Full Moon in Satabhisa

The Nakshatra which contains the full Moon provides the impetus of growth that stimulates the entire moon cycle from wax to wan. The Nakshatra of this full moon is Satabhisa according to the Vedic tradition.

When discussing the nakshatra which are the regions of space occupied by the fixed stars, (they only move 1 degree of arc in 72 years), it is useful to look to the stars themselves. In ancient times celestial lights were counted on for navigation through deserts, mountains and oceans, great trust was put into them thus the term "fixed" gave adventures, explorers, conquerors, traders and merchants a sense of sure footing when strike out.

Star Gienah in Cygnus: The Swan's Wing

Perhaps it is useful to talk first about the conjunction of this coming full Moon to the fixed star Gienah in the constellation of Cygnus, the Swan. Gienah, a word originating from the Arabic, Al Jonah, meaning the Wing, is at the tip of the left wing of Cygnus in Aquarius.

The swan was put into the heavens as a homage to the form that Zeus took in his chase to seduce Leda, queen of Sparta and all the drama that precipitated this action. He caught up to her and after depositing his seed, Leda soon after slept with her husband Tyndareus and the result was children from both men being born from her womb. This sets a tone of deception both from Zeus's adultery against his wife Hera and Leda keeping secret her liaison with Zeus from her husband.

Most of these deceptive strategies will be aimed at maintaining a sense of order and structure and those who strive for change will likely be duped into aligning their force behind a cause that will not follow through on its commitments. This nakshatra being ruled by Rahu, and presided over by Varuna, a deity whose name means, "Binds the ocean" and "He who covers", is similar to the sky covering the earth implicating that much of the power of Satabhisa comes from that which is hidden in nature.

In today's world the secrecy and smoke screens are most likely to be seen in the media and how news is crafted. Even though there will be some facts slipped in, the message is propaganda from one side or the other, those who truly hold the reins of power remain in the shadows. Con-men and women will abound at this time so take a little extra precaution.

100 Healers, 100 Medicines

From the hidden aspects of the world also come the miraculous. All the medicinal herbs of the world were seen as being held in the oceans along with their secret formulations which reaches their pinnacle in Amrita, the panacea of all ills and even death that Varuna holds in a pot.

One of the names for Satabhisa is "100 physicians and 100 medicines". The power of this nakshatra is to give healing and the result is a world freed from calamity. Setting out water and other objects under this full Moon can activate these properties.

Surely when we are healed as individuals our entire circle of influence is benefited and a number of healed individuals grouping together creates a force that can overcome the calamities that will befall us if we succumb to the darker potentials of this lunar mansion.

This healing is not limited to the physical body and the emotional, energetic, mental and spiritual levels are all available for healing at this time, particularly dealing with the shadow and unconscious forces. The more subtle levels are implicated by another symbolism operating here, Rahu and the Black Sun.

Rahu and the Black Sun

Despite the desecration from the Nazis to the symbols of the swastika and black sun, their ancient roots can not be altered and they remain powerful images that contain a multitude of knowledge and wisdom. The Black Sun is the eclipse and the eclipse is Rahu.

Rahu and Ketu are the north and south nodes of the Moon and these are the points where the eclipse of the Sun and Moon occur. Symbolically the eclipse is the dark night of the soul, the dissolution of the ego and limited self that is necessary to go through in order gain greater energy, awareness and insight.

It is in the crossing, with the requirement of going beyond our previously held fixed notions, comfort zones and concrete rationalism, extending out in a sense of faith of something greater that we renew ourselves and our world, rediscovering the familiar as novelty.

The Empty Circle: Symbol of Wholeness

The symbol for Satabhisa is the empty circle and that is exactly what we see in a full eclipse of the Sun. Without seeing the deeper meaning we can use this energy for some of the darkest and most destructive purposes and this moon cycle will bring out depressions, loneliness and apathy, but in essence it is the doorway to gathering light and the shadow into one place and perceiving within ourselves a fleeting moment of wholeness and peace.

If you have been wanting to protect something, contain things by making a boundary, a protection circle, this moon cycle will give opportunities. As Rahu is known as the Dragon's Head, all self-centered pursuits, self-indulgences, obsessions, compulsions and self-gratifications can either by magnified and blow our lives up or we can allow the part of ourselves clinging on to behaviors and objects to go through the dissolution process, a type of death that produces new life, invigorating and fresh.

Pada 1: Optimistic Philanthropy

The full Moon falls in the first Pada of this nakshatra and this will lend a more optimistic and philanthropic light to some of the darker scenes with a tendency to become overly-enthusiastic with beliefs, causes and faith. On a lighter note there can be some enjoyment of swimming and places associated with water; particularly lakes, ponds and oceans.

Healing Through Destruction

Over all, this moon cycle has great potentials in healing but also equally great potential in destruction and deceit. If we can use the destructive energy to eliminate the corrosive factors limiting our enjoyment and fulfillment of our lives and the people around us it will naturally cause a healing of its own.

This will likely be a challenging time for relationships and partnerships should be on guard so as not to allow break downs and deceptions that could undermine the strength of bonding ties. Joining in activities that are unified in healing, beliefs, purpose and faith can advance partnerships during this time.

Vargas: The 16 Facets of Experience

Vargas are created by dividing a sign into different parts. The amount of parts that a sign is divided into carries a particular symbolic value and represents a unique aspect of life. There are 16 vargas that have been given prominence in jyotish literature. Each varga is like a facet of a jewel through which we see the variability of experience. The full Moon in all 16 vargas is given below and will augment the influence coming from the nakshatra.