by Somya Devi | Jun 9, 2017 | Astrology, Planets Changing Signs
Jupiter has been in retrograde motion since February 5th, and comes to a stop today before beginning direct motion again for the rest of the year. Over the last few months his apparent backwards motion has made us rethink our values and philosophy, as well as our educational course and relationships with gurus and teachers. After today, that inward reflection will turn into more direct action again, and we will find opportunities opening up around higher learning as well as inspiration.
You may have felt particularly slowed down or inwardly-turned if you are ruled by Jupiter — either Sagittarius or Pisces as your Vedic rising sign — or if you have Jupiter on your ascendant or joined your Moon or ruling planet. If Jupiter is a raja yoga (auspicious) or dhana yoga (wealth) planet for you, it’s likely that things will start picking up for you again.
If you’ve been reconsidering your educational direction or thinking about going back to school over the last few months, Jupiter’s direct motion helps to open up those opportunities. This summer will be a good time to enroll (in general, but always take your personal natal chart into consideration) and begin new educational pursuits or seminars.
Over these last months Jupiter has had rulership over both Venus and Saturn, who were transiting Pisces and Sagittarius, as well as Mercury, Sun and Mars, who passed through Pisces for about a month each. Jupiter is the planet of hope and optimism, so his backwards motion may have dried up our enthusiasm and positive outlook a bit. Now is a great time to come back into alignment with your faith and your trust in the universe.
Jupiter will spend the next few months finishing his course through sidereal Virgo, before transiting into Libra in mid-September. If you missed the Jupiter in Virgo forecast for your sign, be sure to join my mailing list to download now. Keep an eye out for the new forecast for Jupiter in Libra, due out around September.
by Somya Devi | May 23, 2017 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Planets Changing Signs, Retrograde
It’s no surprise that Rohini is known as the Moon’s favorite nakshatra, it’s one of mine as well. This Thursday, May 25th, at 12:45 pm PDT, the exalted Moon will join the Sun in the middle of Taurus, in Rohini nakshatra. We can give thanks for a warmer and cheerier month ahead, as we begin the cycle with a more peaceful disposition in the mind and heart.
The Moon is the planet that affects our emotions, and sets the tone of our mental thought patterns. Moon is exalted in Taurus because of the stable (fixed) nature of this grounded earth sign, which is ruled by Venus, the planet of pleasure, beauty, and harmony. We all know what it feels like to have turmoil and too many waves of change in the mind and heart, and we feel happier when the Moon has a happy and solid place to rest, such as Taurus.
Within Taurus, this New Moon falls within the Vedic nakshatra (star-sign) called Rohini, “the reddish one” or “the growing one.” Of all the twenty-seven nakshatras visited by the Moon each month, he was said to linger longer here, treating Rohini as his favorite. (In Vedic lore, the nakshatras were said to be the wives of the Moon. Though we do think of the Moon and Venus as planets with feminine qualities, the deities of the planets are thought of as gods while the nakshatras are goddesses.)
Rohini image from Trivedi click for link
Rohini correlates with the star Aldebaran, one of the brightest stars in the sky. The warm and glowing nature of this star elicits a sense of abundance and feminine fertility, and it is no surprise that there is a strong association with agriculture here. The common symbol for Rohini is the ox-cart, representing an abundant harvest, commerce, and in general, a fulfilling material existence. There are strong associations with Lakshmi here, the goddess of prosperity. Rohini is also associated with Brahma, the creative force in existence, adding to the sensation of infinite possibilities here. Venus’s rulership over Taurus also adds a quality of luxury, enjoyment, and a strong presence of Mother Nature.
The shakti (power) of Rohini is the power to grow, and this is a great month to focus on growing your material projects this year. The potency to bring dreams into material existence is strong under the new Moon in Rohini, especially with Taurus’ ruler, Venus, still exalted in Pisces. Venus in Pisces helps us connect our desires with our highest potential, and in the 11th house from this New Moon, the potential of fulfilling our dreams and greatest ambitions is added.
The New Moon in Taurus is also joined by Mars, but Mars is past 29 degrees of Taurus at the moment, so not having too fiery of an influence on our minds. The warrior planet lacks some intensity when on the cusp of two signs. He is within Mrigashira nakshatra, however, his own star-sign, which adds some potency and should help to keep our energy balanced. He transits into Gemini on Friday where we’ll need to put more energy into communication and intellectual pursuits, through mid-July.
Venus is finishing his four-month exalted transit through Pisces on May 30th, when he moves into Aries. After sorting through our desires and deeply reflecting on our relationships through this time, we’ll now work on taking action around them. Passions could be elevated for the next month. The 9th of June will bring both the full Moon and the full stop of Jupiter, before he turns direct and begins finishing his transit of Virgo through the summer.
Enjoy the dark Moon night on May 24th, leading into a new cycle on the 25th, and plant the seeds of what you want to grow in the incredibly fertile grounds of the heart and mind this month!
Did you like this article about the New Moon in Taurus & Rohini? Please Like, Comment, & Share! Join the free newsletter to stay up-to-date!Save
Save
Save
by Somya Devi | Mar 25, 2017 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Events, Planets Changing Signs, Retrograde, Uncategorized
Emotional New Moon with Venus, and the Month Ahead
This Sunday to Monday brings in a dark Moon phase that leads into a new lunar cycle on March 27th (7:57 pm PDT). This powerful cycle will begin with the Sun, Moon, and a retrograde and exalted Venus in Uttara Bhadrapada, a Vedic nakshatra in the middle of sidereal Pisces. This cycle really helps us to navigate life through our feeling nature, coming into close contact with our emotions and desires. The effects of Venus’s motion have been tangible lately, and he will continue to have a strong influence over us in the month to come. This New Moon also leads us into the springtime Navaratri festival, a nine-night festival for celebrating the goddess energy.
Venus’s Powerful Position
Since I’ve been feeling it strongly myself, and have heard strong results from a lot of clients as well, I’ve been dying to ask… How has the exalted and retrograde Venus transit been treating you? The planet of pleasure and relationships moved into his sign of exaltation (Pisces) at the end of January, then took a backwards turn on March 4th and has been making his retrograde transit throughout the month.
His initial entry into Pisces may have made us feel extra romantic (about everything), and perhaps a little over-indulgent in pleasures of all sorts. Did you allow some last few binge-snacking sessions in the rainy season, before getting ready for that spring cleanse you’re planning? Let yourself fall hard for someone a little too quickly? Watch out for following this alignment too far into the depths of your fantasy, as it can also bring up our escapist tendencies.
There’s also a lot of potential growth within this alignment, as we have the opportunity to bring our pleasures and relationships into alignment with our values and highest beliefs. Maybe you dove into the nectarous ocean of devotion instead, one of the higher possibilities of Venus transiting the sign of surrender. It’s also a great time for becoming more aware of your feelings, and your greatest desires, as the planet ruling our happiness swims through the emotional waters of Pisces.
But amidst all this… Venus turned retrograde. While we were feeling so enthused and really enjoying getting carried away a bit by our pleasures, he slowed down, came to a stop, and started moving backwards (from our viewpoint here on earth). All of a sudden we can really see all the problems in our relationships, our indulgent tendencies, and other avenues we use to escape. People from the past may be popping up, and so are the unresolved karmic patterns we carry within us, things that just aren’t working for us in the way we relate with people and pleasure.
Please remember: there is actually a lot of grace here! We can’t move forward towards love, partnership, or other desires without learning to align with and surrender to our hearts and higher power. What is your heart’s deepest desire? You may be able to connect with it while Venus is in Pisces. Jupiter (“Guru”) is the ruler of Pisces, and is shining his bright light onto Venus from sidereal Virgo, directly opposite. The potential for wisdom is here.
Many people are feeling some degree of “retreat” in their relationships, and that’s okay as well. When Venus is retrograde, his power is turned inward. We’re looking inward at the source of our desires, rather than outward for objects of them. It’s okay to take some time to yourself right now. In fact, it might be a really healthy choice if you’re going to use that space constructively to do work on yourself. Self-reflect, self-inquire, feel your feelings, and honor the divine power within you.
Uttara Bhadrapada
The Vedic nakshatra where this New Moon begins with Venus also offers incredible power towards this end. Uttara Bhadrapada is represented by the back half of a bed or a funeral pyre, signifying the potential for us to completely let go and surrender to the divine unknown (ultimately, death). It’s also ruled by the deity called Ahirbudhnya, the celestial serpent. He brings us into closer contact with our deepest emotions and the hidden Kundalini energy. We experienced powerful transformative eclipses aligned with this nakshatra in March and September of 2015, so this may be bringing up some familiar themes from those times.
I’ve noticed that this is an especially potent time for those with natal Venus in Virgo. With natal Venus in Virgo, one’s regular style of approaching happiness and relationships is rather practical and analytical. With Venus transiting Pisces and Uttara Bhadrapada, we are better able to tap into our watery nature, our feelings, and follow those as a pathway to our desires, rather than attempt to follow only rational thinking.
Saturn, Mars, and Mercury
Since Saturn peeked his head into Sagittarius and Moola nakshatra in the end of January, he’s also been compelling us to go deep, and look at what pressures drive us most strongly. We’re examining the source of what makes us want to stand up, work hard, and make commitments. In particular we’re looking what values inform our long-term decision-making process. Saturn’s motion is already slowing down, however, and in the first week of April he’ll be coming to a full stop and beginning retrograde motion on April 5th. This begins a 5-month period of slowing down and internally examining how and why we approach hard work and commitment.
Mars is currently strong in his own sign of Aries, but this can lead to more heated arguments as we try to improve our relationships dynamics — especially with Mercury, the planet of communication, now joining Mars there. With Mercury in Aries we can easily get feisty in conversation, and can tend to jump to quick conclusions in general. With Mars in Bharani nakshatra, however, our actions can assist in the rebirthing process we may be experiencing.
A Heads up for April
The middle of April is a particularly great time to take things slow and schedule in some time for yourself. Between April 9th and 15th, we will have four planets retrograde — Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mercury (retrograde from April 9th through May 3rd). During this time a lot in your life may feel like it’s really slowing down, going backwards, or just not moving forward in the way you want it to. We’ll be rethinking or second-guessing our values, teachings, relationships, work, commitments, and plans. This is a time for inner reflection! Consider scheduling yourself some down time or even a retreat during this week, and avoid planning to start any new ventures.
Later in the month there is a great day coming for new beginnings, on Akshaya Tritiya which falls on April 28th. On this third day of the waxing Moon, both the Sun and the Moon will be in their signs of exaltation — Aries and Taurus, respectively. This is known as the day of “never diminishing,” and any investments or ventures made on this day are likely to lead to successful returns. We’ll still have three planets retrograde, but Venus will have turned direct on the 15th, so we’ll be starting to move forward again with more clarity on how to achieve happiness and harmony.
Sign up for a personal coaching session looking at your Vedic chart to learn about your unique relationship with the planets and how the current alignments are affecting you.
Did you like Emotional New Moon with Venus, and the Month Ahead? Please Like, Comment, Share, and join the free newsletter to stay up-to-date!
by Somya Devi | Feb 9, 2017 | Astrology, Eclipses, Events, Planets Changing Signs, Retrograde
Transformation Portal: Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse Friday
The Full Moon in sidereal Cancer on Friday brings with it a penumbral lunar eclipse (February 10/11) that will be visible from most places on earth, except for Australia and the south Pacific. The Moon reaches maximum fullness at 4:33 p.m. PST, with the eclipse peaking at 4:43. This eclipse is part of a longer series of eclipses that we’ve been experiencing for the last year. Rahu and Ketu, the lunar nodes, have been transiting the Leo-Aquarius axis through this time, bringing pairs of lunar/solar eclipses last March and September, and this month. Download my Free E-Book about this eclipse series if you haven’t yet!
The nodes on the Leo-Aquarius axis raise questions about personal power versus universal service. Last year through the US election cycle we saw an intense play for personal power on the large scale, with extremist viewpoints (Rahu) rising into the place of authority (Leo). With Ketu’s shadow energy casting doubt in the sign of Aquarius, ideas of oneness and service to society at large have faced heavy criticism. On a personal level, we experience the controversy of this duality in our own lives, and question where and how we seek power and offer service.
Last year, Rahu’s lust for power in Leo was highly dogmatized due to Jupiter’s conjunction with him there (through September). This brought beliefs and values under the influence of the radical, obsessive and insecure shadow planet. In August Jupiter moved on into Virgo, however, putting our values and attention under a slightly more practical perspective. Most recently, on February 5th, Jupiter’s motion turned retrograde, which gives us the opportunity to back up and rethink some of the ways that we approach our beliefs and apply them in our lives. We may be second-guessing our relationships with our teachers at this time, or considering going back to school for some more education.
Saturn also made a major transit recently, moving into sidereal Sagittarius in the end of January. This puts the planet of commitment in the sign of inspired action, and will compel us to persevere and stand up for what we believe in. This transit will span the next three years, save for a brief period later this year when Saturn’s retrograde motion takes him back into Scorpio. The influence of Saturn in our personal lives during this time can be immense (this begins Saturn’s return and/or Sade Sati for many). He will bring pressure as he helps us figure out how to really stand behind and take action for our beliefs, particularly in the area indicated by Sagittarius in your chart.
This Full Moon falls in the end of the water sign of Cancer, adding a heavy emotional component to our experience this month. The eclipse energy here can help us to see some of our deepest shadows, particularly in how we handle ourselves emotionally. Cancer is the Moon’s own sign, and the capacity for receptivity here is great. We may feel our hearts wide open during this Full Moon, but with this also comes a sensitivity and vulnerability that can throw us off balance under the shadow influence of the eclipse.
In particular, the Moon will be in the Vedic constellation (nakshatra) of Ashlesha, the sign of the water serpent. This nakshatra has to do with deeply coiled energies and hidden potential (kundalini specifically). It is ruled by the Nagas, the serpents of wisdom. There is a potential for great awakening as the Moon is eclipsed in this sign. We momentarily feel cut off from the light of emotional intelligence during a lunar eclipse, and are forced to become aware of the dark shadows that obscure peace in our hearts. Bringing awareness to these can help us to break free from them, uncoiling our own inner mess and helping us blossom into wisdom.
Connecting with the heart and the water element is important during this Full Moon. What’s more, Venus is currently exalted, having moved into Pisces at the end of January. He will transit here for the next four months, giving us the potential to elevate our relationships and the ways we pursue our desires. In Pisces, Venus is under Jupiter’s rule, which can inspire the planet of pleasure to get in line with our values. It’s also another water sign, the last of the 12 major signs, and a place that compels us to surrender to the divine flow. With Saturn pushing our commitment onto our principles, from Sagittarius, and Jupiter helping us with the earthly details, from Virgo, this all adds up to a huge growth opportunity around this eclipse.
The solar eclipse of this eclipse-pair will come on February 26th. Eclipses come in pairs, and we feel the intense energy of the cycle from a few weeks before the first until soon after the second. This is the third pair of eclipses in the larger cycle, since last January when Rahu and Ketu moved into Leo and Aquarius. During the next pair of eclipses, in August, they will be right on the cusp of Cancer and Capricorn. Between now and then we will really finalize implementing the lessons and changes brought up throughout their Leo-Aquarius transit, and we will begin exploring our shadows along the Cancer-Capricorn axis.
To help you make sense of these major astrological events, I am offering individual readings to look at Saturn, Venus, and the Eclipses, or you can request a 2017 Reading to talk about the effects of all three.
Did you like Transformation Portal: Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse Friday? Please Like, Comment, and Share!
by Somya Devi | Jan 25, 2017 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Eclipses, Events, Planets Changing Signs, Retrograde
Title Photo Credit: “Gorgeous Planets” by Victoria White, C.C. License 2.0
New Moon in Capricorn and Some Big Changes
The new lunar cycle begins on Friday, January 27th, with a New Moon in Capricorn and some big changes on the horizon. The exact time of the Dark Moon is at 4:07 pm PST on Friday, and from there we enter the new waxing cycle. The coming month brings forward the energy of Capricorn, where we feel the weight of Saturn pressuring us to reflect inwardly on our limitations and fears, and commit to taking responsibility for ourselves.
Saturn
Saturn’s force may feel especially dense right now because he is at the juncture of two signs, sidereal Scorpio and Sagittarius. This particular juncture between signs is one of the three places in the Vedic zodiac considered gandanta, the end of a knot. It is a very evolutionary place in the zodiac, where we are working with some deep-seated and tightly-bound karma. Saturn is the planet that makes us look at our long-term goals, fears, and responsibilities, and forces us to learn patience, perseverance, and commitment.
Click for more on Saturn in Sagittarius
Saturn officially changes signs, from Scorpio to Sagittarius, on January 26th, 2017 (see full Saturn in Sagittarius article), beginning a major three-year transit that will bring his influence to new areas of our lives. This transit will compel us to look deeply at our philosophies and how we stand and act behind them, and it will help us to commit to more inspired action to support what we believe in most.
At the moment, however, Saturn is still at zero degrees and in the process of settling into Sagittarius, now under Jupiter’s rulership. We are currently feeling the intensity of his gandanta position and facing some deep karma. This time offers the potential for doing a lot of maturing and unraveling our internal knots, particularly during the Capricorn cycle, during which we turn Saturn’s forces inward, by the feminine nature of this sign.
Sravana
This month is a good time to look deeply at our fears and what brings us the most pressure in life, and work on bringing some wisdom and internal strength forward to endure those challenges. The lunar cycle begins in Sravana nakshatra, a Vedic constellation within Capricorn that has to do with the ear and deeply listening. We can make great strides through listening deeply this month–perhaps through our own meditation practice, but also through paying attention to oral traditions (like astrology). Traveling, listening to music, and studying languages and other forms of communication can offer us a lot during this cycle. Lord Vishnu resides over this nakshatra, and inspires us to step up and align our internal structures in a way that supports our long-term goals.
Venus
Venus is also making a major transit this month, on January 27th, the same day as the new Moon cycle begins. Venus is entering Pisces where he will be exalted for the next four months (through May 30th). This means that we have the opportunity to find more intelligence in our relationships and in our pursuit of happiness, as we attempt to align our Venusian desires with our higher beliefs and philosophy (under Jupiter’s ruling influence on Pisces). There is also the potential to get carried away and romanticize everything or go overboard in escapism and indulgences, depending on the strength of Venus in our natal chart.
Jupiter
A few days after the new Moon begins, Jupiter will start his retrograde motion, on February 5th. This will last through June 9th, and during this time we will take a closer look at our philosophies and beliefs, as well as our higher education and teachers. It may be time to refine where we choose to put our energy, where and how we study, and who our teachers are.
Eclipses
Last but not least, we are most definitely in the orb of the eclipse cycle right now. There are solar and lunar eclipses coming on February 10th and 26th. These eclipses are the third set occurring with Rahu and Ketu, the lunar nodes, on the sidereal Leo-Aquarius axis (since January 2016). This transit has helped us to uncover our shadows in the dichotomy between personal empowerment and universal service. It has stirred the pot very particularly in the areas of life indicated by Leo and Aquarius in your chart. Now is the time to really harvest some of the lessons that have been offered over the last year, and see how and where you need to integrate changes into your life for the duration of their transit here (through August of this year.)
To help you make sense of these major astrological events, I am offering individual readings to look at Saturn, Venus, and the Eclipses, or you can request a 2017 Reading to talk about the effects of all three.
by Somya Devi | Jan 24, 2017 | Astrology, Events, Planets Changing Signs
Saturn in Sagittarius
Jan. 26, 2017 – January 23, 2020
On January 26th, 2017, Saturn transited from sidereal Scorpio into Sagittarius, beginning a three-year journey here. His influence here will compel us to work hard for our highest beliefs, and commit to standing behind them through inspired actions. He will put the pressure on for us to take responsibility for what we believe in, and act on it. We’ll feel the pressure to step up and work hard very specifically in the area of life that Sagittarius indicates in our personal Vedic birth chart.
Wherever Saturn, or Lord Shani, visits, his weighty influence forces us to re-evaluate our long-term goals and the path we are walking to get there. We feel the need to reforge our commitments and become more mature in the area that he influences. Sagittarius is a sattvic, masculine, fire sign, ruled by Jupiter, the planet who inspires our beliefs, principles, and philosophy. Saturn here will cause us to look at our principles and how we go about putting them into actions and structures of lasting value. The sattvic and firey natures of Sagittarius inspire us to purify ourselves, our work, and our commitments.
By grace, this will be a period where we are really able to sort through our belief systems and commit only to the highest elements within them. It will be a three-year process of re-evaluating our long term goals and values, and how we approach hard work and responsibility in regards to our beliefs, and to the area of life indicated by Sagittarius in our natal chart.
Saturn, or Lord Shani, is the slowest-moving planet in the Vedic system, visiting each sign for almost three years at a time, and taking a full 30 years to move all the way through the zodiac. Because of this he compels us to think about the bigger picture and the long term results of things. His grinding pace impels the need for patience and endurance, some of the greatest lessons he has to teach us. Wherever Saturn influences our chart, we become a bit more serious there, because we’re thinking about the long-term affects of our actions and how they relate to our ultimate goals over the course of time.
Saturn’s Return
This is why we often hear about people “growing up” or getting more serious about life around the “Saturn’s return.” This refers to when Saturn returns to the sign he was in at the time of your birth. When this happens, you become acutely aware of the passing of time and its consequences, and begin to think more seriously about the future. This happens for the first time around age 27-30, but people often forget that around age 56-59 we experience a second Saturn’s return. You will be experiencing a Saturn’s return period over the next three years if you were born between:
• December 16, 1987 – March 19, 1990
• June 20, 1990 – December 13, 1990
• February 7, 1958 – May 31, 1958
• November 7, 1958 – January 31, 1961
There’s even a third Saturn’s return happening for those elders born between
• December 24, 1928 – April 11, 1931
• May 25, 1931 – December 24, 1931
Sade Sati
Saturn’s influence can be so heavy that it is said it feels like he sits on your head when he visits your Moon sign (as explained in the well-known tale about Saturn and Hanuman). This story refers to the Sade Sati period, a 7.5-year interval during which Shani transits the sign before your Moon, your Moon sign, and the sign after your Moon. You are now in Sade Sati period if your Vedic Moon sign is Capricorn, Sagittarius, or Scorpio. He will also cast a heavy influence if one of these is your Vedic rising sign. This time can bring a lot of pressures in life, especially mentally and emotionally, but it is not necessarily all bad either. It can help you to mature and become more responsible in your life as well. The way you experience this transit depends on many influences in your Vedic birth chart.
Retrograde Saturn
Saturn goes into retrograde motion fairly often, and he was retrograde this year from April 5th through August 25th. This may have caused things to slow down in the areas of life ruled by Saturn in our birth charts. It also is a time to be very introspective regarding the process of maturation initiated by his transit into Sagittarius.
Shani actually transited back into Scorpio during his retrograde motion. This gave us one final chance to really get clear on how we approach and commit to our personal transformation, AND the area of life indicated by Scorpio in our natal chart. We were doing a lot of work in this area for the last three years, and reflecting on it deeply during Saturn’s retrograde motion periods. Saturn was in Scorpio again from June 22nd through October 26th, 2017.
Gandanta Transition
Your work life and the other themes ruled by Saturn in your chart may seem a bit unsteady right now, and over the next couple of weeks while Saturn is on the cusp of two signs and not fully settled into Sagittarius. The cusp of these two signs is considred the gandanta zone (a “knot”), in Vedic astrology, and can be a particularly difficult placement, especially with Saturn there, who can make us feel stuck anyway. As he moves further into Sagittarius we will feel his influence more strongly, and get a bit more energy for making commitments and handling responsibilities. I’ll be sending out a Saturn in Sagittarius Forecast for each rising sign, so be sure to join my mailing list to stay up-to-date.
Om Sham Shanayai Namaha
For an in-depth look at how this transit will affect you personally, you can receive a Saturn in Sagittarius Personal Reading.
Save
Save
Save
Save
