Mula: facing the ghosts of the past

Ghost Sally McKenna portrayed by Mula Sun native Sarah Paulson in AHS Hotel

There is a reason why what is triggering and disturbing, what we try to avoid at all costs such as pain, suffering, and destruction relates to Mula nakshatra and its goddess, Nirriti. Mula, which resides in the first 13°20 degrees of sidereal Sagittarius means ‘roots’ and consequently rules the action of ‘uprooting’. Being uprooted means losing the foundations we once relied on to relate to the world and to anchor our identity. Without a sense of security, Mula natives can be left to wander like ghosts, because the 8th sign, Scorpio (which precedes Mula), has already burned their physical identity and this creates a sense of disconnect. However, having their roots exposed also turns them into vessels for the expression of ancestral trauma and blockages, often carrying an unconscious sense of responsibility to confront and resolve this inherited karma so it may finally be destroyed. Many natives of Mula nakshatra may literally encounter ghosts, channel spirits, or wander into the astral world, as the unembodied realm is a karaka of Ketu (Mula’s ruling graha). It is no surprise that many horror actors and Scream Queens have Mula placements, linking them to the unembodied essence of Ketu and this nakshatra. Whether or not they face these themes in real life, they experience this specific energy through the characters they portray (see examples below). 

There is a chaotic nature to Mula that comes from Ketu’s disregard for consequences — a recklessness that can be destructive when directed toward one’s mental, physical, or emotional health. But this disregard also reflects an intuitive knowing that, ultimately, nothing in this material world truly matters. Mula’s disinterest in the superficial can give a spiritual inclination and a sacrificial tendency. When natives channel the ferocious and destructive energy of this nakshatra wisely, they can dismantle their false identities through uprooting, exposing themselves to harsh truth about themselves & the world around them, and surrendering to the divine, making this nakshatra a great blessing for spiritual practitioners. They may push themselves to a level that appears like madness to the outside world and people who take comfort in the bliss of illusion and superficiality. The death-inflicting noose that the Goddess Nittiri carries doesn’t just refer to physical death. It actually refers to the death of the causal body which is the reservoir of our karmas and which causes us to be reborn and so the phrase ‘Dying before dying’ can be attributed to this nakshatra. 

​​Mula brings discomfort by pulling up ghosts from the past, forcing us to face our demons so that we may overcome them. It uncovers the subconscious, where traumas from this and previous lives remain hidden. Ketu rules past lives and remembering them directly would be overwhelming which is why most of us forget. But the impressions of the past remain , shaping our fears, attachments, and patterns. Mula’s symbol is actually a bundle of roots tied together which reflects the countless karmas from innumerable lifetimes tangled in a way that feels almost impossible to unravel. Most people are unaware of the roots of their problems, and so a destructive force like the goddess Nirriti is necessary to expose those ghosts of the past we must confront if we want to attain liberation. Therefore the influence of this goddess of destruction acts as a blessing in disguise. As the barren aspect of Mother Earth, she symbolizes the immense pressure within the Earth that forms the most valuable gems, like diamonds. Mula’s uprooting power also extends to seeking the root of all things, not just the self. It creates a deep curiosity in its natives, driving them to dig into the hidden layers of life. This can make them into great researchers, highly knowledgeable, and naturally drawn to uncovering the deeper meanings and secrets of religion, spirituality, and the esoteric sciences. They are willing to sacrifice themselves to plunge into that deep well of knowledge and uncover the treasures buried at the root. 

American Horror Story Coven & Mula nakshatra

I wanted to mention a few Mula natives portrayed in American Horror Story. Many cast members across different seasons have Ketu nakshatras (Ashwini, Magha, and Mula), but the Coven season in particular embodies striking Mula themes through its characters.

Following Mula’s theme of “dying before dying,” Madison Montgomery (portrayed by Mula Moon native Emma Roberts) literally dies and is resurrected. In a continuation of this theme throughout the series, her character repeatedly dies and is brought back to life, showing how Mula puts her native through a lot of death-like, transformative experiences. Emma Roberts herself is also known for portraying reckless characters who often get into trouble, another echo of Mula’s chaotic, consequence-disregarding nature.

Zoe Benson (portrayed by Mula Moon Taissa Farmiga) inherits her grandmother’s “witch” genes, giving her the power to drain the life force of the men she sleeps with. Because her intimacy is lethal, Taissa’s character is denied sexual pleasure (one of the strongest binding forces in the material world) illustrating how Nirriti dissolves attachments in painful ways. Zoe embodies both the forced denial of worldly pleasure and the act of killing those who indulge in them. Interestingly, Taissa Farmiga also inherited acting skills from her Mula ascendant aunt Vera Farmiga, who stars in major horror films (The Conjuring, The Orphan). This inheritance reflects Mula’s ‘root’ theme, the passing down of traits and karmic patterns through DNA and lineage.

Cordelia Foxx (portrayed by Mula Sun Sarah Paulson) reflects another side of Mula/Ketu in this season. She loses her sight — just as Ketu is headless, blind, and operates through a sixth sense. Only after becoming blind does she develop the power to see the past, present, and future, ultimately gaining far more vision than when she relied on her physical eyes. This aligns with the malefic aspect of Ketu, who is raudram raudratmakam gauram (“whose form is fierce and horrible”) ruling accidents, cuts, burns etc. It captures the essence of Mula: how the severing of physical comfort (in this case, the sense of sight) becomes the doorway to higher perception. Similarly, most people fear Mula because the destruction of ego feels far more terrifying than the bliss that follows, especially when we have no prior experience of that bliss. The path that Mula asks us to follow requires great trust, and goddess Nirriti may force certain experiences upon us when we have the inner capacity to grow through them. I will also add that other characters Sarah Paulson portrayed on the show are loeaded with Mula significations but I will cover this on a later research article on Ketu & the horror genre.