Dr. Masaru Emoto
Vedic astrology has become popular in the West
as an impressive predictive system, but that’s where its usefulness
ends — at least as far as many people are concerned. The signs,
for instance, are rarely mentioned in Vedic chart analysis; that territory
is left to Western astrology. Recently, however, I came across a chart
that strikingly demonstrates the relevancy of the signs in the Vedic system,
better than any chart I’ve seen.
You may know of the Japanese scientist, Dr. Masaru Emoto, whose groundbreaking
research with water has earned him worldwide recognition. In his New York
Times best-selling book, The Hidden Messages of Water,1
Dr. Emoto presents his stunning photographs of water crystals, which demonstrate
how our thoughts, and even symbols of our thoughts, actually affect the
molecular structure of water. By taking high-speed photographs of water
frozen below –13o F, he discovered that the water crystals that
formed vary in shape according to the specific thoughts, music, written
words or even pictures that the water is exposed to. Beautiful, symmetrical
water crystals develop when the water was exposed to positive vibrations,
while the opposite was the case when exposed to negative vibrations. In
February 2005, I met Dr. Emoto during one of his lecture tours in Hawaii
and got up the nerve to ask him for his birth data. I had to
— I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see his chart. “Sure,
I love astrology,” Dr. Emoto said, as he wrote out his birth information.
I felt like a kid with a new toy. I couldn’t wait to go home, punch
in the data, and start playing.
Water crystal photograph before and after
healing prayer
What would the chart of someone devoted to
researching water look like? When his chart coalesced on the screen, everything
you might expect was there. To begin with, most of his planets are in
the water signs Cancer and Pisces. Most of his planets are also in the
4th and 8th houses (see chart below). These are considered ‘water
houses’ since they correspond to the water signs, Cancer and Scorpio
respectively. Also, there is a tight trine between Jupiter and the Moon,
two watery planets, and both are located in water signs! Furthermore,
Neptune, another watery planet, is sitting close to his Midheaven. (However,
the outer planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are not recognized in classical
Vedic astrology) And if this weren’t enough, Dr. Emoto has also
been passing through a planetary period (dasha) of the Moon since
about the time his first book on water was published. The Moon represents
— you guessed it — the water element. My computer screen was
fogging up from all the moisture!
The truly mysterious characteristic of his chart, however, is the density
of planets in the 8th house. Five planets are crowded there, including
Pluto and Rahu (the North Lunar Node). At first glance, this might confuse
even a seasoned astrologer, since the 8th house is known as the house
of death, losses, obstacles, upheavals, chronic illness, and so on. You
wouldn’t typically expect this in the chart of someone with widespread
fame and profound influence, since the 8th house often represents challenges
to career. In Vedic astrology, the 8th house is the most malefic of the
three malefic houses (the 6th, 8th, and 12th), also known as the trik
houses. If I surprise you with the archaic word “malefic,”
suffice it to say that the 8th house is generally not pretty. However,
a deeper understanding of the 8th house, as we shall see, clearly explains
Dr. Emoto’s transformational research with water, as it does his
fascination with Hado, or the life force, and his spiritual mission
to heal the Earth through “love and gratitude.”
Natal Chart Analysis
Sagittarius Rising
Dr. Emoto’s Ascendant is at 5°27’
Sagittarius in his Vedic chart. Conveniently, his Ascendant remains in
Sagittarius in his Western chart as well. This sign certainly describes
his adventurous spirit and willingness to explore unknown territory through
his research. Before Dr. Emoto’s pioneering work, no one had even
ventured to photograph a water crystal even though our bodies and the
Earth itself are comprised of approximately 70% water. He writes, “One
day I casually opened a book to words that jumped off the page: ‘No
two snow crystals are exactly the same.’ The next moment I thought,
‘If I freeze water and look at the crystals, each one will look
totally unique.’ And that moment marked my first step on an adventure
into a new and unexplored world.”2 He had just embarked
on the proverbial “endless journey,” the ideal situation for
any Sagittarian.
Sagittarius is the sign of the visionary teacher. Anyone who has read
one of Dr. Emoto’s books knows that it’s easy to come away
inspired and uplifted, which is indicative of a Sagittarian job well done.
He writes, “What you really know is possible in your heart is possible.
We make it possible by our will. What we imagine in our minds becomes
our world. That’s just one of the many things that I have learned
from water.”3 Since Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign,
Sagittarians are good at exercising their creativity and will, and they
like to encourage others to do so, too. They help us to adapt and mold
ourselves into better individuals. Of all the signs, Sagittarius is the
least likely to become stuck. Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, is a
planet of expansive possibilities; it stretches us out of our ordinary
mind-sets. Jupiter’s gift is to teach, inspire, and uplift. He is
actually called guru in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. Another
of Jupiter’s names is jnana karaka, or significator of wisdom. With
a Sagittarius Ascendant, and therefore ruled by Jupiter, Dr. Emoto certainly
wears the hat of a visionary spiritual teacher as well as that of a scientist.
Six Planets in Water Signs
A striking feature of Dr. Emoto’s chart is that he has six planets
in water signs: the Moon, Jupiter, Mercury, the Sun, Rahu (the North Node
of the Moon), and Pluto. This certainly explains his affinity with the
water element — and I don’t just mean that he likes baths
or jumping in the ocean. Dr. Emoto began researching water in 1989, ten
years before his first book on water was even published.4 Think
about it. For him to be able to sustain this kind of interest over an
extended period of time, you would expect to see strong influences in
water signs in his chart. The two luminaries, the Sun and Moon, are the
primary personality indicators, along with the Ascendant. The fact that
the Sun, Moon, and the Ascendant lord, Jupiter, are all in water signs
(and water houses, as we shall see) explains Dr. Emoto’s enduring
interest in water research. Mercury, who represents our intellectual interests,
is also located in a water sign. In Dr. Emoto’s case, Mercury also
represents career, since it is the ruler of his 10th house.
The water signs are the subtlest and most intangible
signs, opposite the physical and tangible earth signs in the zodiac. The
water element takes us into the mysterious hidden realms of the imagination,
intuition, feelings, and the unconscious. Just having the Sun and Moon
in water signs would be enough to suggest someone with deep sensitivity,
intuition, empathy, and receptivity. Adding Jupiter, Mercury, Rahu, and
Pluto (as in Dr. Emoto’s case) means that these become exceptional
character traits. Of these six planets, five are in the cardinal water
sign of Cancer, which suggests Dr. Emoto’s ability to assert his
sensitive Cancerian traits confidently in the world.
Dr. Emoto blessing water
Of all the water signs, Pisces is the most
sensitive and intuitive. Dr. Emoto’s Pisces Moon helps him to take
his research in surprising directions. He writes, “When your heart
is open to possibilities, you start to notice small things that can lead
to enormous discoveries.”5 He reveals that his intuition
carried him through the early stages of his research: “There was
nothing to assure us that our efforts would eventually pay off. Oddly
enough, I never doubted that they would. I knew with certainty that my
hypothesis was correct and that the experiments would go well —
I just knew it.”6 I have since learned, from
someone who worked with Dr. Emoto, that he relies on intuitive guidance
much of the time, especially when making decisions regarding his work.
His Pisces Moon, receiving a trine from Jupiter in Cancer, reflects this
ability to trust his intuition.
Six Planets in Water Houses
These six planets are not only in water signs,
they are also in water houses. This is because they fall in either the
4th, 8th, or 12th houses, corresponding to the water signs Cancer, Scorpio,
and Pisces. If you thought Dr. Emoto’s watery qualities were already
exceptional, they just got doubled — and then some. Every quality
that can be ascribed to the water signs also applies to the water houses:
subtle, intangible, hidden, mysterious, imaginative, intuitive, etc. This
makes sense, because (as I pointed out earlier) the water houses are opposite
the earth houses. I live in Hawaii, and each time I go snorkeling I’m
amazed by another world that lies beneath the ocean — a world not
seen from the surface. Likewise, the water houses are houses of depth,
seeing beyond the obvious to a subtler level of profound insight. In Vedic
astrology, these are also called moksha houses, or houses of
liberation. They are the most mystical houses, and they relate to the
transformation of consciousness. With six planets in moksha houses, this
is definitely Dr. Emoto’s realm.
Special Emphasis in the 8th House
Of these six planets in moksha or water houses,
five line up in Dr. Emoto’s 8th house. We’ve already mentioned
that the 8th house is considered the house of death, losses, obstacles,
upheavals, chronic illness, and so on. Although this is true, these indications
have little relevance to this analysis of Dr. Emoto’s chart. Therefore,
let’s look beyond the ordinary. Within the water house trinity,
the 8th house represents the greatest depth of insight, corresponding
to Scorpio, the most profound sign. It is the house of research because
it is willing to explore the furthest beneath the surface, to seek out
root causes. It’s bored with anything less. This is why the 8th
house is associated with occult knowledge, metaphysics, and psychology.
It also relates to the secrets of nature, some of which Dr. Emoto’s
research reveals.
The basic drive of the moksha, or water houses,
is transformation; without this, there is no hope for liberation. The
farther below the surface the water houses take you, the deeper the transformation.
The job of the 8th house is to take you the deepest. It is where we face
our most profound fears and psychological issues like the fear of death
or separation, and issues of power and control. It is preparation for
the final stages of ego dissolution represented by the 12th house. The
8th is known as the house of change: intense, sudden, and dramatic change.
But it doesn’t just create upheaval and leave us in a sobbing heap
on the floor. Its purpose is to effect a deep shift of consciousness.
The 8th house, therefore, relates to transformational healing of body
and mind, such as vibrational medicine, that works on a subtle yet profound
level. This is the level where Dr. Emoto operates.
Dr. Emoto leading experiment to cleanse Lake Biwa, Japan
Here’s another point: The 8th house
is not only the house of death (mrityu bhava), it is also the
house of life (ayu bhava). As long as there is life force, there
is no death, which explains why the 8th house is known as the house of
longevity. It is the house of subtle energy — chi, prana,
and the life force. Quantum physics demonstrates that the highest concentration
of energy lies at the subtlest level. Likewise, the most shakti, or energy,
is associated with the subtlest house, the 8th house.
Dr. Emoto’s water research, in typical
8th-house fashion, was fueled by his fascination with Hado (rhymes with
“shadow”), an old Japanese word synonymous with chi, or life
force. Dr. Emoto says, “Hado signifies the world of subtle energy
related to consciousness.”7 His main interest in photographing
water was to make the intangible tangible, or as he says, “to try
to put Hado energy into a visible form by using water crystals as material
and canvas.”8 If one could demonstrate that our thoughts
actually affect the molecular structure of water, the implications would
be vast. It would mean that we can literally transform ourselves and our
world. This is exactly what Dr. Emoto’s work has proven.
Multiple Raja Yogas in the 8th House
If we seek an astrological explanation for Dr.
Emoto’s success, we will find it in a very special union of planets
in the 8th house. Jupiter, the Sun, and Mercury, (the rulers of the 1st,
4th, 9th, 7th and 10th houses, respectively) form several examples of
what is called a raja yoga, or royal combination of planets.
A raja yoga is formed when the ruler of a trinal house (1, 5, or 9) combines
with the ruler of an angular house (1, 4, 7, or 10). Vedic astrology has
hundreds of such yogas, or planetary combinations; each bestows different
effects. Raja yogas increase the success and status of the individual
by enhancing the positive indications of any house in which they’re
located. In Dr. Emoto’s case, this indicates an exceptional ability
to succeed in 8th-house areas like research, psychology, occult studies,
transformational healing, and vibrational medicine. It’s interesting
that Dr. Emoto received his doctorate in alternative healing. His raja
yogas in the 8th house would also indicate, on a personal level, that
he has a strong life force, good longevity, and a profound sensitivity
to subtle energy.
Dasha Analysis
The Phenomenal Success of His Moon Dasha
If the raja yogas in the 8th house indicate
Dr. Emoto’s overall success, then what accounts for the extraordinary
heights of success he’s reached in just the past few years? Before
the year 2000, he was virtually unknown, especially outside of Japan.
Now, he’s an international phenomenon. How can this be explained
astrologically?
In Vedic astrology, the timing of events is indicated through the analysis
of the dashas (planetary periods).9 The natal chart shows what
is likely to happen in one’s life; the dashas reveal when. A dasha
represents a segment of time that is ruled by a specific planet, like
a chapter in the book of one’s life. Each major chapter or mahadasha
(great dasha) ranges from 6 to 20 years in duration. These are then broken
down into sub-dashas (bhuktis) and sub-sub-dashas, which allow
us to progressively define narrow ranges of time. Although transits and
other methods also play a role in the timing of events, the dashas, as
a unique predictive system, have contributed the most to the popularity
of Vedic astrology in the West.
Dr. Emoto began his ten-year mahadasha of the
Moon in March 2000, nine months after he published his first book on water
research, Messages from Water. During this period, he has achieved
phenomenal fame, wealth, and success. Think of the dasha planet as being
turned on like a light switch. The planet’s general characteristics
and what it represents in the chart become highly activated during this
time. For instance, the Moon generally represents water, the mother, and
the mind (manas) — our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.
The Moon is a sensitive, care-giving planet, and Moon dashas are often
periods of service to others. These general qualities are represented
in Dr. Emoto’s Moon dasha period. His work involves water, is service-oriented,
and focuses on healing the mind.
The next step is to look at the Moon’s
position in his chart and the aspects and yogas that it is involved in.
The Moon is placed in the sensitive, intuitive, and spiritual sign of
Pisces, in the 4th house of the mind and emotions. The Moon is the lord
of the 8th house, receiving a tight trine by Jupiter, the planet of wisdom,
from the 8th house. This brings in a strong influence from the 8th house
during his Moon dasha, indicating a focus on research, psychology, spiritual
transformation, and subtle vibrational healing. Jupiter’s influence
also gives him abundant opportunities to travel and teach.
Jupiter and the Moon’s aspect is a phenomenal connection between
these two benefic, watery planets. Not only are they in a tight trine
within one degree, but Jupiter is also located in the Moon’s sign,
while the Moon is located in Jupiter’s sign. This is called a mutual
reception, or parivartana yoga in Vedic astrology. It creates
a much closer connection, like a wedding, between the two planets. This
is an extremely spiritual, positive, and expansive combination.
Water crystal photograph "Love
and Gratitude"
But it gets even better. Jupiter is also in Cancer,
the sign of its exaltation, which heightens Jupiter’s benefic qualities.
Also, we can’t forget that Jupiter is in multiple raja yogas with
Mercury and the Sun. Jupiter is a spiritual teacher or missionary, interested
in the welfare of humanity. Dr. Emoto has been on a mission to share his
message of love and gratitude during his Moon dasha. In a recent interview
he was asked which water crystal photograph had the most profound effect
on him. His answer was, “A water crystal after showing the word: "Love
and Gratitude." I found this to be the most beautiful and it touched
my heart immeasurably.”10 He writes, “Indeed, there
is nothing more important than love and gratitude in this world. Just by
expressing love and gratitude, the water around us and in our bodies changes
so beautifully.”11 Dr. Emoto’s message is of transformational
healing, both personal and planetary, which naturally comes about as we
express love and gratitude toward everyone and everything, including ourselves.
An important technique in Vedic astrology is to analyze the chart from
various alternate Ascendants. By placing the Ascendant where the Moon,
Sun, or mahadasha planet is located gives a more complete picture of the
likely effects of a dasha period. In Dr. Emoto’s chart, when you
look at his connection between Jupiter and the Moon from each of these
alternate Ascendants, you’ll see that they form raja yogas in every
case (but not from the original Ascendant). For instance, when you make
the Moon in Pisces the Ascendant, Jupiter becomes the ruler of the 1st
and 10th houses and is placed in the 5th house. The special connection
between the Moon and Jupiter (discussed above) then becomes a combination
of the rulers of the 1st, 5th and 10th houses, which forms a raja yoga.
This indicates that Dr. Emoto’s dramatic rise in success and status
is strongly reinforced during his Moon dasha. Seeing these repeated patterns
helps us to build solid conclusions regarding the results of a dasha period.
With this understanding of the Moon and Jupiter’s extraordinary
connection in Dr. Emoto’s chart, is it any wonder that he was instantly
catapulted into fame and fortune during the Jupiter bhukti of his Moon
dasha? This 16-month period saw the release of the movie, What the
Bleep Do We Know? which highlighted his water research. Shortly thereafter,
his book, The Hidden Messages of Water, hit the New York
Times best-seller list. When I met Dr. Emoto, he had already passed
from his Jupiter sub-dasha and was then in his sub-dasha of Saturn. He
was on a world speaking tour; he mentioned that his health was suffering
but that he felt guided intuitively to do the world tour anyway. Saturn
is placed in his 6th house of illness, indicating the potential for health
challenges during his Saturn sub-dasha.
Dr. Emoto’s Moon mahadasha represents a time when he is able to
reap the benefits of the research and writing that he accomplished in
his Sun mahadasha. During that six-year mahadasha period, from 1994 to
2000, he wrote many books on Hado and conducted his ongoing experiments
with water. In his chart, the Sun is within 5 degrees of Mercury, the
planet of writing. As I mentioned, the Sun joins Mercury and Jupiter to
form several raja yogas in the 8th house of research, transformation,
and subtle energy.
Dr. Emoto will remain in his Moon mahadasha until March 2010. January
2006 – June 2007 marks his sub-dasha of Mercury, which indicates
an increasingly career-oriented time of writing, publishing, and public
speaking.
Vaughn
Paul with Dr. Emoto - Feb 2006, Maui, Hawaii
Conclusion
By now, it should be abundantly obvious, from
an astrological standpoint, why Dr. Emoto is engaged in water research
of a transformational nature. He has many influences in water signs and
water houses by watery planets, especially Jupiter and the Moon. We astrologers
love to find repeating patterns like this. The more the merrier, since
each one adds to a clearer interpretation.
Vedic astrology is a powerful predictive system that typically has little
to say about the signs in chart interpretation. It emphasizes the houses,
which is quite the opposite of Western astrology. As James Coleman points
out, “[Western] astrology is heavily weighted toward signs and only
makes a cursory nod toward houses.”12 These imbalances
are certainly optional — not eternal verities. The influences of
the houses and the signs must certainly apply in both Vedic and Western
systems, if there’s any validity to them, which there certainly
is. I see them as untapped resources available to anyone who, like Dr.
Emoto, cares to look beneath the surface, in typical 8th-house fashion.
Chart Data and Source
Dr. Masaru Emoto, July 22, 1943; 4:50 p.m. JST;
Yokohama, Japan (35°N26'; 139°E39'); A: Author quotes Dr. Emoto
as giving him the time of 4:45 p.m. after a lecture in Maui, Hawaii. Dr.
Emoto asked author to contact his older sister to confirm. She later quoted
the time of 4:50 p.m.
References and Notes
1. Masaru Emoto, The Hidden Messages of
Water, Beyond Words Publishing, 2004.
2. Ibid., p. xx.
3. Ibid., p. xxii.
4. Masaru Emoto, Messages from Water, Hado Kyoikusha Co., Ltd.
(Japan), 1999.
5. Emoto, Hidden Messages, p. xx.
6. Ibid., p. xxi.
7. Emoto, Messages from Water, p. 7.
8. Ibid., p. 115.
9. For further information about the dashas, see Linda Johnsen's article,
"What's Your Dasha?" in The Mountain Astrologer, Oct./Nov.
2005.
10. “How Water reflects our Energy & Vibrational Frequency:
The EDGE Interview with Dr. Masaru Emoto,” by Insiah Vawda Beckman,
April 2004, http://www.edgenews.com/issues/2004/04/toc.html
11. Emoto, Messages from Water, p. 95.
12. James Coleman, “Introducing House Astrology,” in TMA,
June/July 2005, p. 63.
www.lightonvedicastrology.com
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