Lunar wives: the Nakshastras of Vedic Astrology

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Here is a sharing about one of the root aspects of Vedic (Hindu) Astrology. It is the descriptions of the Nakshaatrs, the 27 lunar wives. The following information comes from.my favorite jyotish(vedic astrologer), AnandaShree Astrology by Kari Fields. 

See below... 

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WHAT IS A NAKSHATRA?

Superimposed over the 12 signs of the Zodiac,

are 27 star constellations that hold great

symbolic meaning for Vedic Astrology.

These 27 sections of the sky -- the Nakshatras -

comprise the Nakshatra Wheel. The star

constellations within and close by these sections are the Nakshatras.

In Indian mythology, the Nakshatras symbolize

the Moon’s 27 wives – the lunar shaktis

(feminine energies).

Since the Moon circles around the earth (and

the Nakshatra Wheel) about once every 27

days, the moon transits a different Nakshatra

each day.

Each of the 27 Nakshatras has distinct

characteristics, special talents, and is ruled by

the power of a particular Vedic deity.

(*There is a 28th Nakshatra called Abhijit, but to

standardize and create equal divisions it is not commonly used.)

The Nakshatras are just one small branch of a vast tree ofknowledge within Vedic Astrology.

Find your Nakshastra in this handy guide and broaden your connection to the coamos. 

FIND YOUR NAKSHATRA LINK

Welcome to Freedom and Unity. 

Aum Namah Shivaya

Shivo Shivoham

Aum Tat Sat

Jai Maa

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Is It Enough Yet?

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Words of Wisdom from Ram Dass:

"When you start to appreciate that God is everywhere or the Spirit is everywhere, then the question becomes why aren't I seeing it? And then you realize it's the eyes of the beholder. It's which level you're choosing to look at or which level your desires are allowing you to look at. Because I said before if you're too hungry you just see what's edible. And it's only when you start to yearn to know your true self or yearn to see beyond or realize the ephemeral nature of all the stuff that you grab hold of in the world, that you start to turn your direction somewhere else. And that's why they often say that despair is a prerequisite for spiritual awakening.

Meaning despair that everything you're collecting isn't going to be enough."

~*~

Meditation leads to liberation and reveals the truth beneath all illusion. Give up the addiction to thinking, your thinking mind is a tool but masquerades as your master. Bring yourself to silence and stillness and discover who you truly are. When you know the divine in your heart, and take your seat there, you will bring the mind, heart, and all your energy centers into balance and harmony. Remember all ideas of inadequacy are illusions to keep you attached to ego's stories and a false character of personhood. Just as you grew physically out of childhood, it is time to give up the I, Me, and Mine and grow spiritually out of personhood. Freedom, Peace and Satchitananda awaits.

~*~

May you feel the strength of the Truth of the Light of your Being and release any attachment to illusions and resistance to living that truth. It is safe for you to be yourself. 

You are not the body, you are not the Mind, you are not the character imagined by the ego and the collection of memories, conditioning, beliefs, and ideas that are created in youth. 
~*~
Om Namah Shivaya
Shivo Shivoham
Om Tat Sat
~*~
We are whole and complete, All beings be nourished in Unity. 🙏 Jai Maa
~*~

#BetheLight

#BetheLove

#BeYourself

#freedom #love #selfrealization #truth #higherconsciousness 

 #healing #surrender #detachment #renunciation #peace #freedom #liberation #silence #beingconsciousnessbliss #satchitananda #bodhichitta #meditation #beherenow #babaramdass

CLICK THIS LINK FOR A SHORT REEL OF INSPIRATION

Global Blessings through Sound, Nature and Spirit

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Greetings from India! I find myself back in Varanasi for a few days, while on my way back to my spot in Bihar, from a 2 week trip to Vindhyachal to celebrate Chaitra Navratri, the 9 nights of the Goddess. The rituals, blessings, meditations and lessons during this Navratri and my journey so far, have been incredibly powerful and continue to energize, inspire and strengthen my yoga practice, my sadhana, and this life-long journey of diving deeper into myself, spirit, and our unity with all living beings, with the whole of Nature and the Cosmos. 

In that spirit, I wanted to share with you all, a practice of sending blessings and prayers thru the connection of your presence, sound, and nature. Check out the video below to learn about this practice and receive the energy of these blessings for peace, happiness, and feedom. 

There is a practice here in India of connecting to nature through the blessing of trees. This is a practice you can also do anywhere in the world. In fact, it's in part to remind us of the unity of all living beings, of the conscious awareness and power of the Earth and all Nature and to connect us, to that power within ourselves as we send out our loving intentions and supportive energies.

Off you want to do this practice where you are, it's good to use a tree that holds special symbolism or connection for you and/or that's in a place that holds sacred/magical space for you.

Using the voice to chant the Sanskrit mantras, "Om Shanti Shanti Shanti and Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu", the ringing of a bell, and the Mauli thread, you can wrap your loving blessings and intentions into and around the tree. Imagine as you do that the tree is connecting to your energy, receiving your blessings and taking them deep into the Earth and radiating them back out to all living beings. Imagine all of Nature, and all living beings receiving and radiating with the energy of these mantras and the blessings they hold. 

Om(or Aum) is the seed sound of creation of the entire universe and brings the mantra into manifestation. Shanti means Peace and "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu" translates into a blessing that all beings know happiness and freedom. This is not the fleeting happiness that comes from some temporary satisfaction with material things, but rather the true contentment in your heart when you remember we are all one loving awareness, one human family, one divine collective consciousness. 

May you feel the blessings from this offering and may it encourage you to connect with our living spirit and live from the heart, and through conscious awareness. I encourage you to share in this practice and send these blessings out too. Connect your spirit and intention with the power of Nature. 

Click on the video below, and feel free to like and subscribe to my you tube if you're interested in the videos to come, as this journey continues. 

Jai Maa

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Remembering the Dharma, a guide to yogic living and union of the Shiva and Shakti within You!

~*~

Aum Namo Narayana

Jaya Maa

Jai Sri Gurudeva

(photo credit: from a page in Be Here Now by Ram Dass)

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My mornings start pretty early, before sunrise. Once I've settled into myself a little, I bathe, walk my dog friend, have chai and chillums with Guruji, and then do my yoga program and personal projects. In order to balance my energy, manage my vibrations, and prepare for my morning Sadhana (spiritual practice), which for me includes, meditation, mantra, bhakti practice, Aarti, Qi gong and more).

Being an adventurous and curious 45 y.o. has provided me with a vast amount of experiences and opportunities to discover and try several different methods along the spiritual path of Self-Realizatoon. Or more aptly put, Self-Actualization. So, my toolkit is very big, and I love to make recommendations and suggestions to people about what I have found in these methods that actually works for me in my direct experience. While I have been known to err on the side of giving too much information, my goal really is to keep it simple and make it fun.

So, in that vein, I have to say, apart from my favorite piece of advice- "Drink More Water", the most effective tools through my journey that have worked and stuck with me are Yoga, Qi Gong, Mudra, Mantra, Devotion, and Guru Kripa.

 

 Yoga in particular has taken on the largest part of the foundation of both my spiritual and secular life and so it is my intention to share what I know and what I learn of these systems with all of you, in the hope that this sharing brings you closer to your heart, to your Self- to God.

Now, in the western world Yoga, generally has been significantly reduced to represent, usually, just asanas(pose) and pranayama (breathwork), which are very important parts of the yogic system, However, they are only the tip of the iceberg. There are actual 8 limbs to the yogic system, and asanas and pranayama are only 2 of them!!! So, I just want to offer you a peek into these 8 limbs, so if you are already practicing some parts of the system, check out these other ones too! 

If you are a western teacher and you aren't teaching this full system....I hope you dive deeper, both for your own sake and that of your students.

If you are someone who has never tried Yoga, consider that you can start with any of these 8 limbs, perhaps you aren't physically ready yet for most asanas, but you can impact your body by impacting your mentality, psychology, and your breath.

Here's to our Health and Balance, internally and in the outer realms. May your self care and spiritual practice bring you to the Light of the Truth of your Being!

~*~
Aum Shri Lakshmi Narayana ki--->Jai
~*~

The Path Of The Yogi - 8 Limbs Of Yoga

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes an eight-fold path to right living that is called The Eight Limbs of Yoga, or Ashtanga in Sanskrit. In the practice of yoga, individuals are dedicated to creating a union between mind, body and spirit. Patanjali's eight limbs outline a way to achieve and practice that balance. The eight limbs act as a guide for yogis to live a life of integrity, self-discipline, respect for nature and the spiritual aspects of life.

LIMB 1: Yamas

The first limb is yamas: ethical principles that clarify one’s relationship to the world and everything in it. The yamas emphasize our connection to others as an integral part of yoga—everything is interconnected. They break down to five practices, which define our personal integrity:

Ahimsa – non-harming

Satya – honesty

Asteya – not stealing

Bramacharya – wise use of creative energy

Aparigraha – non-possessiveness

LIMB 2: Niyamas

The second limb is niyamas: internal disciplines that teach us to respect ourselves—body, mind, and spirit. They are forms of self-discipline as well as reflective practices. The niyamas break down to five habits:

Saucha – purity, cleanliness

Santosha – contentment, gratitude

Tapas – discipline

Svadhyaya – self-reflection

Isvara Pranidhana – devotion

LIMB 3: Āsana

The third limb is āsana: the physical practice of yoga. Of the 196 verses in the Yoga Sūtras, a mere 2 are dedicated to poses, but the practice of āsana is invaluable to cultivating a sublime meditative state. By linking breath with movement, asana teaches us to embody steadiness and ease.

LIMB 4: Prānāyāma

The fourth limb is prānāyāma: the focus on the breath. Prānāyāma enables us to cultivate our very life force (prāna) through various techniques that teach us to relax and control our breath…creating divine conditions for health in the body and peace in the mind.

LIMB 5: Pratyāhāra

The fifth limb is pratyāhāra: the withdrawing of the senses, so that when we feel, hear, see, taste, and smell we let go of reacting. By abandoning the countless distractions of day-to-day life, the mind focuses inward and is free to move into meditation.

LIMB 6: Dhāranā

The sixth limb is dhāranā: strict concentration on one object or task, a state in which there are no distractions. Thus, when you are enthralled with the object of your concentration, all hindrances disappear.

LIMB 7: Dhyāna

The seventh limb is dhyāna: meditation, a state in which you experience the sacred (what is personally sacred to you) through a deeply focused awareness. Through the practice of dhyāna, we begin to see reality for what it really is: impermanence. This is how we ultimately achieve bliss.

LIMB 8: Samādhi

The eighth limb is samādhi: the culmination of practicing all the other limbs of yoga which brings you to an understanding of truly knowing and feeling that everything is interconnected. The clinging mind has ceased; there is only the experience of indescribable joy. A liberated soul can thus enjoy pure awareness and harmony.

May you live forever and always in Satchitananda and union of the balance of the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine flows within your body, as we all walk each other H.O.M.E (Heaven on Mother Earth)

Aum Gam Ganapatayai ki

Jai

"Should" you do Sadhana (spiritual practice)?

 

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Jaya Śri Maharaj

Blessings on this beautiful day,  here and now in this breathtaking moment. Let's settle in and ask ourselves why we are doing what we are doing,  since we're here...take a deep breathe and contemplate this teaching....Hari Aum.

Words of Wisdom  by Ram Dass

The question is, “Why do you do practices?” because a lot of people will step away from this and say, “I ought to meditate.” Forget it. Don’t!

Go out and lust some more. Go until you are so nauseated by your own predicament that you yearn to meditate. Get so hungry for it that you can’t wait to just sit down. Turn off the television, turn off the drama and just be quiet for a few minutes. 

Wait until you really want it, because when you start with “I should,” you end up hating the practice, hating everybody, and hating yourself. Then you cheat and then you get guilty. It’s a whole thing that you psychologically do. Forget it.

You came here and that was an honest thing you did. You are here. What you hear, you hear. What you don’t hear, you don’t, don’t collect it. If it doesn’t stick forget it. It’ll come around again, another lifetime maybe...Maybe 10,000 lifetimes. Who knows? 

Remember Loves, as you feel the pull towards freedom in your heart, it is calling you to deliver yourself from the shackles of your mind. You cannot use logic to think yourself to freedom, you must surrender to your own heart and soul. The way is through being fully present in the here and now, with your breathe, meditaion, and devotion to discovering the truth of the Light of your Being. 

Choose to guide your will with self-love and take up affirmations and mantras to help lift your vibration, as you learn to release the mental activity, attachments, and their associated behaviors, that keep you in a lower vibration. 

True freedom is in every moment and every breath. Turn towards your heart. 

~*~ Sending us all Love ~*~

~*~

Jai Ma

Solar Eclipse & Navratri~Goddess Awakening~Karmic Closures

 

~*~Greetings Lovelies ~*~ 

I hope everyone feels at home in their hearts on this beautiful Autumn evening or morning, depending on where you are. Tomorrow, Oct 2nd, we will experience the October solar eclipse and the beginning of Navratri, the 9 nights of the Goddess. Eclipses are very powerful portals and often the source of serious upheaval in our lives.  According to Vedic Astrology, the best way to convert the troubling effects of eclipses is through the demon-slaying goddess, Durga. She is the Great Mother, also known as Kali and by many other other names. It is her incarnations and journey that we celebrate through the 9 nights of Navratri.

 Over the last few years, I've spent Navratri in ceremony and study with one of my teachers and guides, Anandashree, of Anandashree Astrology. She practices Jyotish or Vedic Astrology, the zodiac and cosmos of India. Vedic astrology does not alter the wheel of the zodiac with equations to make it Sun-centric as western astrology does. Vedic astrology focuses on the stars as they actually appear, not altered by math. This results in an approximately 22 degree difference in charts, a focus on your rising sign- not your Sun sign, and an entirely different way of doing charts and connecting different elements of the cosmos. 

Anandashree is both incredibly skilled and remarkably intuitive in her vedic astrology and tarot readings, her vast knowledge of the cosmos, and the traditional systems and stories of Jyotish. Her presence and guidance during ritual and study is invaluable and I'm so very grateful for all she gives, all I've learned, and the incredible experience of living in devotion to the Goddess.

She is all Life. We are Her. 

Aum Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vichche

So, on this evening before we enter 9 nights of devotion, surrender, reverence and celebration of the the Goddess Ma Durga-Kali, I wanted to share her insights into this transformative eclipse. If you enjoy what you read, please click on the link of her name just below and check out her offerings, including the upcoming Navratri Cauldron.

See below for guidance from Anandashree on tomorrow's incredibly powerful energies.

Oct SOLAR ECLIPSE + Navratri | Goddess Awakening | Karmic Closures | Vedic Astrology

• Written By: Anandashree

• 
  

• On October 2, 2024, a solar eclipse crosses the Pacific Ocean between 8:42 AM and 2:47 PM pt, bringing closures and new beginnings.  If you’ve been facing unforeseen changes or challenges recently, know that you are not alone. This eclipse is the crest of a wave of transformation, and an opportunity for a new beginning.

Eclipses often signify chaotic shifts, earthquakes or hurricanes, unexpected events, and resets on many levels. Crucial turning points can happen in the days and weeks that surround an eclipse. Right now, you might feel as though you’re standing on new ground, or hanging at the threshold of a breakthrough.

During this solar eclipse, the Sun and Moon align with Ketu, the most spiritual and detached of all the planets in Vedic astrology. Ketu, symbolized by a headless serpent, will whip its transformative tail through Hasta Nakshatra, a portal for healing and purification.

Hasta Nakshatra is located in sidereal Virgo, and is associated with healing arts, magic, and the skill of the human hand to communicate, create, and initiate positive change. This section of the sky invites us to use our dexterity and cleverness to shape a new reality.

The Hasta solar eclipse offers a powerful opportunity to reconnect with your inner wisdom. If you’ve been struggling with compromised boundaries, unhealthy habits, or energy-draining situations, now is the time to come back to yourself and begin afresh.

Take heed, communicative Mercury is combust (burning) during this eclipse.  Choose your words wisely and avoid major decisions, like signing contracts, at this time. Instead, focus on meditation, fasting, or mantra repetition to harness the healing potential of this eclipse.

Jupiter, the planet of wisdom and guidance, turns retrograde on October 8. A protective aspect (dristi) during this eclipse brings the chance for big and positive results. 

This eclipse opens the healing portal for Navratri, the sacred nine-night festival dedicated to the goddess Kali-Durga. According to Vedic Astrology, the best way to convert the troubling effects of eclipses is through the demon-slaying goddess, Durga.

Aum Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vichche

Sunday Sacred Poetry Share

 

Surrender into Self Realization

Hari Aum and Happy Sunday Beloveds! 

It is my hope that most of you are already well into shaking off the intensity, and density, of the energy we've collectively and personally been processing these last several weeks.  

It's been quite the cosmic upheaval and if you were able to ride the wave into your depths and shadows, a lot came up- a lot to contemplate, a lot to feel, a lot to transform. Some of the biggest themes under review are the ways in which we we put up resistance to our truth, the ways in which we work against ourselves, the ways which have kept us out of balance. It is time to surrender all these forms of dissonance and our identification with the projections, illusions, and stories that the Ego mind creates. 

Turn to your Heart, Turn towards the Mother, Turn inward and trust your spirit to guide you.  

Discover who you truly are, and choose to let go of anything that holds you back from expressing your truths. Let go of attachments, judgements, conditioning, beliefs and gain the clarity of the true nature of mind. Even if you don't know how, just choose it with your inner voice. Choose to guide your will with self love.

True freedom is your birthright. Peace, blissful contentment, and clarity of mind is your nature. Limitations come only from within and you can be free of them. 

With all my loving support and compassion, as we walk this journey together, I'm called to share these incredible poems that move my heart and call my soul to sing in celebration of my own freedom. I have fallen in Love with the whole universe, and that includes all of you, and so these shares are a way for me to express my love for each and everyone, and for the greater whole we all dissolve into, as the One Truth. It is my heart's hope that each of you feel the incredible bliss of the Love. 

It is all around us, It is in us, It is us. We are Love. We are Free. We are whole and complete.

So, for your contemplations and revelations, here are a few of my favorite sacred poems..

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A poem by the Sufi master of the 9th century, Sheikh Abu Hassan of Karacan...

When I was rid of all that was below the divine
I called myself
And I heard My Lord respond
And I knew from that, that I had left my animal qualities behind.
I then honored the One who had summoned me,
and obeyed.
And becoming an intimate
was allowed to enter and worship
In the Oneness of Truth
Angels then sang my praises,
and I roamed pastures of beauty.
A light appeared and within it
I beheld the abode of Truth.
And by the time I reached it,
Of me, was left nothing

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Selected poems by Sitaram Dass:

Starlight

I am in one of those moods again

where I just want to kiss

anything that moves. 

I would even kiss the Sun

if he would let me, but instead 

he has climbed down

his own sunbeam

and nestled in my heart. 

Now, when I kiss the plants,

the insects, or the Moon, 

they burn

into stars. 

This is what you 

are yearning for, dear lover. 

Just lean closer, and let me

kiss you

into who

you really are. 

~*~

Mustard Seed

This is the faith

found folded inside

the absence

of all things,

existing

not for god

or for man or the angels

but for it own

Existence.

It's what's left

when loss and confusion

have stripped away the nail

from where the universe

hangs. 

~*~

Don't Worry

Don't Worry,

this pain you are feeling

is nothing more than

the excrutiating agony

of two holes drilled in your back

and wings shoved in. 

~*~

Music

No true poet

claims to create beauty;

they discover it

the way a tambura player

discovers

that perfect place on the string 

to stroke

Deep within your soul

there is an antique table

where the two Buddhas, Sorrow and Joy, sit to have tea.

Their arms rest on the tables edges

as they lean close to each other's eyes. 

Within their intensity

lies four golden strings

waiting

to be played. 

~*~

Selected poems by 14th-century Saint from Kashmir, Lalla Ded

*

I have not really known myself,

or anyone else. 

I have tried to do good, and not

just what my appetites wanted,

but that was all infatuation

with this precious, isolated, body. 

That you and I were constantly joining,

I didn't know.  I didn't know

that even to ask "Who are You?"

or "Who am I?" breaks the harmony. 

*

If you live on the breath,

you won't be tortured

by hunger and thirst,

or the longing to touch. 

The purpose of being born is fulfilled 

in the state between "I am" 

and "That."

*

On the way to God the difficulties

feel like being ground by a millstone,

like night coming at noon, like

lightening through the clouds. 

But don't worry!

What must come, comes. 

Face everything with love,

as your mind dissolves in God.

~*~

Jai Ma

Jaya Śri Maharaj

Aum namo Narayana

Anandashree Astrology New Moon Report

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The following astrology report for this coming New Moon comes from one of my favorite teachers Kari Fields (Anandashree). Be sure and check out her site for readings, classes, and more. She is an incredible wealth of information and insight. Find the link to her site at the bottom of this post. May your journey with the energies of this New Moon be blessed with Ease and Grace. May we all find our way to forgiveness, understanding, and compassion.

~*~

The new moon on Feb 9 (2:59 pm PT) falls at a critical turning point and brings a big awakening for the year to come.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, there’s a fierce dragon awakening on this new moon. If you’re ready to step into a bigger world, a doorway is about to open. This is the beginning of the auspicious Chinese New Year of the Wood Dragon. Brace yourself, Dragons bring situations and experiences of mythic proportions, and Dragon years come in strong, with fiery and transformative opportunities in their wake. A word of warning, even though dragons can soar high, they can also take great falls this year. According to Vedic Astrology, the new moon is in the area of the sky called Dhanishta, the star of wealth and symphony. Dhanishta new moon is symbolized by the drum that Lord Shiva plays in his transformative dance of creation, preservation and dissolution. Dhanishta new moon has a special power to magnify the healing power of sound and sacred song. This is a good time to listen to music, say mantra or play a musical instrument. Fiery Mars, moves into Capricorn (sign of exaltation) on Feb 5, where a more focused energy can increase productivity and decisive action. Mars in Capricorn is a no-nonsense influence that is ready to finish projects and get work done. Take heed, Mars is a god of war, and his position in Capricorn could bring dire repercussions in the on-going wars in the Middle East and elsewhere. This is a time to pray for peace and take a serious look at the costs of war and division on human life. Mars will be in Capricorn until March 15. This new moon is also the sacred Mauni Amavasya. Mauni means silence, and amavasya is the last day of the lunar cycle (the dark moon) which falls on Feb 9. This a powerful day to take a vow of silence from idle talk. Saying positive affirmations and prayers are also powerful on this new moon. It’s said that at this time the waters of the holy river Ganga become like nectar, and taking a bath or offering prayers into water is highly auspicious. Dhanishta new moon enhances intuition and awakens a fire of resilience and courage in the heart. Use this new moon for letting go of the past, and clearing the way for a new chapter to begin.

Watch the video below for more in-depth information, guidance, and a tarot reading on the New Moon's energy.

Then, be sure to check out Kari's other offerings on her site.

CLICK HERE to link to Anandashree Astrology

~*~

Jai Ma