Category Archives: New Moon

Divine Mother Blessings

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The New Moon of September 24, 2014 began the glorious Vedic festival of Maha Navratri, the nine nights and ten days of Mother Divine. In Hindu and yogic culture, Maha Navratri is a deeply sacred time for fasting, prayer and spiritual ceremonies (pujas). Though there are five different Navratris celebrated throughout the year, this one, known as Ashvin or Sharad Navratri, is considered the most important.

The rishis of ancient India created special holy days like this in keeping with the seasonal cycles of our planet in its course around the Sun. During these times, the earth and all its inhabitants undergo subtle magnetic shifts. It is said that the Divine Mother (Devi Maa) comes down and walks among us during Navratri, and we propitiate Her to help us cleanse, heal and empower body-mind-spirit. So, look for Her everywhere in the coming ten days. Another name for Divine Mother is “Amba,” which means “power.” She will shower her devotees with much grace during this period.

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Jupiter Return (and the United States Kelleher Chart)

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The United States just had its 20th Jupiter Return on August 6, 2013! This astrological transit occurs every 12 years when Jupiter returns to its natal place in a horoscope. Western astrology determines the exact moment of a Jupiter Return and casts a chart for the “birth” of this event. Please keep in mind that I am not referring to the seasonal tropical “zodiac” system used by most western astrologers; instead I am referring to the sidereal zodiac of the stars used in traditional Vedic astrology. As in this case, I often apply certain techniques in use by western tropical astrology to the sidereal zodiac chart. The Jupiter Return chart can give a snapshot of the next 12 years relative to Jupiter’s developmental effects. What might some of these effects be?

Well, Jupiter is the lord of dharma per Vedic astrology, so is a very important planet in regard to the harmonious functioning of our world, as seen through an individual chart or the chart of a nation or group (mundane charts). The Jupiter Return chart can track how values and beliefs are shifting, and will show something about educational, spiritual, financial and social progress. It will reveal the measure of positive energy we have to work with in the coming 12 years, as well as where and how to access it. In a mundane chart, it will help us gain a deeper perspective on societal transformation, including economic, cultural, spiritual or religious trends as they evolve through each 12-year cycle.

To my knowledge, Jupiter Return as a transit technique for individual charts has not been mentioned in the conventional popular texts of Vedic astrology. However, the yearly passage of Jupiter into a new sign is used in mundane astrology forecasting through the panchanga. One Jovian year is called a samvatsara and there are 60 all total, so the full cycle repeats every 60 years. Each one has a unique essence and a particular name.

I asked a learned Vedic astrologer friend and colleague about the Jupiter Return as a transit technique. His name is Ashutosh Indoria from Rajasthan, India. He agreed with me that this is not mentioned in the Vedic astrology classics, but that it is a topic of vernacular writing in India. He also discussed with me that it is referred to in religious literature and also is used in timing certain Hindu rites of passage.

For instance, the janeyu sanskar (sacred thread ceremony) performed for boys is completed near the first Jupiter return. The second Jupiter Return traditionally marks the ending of brahmcharya and beginning of grihasth ashram, the married life. The fifth Jupiter Return coincides with the second Saturn Return around age 60 and is commemorated with a spiritual ceremony called shasti poorthi. This age marks the movement into the second half of life, typically considered to be a more spiritually oriented half.

In addition, in a similar vein, the Kumbha Mela, a large religious festival in India, is based around mundane Jupiter Returns known as ingresses, which mark the entry of transiting Jupiter into a new rashi (constellation). They are as follows:

1. Haridwar Kumbha – when Jupiter enters Aquarius (Kumbha Rashi). This is the actual Kumbha.

2. Allahabad Kumbh – When Jupiter enters Taurus (Vrishabha).

3. Nasik Kumbh – When Jupiter enters Leo (Simha).

4. Ujjain Kumbh – When Jupiter enters Scorpio (Vrishchika).

Regarding the use of Jupiter Return as a dynamic technique, I agree with my friend Ashutosh’s astute statement that “Astrology is a constant study and each observation by each astrologer, whether in past, present or future, is as important as any other. In today’s fast-changing world, we nouveau age astrologers have to continue our observations and studies to benefit the next generation of astrologers.” Simply put, as neo-Vedic astrologers, we use what works.

We analyze the Jupiter Return chart for individuals as well as for nations and groups. In regard to the latter, I am analyzing the United States Jupiter Return here. I use the James Kelleher birth chart for the United States and here am using whole-sign charts (rashi chakras) in wheel format based on Lahiri Ayanamsha, i.e., in the sidereal zodiac which I use exclusively. Below, I have posted dual wheels for the previous Jupiter Return on August 26, 2001, and the current one that began last week on August 6, 2013.

The last Jupiter Return chart occurred two weeks before 9/11. It helped set the stage for the tragic game-changing event of 9/11 as well as the post-9/11 “decade.” Actually, my friend Ashutosh and I discussed calling this 12-year period a “dodecade” or “dwadashak” instead of a decade. A “dodeka” means 2 + 10 (Greek). Similarly, in Sanskrit, “dwadash” means 2 + 10 (“dwa” is two and “dasham” is 10). A decade is called “dashak” in Sanskrit, so a 12-year period is a “dwadashak.”

Ashutosh told me this fascinating side story about the dwadashak: “There are some yogis whom I have met who measure their life in dwadashak only. They consider one Jupiter return as the completion of one year. This helps them in slowing down their metabolism, meditating and in prolonged tapasya. As a result, the longevity is also increased.” I especially liked hearing this idea because it means I am not quite five years old yet!

In the 2001 Jupiter return chart, Jupiter and Rahu are in the sixth house and Mars-Ketu are in the 12th. The 6th and 12th houses are called dusthana and/or trik houses in Vedic astrology. They indicate the realm of suffering as well as balancing of karma and learning through “hard knocks.” In this mundane chart, the 6/12 axis and the celestial bodies placed here reflect hidden subversive and criminal actions by the fundamentalist Islamic terrorists who attacked the US on 9/11. This chart is especially difficult due to the malefic aspects on Jupiter itself, which occupies the taxing 6th house of enmity, struggle, catastrophe and war. The economic crisis of the last dodecade is indicated by this 6/12 affliction as well as other factors in this chart, including the Sun-Mercury conjunction in the 8th house of debt and tumult, and Uranus and Neptune (upheaval) flanking the ascendant in Capricorn (sign of material affairs).

The 2013 Jupiter Return has Aries Rising, indicating new beginnings. The chart seems to indicate a much more optimistic forecast for the economy than the last Jupiter Return chart, and matches up with some positive elements in the US Kelleher natal chart. For instance, the fortunate 5th house of the natal chart is brought to this ascendant which reflects some bhagya (good fortune). There are several very positive combinations including Guru Mangala Yoga in the 3rd house, which is also a Raja Yoga; and a New Moon Raja Yoga in Cancer in the 4th house.

The exact full aspect of 9th house Pluto (in Sagittarius) opposite Jupiter reflects continuing political, ideological and religious unrest. This opposition also may indicate much needed transformation in our country’s leadership, and possibly significant changes in the higher educational system and some kind of necessary modification to college affordability and the mounting student loan debt crisis. The Guru Mangala Yoga in the 3rd house is quite auspicious for raising the mental attitude of the people (but hopefully not raising the people to a dangerous fevered pitch), and for bringing innovation to the transportation and communication industries; this also gives a focus on the armed forces, wars, emigration, and foreign trade.

The placement of the Sun, (New) Moon and Mercury in Cancer 4th house denotes a focus on home, family and agriculture. I also sense the possibility of a new wave of patriotism which may rock this country to the core. There may be a rise in sales of home security systems and devices, and the real estate industry looks promising. At the same time, we may have to create innovative solutions to a shelter crisis which may impact not only the homeless but also renters in middle income and aging populations.

There are serious environmental issues showing up too, first in the New Moon in Ashlesha nakshatra (poison) in the 4th house (agriculture, homeland); and second, with Ketu, the Moon’s South Node (significator of toxins) in the all-important 1st house. We are already seeing the reflection of this in the battle against agribusiness giant Monsanto. There is also mounting concern over Japan’s ongoing Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

The post 9/11 dodecade (dwadashak) has ended and a new dodecade has begun with this new Jupiter Return chart. We can be hopeful in that the 2013 chart is a much more fortunate chart than the 2001 chart was. Sure, with Ketu in Aries in the 1st house; Jupiter conjoined Mars in the 3rd house; Rahu conjoined Saturn in the 7th house (foreign affairs, relations with other countries, wars and international disputes); the series of tension aspects (squares) between Uranus and Pluto continuing through 2015; and the fact that the US Kelleher chart will be moving into the 8th house Rahu dasha in 2015 (more upheaval and transformation), it is clear that the current wave of protests, revolutionary uprisings and military conflicts will continue to sweep the world and affect the United States. The reality of war is not going away any time soon. By some reports, another big threat will be wars fought on a new kind of battlefield, with different kinds of weapons, that is, in the emerging underground world of cyber-warfare (a possible reflection of Mars and Jupiter in the 3rd house in Gemini opposite Pluto).

Ketu in the 1st house and the Rahu-Saturn conjunction in the 7th house may be “wild cards,” a term borrowed from astrologer James Braha for something of an unpredictable nature. Looking deeper, however, the Rising nakshatra is Ashwini, sign of healing and light. Ketu, the moksha karaka (indicator of enlightenment) is at home here with the Ashwini lagna, because it is ruler of Ashwini nakshatra. Overall, this chart gives hope for the future as it points to the reality of more and more people awakening to a higher spiritual truth, which will tend to create greater harmony and balance in the world. SFPage


Happy (Vedic) Lunar New Year!

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In the Vedic tradition of astrology, there are many different calendars and systems of reckoning time (kaala chakra). One of the most commonly used methods to determine the New Year is based on the astro-chart for the New Moon in Pisces, which occurs this year on April 10, 2013 at 5:35:17 AM, Washington, DC. This new year is called Vijaya Samvatsara (Year of Victory), repeating a 60-year cycle from the last Vijaya year in 1953. Vijaya is considered a favorable year on the whole.

So how does this new lunar year look through my astrological lens? The very short answer is that it appears overall to be a year of many challenges as well as triumphs. As reflected in the USA Vedic New Year chart in particular, it could be a somewhat remarkable year especially for the global economy.

Questions about world affairs and events come under the branch of astrology known as “Mundane Astrology” or “Mundane Horoscopy,” which analyzes collective karma shared in common via groups of people. As in all branches of astrology, and perhaps even more so with Mundane Horoscopy, professional astrologers are bound by a code of standards and ethics not to make extreme fear-inducing statements about pending turmoil or disaster. Not only is it considered ethically irresponsible to make such pronouncements, it is also not realistic.

What I mean by “not realistic” is that the future is not yet fully determined. What is coming depends to some extent on our thoughts and actions now, and also, let’s face it—the unfolding of karma remains an inexplicable mystery to a great extent. Besides, a lot of what transpires in the future depends on how we choose to interpret events. The ethical standards and guidelines of ACVA (American College of Vedic Astrology) are very clear on these matters: “Astrological variables can manifest in differing events of similar meaning… [and]… astrology cannot predict with absolute certainty the outcome of future astronomical events.”

At the same time, astrologers can certainly project cycles and trends, and in 2013 there are a few significant ones worth mentioning. Here are some highlights of the lunar new year chart set for Washington, DC:

  1. Neptune is not traditionally used in Vedic astrology, but as a Neo-Vedic astrologer I use it according to specific rules. For instance, Neptune becomes very significant when it occupies an angle of the chart, which it is here. In the first house, Neptune is said to “turn things upside down.” If afflicted, there are any number of potentially horrific indications I could discuss. However, Neptune in Aquarius is not badly afflicted, as it is disposited by its traditional ruler, Saturn, which is in the harmonious 9th house in a trine to Neptune and the first house from its exalted sign. I like to think this is an indication of advancing spirituality, cooperation and brotherly love in our societal consciousness. However, Saturn is transiting in a conjunction with the Moon’s North Node Rahu for the next year or so, and this can reflect some economic inflation; political instability; subversive/secret movements; socialistic enterprise; problems with the aviation industry; and perhaps some added focus on the war on drugs, crime, and ongoing fraud and deceptions by the FDA/Monsanto/Big Pharma, the oil and gas industry and our government in general.
  2. Sidereal Aquarius Rising in the USA chart further reflects a focus on socialistic political movements and revolutions; humanitarianism; spirituality; scientific and technological breakthroughs; and corporate reorganization.
  3. The large stellium in the 2nd house brings a focus on the economy. The Moon, Sun, Mercury, Mars, Uranus and Venus in the 2nd house in Pisces are inconjunct Saturn and Rahu (6/8 aspect) and indicate fluctuations in financial markets; loss through fraud; and possibly some kind of bank failure. There could also be a financial panic, possibly around the three upcoming eclipses in April-May and again around the eclipses next fall (October 18 lunar eclipse and November 3, solar eclipse), though this is difficult to say exactly when and if this will even occur as financial markets are not my specialty, and I have noticed, even for financial astrologers difficult to predict. I am hoping the sextile of the Pisces planets to Jupiter in Taurus/4th house will avert any such calamity. It does look like large military expenditures will be necessary. Uranus in particular reflects unexpected gains and losses; general uneasiness; a possible crash/correction of the stock market; and on the whole, the unpredictable nature of the economy this year. The second house also relates to food supplies so there seems to be some important focus here as well. Pisces as the 12th sign (the last, indicating endings) in the 2nd house signifies some karmic closure related to economic trends of the past. I assume this can also relate to the huge changes ahead in mandated health care insurance and also the big revisions that will be ongoing for our tax codes.
  4. South Node Ketu in the 3rd house could point to potential for strong earthquakes as well as a transportation disaster and a significant change in the travel industry.
  5. Jupiter in the 4th house can be promising for real estate investing, but because it is 6/8 with Saturn this may not be 100% true (for example, the real estate market has been struggling with reduced sale inventory, rising prices, and a lengthy and complicated financing process for non-cash buyers). This 6/8 also indicates potential for earthquakes. This inharmonious aspect between the two weightiest planets of dharma (Jupiter) and karma (Saturn) will end on May 31, when Jupiter transits out of Taurus into Gemini and trines Saturn.
  6. Saturn and Rahu in the 9th house/8th from the Pisces stellium point to a strong possibility that this will be yet another year of transformation; some ongoing economic uncertainty; possibly a military showdown; some kind of disease epidemic; as well as troubles with flooding, ships and the shipping industry, the Navy, and aviation industry. Probably we will hear of the retirement or death of a notable high-ranking official or officials in the US government (especially in the judiciary); and also we may experience some commotion in a religious organization or even the death of an important religious leader. The latter could relate to the recent changes in the Catholic Church that continue to rock the world.
  7. In April and May we will have three eclipses, one lunar eclipse on April 25; a solar eclipse on May 9; and another lunar eclipse on May 25. The astrological aspects in these eclipse charts look somewhat “bearish” for the stock market, and there is a dominant and troubling signature for violence, conflict and/or war that is hard to ignore especially in late April and even into the summer months (Ketu conjoined Mars and Mercury opposite Saturn conjoined Rahu in the solar eclipse chart). The essence of what these eclipse charts seem to point to can resonate for months preceding (that means now) and also for months following the actual eclipse events. So, for all of us, more prayer and more light, please! With the lunar nodes transiting in Aries and Libra for the next year, this means the eclipses will occur on this axis which symbolizes the eternal battle between dark and light; the individual versus the collective/self versus other; and war versus peace/conflict versus diplomacy.

I want to share several links to some interesting 2013 astrological forecasts posted on the Web by some of my most respected colleagues and friends, who offer these to the public without charge. It is a great service they provide, and I am personally grateful. You will see they offer some similar and some different perspectives from my own:

January 11, 2013 New Moon

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The New Moon chart occurs on January 11, 2013 at 2:44 PM ET in the USA  and is set for the capital at Washington DC. The chart has Taurus rising, the sign in mundane astrology that relates to trade and business, food production, the automobile industry, banks, loans, investments and the earning capacity of a nation. Therefore, these things come into focus as part of the combined karma of the nation. The rising sign also occurs in Mrigashira nakshatra which has to do with auspicious beginnings and new experiences, quite fitting for what we would like to collectively invoke with the first new moon of 2013.

This new moon occurs in the expansive sidereal constellation of Sagittarius, a sign of enthusiasm, wisdom, faith and intuition. Per Vedic astrology, the Sun and Moon are vargottama, in the best position per their placement in the same sign in the harmonic 9th (navamsha). They occupy the nakshatra known as Uttara Ashadha in the most auspicious Pushkara navamsha. According to astrologer Vic DiCara in his brilliant new nakshatra book 27 Stars, 27 Gods, Uttara Ashadha “empowers human beings to give ‘110%’ to their tasks, drawing all available power and pouring it into each of their endeavors.” Now, how’s that for a kick in the pants! This lunation, no matter how challenging, also brings forth some really positive energy.

The lunation occurs in a stellium (a gathering of several planets and luminaries) in the eighth house, and can be analyzed according to one of my old favorites, Raphael’s Mundane Astrology:

  • The eighth house has special reference to death, mortality, and all matters to do therewith. It also governs the Privy Council [which in the USA today might relate to the executive branch of the government]. The Lunation falling in this house is important, depending upon the houses ruled by the luminaries and the planetary aspects thereto. When evilly aspected, it denotes deaths in high circles and amongst notable people, especially females. [In this chart, there are some ‘evil’ aspects including Saturn’s aspect to the 8th house from the 6th, as well as a 6/8 inconjunct with the ascendant and the dispositor of the 8th house stellium Jupiter].
  • The Sun in the eighth house denotes deaths among important people…royalty, nobility, and the upper ten [the latter refers to higher classes and leaders].
  • The Moon in the eighth house shows much mortality among common people, especially women, and, if much afflicted, panics, resulting in many deaths.
  • Mercury in the eighth house, afflicted, denotes deaths in literary and publishing circles, and among children and young people. It shows activity and changes in the Privy Council.
  • Venus in the eighth house denotes gains to the Exchequer through death duties, but if afflicted, will cause many deaths among females, artistic and musical people, and notable ladies of the land. Care should be taken to observe the house ruled over by Venus [in this case Venus rules the first and sixth houses which have to do with overall well-being of the nation as well as debt and employment, health and safety matters]. 
  • I would add that Pluto here just further intensifies the activities of this stellium and also refers to some heavy-duty transformative event or events which may or may not involve actual “death.”
  • Both the third decante of Sagittarius and the third decante of Taurus (where the USA lunation ascendant and the actual lunation occur) are associated with “pestilence,” per Raphael’s Mundane Astrology, and of course now there are concerns about a flu epidemic.

There are a few more interesting combinations in the new moon chart:

  • Jupiter, the dispositor of the Sagittarius stellium, is exchanging places with Venus. That is, Venus is in Jupiter’s sign of Sagittarius, and Jupiter is in Venus- ruled Taurus. In Western astrology, this is known as mutual reception, and in Vedic astrology it is Parivartana Yoga. This combination is unusual in that both the involved planets are also rulers of dusthana houses (houses 3, 6, 8 or 12, i.e., Jupiter rules the eighth and Venus, the sixth) so that then, this becomes a combination for potential misery (Dainya Yoga). When the two planets involved in a mutual reception are both rulers of dusthana houses, this can also become a variation of a Vipreet Raja Yoga (VRY). In this case, Jupiter rules the eighth house, and Venus rules the sixth. The VRY is said to “destroy difficulties,” though in this case, Mercury, the Sun, and Moon are also considered to be somewhat harmed, and this can indicate some scary challenges ahead for our national health, or matters related to national security, health care and overall economic conditions.
  • There is a Yod or Finger of Fate configuration in this chart that is also important as it involves the first house—the most important house of the chart that represents a microcosm of the whole chart—and the eighth house, which is the most challenging house of the chart that deals with potentially devastating energies. A Yod is formed when two planets are in a sextile (60-degree) aspect while both are also in a 6/8 (inconjunct or quincunx) to a third planet or astronomical point, forming a large “Y” across the chart. In this case, the all-important Sun and Moon conjunction is in a sextile with Rahu, the Moon’s North Node and one of the astrological hands of destiny. Note that Rahu happens to be located in the sixth house of illness, conflict, work and enmity. Both the luminaries (Sun and Moon) and Rahu are in a 6/8 with the ascendant of the chart, the most important power point of all. This can indicate an unforeseen turn of destiny and the collapse of non-productive and ineffective systems and attitudes that block necessary growth.

Sagittarius is the sign that symbolizes the solar side of the second Svadisthana Chakra, the second sacral spinal energy center that has to do with our creativity and well-being. The New Moon in Sagittarius triggers this chakra in all of us at this time. This is the power center where we gain and lose our vitality. This chakra transmits our physical well-being and sense of deservedness. Here is also where we know our limits and establish good boundaries. A great affirmation to support us through this new moon cycle and in the coming weeks is, “I love my body and trust its wisdom while flowing ever-freely with the tides of grace.” Blessings all!

New Moon December 13, 2012 (Posted December 10, 2012)

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We are moving into the Kali (Darkening) Moon, also known as the Balsamic Moon phase, about three and a half days before the Super New Moon which will occur on Thursday this coming week, December 13 at 3:42 AM. The New Moon will be a “Super” Moon because it will be at perigee, closest to the Earth than is customary. The Super Moon cycle is associated with intensified emotions as well as tides, storm and seismic activity.

On the New Moon day, the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury and the North Node Rahu will all be located in the sidereal constellation of Scorpio. The chart cast for the New Moon has an additional emphasis on Scorpio, in that the majority of the grahas are in fixed and water constellations, signifying the fixed water signature of Scorpio.The Balsamic Moon is a time for resting and healing. The Scorpio alignment is about connecting with the deepest, darkest mysteries of life. Scorpio is also emblematic of the battle between light and dark within us, which is further experienced as turmoil out in the world.

In the New Moon chart, the Sun and Moon are in one of the most challenging sections of the zodiac known as the nakshatra gandanta, the last pada (3 degrees and 20 minutes) of Scorpio, which signifies a karmic knot that must be confronted and resolved. This may signify  emotional and physical turmoil and intensity affecting many people in the coming weeks, as well as potential for some difficult events in the world, and some extreme turning points.

On a personal level, the astral energies at play now can assist us to go deeply and quietly within, to examine what we fear the most, let go, and cultivate more joy, love, forgiveness and peace. This pending alignment also fits with a similar theme of the current waning cycle of the Sun. As we move toward the darkest day of the year on December 21 (Winter Solstice-N. Hemisphere), it is natural to turn within and be more reflective.

The main caution here is about the fixed energy of the New Moon chart. Oriented toward achievement, the fixed constellations are associated with ambition, will power, purpose, depth and determination. Perhaps we can accomplish a great deal, but at what price? The conflict arises if we push too hard and forget to rest and listen to our higher guidance. Remember, the waning Moon is fast losing its light, and this can make us more tired or emotionally sensitive and vulnerable than usual.

When not flowing harmoniously, the Scorpio fixed signature can be dogmatic, fundamentalist, rigid, stubborn, and narrow-minded. With this emphasis, we can have a tendency to feel stuck, tight and heavy unless we consciously stay flexible in body and mind. It helps to focus on spirit, move our bodies, keep with a positive message, enjoy nature, and most importantly, soften our hearts and laugh a lot.

There is one more big event this week that I wanted to mention. Uranus, the planet in astrology that symbolizes insight, revolution, technology, higher mind, inspiration and innovation, is stationing and moving direct on December 14, after having been retrograde since July. When Uranus is retrograde, the world may seem less stable than is typical. As it goes direct, there may be somewhat less uncertainty associated with it, though on an individual level, such matters would depend on how it affects each particular natal chart.Uranus is transiting in sidereal Pisces and thus in a benefic trine to the Scorpio New Moon. Here it can reveal intuitive flashes of insight, mystical awakenings, shocking secrets being revealed, shifting stalemates, and remarkable scientific discoveries…overall, some forward movement or even a change in direction in all matters Uranian (possibly including civil unrest in the Middle East).Love and light!
Juliana