by Somya Devi | Jul 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
Guru Purnima Full Moon July 2021
The full Moon waxes to full brightness tonight, July 23rd at 10:37 pm. Fully opposite the Sun in sidereal Cancer, the full Moon in sidereal Capricorn joins a retrograde Saturn in his home sign. This particular full Moon is the auspicious one known as Guru Purnima in India, and is a day for honoring our teachers and gurus, who bring forth the light and knowledge that guides us.
Full Moon in Capricorn
Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn. It inspires us very much to create structure. With a strong retrograde Saturn on this full Moon, while simultaneously ruling over it, we may feel a certain weightiness right now that compels us to consider serious matters. The full Moon is opposite a Cancer Sun, wherein we find our power through the heart, seeking comfort in the heart space and quite often the literal home or sanctuary. The full Moon in Capricorn reminds us of the outer world and makes us take notice of the whole. At the same time, it complements the attraction to the heart space and home by reminding us of the hard work it takes to sustain it, reinforcing our commitments to our responsibilities.
Uttara Ashada
The full Moon is in the Vedic nakshatra of Uttara Ashada, the latter “invincible one.” There is a lot of power here, one that is often used for achieving dharma both on a personal level and for humanity at large. Service and spirituality are inspired by this star. It is ruled by the ten Vishvadevas, the lords of dharma, and is also associated with the Sun, the sattvic purifyer. This full Moon is a time to let impurities burn away as we align ourselves with purpose and principle, orienting ourselves towards spiritual as well as worldly victory. This nakshatra’s animal symbol is the male mongoose, making it the only nakshatra (of the odd 27) that does not have a female counterpart.
Retrograde Jupiter and Saturn
The large and powerful outer planets are on their farthest course away from the Sun right now, making them loom bright in the night sky and wield a potent yet slow and pointed force over our lives, as they appear to move backwards through the zodiac.
Saturn’s retrograde trip has been from May 23rd and stretches through October 10th, while Jupiter’s lasts from June 20th until October 17th. Jupiter will once again travel back into sidereal Capricorn, joining Capricorn there for the final month of his retrograde journey, before once again entering Aquarius on November 20th. While these two transit together Jupiter becomes neecha bhanga, a position that can both challenge and augment his expansive power in different situations, and also creates opportunity for some auspicious muhurta moments.
Personal Chart Readings with Coaching Are Available Here
by Somya Devi | Jul 4, 2020 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Holy Days, Retrograde
Guru Purnima Full Moon Eclipse 2020
Tonight’s Full Moon in sidereal Sagittarius is the auspicious one known as Guru Purnima, a day for honoring our teachers, especially the satgurus and saints who bring light and truth to the world. The Full Moon peaks at 9:45pm PDT tonight, July 4th, and is accompanied by a penumbral lunar eclipse that peaks at 9:29 pm PDT. Though visible from the Americas, Africa, and Western Europe, this eclipse only brings a partial shadow across one side of the Moon. Its effects are being felt profoundly, however, during this cycle of change that has come with the two prior eclipses this summer.
Guru Purnima
Guru in Sanskrit is often translated as dispeller of darkness, or ignorance. We live with so much suffering as humans, because even through a lifetime most of us are still immature to a degree that we haven’t found peace with the bounty offered to us by divine creation. That is not to say that hardship and real suffering does not exist, but great souls and saints, and even many elders who have “lived through it all” have still been able to find a certain equanimity towards life’s difficulties, along with compassion and an attitude of service, however small, for those who are hurting.
In Yoga Sutra 1.33, Patanjali says:
maitri karuna muditopeksanam sukha duhkha punyapunya visayanam bhavanatas citta prasadanam
“By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind retains its undisturbed calmness.”
We could dive into a full discussion of all of these, especially in these trying times. In the last point “disregard” could be also understood as indifference or equanimity … though I believe as humans anger has a place on the path to this level of peace. But the Guru has the ability to bless us with a grace to move beyond this anger and into a place of peace and spiritual strength, despite whatever outside circumstances may be.
Sagittarius
The Moon joins “Guru” (Jupiter) in his home-sign of (sidereal) Sagittarius this year. A bright, retrograde Jupiter can be seen close to the Moon tonight… though the south node Ketu also brings his (usually) invisible presence here, creating the shadow effect that will pass over the Moon. (Though of course the actual shadow is a result of the earth’s position, Earth, Sun and Moon are aligned with Rahu and Ketu astronomically, signaling the eclipses.)
Sagittarius is aligned with the galactic center, and is the active fire sign of Jupiter, a planet who guides our values, ideas, and philosophies. This eclipse cycle (including the eclipses of June 5th and June 20th) has brought up a lot of the shadows inherent in our cultural philosophy and values, stirring the pot over such things as hygiene (coronavirus management), race, and of course politics. During tonight’s eclipse, through dedicated practice and Guru’s grace, we may have the opportunity to see some of our cloudy thinking and remove the shadows of ignorance, both individually and collectively, that have hindered us through history.
Purvaashada
The Guru Purnima Full Moon eclipse aligns with the Vedic nakshatra of Purvaashada, “the undefeated.” This star-sign brings strength as well as love and compassion, with a feminine energy ruled by Venus and the deity Apas (water personified). It is a place where we may battle over ideas, but ultimately truth will always be victorious in the end.
Nodal Clutch
The nodes have been harnessing strength over the course of this year since mid-February when the Kala Sarpa cycles began (the two weeks of each month when all planets are on one side of the nodal axis). As the Sun moves into sidereal Cancer on July 15th, this will break the cycle, making these periods impossible through the end of the year. These cycles are not entirely rare, however, so we should not attribute current events to this alone (they have been happening every year for the last several.
Retrograde Planets
Jupiter and Saturn continue their retrograde cycles through the fall, giving us an opportunity to dive deep into our philosophies and values and the structures we use to support these, making change particularly at the macro level as they travel through their homes signs of Sagittarius and Capricorn, respectively. Mars will also gain strength when he enters his home sign of Aries on August 16th, and then going through a retrograde cycle from September 9th through November 13th.
Personal readings are available Here to help you navigate this time.
by Somya Devi | Jul 15, 2019 | Astrology, Eclipses, Events, Holy Days, Retrograde
We can bask under a full Moon in Sagittarius tonight, as the Moon waxes towards total fullness opposite the Sun tomorrow at 2:38 pm PDT in Uttara Ashada nakshatra. With the Moon within degrees of south node Ketu, and the Sun (in sidereal Gemini) close to north node Rahu, this will bring in a partial lunar eclipse, the second eclipse of our summer series. Saturn is also joining Moon and Ketu, while Venus joins the Sun and Rahu. Due to the Hindu month we are in, this full Moon lunar eclipse also coincides with Guru Purnima, the auspicious Hindu holiday for honoring our teachers.
Sagittarius Full Moon
This full Moon is at the very end of Sagittarius, at 29°57’, pretty much on the sandhi point of transition between Sagittarius and Capricorn. Nevertheless, having been in a Gemini Sun cycle for the last month or so, this full Moon will highlight for us the way that inspiration and higher teachings can help us when we are stuck in an intellectual or just playful mode of being. This is the second full Moon in Sagittarius in a row, with the last one occurring in the early degrees of sidereal Sag in June. This once in a “blue Moon” event just means that we get to double up on the Sagittarius lessons.
Guru Purnima
It’s a fitting time for Guru Purnima, therefore, as Jupiter, or Guru in Sanskrit, is the ultimate teacher. Guru Purnima is a time for honoring all teachers, but particularly any spiritual teacher or satguru in your life. It is an auspicious time to connect with your teacher and teachings, to offer back reverence and come closer to that which guides you towards your best self. Under the full Moon in Sagittarius, our heart is illuminated as well, and more easily comes into alignment with higher teachings.
Uttara Ashada
Uttara Ashada (or Uttarashada) is the Vedic star-sign or nakshatra that bridges the end of Sagittarius and the beginning of Capricorn. It is translated as the “latter invincible one,” and has to do with victory and achievement. It is ruled by the ten Vishvadevas, the lords of dharma, and is also associated with the Sun, the sattvic purifyer. This full Moon is a time to let impurities burn away as we align ourselves with purpose and principle, orienting ourselves towards spiritual as well as worldly victory. This nakshatra’s animal symbol is the male mongoose, making it the only nakshatra (of the odd 27) that does not have a female counterpart.
Lunar Eclipse
The eclipse that coincides with this full Moon (maximum eclipse at 2:30 pm Tuesday) will make this an even more powerful Guru Purnima. As the shadow of the earth comes partially across the Moon, we may feel cut off from our minds and hearts, or feel a sensation of darkness over the heart as shadows surface that we are not usually fully aware of. This is the perfect time to dive into sadhana and connect with your guru, asking her to help remove any blockages, while doing your part by looking at and acknowledging what is there.
Eclipses offer us an opportunity to go deeper into what ails us, and through conscious interaction with this, we can move a lot of energy at this time. For those of us who aren’t willing to look at what’s up (or just haven’t noticed that this opportunity is being presented), eclipses can feel like they are wreaking havoc or bringing up extra stress in our lives. This is a good time of year to receive a personal reading, which can offer insight into where this eclipse is hitting your chart and life, and help you to discover ways to work with the planetary energies. This eclipse cycle is the first of three that will occur with the nodes along this axis, from now through next summer.
Lunar Eclipse Visibility, July 16, 2019
Venus
Venus is closely aligned with Rahu during this eclipse, which could make some of the shadows come up particularly around our relationships and how we go about seeking happiness in the world. Saturn, opposite with Ketu and the Moon, can teach us to balance this pleasure-seeking with the commitment and hard work that is needed to reach our long-term goals.
Venus will transit into Cancer on the 22nd, and travel there through August 16th. With Venus in the open-hearted sign of the Moon, this is an important time to watch your boundaries, as they can tend to spread wide open under this placement.
Mercury Retrograde
Mercury has been traveling in retrograde motion since July 7th (and also engaged in a planetary war with Mars from July 7th-9th). He will enter another war, this time with Venus, on July 24th and 25th. This can pin our desires and pleasures against our rationalizing intellect, with Venus winning this war due to his more luminous appearance in the early morning sky. (Mercury will be barely visible, as both planets are rising during the dawn, just before sunrise). Mercury transits back into his own sign of Gemini for a day or so on the 30th, before stationing and turning direct on July 31st, the next New Moon.
This is a great time to have a personal reading– either an Initial Reading (includes looking at the eclipses) if this is your first time working with me, or an Eclipse Reading if we have had a previous session.
by Somya Devi | Jul 5, 2017 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Events, Holy Days, Planets Changing Signs, Retrograde
Guru Purnima – Full Moon in Sagittarius
Each year, the full Moon in the Hindu month of Ashadha is dedicated to celebrating our gurus. This year’s Guru Purnima falls on the night of July 8th in North America and India, with the Moon reaching peak fullness at 9:07 pm PDT on Saturday. This year, Guru Purnima’s full Moon falls in Purvashada nakshatra (Vedic constellation), in the middle of sidereal Sagittarius, close to the galactic center. The Moon will be opposite the Sun in sidereal Gemini, where we began this lunar cycle.
Guru
The Sanskrit word guru is most commonly translated as “teacher.” It refers not only to the mighty spiritual teachers that are often associated with this word, but can indicate teachers in many fields of study or practice. One might have a spiritual guru, a yoga guru, an astrology guru, or even a knitting, cooking, or physics guru. “Gu” is often translated as darkness or ignorance while “ru” implies dispelling, disseminating, or removing. Guru as an adjective often implies grandeur or weight, frequently translated as “heavy,” which is a way that one might describe our most influential teachers. Students of jyotish will also recognize Guru as the name for Jupiter, who even the ancients knew as a large and profoundly influential planet. His influence in our lives is often in the realms of higher teachings and philosophy, and his position in someone’s natal chart can tell us about their path of learning and relationships with teachers. (For more rumination on the concept of guru in general, check out previous years’ articles.)
Purnima
Each month, as the Moon waxes and wanes his way through the ecliptic, he undergoes 30 phases known as tithis in Vedic astrology. Although the transition is smooth, the tithis are delineated distinctly, and each one carries a certain supportive energy. The purnima phase, roughly a day long, is the fullest phase of the Moon, with the peak of fullness happening at the last moment of the phase (given as Full Moon time), before the light on the Moon begins to recede again as we enter the waning phase.
Purnima is generally thought of as the most auspicious phase of the month, and is positive for most activities, especially spiritual activities. There is a harmony of lunar and solar energy at this time. The Moon influences the ebb and flow of our watery emotions and our state of mind. We are most able to perceive this subtle body within when the outer Moon is fully illuminated. It is also a time where opposite poles within us (and in the external solar system), are both illuminated at the same time. Wherever the Full Moon occurs, it is on the exact opposite side of the zodiac from the Sun. On this Full Moon, the Sun is illuminating the Gemini part of the sky while the Moon’s light brightens Sagittarius for us. We are better able to integrate the two opposite poles within us when this occurs.
Sagittarius Full Moon
The Sagittarius section of the sky carries an energy of optimism and idealism, under Jupiter’s idealistic rulership. With the Moon here we are inspired to act on our beliefs, and share our purpose with the world. There is a great charitable nature here. Sagittarius is opposite from Gemini, where Sun and Moon began this lunar cycle, which is a place of much more practicality and impartiality, ruled by Mercury. On this full Moon we are able to see a better path towards balancing our flexible, curious, intellectual side (airy Gemini) with our passionate and idealistic side (firey Sagittarius).
Purva Ashadha
The Vedic sky is divided into 27 sections or nakshatras, along the same band of the ecliptic as we see the twelve major zodiac signs. These smaller sections give us much more information about the energy coming from that part of the cosmos, and the mood that the planets will take on as they pass there. This Full Moon falls in Purva Ashadha nakshatra, known as “the invincible one.” There is a great deal of optimism and power here, so this could be a great time to face some fears and challenges that require confrontation. The water deity Apas presides here, strengthening our connection to the water element and our inner sensitivity.
As you tune into your own heart under the Guru Purnima full Moon, acknowledge the teachers and gurus who have and continued to support you along your journey. This is a particularly auspicious day for honoring them, upholding tradition, and even setting intentions for new paths of learning or teaching that you plan to follow.
Jupiter, Venus & Saturn
The Guru planet himself is in Hasta nakshatra at the moment, the sign of “the hand,” which adds even more expansion to our opportunities for learning and strengthening our skills. He is also aspecting Venus, who is now in Taurus, his own sign. Venus in Taurus (most of this month), elevates the artistry in our life, bringing more beauty and amplifying our connection with all sensual pleasures — nature, art, music, food, and our surroundings in general.
With this aspect it could be a good month to improve your material situation … but be aware that retrograde Saturn is also aspecting Venus now, having just transited back into sidereal Scorpio. While Jupiter’s aspect helps us to expand in Venusian endeavors, Saturn’s disciplinarian mood may bring up feelings of restriction. Take this as a lesson to broaden your vision and look at the long-term results of your decisions. Indulging in your pleasures now may require a bit of hard-work and commitment because of Saturn’s influence, but that is a reminder of the effort we will need to put forth over time to support our actions.
by Somya Devi | Jul 14, 2016 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Retrograde
Next Tuesday brings Guru Purnima on the Full Moon in Capricorn. The peak of the full Moon will occur on July 19, 2016 at 3:57 pm PDT. Purnima is the full Moon phase of the month, and guru means remover of darkness, but is commonly translated as teacher. Guru Purnima is an auspicious time for celebrating our teachers. Under the light of the full Moon, we give thanks for the illumination and wisdom that they have brought into our lives. Guru is also the planetary name for Jupiter (in Sanskrit and Vedic astrology), who represents the principles of expansion and inspiration in our lives.
This full Moon falls at 3 degrees of sidereal Capricorn, highlighting our quest for structure to support to our feminine, yin essence. Capricorn is a feminine earth sign and is ruled by Saturn, the planet that drives our focus towards the bigger picture. Saturn makes us remember the eternal nature of our soul, and through Capricorn, he inspires practical action in the earth realm to help us to protect and support our soul’s evolution. This full Moon will help us to remember to rise to meet our responsibilities and persevere through any difficulties we are facing.
This Capricorn energy offers a great time to tap into your spiritual practices. It’s time to bring them into the earthly realm, rather than just thinking about them. Capricorn is practical, and that means it’s time to practice. Sit down on the ground and connect with your crystals, cards, malas, or instruments. Practice also includes doing your duty as well as selfless service. Service that upholds the teachings of your gurus can be a special offering you make on this day.
In the Vedic calendar this full Moon and Guru Purnima fall on the nakshatra of Uttara Ashadha. This star-sign is ruled by the Vishvadevas, the 10 lords of dharma. Dharma refers to our duty in life, both earthly and spiritual. These will both be illuminated for us on this full Moon. Uttara Ashadha constellation bridges Sagittarius and Capricorn, signs ruled by Jupiter and Saturn. Its energy supports holding high ideals, and the commitment needed to support them. In remembering our teachers we will also remember our highest values and our purpose. It is said that in addition to each individual’s unique purpose in this life, we all share the higher purpose of attaining self-realization.
At the time of the full Moon, the Sun will be opposite Capricorn, in sidereal Cancer. We are at the point in the cycle where we need to harmonize the energy of these two signs, balancing our watery emotional nature with our practical earthy side. With the Sun in Cancer, we find our strength through the heart and our intuition. The Moon in Capricorn balances this by bringing our focus towards the earth realm and the bigger picture, while our emotional sensitivity and intuition is heightened.
The bigger picture and our long-term goals and commitments are definitely on our minds right now because of Saturn’s influence. This Full Moon is receiving an aspect from retrograde Saturn in sidereal Scorpio. Since March, Saturn has appeared to move backwards in retrograde motion, causing us to backtrack and reconsider our long-term commitments in a few specific areas of life. (The areas of life indicated by Scorpio, Capricorn and Aquarius in your Vedic chart have been under scrutinization, or may have just felt stuck.)
There is one month left during Saturn retrograde. This is our time to really go inward, finding our truth, facing our fears, and determining the long-term direction we want to pursue. We feel a lot of pressure here now because Mars is once again joining Saturn in Scorpio, and will be for the next two months. The two will come head-to-head in late August (within one degree of each other), and we will need to really stay centered to maintain balance amidst this energy.
Jupiter is also getting ready to move signs in about one month, transiting fully from sidereal Leo to Virgo. For the last year he has been in sidereal Leo, and personal beliefs and self-empowerment have been getting a lot of attention. Since January, the shadow planet Rahu has also been joining him there, inciting some very radical ideas and power-struggles. When Jupiter transits into Virgo in mid-August, we will feel a shift towards more grounded philosophies, at large, and more trends towards practical thinking. This transit will also have profound effects for each individual based on where Virgo lies in your chart. You will feel a boost of energy for the next year in this area of life. (Be sure to sign up for free updates at my site to receive your personal Jupiter in Virgo forecast, coming soon to your inbox).
As my guru says, “May we all become lamps spreading light to the world, and may grace help us to achieve this.” This Guru Purnima on the full Moon in Capricorn, connect with your teachers and that which inspires you most.
With the upcoming shifts of Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter, now is a great time to book a personal reading to see what will be changing for you. Be sure to sign up here to receive your free personal forecasts and Vedic Astrology news.
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