The last month of winter is here in the southern hemisphere and with it brings another lunar event: the sturgeon supermoon on 12 August 2022. There is a strong influence of Mars at this time of Full Moon, and there are challenges in managing the mind, managing thoughts, managing behaviour – particularly to those close to us, and those who form our social capital. It is a good time for mantra siddhi.
First coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979, some say a supermoon is any full or new moon that occurs within 24 hours of it making its closest approach to Earth for that month. Others say it is when the full moon comes within 360,000 kilometres of Earth. This sturgeon Moon will be the most marginal of the 2022 supermoons, but it still falls within the 360,000km benchmark.
Shooting Stars
Once you’ve marvelled at the sturgeon supermoon, keep an eye out on August 13 for the Perseid meteor shower — the peak of meteor shower season, which can see as many as a hundred shooting stars per hour skimming across the night sky. Pro tip: Face north for the highest chance of seeing a shooting star.
The Planets
This Full Moon is conjunct Saturn in Capricorn. Some may feel the pull of Saturn restricting the magnified energy we get at times of Full Moon. Men may feel they are in the shadow of some restriction to masculinity and virility … and respect for women. In this day and age, in society and culture, all nations are slowly being dragged to the table of domestic violence and family violence. Women are being seen as having the fullness of humanity – just as much as men – and are the bearers of new life through childbirth.
In both the kundli and navamsa charts, Mars is in the 7th house, the sign of our relations with every other person in the world, including our partners, our spouse, the wife, the home-maker. Where Mars indicates the energy which is a life line of a man and prepares the individual to fight the battle of life. This battle is not to be visited upon our intimate partners: they are not punching bags. They are mirrors to the other’s self, they are karmic partners on the journey to the goal of life.
The Mars energy when benefic gives endurance, self-confidence, strength, a harmonious disposition, a practical nature and a resourceful, determined force of character. When the Mars energy is afflicted, it gives rashness, loss of temper, quarrelsome nature, irritation, unpleasant domestic life, and reputation is affected. Others do not perceive good character nor human flourishing. In fits of passion, it is hard to stop, consider, reflect and make a new choice. The afflicted Mars renders rashness, the impulsive choice, the action without thought, the drive of the ego causing reaction upon reaction which (to some) confers validity: see what you made me do! … this is no longer a defence at the table of domestic violence. So this Full Moon draws our attention to relationships, and in particular, our intimate partners. Instead of getting cranky, give thanks.
Jupiter is in dignity in his own sign of Pisces, aspecting Venus and Sun in Cancer, and the Ascendant. Jupiter, the Hierophant, the giver of higher understandings is also the giver of dignity in times of emotional turmoil. The sins of the father (read parents) are visited upon the descendants unto the seventh generation. We know these are called karmic chains and it is the task of the planets to represent these unseen vistas of karma from our past bodies (planets deliver light and magnetic energy to the human form in measured dose, as selected in the soul contract for the present lifetime: often called prarabdha karma, the lines written upon the brow). Due the Earth – and all who live upon her – moving to the higher dimensions of the Golden Age, these karmic chains can be disposed of – if we but ask sincerely, put effort, contact our spiritual guides (ishta devata, personal gods, family gods, gods you are devoted to) to come and sit with you as this gift is rendered. Jupiter – in dignity – restores the emotional balance in these times of passionate explosive separation from our maternal and paternal karmic chains.
The Navamsa
For those in their senior years, we look to the 9th harmonic, the Navamsa. Moon is in the second house (Leo) conjunct Venus (malefic) and directly aspected by their ruler, the Sun, Lord of Leo/Simha. In normal parlance, we say that Moon and Venus will transit Leo and somewhat behave or give off the energy of Sun. Gochara, transits, are like this. This sign is not giving off vibrations of wealth (second house) but rather, wealth that comes from networking, relationships, social capital: the networks that connect, boost and build presence in the world, influence in the world. Keep in mind that Sun is a star performer, the PERSONALITY that wants to be noticed, seen and admired. Where most of us walk across the stage of life and await the next curtain call, the Sun STOMPS across to stage-center, takes a deep bow, and as many encores he/she feels they are worthy of. Venus, however, is the weakest planet at this time of Full Moon; in terms of shad-bala, Venus is last, and not feeling up to being nice to everyone. Take care, make effort to manage the mind. Disturbances in Lake Manasarovar (what Sai calls the Lake of the Mind) are like ripples that go out to the edge. Make the bow-waves of your mind management the dominant waves that reach the shores of interactions within your social capital.
Jupiter is conjunct Rahu in the 5th house of the Navamsa. The 5th house is the house of creativity, authorship, autocracy; children of body, mind, and spirit. Both planets are retrograde, Jupiter being the strongest planet at this time of Full Moon, totally outshining the other heavenly bodies. Jupiter conjunct Rahu (charakaraka, giver of fraud and deceit) can see a multiplication of deception, ambition that climbs over others (or as Shakespeare scribed, ambition that oerleaps itself). We know that the 5th house is mantra stana, the house of repetition of mantras, and Jupiter – with the focussed, directed ambition of Rahu) can lead to mantra siddhi. A good accomplishment to have. Sai is fond of saying that the mind takes the form of whatever it is focussed on. Focussing the mind on mantras creates internal peace, something that the frenetic (excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotions), and frantic lifestyles of this day and age so desperately need.
Advice of the Hierarchy
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 energy 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.
A meditation on light is available on this website, here (opens in new window)
Another helpful form of group activity on Full Moon days is calling on the Angels, the Spirit Guides, the Star Beings of the Hierarchy, and the different Divinities – for all are but different forms of the one force field we may call GOD – and calling upon them for help. All prayers are answered; all prayers for the Good of All are responded to. It is well known that Divinity in its different names and forms takes the energies of devotion to God, the prayers, the offerings of Love, Harmony, Peace, Light and distribute this to places where it is needed around the Earth. Such meditations and prayers can also be offered on Full Moon days. Many prayers hail The One, The Lord, The Divine – or God – as a God of Mercy and Compassion. Compassion makes no difference between those who suffer and those who cause that suffering. Compassion is for all and such mercy offered in our prayers and meditation goes out for the Good of the All.
Image Credits: Pixabay / christoph, Pixabay / Nicola Gobbi