There are two equinoxes every year – in September and March – when the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night is nearly equal. Seasons are opposite on either side of the Equator, so the equinox in September is also known as the autumnal (fall) equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and is considered the first day of Fall. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is known as the Vernal (spring) equinox and marks the first day of spring.
Ascendant is in Pisces, water sign, purva bhadrapada, ruled by Jupiter, creative essence, is of fierce and severe nature, rajasic in guna, seeks artha, wealth of energy. An emotional time, somewhat stirred up by fire of aspects from Mars and Sun; Jupiter aspects from 9th; a time of creativity emerging from experience, feeling. The recent wave of energy flaming the climate change issue can be harnessed towards creative activity coupled with climate action. This may help us achieve the goals of the Paris Accord, COP22.
Next is the Rahu-Ketu Axis – stretching from Gemini to Sagittarius; Rahu in the 4th house (Gemini), conjunct Moon, ruler of the natural 4th, Cancer. While benefic, Rahu afflicts Moon with drive, ambition, fast moving energy; ruler of Gemini is Mercury, the fleet, swift messenger of the Gods. So Rahu is taking the energy of the house ruler and whipping a a storm of smoke and mirrors about matters of the mind and the 4th house, somewhat ambushing our minds with urgent, driven needs, desires and ambitions. Where matters of the 4th are of house, family, property, here, we see Rahu driving the construction of a house of cards, which can be blown over by almost any wind, fierce or gently. The best solution here is to take time; do not haste, waste, worry. Recollect your own Self, calmly examine the situation and calmly discriminate right from wrong.
Moon is in Purnavarsu nakshatra, which is ruled by Jupiter; generally thought of as a benefic nakshatra giving many gifts. Here, the energy is creative, moveable and tends towards activities such as beginnings, initiations, laying of foundations, healing, learning. Here the laying of foundations can be firm and embedded in self-discipline instead of the great rush of Rahu, forever seeking ambitious new heights; here, the Moon can take the creativity of the air sign Gemini, the swift intuition of Mercury and lay down a firm foundation of creatively seeking the new world, the world of Ascension, the world of living and dealing with climate change.
At the time of Equinox, we have Mars in the 6th house, house of enemies, house of surgery, house of selfless service. The sign is Leo, fire sign, ruled by Sun. The nakshatra is Uttaraphalguni, ruled by Sun, of sattvic (calm, peaceful nature) and seeking moksha. Mars is trine Saturn, who seeks to bring responsibility and duty to matters Mars is signifying. In this time of fires in the Amazon, the lungs of the Earth, the rising of the Indian Ocean dipole bringing drought and heat as well as torrential rain and pestilences to the African nations, we must heed the message of the scientists and reduce the carbon footprint of nations, society and culture, home and hearth. Mars is the warrior, the Army General with forces at his disposal; aspecting the Ascendant, Mars is dissolving doubt: “Climate change is man-made!”
In the 7th house, Virgo, grounded Earth sign, where we have relations with one another in the world, the business, the workplace, the school, the home, the family, we have Sun, Venus and Mercury, all aspecting the Ascendant. These planets are malefic, and Mercury takes the nature of the planets it is conjunct, so Mercury, although exalted, is malefic at this time of Equinox. Mercury exalted cancels Venus debilitation, so grace towards Venus calling for action to be calm and collected at this time of climate strike, climate emergency, and to care for the environment – Venus being the artisan, is in the Earth sign of Virgo, and due cancellation of debilitation, offers the opportunity to be of service to the environment; the garden, the landscape, the compost heap, the humus, the proper disposal of plastics and non-degradable materials. Venus, ever the servant in Virgo, offers us the opportunity to be of service to Mother Earth.
Jupiter is resident in Scorpio Sign, the ninth house, and has been retrograde for some time. Now going direct, Jupiter moves forward in Jyestha nakshatra. Scorpio is ruled by Mars, who is friendly towards Jupiter, just as Jupiter is friends with Mars. Scorpio is a deep sign, filled with mystery, secret depths and healing from the unconscious, so friendly sign for Jupiter to transit. Effect is due the location of Mars and drishti of Mars; here, Mars is in the 6th house giving 4th dristhi to Jupiter, so fire energy and the cataclysmic, poisonous revelations of the damage human-made climate change is doing to our planet. Scorpio is the sign where matters are hidden and masked from public view. Jupiter brings about transformation of attitudes towards climate change by digging, drilling, diving and burrowing deep into cause and effect. Jupiter, the natural teacher and philosopher, delivers the results of research in deep, hidden Scorpio.
In the tenth house, the house of wealth of our personal resources in the world, we have Saturn – stationed and turning direct – conjunct Ketu, which has been a matter going on for many months with Saturn retrograde within degree of Ketu, perennially retrograde. Saturn is karaka of duty and responsibility; Ketu is karaka of excavation of truth (sathyam anavesham) as well as karmic responsibility for self inquiry, self discipline and self-transformation. Sagittarius is a fire sign; Saturn calls for responsibility to the Earth in managing climate change; Ketu calls us to face the discovered truths about climate change and our nation, our culture, our social lives along with the home and hearth. Kith and kin all have to learn to adapt, and live the change and reduce their carbon footprints.
These are urgent matters, there is no planet B. Star people have stories of various civilisations among the stars that lost their planet, their stars due their failure to care for the planet, their star. Like the Star Wars movie, planets have been blown apart – consider all the asteroid belts in our galaxy, our universe. The star peoples have the message, the planets have the message, we are on a course towards the sixth anthropocene extinction event unless we take planet-wide action to care for our Earth. Without Mother Earth, were would we be?
Regard the following, released today, 23 September 2019 – Day of Equinox, by the United Nations:
New #UnitedinScience report underlines gap between #ClimateAction targets & reality, and shows urgency of the transformation urgently needed to protect our planet. http://bit.ly/2kMGHPn
