starworlds: Blue Moon -- Happy New Year 2010!

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Blue Moon -- Happy New Year 2010!

Full Moon December 31, 2009, 11:13 am pst, partial Ketu eclipse 11:24 am pst
This year ends under the influence of a blue moon in the sign of Gemini. The month of December winds down with two symbolic themes reoccurring: blue and Gemini. As I discussed in previous posts the color blue permeated media images of the Norway spiral, the Nobel Prize ceremony, the COP-15 conference, and the Na'vi from the movie Avatar (thanks to Andre Heath for creating this cool collage).

The blue moon is another opportunity to shower us with a blue vibration that may trigger indigo and luciferian consciousness.

The term 'blue moon' generally refers to the second full moon in a month and occurs once every 2.7 years. We have blue moons because our calendar system was changed from a lunar year with 13 months of 28 days to a solar year with 12 months with various days. There are 13 full moons in a solar year, and the left over full moon becomes a blue one.

The last blue moon to shine on New Year's Eve was 19 years ago, in 1990 and the next will be in 2028. However, the moon will not actually be blue, except in retouched photos. The phrase 'once in a blue moon' really means an impossibility, as in never happening. So the convergence of all these improbable events and phenomena is intriguing. Are they all an illusion? Or is something impossible about to occur?

The Gemini theme first appeared during the Geminid meteor shower in mid-December. The annual Geminid meteor shower gets the name 'Geminids' because it appears to radiate from the constellation Gemini. I discussed the name of its source, a comet/asteroid called Phaeton who was the son of the Sun God, Helios. This story relates a solar theme popular at this time of year: a father Sun god sacrificing his own son to save the Earth and mankind. The meteor showers symbolizes pieces of Phaeton's exploded chariot falling to Earth.

It is intriguing that this Gemini full moon falls in the nakshatra of Ardra which is associated with the blue star, Sirius. This star is also connected to a sacrificial themes throughout many ancient and modern traditions (Egyptian - Osirius, Greek-Orion, and even new age--Christ consciousness) and even figures prominently in UFO lore.

The Hindu myth associated with Ardra revolves around the story of the demon Taraka who practiced severe austerities in order to receive the gift of 'undefeatable power' from Brahma. Thus Ardra's gift is yatna shakti, the power to make gains in life through great effort. Once Taraka attained this power, he turned around and began to oppress the gods. Could this reversal of power also be happening now? Have humans attained enough knowledge that they are turning on the gods, our ancient alien progenitors?

According to the Hindu story, the gods began to fear Taraka's power, and responded by imploring Shiva to do something about this terrible threat. Shiva created a champion, Karttikeya or Skanda, to combat Taraka. After spending his formative years with the seven sisters, in the refuge and training ground of the Pleiades, Karttikeya went forth and battled Taraka. Karttikeya was able to destroy the demon, and so rescued the world.

The story of Taraka is similar to the Greek myth of the Titan Prometheus, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to man.

Zeus was so furious that he sent Pandora, the first woman, to live with man. According to Hesiod, each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts. Zeus ordered Hephaestus to mold her out of Earth as part of the punishment of mankind for Prometheus' theft of the secret of fire, and all the gods joined in offering this 'beautiful evil' seductive gifts.

According to the myth, out of curiosity, Pandora opened a jar, commonly referred to as 'Pandora's box' that contained all evils that would later plague mankind. By the time she closed the jar, only hope remained.

So like the Biblical Eve in the Garden of Eden, a woman's curiosity was responsible for bringing sin and evil into the world. Is this why calendar makers shifted from a Pagan lunar calendar to a Christian solar calendar? But according to the gods, original sin is the desire for knowledge and light? So what kind of gods were they -- to be fearful that their children be full of light and knowledge? I have yet to see the movie Avatar which takes place on a moon called Pandora, but I have a feeling I might see similar themes all cast in a blue hue.

Today's full moon will also undergo a partial lunar eclipse by the south node, Ketu. Its psychic effects are unpredictable ranging from the gift of new insight to the release of repressed emotions. As Ketu is a moksha karaka, or indicator of enlightenment, its power during this eclipse may be to release this spiritual energy. A New Years meditation may be more powerful than a glass of bubbly this year, but either one will release the power of the blue moon.

Namaste!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...: Excellent. Btw ardra is Shiva in the form of rudra. Orion's shoulders.

Very good article.; December 31, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Hey Liz,

How are you with Navamsa charts? What do u make of Saturn in Dhanus Navamsa?; January 3, 2010 at 8:13 AM
stargurl said...: Hi Anon,

Though I generally am most intrigued by the nakshatras, and focus on the rashi, I occasionally look at the harmonics to validate or see higher purpose or past life issues.

An interpretation of Saturn in Dhanus in the navamsa would depend on the nakshatra, what house it falls in, and its condition in the rashi.

Generally Saturn is a little uncomfortable in Jupter's signs because their natures are so different (ie contracting vs expanding). Saturn in Dhanus can be interested in many philosophies and ideas, but its tendency towards convention and authority might turn that interest into a dogmatic personality. And in the navamsa that would indicate that tendency may have occurred in past lives. Its gift is that Dhanus/Sagittarius is connected to the vishnuabhi, the galactic center, and the individual will be able to receive information from it.

Why do you ask anon?; January 3, 2010 at 8:28 AM
Anonymous said...: Liz,

Well I wanted a second opinion on it.

Saturn is positioned in Purva Ashada nakshatra in Navamsa.

I read it as saturn indicating delays and the person would have a late marriage, to probably older person, the person may also be religiously inclined etc.

I am learning to understand Navamsa charts. Since you seem to be a vedic astrology student I thought prehaps you might shed some light.

Thanks; January 3, 2010 at 1:11 PM

Aum saraswateye vidmahe, bramputriye dhi-mahi, tanno sarawati prachodayat

Saraswati is the Goddess of leaming, knowledge, and wisdom. The Sanskrit word sara means "essence" and swa means "self." Thus Saraswati means "the essence of the self." Saraswati is represented in Hindu mythology as the divine consort of Lord Brahma, the Creator of the universe. Since knowledge is necessary for creation, Saraswati symbolizes the creative power of Brahma. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped by all persons interested in knowledge, especially students, teachers, scholars, and scientists.

What is the Difference between Vedic and Western Astrology: 23 Degrees, Nakshatras, and Sidereal

Twenty-three is my quick answer to the question: "what is the difference between Vedic Astrology and Western astrology?" I don't mean to be cryptic, but 23 degrees is literally the difference between the Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs. It is called the Ayanamsha -- in Sanskrit ayana meaning solstice and amsha meaning portion -- and it refers to the difference between Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs.

The zodiac is a ring of constellations often referred to as signs, such as Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus. It is a cosmic clock around which our solar systems operates and how astrologers measure cycles of time. Most people do not realize that there are two distinct zodiacs. Vedic astrologers use the Sidereal zodiac and Western astrologers use the Tropical zodiac. The Sidereal zodiac is based on observations of planets lining up against the backdrop of the fixed stars. It is oriented to the center of the galaxy. On the other hand, the Tropical zodiac is based on the relationship between the sun and earth. It is oriented to the equinoxes. In Western astrology the spring equinox sets the beginning of the Tropical zodiac at 1 degree Aries, even though the sun is astronomically traveling in the light fields of Pisces. In other words, it does not correspond to observable position. Vedic astrology is called Jyotisha in Sanskrit, meaning the science of light, and Vedic astrology describes how the light emitted from the stars effects us. When Western astrology was in its early stages, the two zodiacs may have lined up; but over time the two moved apart approximately 50 seconds per year to the current 23 degrees of separation (even that number is debated, but the standard of India, the Lahiri ayanamsha is 23 degrees 10 seconds).

Vedic astrology is considered by scholars to pre-date Western astrology and is the only system that has accounted for the precession of the equinoxes. What is the precession of the equinoxes? The answer to that involves another occurrence of the number 23 (those familiar with the enigma of 23, like LOST and RAW fans, may find this amusing). Because Earth's axis is tilted 23° 27' in its orbit around the sun, its equatorial plane is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane, the plane created by Earth's orbit. These two intersecting planes create an intersecting line called the vernal axis that occurs on the first day of spring, or Vernal equinox. As the Earth spins on its axis, its axis wobbles (precesses 50.3 seconds of arc per year or 1 degree every 71.6 years) very slowly over a period of about 24,000 to 26,000 years. As this occurs, the pole of the Earth inscribes an arc in the heavens called the precessional arc. The Earth's pole aligns with different stars throughout the precessional period. The current pole star is Polaris. Approximately 13,000 year ago it was Vega, one of my favorite stars. Earth's precessional cycle is also referred to as Earth's Great Year in the alchemical tradition, World Ages, or Yugas in the Vedas. David Frawley describes it a one year in the life of humanity.

In Vedic astrology there is a line of thought that suggests this 24,000-26,000 cycle (and even wobble of the earth itself) maybe be generated by a grand cycle of our sun with a companion dark star. Modern astronomy is studying this possibility as well. The ancient Vedic seers divided up the cycle into four world ages: the Satya(Truth or Golden), Treta (Third or Silver), Dwapara (Third or Bronze) and Kali (first or Iron) Ages. Each age describes a stage of awareness for mankind in which consciousness ascends, descends, and ascends in unending cycles perhaps due to the influence of this yet to be discovered companion star. Although New Age philosophers have described humanity as entering the Age of Aquarius, astronomically speaking that will not happen for approximately 300-400 years.

According to Vedic thought, the cycles of ascending and descending consciousness are connected not only to our rotation around a companion star, but also our cycle around the galactic center. According to David Frawley, "Vedic astrology orients the zodiac to the galactic center, or the central galactic sun, whose influence comes to us through fixed stars of the constellation Sagittarius." The galactic center is like our cosmic belly button -- it is sometimes called Vishnunabhi, or the navel of Vishnu-- the point from which our galaxy grew and expanded. Many ancient cultures studied and recorded their observations about this area of the night sky, including the Mayans whose calendar marks an astronomical event of our winter solstice aligning with the galactic center in 2012. It's like the earth's pole or antenna will be aligned and open to receive message from the source itself. [H]ohm is calling.

One of the most brilliant developments of the ancient Vedic seers was to further divide the zodiac into more identifiable parts. They did this by creating the Nakshatra system. In Sanskrit Nakshatra means lunar mansion. As the moon travels through the entire zodiac in 27-28 days, the ancient seers ascribed a Nakshatra for each day simplifying its location. Although too vast a subject to go into in this post, it is interesting to point out that the name for the Nakstratra that marks the galactic center is Mula, meaning root or source.

Another difference between Western and Vedic astrology is the modern use of non-observable planets and asteroids. As a Neo-Vedic astrologer I do consider some of the outer planets when I look at a chart, but I tend to be more interested in the fixed stars and Nakshatras. I marvel at how Western astrologers bring in new astronomical discoveries to their chart interpretations. Basically I see Western charts as a map of the same terrain as a Vedic chart, but indicating different types or levels of information. It's like comparing a topological map with a road map. I don't need to know the difference of elevation between Broadway and 3rd Avenue, but I might like to know the street number of Benaroya Hall. It all depends on what type of information one is seeking. Vedic astrologers come from a tradition and philosophy that focuses on the four aims of life: dharma (purpose), arthra (attainment), kama (desire),and the most important moksha (liberation). Western astrology is enriched by many diverse traditions and the information gleaned from it may be quite extensive and more suited for the modern mind. But for me, I've always been drawn to the stars in the night sky and have felt them speak to me in the language of light. And as Jyotisha is the science of light, it is the tool and filter I use to translate this information.

For a good video overview on precession click here.