by Somya Devi | Jun 15, 2015 | Astrology, Planets Changing Signs
The New Moon will occur Tuesday morning at 7:05am PDT, in early sidereal Gemini (Sun and Moon at 1 degree 3 minutes Gemini). This begins the Gemini Moon cycle for the next month. Mercury rules Gemini, so we will deal with the themes of the intellect a lot this cycle. We may see our thinking accelerate and new ideas synthesize, as well as a deeper exploration of communication. It’s a time to look out for vata, as the swiftness of Mercury and its air-sign Gemini can elevate that dosha in the mind and body. Staying hydrated and well oiled is important (internally and externally), as well as doing grounding practices that connect you to the earth. Applying oil to the bottoms of the feet will be very nourishing, or to the entire body before you shower.
It’s also a time to be aware of high pitta, the fire-dosha, as the Sun and Mars are also tightly conjunct right now. This is what we call a highly combust Mars, as it is only half a degree away from the Sun in early Gemini at the time of the New Moon. This can be incredibly aggravating, as these two fire planets joined increases the heat in our bodies and minds and can cause us to feel easily provoked and prone to anger and explosions. To alleviate pitta imbalances, we can avoid spicy foods during this time, and eat cooling ones such as cucumber, coconuts, and watermelon. Make sure to intake enough liquids and use coconut oil rather than more heating oils for internal and external use. Lavender, tulsi, and rose essential oils are all calming and cooling to the body-mind, and can be used for aromatherapy by placing a drop or two on the pillowcase at night or in a diffuser in your home or office. You can also make a tea from the dried petals and leaves of these aromatic plants.
Rose is especially helpful in this time because of its ability to soothe and balance the heart and emotions, which could feel overwhelming right now. With New Moon so close to Sun and Mars, there is the potential for their fire to weigh on the heart in the form of passion or frustration/anger. At the same time we have Venus joined with Jupiter in Cancer, which expands Venus’s potential for love and happiness, and also raises the importance we place on it and makes us weigh it closely against our values. Jupiter is our potential for wisdom and higher thought or spiritual understanding. With these two in the feminine Moon-ruled sign of Cancer, we can really tap into some Divine Mother/heart-energy if we seek happiness and through spiritual practice. If we let Jupiter’s expansive quality push us to seek material pleasures too much, we will inevitably be disappointed as time goes on, as these are all temporary. Tulsi can help us to orient our love towards a place of devotion. Jupiter and Venus will be really close in the sky for most of the coming month (very tightly conjunct around June 30th), and incredibly beautiful to witness in the night sky. They will be close with the Moon in Cancer at the end of this week… a great time for open-hearted prayers.
There is the potential to feel an urgent sense of seeking during this New Moon, which falls in the Vedic nakshatra Mrigashira, located around the star Bellatrix, (on the shoulder of Orion, in the region of the sky bridging Taurus and Gemini). Mrigashira is the star of the deer’s head, often referred to as “the wanderer,” continuously searching with curiosity. Though there is a beauty and innocence to this, the restlessness of 
this star can also interfere with our ability to stay focused and one-pointed. Its deity is Soma, a name for the Moon, and the Moon as it relates to our emotional mind can be easily changeable. Mrigashira also represents many positive qualities of the Moon, which is beautiful, gentle, calming, and full of compassion and Divine Mother energy. This star is also associated with Parvati, the wife of Shiva in Hindu mythology and a powerful representation of the goddess. This is a great time to get in tune with all aspects of the goddess, from the most gentle, motherly form, to the strong-willed warrior aspects of Durga and the fierce and compassionate nature of Kali (both forms of Parvati).
In Vedic thought Soma also refers to the nectar released through meditation. In this we can again see this New Moon as a call to stay hydrated in order to nourish the water element in our bodies, which is the conduit for the flow of all nutrients, including the physical and the spiritual. We can follow the searching nature of this star and the present alignments on a path to find new experiences, relationships, or temporary pleasures, or on a search for higher knowledge, wisdom, and heart-opening. Call forth the gentle energy of Mrigashira to appease the heat of combust Mars. Stay cool as much as possible and nourish the heart during this month of powerful celestial combinations.
by Somya Devi | May 17, 2015 | Astrology
The New Moon happens tonight at 9:13pm Pacific time. Sun and Moon join in Taurus, beginning the new lunar cycle in the Vedic nakshatra (star-sign) of Krittika. Krittika is known as “the cutter” and is represented by a razor or an axe. It is also associated with a flame, as the deity for this star is Agni, the fire God. This is the birthstar (Moon’s star-sign) of the guru Amritanandamayi Devi (or Amma, “the hugging saint”). Guru literally means “remover of darkness,” or ignorance.
Like Krittika, a good guru has the ability to cut away the illusion or darkness that does not serve, in order to help us see clearly. The quest of spiritual aspirants is to experience universal truth both internally and externally. This lunar cycle will be a great time for cutting away ignorance and illusions in order to deepen our understandings of Self and purpose. It is a good time to clarify our intentions for the year. The Aries cycle before this gave us a boost of energy, but may have been headstrong without considering the long-term benefits. Taurus is more grounded and slow-moving than Aries, so we may be able to come to terms with what is more practical in our plans for this year now. It is ruled by Venus and relates to our hearts, comforts, values and surroundings.
Taurus or “Vrisha” is the sign of the bull. This large, four-footed creature has a strong will, and Taurus is a fixed sign. This is a time to stay focused on our goals, especially as related to our surroundings, and also be careful not to be too stubborn about them. This new cycle begins with Sun and Moon joined with Mercury and Mars (in Taurus), and opposite Saturn (in Scorpio). This may bring a strong tendency to over-analyze (Mercury) and then over-react (Mars) to things this month. Saturn’s influence, opposite Mars, could bring frustration to the impulses to vocalize and act out. We may want to go forward based on our gut feeling and analysis of the situation, but may feel caught up by fear or stress that keeps us from taking action. When you feel that stagnation, turn to practices that can help you engage the Taurus energy one task at a time. This could include a little redecorating of your home space, cooking a meal or tending to the garden. Since Venus is the ruler of Taurus, fulfilling small desires in the realm of aesthetics will be satisfying. Sketch or paint something to allow that Venusian energy to flow.
Venus relates to earth, water, and air, so bring these elements into your spiritual practice. Feel into your rocks and crystals to study the energies that are coming up inside of you. Keep a fountain bubbling or visit a nearby body of water to let your prayers flow. Burning some incense, sage, or palo santo will help purify your home or altar space for this new cycle, and will also bring in the air element and the fire element (the deity of Krittika). Pray for the Divine Universe to cut away what you don’t need this cycle, and allow your purest goals and visions to manifest. Despite the challenges of the Mars/Saturn opposition, Taurus can bring us the determination needed to follow our hearts. Taurus is the sign of the Anahata or heart-chakra.
Heads up! Mercury goes retrograde tomorrow, until June 11th. It may be a time to reorganize our thoughts and revisit communication that needs to be clarified, but watch for the influence of Mars and Saturn bringing heat and pressure to your desire for coherence.
by Somya Devi | Mar 22, 2015 | Astrology, Holy Days
Today is World Water Day! All over the globe we are coming together to honor the earth’s waters and the water element. We especially bring our awareness to water in her physical form, the rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans, and the rains and groundwaters that support our life here on the planet. A synchronized prayer for water is intended for 6pm PST. We call in the rains to nourish the earth and cleanse all that needs to be washed away. This is a good day to practice water conservation through shorter showers, remembering that much of the world’s population does not even have the abundance of water that an average shower takes for their whole day’s supply. You may find a local group performing a cleanup of rivers, lakes or beaches, to offer some energy back to the sacred waters. This is especially potent added to the current astrology climate, where we just experienced a Solar Eclipse in Pisces on Friday. This was in the nakshatra Uttara Bhadrapada, which, like Pisces, relates to the deep emotional waters within us. Much has been churned up to the surface, so offering our prayers to this element will help smooth the fluidity of cleansing. We are also on the third day of Navaratri, the Hindu festival to the supreme goddess, Devi. Water is considered a feminine element as it relates to the emotions, and in Hinduism is embodied in the form of the goddess, Ganga. She is the personification of the holy river Ganges, considered to have the power to cleanse all impurities from the mind of the spiritual seeker. All waters on earth, especially those in which we offer our prayers, are considered extensions of Ganga. The water element is also represented by the concept of Soma, which refers to the mind and the feminine moon, and the cool, purifying liquid that descends during meditation creating a state of bliss. (This is the counterpart to Agni, the fire element relating to the Sun which rises from the root.) Today, give homage to the water element and the goddess to allow those cooling energies to sooth and nourish all life on earth, both internally and externally. Om Gam Gangaye Namaha
The New Moon will occur Tuesday morning at 7:05am PDT, in early sidereal Gemini (Sun and Moon at 1 degree 3 minutes Gemini). This begins the Gemini Moon cycle for the next month. Mercury rules Gemini, so we will deal with the themes of the intellect a lot this cycle. We may see our thinking accelerate and new ideas synthesize, as well as a deeper exploration of communication. It’s a time to look out for vata, as the swiftness of Mercury and its air-sign Gemini can elevate that dosha in the mind and body. Staying hydrated and well oiled is important (internally and externally), as well as doing grounding practices that connect you to the earth. Applying oil to the bottoms of the feet will be very nourishing, or to the entire body before you shower.
