From late March 2022 up to the next full moon (Easter day) there are a number of astrological events occurring to which we seek to draw your attention. The New Moon in Pisces is Lunar New Year; when the Sun enters Aries, it will be Solar New Year. In that time (and after) several planets change signs including the outer planet Neptune, who will be in step with Jupiter for their ingress to Pisces.
Date | Planet | Event |
23 March | Mercury | to Pisces |
28 March | Venus | conjunct Saturn |
30 March | Venus | to Aquarius |
14/3 – 13/4 | Sun | in Pisces |
1 April | New Moon | in Pisces (Lunar New Year) |
3 April | Mercury | Cazimi (exact conjunction with Sun) |
4-6 April | Mars Saturn |
graha yudda Planetary War |
7 April | Mercury | gandanta |
8 April | Mars | to Aquarius |
9 April | Mars and Saturn | Separate; Planetary war is over. |
12 April | Jupiter Neptune |
conjunction in Aquarius |
13 April | Sun | gandanta |
14 April | Jupiter | moves to Pisces |
14 April | Sun | enters Aries Solar New Year |
17 April | Full Moon | Vaisakha Pratipada Hanuman Jayanti Easter day |
19 April | Neptune | to Pisces |
19 April | Saturn | sandhi (ceases aspecting Pisces) |
to 27/4 | Jupiter | within 3° of Neptune |
Crowded House: Capricorn
As we approach the end of March, we find Mars, Venus and Saturn in Capricorn. Venus is papa-ketari, hemmed in by malefics. On 28 March, Venus will be in exact conjunction with Saturn, and then it will transit into Aquarius. This will leave Mars and Saturn in Capricorn. Mars is exalted here at 28° of Capricorn. There will be planetary war between Mars and Saturn at this exact degree of exaltation. This will have effect on all people in all places. Supplication is recommended to Lord Shiva, as the entire world will be affected by this planetary war: there is no neecha-banga (un-bungling or cancellation of ill-effect).
Sun in Pisces
The Sun will be in Pisces from 14 March through 13 April. The Sun will be aspected by Saturn during its time in Pisces until Saturn transits to Aquarius. On 13 April Sun will transit the gandanta portion of the zodiac, the border between Pisces and Aries. This is the region from 27° Pisces to 3° Aries. All planets are affected when they cross these gandanta points. The effects of gandanta presents one with insurmountable knots and problems. As the Sun represents the personality and is second significator of the Soul, we will all feel the effects of the transit of the Sun over this challenging point. Keep this in mind and do not expect things to flow or unfold or be achieved with the customary expected outcomes. Be patient with yourself and make allowances for unexpected situations.
When the New Moon occurs in Pisces, (1st or 2nd of April depending on your location) this is called Lunar New Year, and it is on this occasion we erect a chart for the capital of the nation and look to the fortunes of the nation over the coming year.
When the Sun enters Aries, this is the Solar New Year and we move from Plava nama samvatara to Shubhakruth nama samvatsara. (These are names of individual years in the 60 year cycle of the vedic calendar, called panchang.)
Shubhakruth: The native getting birth in the year of ‘Shubhakruth’ is endowed with good fortune, learning, courtesy or humility and excellent virtuous deeds, is long-lived and has many sons and much wealth and property. ‘Shubhakruth’ may be spoken as ‘Shubha’ also. ‘Shubha’ means auspicious or good and ‘Shubhakruth’ means the doing of the deeds of auspiciousness or goodness.
Ascension and Solar New Year
At our location, Solar New Year occurs on 14 April at 11:11:11 hours.
11:11 is the signature of Ascension which numerically relates to higher consciousness.
There are many spirit beings and mystery schools on Earth in these times assisting the human race into Ascension, and reviving the memories of the presence of star peoples here on Earth. Much has happened, from the 11-11 through the Lion’s Gate and on to the end of the Mayan Calendar and the precession of the Equinox, 21 December 2012. Much has happened since that time – the Earth has moved through the wall of darkness, the Earth is changing its rhythms and rising in consciousness. It is also seeking to help those on Earth who are in suffering and distress. So what do we need to know, to recognise?
It’s recognising that the Earth body is giving you a body to walk and experience in the layer of consciousness that exists now upon your Earth planet. It is raising, it is rising all the time. It is in a transition just at this time in a portal of what you would call the Lion’s Gate.
You are moving into the golden age where everything is balance, and peace, and harmony, and goodwill and consideration for others, particularly the needy. You will be able to assist. Everybody has come here with a promise to help one another and this is now starting to take place. Although it might be not quite obvious just at this time, but it will happen I can reassure you.
The Earth is in its process of re-birthing, I want you to understand that and think about that. There is always pain in the birthing, it is joy and love once the birth takes place.
Mercury in Pisces
Mercury will transit from Aquarius to Pisces on 23rd of March and remain in Pisces until 7 April, when Mercury will cross the gandanta point into Aries. This is not the same as Mercury retrograde. This is Mercury in debilitation, and the full debilitation for Mercury in Pisces is at 15°. This will occur on 1st of April. This is a quick transit, and can lead to impulsive behaviour. We need to keep our feet on the ground at this time, particularly for Gemini and Virgo rising or Moon signs. On 3rd of April Mercury will be in exact conjunction with the Sun -in the heart of the Sun (cazimi). The debilitation of Mercury is close to Lunar New Year so it is a time (for Gemini and Virgo rising) to be careful (they will be burnt out) and all need to attentive to external events as New Moons are generally malefic (Moon is malefic whenever it is within 60° of the Sun).
Outer Planets: known by their Effects
Most of those who practice Vedic astrology disregard the outer planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Literature of Vedic Astrology only uses the traditional nine grahas: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu. However, Neo-Vedic or contemporary Vedic astrologers attend to the outer planets when they change signs, when they change nakshatra, or turn retrograde. There is no rulership, dignity or debilitation assigned to the outer planets. They are known by their effects.
Uranus was discovered through the telescope on March 13, 1781 by William Herschel, while Neptune’s path was calculated – using Newtonian method by John Couch Adams and Urbain le Verrier in 1846. A similar process led to the “discovery” of Pluto. The existence of a significant gravitational body-mass in the area was cosmologically predicted long before Pluto was actually “discovered”. It was predicted because Pluto’s effects can be seen on other objects/fields in his region.
When we have effects in the life of a person, and the standard horoscope does not offer any explanation; nor varshpala, mandi, gulika; like this, there are unexplained effects. It is then we look to the outer planets Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. At one time it used to be said that Uranus was a “higher octave” of Mercury, Neptune of Venus, and Pluto of Mars. It is thought now, given the advance of humanity into the Golden Age (4th and 5th dimensions) that these descriptions lack finesse and that archetypes might be considered, instead. The great Swiss psychiatrist, C.G. Jung once wrote “that which we do not face in the unconscious, we will live as fate”. Outer planets are thought to be significators of unconscious material (archetypes, the human shadow) that is presented to us when they change signs.
We understand that certain effects can be assigned to Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – standard attributions – Uranus as creative and potentially chaotic, Neptune as inspirational but potentially delusional, and Pluto as darkly transformative: these all ring true. Vedic Astrology assigns deities to planets, and according to the ancient palm leaf called Vasistha Nadi, the names of the grahas or planets (yet to be discovered) would be Prajapati (Uranus), Varuna (Neptune), and Yama (Pluto). As Neptune is changing from Aquarius to Pisces, we focus on the effects of Neptune, with Varuna as Lord.
Varuna Peyarchi: Neptune to Pisces
On 12 April, Jupiter and Neptune approach and will have exact conjunction in very late Aquarius at 29°44′ making both planets sandhi (deprived of energy and influence at that point).
Jupiter will enter Pisces on Solar New Year Day (14 April) and since this is the change of the vedic year from Plava to Shubhakruth (from the fisherman’s basket (separation, illusion) to doing of good deeds, this offers a year of great opportunity to do good for many people. This is also a direct influence on Ascension and the Solar New Year. Jupiter will be in Pisces for one year.
Two days later, Neptune will enter Pisces on 19 April where it will remain for 14 years. What is unusual about this conjunction and entry into Pisces, is that it occurs at the ingress (entry) into the sign, and not in later degree. While Jupiter is in Pisces for 1 year, the entrance (conjunction) with Neptune will throw an influence on Jupiter for the entire year. On 19 April, another event: Saturn will turn sandi (deprived of energy) and thereafter transit to Aquarius, where it is co-Lord with Rahu. From that day, Saturn will no longer aspect Pisces.
As referenced earlier, we look to outer planets when they change signs. Neptune has higher significations of art, dreams, idealism. Jupiter in Pisces can represent well-developed finances, happy family life, good education, compassionate nature, high spirituality, strong intuition, and healing abilities.
Pisces is a water sign, a moksha sign, and harbours great spiritual awareness, creative achievement, and compassionate action. But when disconnected from the All, from peers, society and culture, in its lower expression, Pisces has a tendency for escapism, deception, and delusion. This is the signification of the fish going in two directions, we can pull towards separation and duality, we can pull towards the experience of everything is Atma, and the lifting of the veil of illusion.
Neptune in Pisces provides the impetus towards transcendence of duality, unity consciousness, surrender and non-attachment. So Neptune in Pisces seeks to transcend, to merge, to surrender, to sacrifice, to let go and let God. On the other hand, Neptune seeks to dream, to inspire, to glamorise, to idealise, to imagine, to envision, to fantasise, to intuit, to enchant, to beguile.
We noted earlier about the fast transit of Mercury in Pisces. The advice given was “we need to keep our feet on the ground”, to be wary of impulsive behaviour, and always to seek balance in all things. Miniver Cheevy had dreams and wished he wore iron clothing. He coughed and called it fate …(I will let you read the poem) … We are not called to be flaky dreamers, drifting off into higher lokas in search of moksha. Escapism is not the path across the ocean of life. We cross the ocean of life holding on to the Lotus Feet, charana kamala. So this time Neptune and Jupiter in separation (up to 27 April) is a time to make sure we are grounded in all things. Up to 27 April, be grounded and seek the guidance of Shiva/Shakti, Shiva/Parvati in all things. Outer planets, when they change signs, do have influence.
About Lord Varuna
Lord Varuna is revered in Hinduism as the God of water and his sway extends to the underwater world. The Hindu Goddess Varuni is his consort and a Makara serves as his mount. According to the Puranas, he is the son of sage Kashyapa and one of the twelve Gods considered as Adityas, owing to their origin from the Mother of Gods, Aditi. Varuna possesses the lordship of the waters and was entrusted with the task of overseeing the clouds and rains. He is thus known as the king of waters and controls the Oceans, Seas, Rivers, and all other water bodies. During the Mahabharata period, the great Pandava, Arjuna was hailed as the son of Lord Varuna. It is also widely believed that praying to him protects us from thunder and lighting.
Varuna Gayatri
Aum Jalabimbaye Vidmahe
Nila Purushaye Dhimahi
Tanno Varunah Prachodayat
Om, Let us meditate on the reflection of water
O person of ocean blue, give me higher intellect
And let the God of water illuminate my mind
Varuna at Uluru
Low clouds at Uluru; December 2016; Alcheringa advises we may travel in spirit to meditate there and obtain spiritual advance.