by Somya Devi | Oct 24, 2015 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Planets Changing Signs
The Moon will be at its fullest on Monday night! Tuesday, October 27th brings the peak of the full Moon in Ashwini nakshatra at 5:05am PDT. Ashwini is the first constellation in the order of the zodiac, comprised of the two bright stars Hamal (alpha arietis) and Sheratan (beta arietis) on the side of Aries closest to Pisces. Ashwini refers to a horse-woman and carries horse-power with it. In it lies the energy we require to get moving and power through things. We may feel a sudden burst of energy around this full Moon, and can attempt to harness that power towards our goals and the new direction we’ve found after emerging from the transitions of the recent eclipse cycle.
The deities for this star are the Ashwin Kumars, the divine physicians, and this full Moon brings their great healing potential. This cycle began with Sun and Moon in Chitra, related to Vishvakarma, the celestial architect who inspires creativity and perfecting the structures we create. With the full Moon in Ashwini, we can call upon the celestial physicians to help heal and strengthen the places we need divine medicine to move forward in strength on our creative journey. These juices flow from deep within you, and now is a chance to get in touch with your self-healing potential.
It’s a fortunate time for this opportunity, because there are a few factors that may have been making us feel spread a little thin this month. The Sun, the planet of our vitality and inner power, entered his sign of debilitation (Libra) on October 17th. When Sun is in Libra we tend to place more emphasis on trying to please others and balance relationships than we do on taking care of ourselves. Sun in Libra can fashion us the peacemaker, trying to negotiate a good deal for everyone else but sometimes forgetting about our own self-care regimen.
Furthermore, Sun will be in the nakshatra called Swati during this full Moon, which is a place in the sky that often scatters everything like the wind. Try to center your energy before taking big strides, and hold tight to the reins (through focus and practice) so the horse-power of Ashwini doesn’t pull you astray. On top of this, vata dosha (cold, dry, and windy) naturally increases during fall and winter, so in the northern hemisphere we are facing increasing vata, which can also make us feel scattered and depleted. With all of these factors, be sure to take the time to care for yourself this month. It’s a good time to start bundling up and nourishing yourself with warm soups, cozy baths, and moisturizing oils. The full Moon in Aries will remind us of how we feel about our personal strength, so it will be a good time to check in and reconnect with your own health and well-being, while calling upon the healing energies of Ashwini.
We may also be feeling inspired as well as overwhelmed by the pile-up of planets in sidereal Leo–Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. These three are conjunct this month, which amps up the energy we feel behind our philosophies, will, and desires. We can see this bright cluster on the eastern horizon just before sunrise. The confluence of these planetary energies can support each other if we do the work needed to introspect and synthesize them towards our highest purpose, but they can also be at odds with each other when the planets get too close for comfort (within one degree celestial longitude).
For example, on October 15th-17th Mars and Jupiter were so close that we may have faced some blow-ups over our philosophies. If our actions weren’t totally in line with our values, there might have been explosive shifts to help propel us into alignment. October 24th-26th brings a tight conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, which could bring up a discrepancy between our values and our relationships and pleasurable pursuits. We could be facing some tough choices about compromising. October 31st-November 3rd, Mars and Venus are closely conjunct, which will pin our individual will against our ability to compromise. It could be a pivotal time for healing relationships and moving forward. The three planets are in Purva Phalguni nakshatra during this full Moon, which brings the energies of relaxation and rejuvenation. With all of these planets in Leo, the fiery sign of the Sun, we have the opportunity to purify ourselves and clean up our energies so that we feel totally oriented in the right direction in all areas of life. On the night of November 2nd both Mars and Venus will enter Virgo (where Venus is debilitated), joining Rahu, which could make us face romance in a more practical, analytical way, but could also intensify our desires.
During the full Moon in Ashwini nakshatra on October 27th, give thanks to the divine physicians and bask in the healing energy of the Moon!
Don’t forget to change clocks back in the U.S. on November 1st!
by Somya Devi | Oct 14, 2015 | Astrology, Holy Days
On shukla dwitiya, the second tithi (lunar phase) of the waxing Moon this month, we celebrate the second day of Navaratri. In some areas this marks the second day of Durga worship, in places where Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati receive three days of honor each. In the nine-forms-of-Durga tradition, the second day of Navaratri is dedicated to Goddess as Brahmacharini, she who practices penance.
A form of Parvati and Durga, Brahmacharini is the aspect of the goddess who endured tapas or austerities (penance) to win the heart of Lord Shiva (representative of sublime consciousness). As he was an ascetic dedicated to austere meditations in solitude, the high-born Parvati forsook her father’s wealthy abode and chose the sadhu life of self-discipline and renunciation in order to attain spiritual growth. She went to live in the forest, enduring the elements, forgoing food and water, and meditating for eons.
Brahmacharini is depicted in bare feet, holding a japa mala (prayer beads), and a kamandal (a simple water-pot, often carried by sadhus), and wearing rudrakshas (the bead related to Shiva and renunciation). Although fasting is a suitable practice for all nine days of Navaratri (some fasts include milk or milk and fruit), it is especially potent to offer oneself to Goddess by fasting today.
By worshiping Brahmacharini through simple offerings, prayer, and our own self-discipline, she blesses us with emotional and spiritual strength, and the ability to persevere through hardships. She represents and offers us loyalty, devotion, and spiritual growth and wisdom. She rules the planet Mars (Mangala), the planet of strength and courage, who assists us in overcoming weakness and practicing yogic discipline. The term brahmacharini also refers to female renunciates in the Hindu faith, who choose a life of tapas (austerity) and dedication to the Lord, rather than worldly life.
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by Somya Devi | Oct 10, 2015 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Events, Holy Days
New Moon in Virgo in Chitra Nakshatra and Navaratri
As we complete the most recent lunar cycle which brought two powerful eclipses, we are settling into the effects and transformation that they brought to our lives. The solar and lunar eclipses of September were the last of a series to occur with the nodes in sidereal Virgo and Pisces, where they have sat since July 2014. Lessons that we have been working on through this time have taken on a new light, and many of us are now ready to face change and growth, whether it be in career, relationships, residence, or other important areas of life that have recently transformed.
The New Moon in Virgo in Chitra nakshatra occurs on October 12th and offers us a day (and night) of stillness and darkness to sit with the changes, go inward and reflect, and prepare for the next lunar cycle. This Dark Moon phase will be from around 3pm PDT on October 11th until 5:05 pm on October 12th, at which time the Moon and Sun will be at a conjunct longitude (commonly called the New Moon). This conjunction happens near the end of Virgo constellation, in the Vedic nakshatra called Chitra. After that point the Moon begins its waxing phase, and the new lunar month.
Chitra means “the brilliant” and is a very creative place in the zodiac. The deity for Chitra is Vishvakarma, the divine architect of the cosmos. This month we will feel inspired to create and to perfect our creations, just as the architect creates the universe in perfection. We will be attracted to investigate the mystery behind that divine creation. Gemstone medicine is powerful now, as gems are a symbol of this star. Chitra also relates to magic, and it is a time to tap into the powerful forces of magic within ourselves, and let them shine brightly.
Beginning this cycle in Virgo, and with Sun and Moon joined with exalted Mercury there, we feel Mercury’s influence compelling us to seek understanding, and to organize the details around our creative pursuits. The second half of Chitra falls in Libra (as will the Sun during much of this lunar cycle), and under Venus’s influence, we may also feel called to balance our relationships this month. Mars is the nakshatra ruler for this star, and he brings us an energy, along with the fire element, that helps fuel along our creativity. There may be more emphasis on sexuality this cycle. Chitra is itself a balancing point in the zodiac, being the middle (14th) of the 27 nakshatras, so we seek harmony in all things as we prepare for the next season.
For most of this cycle (through November 2nd), we also experience the influence of Jupiter, Venus, and Mars all joined in Leo. This will make us give a lot of importance to the things all three of these planets represent (beliefs, desires, and personal will). At times this could create conflict (especially when they pass over each other in close conjunction), but in general it gives us a lot of energy. Jupiter in Leo energizes our belief systems, giving our philosophies a lot of weight in our decision-making process. Venus in Leo makes our desires come to the forefront, and we must be careful not to be too indulgent or selfish when it comes to getting what we want (whether it be in relationships or in our pursuit of beauty and recreation). Mars in Leo adds extra fire to the planet of action, will and energy, which could be good for our personal physical discipline, but could also cause us to get aggravated and argumentative over our philosophies and desires. Turn that Martian energy on yourself instead of getting hot-headed with others (read: time to reboot your workout routine or asana practice!). Sun’s rulership of Leo gives us the opportunity to work on purifying and refining all of these things this month–our beliefs, our desires, and our instinctual energy driver.
During the first nine days and nights of the waxing Moon this month, Navaratri is celebrated (starting October 13th in North America). Literally the “nine nights,” this is a Hindu festival dedicated to worshiping the Goddess, Devi, in her many forms, for nine days and nights. As the night represents darkness and ignorance, we pray to her to help reveal and remove our shortcomings, bestow blessings, and confer wealth and knowledge. We face the darkness and call on the Divine Mother to remove it and let the Atma, or the pure divinity within each of us, shine forth. Navaratri worship can include creating a special altar to the Goddess, and making daily offerings including flowers, food, incense, light (a flame), ghee, as well as prayer, fasting, meditation, mantras and bhajans (devotional songs). The Devi Mahatmya (a.k.a. Chandi Path), the story of Durga, is a traditional text to read throughout this festival. In some places Devi is worshipped over the nine nights in reverence to nine incarnations of Durga: Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. Occurring in the fall-time in India and the northern hemisphere, this Navaratri also coincides with the harvest season, and is a great time to give thanks for the abundance of the harvest and pray that it carries us through the winter season.
In some places, the first three nights of Navaratri are dedicated to Goddess in the form of Durga or Kali, who help us to destroy and remove negative tendencies in our minds and hearts, cleansing them of impurities that create obstructions in our spiritual and material pursuits. The next three nights are dedicated to Goddess in the form of Lakshmi, who helps us to cultivate positive qualities, like compassion and devotion. She helps us to achieve spiritual and material prosperity. In the final three nights we worship Goddess as Sarasvati, who assists us with learning and attaining knowledge and wisdom, through the illumination of consciousness. She relates to prana, the vital breath, often associated with chi or life-force. Through our devotion, service, practice, study, and meditation (all forms of yoga), we allow prana to flow freely, helping us to exist in a state of peace, bliss, and oneness. The tenth day of Navaratri is known as Vijayadashami, the day of victory. After calling upon the Divine Mother’s presence and qualities to arise from within us for nine days and nights, we emerge victorious, basking in Her light and virtues. This will be an auspicious time (October 22nd) for beginning new ventures, especially creative and spiritual pursuits.
by Somya Devi | Aug 27, 2015 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Retrograde
The Full Moon occurs this Saturday, August 29th, at 11:35am PDT. The night of the fullest waxing Moon is Friday night, August 28th. This Full Moon will be in the nakshatra Shatabisha, the healing star, in sidereal Aquarius. Translated as “the hundred physicians,” this star sign relates to medicine and healing, often through many modalities, and this Full Moon brings this potential to the forefront. It’s a good time to visit your healers or dedicate some time and attention to your own self-care routine. Ruled by Rahu, the shadowy north node of the Moon, Shatabisha relates to hidden powers and mysteries. This is a good time to probe deeply into your own heart, or for researching things in general.
The Full Moon in Aquarius is opposite the Sun in Leo, and it shines a light on the dichotomy between the two signs. Leo, ruled by the Sun, is where our personal power is strong, as well as our sense of responsibility and our connection with source energy. Aquarius is ruled by Saturn and relates more to austerities and service to others, where we often renounce our individual will in favor of the greater good. This full Moon calls us to
balance the energies of the two signs, working on our understanding of how we can use our individual strengths to be of service to others without feeling our light diminished. This is a time for letting your juices flow freely from wherever you find your inspiration, in ways that will in turn benefit society and inspire others. Saturn’s rulership of Aquarius helps us to direct our personal power towards actions that create valuable long-term results, not just immediate gratification — i.e., things that will be good for the world around us in which we live.
The task at hand may feel a bit overwhelming, however, because of Jupiter’s close alignment with the Sun. This “combust” Jupiter could be causing us to feel a lack of hope, or a lack of support from our higher teachings or teachers. Our philosophies (the energy of Jupiter) may be feeling burnt up in the proximity to the solar giant, who reminds us that only the soul is eternal. Jupiter and Sun are also feeling the pressure of Saturn’s glare as he aspects them from Scorpio. Be careful not to let pessimism overrun you if you feel like things just aren’t gong your way right now. Use this instead as part of your call to healing and to connecting with your inner strength, the brightness of the everlasting divinity within. Take things one step at a time and remember that divine grace is always there, even though it could feel blocked up right now because of Jupiter’s combustion. On the other hand, you may be strongly connecting with your philosophies, but frustrated in the attempt to put them into action.
Another reason actions may still feel held up is because Mars remains in its debilitated placement in Cancer. Mars wants to take action and be courageous, but the sideways-moving crab rashi (sign) slows and waters it down. Over the next few days we’ll see a close alignment of Venus and Mars, which could harmonize masculine and feminine energies. They are joined in the star sign Ashlesha, relating to serpent energy and kundalini, so sexual appetites could be high now. These two may struggle for dominance in our energy fields in the beginning of next week, however, as they pass over each other in the sky. This means our desires and instincts can feel at odds. Venus is still retrograde, pushing us to review our relationships and pursuits of happiness. Call forth your higher power for wisdom to help guide you.
The intellect may be an ally for us this month, as Mercury is now in its sign of exaltation, Virgo. This earth sign brings some grounding to the quickly-moving planet of curiosity, and helps us to sort out the details of life and focus the mind on what is most practical. As Mercury is also joined with Rahu in Virgo now, the intellect may be able to make connections to otherwise hidden information, as Rahu is a shadow planet. His connection here could also cause us to obsess over details a bit, however, or add an element of anxiety to the mind. We will experience the energy of Rahu in Virgo more acutely as we approach the upcoming eclipses on September 12th (partial solar) and 27th (total lunar)–report on those to come! Eclipse cycles are a good time to receive a personal reading, as we can feel a lot of upheaval and uncertainty in the area of life where the nodes fall in our individual charts.
Overall this is a good time for personal healing, as well as healing in the relationships in our lives as Mars and retrograde Venus are so close during this Shatabisha Full Moon. It’s a time to integrate our sense of personal power with our will to serve society. Call on your healing practices and your inner strength to achieve equilibrium. Find peace in the heart through service, especially if your usual teachers or philosophies are feeling hard to reach or to engage. Have faith in yourself and the inner-abiding source, even if outward circumstances seem unmanageable. Eclipse cycles can be stressful, and as we are approaching that window, remember that it too shall pass, after giving us the opportunity to do some deep inner transformation, reorganization, and healing.
by Somya Devi | Aug 12, 2015 | Astrology, Conjunctions, Planets Changing Signs, Retrograde
The New Moon will occur in Ashlesha nakshatra in sidereal Cancer, at 7:54am PDT on Friday, August 14th. This means that the darkest night, beginning this new cycle, is the night of Thursday, August 13th. New Moon nights are a great time for inner practice and ritual, fully releasing everything from the last cycle and preparing for the new.
Ashlesha (or Aslesha) nakshatra and Cancer are both related to the water element, which correlates with our emotions and second chakra. This cycle will call us to explore the depths of our emotions. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, the feminine reflective principle in the cosmos. While the Sun represents the primordial source that fuels all life, the Moon is that wherein Sun’s power is reflected on another body. Moon is therefore the planet that feels what it is like to be a material body animated by divine consciousness. The Cancer cycle will allow us to tap in to our emotional and feminine side, as Moon is the archetype of the divine feminine principle. Examine and honor the waves of feelings as they come up for you throughout the month.
The potency of this cycle is enhanced by Ashlesha nakshatra, found in the constellation Hydra, the water snake. The snake represents kundalini energy, which often lies coiled in a dormant state at the base of the spine. In this cycle there is the potential for that coil to unwind and for kundalini energy to rise, as flow energy is enhanced and blockages dissolve. This is a time for emotional transformation.
The deities for Ashlesha are the Nagas, the serpents of wisdom. We have the opportunity to receive guidance from these serpents and receive more wisdom about our own hidden emotions. In your practice time, you can ask yourself what is coiled within? Where in your body do you feel a coil or a knot that can be loosened? Around what themes in life do you feel stuck? Probing into these matters and calling upon the water element or the Nagas can help to bring you more fluidity around them.
Mars is currently sitting in sidereal Cancer, where he is debilitated (at his least strong position in the cosmos). This means that our energy towards taking actions could be low right now. All the more reason to tap into that feminine, internal reflective principle, in order to loosen the emotional joints so that we can act with more clarity when Mars has more power again.
Jupiter is settling nicely into sidereal Leo, where he began his year-long transit a few weeks ago. Around this time we saw in the world a sudden righteous crusade towards celebrating lions (Cecil) and the rest of the wildlife kingdom. Leo, or the lion, is indeed the monarch of this realm, and Jupiter is a planet that relates to our values and principles. The worldwide value of these things suddenly surged when Jupiter took his seat on this zodiacal throne. During his transit here we may see many principle-based movements rise, in which large groups of believers will be pushing to get their values to the seat of power.
Venus continues his retrograde transit, now backtracking into the sign of Cancer. This is a time for reviewing relationships in our lives, and how we compromise and maneuver while seeking happiness. He continues retrograde motion until September 6th, after which time things should start moving forward again around those themes. With Venus retrograde so close to this New Moon, coupled with Ashlesha energy relating to the depths of our emotions, a lot could be coming up in our minds and hearts about past relationships. Remember to allow the flow and let the purifying waters of Cancer and Ashlesha wash away what is ready to move on, and nourish that which needs more unconditional love.
Mercury is joined with Jupiter in Leo right now, so we could easily feel the temptation to talk a lot. Like any serpent, Ashlesha has the power of venom within its tongue as well, so take heed to speak slowly to avoid harmful remarks. As with any purification process, we may feel the sting of that poison in ourselves as we release unwanted energies from our system. Be nourishing towards yourself, and drink lots of water to enhance the flow and cleansing. This will be a sensitive time, but a potent one for diving deep into the depths of our sensual bodies, and emerging from those waters with stronger emotional health and clarity.
We may also be feeling inspired as well as overwhelmed by the pile-up of planets in sidereal Leo–Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. These three are conjunct this month, which amps up the energy we feel behind our philosophies, will, and desires. We can see this bright cluster on the eastern horizon just before sunrise. The confluence of these planetary energies can support each other if we do the work needed to introspect and synthesize them towards our highest purpose, but they can also be at odds with each other when the planets get too close for comfort (within one degree celestial longitude).
