The New Moon occurs on February 4, 2019 at 16:04 EST in Shravana Nakshatra at 21Capricorn38 (sidereal Lahiri). The New Moon is an excellent time for setting intentions for the month ahead and cultivating the energy that is inherent in the seeds of a new lunar cycle. Shravana is a spiritual nakshatra that attunes us to our inner divinity. It has the energy of listening, learning, taking bold actions and gaining wealth through its primary motivation of artha. Shravana is ruled by Vishnu and has the Shakti Power “to connect diverse elements.” An intention for this lunation cycle may be to listen for ways to make connections in the area of life represented by the house the New Moon occurs in your chart. It may be to learn more about how your inner dialogue affects the external circumstance of that area of life. It can also be about listening to your intuition about taking bold actions or gaining wealth.
Shravana means “to hear” and its symbol is an ear. Shravana is connected to oral traditions of learning. The listening of this nakshatra takes place on several levels. On the outer level it is listening to others to help make connections to each other or to their path, and for connections along our own path. On the inner level it is listening to the indwelling God. The planetary ruler is Jupiter and we hear this in Sharavana’s attributes that include a love of learning, study, books, and seeking information, knowledge and wisdom. The bright star associated with Shravana is Altair in Aquilla the Eagle which sits above the ecliptic. Dabih in the horn of Capricorn is the star on the ecliptic below Altair. Since Altair is almost 2.5 magnitudes brighter than Dabih, Altair is used. Altair is a star of bold action and dogged determination. Mars’s exaltation in Capricorn echoes the meaning of Altair and gives courage and endurance. Saturn ruling Capricorn gives a quality of persevering toward goals and indicates the importance of taking action that result in stability and long-term sustainability. On the spiritual level, in Shravana we learn to have the courage and determination to negate that which is not conducive to our spiritual growth as well as put a meditative practice in place that will sustain our connection to our higher self, Atman, and the divinity that is within us and all around us. Since this lunation cycle culminates with the Full Moon in Magha Nakshatra, the connections maybe related to our family, heritage, or ancestral knowledge.
In the Vedic Trinity, Brahman is the creator, Vishnu the sustainer and Shiva the destroyer. The theme of sustainability is also seen through Vishnu as the ruling deity of Shravana. Vishnu is often depicted floating on the cosmic ocean with a crown on his head and four arms that hold his divine weapons: a chakra (discus), conch shell, club, and a lotus. His wife Lakshmi floats there as well at his feet. Lakshmi is the Goddess of Abundance which depicts in the primary motivation of artha or wealth of Shravana. This means wealth and abundance on many levels, not just money! It can be the wealth of having good friends, a wealth of knowledge, a wealth of happiness, the wealth of an abundant spiritual life – etc. As Vishnu sleeps on the cosmic float of the serpent Shesha Naga, he dreams the universe into being. As he watches what is being created, a lotus flower blooms in his naval which is the galactic center of the Universe. Brahman sits on this lotus that grows for a Brahman Year which is 4,320 of our years and then Vishnu stops dreaming and the lotus flower closes and collapses back into itself. Then he starts to dream again and the process repeats. Vishnu is also the Kala Purusha, the personification of time. Vishnu floating on the cosmic ocean represents the illusions of maya evident in the rough seas of the life and the mind and reminds us to see Truth behind the veil of matter through quieting the mind, listening to the cosmic OM in the silence, and finding harmony and balance.
This month, hold the dream of what you want to bring into being in your mind, listen to your inner guidance and signs from the universe that occur around you for the right timing to bring your dream into reality. Take some time each day to still the waves of the minds chatter. Sit in the silent space between thoughts and listen.