The Year Ahead: Connecting to Our Heart in 2020

By Vedic palmist-astrologer Ghanshyam Singh Birla

To help make the best of this year, I would like to share with you the birth chart of 2020. I will show you from an astrological perspective the theme of the year and what is the key to making this year the most happy and productive.

At midnight on January 1^st, Virgo was rising. This is auspicious as it relates to Mercury, the messenger of the gods bringing words of wisdom to humanity. In a birth chart, the ascendant is key because it shows why we have taken birth at that particular time. In the birth chart of 2020, the ascendant shows us the focus and theme of the year. Mercury, the lord of the ascendant in this year’s chart, is sitting in the sign of Sagittarius in the 4^th house, which is the house of Mom, home, homeland . . .  Ideally, it is where your heart finds peace, comfort and contentment.

The thing is, in addition to Mercury, the 4^th house is packed with many planetary energies – Jupiter, Ketu, Sun, Saturn and Pluto, the god of transformation. Due to the very intense and demanding grouping of all the planets, this crowded house could lead to feelings of discomfort instead of the comfort promised by the 4^th house.

And because each planet in the 4^th house is associated with other house(s) in the chart, those areas could be a contributing factor to the discomfort we feel. For example, in the 2020 chart we find: Gemini in the 10^th house, which is related to our work; Capricorn in the 5^th related to our creativity and children; Aquarius in the 6^th related to feelings of stress; and Pisces in the 7^th related to the needs of our partners and colleagues. In short, the affairs of 7 out of the 12 houses in the chart are impacting the 4^th house. If we are not mindful of what is happening with our 4^th house, all that activity could easily disturb our feelings of comfort and peace.

So, how can we sail smoothly through this year? How do we bring comfort to our 4th house of home and happiness when it is being bombarded by so many demands? The key is the 7^th house. Why? Because in the 2020 birth chart, Pisces is in the 7^th house with its great friend and benefic ruler, Jupiter, sitting in the 4^th house.

As mentioned, the 7^th house relates to all our partnerships, including our spouse and colleagues. The placement of Pisces in the 7^th house, with its benefic ruler, Jupiter, sitting in the 4^th house, could potentially bring a lot of satisfaction. But with all the intense planets surrounding Jupiter, our partnerships could be drawn into the fray and blamed for our discontent.

So, what is the key to staying peaceful and happy throughout the coming year? By using the 7^th house to connect with our Purush—our higher, most spiritual self! In addition to our partnerships, the 7^th house corresponds to the subconscious—the 90 percent of our consciousness hidden below the surface. In Indian tradition, the 7^th house is the house of our “jinn” or genie—our real self, and the relationships we attract that are intended to help us discover this integral part of ourselves. We can tap into this unseen aspect of our being by connecting to our heart with tools of inner exploration, such as meditation, self-reflection, prayer, yoga, tai chi, martial arts, and by finding our passion and devoting ourselves to it wholeheartedly. In doing so, we will soften our expectations that others be the source of our comfort. Finding an inner spiritual anchor can "take the heat off" our loved ones, and help us become a source of stability and inspiration to ourselves, those we love and everyone around us.

If we use the energy of our 7^th house to stabilize our 4^th house, we can create a heaven on Earth that will begin within our own heart and radiate outward to encompass our home, our friends, our work place, our colleagues and even strangers we meet on the street. It is a sure way to make 2020 a wonderfully happy and inspiring year for ourselves and those we love, and to ensure we do our bit to make the world a better place. And fortunately, we have the support of Mars, the noble warrior, placed in the powerful sign of Scorpio, in the 3^rd house of courage. Consequently, we have the force within us to support all our worthy intentions.

To sum up, the theme and focus of 2020 is finding a sense of peace and inner comfort. This can be done by melting our heart and remaining emotionally stable through steady feelings of love, no matter what is happening around us. This will bring an immense sense of comfort not only to ourselves, but our friends, family, and colleagues alike.

Just a reminder, the birth chart for 2020 reflects the general theme of the year. Reviewing your own natal chart will reveal any personal obstacles you might encounter while dealing with the year’s theme. As always, the team and I will be here throughout the year to help you in any way we can!

Wishing you a very happy, peaceful and prosperous 2020, and may God bless you!

To get more insights about 2020, watch Ghanshyam’s analysis of the New Year’s chart on our YouTube Channel.