*Artist unknown
September begins with Moon in Aries, Mars in Gemini, Jupiter exalted in Cancer, Mulitrikona Sun, Ketu and Mercury in Leo, Venus debilitated in Virgo, Rahu in Aquarius, Saturn retrograde in Pisces.
September Transits:
Venus in own sign of Libra on the 2nd
Mars enters Punarvasu Nakshatra on the 2nd
Kali Jayanti on the 3rd
Mercury exalted in Virgo on the 7th
Ganesha Chaturthi on the 14th
Sun in Virgo on the 16th
Mars debilitated in Cancer on the 18th
Autumn Equinox on the 22nd
Mercury in Libra on the 26th
Pitru Paksha begins on the 26th
New Moon in Leo and Purvaphalguni Nakshatra on September 10th at 21:27 MT
After months of grueling transits, September offers some bright spots, less tension, and moments of more Nature Support. Use this month to bolster your reserves, find some hope, and deepen your self care. It may be short lived, but during September, you might feel like your energy has returned and sparks of joy emerge.
The bright spot of this month is Venus in Libra, Mercury exalted, and Jupiter continuing its exaltation in Cancer. These planetary strengths support the otherwise challenging transits of Saturn in Pisces, the nodes in Aquarius and Leo, the Ketu & Sun conjunction in Leo, and Mars going debilitated later in the month.
Until mid September, there is a window of time that is stronger, more hopeful, potentially optimistic. Use your time wisely. This is not a time to be overly confident or unwilling to see the challenges ahead, but for now enjoy the pause from the onslaught of harsh transits.
Venus in Libra offers balance, harmony, and comfort. Bring your offerings to the marketplace, make new connections, and focus on your stability. It’s time to create, harvest, and receive the fruits of your labor. Move forward boldly and ask for what you truly desire.
Exalted Jupiter in Cancer has shifted into Ashlesha nakshatra. Ashelsha nakshatra is ruled by Sarpa, the serpent. As with all serpent energy, shedding and releasing are inevitable. Sarpa does this in a sharp and cutting way as this nakshatra is Tiksna in nature. There are two different types of serpent energy in the Vedic tradition- Sarpa and Naga. Naga is very spiritual and beneficial. Sarpa is more extreme, often harmful, and causes damage through forcing transformation. His sharp and dreadful nature is useful for ripping blinders off, truth coming to the light, extreme clarity and powerful awakening. Once Sarpa makes you see the truth, you will never be able to put the blinders back on.
The New Moon in Leo and Purvaphalguni on September 10th emphasizes the the need for rest and also enjoyment.
Abundance is coming. When excess arrives, be mindful of overindulgence and complacency. Sun in Leo conjunct Ketu has required a stripping of ego identity, outdated beliefs, and finding a new sense of power and purpose. Ketu brings detachment and Sun demands visibility. Are you showing up or being complacent? What really matters now? Do you have the courage to fight for what you truly believe in?
In the cycle ahead, comfort, nourishment and relationships come to the forefront.
Sun and Moon both transit Purvaphalguni nakshatra in Sidereal Leo at the time of the new Moon. Leo is ruled by the Sun and notorious for bold expression. With Sun in its own sign right now, you may be feeling a surge in power, determination and strength. Put your focus into action, awaken goals and ask for what you need. Ketu in Leo asks you to restructure, detach, and move forward without ego.
The New Moon in Leo and Purvaphalguni invites increased creativity and sensuality into the cycle ahead. There is strong desire, empowerment and attention to relationships surfacing. Clear away emotional debris and make space for gains and expansion in the heart. As you clarify goals and intentions, make sure you are also being diligent with the action steps necessary to accomplish them. Watch for overdoing, pushing and forcing as well as imbalance with inaction and rest. Allow for leisure, increased pleasure, nourishment and ease, but be mindful of overindulgence and laziness. Cravings are rooted in the shadow. Get curious.
What darkness is not being attended to with honesty and courage? Where can you let go and find more surrender? Where are you pushing and forcing, creating imbalance and overwhelm?
Purvaphalguni nakshatra is ruled by Bhaga, the god of pleasure, comforts and commodities. He gives excess, abundance and juiciness. Sensuality and sexuality come naturally as a result of his gifts and influence. Manifestation is enlivened with his life force energy. This constellation is like the nectar that bees flock to, expressing a spring-like quality with plenty of blossoming and fruiting. The sap is flowing, the bees are buzzing and the flowers are blooming! Can you feel it?
Beauty comes alive within this portion of the sky and potential for abundance is dawning. Relationships are energized and strengthened with the influences of this constellation. Plant your seeds of desire, expand your dreams and focus on the bigger picture.
Maybe it’s time to ask for what you really want and need? Where are you receiving less than what you deserve? What is keeping you from rising and growing? Where are you resisting your power and greater purpose?
This cycle reminds you to not settle for less than the best. Ask Nature to support your clarity and vision. Think bigger and be clear about your desires. Get focused and expand your reach. Use creative resources to awaken your life force energy.
Make art! Dance and sing! Celebrate yourself! Meet new people, start new relationships. Don’t forget to enliven the relations you already have. Allow more sensuality and sexuality into your life and let your life force energy flow more fully. Spend time receiving and remember your gratitude. Where do you feel abundant already? Where do you need more?
Remember to ask for support and allow receiving. This will strengthen your results. We don’t ever succeed alone! Gather who and what you need for growth, nourishment and support.
Full Moon in Pisces and UttaraBhadrapada Nakshatra on September 26th at 10:49 AM MT + Pitru Paksha
As September comes to a close, Mars goes debilitated in Cancer, joining exalted Jupiter here. Mars must learn to take direction from the guru, which may be overwhelming to him. Jupiter is wise council, however, Mars can be young and impulsive. Both exalted and debilitated planets are immature. These qualities express extremes that need maturity and balance. Exalted Jupiter is overly idealistic and dogmatic at times. Debilitated Mars resists or avoids action taking. As a result opportunities are lost.
The risk with this transit of Mars and Jupiter is laziness, complacency and feeling overly confident. This causes you to miss dharmic support, guidance, and resources for your path and purpose. Mars will tell you to wait. Jupiter tells you “I’m fine for now.” So you do nothing and nothing changes. For those committed to a dharmic path, you need to understand this dynamic within yourself and respond with conscious awareness. It is so easy to get stuck, lost and ambivalent right now. Don’t fall for it. The purpose of studying Jyotish is to awaken us to our own samskaras, karmic tendencies.
Sun transits Virgo and Mercury and Venus navigate Libra. These planets are asking you to create something new. You will need precision and a clear focus to get results. Connect, co-create, reach out to people. Make sure you are not working alone in isolation or you will miss this opportunity for growth. Some of your relationships will be vulnerable and require more diligence. Pay attention to who feels aligned and supportive and who does not.
Sun and Venus are in each other’s debilitation signs right now which can also be difficult for the body. Sun goes debilitated next month. Slow down and listen more. Let your body guide the path. Increase your self care and start your fall cleanse. Refine your diet and routine. This is a cycle for prevention and improving habits.
Full Moon arrives on September 26th with Pitru Paksha and Uttarabhadrapada Nakshatra.
Saturn and Moon collide with this big lunar energy. Exalted Jupiter gives drishti, offering support and guidance. The most powerful time of year in the Vedic calendar arrives with Pitru Paksha, leading into Navaratri on the October new Moon.
This is a powerful 15 day lunar cycle that honors the ancestors. Offer blessings of food at your ancestor altar. Nourishing the ancestors, and your entire lineage, is of the utmost importance in this cycle. Your ancestors gift you with your dharmic duty and thanking them for their guidance and blessings at this time is extremely potent. Use this two week cycle to strengthen your relationship with your lineage, ancestral wisdom, and dharmic path.
Saturn continues to transit sidereal Pisces until June 2027. This full Moon will amplify the themes, challenges, and obstacles of this long, slow transit. Be mindful of soul avoidant behavior with Saturn in Pisces. This transit can bring addictions to the surface as well as unconscious fears, avoidance, resistance, and over all bad behavior. Pisces can bring over-indulgence, but Saturn won’t tolerate this. Mercury is considered debilitated in Pisces which means the mind is not strong here. Saturn can create mental body challenges because the mental body is weak in this sign. Use this cycle to strengthen the mind through meditation, spiritual practices, and therapeutic resources. Be willing to face your shadow and get curious about fears and illusions that are creating avoidance and addiction. Saturn will not let you avoid your grief work in this cycle.
Pisces correlates to the 12th house of the zodiac- which expresses themes around loss, endings, release and letting go. The wisdom of the 12th house is expressed through the ancestors, reclusive tendencies and all matters of the spiritual realms. It is a junction point between endings and beginnings, openings and closings, spirit and material worlds. There is nothing mundane about this portion of the sky. Jupiter, the guru, rules Pisces and reminds us of the knowledge possible through this sign. As a water sign, it requests movement, fluidity, purification and attention to the emotional body.
The September full Moon in Pisces and Uttarabhadrapada takes you into a deep dive- below the surface understanding of life and into the depths of your inner realms. Ruling deity of this constellation is Ahirbudhnya who rules unseen, hidden parts of your awareness. With the help of Ahirbudhnya, the unconscious parts of ourselves rise to the surface, becoming conscious. The serpent of the depths seeks spiritual awakening, transformation and healing, and does so by asking us to look at our shadows.
As a Naga, Ahirbudhnya has spiritual serpent energy that moves darkness to the light, stirring and awakening the unseen, making it dissolve into conscious awareness. In many ways this is a reflection of the endless cycle of transcendence and transformation. Darkness to light, pulling from our depths, and awakening insights and awareness. Your new awareness will provoke change and beginnings.
The intention of this constellation is to go into the depths again and again. Coming up for air doesn’t last long. It is the desire for expansion and growth that drives the movement and the return to the depths of our inner ocean. Ahirbudhnya supports this journey.
This waning cycle comes with a request to journey into your inner terrain and pull up pearls of wisdom. This requires your willingness to look deep within and uncover the hidden, dark parts of yourself. An invitation to intensify your healing process and gather new guidance is arriving. There may be confusion and shadow keeping you from seeing clearly, but strive for clarity and insight anyway. Balance, integration and harmony are bursting forth, but not without required release and endings.
Are you consciously allowing the letting go to take place? What veils of illusion are clouding your vision? What needs to be stripped away in order for you to see more clearly?
Relationships and the feminine are particularly potent resources for this waning cycle. Are you listening to your inner Divine Feminine? Are you allowing her wisdom to support your balance? She is a requirement for your wholeness and inner balance. Let Her speak to you.
As we move beyond the equinox, the Vedic celebration of Maha Navaratri arrives in October. This is a powerful turning point in the Vedic Calendar when the Divine Feminine transforms and awakens. It is through her powerful dance that the seasonal shifts take place. We are embarking on the magical shift between seen and unseen, straddling the material and spiritual realms. This is a gap, a portal, that invites in depth, wisdom and powerful inner wisdom. Don’t go back to sleep.
Join the Dharma Village.
If you desire to become a true seer in these dark times, the practice of Jyotish sharpens the light of your soul like no other tool- especially when used in an embodied way.
My Embodied Jyotish practice keeps you close to your body wisdom and your own inner truth, so you don’t outsource your power to someone or something else.
This world needs you to stay bright, awake, and clear!