Powerful New Moon, Solar Eclipse, & Maha Shivaratri

Powerful New Moon, Solar Eclipse, & Maha Shivaratri

by | 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.

Solar Eclipse Path Map March 2016

“Total Solar Eclipse of 2016 Mar 09,” Public domain, NASA.
Attribution: Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC (image cropped from original)

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.

new moon solar eclipse chart march 2016 Vedic Astrology by Somya DeviThis 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.

Shiva Shivaratri Vedic Astrology SivaratriThis 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

Full Moon in Mighty Magha; Watch Out for Eclipse Season

Full Moon in Mighty Magha; Watch Out for Eclipse Season

by | 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.

sr02We 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.

big leo over starsThis 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.

Happy Holi! Full Moon in Leo

Happy Holi! Full Moon in Leo

by | Mar 4, 2015 | Astrology, Holy Days

This full moon will occur tomorrow morning in sidereal Leo, in the nakshatra Purva Phalguni. Tonight the moon will be at its fullest during the waxing phase, before beginning its waning phase around 10:06 am Pacific time, tomorrow, March 5th. This marks the midpoint of the Aquarius cycle which began on February 18th. Aquarius brings our attention to worldly and societal issues, bringing attention away from the focus on our individual needs, wants, and power. Sun in Aquarius makes us focus our light and life-force towards community and universal service. The full moon in Leo shines a light on that royal part of the sky which is a place of great power, where an individual can find the strength of a King. During this cycle we may have been feeling less individual strength as our attention has moved towards broader issues. The full moon in Leo brings the opportunity to see the contrast between the feeling of disempowerment, and true empowerment in its highest form. This true empowerment is in fact selfless and generous, like the light of the Sun.

The Sun rules the sign of Leo, and is a sattvic planet. It represents the eternal Self, the source of all life, or the atman. It has the ability to illuminate and to purify. In its highest capacity, the energy of the Sun leads us towards truth and self-discovery. As the physical Sun gives its light freely, allowing all life on earth to sustain while asking nothing in return, the evolved energy of Leo mimics that of a universal father. In enlightened practice, this energy impels us to act like a father who works tirelessly to support his family, or a wise King who rules justly to ensure the happiness of all in the kingdom. The lesser quality of the Sun and Leo can appear when one attempts to use Sun’s power selfishly, to enhance the ego or one’s personal authority. With Sun in serviceful Aquarius this cycle, we will struggle with this contrast if we attempt to use the power of full Moon in Leo to strengthen our personal dominion rather than serve the common good. Instead, give thanks for the divine energy of the Sun that is the source of all our strength and power, and offer it back to the world.

Purva Phalguni is a nakshatra ruled by Venus, the planet of love and pleasure. Its deity is Bhaga, the god of delight. Its symbol is the front legs of a bed, or a hammock, representing relaxation and recreation. This star and part of the sky are associated with creativity, charm, and beauty. Incidentally, the Hindu festival “Holi” is celebrated on this full moon. Holi is a joyful festival which is like a new year in many ways, celebrated on the full moon before the spring equinox. During this festival, people take to the streets and celebrate together, young and old, in a playful manner that involves throwing colored powders at each other and smearing them all over each other. It is also known as the Festival of Colors. By playing in this way, people may symbolically and sportively “attack” each other to take out a little aggression that may be lingering from past conflicts. The symbolism of this allows people a way to put arguments and old wounds to bed, to forgive and forget and celebrate in joy for the start of a new year.

This is a great full moon for honoring the light and divine power within us, which gives us the ability to take compassion on others and renounce using our power for harmful or selfish things. We can instead use this power to uplift society through humble service.

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New Moon in Aquarius in Dhanishta

New Moon in Aquarius in Dhanishta

by | Feb 18, 2015 | Astrology

The New Moon occurs today (February 18th) at 3:47pm Pacific time, beginning the sidereal Aquarius cycle in the nakshatra Dhanishta. Aquarius, or Kumbha, “the pitcher,” is a fixed air sign ruled by Saturn, so this cycle may bring some big ideas to the forefront that we hope to implement through action. Aquarius is a place where the individual is less emphasized, (opposite Leo, where the full moon will happen), so these ideas and goals may apply more to the broader picture. This includes our society and communities, so it’s a good time for service. Individual self-esteem could be lower right now, but allow yourself to recognize the call to duty and see the value you bring to your community through your selfless actions. Saturn brings the opportunity for discipline, so it is also a great time to add more to your spiritual practice, including breath-work or pranayama. According to the Vedic texts, Kumbha can be seen as a man holding a pot, with deep-brown skin, standing in the water. We can see the associated imagery of this Aquarius principle in the sadhus of India (and its biggest ritual pilgrimage day, the Kumbha Mela), who make their lives an offering of service to society through their prayers and Saturnian austerities, while renouncing the individual self.

Dhanishta, ruled by Mars, is the star of wealth. Its deities are the eight Vasus, which refer to the elements making up the earth and cosmos. It is related to music and arts. Its Mars rulership puts some power behind this star, so we may take great strides towards an alchemical blending of these elements to reach our goals this cycle. It’s a good time for magic! We may be working on ideas to help increase wealth this moon cycle, especially inventive endeavors that benefit the many. Though we may feel the disciplining and discerning force of Saturn, Mars and Venus will be joined in Pisces for a few weeks, which could cause some of our energy to get lost or diverted to the dream realm. Try to apply this through meditation and conscious visualization practices. Venus is exalted in Pisces, which can cause us to overemphasize our desires and fantasies, especially with the aspect from its retrograde ruler, Jupiter. Try to bring some of that dream-realm material into your artistic and community service endeavors through consciously-applied action and discipline. With the critical influence of Ketu, and the tight conjunction of Mars and Venus this week, be gentle with your relationships and partners. Consider doing quiet spiritual practices together. If you’re feeling any strain on personal power this moon, love and honor yourself by reflecting on the universal power you engage through your service to others, including through your prayers.

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Happy Shivaratri! New Moon in Aquarius

Happy Shivaratri! New Moon in Aquarius

by | Feb 16, 2015 | Astrology, Holy Days

Tonight is Maha Shivaratri, or the Great Night of Shiva. It is the celebration of the day of Lord Shiva and Parvati’s wedding, representing the unification of Shiva and Shakti, or the masculine and feminine forces of divine consciousness and energy. We celebrate each Shivaratri on the fourteenth night of the waning moon, while Maha Shivaratri falls on this night during the lunar month Magha.

This moon phase begins during the night on Monday, February 16th, 2015 in North America and continues through until the evening of the 17th (when the New Moon phase begins). In Hindu tradition, this night is highly auspicious for performing spiritual practices and penance in order to accrue grace and swifter spiritual gain. It is said that a boon (wish) from Lord Shiva may be granted to one who undergoes penance with devotion.

Shiva_BangaloreFasting and staying up all night are typical practices, along with yoga, chanting, meditation, and prayer. The panchakshara or five-syllabled mantra, “Om Namah Shivaya,” is particularly auspicious to chant on this day. It beckons forth divine love and the emergence of our higher self. In the Hindu trinity, Shiva is the destructive or transformative aspect of the divine, aiding in the destruction of our ego and the accompanying hindrances that do not serve us. This allows a rebirth into higher consciousness.

Shiva is known as the greatest of yogis, who sits on a mountain top in meditation with equanimity for all creation, for aeons without disturbance. In the stories, he had retreated to Mount Kailash and renounced the world after the death of his first wife, Sati. The other gods eventually required Shiva to leave his meditation, however, in order to marry again and produce a son that could destroy a powerful demon who was terrorizing the three worlds.

604px-Kama_ShivaParvati was born for this purpose (a reincarnation of Sati), and was naturally attracted to the meditative Shiva. She went to serve him while he was in his deep meditation, and grew to love him, even though her less devoted friends were turned off by his rough appearance. For a long time he seemed not to notice her, and thus Kamadeva, the God of Love, was sent to fire a love arrow at Shiva. Though this startled him and awakened him from his trance, he soon realized the scheme, destroyed Kamadeva and sent Parvati away. Her love for him did not diminish, however, and she prayed for a path that would lead him to accept her.

The sage Narada, who was in on the gods’ plan, told Parvati that Shiva could not be won by charm and beauty, but only by spiritual practice and austerity. Propelled by her love for Shiva, Parvati took up the life of an ascetic and left her father’s palace to live in the dirt on the forest floor, forgoing food, water, and luxuries while meditating on her lord. The force of love in her heart compelled a devotion that allowed her to burn away all fears and impurities through her meditation, and she became one of the most powerful yoginis.

Finally, having compassion for her and the three worlds (who were awaiting his heir to prevent their destruction), Shiva went to see Parvati in disguise in order to test her devotion. He asked her why she was performing such penance, and she replied that it was all for the deep love of her lord. He questioned why she would want to marry someone like Shiva who was crude and without riches, who carried skulls and associated with a wild crowd. She allowed the passion of her heart to rise and defended her lord, telling the man that Shiva was the greatest god and yogi and that only someone with a lower mind would not understand him.

6_Śiva_and_Pārvatī_seated_on_a_terrace._1800_(circa)_BMFor the strength of her devotion, Shiva granted Parvati a boon and finally accepted her as his wife, and the worlds rejoiced. The complementary forces of Shiva and Shakti, masculine and feminine, divine father and mother, were finally able to unite and propel the dance of creation needed for all to be in balance. This is why on Maha Shivaratri, we celebrate and call upon the merging of these two halves, consciousness and energy, through penance and austerity. It is a great time to fast and refrain from indulging any of the five senses.

On this Shivaratri, Venus and Mars are tightly conjunct and joining Ketu in Pisces. Though Venus is exalted in Pisces and this could raise passion levels, it could also create confusion or a disturbance in relationships, and stir up overwhelming emotions including fear and feelings of isolation. Ketu’s influence brings a critical eye, and Venus and Mars are receiving an aspect from Pisces’ ruler, retrograde Jupiter, so this placement could cause us to temporarily retreat from Mars-Venus interactions. Moon and Mercury are also tightly conjunct, with a close aspect from Saturn and a wider aspect from retrograde Jupiter. This could bring an analytical influence to our emotional body and processing, but also a strong feeling of pressure (Saturn), and an evolving philosophy in regards to our emotions today.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 17th, begins the new moon phase (Amavasya), with the moment of new moon at 3:47pm Pacific time on Wednesday, the 18th. This new moon will occur with Sun and Moon in sidereal Aquarius in the nakshatra Dhanishta. Aquarius is a fixed air sign ruled by Saturn, so this cycle may bring some big ideas to the forefront that we hope to implement through action, perhaps continuing the Capricorn-cycle-driven urge to add structure to our lives. Aquarius is a place where the individual is less emphasized (opposite Leo, where the full moon will happen), so these ideas will apply more to our society and community, and acts of service are likely. Saturn brings the opportunity for discipline, so it could be a great time to add more to your spiritual practice, including some breath-work or pranayama.

Dhanishta, ruled by Mars, is the star of wealth. Its deities are the eight Vasus, which refer to the elements making up the earth and cosmos, and it is related to music and arts. We may be working on ideas to help increase wealth this moon cycle, especially creative endeavors that benefit the many. Though we may feel the disciplining and discerning force of Saturn, Mars and Venus will be joined in Pisces for a few weeks, which could cause some of our energy to get lost or diverted to the dream realm. Venus is exalted in Pisces, which can cause us to overemphasize our desires and fantasies, especially with the aspect from its retrograde ruler, Jupiter. With the critical influence of Ketu, be gentle with your relationships and partners. We may, however, get the chance to bring some of that dream-realm material into our artistic and community service endeavors with consciously-applied action and discipline.

Happy Maha Shivaratri, Hara Hara Mahadev!

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