Feeling disconnected? Cold winter got you down? The full moon of March 1, 2018 (4:51 pm PT) brings a light that will warm the heart and stir the creative spirit awake. Ushering in the last days of winter and melting away the shadowy ice of doubt and death, this is a full moon that shines with the colors of life.
 
The full moon is celebrated in India as the colorful festival of Holi.  At home and in the streets, people douse each other with buckets of colored water and throw brightly colored paint powder in a chaotic expression of joy. Holi is a springtime festival of love and connectivity. Quarrels and disputes are put aside to honor the unifying life force that sustains the world.
In Vedic astrology, it is said that moonlight holds the nectar of eternal life, called soma. This auspicious full moon will have a potent dose. Falling in the area of the sky called Purva Phalguni, the full moon will appear in the constellation of Leo, the stars that represent the celestial wedding bed. Phalgu means reddish (the color of fertility), and Phal means fruit. This is a full moon that reaps the fruits of good actions and supports love, creativity and enjoyment.

Purva Phalguni is the abode of a solar deity named Bhaga – the god of desire (like Kama.) Bhaga bestows wealth and fulfillment, but Bhaga was blinded by the light of creation.  Just as love is often blind, confusion and faulty judgement are commonplace in matters of the heart.

Themes of love and intimacy may have been especially uncertain in the last months, as the goddess of love – Venus – shifted from her form as morning star to evening star. In contrast to the untamed and autonomous nature of Venus morning star, evening star Venus offers a new healing and receptive stance on love and desire. Venus will remain visible in the night sky until her retrograde cycle begins in October 2018.

Venus is also entering the mystical sign of sidereal Pisces on this full moon and receiving a spiritual aspect from guru Jupiter.  Together with the close alignment of intuitive Neptune, this full moon opens portals to subtle and imaginative realms of spirit.  This is a fabulous time for music, poetry, devotional singing and dancing, and all kinds of fun and interactive creativity. Venus is exalted in Pisces and is particularly adept at healing emotional wounds through self-expression and heart-centered states of consciousness.

In India, on the eve of this full moon, the Holi bonfires are lit in the streets and burn throughout the night until morning. These purifying fires symbolize the collective burning of ill-will and resentments that have accumulated in relationships, families, and communities over the year.
 
On this full moon, we might do well by lighting our own Holi fires and throwing any past grievances into the flames, whether personal, family, or work related.  This is a prime time to dissolve the negativity of the past and open the flood gates of the heart, allowing the colors of creativity to shine unhindered in the days to come.
 
Happy Holi!
 
 *To fully understand how these astrological influences affect you on a personal level, book a one-on-one Vedic Astrology Reading with me here.