by Somya Devi | Mar 4, 2016 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Eclipses, Events, Holy Days
This coming New Moon on March 8th packs a powerful punch, bringing with it a groundbreaking total solar eclipse. This will be the first in a series of eclipses to occur with the lunar nodes, Rahu and Ketu, on the sidereal Leo-Aquarius axis. The nodes moved into these signs at the end of January and will transit here until August of 2017, affecting us deeply in whatever areas of our lives are influenced in our personal charts. We will experience 3 eclipse cycles (pairs of eclipses, one solar and one lunar) during this transit–one now, one in September, and one in February of 2017. (Don’t miss my Free E-Book with lots of info on this transit and how it will affect your sign!)
This solar eclipse on the New Moon will set the tone for a tumultuous lunar cycle. The New Moon cycle begins at 5:54pm PST on March 8th, in sidereal Aquarius. The total solar eclipse (peaking around the same time) will be visible from Southeast Asia, most of Australia, the South Pacific and Indian Oceans and Hawaii. The effects will be most perceptible in these areas, but everyone will feel the disturbance at some level.
During the eclipse, the Sun’s light will be blocked out as he and the Moon align with Ketu, who casts a shadow of self-doubt and criticism on the planet of vitality. The results will be feelings of confusion and disconnection from our sense of strength, individual power, and our connection with Source (all things represented by the Sun). This is adding to our already diminished sense of personal empowerment that can come while Sun is in Aquarius, the sign of service and humility.
This solar eclipse, as well as the lunar eclipse to follow on March 23rd, will bring up a lot of our personal shadows around the quest for equilibrium between universal service and self-empowerment. This theme will continue through the broader year-and-a-half eclipse cycle we have entered.
At the time of the eclipse, Mercury and Venus join the Sun, Moon, and Ketu in Aquarius. This will add Ketu’s feelings of confusion, doubt, and aversion to our collective emotional body (the Moon), to our intellectual and analytical side (Mercury), and to our desirous, pleasure-seeking nature (Venus).
Don’t be surprised to see a chaotic departure from inner peace, rational thinking, and cooperative behavior around this eclipse.
This could be aggravated even more by Jupiter and Rahu, who oppose this New Moon cluster from Leo. Their conjunct energies are causing folks to become more and more amped up and self-righteous over their principles and beliefs. (Polarized election madness!) Saturn aspects the duo from his menacing position, joined Mars, in Scorpio, which puts the pressure on even more.
Mars casts his aspect onto the stellium in Aquarius. This could throw some fuel on the potentially explosive fire of transformation that is happening there with the eclipse. Mars in Scorpio gives us the chance to bring forth our warrior-like courage, which we will need in facing all of the disturbance and potential change arising.
This eclipse occurs with Sun, Moon and Ketu in the Vedic nakshatra called Purvabhadrapada. This star-sign falls on the constellation well-known as Pegasus (on the stars Alpha-Pegasi and Beta-Pegasi), bridging the Aquarius and Pisces regions of the sky. As such its symbol is a funeral cot, or bed, related to the fire of purification. This helps to prepare us to enter the darkness of the unknown to be met in Pisces.
The eclipse here will drive us strongly towards purification and transformation. This is for our higher purpose and spiritual development, but it may not be without some difficulty. The deity for this nakshatra is Aja-Ekapada (“the one-footed goat”), who is related to Rudra, a destructive aspect of Lord Shiva. This star is associated with darkness and black magic, which lays the groundwork for a very powerful eclipse.
Eclipses are times when we can literally see shadows in the sky, and they are opportunities to see the ugly psychological shadows lurking in our own subconscious. These need to be uncovered and released so we can free ourselves from them. This is a very important time to do sadhana (spiritual practice) and Self-inquiry, so we can know ourselves better and become enlightened by this gift of seeing what is normally in the dark.
This opportunity is amplified because Sunday night (Pacific, Monday in India) brings the Hindu holy time known as Maha Shivaratri (“the great night of Lord Shiva”). This is the most auspicious night to offer oneself into spiritual practice, in worship of Divine Consciousness. It is typical to stay up all night, fasting and engaging in worship such as mantra, chanting, meditation, and puja. With the eclipse so close at hand, this is an extremely potent time to call upon the light of consciousness and purification.
In Vedic tradition it is thought that the negative energy of the nodes pervades the atmosphere during the time of the eclipse, and it is therefore best not to eat or drink during this time. (The eclipse window is from 3:19pm to 8:34pm PST.) It is also best to refrain from looking at the eclipse directly, or being outside in its atmosphere, especially if you are somewhere the eclipse will be visible.
One more thing to add to the mix on this powerful New Moon: March 8th is also International Women’s Day! Let’s use this transformative time to honor and elevate the sisters, mothers and daughters of this world!
As a special gift to help you navigate through this time, I’ve put together a Free e-Book on Rahu, Ketu, and the Eclipses for the 12 Vedic Rising Signs , which includes a forecast for your personal sign!
Eclipse periods are some of the best times to book a personal reading to help you to understand your personal karma and to process the energy brought up by the nodes.
Top Image Credit: “Eclipsed? Not totally” by James Jordan, CC license Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic
by Somya Devi | Feb 18, 2016 | Uncategorized
There will be a powerful Full Moon on Sunday night, leading up to its peak on the morning of February 22nd at 10:19am PST. This full Moon falls in sidereal Leo, opposing the Sun in sidereal Aquarius. The Moon joins a heavy influence from Jupiter and Rahu, who sit near the end of Leo, ingraining a headstrong movement towards power and responsibility. Meanwhile, the Sun may feel the shadow energy of south-node Ketu joining him in Aquarius, which can bring forth contraction of the physical body or of our sense of connection with spirit.
This full Moon in Leo will really light up our sense of personal power and duty. We are able to get in touch with the emotional sensation that surrounds us when we feel responsible, in charge, and accomplished. This may come as the bounty of an active time of service, as Sun in Aquarius has motivated us to take our bodies and actions towards a place of universal service this month (though we may have neglected self-care a little in the process). We may have felt some confusion around this effort due to Ketu’s recent transit into Aquarius, and Rahu’s into Leo.
Any shadows in our personal subconscious around the relationship between service and personal power are likely to start coming to light now. We must look for how to achieve a symbiotic balance between the two, rather than pin them in our minds as a discordant opposition. Jupiter’s and Rahu’s presence in Leo can amplify any feelings of lust for personal power or greed, which are likely to flare up around this full Moon if we aren’t mindful. The key now is to activate a healthy and complementary interaction between empowered leadership and care for our own “kingdom,” and inspired, humble universal service.
We will really begin to feel the shadows of this opposition (Aquarian vs. Leonine energy) over the next two weeks as we approach an eclipse on this axis on March 8th (around 6pm PST). There are some areas of life where we may go to extremes and allow the call to duty and responsibility to become a greedy power-quest, whereas at other times we may get lost in our grand ideas for humanity and neglect responsibilities that are closer to home. You may realize that you have underlying motivations to possess and harness personal power through so-called acts selfless service, or that you are avoiding allowing your unique and individual expression of divine spirit to shine through in your crusade to enlighten the planet. There is a time and place for both service and empowerment; self-love and universal love are both necessary ingredients for a truly loving existence.
Investigating these themes will continue for the next year-and-a-half, as long as Rahu and Ketu, the north and south nodes of the Moon, transit these signs. Whatever houses these are in your personal chart will be affected, and it’s likely that you will go through a lot of change and revelation in whatever areas of life these are for you. The upcoming eclipses will amplify this energy and give you a good look at what personal work needs to be done throughout the coming year.**
This full Moon is on the Vedic nakshatra (star-sign) called Magha, “the mighty.” Falling across the first thirteen degrees of Leo, this constellation summons forth the kingly, divine stature of the Sun (Leo’s ruler). Magha constellation was often interpreted as a throne, and other times as a Lion. It is one of the brightest nakshatras in the sky, evocative of its royal nature. The deities for this star are the Pitris–“the fathers,” or, our ancient ancestors. This is a powerful full Moon for calling forth ancestral wisdom and knowledge. Furthermore, this star is ruled by Ketu, who also relates to deep-seated subconscious wisdom that may have come from past lives or ancestors.
This full Moon is also receiving a drishti (glance, or aspect) from Saturn, which could be helpful as he reminds us to slow down and not get too headstrong in our grabs for power and responsibility. The Sun receives a drishti from Mars, which may help to rev up our vitality a bit while the solar giant sits with the fatigue-inducing Ketu. Mars will have just transited into Scorpio on February 20th, where he will join Saturn for the greater part of the summer, through September. This combination will bring a lot of intense energy to the sign of Scorpio, and whatever houses and planets lie there in your chart.
Eclipse cycles, as we are entering now, are very important times to boost or maintain your spiritual practice, so as not to feel tossed about by the powerful subconscious drives and changes that arise. Meditation, routine, and grounding practices are key, as these energies can tend to throw us off-balance. Lighting a candle is a particularly helpful part of practice to incorporate, to call forth illumination to the shadowy, smokey energy of the nodes, Rahu and Ketu.
**Eclipse cycles such as now are very helpful times to receive a personal reading to understand how you will feel affected individually. We will also cover what the Mars-Saturn conjunction in Scorpio means for you.
**I am sharing a free Rahu-Ketu report to help you understand the effects of this transit and the coming eclipses for each individual Vedic rising sign, available for free at somyadevi.com.
by Somya Devi | Feb 8, 2016 | Astrology, Planets Changing Signs
The New Moon cycle begins tomorrow morning, February 8th, at 6:39am PST in sidereal Capricorn. This New Moon will occur in Dhanishtha, the Vedic nakshatra (star-sign) related to wealth, dignity, and musical ability. The symbol of this star is the drum and its energy brings the power of rhythm. As we surge ahead in the new year, we can begin to really get into our new rhythm. It’s a great time to establish routines wherever we are choosing to focus our energy this year.
With Sun and Moon together in Capricorn, this New Moon can really help us to get clear on our priorities. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, who compels us to check in with our responsibilities and prioritize that which brings value to our lives in the long-term. He gives the ability to put in the hard work necessary to take care of what is important. Since Capricorn is a feminine earth-sign, we can tune into this emotionally and trust our gut when it tells us what is really worth our time and effort. The earthy nature of Capricorn brings practicality and helps us to establish routines that support our values.
The heavy nature of Saturn can often bring a feeling of pressure, and since Saturn is also aspecting this new Moon from sidereal Scorpio, his power and pressure may feel doubled right now. Be sure to take it easy and take lots of deep breaths, especially if your inventory of priorities feels overwhelming. Yogic breathing is a great way to connect with the energy of Saturn. The sharp nature of Mars is also influencing this new cycle, as he aspects Sun and Moon from his position in sidereal Libra. This can elevate our feeling of gut-instinct about what to put first on our list of plans, but could also add a fierceness to our efforts to be practical. Be sure to take it easy on your loved ones when trying to establish your own routines and regimens.
The energy of both Saturn and Mars is most helpful when we turn it on ourselves, not against others. Saturn gives us a sense of pressure and reminds us we must endure the temporary ups and downs of life, while remembering the eternal nature of our soul and cosmic energy. He pushes us towards the hard-work that must be done in life as part of this endurance effort. Doing our own work happily with devotion and surrender is the task at hand, not trying to organize those around us or delegate our to-do lists to them.
Mars’ energy gives us an energized impetus to “get-er-done,” and may compel you to speed up tasks that must be done with patience. He could also push you to command others to get in line with your vision plan, but again, his energy is best utilized internally, calling forth the self-discipline needed to create and support a steady structure around you. Meditation will help you to center yourself and internalize (rather than project) whatever pressure and impetus you feel towards focalizing your routines and efforts. New Moon in general is a great time to meditate and go inward, so with this New Moon in Capricorn, slow down and take some time to get clear on how to establish your own healthy rhythm for managing your responsibilities while honoring your emotional needs, with care and respect for those around you.
We are also beginning to feel a new rhythm for the coming year as Rahu and Ketu are settling into their new seats in Leo and Aquarius, respectively. This brings us into a new year-and-a-half cycle where the lunar nodes will open the doors of our psyche around that particular house axis, bringing forth our inner struggle for balance between personal empowerment and service to the greater good. This will have far-reaching affects for you depending on which houses this axis overlays in your personal Vedic chart. Visit somyadevi.com to sign up for a personal reading to find out what this year brings for you, as well as receive a copy of my free Rahu-Ketu 2016 report.
by Somya Devi | Jan 20, 2016 | Astrology, Eclipses, Planets Changing Signs, Retrograde
This Saturday, January 23rd, we will have a Full Moon in sidereal Cancer at 5:46pm PST. Opposite the Sun who is in the austere, Saturn-ruled sign of Capricorn, the full Moon in the loving, comfort-seeking sign of Cancer compels us to cozy up and nourish ourselves and others during this cold, vata season. Moon is in the Vedic star-sign or nakshatra called Pushya, which is all about nourishment.
Pushya literally translates as “nourishment,” and its symbol is the udder of a cow, another emblem of sustenance. Cows are revered in Hindu tradition for this reason. They give so much towards our own livelihood — dairy, meat, bones, leather. Ghee (clarified butter derived from cow milk) is one of the most sacred substances in Vedic practice. It is used to light oil lamps, is offered to deities in worship, and is also one of the most nourishing substances for the human body to consume, according to the tradition of Ayurveda (the health science of the Vedic tradition). It is easily absorbed and metabolized by all the layers of tissue in the body, and for that reason is also the best medium for taking medicinal and nutritive herbs.
The deity for Pushya is Brihaspati, a form of Jupiter, a Brahmin priest who is the guru or teacher of the devas (Gods). A well-known story of Brihaspati is that of his marriage with Tara. The story goes that Tara ran away with Chandra, the Moon, and had an affair (some say she was abducted), which resulted in the birth of Budha (the planet Mercury). Eventually Tara returned to Brihaspati, and he graciously accepted her and even raised Budha as his own. This caring benevolence is a quality of the nakshatra Pushya, and of the energy around this Full Moon. It is a time when compassion will be high, and you can tap into your qualities of forgiveness and acceptance and offer that forward wherever it is required in your life.
Mercury is still in his retrograde course, and is joined with Venus in Sagittarius. We may have big ideals for our relationships right now but may be holding back a little in communicating them. Jupiter rules Sagittarius where these two are residing, and is also aspecting them from his retrograde position in Leo. This period of Jupiter retrograde gives us a chance to slow down before projecting our philosophies and ideals out into the world. It’s a good time for meditating on which belief systems and sets of teachings are serving us the most, and to resist imposing them on others, especially when we are still in contemplation. We may reevaluate some of our convictions over the next few months and expand our vision to encompass new ideas.
A very important transit will be happening on January 29th, opening up a new chapter for us all for the next year-and-a-half. Rahu and Ketu, the north and south nodes of the Moon, are finally shifting from the Virgo-Pisces axis into the Leo-Aquarius axis. They sat in Virgo and Pisces for the last year-and-a-half, which brought light to our shadow work that needed to be done around our tendencies of over-organizing vs. escaping and avoiding responsibility. Some of us tend towards one extreme in some cases and the opposite in others. The themes apply especially to what houses those signs occupy, which is different for each individual according to your birth chart.
For the next-year-and-a-half, Rahu and Ketu will be stirring things up around our Leo-Aquarius issues. This means we’ll really be examining our sense of personal power and strength, vs. our sense of commitment to universal duty and service. These things may sometimes come in conflict with one another, or we may emphasize one more than the other in different places in our lives. Both need attention and balance, to be utilized in a healthy way without going to extremes in either direction. We will particularly feel the affects of this transit around the Eclipse Cycles (the first of which comes in March), and around the houses in your chart that fall on Leo and Aquarius. Personal readings are available now to help you understand what themes this transit will raise for you in the coming year.
For now, enjoy the Full Moon light from the loving, maternal sign of Cancer, and the caring, paternal constellation of Pushya!
by Somya Devi | Jan 6, 2016 | Astrology, Retrograde
The Sun and Moon will be conjunct in sidereal Sagittarius on Saturday, January 9th at 5:31pm PST, in the Vedic nakshatra called Purvashada (or Purva Ashada). This begins a cycle full of Jupiter’s inspired energy (Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius), fitting for the new year. It’s time to let our values and optimism come forward into action. Over the last few months with Jupiter in Leo (since July), we have put a lot of importance on our personal beliefs. Jupiter–our teachings, belief systems and philosophy–has been on the “throne” in the kingly sign of Leo, ruled by the Sun. As Sun represents our inherent soul power, where we connect with source from within, Jupiter here has linked our sense of connection with what we believe. There has been a lot of passion and power put behind personal philosophy lately.
Interestingly, Jupiter’s motion as seen from earth has just come to a stop (on January 7th), and this giant planet will be in retrograde motion (appearing to move backwards through the zodiac) until April. This will influence this lunar cycle because Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius, and he is also aspecting the Sun and Moon almost directly at the moment of the darkest Moon. He was almost at the end of his journey through Leo (at 29°), but his retrograde motion will give us another chance to tap into what philosophies, beliefs and teachings resonate with our soul, and deserve to have our power behind them. We may feel a reconviction to some teachings we hold dear and may reconsider our attachment to others over the course of this “Jupiter retrograde.”
This month, during the Sagittarius cycle, Jupiter’s slow, retrograde motion may create a bit of a stand-still feeling, with less oomph than the usual Sagittarian energy that motivates us to forge ahead getting our belief systems out there into actions. This could work to our advantage, however, as the over-expansive and optimistic Jupiter can often compel us to go overboard in our exuberance if left unchecked. As we lie in the still winter months of the northern hemisphere, it’s a good time to enter quiet reflection about which beliefs and teachings truly light up our soul, and which philosophies we may have held with over-zealous attachment. Even when our philosophies are good (we certainly believe they are!), being too attached even to these is still a form of attachment that can trip us up if we aren’t careful.
Mercury is also in retrograde motion right now, since early this week, which gives us another chance to back up and re-examine things. Mercury is the intellect, and retrograde motion is like turning around and walking back on a path we just traveled — so “thinking twice” is be a good way to describe how we feel during retrograde Mercury. It inspires us to review the way we have organized things, materially and in our minds, and to rearrange things a bit. It also gives us a chance to reconsider and finalize communication that has previously been left open-ended or unfinished. You may be inspired to tie up loose ends around some to-do lists that have been left dangling for a while.
Purvashada, the Vedic asterism where this lunar cycle begins, translates as the “former invincible one.” This part of Sagittarius is one that particularly drives its zealous ambition. Ruled by Venus, it drives us towards pleasure and beauty and carries with it the sense of Lakshmi’s blessings of prosperity and abundance.Retrograde Jupiter may temper the excitement and give us a more steady mind to consider where and when we must act, and how best to receive and share this abundance. Purvashada is also associated with Apas, the goddess of the cosmic waters. With Sun and Moon together in this nakshatra, it connects our hearts and minds with our soul. This new Moon in particular is a great opportunity to listen quietly during meditation, and to feel into where we are most inspired with heart, mind and soul in alignment.
Visit my blog for more important astrological news about what to expect in 2016!
This opportunity is amplified because Sunday night (Pacific, Monday in India) brings the Hindu holy time known as Maha Shivaratri (“the great night of Lord Shiva”). This is the most auspicious night to offer oneself into spiritual practice, in worship of Divine Consciousness. It is typical to stay up all night, fasting and engaging in worship such as mantra, chanting, meditation, and puja. With the eclipse so close at hand, this is an extremely potent time to call upon the light of consciousness and purification.
