Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

Mercury Resumes Direct Motion February 1

Mercury's return to "normal" motion will be welcome by many on Sunday, February 1. Mercury has gone so far as to take himself all the way back into the late degrees of Sagittarius, passing by Jupiter, Sun and Mars on the way. This condition could be dragging you back to dealing with or processing something you perhaps had written off as complete. Although in a different sign at the moment, Mercury is still only about five degrees away from Mars, who has the power in his exalted position in Capricorn to influence Mercury to do whatever is necessary to complete the situation. A clue to what this situation may relate to could be found in identifying the house that is occupied by Sagittarius in one's chart. At any rate, Mercury resumes direct motion on February 1, so prepare yourself to (really this time) end a chapter and point your toes toward the steep path that awaits. Mercury takes about a week to shake off the vibration of the retrograde cycle, so exercise the same patience and caution that I know you have been for the past few weeks.

Venus in Pisces February 1

Just a reminder that Venus is in her sign of exaltation all month. (Review Venus Enters Pisces January 27, 2009.) Venus in Pisces wants us to know that at the end of the day, it's really about the love. It's about accepting life as it comes, relating to others and finding the beauty in the cosmic mystery. This is a great position for creativity in the fine arts, music, theater and entertainment.

Full Moon in Cancer February 9

The Moon reaches her point of fullness early in the morning of February 9, so you'll be able to get the best view of that starting on Sunday evening, February 8. The Moon will be full at 27° degrees Cancer, the Moon's own sign, and in the lunar mansion called Ashlesa, which means "the entwiner" and is ruled by Naga, the Lord of the Serpents. Ashlesa is associated with the mystical power and enlightenment contained within kundalini, the serpent fire that is housed in the base of the spine. Joining the Sun in Capricorn, opposite the Moon, are Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Rahu, so quite a bit of energy will be contained in Saturn's earth sign. This creates a solid base for that which came to life during the New Moon of January 26. Ashlesha encourages philosophical thought, penetrating emotions and a sensual nature, and has dharma as its primary motivation, the pursuit of right action.

There was a partial solar eclipse that occurred during the new Moon, and there will be a full lunar eclipse during this full Moon, visible to the western US/Canada, Australia and eastern Asia. Eclipses are not taken lightly in Jyotish, as they represent the ability of the shadow to overcome the power of the light. They often signal times of abrupt or violent change due to calamity fueled by loss of hope or clarity. We can all agree that we are in the midst of a global economic crisis, not to mention a spiritual and environmental one, as evidenced by our continued practice of harm to our natural environment and our ongoing need to wage war on others in the name of greed and under the guise of righteousness.

The question is, how do these eclipses affect us and what can we do about it? The eclipse energy combined with Mercury's retrograde cycle has gotten our new year off to a slow, rocky and uncertain start. Doubt, fear and general negativity hang like a cloud over our heads. Keep in mind that any planetary influence can be overcome with the right action, attention and intention. We all need to work extra hard at this time to see our global and personal situations in a positive light, whatever it takes. Rather than wasting energy fretting about lack, turn your personal flow toward creating resources and abundance. Remember that both the shadow that obscures and the light that struggles to shine are contained within each of us, and it is our free will that determines what type of balance we make of those forces.

Sun Enters Aquarius February 13

The Sun exits Capricorn for Saturn's air sign, Aquarius, on Friday, February 13. Is that an omen? The Sun moves into opposition with Saturn himself, as they exchange signs for the one month period that the Sun transits through Aquarius. Aquarius is a sign known for humanitarianism, equality and the drive to serve others, so perhaps our great luminary will shed some light on how we can include those qualities as we re-structure our old forms of rulership and authority, which is the task led largely by grandfather Saturn as he moves through Leo. While it is easy to see how these principles can be applied on a societal level, it would be an interesting exercise in self-inquiry to explore how they manifest on a personal level. How strong is my ability to regard others as equal to me, not better nor worse? When is the last time I made a sacrifice for someone else's benefit? How do I feel about the frequency of those sacrifices? Am I giving myself away? Do I hold too much of myself back? Who is my authority? How can I best serve both myself and others equally? What type of fears do I hold surrounding the concept of others having power over me, or vice versa?

Rahu-Jupiter Conjunct February 13

As Jupiter and Rahu have approached one another, a continued sense of hopelessness about the ability to grow and flourish is evident in many people, and in the condition of the economy, nearly worldwide. Rahu, as a force of eclipse and especially activated at this time due to the two recent eclipses, is acting to swallow and obscure the usually overwhelming ability of Jupiter to create positivity and expansion. Once Jupiter moves past Rahu and out of his realm of immediate influence, by the first week in March, we should again be able to harness the hope and faith that Jupiter supplies us. Our work during February will include maintaining a clear connection with truth, represented by Jupiter. The planetary forces affecting truth right now threaten to obscure and corrupt, so listen and observe carefully the actions and words of yourself and others.

Next to conjoin with Rahu will be Mars on February 18 and the Moon on February 22. Mars stands the best chance at maintaining integrity in the face of Rahu due to his state of exaltation in Capricorn. As always, though, one should be careful wielding the power of Mars, especially on steep, rocky paths. The Moon may have a bit more trouble passing by the troll known as Rahu, due to her weakened state as a waning crescent. Watch out for making big decisions at this time, as the combination of the Moon with Rahu can sometimes indicate the potential for mental and emotional instability. This could make the middle part of February challenging, but by month's end, we should be feeling at least a spark of hope and recognizing the ability to do something about it.

New Moon in Aquarius February 24

The new lunar cycle begins on Tuesday, February 24 at 12° Aquarius in the lunar mansion called Shatabishak, which translates as "The Hundred Healers." The influence of Saturn by lordship and aspect to this new moon will encourage slow, deliberate movement for projects and programs begun during this time. Shatabishak is concerned with healing and with activation of the life force, so this would be a good time to embark on a new program of healing or of seclusion that is revitalizing.

Mercury-Mars Conjunct in Capricorn February 28

After Mercury's retrograde cycle, he begins to gain momentum, entering back into Capricorn on February 8, conjuncting with Jupiter on February 18, conjuncting with Rahu and the Moon on February 22 and finally with Mars on February 28. Mercury as the messenger, and as our capacity to share and exchange with others and the world at large, is easily influenced and picks up the habits and customs of other planets with whom he associates. So, he's collecting quite a bit of energy as he moves through crowded Capricorn. The best charge he'll get in Saturn's earth sign will be from Mars, in the late degrees of his sign of exaltation. That means that Mars performs best while operating in Capricorn. The combination of Mercury and Mars energy is what brings us many of the great scientific and technological wonders of our modern world. To harness this strain of power would be useful in rewiring or reprogramming some of the systems that may be outdated and in need of change. Mars understands power and resources, while Mercury understands conveyance and networks; a formidable partnership.