October 16, 2018 at 2:41 pm EDT Neptune retrogresses into Shatabisha Nakshatra where it remains until the beginning of January. Neptune is a trans-personal or collective planet that represents illusions, dissolution, dreams, escapism, removal of boundaries, the dissolving of things or matters, nebulous unseen forces, spiritual mysteries, oceans, and the veil between the physical and spiritual world. Shatibisha is often known as a veiling star and Neptune is a veiling planet. There are many themes in common with Neptune and Shatibisha.
Neptune is a slow-moving planet that moves back and forth over an average of four degrees per year (direct, retrograde, and direct again over every degree of the zodiac, for a total of 3 times and sometimes 5 time when a particular zodiacal degree is hit by another retrograde and direct). These are the dates, where it has been in Shatabisha in the recent past: Early May – early June 2011. Then it dipped back into Dhanistha. It was in Shatabisha again from February 2012 – May 2017. Then it moved ahead into Purva Bhadrapada for a bit and then back into Shatabisha from July 2017 – March 2018. Then it entered Purva Bhadrapada again and is now moving back into Shatibisha for the last time from October 16, 2018 – Jan 2, 2019. Shatabisha is entirely in Aquarius. You may be able to connect the aforementioned themes of Neptune with these dates in regard to the house of Aquarius in your chart.
Shatabisha’s symbols are a circle and 100 healers, stars or flowers. The circle represents the void of space behind the veil or illusions of maya. It is ruled by Varuna the God of Cosmic Order who later became the God of Oceans. Oceans or the oceanic are connected to spirituality. Varuna is the divine healer pouring the waters of life and healing upon humanity from Aquarius. Fomalhaut, one of the four Royal Stars of Persia, the watcher in the south, that indicates musical ability and great spirituality is also associated with Shatibisha. With Neptune in Shatabisha we have been slowly unfolding our spirituality, seeing the illusions of maya peak through the veil, and working on healing ourselves and humanity for the past 6.5 years. This is Neptune’s last dip into the cosmic healing waters of Shatabisha (its orbit around the Sun is 165 years). What illusions do you have yet to dispel? What still needs healed in your life, body or mind? How will you use the next 2.5 months to deepen your spirituality? Shatabisha is also said to create an affinity for sky-watching. So, if you are unsure of your answers to these questions, gaze upon the night sky in meditation.
The Shakti Power available to Neptune in Shatabisha is the power of healing both on the personal level and collective level. With Neptune in Shatabisha since 2012, we have seen the veil come down around our illusions. So many things in the news that were previously veiled have come out. Things that are astonishing and hard to believe for the sheer volume of them and because some of them we had no clue were even still going on. Well we know now. Now we are awake to what has been going on. Collective issues previously shrouded are no longer peeking through the veil, they are tearing down the veil forcing us to see. It has become obvious that some great spiritual healing is needed for humanity. How can we each be a conduit for the cosmic healing waters? How do we dissolve the illusions of the boundaries that exist between us as egoic individuals and realize we are one humanity? These are the collective questions for Neptune’s final dip into Shatabisha.
October 17, 2018 at 9:15 am EDT Sun enters Sidereal (Lahiri) Libra until November 16th. Where it joins Venus and casts its glance upon Uranus in Sidereal Aries the entire time and joins Mercury until October 26th. Uranus is a planet of change and awakenings. The Sun is the natural indicator of Atman, Jiva or Soul. With the Sun and Uranus mutually glancing at each other the conditions are ripe for awakening to Dharma or our soul’s purpose. Dharma is more than just this purpose we have. Dharma is right action. The Sun also is who we are and who we are becoming as we experience personal growth. Thus, the Sun represents choices because we are the sum of our choices in life. So this is also about awakening to the right choices and making changes where we realize we have made wrong ones in the past.
Venus is the planet of love, beauty, desires of the senses. The Sun with Venus reminds us that self-love is important. It is a good time to treat yourself to something that makes you feel beautiful. It is also important this month to make others feel beautiful. The Sun gives warmth, light and radiates outward from the heart. Venus is also about relationships. Give to those you love. It doesn’t have to be a material object. It can be a word, a hug, or anything meaningful that shows how much you appreciate someone for who they are, and express the gratitude you feel for them in your life. The communication option is especially important while Mercury is also with the Sun and Venus.
October 19, 2018 at 6:38 am EDT Mercury enters Vishaka Nakshatra for ten days. Vishaka’s symbol is a decorated gateway and its stars are Zuben Elgenubi & Zuben Eschmali. As planets pass through this area of the sky, they often pass between these two stars to symbolize passing through a gateway. The gateway is not only about external discovery and achievement; here we also cross the threshold to the deeper spiritual dimensions within ourselves.
The ruling deity of Vishaka is Indragni – a combination of Indra and Agni. Indra is the God of the Natural Elements, king of the Gods and associated with lightening. Agni is the God of Fire invoked in fire rituals in the Rig Veda to carry the messages to the heavens. Vishaka is often referred to as a star of purpose. It is a dharmic nakshatra with the Shakti Power to achieve many goals. This is one of Jupiter’s Nakshatras. If we aligned our message correctly while Mercury was in Swati for the last nine days, we should now see the abundance that was created. If we embarked on a new path while Mercury was in Swati and if we continue to align our outer purpose with our inner purpose and do our Dharma under Vishaka, we should be blessed with the power to achieve our goals.
The efforts of Mercury reaching their threshold and passing through a gateway are not only about external achievements related to communications and commerce; Mercury is also crossing under the archway to the deeper spiritual dimensions within ourselves. Vishaka is the nakshatra that bridges Libra and Scorpio, taking us through the scales of balance and into the transformative depths of Scorpio. Another symbol for Vishaka is a potter’s wheel which represents transformation as well because the malleable clay is shaped by the potter’s hands. Vishaka is a star of purpose. Mercury in Vishaka encourages us to guide the intellect within to seek a deeper spiritual dimension for communications and commercial enterprises.
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