July 31st, 2019, Los Angeles: New Moon in Cancer, Month of Shraavana

This New Moon in Cancer, in the constellation of Pushya marks the beginning of the month of Shraavana. The month is named Shraavana according to Indian calendar because the full moon will most likely occur in the constellation of Sravana or Dhanistha directly opposite that of Pushya in Cancer.  The month of Shraavana is considered very auspicious because the entire Indian sub-continent experiences monsoon during this time. It is also considered Lord Shiva’s favorite month as Parvati did immense penance in this month to have him as her husband. Astrologically speaking, the New Moon in Cancer is preceded by the New Moon in Gemini cycle where Rudra, the fierce form of Shiva destroys the creation that has gone corrupt. Rudra’s tears post-destruction when hits the earth gives rise to new flora and fauna – this is depicted in the stories of Punarvasu and Pushya in Cancer. One can draw analogies to the monsoon in the Indian subcontinent bringing life to the flora and fauna after a spell of extreme summer that burns up most life. Most devotees of Shiva will start a 16 Monday fast in this month to celebrate the abundance of life.

Shraavan is also the month when many poets and artists compose new pieces inspired by the sounds in nature. It is not surprising that the constellations of Sravana and Dhanistha symbolize sound and music The Full Moon on August 15^th will occur in the nakshatra of Dhanistha. I remember some of my favoriate poems in Marathi are on the beauties of Shraavan month and I would read them with renewed vigor as I watched the rains, inhaled the fresh air & smell of wet soil, and enjoyed the sound of raindrops against my window.

Many may also feel a renewed vigor this August because of Mercury and Jupiter going direct, and Mars coming out of debilitation as it moves into Leo. Notice what got uprooted last month. It may have been a change in habit or lifestyle, unearthing office politics and gossip, discovering false promises, technical problems with electronic devices, softwares and websites, identifying ways by which you bleed money,  realizing the dark underside of authorities in power, acknowledging your own inner indiscipline, lack of vitality and motivation, and non-clarity in your approach to life. Many of us might have felt parched for true inner nourishment.

Jupiter will station for a few weeks before it begins its forward movement in the sky. It may bring up the feeling of being choked about things that bring us hope before we feel a sigh of relief. Mars will transit over the Gandhanta (junction) point between Cancer and Leo around August 6 to 10 making us feel irritated due to low energy, focus and discipline. Renewed sense of energy will be experienced by many after Mars has completely transitioned into Leo. Saturn will also begin to slow down in preparation of its forward movement in September. Venus transiting close to the Sun in the sky (phenomenon called combustion) may burn the impurities in our relating to others. Back biting, politics, manipulations and inconsistencies in relationships may surface making us feel burnt. Make sure to take the tonics of self-love and self-care.

It is good time to find inner joy in anything that has rhythm and music. See if music leads you to nature. Seek out streams, waterfalls, waves of ocean, birds in forest and the sound of breeze. Notice how these move you towards renewed life.

My favoriate Shraavan poem written by Poet Balkavi Tryambak Bapuji Thomre is ‘Shraavan Masi Harsh Manasi’ (translation available online):

श्रावण मासी हर्ष मानसी हिरवळ दाटे चोहिकडे,
क्षंणात येते सर सर शिरवे क्षंणात फिरुनि ऊन पडे

वरति बघता इंद धनुचा गोफ दुहेरि विणलासे
मंगल तोरण काय बांधले नभोमंडपी कुणी भासे

झालासा सुर्यास्त वाटतो,सांज अहाहा तो उघडे
तरु शिखरावर उंच घरावर पिवळे पिवळे ऊन पडे

उठती वरती जलदांवरती अनंत संध्याराग पहा
सर्व नभावर होय रोखिले सुंदरतेचे रुप महा

बलाकमाला उडता भासे कल्पसुमांची माळिच ते
उतरुनि येती अवनीवरती ग्रहगोलचि की एकमते

फडफड करुनि भिजले अपुले पखं पाखरे सावरती
सुंदर हरिणी हिरव्या कुरणी निजबाळांसह बागडती

खिल्लारे ही चरती रानी गोपही गाणी गात फिरे
मंजूळ पावा गाई तयांचा श्रावण महिमा एकसुरे

सुवर्ण चंपक फुलला विपिनी रम्य केवडा दरवळला
पारिजातही बघता भामा रोष मनीचा मावळला

सुंदर परडी घेऊनि हाती पुरोपकंठी शु्द्धमती
सुंदर बाला या फुलमाला रम्य फुले पत्री खुडती

देव दर्शना निघती ललना हर्ष मावे ना हदयात
वदनी त्यांच्या वाचून घ्यावे  श्रावण महिन्याचे गीत

PC: Anonymous

Full Moon, July 16th, Guru Purnima, Lunar Eclipse

This full moon occurring in the nakshatram of Uttara Ashada (in Sagittarius) is known Guru Purnima. It is said to be the day, about 15,000 years ago, when Adi(first) Yogi, Shiva became the Adi Guru to seven sages. Uttara Ashada is also considered the birth nakshatram of Ganesha. We have the lunar eclipse on this day with Saturn and Ketu joined the moon in Sagittarius directly opposite Sun, Rahu and Venus in Gemini.

Many of us are experiencing an inner friction of our individual identities and interests with our higher principles. Social themes that effect well-being at an individual level are at a rise. Awareness of disparities in income, healthcare, housing, education, employment, management-employee wages, quality of life and opportunities for a better standard of living and personal growth is high right now. Ketu and Saturn are bringing in intense scrutiny of the current operative systems at the individual, social, culture and political levels. Venus and Rahu joined the Sun in Gemini are bringing in much needed disruption, chaos and reevaluation of our relationships with the other.

Uttara Ashada (literally means the later victorious one) is ruled by the Sun. Sun is the part of us that sheds light and purifies the areas we are unwilling to see. Notice the tendency to feel frustrated with the disparities we observe in the world, in the inconsistencies of our relationships and the lack of our spiritual growth.

Ganesha, the elephant head deity is also related to Ketu. Ketu is the headless celestial body and Ganesha had his head cut off, to be replaced later with an elephant’s head. Ketu eclipsing the moon may bring up unaddressed past patterns, actions, karmas and relationships either in real life or in our dreams. There is also a high scrutiny of the unaddressed past which can be mind bogging. Invoking Ganesha, will bring in the potential to be an observer and a listener instead of reactor. Invoking Shiva, the Adi Guru, brings in light to see reality sans our filters and judgement.

While many predict gloom and doom, I am of the view that we are living in times that has high potential to raise our intellectual frequencies, our consciousness and our discernment. It is a great time to embark on the journey of truth as it pertains to self in relation to the world. It is a great time to reevaluate our beliefs and principles and really commit to pure teachings.

It is our responsibility to keep our vessel clean to receive the highest order of teachings from the Universe.

#gurupurnima #fullmoon #lunareclipse #adiyogi #shiva #ganesha

Solar Eclipse – July 2nd, 2019 – Mumbai Floods

A lot of us are already feeling the intensity of the #eclipsecycle. #Solareclipse, today, July 2nd, 2019 is in the #nakshatra (constellation) of #Arudra and the sign of #Gemini. Arudra is ruled by #Rudra, the fierce and wild #RigVedicDeity who is associated with #hunting, #roaring and deep #crying or #wailing in #sorrow of the destruction caused. Rudra also fathered #Maruta, the #stormdeities and is the only one who can control the destructive nature of the storms.



When intense planetary energies align in this nakshatra (right now #Rahu(#northnodeofMoon) #eclipsingSun ) many of us feel the #existentialRoar within us – some #primal in nature which feels like we are being #annihilated. Intense planetary energies in this nakshatra are also associated with #naturalcalamities such as #floods and #hurricanes. As I am writing this, MUMBAI IS PARALYZED BY FLOODS caused by heavy rains. Sept 11, 2001 was another destructive event when the twin towers were brought down with a roar.

On a personal level, notice the #innerbattles and storms especially as it pertains to #ideas and #philosophies (Gemini). There is a higher tendency to #egoistically pursue our own ideas without considering/at the expense of others. #Venus is joined this eclipse, bringing into focus the pressure of meeting everyone’s needs, egoistical needs as it pertains to ideas, interests and philosophies! When the #egoidentity is #threatened, it is easy to fear total annihilation because that’s where the mind goes. Notice the urge to scream out of frustration and anger or just wail and cry. The #beauty of this #cosmicconfiguration is that it creates the opportunity to let go of that which doesn’t serve us in the most primal way possible – so that we can free up our energy to create something new. In the midst of the inner storm (which might be reflected by an #externalstorm), when it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are required to #surrender instead of #escapeintobingewatching .

Rudra is also known as #Vaidhyanath (God of Medicine), the one who carries a pouch of #wildhealingherbs. His #tears form #Rudraksha (#Rudraseyes or from Rudra’s eyes), the bead with #healingpowers. It is also said that after the grand destruction of Rudra, when his tears hit the Earth, new life emerged. Rudra is also associated with #unknowndiseases and healing of unknown diseases. First American reports of AIDS in 1981, was when several planets including the Sun and Moon were #transiting the nakshatra of Arudra. Planets in this nakshatra bring in the potential for #otherworldly diseases and #therapies. If you are in research and development, expect otherworldly or #unimaginable #discoveries to take place. The same applies to #spiritualseekers.

For the #waveringMind, use #Pranayam (breathwork). Pranayam is focused #breath (wind/storm) that #vitalizes. Find avenues for #emotionalrelease – whether it is through intense muscle exertion or crying. Be willing to #sacrifice your ideas and identities that you cling to. Be in surrender, heal yourself and build #strengthtoRise