The November 2018 Full Moon occurs late afternoon of 23 November 2018 – in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a time of intensity and spiritual challenges. These challenges lead to the human transformation in the process we call Ascension.
November Full Moon
This full moon occurs in Taurus, an earth sign and and in this instance, kama (desire) house, being the 3rd from the ascendant, Pisces. The ascendant is in Revati nakshatra, owned by Mercury, who, in this instance, is the significator of the Soul – the Atmakaraka. The Full Moon is exalted, located in Krittika nakshatra – ruled by the Sun. The Full Moon is opposed by Sun, Jupiter and Mercury. In Krittika Nakshatra, the deity is Agni (god of fire) and the sacred works and activities of the Brahmin caste are indicated. Krittika nakshatra reveals more.
The Moon in Krittika nakshatra (Taurus portion) calls for management of the mind, monitoring of thoughts, realisation of the Oneness of Atma; we are one with all that we see. As the Moon is exalted, the mind has sufficient energy to remove any negativity by right thinking. Non-judgement can be applied to anything – people, situations, thoughts, feelings or things. It takes you deeper into the truth of reality. Due the Full Moon in Taurus, the call is to overcome desire and become grounded amid the challenge of emotions.
On this day, the only transit planet experiencing enmity from a house lord is the Moon: Venus, lord of Taurus, treats the full moon as a great enemy; unwelcome. Where the Moon is benefic, Lord of 5th House in the 3rd, Venus is vargottama, so the enmity is strong, unpleasant. Here, the Moon experiences restriction in the conversational flow; the constant chatter and feedback the Moon seeks is curtailed; the Moon does not feel emotionally involved in the lives of the people he or she is comfortable with. There is unpleasantness. Here also, we have rhythms of short term travel, attending meetings and appointments, coordination, administering daily business. Moon here is opposed by Mercury retrograde, creating conflicts, irritation, fire, missed appointments and connections and dis-arrangments of carefully laid plans. Although we have an exalted, Full Moon, care and checking, cross-checking and verifying – and patience – are needed.
Moon and Social Media
We have Moon being opposed by Sun and Mercury, and aspected by Jupiter, the guru, preceptor, philosopher. The Moon is transiting Taurus, and experiencing enmity from its Lord. As the Moon is the presiding deity of the mind, we seek answers to inner questions: What is our purpose in the world? What are we here for? Do we have Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)? Do we have fear of being beaten in competition (FOBO)? Do we have fear of not having a mobile phone (NOMO)? Is the immersion in social media helping us to advance in life or are we getting depressed at checking social media last thing before sleep, first thing upon waking up? As multiplier, Jupiter is magnifying the illusion of comfort from social media. Does this make us depressed, this disconnect in social media? What does social media do for us? These are questions we must ask ourselves if we seek to navigate the pathways of life with the aid of the Moon, the presiding deity of the Mind.
This full moon is in the 3rd house, the house of communications with the herd, the house of social media. Social media does not bring us to true humanness, and social media does not bring us to peace. We are inveigled into checking what acquaintances are doing, we are persuaded and cajoled by fears of missing out into checking posts and messages, with the result we don’t get lasting happiness – nor peace – from social media. We have capacity to know ourselves – and we create our personality with real-world interactions and feelings. Our wealth is our education, knowledge. We learn skills, we have balance in our lives, we develop insight into our needs and the situations we find ourselves in, and we have an identity away from social media. This is the message of this Full Moon, opposed by Sun, Jupiter and Mercury. Reliance on social media causes depression, negativity. As the Moon is exalted, the mind has sufficient energy to remove any negativity by right thinking.
Rahu in the 5th house has a drive to seek social mobility through a passion for holding the centre of attention. Rahu here brings a desire to hold centre stage roles. This is a quest for legitimacy and superior privilege. Here, in a dharma house, Rahu is seeking what he or she morally should not have. Rahu desires privilege through ideological patronage, network participation and physical appearance/splendour. There are hints of hidden patrons, secrecy in participation in the society, the socially mobile upwards moving circles – “You don’t know everything!”, the shadow planet Rahu exclaims! Adridha: such temptations can be assuaged with remedies, mantras, sadhana, spiritual effort. Pride goes before a fall, and this pride and easily be transmuted if spiritual activity is undertaken. The right place in society is a place with humility. Any presence without humility is deception.
Venus is strong: in both the Birth chart and Navamsha, Venus occupies the same sign and is moolatrikona, with extra strength. The 8th house is the house of mystery, the occult, the secrets of discovery. Matters come to light in the 8th house. It is taught that the human is not the senses, not the body, not the mind: when sensuality, passion, infatuation and sexuality are bypassed, where love is selfless and detached, self discovery beyond the mind is possible. This requires renunciation, this means not reducing another person to an object for satisfying the desires – satisfying lust – for lust is one of the six enemies of the human. If we put in the effort, we can go on the journey of self-discovery, which the 8th house provides. As this is a movable sign the remedies of Adridha given above can be applied. We can treat our intimate relationships as we would like to be experience personally, and tread the path to true humanness, a unity of thoughts, words and actions.
At this time of Full Moon, we have the Sun, Jupiter and Mercury in the 9th house. Jupiter is Lord of the 1st House, bringing additional strength to the expression of this house. Jupiter also brings significant spiritual resources to the 9th, the spiritual house. As philosopher, guru, teacher, preceptor, Jupiter can be idealistic about the future and engage in plans: however, in Anuradha nakshatra, Jupiter restores balance to spiritual pursuits. So Jupiter can bring added balance to any efforts relating to Venus and sensual love, and to the largesse of Rahu seeking social mobility and privilege.
The significator of the Soul, Mercury, is conjunct Jupiter and the Sun. Here, Mercury has the task of teaching us to learn to speak truthfully, speak softly and sweetly, to communicate that which is meaningful and uplifting. The soul is not the giver of nastiness, negativity nor harshness. The soul, like its source, is light and love, and spreads that light everywhere it is called upon to do so. Mercury here can bring intuition and understanding of the goal of life as well as the desire to reach that goal, fleet and fast. As we have seen in other houses, renunciation and penance are the path. While Mercury is the messenger of the gods, the message for the humans is the mountain is there, the path is known, the trek can be arduous. If one listens to the preceptor Jupiter, and takes the natural strength and valour of the Sun, the journey toward the goal may be taken up. It is taken up in full self awareness of the body, the senses, the mind, and the role these play as we cross the ocean of life.
Saturn resides in Mula nakshatra in the 10th house. This is the house where the wealth of our learning manifests in career, business, occupation, status and society. Here Saturn teaches restriction, responsibility, ability to endure. Saturn in Mula nakshatra teaches us to transform regrets from the past, and to deal with difficult circumstances – in family leadership, in business leadership, and public leadership. Saturn urges us to dissolve regrets (past is past, leave it in the past is the teaching of Saturn), and let go of all that ties us to the past. A spiritual challenge, not unlike the tasks that Rahu, Venus and Jupiter press us toward. This full moon uncovers many spiritual challenges.
Mars is in the 12th House: and it is here that Mars has the courage to follow the path of personal convictions in the face of struggle with passions. Mars in the 12th can be the victor and lead ever on – ever forward – in truth and integrity. It is a time of dissolution of materialism and following the path of convictions. Mars also evinces spiritual leadership and clairsentient instincts. Attachment to truth and personal convictions elicits these spiritual and psychic qualities. Mars is raising the question for many: What is spirituality, how do we live the spiritual life? Mars as explorer/warrior seeks the great boon of spirituality to take back to his army of followers, devotees, spiritual aspirants. Mars wants one and all to know those actions that we undertake which elicit spirituality for human beings.
Spirituality and Spiritual Intelligence
There are several elements of spirituality – such as mystical experiences, transcendence, sanctification, spirituality as problem solving skill and spirituality as ethical and virtuous behaviour. These are the components of spiritual intelligence.
I’d like to take a moment to raise a distinction between religion and spirituality. Religion is an institution with organised beliefs. Spirituality, on other hand, is an experience.
Spirituality doesn’t require you to believe anything. Rather, spirituality constantly invites you to notice your experience. Your personal experience becomes your authority rather than something someone else has told you.
Spiritual practice imparts an awareness within you to what will bring you peace, and what will not bring peace. Mars, the warrior planet takes up actions based on experience: here in the 12th house, Mars is seeking the final things that bring peace to the journey of life. Spiritual warriors rely on their own intuition and experience that leaves them with peace, rather anything someone else has told them. In the ancient adage, Experience teaches and no book, no external instruction will budge the spiritual warrior from the road to spirituality: the peace that passeth understanding.
Looking to Navamsha
We look to the Navamsha, the 9th division or harmonic of the chart for the time of Full Moon in November. In the Lagna (Aquarius) we find Ketu, indicating the spirit of renunciation and the competence to attain great heights. It is more likely that Ketu is indicating the essence of discrimination and detachment has arrived and there is detachment from the affairs of the material world. (The Navamsha chart has application for those over age 50, hence, the relevance of detachment from materiality.)
The Moon is in the second house, traditionally a wealth house. In this instance, Moon is in a water sign, indicating an abundance of emotion. The greatest lack of wealth is the separation of mind and heart – in the case of toxic masculinity which reveres head over heart. Here, in the Navamsha, we look to the foundation of wealth. The foundation of personal wealth is based on what? On personal networks, on the wealth of learning? On Knowledge as power? Is this the security of the mind? The Moon – as presiding deity of the mind – is raising questions about the foundations of personal security be it in the home, in the family, in career and security of employment, be it in our personal networks of friends, acquaintances, the social networks we move in. None of these give inner security and wealth. Self control, self discipline, self respect, self confidence: these are the markers of transcendental security. These are the goal posts of interior wealth.
6th, 8th and 12th houses are called trika houses. Trika houses are adverse in their indications. Sixth house is the house for disease in general. Eighth house indicates suffering which is more severe. Twelfth house also indicates suffering. Varying combinations of 6th, 8th and 12th houses and their lords indicate strong challenges to health. Saturn, Lord of 12th house, is found in the 6th house, indicating chronic problems with health and imbalance. This is also a movable sign (Cancer) and hence the remedies of Adridha given above can apply. One of the names of divinity in Hinduism is sarva roga nivarini namaha (one who can remove all of diseases).
Ambitiously seeking Rahu is found in the 7th House of the Navamsha, indicating that balance needs to be obtained in relationships: this balance should be a firm foundation in fact and in truth. Partnerships, relationships, personal relations need balance, grounding, verification. Check all contracts, promises, undertakings are founded with binding moral certainty, surety, indisputability, demonstrativity, provability. In the House of relations with others, Rahu may be upwardly socially mobile with no intention of ever being accountable, no intention of ever coming back down the ladder of social mobility. Care must be taken with relationships, partnerships, contracts and like instruments.
In the 8th house we find Sun and Jupiter. Depending on aspects to Sun (and your natal Sun), this Sun in the 8th house may have you at the centre of mystery, secrecy, sudden changes, covert operations, occult knowledge and confidential information. The 8th house, as we said earlier, is a place of personal self discovery. The suppressed parts of our personality may emerge as solid gold once we integrate these into our self-hood, the public persona. The presence of Jupiter in this sign aids identity transformation, discovery of hidden treasures within, the philosophical strength for penetrating inquiries. Philosophical strength, you ask? The night-sea journey of the hero requires that we face our own inner darkness in order to recover the lost treasure of our true selves. This is a very strong place with Jupiter giving energy to the Sun’s experiences.
In the 9th Navamsha we find the vargottama Venus – occupying the same sign in both the birth chart and its ninth harmonic. Venus in Libra is in its own sign, moolatrikona, and so radiating strength and victory. While many tell that Venus is the planet of love and sensuality, this is not so. Significator of gracefulness, the Divine Mother, song, dance, the arts such as film-making, acting and poetry, Venus presides over the grace-filled aspects of our lives bringing beauty and balance. In the 9th Navamsha, Venus appreciates the value of religion as a development of culture. Venus adores the most beautifully decorated sacred space and temple costumes, sacred art and sacred music , the fragrance of billowing incense, the flash of bright silks in shows of Divine pomp and circumstance. Here, we are called to nourish our souls and partake of what Venus has to offer in elaborate sacred ritual and liturgy.
The position of the significator of the soul (atmakaraka) in the Navamsha chart is of importance, for the Atmakaraka (in this instance Mercury) is the King of the chart, the absolute ruler whom none move against. Here, Mercury is the agent for Ascension, signifying psychological transformation, change, rebirth, renovation, rejuvenation, life-force continuation within cycles of transformation: the Ascension to the higher dimensions. 4th Dimension, 5th Dimension, these cycles of transformation take place in the physical body. Aspected solely by the energies of the Full Moon, Mercury gathers students, pupils, apprentices, disciples to mastering the narratives of the new order of life on Earth in the higher dimensions. Where Mercury is not a guru (therefore not a teacher) Mercury does gather information, insight, intuition and disperses intelligence on the matters at hand. It is here, in Scorpio as King of the Navamsha, Mercury leads humanity into the Golden Age of light and love, living in the higher dimensions. It is now that the light body begins to form in the corporeal, physical body.
Full Moon Meditation
The Hierarchy have advised us that the times of the Full Moon are times when energy is magnified, and multiplied. Groups sitting together in meditation on peace, harmony, goodwill towards all have a manifold affect on the energies surrounding our planet when they do this on the Full Moon day. If it is not possible to do so on the actual day, then, we have been told, the day before or the day after will also serve as days of excellence in sending out positive harmony, peace and helpful energies to all places on our Earth.
Meditating on light can raise the level of light within the individual. Meditating on light for our home, Planet Earth, can raise the level of light in places where this is needed. For LIGHT can be, as you know when you turn on a light in a room it has different voltages in different countries – in some countries it is brighter – sometimes it is darker. In a way, the Light in each individual on this Earth is the same. Sometimes it is brighter and sometimes it is darker. Such meditation is always of help to others.
Light Body Meditation
The benefit of this will be to increase the vibrational level of your light body which will result in progress towards ascension as, an opening of your gifts and abilities as well as once you increase your capacity to hold light you also increase your capacity to send it, and bring it into the world.
I will ask you all to close your eyes and take three slow deep breaths while envisioning your light or etheric body where it is normally found in your current dimension slightly above and in front of your physical body.
Once you become aware of your light body by deep breathing and envisioning it, you should feel the vibration of it, the love and light that it is.
This part of your being is your connection to all that is, the part of you that is a part of me, joined with each other, and the part of you that is God.
Draw divine love in through the crown chakra of your physical body feel it fill you, feel the glory of it coursing through your body.
Gather this love energy into your chest, into your heart and pass it through your heart chakra into your light body, I am also doing this with my own divine love along with you.
As this love filters through your physical body it cleanses any negativity, any stress or ailments, it very simply neutralizes them.
As your love unites with mine in your light body, you will notice it begin to grow brighter, to lift higher.
As it becomes fuller and fuller, you will see it glowing and floating before you, attached by the cord that joins you with your energetic self in this life.
Keep adding and adding, the energies are limitless and always available to you.
Continue along for five deep breaths.
Now envision the lightness of the light body before you, take awe in it for it is you and it is ALL.
Slowly begin to draw that light body closer to your physical body, imagine drawing it along the cord that attaches you.
Once contact is made between your physical and light body the feeling is instantly electric.
Take all the time you need to pull your light body into your physical self, breathing deeply and fully the whole time.
Once you have fully merged the two, you will understand the concept of ascension you will feel it on a minor level, the joy and beauty of raising your vibration and merging with your higher self.
This is exciting and this is empowering to experience these levels and feel this love and light within your physical form, give thanks and praise for all that you are and all that you are becoming.
Keep breathing deeply and slowly, and hold your light body within for as long as you can, for not only is this aiding you in reaching new levels, it is also healing and transforming your physical self.
