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 The Full Moon will occur just after 2 am Hawaii Time on Tuesday morning, October 27th.... making Monday night the best time to bathe in her healing glow. The Full Moon is happening in the first nakshatra of Aries, Aswini, represented by twin horsemen, "the physicians of the gods", who were born of the Sun and his wife, Sanjna, Consciousness, when she turned herself into a mare to run away from his infidelity to her and he chased her, also taking the form of a horse. The rekindled desire and passion this nakshatra is born from, as well as the strong tie to past wisdom seen by its rulership by the South node, Ketu makes this star one of intuitive intelligence and fearless enthusiasm; a great combination for beginning a new journey or stepping into our power. These divine physicians are the gods gift to humankind, as they bring prana, healing and light to the Earth. This Full Moon is culminating a cycle that began with the New Moon in Chitra earlier this month, and it is ending in the Libra/Aries axis. (See that report here: http://www.alexiscoxyoga.com/words) While the focus has been largely on managing details (Virgo) versus reveling in our mystical other-worldly waters (Pisces), we are ending this Moon cycle with the focus on Relationships versus Self. How much are we willing to compromise to be in relationship with others? Not just romantic partnerships, but any situation that involves adults relating and having their needs met by other adults. With the Moon full in Aries, where we shoot off into the world determined like a newborn sprout to reach the Sun, we will be emotionally charged to Activate our Self and feeling the Courage necessary to take a step forward in that direction. Here we want to stand as individuals. This will be greatly contrasted by the Sun who's been in Libra, it's sign of debilitation, since October 17th. The Sun is our sense of Power and Vitality and in Libra we are prone to compromise our own vision and well-being to accommodate others. This will continue to be a theme into November and the New Moon cycle beginning November 11th.
After months of Venus, the planet of our relationships being in challenging environments and retrograde, it is about to move into its sign of debilitation, Virgo, alongside with Mars. While Venus is still in Leo, we have all been feeling a need to be appreciated in our relationships and maybe a little worshipped even;-) This can be great, playful and flirtatious fun for new romances, but for long-term partnerships who have been through the Cinderella complex twice while Venus was in Cancer and then went Retrograde back into Cancer over the summer, sucking up your lion pride to woo your mate might not be at the top of your to-do list. On top of this, Venus, which is also the planet of Beauty, Happiness and Pleasure has been hunkering down while Mars and Jupiter Fight an often self-righteous battle for your Ideals and Beliefs, ruffling our beautiful feathers a little and leaving us too worn out or riled up for genuine relating. Although, this communion of three planets does make for a spectacular visual in the early morning sky! As Venus and Mars move forward into Virgo on November 2nd, where we are detail-oriented, we must all be on alert for being critical in our relationships. This could become quite Angry and Divisive due to Mars influence, although in the conservative and contained Virgo universe it will more likely be frustrated than explosive. We will also likely be critical of our self as well and find our sense of Happiness constricted. Women everywhere will be throwing off the leopard print leggings and buttoning up their most plain-looking pair of crisp and clean chinos in an effort to purify and conceal their perceived flaws. Take advantage of the Mars energy instead to purify your body through healthy eating, cleanses, yoga and Disciplining and Purifying your mind through meditation, pranayama and mantra. This will help diminish the need for micro-managing and feeling overwhelmed by how much you have to do! Try to take a step back and look at the big picture, noticing where you may be drowning in the details and where you can simplify your "tasks" and even (gasp!) delegate some of them. The Virgo in all of us is biting their nails at the very idea of giving up control of anything in the realm of life that she reigns over for us! Also, Venus has been in exchange of signs with our debilitated Sun, giving his debility a little leg up by balancing the energy.... As she moves into Virgo, the Sun will feel even less powerful and even more compromising in behalf of what we think others want/need from us. Mercury is moving in to join the Sun on October 29th in Libra, which will create a need to Communicate in a way that feels good to others and that brings harmony to a situation. Our planet of Communication and Intellect will become in an exchange of signs with Venus when this happens, lightening the constrictive feeling in our relationships and sense of happiness by effusing connective communication and by drawing us towards articles, books, and information that support a beautiful and harmonious world view. Our inner demons can really wreak havoc if we stuff our happiness in a tiny box and allow feelings of being unappreciated or unlovable to grow like fungi, while compromising to a fault on the outside. Something has to give, and with this configuration I recommend easing up on the both the inner and outer critic, and employing disciplined yet soothing practices in your daily routine to help you open the box and air out those feelings of not being worthy of love and happiness! Use the healing energy of Virgo and the Aswini twins to get in touch with nature and nurture your senses. Allow the Marsian discipline to work for you rather than against you. Try to spend at least 20 min alone honoring yourself first thing in the morning and at night, recalibrating and centering yourself so that you may calmly move forward with self-trajectory. And realize that there is beauty in our imperfections, as they give us a point to begin our healing process from. Hare Ohm
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 We are waning to the New Moon on Monday in the sign of Virgo. It will take place in the nakshatra Chitra, which straddles both Virgo and Libra, indicating that this cycle will also have some qualities of Libra, as the Sun will move into the sign of the Balanced Scale only 5 days later. Chitra means "The Brilliant" or "Shining" like a gem, or a pearl, and indicates an energy of being seen and having a quality of attraction. It is ruled by the Divine Architect, Vishvakarma who created the planets when he sawed off some the Sun's rays so his daughter Sanjana ,"Consciousness"who was the Sun's wife could be near her hot husband. Vishnu's discus was also formed from these bits of Sun. Taking the detail-oriented, hands-on and intelligent energy of Virgo and bringing it together with the artistic and beautiful Venusian sign of Libra creates an unmatched potential for creating beautiful things and standing out in the crowd. Chitra is also ruled by Mars, giving us the pro-active and impassioned drive to get things done. Now is the time to Shine Brightly, dear ones.In addition to the Sun and Moon, we also have Rahu, the energetic North node of the Moon and Mercury in Virgo, as we've had since the end of August, bringing us Clear Communication and Discrimination from Mercury, and a more Obsessive energy from Rahu. Rahu can give us much Insight from other states of consciousness if we are tuned in, and much Chaos and Confusion if we are not. Mercury just went direct on the 9th and while he was Retrograde we hopefully learned by Listening and Integrating the information we were receiving, so that we could have a better understanding of what needs to be done in order to keep our lives moving forward in the direction that best serves our Highest Potential. Now, that Mercury is direct, you might find better ease in your efforts to give and receive information, especially with technology, but be careful of being too blunt, critical or direct in your communication with others. We have Venus, Mars and Jupiter in Leo, all being aspected by Saturn, especially Venus. They are in a tight, separating aspect, which will be bringing both the Pressure and Fear away from our relationships with others...and the Commitment and Hard Work as well. With Venus in Leo, we are all feeling more like the Kings and Queens in our relations and might be trying to Lead and Inspire our partners or other people we affect and are affected by. We must remember other people have their own dharma and trajectory as well, and might not always want to do what we want them to. Jupiter and Mars are quite close in the sky now, within 1 degree and with this we might be feeling very inspired to Act on our Highest Beliefs and Ideals these days. There is also potential for some fiery discord over these beliefs. If we did a good job listening and integrating while Mercury was Retrograde, we have a lot of potential right now to really create the Kingdom we want within ourselves, as well as spreading our beliefs, ideals, and creations and to others. If you are an artist, teacher or public figure right now this is the time to motivate, inspire and bring forth your shining Self:-) As always, the New Moon is a time when our Mind is moving to dark and we move away from our emotions and mental interplay with others to Connect with our Soul Power. For today, Sunday, October 11th, into Monday at 2:07pm Hawaii Time (-10 GMT) engage in activities that are ceremonious and meditative....preparing the garden to plant new seeds, communing with Nature both outside and within yourself, playing music or chanting are all beautiful options to help you reset your emotions and thoughts to align for this cycle's Shining opportunities and Magnetic potential. Hare Ohm For more information or to schedule a reading, visit: Some days are like this....
You feel like your world is dying, falling away from you, crumbling like the Parthenon; an old edifice standing proud in its own ruins, aware it did not build itself, yet somehow, still the keeper of its own karma. Yesterday, as I felt myself watching the parts of Me slide off and disintegrate, I became, too, the keeper of my own Karma and Divine Witness to its consequential Flow. I was having a panicky, fearful sort of day from the outset, mixed with an unforeseen sadness I just could not explain. I was fortunate to have a yoga class taught by one of my peers, I had already promised myself to attend; so instead of breaking down in tears on the side of the road after dropping my husband off at his work, I took a slow and quiet class while my unsettled Mind desperately tried to come to a pause. Towards the end of sivasana, where I was finally feeling some peace, a weed whacker lit up, roaring to life and shattering debris against the wall outside the hall. I was jostled awake with a start, feeling that perhaps my unsettled energy was keeping me safe after all. I had to teach the following class with the the buzz of the weed whacker whirling and sputtering as if it was in the room itself. I pulled it together with ½ my wits available and struggling to survive. Incidentally, my class had the worst turnout it has ever had with only two students smiling expectantly at me to lead them through the chaos. I tried to raise the volume on my computer's playlist, to drown out the frantic noise in the “back”ground. Something happened, and I ended up shuffling all the songs on the list into a new order....not a good one as a fast paced version of Krishna Das singing Sita Ram came on early and was followed by the song I was planning to play for sivasana. Another test in a series that would not soon relent. Some days are like this.... The two students who showed were one long-time student of mine and one young woman who had never taken my class but had clearly done her share of yoga. They were perfect. It was perfect. We challenged ourselves to step up and out of the fray and into balance. I set up difficult asana for us to find our inner calm in the sound current beyond our control. All the while, it was truly them that transformed me. Through the simple act of offering myself in service to others, to something greater than myself, I was able to lift out of my own funk and embrace my gratitude instead. If even for that slice of time. Grateful to have a path, yes, but even more grateful to have students. Individually, their bright souls shine beautiful lessons to me like mirrors. Collectively, they give me a reason to pull myself together and get out of the muck. Their mere presence and the fact that I signed up to teach them, forces me to rise up out the murky mud like a lotus flower, and allow the Pure Light to guide me so that I can be a vehicle for it to Shine. My day had more trials, as is to be expected with the Moon just moving out of an eclipse days before and into my 12th house in the unsettled sign of the Ram. The 12th house being the one of Letting Go, which is not always voluntary, and Escaping, which generally is. I could not expect immediate relief either, nor could anyone, as the Moon moving into its exalted position later that night would only produce a mutual exchange with Saturn sitting in Scorpio; the planet of our Fears and Humility in the sign of our Fears and Inner Battle. This happens to be in my 7th house of partnerships, and adult relations. It has almost been a year since Saturn entered this place, and I (and probably you) have felt it every step of the way, but with this drishti happening with the Moon, our Mind and Emotions, and where my very identity opposes my relationships, I was getting hammered. Fears surrounding my partnership were aflight and I was being swarmed in doubt revolving my own abilities to make manifest my dreams and ambitions. The eclipse occurred with the Moon joined critical Ketu in my 11th house, with the Sun, joined obsessive Rahu and an exalted Mercury Retrograde in my 5th house. Highest ambitions and my shortcomings regarding these were on the tip of my emotions, while my ways of Creating them sat under a microscope in Virgo. Helping one of my two students with his Astrology chart after yoga class, helped me identify the ways in which I was experiencing all of these energies myself. As always, just knowing that my experiences were celestially supported helped me by pulling me out of my individual little Me-Verse, and that is why I love and practice Jyotish, the science of Light. Understanding, that our trials and tribulations occur only until we are free of our attachments to the results of our actions, each one serving as a test and a lesson to further us on that path to True Freedom. It doesn't hurt to also remember that “this too shall pass...” After teaching my final class of the day, which much like my morning class, also had a series of noise disruptions, musical difficulties (although this time with a live musician, who happens to be my husband) and low class attendance, I took my sad earnings from a sad day to get some food in town and pick up my husband who had walked out of class an hour and 25 minutes earlier. Heading home with a heavy heart, I finally allowed myself to cry. I Let Go. As I sobbed and heaved and shook to the dismay of my husband, I finally felt genuinely good for the 1st time all day. Releasing somatically that which was twirling and gurgling inside of me all day, I was brought into memory of some trying days I had when I took my first trip to India, when I was Letting Go of everything I had loved and known to seek a new paradigm of how to Live. I was spending 10 hours a day plus, on learning yoga, studying yoga, and practicing yoga. Yoga as a complete science, not just an asana practice. I would wake up at 5 am each morning, which for me, as someone who had only recently been bartending into the wee hours of the night, was quite early to rise. First I would meditate for an hour and half, followed by an hour of asana practice. I would then eat a very light breakfast and walk 45 minutes to my teacher's tiny ashram over the Ganges on the bridge that brought me to the Laxman Jhula side of Rishikesh. He would question my silly desire to live so far from where I spent my days, but I loved the mountain getaway I was nestled in and the walk every day nurtured me on a level even I didn't understand, just watching and engaging in the every day life of India. Once there, I would demonstrate my asana practice I had learned the day before and had done that morning already, then he would teach me new asana. Then we would study; the Sutras, the Limbs, Mantra, Mudra and Pranayam. We would meditate for an hour and half before I would depart for my 2 hour lunch break, where he would teach his short-term pupils and I would go to the banks of the Ganges, taking the time to eat a little and study or learn mantras. A young Indian sadhu that lived in the forest by the river would come out and sing with me. Once he invited me for tea, but I was cautious and politely declined. He never asked again. After lunch I would go back to the ashram and have more lessons on the spiritual texts, and we would end with another 1 ½ hour meditation before embarking on my walk back home. I would stop by to visit my friend, an old, round Baba living in the woods on my side of the bridge in a tiny hut, on land given to him by the Indian Government after he fought in the Sino-Indian war. First I would stop and touch his large statue of Nandi, Shiva's bull, and bow to the murti of Shiva, then go up to the little spot outside his hut where his disciples and friends would gather to chat, sing and smoke ganja. “Chatting” was a funny exchange of loud gales of laughter and utterances from Baba, who spoke no English whatsoever, some Hindi and broken English from the Indian friends of his, Japanese from a couple of Japanese kids “studying” to become Babas, some French from a Swiss hippy and me and an Austrian friend speaking fairly fluid English. Then I'd head back to my room, shower, eat dinner, study some more, and finish my long day with another 1 ½ hour meditation before laying down for the night. Meditation was necessary 4 times a day, for an hour and a half each time, in the morning, before lunch, before dinner and before bed, my teacher insisted as he taught me a way into myself. This was my schedule for a month and a half and I loved it. One day, as I sat by the Ganges at my lunch break, I felt homesick, lonely for the life I had left behind in Los Angeles and desperate for space. I perched myself on a rock like my own little island with my journal and proceeded to break down, much like I did at the end of my day yesterday. You would think people would respect my privacy on that rock. I would think people would respect my privacy on that rock...but not in India. Every man, woman and child still came up to me to take a picture, hold their baby or to ask what country I was from. As tears streamed down and smeared the letters on the page, even a cow came up and put its head on my journal, begging to be pet. Looking around me at the colorful sea of people and buildings contrasting with the pale sand of the river bank and the deep blue of the rushing water, I had to wonder...how do people cry here? Seriously, if you are always surrounded by others, how do you find time to be alone and just let go? I had been in India for over a month at this point in my 4 month journey and had spent the first two weeks traveling before I got to this traveler and yoga haven at the foothills of the Himalayas. I had seen little girls combing their long, black hair in the doorways to their square homes seemingly shaped of sand in the towns in Rajasthan. I had watched fathers, mothers and children alike brush their teeth out in the open, and bathe in the river with thin, colorful cloths covering their bodies. In a country with modesty as much the fashion as vibrant colors, the inhabitants seemed to spend most of their time in view of their neighbors and visitors alike, and it did not seem to phase them one bit. I realized that in this Eastern culture with a rapidly accelerating population, they had to make alone time within themselves, if they wanted it. I wondered if they even craved it. Probably, as Western influence moves in more and more, and capitalism begins to take over many of their hearts, they will start to crave individuality and space. But when you are raised so enveloped by your family and neighbors and space and time to yourself is not as accessible or coveted, perhaps you feel less sad because you are never left alone to wallow in your sadness. In the West, we place great value on being individuals and on leaving our families to live alone in a quest to achieve great things we can be known and paid for. We view ourselves as having a unique experience, and we love to drown in our sorrows. It feels good to feel our individual pain and I, at least, sometimes enjoy not pulling out of it; rather, staying in it and having a human experience that transcends the protocol of society. Sure enough, my young sadhu friend appeared while I was gently lifting the cow's face off of the pages of important thoughts and emotions that only I could have sputtered on the page. He said, “Let's sing a bhajan. I always feel better when I sing,” with a big smile shining on his face. I resisted, wanting desperately to hang on to my Individual Sorrow and Personal Pain, but he began to sing the words to a familiar hymn and eventually, my heart fell into the song. Before I knew it, I was lost in the sounds and rhythms of the Sanskrit prayers and my Individual Experience was lifted up and carried away by the Divine melody of Universal Love. Hare Ohm Alexis Cox is a yoga teacher, Vedic Astrologer, and a burgeoning Priestess who lives with her husband, 2 dogs and a cat on the Big Island of Hawaii on an active volcano who's fiery eruptions are known to locals as Tutu Pele, the Goddess of Fire. As a student of life, and a teacher of sciences and practices that have helped her to navigate her own life, she has spent her time thus far on Mother Earth collecting and assimilating observations and knowledge regarding her own nature, the nature of other humans, and the wild and free Nature Herself. She is devoted to the Wisdom that lies at the root of right knowledge and to the eternal Source who reigns within and without. For information regarding writings, yoga classes or astrological forecasts and readings, please visit her at www.alexiscoxyoga.com |
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