Amrita is obtained by churning the ocean with the great serpent Vāsuki, and as Vimalananda points out "celibacy gives access to amrita". The practice of austerity and celibacy can be likened to the churning of the cosmic ocean for the recovery of amṛta, the nectar of immortality. Jyeshta, located in Scorpio, is a gandānta and an important zodiacal passage that leads one toward immortality. The uneasiness produced by this churning is one reason Jyeshta is not a particularly we

Prahlada Maharaja is saved by Vishnu The Rishis are timeless beings who are responsible for the creation and ongoing activities of the universe. They assist the universe through the different yugas and guide mankind, and the gods and all beings. The rishis are knowledgeable in all sciences as they have integrated that knowledge directly from the spiritual voice of the Supreme. In the silence of their meditation they hear and receive that knowledge that they then pass down to

Virgo is the last stage of the jiva’s enmeshment in the physical world and makes one aware of their limitations as well as the possibility of liberation from them. It is also the feminine in its pure aspect (the maiden/virgin/prakriti) that has not yet received the active male potency of the purusha. The Virgo diagram has three vertical lines which can refer to the three gunas or the three stages of consciousness (dream, deep sleep, and waking consciousness) which can be tran

Pandora by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (Krittika Sun and Ascendant) Krittika is the nakshatra spanning 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus, ruled by the Sun and presided over by Agni, the Vedic god of fire. Its symbols are a blade, an axe & fire, that all have the power to remove or destroy what no longer belongs. Thus Krittika’s essential power lies in burning away impurity and revealing truth, a central theme for this star and those influenced by it. This purifying force reflects Krit

Krishna, the form of the Godhead who appeared under a Rohini Moon and ascendant, is the perfect embodiment of Rohini’s qualities. Among all divine incarnations, He is the sweetest and most enchanting. Even His name Krishna means “all-attractive” and Rohini is that all-attractiveness (out of all the wives of the Moon she is the most attractive, charming & the most beloved of the Moon). Most importantly, Krishna is the deity of bhakti. Vrajasundara Krishna can only be attained

Lord Rāma - Punarvasu moon Punarvasu is an important nakshatra when it comes to understanding dharma and remaining aligned with righteous action in the face of challenge. Her ruling deity is none other than the mother of the gods, Aditi, and her planetary ruler is benevolent Jupiter. Because this nakshatra is ruled by Mother Aditi, Punarvasu natives often feel an innate need to create something they can nurture like a child; this may be an actual child, but it can also be a b

Ghost Sally McKenna portrayed by Mula Sun native Sarah Paulson in AHS Hotel There is a reason why what is triggering and disturbing, what we try to avoid at all costs such as pain, suffering, and destruction relates to Mula nakshatra and its goddess, Nirriti. Mula, which resides in the first 13°20 degrees of sidereal Sagittarius means ‘roots’ and consequently rules the action of ‘uprooting’. Being uprooted means losing the foundations we once relied on to relate to the world

Raga and Dwesha (attachment and aversion) are shown by Venus and Mars respectively, and so these planets drive all human thought and...

The dasha cycle represents the stages of life, starting with Ketu and ending with Mercury, making Mercury the graha that represents the last stage of human life. Although this might seem paradoxical since Mercury is the child among the planets, it makes sense when we consider what happens in old age: we become dependent again, like children. Mercury carries the energies of innocence, curiosity, and excitement, which are key elements for sādhanā. In adulthood, there is a tende

Dhanistha, the exaltation point of Mars, is a true powerhouse of energy. This nakshatra shapes its natives into driven, passionate, and eccentric individuals whose magnetism stirs both obsession and fascination in the onlookers who are intuitively picking up on Dhanishta's energy. This is because she is ruled by the Vasus, elemental gods of the natural world and so Dhanishta governs physical objects: objects that draw attention & captivate the senses. Under her influence, n

Straight in direction be the paths, and thornless, whereon our fellows travel to the wooing of S ū ryā (daughter of the Sun) and Soma. Let Aryaman and Bhaga lead us to the perfect union of the wife and husband (RV 10.85.23) Pūrvaphālgunī moon native Gina Lollobrigida in "Solomon and Sheba" / Figs, symbol of fertility and abundance, carry the energy of Pūrvaphālgunī The beautiful star of Pūrvaphālgunī has risen to allow us to experience the pleasures of this world and the wor

Rahu’s obsessive nature & the trope of the mad genius Nikola Tesla - Ardra Sun, Venus & Mercury; Rahu in the ascendant Rahu is highly cerebral and tends to fixate and obsess over its desires. The archetype of the "mad genius" is especially evident in Rahu’s most outcast nakshatra, Ardra: the native under this star’s influence is compelled to detach from society just like its ruling deity Rudra, who was cast out by the other gods. When Rahu’s obsessive and isolating tendencies

Pūrvāṣāḍhā ascendant Catherine Deneuve in Peau d'Âne Ruled by Apah, the deity of cosmic waters, and located in Sagittarius, Pūrvāṣāḍhā is naturally expansive. Just as the unfathomable ocean, Pūrvāṣāḍhā likes to overcome limitations by submerging obstacles; it does not hold back and its expansive nature allows it to have a wider perspective on things. Sagittarius is naturally confrontational and challenging and Pūrvāṣāḍhā is a war nakshatra, which can make its nati

Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see, one chance out between two worlds, fire walk with me! The 8th house,...

Beauty is a characteristic of Venus – creating beauty, engaging with beauty and relishing beauty through any of the senses. Venus is like a glass which reflects and translates transcendental beauty into this world and allows us to experience it. However with the growth of modern feminist movements, Venusian qualities are being demonised and we are being fed this idea that to be free as women we must embody the more solar and martian qualities which are associated with masculi

Notes on this Vishakha archetype portrayed by Vishakha native Hamish Linklater. Spoiler alert . Vishakha native Hamish Linklater in "Midnight Mass" Brihaspati, ruler of Jupiter is literally a priest and Jupiter expands by sharing knowledge. Note that knowledge is that thing which multiplies when shared & Jupiter ruled Vishakha grows by splitting. ViSHAKha is the SHOCK that causes to split and grow. That splitting shows Vishakha natives’ tendency to split personalities, the