October 24, 2018 at 2:02 am EDT Sun enters Swati Nakshatra for 13 days. The Sun is the natural karaka (significator or indicator) for Atman; the divine source within. It represents vitality and creativity. In Swati Nakshatra the Sun’s creativity is aroused through the arts, literature and music. Saraswati, the Goddess of Arts & Learning is associated with this Nakshatra. Swati has attributes of curiosity and an eagerness to learn. The main star of Swati is Arcturus, the Pathfinder & Guardian of Learning. While the Sun is in Swati, it is a good time to engage in learning new and creative ways to express your True Divine Self as you venture on the path of Dharma. Swati is ruled by Vayu, the Wind God and Hanuman’s father. Vayu is intelligence; he illuminates the earth and heaven and makes the dawn shine. Vayu also is a bringer of medicine. Thus the Sun in Swati is good for tuning into your body to bring increased vitality, and tuning into your mind to clear away negative thought patterns that get in your way or hold you back. Swati’s Shakti Power is transformation, movement and to scatter like the wind. During the next two weeks, visualize negativity scattering like the wind in your body, mind, emotions and external world and illuminating the Truth in your Heart.
Full Moon October 24, 2018 at 12:45 pm EDT in the sidereal Aries and Ashwini Nakshatra within one degree of Uranus. The Full Moon marks the culmination of this lunation cycle that began with the New Moon in Hasta Nakshatra. Ashwini is ruled by the Ashwin Kumars whom are twin horse deities known as the Celestial Physicians. Ashwini has the Shakti Power of prana (breath/chi), miracle cures and to reach things quickly. The stars associated with Ashwini are in the head of Aries: El Sharatan & Hamal. Its symbol is a horse head. It is Rajasic on the primary, secondary and tertiary levels – the guna associated with action, movement and change. It is a light and swift nakshatra known as the star of transport. Its aim of life is Dharma, or right purpose. While Aries is an animal sign and Ashwini’s symbol is an animal, it is important to note that the head of both animals are indicated. The instinctual animal action occurs at the seat of mental energy that can be directed through the intellect and conscious thought to mobilize our Dharma. Uranus is also in Ashwini within one degree of the Full Moon to amplify the power to reach things quickly, create change, and awaken to Dharma.
With these two Nakshatras, Hasta and Ashwini, being the seeds and culmination of the lunation cycle the spiritual energy of this month is to create and serve in a way that puts on our true dharmic path.
October 25, 2018 at 8:54 pm EDT Mars enters Dhanistha Nakshatra for 3 weeks. Mars, the planet of courage, passion, fire, battles, action, and energy enters the Nakshatra ruled by the 8 Vasus – the personification of cosmic energy. Dhanistha’s symbol is a drum and has associations with Shiva as Cosmic Dancer. Another symbol is the bamboo-cane flue of Krishna. Either way, devotees are attracted to the music and the dance, renounce self-consciousness and personal or social considerations, and so the soul becomes hollow like the drum or flute in order to emerge with the Supreme and become one with the Flame. Dhanistha also has connections to the vital sheaths of the auric body or human personality and the planets that reverberate within them. It is about the great silence beneath the noise of manifestation and how sound allows us to perceive the Cosmic Void at the root of manifestation where silence resounds the real nature of things.
With Mars in Dhanistha, it is time to ignite the passion that moves us toward the drumming or flute that calls us to our Dharma. The courage to go into the silence and fight the internal battle against the self-centered ego and its attachments to the outcomes of our actions is a good use of this energy. There may even be an outer trial or suffering that has an internal correspondence. Mars in Dhanistha gives us the courage to allow our soul to express itself directly by throwing off self-consciousness and allowing ourselves to move to the beat of our own drum while tuning into the stillness between beats. Its Shakti Power is abundance and fame through group associations.
October 26, 2018 at 10:15 am EDT Venus conjoins Sun. This is the inferior conjunction of Venus between Earth & Sun that marks the beginning of a new cycle of Venus for 19 months until her next inferior conjunction. The seeds of the cycle are sewn in Swati Nakshatra which is related to the arts, learning, movement and transformation. The star Arcturus, the Pathfinder is associated with this Nakshatra. The Sun rules the heart the organ that pumps our life’s blood and Venus rules the heart chakra. Today as Venus is in the heart of the Sun and closest to Earth, take a moment to just be and focus on your heart’s desire. Ask yourself what makes my heart sing and brings me joy in life? What gifts do I have and how can I share them with the world? What creative impulse is calling me? Set your intention for the next year and a half around your creative desires, gifts, and to make time in your schedule for the things that bring you happiness and joy.
October 26, 2018 at 11:14 am EDT Mercury enters Sidereal (Lahiri) Scorpio where it joins Jupiter. The Nakshatra that bridges Libra and Scorpio is Vishaka. Mercury has been in the Libra portion of Vishaka since October 19th. Mercury has passed through the scales of balance and now enters the transformative depths of Scorpio where he joins Jupiter. The conjunction of Mercury and Jupiter is helpful for electional astrology because you can get the signs ruled by Mercury and Jupiter on all 4 angles of the horoscope. If you elect a time where Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces are rising, it enables you, indicated by the Ascendant ruler (either Mercury or Jupiter) to come together with the object of desire in the 4th, 7th, or 10th house (the ruler of which will also be either Mercury or Jupiter). Simply place the elected time so that if you are Mercury (ASC in Gemini or Virgo) the house you are electing for is ruled by Jupiter. Or if you are Jupiter (ASC in Sagittarius or Pisces) the house you are electing for is ruled by Mercury. This way you, the ASC ruler, literally come-together with (by conjunction) the ruler of another angular house. You want their conjunction to be applying or partile to indicate their coming together; not separating from a conjunction that already occurred. Mercury applies to conjunction with Jupiter until October 29th at 7:00 AM when the aspect perfects (same degree & minute). Their aspect remains partile (same degree) until 12:30 PM.
For more about Mercury in Vishaka see my Planet Shifts blog covering October 16 – 23, 2018 http://julenelouis.com/2018/10/05/planet-shifts-october-16-23-2018/
October 27, 2018 at 12:41 pm EDT Jupiter enters Anuradha Nakshatra for two months. Jupiter is Guru, teacher, and Brihaspati, Priest of the Gods. Jupiter is also associated with travel, expansion, the higher conceptual or philosophical mind, and Dharma. Anuradha brings out the more spiritual aspects of Jupiter. Anuradha translates to “the disciple of the divine spark” and its Shakti Power is devotion, reverence, honor and right relationship. This is devotion to others in relationships, devotion to goals, and devotion to God. Anuradha is organized, focused and goal oriented as indicated by Saturn’s rulership and is often referred to as the Star of Success.
Mitra, God of Friendship, rules Anuradha. Mitra is an early solar deity (Aditya) representing the morning light. Together with Varuna, they uphold the Law of Cosmic Order as the guardians of the world who sit in a gold chariot and behold infinity. Mitra is associated the morning light that uncovers what Varuna conceals by night. Jupiter in Anuradha should shine a metaphorical light on your Dharmic path while in Anuradha if you approach him with devotion, reverence and honor. These two months can also be used to deepen relationships at the spiritual level, and to expand your spiritual path through Bhakti (devotion to God/Goddess).
October 29, 2018 at 6:38 am EDT Mercury enters Anuradha Nakshatra for twelve days. Mercury the planet of communications, connections, commerce, exchanges and the intellect enters goal oriented Anuradha and taps into the Shakti Power of devotion, reverence, honor and right relationship. Jupiter entered Anuradha 2 days ago to expand our spirituality. Now with Mercury here as well, we may be inclined to engage in more intellectual exchanges about these topics. We may want to add mantra or voice to our prayers or Bhakti. There is an interesting dynamic with Mercury and Jupiter that comes from a story. Jupiter as Brihaspati was married to Tara. Brihaspati was always busy performing austerities and rituals for the Gods. One day while he was away, the Moon seduced Tara and nourished her with the knowledge she sought but could not get from her husband. She ran off with him. The Gods got involved and bade Tara to return to Brihaspati. She did, but she was pregnant with the Moon’s child. This child was Buddhi or Mercury. Turns out Mercury was so intelligent and charming that Jupiter decided to foster him. If we direct our intellect to something with devotion, reverence and honor while Mercury is in Anuradha, then Jupiter also in Anuradha should bring us expanded awareness.
October 30, 2018 at 7:12 am EDT Venus retrogresses into Chitra Nakshatra for one month and three days. Chitra reflects the world of maya and delusion and is a very spiritual nakshatra. It gives sudden flashes of insight and spiritual depth. Chitra is ruled by Vishvakarma, aka Tvashtar, and is the Celestial Architect, creator of the gods, the universe, protector of all living creatures, and the god of craftsmen. The star Spica or Chitra, located in the wheat shaft in the Virgin’s hand, symbolizes bounty, the harvest and gifts to mankind. Chitra is a star of opportunity that gives the Shakti Power of form, variety, abundance and righteousness.
Venus went direct through Chitra from August 25 until September 10, 2018 and entered Swati where it stationed retrograde. Venus is going back and forth between these two Nakshatras. Swati is a star of the arts, and of the Pathfinder with the Shakti Power of transformation, movement and to scatter like the wind. Venus a planet associated with the senses, arts, beauty, charisma, and love. If you started out on a project or creation while Venus was first in Chitra, the retrogression back to Chitra is allowing opportunity to tweak the creation.