EYE ON SPIRITUALITY:Â THE MOVEMENT OF THE NAKSHATRAS
Christmas can often be about “stuff”–more things and toys and gadgets and wrapping paper and endless shopping. I am reminded of one of my favorite novels by Saul Bellow, Henderson the Rain King (1955) about a Connecticut millionaire who is cleaning out the home of a parent and is amazed at the amount of stuff that person accumulated and saved over a life time. He almost drowns in it and it sets off a spiritual quest for him an a journey to Africa to help a tribal people.
Around Christmas, the planets start moving out of the tamasic nakshatras (Magha to Jyestha, Leo 0-Scorpio 30) and into the satvic nakshatras, Moola to Revati (Sagittarius 0-Pisces 30). Only Mercury is left in Jyestha now until early January and the transits through Mula (Sagittarius 0-13.20) are about shedding the material and finding spirituality.  As Venus, the Sun and Saturn are going through Mula, there is a call for a spiritual awakening and funnily enough it often coincides with Christmas. It is a time to look at the stuff in our life and decide is this what life is about?
My spiritual teacher is fond of saying that mature joy is the joy of the Grandmother at Christmas, not needing anything, but pouring out her heart in love in cooking and taking care of her family. The holidays can bring out that mature joy but we can also reach into our closets and pocketbooks after Chirstmas and see what we can give away to those in need.  At the planets move into the satvic nakstatras that promote spirituality, let the coming spring season bring new spiritual awakenings and mature joy into your lives and hearts.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
