The new moon of March 21 falls at the tipping point of the Vernal Equinox. Day and night are equal in length now, and the powers of light and darkness are in a rare state of equilibrium. Teetering on the cusp of a new chapter, this new moon marks the beginning of the Vedic New Year.
The new moon (10:22 am PT) will be in the area of the sky known as Uttara Bhadrapada, in watery Pisces – the last sign of the zodiac. The stars in the constellation of Pisces are ancient symbols of beginnings and endings. Uttara Bhadrapada is associated with death and transformation, including the funeral pyre at the end of life. This is a new moon that burns away the past, but also calls forth the Piscean waters of rebirth.
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The Vedic New Year always falls on the new moon in sidereal Pisces, and symbolizes karmic trends for the year to come. 2023 is said to be the year of Shobhakruth, which means shining, brilliant and beautiful, and is predicted to be a volatile and brilliant year of innovation and change. Check out YouTube video to learn more.
With expansive Jupiter conjunct the new moon with the nourishing star of Revati, spiritual growth and positive steps toward self-healing are supported. Keeping a practice of yoga, meditation and journaling is a good way to harness this auspicious energy, as well as traveling for educational purposes.
The wise and just influence of Saturn in Aquarius has a direct aspect on this new moon. Aquarius is the water-bearer who offers knowledge and innovation to the world, but also requires focused effort to share resources responsibly. Activism, and charitable efforts for social welfare are a big theme of this new moon.
With expressive Venus and radical Rahu also conjoined, there’s sure to be changing social norms, upheaval in relationships, and big transformation in expressive arts, particularly through artificial intelligence.
This new moon initiates the Hindu festival of Chaitra Navratri – the springtime ‘9 nights of the Goddess,’ when the power of the divine feminine grows on earth. To learn more about how to invoke the healing and wish-fulfilling power of the goddess and Navratri, read this article.
How these planetary transits affect you personally depends on your birth chart. Book a Vedic Astrology reading to learn more.