BKS Iyengar, Indian guru who sparked global yoga craze, dies

Hercules – the Strong Man

BKS Iyengar, the Indian yoga guru credited with helping to fuel a global explosion in the popularity of the ancient spiritual practice, has died Wednesday morning aged 95. Iyengar started his yoga school in 1973 in the western city of Pune, developing a unique form of the practice that he said anyone could follow. He trained hundreds of teachers to disseminate his approach, which uses props such as belts and ropes to help novice practitioners achieve the poses. http://bit.ly/1kUOJhT

To understand this news let us go back to the Solar Eclipse of November 3, 2013 which has been activated in the last few days by Mars transiting over the eclipse degree. In ancient times eclipses were linked to the death of famous personalities. In Pune, India, the eclipse took place with the Sun in the mundane 6^th house. The Sun is an indicator of an authority figure and the 6^th house is connected to health issues [1]. In the eclipse chart the Sun, Moon and Saturn are conjunct stars phi and tau Herculis in Hercules’ right leg and knee (11sc50, 14sc34).

Manilius,[2] in giving the astrological influences for this constellation, associates Hercules with tightrope walking (funambulism):

"Hercules, the figure on bended knee and called by the Greek name of Engonasin, about whose origin no certainty prevails. Of this constellation is begotten the desertion, craftiness, and deceit characteristic of its children, and from it comes the thug who terrorizes the heart of the city. If perchance his mind is moved to consider a profession, Engonasin [a Greek title for constellation Hercules] will inspire him with enthusiasm for risky callings, with danger the price, for which he will sell his talents: daring narrow steps on a path without thickness, he will plant firm feet on a horizontal tightrope; then, as he attempts an upward route to heaven, (on a sloping tightrope) he will all but lose his footing and, suspended in mid-air, he will keep a multitude in suspense upon himself" [Manilius, Astronomica, 1st century, AD, p.353.]

Another title for Hercules was Trapezius, a trapeze artist. But more generally we can see that the constellation would rule gymnasts and Yogis too! 

The Sun is square the meridian axis which aligns with the Terpsichore (6aq47) and Kron (0le47). Martha Wescott’s key phrases for these asteroids are:

TERPSICHORE: Dance, aerobics, exercise that increases flexibility; coordination, agility, grace and mobility; flexion muscles; body image/ego; gestures; body language.

KRON: Authoritative positions; authority figures.

The combination is an obvious reference to a Yoga Master.

If now we progress the eclipse chart  to Wednesday, August 20 when the Master died we find the descendant conjunct the eclipse degree triggering the demise.

Finally, the chart for the last quarter Moon  (August 17) at Pune, where the Master lived and died, is shown here. Notice the Mars-Saturn conjunction on the MC highlighted by the quarter Moon.  While it is well known that Mars-Saturn is a combination linked to death and on the 10th house cusp it refers to the death of a Master, Jeff Jawer describes, the potential of the conjunction thus:

We start with the fundamental issue of any significant connection between aggressive Mars and resistant Saturn. The former wants to go and the latter tends to hold its ground, which could spell delays, onerous obligations and frustration. Happily, the meaning of the cosmos is richer than our fears and there is a much happier version of the story to tell.

The gift of Mars conjunct Saturn is that we can get a grip, find a handle to hold onto, and begin a process of self-mastery that transforms powerlessness into potency.

[1] http://www.aquasoul.com/Mundane_Astrology.html

[2] http://www.constellationsofwords.com/Constellations/Hercules.html