*Artist unknown
February begins with Jupiter retrograde in Gemini, Moon in Cancer, Ketu in Leo, Mercury, Venus, exalted Mars and Sun in Capricorn, Rahu in Aquarius, and Saturn in Pisces.
February Transits:
Mercury in Aquarius on the 3rd
Venus in Aquarius on the 4th
Sun in Aquarius on the 13th
Maha Shivaratri on the 15th
Solar eclipse on the 16th
Mars in Aquarius on the 23rd
Mercury retrograde in Aquarius on the 26th
Venus exalted in Pisces on the 1st of March
Lunar eclipse on the
Full Moon in Cancer and Ashlesha Nakshatra on February 1st at 15:08 MT
February begins with a powerful full Moon in the notoriously challenging constellation of Ashlesha nakshatra, offering a theme of shedding and releasing for the month ahead.
As I’ve been sharing for the past few months, the transits for the first half of the year are extremely challenging. February is when we will see the intensification and volatility of the transits increase. The combustion of Venus, Mars, and Mercury continues, with a conjunction of Rahu- who notoriously intensifies whatever he touches. This month also includes an eclipse cycle which will increase shadow, darkness, and grief. Mars, Mercury, Venus and Sun will become locked in between Rahu and Saturn, increasing stress, pressure, struggles and losses.
Understanding how to work with these energies and laws of nature are essential for prevention, transformation, and mitigating unnecessary suffering. Jyotish is your most essential tool for moving into right relationship with your actions, choices, and behaviors.
Venus and Mercury will cool off as they move to Aquarius, leaving the intense heat of the Sun until the 13th. However, as they move to Aquarius, they conjunct Rahu, creating intense desire, challenge, illusion, and overwhelm to mind and relationships.
The procession of planets we’ve seen in Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn will now shift into Aquarius this month. Mercury leads the process on the 3rd, followed by Venus, then Sun, and finally Mars on the 23rd. There will be a pause on the excess heat from Sun, until he enters Aquarius on the 13th, creating another cycle of combustion, purification, heat, and pressure. The second half of the month requires more body awareness and preventative care so you don’t get burned out, overheated, and inflamed.
Use the final portion of exalted Mars for focused action, goals, momentum, and skillful steps. This powerful support for your action will not come again for another two years. Those who neglect the power of this cycle will be missing important success that you won’t see for many more cycles.
Full Moon in Cancer and Ashlesha Nakshatra on February 1st at 15:08 MT
The first day of February arrives with a full Moon in Cancer and Ashlesha nakshatra. Although Moon is balanced in its own sign of Cancer, the conjunction of multiple planets seven houses away causes discomfort and emotional disturbance. Ashlesha is a challenging and misunderstood nakshatra that needs conscious awareness.
Sun combusts Mercury, Venus and exalted Mars in Capricorn at the time of this full Moon. The lunar energies are large, the waves are strong, and the emotional body feels the impact. Pressure, overwhelm, anger, and challenges come from relationships, money, and over-working. This is a stressful combination of planets that requires extra care and attention for you body. Inflammation increases- particularly for the mind and nervous system. Support is limited and overwhelm is inevitable. Retrograde Jupiter gives his 8th drishti to Capricorn, creating malnourishment, misunderstandings, and lack of resources.
Ashlesha nakshatra is ruled by Sarpa, the mystical serpent. There are multiple types of snake energy in Vedic wisdom. Nagas are more spiritually supportive and beneficial, whereas Sarpas are notoriously challenging, harsh, and bring confusion.
Sarpa is notorious for his black magic and deceptive ways. He is illusion and confusion at his worst. At his best, he brings mystical wisdom and occult awareness. Snake medicine is indicative of Kundalini energy and the spinal column, as well as sexual potency. The lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu are expressions of serpent energy. Just as the nodes cause intensification, uncertainty, confusion and extremes, so does the energy of Sarpa. Highs and lows appear. Shadow intensifies. What you see is not always what you get, or what you wanted.
The serpent energy of sarpa brings an occult, mystical experience with him- which can also be deceptive and illusory. His snake energy penetrates deeply and likes to go well beyond the surface understanding of life and existence. Sarpa energy is bold, intoxicating and transformational. Transcendence and awakening are inevitable. Sarpa reminds us that from darkness, comes great wisdom- if we are willing to go beyond the mundane, surface understanding. Awakening is yours if you attend consciously to the layers of your own shadow and illusion.
Heart, home, mother, emotional body, lungs, chest and land are receive your focus with this Cancer full Moon. The emotional body waves are extra powerful and intense with this full Moon. Feel what you feel and support your emotional body movement and release.
As the full Moon arrives, nourishment, money and resources ask for your attention and intention. The pull will be towards greater nourishment in the weeks ahead, encouraging a focus on being fed, supported and comforted. What are you eating- physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually? How nourished do you feel by what you are ingesting? Seek comfort without bypassing your emotions.
Shivaratri arrives this year on February 15th just before the new Moon (Amavasya) on the 17th.
Shivaratri supports potential through the depths of silence. Shiva as destroyer, is pure creative potential. He supports your collapse into concentrated, focused alignment with the pure harmony of existence- that which is pure consciousness, deep, unaltered silence.
This is where your creativity resides, your ability to manifest, create and transform- over and over again. Through the transcendence, you can easily touch the silence of Shiva in his pure form.
Shiva reminds us to use this silence to release, simplify and transform. From a silent, awakened state, you can awaken the seeds of consciousness more intentionally and powerfully. Use your deep inner silence for stirring your creative desires.
This is a powerful time for meditation and reciting the Mrityunjaya Mantra:
oṁ tryambakaṁ yajāmahe sugandhiṁ puṣṭi-vardhanam ǀurvārukam-iva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya māmṛtāt ǁ
New Moon in Aquarius and Dhanishtha Nakshatra on February 17th at 5:01 AM MT + Solar Eclipse
As Venus, Mercury, Sun and Mars move to Aquarius, they conjunct Rahu, creating intense desire, challenge, illusion, and overwhelm to mind and relationships. They will also be hemmed in by both Saturn and Rahu as they navigate Aquarius in the second half of the month. Expect increased pressure, pain, and struggle with finances, nervous system, the mental body, all things pertaining to women and beauty, as well as your life force energy. Health needs your attention. Avoid travel and excess use of energy. Take care of the women in your life.
The second half of February brings an intense conjunction of five planets in Aquarius as well as a new Moon and Solar Eclipse. Venus, Mercury, Sun, Mars, and Rahu collide in the the air sign of Aquarius. Anything that touches Rahu intensifies, receives shadow, illusion and deception. What you see is not what you get. This shadow and illusion is bringing pain and suffering in multiple areas of life simultaneously. Relationships, mind, body, and financial challenges increase, intensifying pressure, fear, doubts, and betrayals.
Just before Mercury is poised at the edge of Aquarius at 29 degrees, he retrogrades. Retrograde planets intensify their effects and behave like the nodes- going against the norm. Mercury retrograde intensifies mind, nervous system, finances, and challenges with all things communication, commerce and creativity. Normally a retrograde Mercury cycle is not overly challenging, however, in this particular cycle, the impact of his conjunction with Rahu will be much more significant. Look for increased confusion, deception, illusion, and self doubt. Your mind is playing tricks on you. Cut through the illusion and be proactive with your steps.
Stay close to your body. Notice how the shadow is intensifying what you’ve been neglecting, avoiding, and bypassing. You can no longer afford to numb out or bypass the emotional body and your own grief. You must face the shadows with courage and willingness. Aquarius becomes the center of attention this month as five planets collide in this air sign. This sign increases duality, disconnection, and worldly challenges.
Both Saturn and Rahu rule Aquarius. Although these two planets express themselves similarly, Saturn prefers consistency, focus, hard work and effort. As the planet of grief, your effort is required in order for Saturn’s results. Just as your grief work makes space for the new, Aquarius requests loss and letting go, before space for the gains are possible. Rahu on the other hand refuses consistency and denies clarity. He is often confused, forcing deep surrender. Wherever there is gripping or forcing, the wrath of Rahu intensifies.
Aquarius correlates to the eleventh house of gains, older siblings, and friends. It follows the tenth house of the dharmic offering and supports the worldly gains that come with sharing your dharmic gifts, wisdom, and offerings with the world. Although the eleventh house is considered a house of worldly and monetary gains, it doesn’t happen without loss, release, and letting go. As the symbol of this air sign implies, the pot of water is being poured out. In order to receive the gains that are possible, there must be a release process taking place as well.
New Moon in Aquarius and Dhanishtha Nakshatra on February 17th at 05:01 AM MT + Solar Eclipse
Five planets collide in Aquarius at the time of the new Moon. Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Rahu intensify this low tide Moon. All areas of life and body are impacted by this challenging combination of planets. You will feel the effects of the eclipses weeks, even months in advance. Pay attention to the area of life and body that is demanding your attention right now. You can no longer avoid, dismiss, or bypass this important message. This is your wake up call.
Dhanishtha Nakshatra spans two signs- the edge of Capricorn and the first portion of Aquarius. Dhanishta nakshatra is ruled by the Vasu Devas- who bring the light, or jyoti. They support being seen, noticed and they love being visible. The Vasu Devas are torch carriers- lighting the path, awakening others by whatever means necessary.
This new Moon is an invitation to restructure your priorities and focus on what really matters. What lights you up? What are you passionate about? Are you willing to take a risk- to be seen more fully? You are being invited to shine brighter, increase your inner light, move towards your true passion and ask for more.
Dhanishta brings success to those who are brave enough to stand out and get noticed. Where are you playing small and refusing your bright light? What steps can you take to become more visible and shine even brighter?! The world needs bright shining lights. Awaken the Jyoti within and ask for more in the cycle ahead. Playing small, being invisible, and not showing up for your powerful dharmic gifts will no longer be tolerated. The challenges you are experiencing are a direct result of you not stepping into your embodied power and purpose. The more you resist shining your light, the more painful this will become.
This new Moon occurs with a solar eclipse, opening a two week eclipse cycle that will intensify your shadow work.
This new Moon brings an intense two week eclipse portal and intensified shadow work. Solar eclipses intensify your relationship with power, the masculine, authorities, and purpose. Confront undigested emotions, fear, resistance and inner conflict directly. Likely your personal mythology will be intensifying at this time so you can clean up any shadows that are keeping you in the dark. Pay attention to what is emerging from your depths.
Eclipses intensify everything and tend to make mountains out of mole hills- so we can see what we have been avoiding or negating within the unconscious realms. Stay positive and look for solutions rather than focusing on the darkness, but do not bypass the necessary inner work that you are being asked to show up for right now. This is a powerful time to address inner shadows head on and release inner blockages that you’ve been overlooking.
Your willingness to honor your big emotions will support their release. Stay present and willing to be with your challenging parts. There is something trying to push through and come to the surface. Are you listening? What needs to change? Your emotional body waves are asking for more nourishment. Be willing to support the release so that you have space for more of what you truly want and need.
Although this eclipse is not visible from the Northern Hemisphere, from a Vedic perspective, it is not advised to be outside during an eclipse- or to look directly at the eclipse taking place. Wear a head covering if you have to be outside so you don’t absorb the shadow. Ideally, this is a time for spiritual practices such as meditation, chanting and fasting. Set intentions and honor the sensitivity of this time. It is also widely recognized that during and between eclipses, starting new endeavors will not bring positive results. No new projects, relationships or activities should start in the eclipse portal. Notice what needs are arriving, then take action after the eclipse portal closes. Best to lay low, attend to spiritual pursuits, get extra rest and work with your inner shadow very consciously during this cycle.
The solar eclipse begins on February 17th at 2:56:26 am Mountain Time. The maximum eclipse occurs at 5:12:04 am MT. The eclipse will end at 7:27:42 am MT.
This is a powerful time to honor your emotional body wisdom and confront your inner shadows. Make necessary changes in your actions and choices. Release negative thought patterns, behaviors and inner dialogue that is keeping you stuck in patterns and cycles of lack. Clear, release and let go so that you have even more space for your deepest nourishment.