May The Next Version Of Your Life Feel Like A Deep Breath.

The differences between women of the three Venus nakshatras:

If you're one of them, I suggest you read them all, not just yours. Most will read Bharani first, then P. Phalguni and lastly P. Ashadha, but a more interesting order would be P. Phalguni-P. Ashadha-Bharani.

Bharani:

The birth of Venus_ the intense and transformative place that determines the journey.

The most passive energetically, perhaps the most visibly defensive. Focused on self-preservation, on deeper causes of their desires, wants, needs, attachments and love, and protective of their energy while relentlessly using it to get "what they want". More compassionate then Purva Phalguni, for example.

The themes of Bharani are physical creation, preservation and decay, along with the overarching rules or "mysteries" behind beauty, desire, attachments and love. Since it's Venus channeled personally, and connected to the sign of Aries/the active manifestation of Mars and the first house, it IS Venus, and so it lays the foundation for the other two. What that means is that one of its main concerns is secrecy and gatekeeping necessary for cultivation of everything that Venus represents, more so than other Venusian nakshatras.

It's also the only one that is Outcaste(Mleccha), which gives it enormous power and energy free of conventions. There is also en extreme sensitivity here that is not present in the other two. There's an awareness of energy and the core essence of everything that leads to the understanding or embodyment of "the ultimate", whatever that is.

Bharani women are embodyments of mother nature. They seek someone who can give them exactly what they want and need and nothing else. There is definitely a broad worldview that is naturally deep in them_ Bharani is an elephant yoni nakshatra, it has deep and profound memory, and some consider it the last nakshatra (most consider its yoni consort_ Revati as the last nakshatra, so that's some great insight into Elephant yonis). Despite this broad and deep view, Bharani women have a determination and a drive that can translate into an intensity with a "one track mind". Intensity and depth is in them almost always.

Definitely have the potential to be spiritual, because of a love for depth and an understanding of purity. Their yoni consort_ Revati is perhaps the most spiritual nakshatra, connected with the theme of "Godhood". Bharani's spirituality can be fused with romantic or sexual love and manifest as fierce devotion. They have an inability to tolerate "impurity"_ the error or fault between worlds and energies between them, for example, between the inner substance and the outward manifestation, or between the masculine and the feminine, between this world and the other. This can translate to a radical love of and demand for honesty and justice.

Balance and harmony are necessary for Venus but its sign rulership of Mars is the energy that drives them and in a sense, grants identity. The fusion of foundational energy of Venus with the active Mars is the theme of sex and death so prominent in this nakshatra. Life is the result of the sexual act but the culmination of that act is called "a little death". Love and desire drive sex so they also drive life and death. So, if Venus is the equilibrium and the balance then Mars is the other side_ the need for release. Together, they grant life and rule over the two components necessary for existence_ identity and the loss of it through love. Bharani is about defining existence itself, their own or of the world, through love.

Bharani women can act in a very enthusiastic and driven way, but also have a side to them that is extremely serious, to an extent that neither Purva Phalguni or even Purva Ashadha really reach.

Archetypically they represent the "damsel in distress" or "the princess in the tower". Bharani is something or someone nearly impossible to get or even find, which could be also associated with its symbolism of the yoni. It's also connected to the Holy Grail, or "The Philosopher's Stone" (that one was said by Claire Nakti recently and I have always gotten that vibe energetically from Bharani but could not articulate why. It makes so much sense though. This can also be another confirmation of why I associate Bharani with Rapunzel's tale so much).

Another archetype that they remind me of is the princess with high standards in fairytales that is so common. A similar one would be a young women who is fearlessly defiant, especially about choosing her own love.

Out of all Venus nakshatras Bharani women need gentleness the most, since's it's the most high tension/triggering placement among them. Bharani women can feel defenseless and abused, especially from harsh or crude(mostly masculine) energies. This ironically increases their defensive nature and a need for protection, despite being naturally gentle and passive. There's a clear difference between when a Bharani women is given her justice and when she is not. Their fierceness and gentleness are, in truth, the same in spirit.

Bharani moons Claire Holt, Gaia Weiss, Isabel Lucas

Purva Phalguni:

Out of the Venus nakshatras, Purva Phalguni is the one that is the least expressive emotionally. At least, not obviously. They too feel a lot, but their Sun rashi rulership grants them an "unbothered" nature.

So Purva Phalguni is the Venus nakshatra of pure unashamed enjoyment. They have clear preferences and after establishing the foundation in Bharani, Purva Phalguni is free to be prideful about their love. It's connected to ease, contrasting Bharani, which is more full of melancholic beauty and the meaning of struggle.

Purva Phalguni women are connected to material things and love it. Their personality is more "Sunny" than other Venus nakshatras. It's the most "neutral" Venus nakshatra. Definitely very sexual along with Bharani. The difference is that Bharani is represented by the yoni and the passive feminine principle, but Purva Phalguni is represented by the phallus and the active, masculine assertion of self through Venusian themes. In this way, they have a connection that is reaffirmed by the "special relationship"(traditional texts say so) between their yoni animals_ the rat and the elephant.

Women of this nakshatra, being the feminine representatives of the nakshatra of masculine assertion, have a friendly and easygoing nature, due to being relaxed. They have an energy of being "provided for", but they're still ruled by the planet of mutual exchange(Venus), so they're very giving in their own way. They like to pamper their beloved with gifts and/or attention, they love to feel special and make them feel "special"(Leo/Sun rulership) in return. Their tendency towards fun (5th house association) makes them a memorable presence. They do love spotlight more than Bharani and Purva Ashadha.

One interesting association of Purva Phalguni is discernment, which leads to their tendency of favoritism. Bharani and Purva Phalguni both love being passive in a sense of having someone take the reigns that helps them relax into a receptive, feminine role but they both also love to give back. Bharani is more receptive though, hungrier and harsher than Purva Phalguni, which is more relaxed and willing to give. Because of this, in a way, Bharani and Purva Phalguni women might become great friends with each other.

Charisma is a big thing here, due to Leo/Sun/5th house associations. Venus here is expressed through soul identity(Sun) and shown in the most adorned light among all three Venus nakshatras.

An important association of Purva Phalguni is procreation. Bharani as also explicitly associated with the sexual act and bringing a life, but Purva Phalguni focuses on the pleasure aspect of it, on the leisure and continuing the bloodline. Its yoni consort_ Magha is associated with family trees and bloodlines and is also fully in Leo(5th house/children association). Bharani on the other hand, focuses on immortality of love, attachments and transition between worlds, and sex for them is the ultimate point of change.

Even though they're the most outwardly stoic and act the most unaffected out of the three, they're also most prone to dramatics. There's a side to them that loves to show off and display, even if they don't show everything to everyone.

The dramaticism is for self-confidence and enjoyment(mainly, their own). It's not a placement that is concerned with gossip or everyone else's lives. Quite the contrary. If they don't like you, they will just pay you no attention. In this way, they're the least personal of Venus nakshatras. They have an aversion to anything unnecessary(kind of similar to how Bharani can't tolerate impurity) and outward harmony and empowerment is essential.

The archetype that Purva Phalguni women represent is the loving wife/girlfriend or "the spoiled lady". Purva Phalguni is Brahmin(highest) caste and is associated privilege and the ease that comes with it. Partnerships are important to them(the second stage of civilization/others. Bharani is the first stage of the individual, and Purva Ashadha is the third stage of universal). They can also be seen as "the nice rich girl", but that one is not necessarily true. They value politeness and manners but they themselves are not nice as much as they're unbothered. They're just not mean. The combination of Venus and Sun ensures that they're too focused on themselves and their wants to care about most others. In short, they live by "I am what I love".

Purva Phalguni moons Taylor Hill, Jane Birkin, Mia Wasikowska

Purva Ashadha:

Venus nakshatras all embody classical traits that are associated with the planet's archetype, but none are directly associated to the Goddesses Venus and Aphrodite like Purva Ashadha. This is the nakshatra of Venus' universalization. Being in the sign of Sagittarius (ruled by Jupiter), it has an inner desire to share its Venusian ideals(Sagittarius/9th house) with others.

Bharani is intense fire, Purva Phalguni is the fertile earth, Purva Ashadha is the relentless waves of water.

One obvious difference between Purva Ashadha and the other two Venus nakshatras is the lack of sexual associations.

When Venus is filtered through active Jupiter(sagittarius/9th house), then the action is sharing or spreading it. After the birth(Bharani) and the hedonistic pleasures(Purva Phalguni), Venus is ready and has an inner desire/neediness to make itself be heard.

The drive to spread its influence on this level is not present in other Venus nakshatras. Purva Ashadha women too know the importance of privacy, secrecy and gatekeeping, but they've come to a place where they've realized that beauty, love and all that is most precious cannot exist in a vacuum, but also cannot be ruined by what is below it in value. So the natural manifestation of that curcumstance is a constant tug of war between secrecy and sharing, between shutting off and spreading outwardly. Eventually, or sometimes immediately, they realize that they need allies to maintain their "Venus"(beauty, love, aesthetic preferences, all of them tied to morals and idealism), and then maybe, after strengthening, they can conquer all that is unworthy(in their eyes) together.

They can be extremely careful with who they choose to associate with, since to these women, people are either allies or enemies. In the end, whether they like to pretend otherwise or not, that's what it comes down to. They try to not show that they're trying to silently influence you, trying to get you to see that what they value is better or superior, that they'd like people to back them up in that way. It's still a Venus nakshatra, so they move in silence, but out of all Venus nakshatras, they're the most likely ones to break that "I'm just minding myself" Venusian attitude. They can become really triggered in general when something touches their ideals.

In friendships and with acquaintances they observe to see if they're worth trying to influence. Overall, these views may be why they like the idea of cliques or elitism that much.

Purva Ashadha women can be melancholic and intense like Bharani, but Bharani has a nature of fiery anger(active Martian/1st house/Aries), while Purva Ashadha is softer and watery. Another commonality they have with Bharani that Purva Phalguni does not is a creative drive to bring something out into the world. While in Bharani that manifests as literal birth/death and karmic changes, Purva Ashadha has a need to birth ideas, ideals, creative projects.

Their tendecy to look for allies and gather strength is further explained by its title as "the former victorious" one. It can be associated with revolutions, how the power of masses(Jupiter) empowered by fierce idealism(Venus-Jupiter) can grant said people victory. Their yoni consort_ Shravana, is associated with extreme receptivity and hearing everyone/everything. In this way, it is clear why they are consorts of Purva Ashadhas, who desire allies, support and victory.

A commonly manifested attitude among them is "others just will not get me"(that rarely is true irl). Jupiter, they rashi ruler, is connected to Godhood and their yoni_ Vanar, is a being from other dimentions. This might inspire a sense of superiority but also generate a feeling of alienation.

The most fitting archetype for them would be "warrior princess" or the "alluring siren". The siren's association with this nakshatra is quite famous. Purva Ashadha is another Brahmin caste nakshatra. Bharani has associations with fighting and aggression too but they do it on a more personal level. Purva Ashadha wants to fight with and for masses, backing what they fight for together.

Purva Ashadha moons Hailee Steinfeld, Astrid Berges-Frisbey and Liv Tyler

Upstairs

Exaltation Series: Moon in Krittika

An exalted planet means this planet has reached the higher point in its own sky. There, the planet feels free to unleash its power for better... Or worse. The sign where the planet is exalted allows the planet to flourish, as well as the nakshatra where the exaltation degree falls.

Moon Exalted in Krittika

Moon gets exalted at 3° of Taurus which is situated in Krittika nakshatra (Krittika: 26°40 Aries to 10°00 Taurus). Here, the Moon is full of soma, the nectar of immortality. Full of vitality, the Moon has reached an uncommon well-being, which leads to a tremendous charisma and, most importantly, a high dose of desires. Charisma and desires are typical traits of Krittika. Its point of exaltation being in the Taurus part of Krittika, this huge amount of inflamed desires is not perceptible at first. Taurus Krittika natives, especially those with the Moon placed there, will not show the openly Aries-type aggressive and passionate nature of Krittika at first but instead, they will show gentleness, politeness and diplomacy. The Moon full of soma does not need to be violent to get what it wants because the Moon feels SO good. Nothing can resist this charming and attractive Moon here. Krittika is ruled by Agni, the God of fire that sustains life, vitality, health. But Agni is also known for his huge appetite. He possesses 7 tongues and he eats the offerings of the mortals to the Gods. Moon's desires get amplified: love of the material world and luxuries get exacerbated. However, Agni is also the messenger to the Gods hence having two heads, one that looks at the world down there and the heavenly realms. Moon exalted here can offer to the natives a spiritual impulse depending on the rest of the chart. It also shows their capability to adapt themselves in different environments and their ability to communicate well. The Moon is the Queen of your chart, she needs to be surrounded by people and she knows how to gently adapt herself. The interesting part of Krittika is the other co-ruler, who is Kartikeya. Kartikeya has a link with Agni as Agni acted as the incubator during his conception. Kartikeya was not born as a child but as a warrior. He did not wait long to lead the armies to fight powerful enemies. The Moon's emotional strength has reached its peak in Krittika and nothing can stop them: the natives are secretly endowed with a warrior nature. The Moon does not like to be disturbed, the Moon wants peace: the Queen will find associates to get rid of those who dare upset her as well as her loved ones. Agni is fire; Moon is water: Moon's point of exaltation shows the mysterious intimate link between fire and water. The Agnichayana ritual involves a huge fire that brings rain; Kartikeya's conception was supported by both Agni the fire and the waters of Ganges. When the exalted Moon gets afflicted, it ignores the ethics. The desires come before everything else. Agni did not hesitate to pretend to be someone else to seduce the wives of a sage... Self-centeredness of a strong and afflicted exalted Moon can lead to overconfidence. Overconfidence leads to thoughtless actions and multiple disasters. Weak exalted Moon natives (waning Moon) will think twice before taking action and they might feel they are not self-confident enough though. Weak or strong exalted Moon in Krittika natives may deal with phobias, mental health issues and impatience. The queen can quickly feel frustrated and jealous, so, do not bother her... Otherwise, you will be surprised!

“We are surrounded on all sides by the stars.” An introduction to astronomy. 1868. 

avatar the last airbender & the nodes 🀄️ ☼｡˚❀ * ꕤ

one of my fav childhood cartoons of all time! i think this scene is great for understanding the nodes

zuko here represents rahu / the north node. aang represents ketu / south node. they both merge to be understood as destiny and fate ~ zuko is obsessed with his destiny for the entire duration of the show, and aang’s spirit is intertwined with his destiny as he is reincarnated as the avatar

zuko is of a greedy colonial empire that has genocided, forcefully displaced, colonized, and more. he was obsessed with his destiny, but his obsession distorted his perception of what his destiny actually was. does that not sound like the ravenous north node?

aang is from a nomadic and spiritual monk group, but he was permanently severed from his people after they were genocided. he, as the avatar, also is obligated to reincarnate to bring balance in the world. and him being an air nomad shows that there’s still a disconnect he has to have from the world in order to fulfill his avatar duties. does that not sound like the detached south node? ( edit: especially with the 100% bald head )

fate brought them together. zuko is the descendant of aang’s past carnation. which makes them spiritually linked. they aren’t separate from each other, but instead, two sides of one coin. and they later become some of the closest people in gaang 🖤 especially because fate would have it that zuko ~ being blood of aang’s past life and the blood of the one who genocided aang’s people ~ is who destiny decided would teach aang firebending

aang was terrified of firebending because of his wound relating to fire: the fire nation killed his entire people, and when he learned to bend it, he hurt katara. he swore to never bend it again. after all, he had only known fire to be destructive

but his reluctance to use firebending showed that he was too attached to worldly constructs and concepts. so much that it interfered with his ability to fulfill his duty as avatar. not as the last airbender, but as the avatar. fate would have it that aang would have to learn bending from the one descended from his genociders. and to do that, he had to detach. thus, fulfilling his role as ketu / avatar

they also had to detach from their own world to do this and travel to a land that mirrors pre-colonial mesoamerican natives. where the sun and dragons are respected for how they gave and mastered fire. and from that, aang learns fire isn’t death. fire is life.

same can be said for zuko to fulfill his role as rahu. but together, they were unstoppable. this show is wonderful and if u look at it from a vedic or traditional astrological perspective, u get so much enlightenment!

Shravana Nakshatra - Material Spirituality through Ritualism

Shravana is the last Moon Nakshatra, and thus it represents the most evolved, collective form of the Moon energy. For a more detailed description of Moon-ruled Nakshatras, I invite you to look at my master post, where you will find a post about the cyclical, energetic changes of the Nakshatras, and what each stage represents.

Moon ruled Nakshatras are very physical in nature and expression. These Nakshatras have the power to harness spiritual energies through bringing their glory into the material world. Shravana, being Moon’s most evolved expression, is the place where we truly bridge the gap between the worlds. In consequence, we gain real understanding of how these two dimensions of existence are intricately linked, and how one can be profoundly expressed through the other. Just as there is a divine spark in the material reality around us, our bodies and nature itself is a manifestation and personification of eternal energies of the universe.

Moon ruled Nakshatras are a material aspect of the Divine Feminine archetype - the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. In contrast, Saturn ruled Nakshatras which reflect this Feminine archetype as well, embody more the emotional, intense, saturated aspect of it. Here in Shravana, we reach the stage of the Crone - a wise, experienced feminine energy, that has the practical wisdom and natural understanding of the physical world, an intuitive skill coming from years of experience. This is the energy of your grandmother having unrivalled cooking abilities - due to many decades of presence with her work she now works intuitively, because the knowledge entered her subconscious energetic field. However, if you have planets in Shravana Nakshatra, you will be born having access to some form of this wisdom naturally, even from a young age, because it will be part of your ancestral karma. It may take time to develop this wisdom, however, since Shravana is in the collective stage of developmeny.

Shravana is translated to Hearing, and here in this stage, we have enough wisdom to do more than just make noise ourselves. We learn how to appreciate silence and tune into ourselves as part of this world, in order to listen to Mother Earth speaking to us. As a result, we gain the ability of perceiving signs given to us by Nature, and we learn to interpret them over time. This is because Shravana rules Intuitive Mastery of the physical world through ritualistic repetition, that allows the wisdom to “soak” into you. This is why Shravana is linked to Vishnu’s 3 steps, because Vishnu perfected these steps, through ritualistic rhythmic repetition. In this way, natives with Shravana benefit from practicing their own, intuitive rhythm that leads to self-mastery.

Shravana also has a collective dimension, being the final stage of expression of the Moon. This reflects in the Crone passing on her wisdom to the crowd, receiving and nurturing the energies of the tribe through her expertise, embodying the most refined version of Moon energies. Here we have the wise old witch, the shaman, who takes care of the tribe through sharing her experience, using her mastery of both the spiritual and material world for service of others. The imagery here is the shaman being able to use her hearing and speaking ability and ritualistic powers, in order to call on and physically attract spirits from higher dimensions. Then, she has to be open, enough to receive and hear what these energies have to say. This manifests as the power to call on the spirits of ancestors, and activate the skills that they have passed down through their bloodline. That’s why in tribal culture, the position of the Shaman was mostly hereditary, because the gift ran in one specific family. Moon ruled Nakshatras are linked to family legacy, so if you are born with them, there is an abundance of ancestral gifts to tap into, especially with Shravana Nakshatra.

I always coach people about the realistic aspect of Spirituality. Just as there is a supernatural element in all of physical life, deepest spiritual energies express themselves around us daily in simple forms. We are surrounded by spirituality when we clean our bodies, go to work, perform tasks, and if we can’t feel it, all that we are missing is the awareness of it, the “Hearing”. Logic and physicality are not separate from high-minded concepts, but complimentary with it. Everyone has the ability to recognize their own divine and spiritual potential, and realize they have been unknowingly living with it already. All that needs to be done is to look at it, listen, and recognize that the truth has been there all along.

The Triumph of Light over Darkness by Franz von Matsch