There will be some spiritual knots in 2022

In Vedic astrology, junctions between fire and water signs (which cannot coexist, obviously) are called Gandanta zones, also known as spiritual knots, and we have 11 main Gandanta’s this year, starting with Mars in Gandanta on 11th January.

Say you have a wound and you’ve covered it up with a bandaid and someone just rips it off quickly without any warning, without knowing if the wound underneath has healed or not or if it’s still raw and fresh, that is an example of Gandanta – a spiritual knot. So, when planets transit over these points, it’s almost like pulling a bandaid off.

The intensity of the pain will be dependent on the extent to which the wounds have healed. These wounds are not just from this lifetime – they are wounds from all of our previous lifetimes put together.

So you have no idea what these wounds are or how they happened, it is beyond our perception! That’s why we call Gandanta zones, karmic zones.

RITUALS FOR EACH PLANET IN GANDANTA IN 2022

(These rituals and more also appear inside the align27 app under the rituals section a few days before the actual gandanta date).

SUN IN GANDANTA

Chant the Gayatri Mantra three times a day at sunrise and sunset: Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Swaḥ, Tat-savitur Vareñyaṃ, Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi, Dhiyo Yonaḥ Prachodayāt
Listen to Aditya Hridayam Stotram→ (Available on the Sattva Meditation and Mantras app).
Donate – your time or money in helping people who are less fortunate than you.
Worship and Honor your ancestors.
You can do the Sun Guided Meditation→ (Available on the Sattva Meditation & Mantras app).
Perform Sun Salutations everyday.

VENUS IN GANDANTA

Beware of over indulging in any activities related to your sense organs.
Listen to Lakshmi Stuti on YouTube, as this was written by Lord Indra in honor of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Indra is the deity of jyeshtha Nakshatra and Goddess Lakshmi is the deity of Venus.
Call on Goddess Kali to dissolve that which doesn’t serve you with this simple mantra – “Aum Kleem Kalikaye Namaha” 108 times.
Listen to the hymn Ashta Lakshmi Stotram which is available on the Sattva Meditation and Mantras app.
If issues from the past come up, take time to dig deep and find a permanent resolution to them. This is a great opportunity for healing.
Chew cardamom pods in the morning to restore balance in your body, as their medicinal effects are related to Venus’ Kapha (water) element.

MARS IN GANDANTA

Exercise – Physical exercise of any sort is a must to dissipate the energy of Mars, otherwise this extra energy could turn into aggression.
Drink water – Keep yourself hydrated – this will balance the water and fire element in your body. It is best to have a routine – eat on time and exercise on time. It will also balance your “Pitta” (the fire/water element in your body)
Chant – Listen to or chant the Kandha Sashti Kavacham or Subramanian Bujangam sacred sounds/chants to refine the energy of Mars.
Write Mantras – Likhita Japa is the written version of mantra repetition. When you start writing a mantra, you will begin to feel peaceful and it will help you cultivate great strength from within. Mars denotes ink and writing mantras brings the wisdom and protection of Jupiter to guide the unsettled energy of Mars. How to do Likhita Japa →
Meditate – This is the best remedy to turn Mars into a spiritual warrior.
Light a lamp or a candle each day to balance your Agni Tattva (your fire element)

MERCURY IN GANDANTA

Feel the Earth – Walk barefoot with awareness, and feel the energy of the earth beneath your feet.
Honor Lord Vishnu, The Sustainer – Offer Tulsi, if you have it, to Lord Vishnu, the deity of Mercury, on Wednesday. You can also listen to Vishnu Saharsranama, a sacred hymn that lists the thousand names of Vishnu, or any other Vishnu chant that you can find.

GENERIC GANDANTA RITUALS

Chakra Meditation – Karmic knots, connected with the Gandanta, are stored in our body. Chakra (nerve center) meditations help to release these knots and blocked energies. Try one from the Chakra Collection on the Sattva Meditation and Mantras app.
Meditate twice a day on gandanta dates
Keep things simple – Gandanta is a time that can bring out all the resentment and anger from the past – be mindful of this and avoid confrontational or intense interactions.
Spend time wisely – Put all your energy and passion into creating something meaningful. This is also a great time to catch up on pending to-do list items.
Be patient – Don’t make any impulsive decisions.
Infuse and drink water with sacred sounds – Take a cup of water, cover the cup with your hand and chant a simple mantra of your choice, for example, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and then drink the water.