Image borrowed from Drik Pachang, the go to source for astrological timings.
October Theme: Letting go to make space for joy
Week 1
Dark moon (inner work) ~ This week is dedicated to the ancestors. It is a good time to learn about them, hear their stories, trace their journeys, and make offerings (I have a class on creating an ancestor altar, if you feel called).
Week 2
Dark moon that culminates in the New Moon (Amavasya), Sunday October 10th. This is the final day for the Ancestor Fortnight, Pitru Paksha, in the Vedic Tradition. It is the most potent day (being a new moon) and so it is the most important.
If you are to set intentions with the New Moon in Hasta Nakshatra, here are some themes to consider:
gardening and outdoor activities
crafting and DIY projects (handiwork)
creative arts
languages
yoga, wellness, holistic health
mindful meditation
activities that bring laughter and joy
ideas around home and travel (exploration)
Week 3
Begins with the celebration of Navavatri, the 9 nights dedicated to the goddess. If you participate in Navaratri rituals, then now is the time. The moon is bright during this time, and so outward action, celebration, and festivities are traditionally performed during this time (outward acts of devotion).
The goddess represents triumph over evil, so this is a good time to put your hands, and the gifts you have inherited through the hands from your ancestors (hasta nakshatra), to use for the greater good. Your hands are connected to your heart, so can you use them to infuse all that you do with love during this bright moon?
Week 4
The bright moon continues to guide us. You have the support of the moon, the ancestors, and the goddess during this time. Navaratri ends on October 20th, which is a big day for celebration for those who participate.
Week 5
Begins with the full moon on October 25th in Revati Nakshatra.
Revati, the final Nakshatra, "The Wealthy Star," is the culmination of it all. A Revati full moon encourages us to surrender to divinity, to faith. It is time to let our faith, our devotion, guide us. Revati is about closure so that the new path can begin. It is referred to as the shining light, as it reveals our path to us, and one who nourishes bringing growth and prosperity, because when we let go of all that we no longer need, all that holds us back, we make space for divine wisdom. We create the space needed for the light to shine through us, illuminating our truth, and the direction we must take.
With this in mind, what is it that you plan to shed during the waning moon period? What is in the way of your truth? Where can you shine a light so that you can see the way?
Wishing you a celebratory October.
Umi Astro