New Moon in Viśākhā
The Star of Determination
November 13th 4:27 am ET
At 26° of Libra
In the Nakṣatra of Viśākhā
Symbol: Triumphant Archway
Devata: Indragni (Indra and Agni) or Indrani (wife of Indra)
Shakti: Vyapana– Power to achieve many fruits in life
“The stars nodded,
the ocean agreed,
the flowers chorused,
“Bloom now—bloom free.”
—rise, again.”
— Tess Guinery.
Tonights New Moon falls between the bright stars of Viśākhā nakṣatra. This lunar asterism is symbolized by a triumphant archway and can motivate and inspire us to achieve the ‘unachievable’. If you have felt like the odds are mounting, and the obstacles we face are insurmountable lately, you are not alone. This is a powerful time to rise again, and re-unite ‘heaven’ and earth in our personal lives, as well as the world at large. Re-aligning with our north star in life is highlighted during this lunar cycle. Which will be felt the strongest until the next New Moon. What is the highest good you can bring to this world, and how you are going to do it?
The deities for Viśākhā are Indra, king of the gods, and Agni (fire, inner intelligence). Combined they create an Indomitable force. This is a powerful Nakṣatra for goal setting, and achieving your dreams. Indra and Agni were born to win at anything they put their mind to. Agni gives clear discrimination and Indra gives an unstoppable will, as Indra rises undefeated, against all odds. On a personal level, now is an opportune time to set clear goals and intentions for the coming year. This can be a wonderfully productive star for individuals. The lesson here is learning to achieve balance within ourselves, our will, and our wants, with the needs and wills of others.
In contrast, in connection to those that hold high positions of power and authority, it may be a time where much restraint is needed. Success at all costs can create a type of iron fist approach to ruling, or winning. Diplomacy should be easier to come by after Venus moves into Libra on November 29th, because Venus will have strength here after this day and represents harmony in all relationships.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the freezing dew of winters chill has arrived. We can use this time of year, to reflect, rest, and forgive with the energetic shedding of winters skin.
This lunar asterism covers 20° Libra-3’20° of Scorpio on the Zodiacal arc. The two bright yogatārās, marker stars for this asterism are commonly called Zubenelgenubi, Zubeneschamali. Note that many star names retain their Persian origin. Resting just above the Sun in this image at 21° and 25° of libra respectively.
Moon and Venus at Sunrise
The Sun dips deep into the southern sky now, as we walk among long winter shadows. We are now in the last phase of the waning half of the solar year with the winter solstice fast approaching on December 21st. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the marker point for the return of light in the Northern Hemisphere. For those celebrating Divali this week leading up to this New Moon, Divali is the festival of lights, during the darkest month of the year. A time to honor Shakti- the indestructible light of spirit in all creation(s), may it be so.
Something I like to point to while conducting star tours is that planets are the keepers of time. Our passing years are named, patterned, and perceived as linear time, but to what end? The measuring and mapping of calendrical cycles are all connected to a specific celestial pattern. It repeats, changes, and has no end. In Vedic Astrology, to know time is to attune ourselves to the larger reality, witnessing the passing of seasons is among the more obvious of influences. The rise and fall of stars is at first sight, masked in subtlety. To know them, and then to name them, wandering stars, planets, or Grahas (‘Graspers of light’), it is their essence that shines forth. So strongly do they color us, that even cultures born on different continents at different times could perceive their true essence in the same way. We can fix natures clock into our seven day weeks, lunar months, and years, we can name it BC, BCE, or the night stars were born. In all ways, our history, at some point dissolves again and again into the starry fields of eternity.
May this lunar cycle re-unite us with our true essence in the world above.
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