Diwali

Happy Diwali!

#Diwali is celebrated on the New Moon in sidereal Libra marking the end of Ashwin and beginning of Kartik month.

Cosmologically, Diwali is an important day; Sun is at its weakest in Libra and Moon is not far away from its debilitation on this #NewMoon in the year. Sun our inner fuel, power and our connection to the soul is the weakest on this day. Indians celebrate Diwali by lighting lamps in their homes and community dwellings. Lighting of the lamp, especially the oil lamp, is auspicious as it provides focus to the inner energies and supports the Sun in us. Sun is our association with power, control and authority – whether inner or outer. When the Sun is transiting through Libra, notice your dysfunctional association with power. The tendency to give away our own power to please or accommodate others is very high.

Many mythological stories are associated with Diwali. The one that is celebrate widely is the return of #Rama along with his wife #Sita, brother #Laxman and devotee #Hanuman to his kingdom #Ayodhya after 14 years in exile. Rama belonged to the Sun Dynasty and was an incarnation of #Vishnu whereas Sita was an incarnation of #Laxmi. On Diwali, Laxmi is invited into homes and worshipped, symbolizing Sita’s return back into her home. The myth is that the Chathurdashi preceding Diwali (eve of Diwali, also called as Naraka Chathurdashi) was so dark that the citizens of Ayodhya lit the roads leading upto and within Ayodhya with millions of lamps to enable Rama and his entourage to find their way back home.

Since, Sun is weakest in Libra, Rama (also an embodiment of the Sun) was humbled by the great Lanka King Ravana when Sita was abducted by Ravana. There have been several contemporary analyses of the Ramayana highlighting Rama’s weaknesses. (1) Outright humiliation of Shurpanaka by Rama, (2) Sita’s implicit urge to her husband to step up and rescue her when she was well versed in warrior craft, could have protected herself, and easily escaped with Hanuman, and (3) Rama’s inability to standup for Sita when the kingdom questioned her chastity upon return from Lanka. Contemporary mythologists also pour accolades on Ravana for his beyond superior intelligence. Hanuman, the son of wind God Vayu, was Rama’s accomplice on the mission to rescue Sita. Vayu also rules the constellation of Swati in which the New Moon of Diwali falls in.



Sun in the sky is very steady; it maintains the solar system with certain fixed laws of physics, the fixed and stable nature of the Sun essential for the steady functioning of the solar system that we inhabit. Rama like the Sun was fixed in his nature, bound by his duties, and unwavering. This was important to run a majestic kingdom like Ayodhya. These qualities of Rama (Sun) are exalted in Aries and supported very well in Leo because the Sun can reign its power while sitting on the throne. Libra is the marketplace where relationships, trade, barter, and transactions - all involving give and take are the norm. A marketplace is where power is dispersed in the hands of the traders and consumers. This weakens the Sun. Rama’s fixed nature towards his duties as a King caused him eventual separation with Sita and his children. Rama chose to be a king first. Also remember, when Prince Gautama visited the marketplace he could no longer be oblivious to the common man’s life and was compelled to abandon his majestic life to live like a monk.

Modern society is a marketplace making it difficult to reign #innerpower and follow a path of #dharma. Instead of being scattered in the marketplace like the monkeys, one can emulate Hanuman to reign inner power through breath (wind, #pranayam), cultivate deep undying #devotion and selfless #service for a cause bigger than our egos and irrational mind-chatter.

My wish for everyone this Diwali is to own their own power and be the change, walk a path of inner truth instead of people-pleasing, decondition instead of blindly conform, recognize abusive authority, develop a healthy relationship with oneself and authority figures, find deep love and devotion, and above all live as if your life makes a magnificent impact on this cosmos.

Love and Light,

Malini

P.S. To understand your relationship to power, service, authority, and purpose via Vedic Astrology DM me.

P.P.S: Laxmi murthy at my altar from murthy-wala Manoj Chalam

Navratri: The Inner Evolution of Form

Navratri began on September 29^th. It is a nine day festival worshiping the different forms of the Shakti culminating in Dussherra, the tenth day celebrating the victory of good over evil (both words good and evil used subjectively).

#Navratri starts on the first day (first tithi, pratipada) after the new moon in sidereal Virgo, in the month of Ashvin. New Moon in Hasta occurred on Sept 28^th, setting off an intense transformative energy that also celebrates the divine feminine.

The main Goddess of worship during Navratri is Durga. Through the nine days, the evolving forms of the Durga are worshiped, namely, Shailputri (day 1), Bramacharini (day 2), Chandraghanta (day 3), Khushmanda (day 4), Skandmata (day 5), Katyayani (day 6), Kalaratri (day 7), Mahagauri (day 8), and Siddhidhatri (day 9). 

Durga is first worshiped as Shailputri (Parvati),  the daughter of the mountain king, then as the tapsvini, Bramacharini, who practiced austerity to marry Shiva. She then takes the form of Chandraghanta to coax Shiva to take a socially acceptable form to marry her. She is then worshiped as the fertile and creative form (Khushmanda), as the mother of Lord Kartikeya (Skanda (Kartikeya) mata (mother)), as the fierce transformative force (Katyayani and Kalaratri), as the all empowered, resplendent woman (MahaGauri), and finally as the one who has attained and also the one who bestows the highest wisdom (Siddhidhatri). As the fetus evolves in the womb for nine months, so are the evolving forms of Durga from maiden, mother, to all empowering feminine, worshiped through the nine days.  Shakti is all pervasive, taking various physical forms like the mountains, rivers, ocean, the five elements, body, and others - yet she remains formless. She is takes tangible forms yet her essence lies in the intangible. 

I am writing about the forms of Durga worshiped this Navratri because it very relevant to the current affairs. Women of eastern cultures are allowed mostly to express their maiden and motherly natures; the maiden phase often expressed as weak, submissive, and 'nice' girl. Very seldom are they encouraged to embrace all their power, walk in the truth of their being, and shine their light brighter than the Sun. As I reflect upon the inner transformations of Parvati, as a young girl, to Siddhidhatri, I realize that not only women of the east but also women and men around the globe haven't given themselves permission to embrace their own authentic power.

The month prior to this Navratri brought the heat of Mars aspect on Jupiter in Scorpio, making us reevaluate teachers, teachings, principles, laws, organized thought processes, religions, and authority figures. The rise of authoritarianism globally has been the talk of town. During this Navratri, notice being put through the wringer to choose between personal power and authoritarian control. Mars now joined Sun and Venus in sidereal Virgo, and aspecting Saturn and Ketu in sidereal Sagittarius will highlight the themes of control and power. Notice the feelings of injustice or unfairness rise in you. Saturn is the part of us that seeks justice and equality for all, hence, it is highly perceptive of inequalities. Mars pushing Saturn to a boiling point with its one way aspect will push us to act on the inequalities, whether social or personal. Rahu transiting in sidereal Gemini directly opposite Saturn is also seeking pathways outside the existing norms with a strong intention of destroying the unjust norms. Venus in sidereal Virgo has a hard time being content in relationships and transactions (personal, social or business) that are not mutually beneficial. Sun joined Venus and Mars is highlighting the muck of the world that we are traversing through - yes it feels like walking through molasses.  Together as a global society, we are undergoing immense change which may also be apparent at a personal level. Rejection of authority figures and policies that do not serve us on a higher scale will be very common. 

What is required from each one of us is a high level of maturity in walking our paths with absolute authenticity like Maha Durga; instead of fighting for worldly power, reclaim the inner power and stay steady on our paths; fight for justice in a non-violent way; have a high personal standard of existence in the world; exercise great judgment and discretion without blindly following authorities; and be an active and not passive participant of life and the world.