Astro Weather November 2007

November begins with the completion of the last Mercury retrograde cycle of 2007. Mercury makes its station today in Virgo at 3:59 pm PDT. Although Mercury began its retrograde in Libra, it fell back into the late of degrees of its sign of exhaltation, Virgo, on October 30th. In Vedic astrology, a retrograding exhalted planet brings a reversal of that exhaltation, and actually debilitates it (and when a debilitated planet is retrograde it becomes exhalted, called neecha banga raja yoga). This reversal of energy effects the things that Mercury rules, like the lungs, the nervous system, communication and commerce. Personally my lungs keep getting tested by the wide array of fall viruses, and the things I tried to ceremonially let go of on October 30th in a fire ceremony all came back to me the next day. Luckily I know that this set back is temporary and look forward to the reversal of the reversal this afternoon. When Mercury stations in Virgo it will be amped up on stellar steroids. Full speed ahead folks. It remains in Virgo until Monday, November 4th when it re-enters Libra and returns the point of initial retrograde on November 17th.


Venus in Virgo November 3 - November 30, 2007
Venus leaves the sign of Leo and goes into its sign of debilitation on Saturday, November 3. Fortunately it will be associated with an exhalted Mercury which assists in another neecha banga raja yoga-- reversal of debiliation. PLUS by the time Mercury changes signs again on Monday, the two inner planets will mutually exchange signs, Mercury in Venus' sign of Libra, and Venus in Mercury's sign of Virgo, stimulating yet another neecha banga raja yoga until November 27th. Venus will only spend three days in debilitation, which is great news after experiencing the intense energetic fluctuations during her long retrograde and participation in the eclipse cycle last September.


New Moon November 9th/Full Moon November 24
The New Moon occurs at 3:03 pm PST in the sign of Libra in the nakshatra Vishaka. Vishaka contains four stars which form the left half of the familiar Libran scales. In the Vedic tradition these star were described as forming the shape of forked branch and represent a large tree whose shade and branches provide protection for others. Other symbols associated with Vishaka are the triumphal arch decorated with leaves, a representation of marriage in India, and the potter's wheel. Both marriage and the fine arts are attributes of Libra. Vishaka's shakti power is to achieve many and various fruits in life, vyapani shaki. It is very fixated and goal oriented, and under its influence one must carefully choose the appropriate goal. The deity who is associated with Vishaka is the chief demi-God Indra, who is sometimes depicted in Puranic texts as determined, fixated, and offensive. He is a Dionysisan character who drowns himself in women, wine and pleasure and thus this moon can be associated with alcohol and intoxication. Although the energy of a new moon may be low, this new moon occur on Venus' day, Friday, and folks may be more sociable and drawn to pleasurable experiences.

The full moon on November 24th occurs in the nakshatra Krittika near its exhaltation point. Krittika is another determined nakshatra. Its symbols are the flame, axe or razor that have the power to burn or cut away negativity to get to the deepest truth, dahana shakti. The deities associated with Krittika are Karttikaya and Agni. In the Vedic tradition the six visible (seven with a telescope) stars of the Pleiades are associated with the nakshatra Krittika. According to one of the many legends, the seven wifes (how did the ancients "see" the seventh wife/star) of the ancient Seers hid Shiva's son Karttikaya, also called Skanda, from the demons and trained him in the various systems of knowledge. His destiny was to destroy the demons and return heaven to the Gods. Thus the Pleiades, or Krittika, is a celestial training ground where one receives instruction on one's life purpose. It is also a place of refuge. The chart for this full moon has a Libra ascendant with Venus placed in the 12th house and the moon placed in the 8th house. The 8th and 12th houses are moksha houses. Moksha means liberation, and in the Vedic tradition liberation of soul is often associated with the loss or retreat from the material world. I would use the energy of this full moon to seek refuge and instruction through meditation as it promises to give new insight and liberation for our souls.

Mars Retrograde November 15, 2007 - January 30, 2008
Mars entered Gemini on September 16, 2007 and will go retrograde on November 15th at 12:24 am PST opposite the moon in Sagittarius. In general Mars, or Mangala, rules our physical energy, what drives us, and how we go after we go after what we want. Originally its symbol was depicted the cross of matter above the circle of spirit by alchemists, but that cross has been pointed outward and upward into an arrow. Western and Vedic astrologers traditionally associate Mars with war and aggression. However there are Vedic traditions that indicate the arrow expresses the direction of contemplation towards the supreme goal. According to Gary Gomes, "one of the most overlooked roles of Mars is its role in spiritual development. Mars is the planet of those who avoid rebirth . . . it is rapidly acting, rather than violent. . . it is also in charge of logic, because logic is the intellectual weapon employed to win arguments. . . If it has a goal and a service to pursue, [Mars] is a truly wonderful planet, capable of delivering us from our worst enemies[or rebirth :)]." So whatever latent energy is inside the circle of spirit, it may be directed outward under the influence of Mars.

Mars goes retrograde every two years when it is closest to earth and opposite the Sun. Here we we have Mars, the planet of desire, opposite the Sun, the planet representing ego. And as retrograde planets are more powerful, our desires may outweigh the wisdom of a healthy ego. When Mars turns retrograde things may happen to show you that you need to put the breaks on and take a closer look at what you are doing. Re-examine your inner motives regarding why you are acting in a certain way. Are you functioning consciously or are you letting primitive impulses dominate your life? If you have overworked yourself, let frustration and anger build up, or denied your desires in any way, these may all surface during Mars retrograde to be confronted, integrated or released. Thus Mars retrograde time to reassess how we operate in the world, and to design a plan of how to carry it all out once it goes direct. It is not a time to start new projects, but finish and revamp old ones.

During this Mars retrograde period, the red planet is transiting Mercury's mutable sign of Gemini. As Gemini rules communication, the thinking mind and nervous system, we can expect a lot of changes in how we communicate our desires and how we spend our mental energy. There is an interesting synchronicity and alignment with the lunation symbolism of determination, fixation on goals, and cutting away of negativity. When Mars stations it will be in the nakshatra Ardra, ruled by the planet of obsession, Rahu. The primary motivation is kama, desire, and its power is yatna shakti,or effort. In particular it is the power of making gains in life through greater effort and struggle. It will require all the determination we observe during the lunation cycle to carry us through the unusually long Mars retrograde period. The presiding deity of Ardra is Rudra, the fierce form of Shiva. Rudra is associated with thunder and rainstorms. Ardra is connected with intense activity, passionate thinking, enthusiasm and an urge for expansion. So how will those drives be effected when Mars reverses. As "Ardra" means "moist" and is depicted as a teardrop, will we be crying tears of frustration? Or will these tears clear away the stale energy, like a rainstorm clears the air, leaving us with a renewed sense of clarity?

Physically Gemini rules the lungs, and Mars rules the blood, inflammation, and fevers; so this combination may indicate a surge in virulent colds and flus this holiday season. In particular we may see lingering respiratory pathogens, like coughs, that may last for months. I would advise everyone to re-enforce your cellular fortress, the immune system. The best way for you to protect yourself is to avoid sugar, which takes down the immune system for hours. In addition you may strengthen cellular walls to block out pathogens by taking essential fatty acids like fish oils, vitamin C, immune supplements, natural anti-virals like garlic. Learn how to preserve your energy and get plenty of rest. (And remember if you do get sick do not take iron --Mars' metal-- as it will only strengthen the wee beasties.) Don't let your desire (Mars) to be part of all the festivities make you sick.

Jupiter in Sagittarius November 21, 2007
As Jupiter completes its journey through Scorpio it starts its karmic unwinding of the Gandantic knots between November 8 - December 5, 2007. (For more on Gandanta see previous posts.) The great benefic, Jupiter is a significator of happiness, knowledge, learning and expansion. When it changes signs from Scorpio into its own sign of Sagittarius on November 21, 2007, it promises to bring hope and quest for the truth. In its home/ohm sign Jupiter becomes more powerful and is able to express theses innate qualities. But in the nakshatras of Jyestra and Mula it may have a little bite. Jytestha is ruled by the deity Indra, the dragon slayer, whom we discussed above influencing the new moon. Under this nakshatra the chief motivation is to conquer and to gain supremacy. The presiding deity of the following nakshatra, Mula, is Nritti – the goddess of destruction. Nritti is one aspect of Kali, the destroyer of illusions, and her purpose here is to help us break apart and destroy things, making room for a new creation based on a new foundation. Mula may inflict pain, but it is intended to keep us on the right track to God-realization.

Jupiter conjoins Pluto on December 11, 2007. By the winter solstice Jupiter, Pluto, Mercury and the Sun will be drawing down energy from the Galactic Center, enhanced two days later when a full moon conjoins Mars in Gemini. This powerful alignment may present political or fanatical religious conflict destroying things that aren't working. At the same time it may indicate a window of opportunity when we may be more open to receiving and understanding the messages from the source of life, the Mula or root of the galaxy, the Galactic Center.

In'Lakesh!

Astro Weather October 2007

Compared with the previous months, October's astrological line up is calm. The new moon in Virgo on October 10 falls in the healing nakshatra of Hasta, symbolized by the hand. Hasta's power is the ability to manifest what we are seeking and to place it in our hands, hasta sthapaniya agama shakti. Make sure you set clear intentions and be ready to receive with an open hand, while trying not to control with a closed fist. Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury, and on the following day Mercury stations and goes retrograde thus increasing the effect of this lunation on the thinking mind.

Mercury will transit its third and last retrograde in an air sign this year, Libra. It will be retrograde between October 11 and November 1, 2007 in the nakshatras Swati and Chitra. Swati's shakti, pradhvamsa, is the power to scatter like the wind. Ruled by the deity Vayu, the god of wind, air, breath and prana, Swati promises change. If you are flexible and able to bend with the wind, this retrograde cycle promises to purify and cleanse. The goddess of learning and scholarship, Saraswati, is also associated with Swati. This period would be a great time to review what we know, or think we know. As retrograde planets are often more powerful, we may develop new insights, receive new information, or reassess old belief systems during this time. Mercury will retrograde back to and station in the nakshatra Chitra which gives the power to accumulate merit. Revisionists may find a more receptive audience at this time.

The full moon on October 25, 2007 will be in Aries, in my favorite nakshatra, Ashwini. The Ashwins are the twin physicians of the gods who bring light, happiness and bliss to all that they touch. This second healing lunation of the month promises quick cures and rejuvenation of the body, mind and spirit. Miracles are associated with this lunar mansion. The Moon's opposition to Mercury will cast an extremely abstract but intuitive light on our thinking minds, which will followed a few days later by Neptune's direct station on Halloween and Mercury's direct station on November 1, 2007. Neptune is the planet of otherworldly beauty and illusion. The end of the month promises to be a period when the communication between the veils will be more accessible than ever. What comes through may be spellbinding, so be sure to use a clear, open mind to discern guidance from illusion.

Namaste!

Venus Stationary Direct

After spending the past 44 days retrograding through the stellar influences of Leo and Cancer, Venus stations and turns direct today at 9:14 am PDT. The evening star has completed its shamanic journey behind the sun and has re-emerged as the morning star. This phenomenon was observed by ancient sky-watchers and mystics, and became the basis of many myths involving death and resurrection. Christians, Mayans, and Hindus all describe the return of the morning star as symbolic of the return of their teachers.

A Venus cycle includes 5 retrogrades over 8 years, cutting a path in the shape of a star or pentagram. The 5/8 ratio has captivated astronomers, mathematicians, and astrologers because it relates to the Fibonacci Series and PHI. The Fibonacci numbers are named after Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci, although they had been described nearly 1000 years earlier in India by Pingala in Chandra-Shastra.

The Fibonacci Series is a sequence of numbers that when the sum is added to the previous number, a formula correlating to growth and harmonic cycles develops-- for example 0, 0+1 = 1, 1+1=2, 2+1=3, 3+2=5, 5+3=8, 8+5=13 ect. When the sum is divided by the previous number the result is the golden ration, or PHI -- ie. 8/5 = 1.6 ~ 1.618. This ratio is found throughout the natural world such as in the growth pattern of plants. Flowers develop petals following the sequence 3,5,8,13,21,34,55 etc. For example, white calla lily has 1 petal, euphorbia has two, trillium three, and columbine has five, the most common number of petals in the flower world. The sunflower beautifully illustrations the spiraling ratios with it 34 petals and 55 seeds. Music also is rooted in the Fibonacci series: There are 13 notes in the span of any note through its octave. A scale is comprised of 8 notes, of which the 5th and 3rd notes create the basic foundation of all chords, and are based on whole tone which is 2 steps from the root tone, that is the 1st note of the scale.

In astrology Venus rules the fine arts, where the Fibonacci series and the golden ratio have been known and utilized for thousands of years. Ancient monuments were designed to fit in with nature, and thus reflected the golden ratio. Artists of the Renaissance used these principles in developing perfect composition that reflected nature and the divine order.

And according to recent studies, there is evidence that natural rhythms of the earth, such as the Schumann frequency, and human rhythms, such as brainwave patterns are connected in part due to these ratios. Human consciousness expands according to the sequence (1,2,3Hz Delta/sleep, 5,8 Hz Alpha/meditation, 13 Hz Beta/awake) and if researchers like Gregg Braden are correct the Schumann frequency may shift from 8 Hz to 13 Hz. In certain sound healing practices such as Acutonics, the frequency for Venus is a harmonic of 13 Hz. As the Mayan calendar is based on Venus cycles, and its end date aligns with the completion of the 2004 Venus pentagonal cycle, I can't help but wonder if the coming earth changes will raise our frequency to match that of Venus.

Of all symmetric geometric shapes, none represent so concisely the principles of PHI than the pentacle or five pointed star within a circle. This is probably so because the ratio of PHI is first derived from the square root of five. The diagram of the 5 retrograde loops of the Venus cycle is a symbol of the Five Holy Kumaras(4 Exoteric + 3 Esoteric - 2 Fallen = 5). According to the Secret Doctrine, these Promeathean-like beings gave the spark of intelligence and the seed of individuality to humanity. Thus Venus is associated with growth, fertility, and creativity.

In Vedic astrology the planet Venus is known as Shukra, meaning "white" or "bright" in Sanskrit, as well as "semen". In her lower aspects Venus governs sensuality and is the embodiment of love. Shukra is a male deity, the son of Brighu who was one of the Prajapatis and a Vedic Sage. Venus is the Daitya-Guru, the teacher of the asuras, rules the arts, bestows the wisdom of the Vedas, and has the power to raise the dead. The esoteric glyph for Venus is the circle of spirit above the cross of manifestation. According to Bepin Behari:

The circle represents the spiritual essence evolving through manifestation. It shows the wholeness of latent faculties of man to be developed during the course of his evolution . . . The life-giving principle expressed in the outer manifestation is symbolized by the encircled space. Venus, Mars and Mercury are concerned with this life-giving force. The Venusian impulse is important for generating, preserving and nourishing the various life forms on Earth. . . The cross represents the churning of the ocean. When two opposing forces combine together to activate electrical energy, there is much activity and the magnetic field becomes high charged. In the cross symbol, the masculine energy is presented by the vertical line, and the feminine by the horizontal line, together represent manifestation. Wherever life unfolds and any form of creation takes place, one finds the interplay of these positive and negative forces. Placed under the circle the cross denotes the Divine Essence involved in the creative process. The impulse generated by Venus always creates fundamental change and brings forth new manifestation. . . the sexual urge is merely one of the various forces generated by the churning process.

Thus in its higher aspect, the divine is made manifest by the impulse generated by Venus.

So what happens when Venus is retrograde? As I mentioned in previous posts, many Vedic astrologers believe that retrograde planets are more powerful as they often indicate a karmic result. They may be functioning to fulfill some karmic debt or promise or to clear up affairs from the past. This past retrograde took Venus from 8 degrees of Leo in the Nakshatra Magha to 22 degrees Cancer in the Nakshatra of Ashlesha. As it crossed through the critical Gandantic transition of fire to water (3 degrees Leo to 27 degrees Cancer), it started to unravel the karmic knot. It will return over these degrees between September 22 - October 2, 2007, and finally return to its point of retrograde on October 11, 2007. During this time issues that were brought to light this summer may finally find resolution, and like the promise of a Fibonacci sequence, show growth on our spiraling journey of spiritual evolution.

Namaste!

Eclipse Crop Circle

On the day before the lunar eclipse, Canada received its first crop circle of 2007. Apparently simple compared to its UK counterparts, I can't help but wonder if it is an interdimensional comment on the eclipse. The symbol for Shatabishak, the nakshatra of the moon during this eclipse, is an empty circle enclosing space. In sacred geometry the circle represents wholeness, cycles, and timelessness. Of course most crop circles begin with the circle and expand into intricate mandalas, which makes the quiet appearance of this one even more intriguing.

Namaste!