The year long transit of Jupiter in its sign of exaltation, Cancer, is ending on July 14th. However, like most major transits of this kind, it actually begins weeks in advance. As Jupiter nears the edge of Cancer, becoming sandhi the first week of July, the transitions and changes start. Pay close attention at this time to themes that connect to Leo, the 5th house and the Sun. Simultaneously any final lessons and understandings from the Jupiter in Cancer transit will be intensifying. This is a time of crystalization, where the final offerings of the Cancer cycle are being shared with us. Read more about Jupiter's transit through Cancer.

Interestingly, Cancer is ruled by the Moon and directly connects to the mother, home, grounding and the emotional body. Leo is ruled by the Sun and correlates to the father, our sense of power, the ego and the solar plexus. There is a divine integration being shared with us, as the planet of wisdom, Jupiter, moves from the sign of "the mother" to the sign representing "the father". Be aware of stories, patterns and threads of insight that emerge as Jupiter changes signs. What parental wounds can be transformed and healed through wisdom and deeper understanding?

Jupiter: The Planet of Wisdom

As Jupiter arrives into Leo on July 14th, a new cycle begins for our inner guru. Jupiter is the planet of wisdom and in Sanskrit referred to as, guru, the teacher. The expansion and deepening heart wisdom of the previous cycle is replaced by an expansion and growth with our power. The balancing effect of Jupiter giving his gaze to Saturn in Scorpio ends, but Saturn continues to share his contractive, focused energy to Jupiter. The tables turn and Saturn's effects will be felt in a more intensified way in the coming months. We will feel these effects on our sense of power and our ability to shine and be seen. What is holding you back from standing in your power? Challenges and obstructions are Saturn's way of helping us transform and change. What are your challenges teaching you?

Jupiter provides expansion, growth, wisdom, knowledge and is considered the most benefic planet of the nine because he mostly gives positive results. Sometimes his results may not seem positive at the outset, but often he provides a silver lining or some protection ultimately in the long run. I like to think of Jupiter as a provider- the planet who offers us support and some sense of ultimate comfort because he gives us awareness and expanded thought. Awareness and personal expansion are powerful tools if used properly. His satva (purity) is a sustaining force that brings happiness, grace and peace with him.

In Jyotish, we see the Sun as the maha (great) soul of all, but Jupiter is actually considered the support to the soul. He is our guru (teacher) and guide, the adviser who gives us knowledge and wisdom, growth and expansion, and connects us to our dharma (purpose). He removes darkness, ignorance, and aligns us with the higher realms, the positive tendencies of the mind and emotions. He connects us to the divine intelligence which is all pervasive. The extent to which we can perceive this divine existence directly speaks to our relationship with the guru, Jupiter. If Jupiter is able to share his balance in the jyotish chart, then he brings harmony. If he imbalanced we see laziness and lethargy, missed opportunities for life and living, or a lack of nourishment and support in life.

It takes Jupiter one year generally to transit through each of the signs of the zodiac. He is heavy and Kapha in nature (the elements of earth and water) and thus slow to move. He will be transiting through Leo until August 11th 2016, at which point he moves to Virgo.

Jupiter and the Sun Converge: Soul Expansion

The planet of wisdom and expansion (Jupiter) will be transiting Leo, a sign ruled by the Sun and intimately connected to our inner light. The Sun, or Surya in Sanskrit, is responsible for giving light and energy so that all things can grow and prosper. Too much light, however, and the Sun burns and scorches. He reminds us that too much of a good thing can also be harmful. Sun represents resources and the things we need to survive. As the Sun brings light, it shows us truth, satya, while offering clarity, focus and removal of darkness.

In Jyotish, the Sun represents father and masculine energy. His attributes are like the king and he shares rank and position, power and authority, as well as respect and ruler-ship. The Sun will give us our dharma, the proper path to follow for our enlightenment. Traditionally, the father is supposed to help guide the child on their path of dharma. It is the father who is responsible for instilling self-esteem and inner strength in us. Sun also represents the soul, our spiritual body, and will show us our relationship to spirituality in this life. Essentially, the Sun is the light of the soul. It is the light within us that guides our lives. The soul is what insures there is life; if the soul is not happy, the body grows sick and dies. On a psycho-spiritual level, the Sun in an expression of our spiritual body, the house of the soul. By extension, there is a connection to the physical body and the well-being of our physical structure.

Our sense of self, ahamkara, is also represented by the Sun. On a mundane, human level, the ego is also represented by the Sun. The ego is our shadowed self, the part of ourselves that identifies with the material, transitory, changing reality of life. Having a healthy relationship with the ego, the sense of self, is vital for being a well-rounded human being. This must be a conscious practice- one that is invited into our human experience, while not negating the interplay of our spirit and ego. Deepening our relationship with the Sun and studying its expression in our jyotish chart can help us awaken to our karmas around power. There is a necessity to understand the dance between the spiritual and human dynamics at play within the Jyotish chart.

The Sun is the most consistent planet and it sets the pace of time through rising and setting daily. As a result we experience days, seasons and bio-rhythms. In fact, life itself is structured around the Sun as a light source. He is the rhythm of nature and thus represented through the rhythm of music and dance.

Leo and Fifth House Matters

Leo, or Simha, in Sanskrit is symbolized by a lion and connected to the fifth house in the jyotish chart. The qualities expressed by this sign are likened to its ruler, the Sun, and being seen in big, bold ways. Goddess Durga is often depicted riding a lion or tiger and is connected to strength, health, power and overcoming challenges. Her power is an invitation to strengthen ourselves during this cycle. Other themes arrive around leadership, dominance, authority and power. Leos often have to work with ego issues, their relationship with authority and power, as well as father issues and ancestral issues. The important body parts connected to Leo and the fifth house are stomach and abdomen, the seat of the solar plexus, our power center.

The fifth house is directly connected to our power and passionate- just like the energy of a Leo. It is also the house of children, creativity and creative life force energy, and the potency of procreation. Romance and lovers are also strong as a result of this energy. Since the stomach, or upper gut, is intimately associated with our instincts, this house combines with intelligence and intellect or buddhi, as well as the intuition. By extension, education and learning are fifth house mattersas well as intelligence we gain through life experience- which can sometimes be formal, but not necessarily.

As Jupiter moves through the sign of Leo, many of these themes connected to power, creativity, romance, passion and being seen, will expand for us. Look for deepening awareness, wisdom and visibility with these areas of life as a result of this transit. The personal effects of this transit will be determined by your own Jyotish chart and how well Jupiter is able to express himself in your chart. Now is an ideal time to prepare for the upcoming transit with extra guidance and support, as well as having a Jupiter yagya for a smoother transition.

Need some extra guidance and clarity? Schedule a jyotish astrology coaching session with me.

Shadowed Power

Jupiter speeds through Leo in just over six months. As Jupiter nears the edge of Leo, he retrogrades, on January 7th. Jupiter is retrograde until May 9th, 2016. Multiple planets will also be joining him in retrograde during this lengthy backwards dance. No doubt this cycle will bring a powerful opportunity for self-development and self awareness. Retrograde planets act like the nodes, Rahu and Ketu, and invite us to work with our shadows very intentionally.

As Rahu and Ketu move into Leo and Aquarius on January 29th, 2016, a conjunction of Jupiter's purity collides with Rahu's shadow and confusion. Rahu has an intense appetite for worldly gains, has strong desires and won't take no for an answer. Jupiter's nature is one of gentle strength, expanding wisdom and pure intentions. Their energies oppose and negate each other. Wherever Jupiter is in one's jyotish chart, he enhances and supports the other grahas (planets) and the house where he is placed. He is after all a strong support and ally. Rahu, however, will ruin Jupiter’s satvic (pure) nature and destroys that which Jupiter values most. Jupiter may be able to soften Rahu, but Rahu’s nature taints Jupiter’s benefic, spiritual qualities.

With Saturn giving his gaze to Leo from his position in Scorpio, he gives his pressure to Jupiter and now Rahu in Leo as well. We get increased pressure, stress and tension with all matters of Leo as a result. The collision of Saturn and Rahu's energy in this powerful and dynamic sign will bring increased strength and potential, while simultaneously offering intensified storms and power issues.

This will be a time to temper one's worldly cravings, as they will likely be stronger and more excessive. We may notice an intense strength increase within us, while we also struggle with our sense of power and identity simultaneously. There may be extra challenges with authority figures, our fathers and those in support roles as a result. If we are in these roles, we may experience challenges and obstructions with regard to sharing our power, strength and passion- depending on the placement of these planets in one's natal chart.

Self identity and self awareness will be very prominent themes for this Jupiter in Leo cycle. Finding increased growth, wisdom and nourishment for the ego will be a part of the transit as well. Children, relationships and romance will be important factors at play, as well as creativity and passion. However, the personal effects of this transit will be determine by your own Jyotish chart and how well Jupiter is able to express himself in your chart. The placement of the Sun, your 5th house and other factors in your natal chart will also play a role in the outcome of this year long cycle.

Read Part 2 of Jupiter in Leo. What will be the personal effects on your sign?

Now is an ideal time to prepare for the upcoming transit with extra jyotish astrology guidance and support, as well as having a Jupiter yagya for a smoother transition.

Need some extra guidance and clarity? Schedule a Jyotish Astrology coaching session with me.

Guru Purnima: The Fullest Full Moon of the Year

On July 11th, the Moon moves to the 15th tithi at 10:03 am CDT, which is the final phase of the waxing cycle. It is ripe and full of the Sun's light and ready to shine brightly in the night sky. This marks the beginning of the Guru Purnima festivities and provides us with an especially full and powerful Moon.

Considered the "fullest full Moon of the year", Guru Purnima is a particularly auspicious time in the Vedic calendar when we honor our gurus, teachers and guides for all the wisdom and illumination they have brought to our paths. The fullness can be felt in heart, in spirit, in our emotions and minds, as our cup is the fullest of the year right now and expressed through the power of the Moon!

I wish each of you a powerful and sacred Guru Purnima. May your paths continue to be illuminated by fulfillment, great wisdom, and by satya, truth.

This auspicious full Moon is in Sagittarius and PurvaAshada nakshatra at 06:24 am CDT. It's a full Moon poised for change and charged with movement, flow and momentum. With Apas ruling this powerful Guru Purnima Moon, so much energy and excitement is palpable and at our disposal. Be sure to use this Moon intentionally and sacredly.

What lights you up, sparks you, and inspires the passion of your spirit? What fills your vessel and illuminates your soul? This is the time to dive deep within and harvest your precious pearls; your knowing. It is a time of giving thanks and gratitude for the wisdom in your life that has smoothed you over like water does to stone; like our gurus do for our paths.

Apas is purifying us and guiding us with this full Moon. She is both harsh and severe, while also being gentle and soothing. She clears, cleans and purifies and does so through the heart and emotions. Let tears flow. Whether in joy or sadness or both. Let them wash your heart lotus and clean each petal. Create moments for being present to what is, to the silence and stillness that fills our sacred spaces within and all around us. Use this as your theme for the coming waning cycle: let the water smooth your rough edges, like water does to stone.

I encourage you to do a mandala creative ritual for harvesting your mind, emotions and physical experiences. Here is my Creative Ritual suggestion for Guru Purnima.

And just as the full Moon expands, it begins to wane again, losing its light, drop by drop. As Moon begins to wane, Rahu and Ketu are poised for their shift into Virgo and Pisces for the next 18 months. Read all the details here.

Just after Rahu and Ketu shift, Mars moves to Libra and Venus moves into Gemini. This is an unusually intense series of back to back planetary shifts. I give you more details about these intense times in my Moon Mind calendar.

Need some extra guidance and clarity for this coming year? Schedule a session with me.

*Full Moon Chart

Horoscopes:

*Horoscopes are based on your Vedic rising sign. You can also check your Moon and Sun signs for further insight. Do the same with your Navamsa signs for further clarity. Do not use these horoscopes with your “Western Sign” as there is likely no correlation. These horoscopes are meant to be used as a broad overview of the current transits and obviously do not address the specifics of an individual’s unique chart.

Aries: Changes start. And they come from the heart. The channel of illumination begins to open and offers awareness when you take sacred alone time- a theme for the coming 18 months. Self care and healing also become top priorities. Relationships, enemies and bad habits continue to be a primary focus for your energies right now. It will take courage to change some of the old patterns and coping mechanisms you've been clinging to, but this next Rahu Ketu cycle is ready to kick you into high gear. Ready, set, go.

Taurus: Suddenly you are making some sense out of your relationship patterns. Who you relate to and why. Looking behind the mirror in other words. You'll be using these insights plenty in the coming 18 months as you restructure your relationships- or as they restructure you. Right now, watch for bad habits and enemies that make their way into your body and environment. Watch what and who you ingest, as well as how you ingest them. Clean up toxicity. Be courageous with your heart and seek answers.

Gemini: Get creative! This is a potent moment in time for you. The portals are open- wide open- and ushering in a new state of being for you. Career, home, and new opportunities are coming forth. But you must be willing to change everything- dramatically and drastically. Fears are coming to you around comforts, and your old behavior patterns are keeping you stuck. Notice where you are clinging. How desperate are you to live this one, precious life? Let go of everything you've been relying on and take a leap in a new direction.

Cancer: Your heart will be lurching forward in the next two months. Are you opening? Or closing? Inviting in? Or Pushing away? As you fiddle with the gear shift a bit and find a new neutral flow, it's the dance between your mind and emotions that begins to help you find your farfigneugen. There's some new comfort in how you trust your self and your learning process. It feels good, so be courageous, creative, and persevere. Work with "yes and no" dynamics authentically in your relationships. This is a great time to consciously navigate healthy boundaries.

Leo: It might feel like no traction is being made in the coming weeks. You don't know how to act, where or when to take action, or what it should look like. Courage is a bit uneven, kinda sloppy. Work with this friction between stop and start very consciously. Take it into your creative work and use this theme intentionally. There's ample creativity in your current frustrations, so use it for power and awareness not laziness. This is not a time to force outcomes though. It is a time to learn more artful and tactful ways of surrender; to sync with a new type of flow and find a new rhythm. Silence the old default patterns. Seek new answers, rhythms and foot steps and you will reap a whole new kind of result. Let your dancer out of the closet.

Virgo: You are realizing what it feels like to put all your efforts, attention and focus on your self and that when you do, you gain much focus, clarity and creativity as a result. Let this be a theme for the coming 18 months. Though relationships may crumble into pieces, let go and cling only to the flow of surrender. For now, it's ok to focus on your career and finances; this will keep you on track for a while towards your goals and out of any emotional landmines. Just realize that there will be ample clean up to attend to in the coming months with heart and emotions. There's no avoiding it.

Libra: Life may be feeling excruciating right now as Saturn retrogrades deeply back into your first house (your head). It's as though you are climbing deeper and deeper into the belly of the beast. (That's you. You're the beast.) As this intensity builds and climaxes near the 20th, look for parts of your self that are gripping, holding tightly, and refusing to budge. Things will begin to ease as Saturn goes direct and the wheels move in forward motion, but until then, consider this to be a very sacred time of vital deconstruction. Right now, listen more and speak less. This will be a theme for the coming 18 months of increased solitude.

Scorpio: Saturn is working his magic on you right now. You're in the belly of the beast so to speak as he pushes you further and further into your 12th house of isolation. Further and further backwards, more and more inward you go, as you retrace old steps and familiar inner realms. But there are some remarkable shifts happening as you step back into the darkness of your cave. A new sense of courage and thriving surfaces in the coming months because of all your hard work. It's you that has changed, so track your progress and reap the rewards. There's more where that came from.

Sagittarius: Your career is getting a lot of your focus right now and will be a source of both growth and confusion in the coming 18 months. Navigate these murky waters with ingenuity and an entrepreneurial spirit. Gain new knowledge and skills and you will get more benefits. If you keep going about things with the same old patterns, you will flail. Wherever you are resisting change, you will experience issues, so look for the rubs and the sores for guidance. Pay attention to heart and home. Listen to teachers and get advice. You are changing and so are your relationships. Get clear on who and what you want in your life. Let go of what isn't working.

Capricorn: Relationships continue to offer some real learning curves. Some of it is soft, some is hard. Some feels supportive, some of it feels harsh and painful. There are relationship tangles and snarls happening right now- especially at work. It's a time to both radically listen to your needs and navigate how to show up authentically within your relationships simultaneously. Your gut will give some good advice so listen up. In the next 18 months you'll be changing what you offer, how you offer it, who you offer it to and why. Surround your self with all that you want to become and learn through osmosis.

Aquarius: Teachers seem to be coming out of the woodwork. Everywhere you turn another lesson from yet another relationship. And if you're really paying attention, then you are learning a lot about your self in the process. Get ready to take depth to a whole new level. The next 18 months offer ample excavation of your depths, while helping you cut old, unnecessary patterns and behaviors. Hint: What you thought felt comfortable in the past will become no longer comfortable nor helpful. Maybe it's time to take another look at your discomfort and find a new sense of comfort with it?

Pisces: Just when you thought you couldn't climb deeper into your old, dark hole, you find another level of it. You are also in the "belly of the beast" right now. Moksha is working its magic on you. But before the sparkle and shine occurs, you've still got to clear out more debris, rubble and residue. Just a few more steps to go! For now, find meaning, comfort and support in people, environments and experiences that feel trustworthy and solid. Find a life boat and climb on board- even if you have to build it your self.

Need some extra guidance and clarity for this coming year? Schedule a session with me.

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This is one powerful week! As the Moon is waxing and ripening into fullness on the 11th, with it comes Guru Purnima, the most auspicious full Moon in the Vedic Calendar. Just after this Rahu and Ketu change signs and Mars moves to Libra- signaled by an exact conjunction of Rahu and Mars as they cross each other. As if that's not enough, Venus moves to Gemini as all the heat is happening. Energy is hot, extreme and full of momentum this week. Be careful this week and into the next but enjoy the sudden changes coming.

Need some extra guidance and clarity? Schedule a session with me.

Monday, July 7th

Moon transits Libra, sandwiched in between a sandhi Rahu and a retrograde debilitated Saturn while in Swati nakshatra. Moon nears conjunction with Saturn throughout the day and moves to Vishaka nakshatra at 16:18 CDT. Moon and Saturn are in exact degrees at 21:10 CDT and then Saturn crosses and begins to separate with Saturn into the late evening. Be gentle with the emotions today. Whenever Moon and Saturn connect, grief and tears are likely. Attend to your needs around, sadness, loss and disappointments.

Monday starts off with momentum, movement and change as Moon is in Swati and Vayu, the wind god and Rahu enliven the winds of change in and around us. Use this momentum as strength- to build and create what you are working towards. Feeling the shifts yet? Possibility is on the rise.

As Moon moves into Vishaka later in the day, a different essence enlivens as Indragni and Jupiter take over. Focus on support, alliances, team building and gaining allies for your projects and ideas. Teamwork  and laying a solid foundation with support is a great use of time and effort.

Venus moves from Rohini into Mrigashirsha nakshatra at 21:02 CDT, heightening the movement at play with the planets this week. The symbol of Mrigashirsha is the deer which exemplifies the fickle nature of this lunar star. Mars is the ruling planet here, but Soma is the deity (personification of the Moon). How can change and sudden movement be nourishing for us? What changes need to be made in the coming weeks with regard to your relationships, creativity, passion and desires in order to bring more harmony, fluidity and joy into your life? Take action steps towards change but focus your attention and intention on being flexible and fluid. Go with the flow, but direct the flow simultaneously.

Tuesday, July 8th

Moon transits Vishaka nakshatra, enlivening Indragni and Jupiter and moves from Libra into Scorpio at 10:03 am CDT. Moon is debilitated in Scorpio which heightens sensitivity, receptivity and intuition. Always pay attention to your emotions during Scorpio Moon days. Moon receives gaze from Jupiter and Venus in this position which can add a boon to our experiences. Seek expansion through creativity, flow, wisdom, ideas and possibilities. Relate, create, share, teach, advise, but listen closely to the subtle messages arriving within you. These are potent tools of guidance.

Moon moves to Anuradha nakshatra at 15:52 CDT which connects our attention to details, friendships and blossoming awareness. Be mindful of the critic as well, since overly detailed (self) analysis is often experienced here. Befriend your critic and let Mitra and this friendly star remind you of both the micro and the macro lens that you are looking through. It's a great skill to see detail and it's also important to zoom out and see the big picture as well. Give your self credit for both of these skills and where they show up for you. This is another example of the open/close dynamic of the heart lotus, or heart center. Work with this theme of opening and closing more directly with my Jupiter/Ribcase mp3.

Wednesday, July 9th

Rahu and Ketu near the edge of Libra and Aries, both poised for change. We've been feeling the effects of them being sandhi (in the gap) for weeks now, but the portal is opening wider now. As planets near the junction point of change into a new sign, I see this as an open door. A planet is not fully in either sign, but dancing in the gap between two worlds. In this case, Rahu has opened the door to Virgo already and Ketu has opened the door into Pisces already. Likely you've been feeling the effects of this already as new possibilities, options and actions are bursting forth. Read more about sandhi planets and how they effect us.

Moon continues in Anuradha nakshatra today, inviting in Mitra and Saturn's ways. Mitra is known for building friendships and alliances, while also having extremely impeccable attention to detail. Saturn's debilitation right now can make this fine detail turn inward and create excessive scrutiny upon ourselves- ie the critic. Make sure you are working with this, not against it. How can you zoom out and catch a bigger picture today?

Moon moves to Jyeshta nakshatra at 14:38 CDT and the mental body kicks into gear. This can be good for finances, creativity and communication as well as goal setting and making plans. Just don't let the intensity push the mental body into overdrive. Indra steps into our day with Jyeshta and offers us his strength and guidance through wisdom. With gaze on the Moon from Jupiter and Venus, we may experience depth and understandings and a greater capacity for flow and harmony. Are you listening to the messages? Don't push or force. It is vital that you create space for the emotional body to share its needs as well. Get informed about this vital resource and make sure you aren't cutting and pasting over them.

Thursday, July 10th

Mars nears the edge of Virgo as Rahu edges towards the end of Libra. The momentum pre-collision builds!

First day of my full Moon + Birthday Swati Jr Jewelry Trunk Show. Are you joining me?

Moon continues through Jyeshta nakshatra and finishes its transit through Scorpio until 12:43 CDT when it switches into Leo and Mula nakshatra. Mula is ruled by Nirrti and Ketu. Expect this nakshatra to usher in some changes, a switching of gears and some level of uprooting as the symbol here is a bundle of roots and Nirrti is aligned with adharma (against dharma). Great insights however can be available to us as well, so seek the digging and go beneath the surface. That said, prepare for sudden shifts today and trust that this is making room for all the newness ahead! This message is amplified as Moon receives drishti (gaze) from a debilitated Saturn, a sandhi Mars and a very sandhi Ketu. Caution is recommended today- through the rest of the week.

There's still time to join me at Bayou Bliss in Houston on Saturday for my full Moon workshop.

Friday, July 11th

The Moon moves to the 15th tithi at 10:03 am CDT, which is the final phase of the waxing cycle. It is ripe and full of the Sun's light and ready to shine brightly in the night sky. This marks the beginning of the Guru Purnima festivities and provides us with an especially full and powerful Moon. Considered the "fullest full Moon of the year", Guru Purnima is a particularly auspicious time in the Vedic calendar when we honor our gurus, teachers and guides for all the wisdom and illumination they have brought to our paths. The fullness can be felt in heart, in spirit, in our emotions and minds, as our cup is the fullest of the year right now and expressed through the power of the Moon! I wish each of you a powerful and sacred Guru Purnima. May your paths continue to be illuminated by fulfillment, great wisdom, and by satya, truth.

There's still time to join me at Bayou Bliss in Houston on Saturday for my full Moon workshop.

Just after the 15th tithi begins, Moon moves into PurvaAshada nakshatra at 10:16 am CDT. Ruled by the water goddess, Apas, and the planet Venus, this nakshatra brings with it clearing and cleaning, purifying and clarity. The symbol, being a tusk of an elephant, wisdom and Lord Ganesha are associated with PurvaAshada as well. There is sensitivity here, while also offering the ability to be fierce and severe. Think about water and what it can do for both clarity and purification and the sensitization process, as well as the way it can destroy! This is Apas!

Use the soft and sweet with the harsh and severe today. How can these seemingly opposing energies be a force to be reckoned with? What can you clear and purify in your body, mind, spirit, emotions as a result? What needs to be removed or revitalized in your life?

Saturday, July 12th

The full Moon is in Sagittarius and PurvaAshada nakshatra at 06:24 am CDT. It's a full Moon poised for change and charged with movement, flow and momentum. With Apas ruling this powerful Guru Purnima Moon, so much energy and excitement is palpable and at our disposal. Be sure to use this Moon intentionally and sacredly. What lights you up, sparks you, and inspires the passion of your spirit? What fills your vessel and illuminates your soul? This is the time to dive deep within and harvest your precious pearls; your knowing. It is a time of giving thanks and gratitude for the wisdom in your life that has smoothed you over like water does to stone; like our gurus do for our paths. Apas is purifying us and guiding us with this full Moon. She is both harsh and severe, while also be gentle and soothing. She clears, cleans and purifies and does so through the heart and emotions. Let tears flow. Whether in joy or sadness or both. Let them wash your heart lotus and clean each petal. Create moments for being present to what is, to the silence and stillness that fills our sacred spaces within and all around us. Use this as your theme for the coming waning cycle: let the water smooth your rough edges, like water does to stone.

I encourage you to do a mandala creative ritual for harvesting your mind, emotions and physical experiences. Here are some ideas.

Third day of my full Moon + Birthday Swati Jr Jewelry Trunk Show. Are you joining me?

And just as the full Moon expands, it begins to wane, losing its light, drop by drop. Moon begins to wane now and Rahu and Ketu are poised for their shift into Virgo and Pisces for the next 18 months. Moon shifts to UttaraAshada at 07:28 am CDT and Vishvadeva and the Sun are illuminated. The Vishva Devas are often referred to as the "all gods" because they are essentially universal principles, or the Laws of Nature. They bring goodness into our lives, when we align with their expressions. Do good, be good, essentially.

Moon moves to Capricorn at 12:44 CDT.

Rahu and Ketu move to Virgo and Pisces at 19:11 CDT. As Ketu moves from Aries into Pisces, it's considered a very challenging gandanta position- the junction between two sign. Aries is the beginning of the zodiac (the head) and Pisces is the end (the feet). And because Rahu and Ketu always move in retrograde motion, Ketu is essentially jumping from the beginning to the end, thus starting a new cycle for each of us. It's been 18 years since Ketu was in Pisces and Rahu in Virgo. This is a new beginning in many ways. Likely we are each feeling its poignancy. However, Ketu will be fresh in Pisces without much awareness of this "new cycle" yet. Reflect on your past 18 years for guidance. What are you cutting out and restructuring in your life? What are you letting go of and finding freedom from? Go there with zeal and make plenty of room for the changes. Read my full report here.

Just as Rahu shifts into Virgo, he collides with Mars who is in deep sandhi, poised to move into Libra- while Venus is sandhi and ready to move into Gemini. A collision of shadow and warrior is heightened here. Obsessions and cravings enliven with our action (not thinking) oriented self. This is a time of impulse and activation and can go many different ways. Caution and care are advised- with driving, relationships, with finances, expenses, desires, romance and comforts. The tendency is to miss the obvious when it comes to these matters and to act rashly in ways that we may regret. Best to sit this one out as much as possible and use this time to keep cool and calm where you can. Nourish your self in healthy and harmonious ways and stay out of trouble. Mars and Rahu stay in close degrees through next week.

Sunday, July 13th

Moon moves to Sravana nakshatra at 04:29 am CDT and Vishnu and the Moon enliven here. Vishnu is connected to akasha, space, which exists everywhere. He expands our awareness, perception, knowledge and understanding. He protects and upholds dharma. One of the symbols of Sravana is an ear because of the oral tradition and because Sravana means "to hear, to study and to learn". Listen carefully today. Messages are coming to you from everywhere. What wisdom can be gained when you let there be more silence and less action? Or can your action come from the depths of your silence instead?

yogastah kurukarmani
Established in yoga, perform action. -Bhagavad-Gita (chapter 2, verse 48)

Venus moves into Gemini at 10:22 am CDT, joining Mercury and Sun there. Venus transits Gemini until August 7th. Mercury is friends with both Sun and Venus. Venus is friends with Mercury but not with the Sun. Sun is fine with Mercury but not with Venus. We get a mixture of results here. Heat, precision, mental acuity are strengthened. The reminder during this transit is to be flexible and flowing. Notice where you are being rigid, fixed, heated, aggressive (with your self and others) and not being compassionate. Compassion, mind you, does not mean being a doormat. True compassion can come  with finely attuned boundaries and parameters. Perhaps this cycle will offer the necessary adjustments we are all seeking within our relationships, our creativity, attitudes and communications. There are certainly plenty of opportunities to work with these themes in regard to the other planets. Start now.

Mercury moves to Ardra nakshatra at 17:02 CDT. If there wasn't enough movement, intensity and calamity for us right now, enter Rudra and Rahu into our mental body for the next 11 days. With Ardra comes much power. How will you use this power? For destruction (of Self or others) or will you use it for change, creation, and building momentum in your life? The mind is a powerful thing, use this tool with purpose.

Mars and Rahu are in exact degrees at 18:00 CDT. The themes continue of the "intoxicated warrior". Are you conscious of your actions, or pushing through with no awareness? Avoid overdrive. Use neutral. Use your pause button. Breathe. Mars moves to Libra at 21:24 CDT, joining debilitated Saturn here. The energy of Saturn and Mars is "lurchy". You've got one foot on the gas (Mars) and one foot on the breaks (Saturn) and the flow is not happening smoothly. No farfigneugen here! Mars remains in Libra with Saturn until September 4th. So expect a lurching energy with all Libra matters. This includes themes around relationships, the "other", our mirror, the pelvic region, finding balance and harmony, business and the markets, masking and unmasking, depth and surface, creativity, stability and structure. Read more about Mars and his funky dances in and out of Libra this year. And use my Mars feet/legs MP3 for help with Mars's energy.

Whew. What a week! The biggest changes have occurred, now we get to live the unfoldment of it all.

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{Photo of my current location: Allalin mountain- Saas Fee, Switzerland, the Alps.}

The month starts with Moon creating a fresh start in Aries and transiting the first of the 27 nakshatras- Ashwini- as it crosses over Ketu. We will likely feel the experience of something new settling in, a pull towards fresh experiences, the sense that some shift has occurred.

Mars moves to Gemini (an enemy’s sign) on 7.4 where it joins Jupiter, Mercury and Sun there. The mind sharpens- keep it soft rather than letting it get rigid.

Saturn goes direct after months of retrograde movement on 7.7 at 23:49 CDT. Structures, plans, intentions begin to move in the “right direction.”

New Moon on 7.8 at 02:14 CDT in Punarvasu nakshtatra. Sun moves to Cancer on 7.16 at 04.51 CDT. A new sense of compassion may set in.

Venus moves to Leo on 7.17 at 08:43 CDT. Notice your intentions/attention gain a new power this month. Notice how these forces move from the inner landscape, to the outer landscape now. Take action, have a fire ritual, use this as a tool for dynamic activation.

Mercury goes direct on 7.20 at 13:19 CDT. Mind begins to move in a forward direction with less resistance and out of “clean up” mode.

The month closes with Moon going exalted in Taurus. Another cycle around the zodiac complete.

Full Moon is in Capricorn at 13:14 CDT on 07.22 in Uttarashada nakshatra. It is also Guru Purnima- the fullest full moon of the year and most auspicious full moon in the Vedic calendar. Honor your gurus, teachers, guides, your lineage and the masters that have helped you on your path. This is a very sacred day of expansion, purpose, power and sattva. Meditate, chant, do sacred acts that bring gratitude.

Jupiter is now in Ardra nakshatra ruled by Rahu, giving drishti to Rahu/Saturn in Libra as Rahu simultaneously give drishti to Jupiter in Gemini. Both Rahu and Saturn currently transit Swati nakshatra, ruled by Rahu and Vayu- the wind god. Consequently, there is an exchange of energy here between Rahu and Jupiter as well as a heightened expression of Rahu right now.

For some this will offer big expansion in a worldly sense, for others chaos and calamity. Be aware of storm energy and a tendency toward overwhelm. The momentum that is jumpstarting here will carry us forward for the coming weeks and months. Prepare for change, movement, activation and shifts. Sattva will be tainted by the shadow energy of Rahu. The temptations are strong right now for rajasic behaviors, the foreign and unusual, and general extremes- especially on the mental, emotional levels. Meditation may prove impossible as well as being on a good routine. Do the best you can. Perhaps find liberation in the opposition. We can use this time for “de-centering”, which will later help us return to our “balance” with greater understanding and clarity. Don’t fall too far off the wagon.

*Due to travel, horoscopes will be postponed until early August.