficulty with Saturn. Health and longevity can be an issue if Saturn and Rahu are not well-placed in the natal birth chart.  If the Sun is afflicted or the 1st house is afflicted, Leos also have to deal with vanity, arrogance, boasting, condescension, domineering, having problems with subordinates, power hunger, and letting career take over their lives and create imbalances.  Increasing the water element and cooling off the heat with swimming is essential and not doing intense aerobic energy like running is important to make sure the air element does not get out of balance.
SCORPIOS: This sign has a problem with space or Akasha and have difficulty holding everything together as they have such strong ability to intuitively go into the ether realm and deeply connect and expand their consciousness. Their strong quest for Moksha needs the Divine connection to remind them that all is well and God and the Divine are taking care of them. Jupiter is the remedy for this affliction as they need the Guru and Knowledge which helps to gather and ground consciousness and bring stuff together and take them out of meditative isolation. Community becomes important to prevent isolation and being alone. Pisces and Sagittarius need to be strongly prominent in the chart and Jupiter connected to Mars or Ketu to re-balance this affliction in a chart. If Mars or Ketu or Scorpio is afflicted, there will be problems with being too critical, possessive, vengeful, hypersensitive, controlling, grim, being victimized in relationship, overworking and excessive worry.  Very grounding and earthy activity like gardening is essential for them and even something like light weight-training can aid them combating the lightness that can overtake them. Grounding yoga is key and not too much meditation which can increase spaciness.
Again, charts are very individual and we do not ever want to stereotype people by sign but sometimes its a way of putting one’s finger right away on a core problem for the person’s entire life.
I am putting together a class for Feb/March on Transforming your Karma and we will go through all the schools that the planets are putting on for us and how to work through the energies. Coming soon to our website.
If you need help understanding your chart, view our services at https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com/category/services/ or take our new class starting Jan 14th on understanding and timing your personal chart. https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com/products-2/timing-your-life/.  Learn some of the secrets and simple techniques for understanding how to time your life to be a master rather than a victim of the planets.
Special thanks goes to Sanjay Rath, Andrew Foss and Bill Levacy for their insights into these rising signs and to Andrew Foss, whose Spring 2015 lecture at the British Association at BAVA, spurred additional fleshing out of this material.
