BUCKLE UP and GET READY FOR SEPTEMBER 2020: FORTIFICATION IS KEY

BUCKLE UP and GET READY FOR SEPTEMBER 2020: FORTIFICATION IS KEY
September is a pivotal month with massive and rare planetary changes happening. Every planet makes some major movement (except for Neptune, Uranus and Pluto, which remain retrograde) with planets spread out and in their own signs, and the most prominent shifts coming from the heavy hitters in the sky: Jupiter and Saturn go direct, Mars goes retrograde, and Rahu and Ketu (the North and South Nodes of the Moon) change signs. When planets shift direction, they tend to slow down and stand still before they go direct or retrograde. This creates intensification around us, like a pressure cooker either slowly releasing its steam, or exploding when its energy isn’t well managed. This is what will be happening for all of September so we must be extra mindful.

As above, so below. Be prepared for changes to occur on the earth plane. Personal fortification, strengthening, and coping mechanisms on all levels – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual – is what we need this next month and beyond. The Full Moon in Satabhishak (the hundred healers) on the 2nd suggests this and helps to set us up for reaching out for support as well as looking inward. This holistic strengthening will also support a healthy connection to Mars, which is flailing this month.

For individuals who are sensitive, tuned in and open, the shifts this month encourage us to deepen into our personal practices, let go of old patterns that have been up for release especially since early 2020, and start to take focused action on the new plan ahead. But for society at large, these types of planetary and energetic shifts can bring chaos and aggression since dramatic change like this is not readily embraced by groups or by those with strong attachments to old ways or positions they are accustomed to.

Below is a breakdown of what we will experience. I will share each section closer to the dates as well, so no worries if you can’t digest it all. Take things step by step this month. The key is to remain grounded, centered, and focused on self-care and supporting those around you.

Personal “dinacharya” (daily routine) practices that have been mentioned many times are hugely important now. Those are things like:
1. Pranayama – breathwork: slow, focused, intentional breathing throughout the day – set an alarm for every 3 hours (for ex) to support you in this
2. Simple yoga postures: focus on the pelvis, legs and strengthening the heart. Cobra is a great one to incorporate as it activates these centers and helps us stay grounded and fortified.
3. Abhyanga (Ayurvedic self massage) as often as possible.
4. Mantras to help shift the vibration: “aum” and “shanti” are good for all.
5. Herbal support especially with adaptogens to reduce cortisol levels
6. B vitamins to support mental and emotional health
7. Engage in some creative pursuits as a rare Vena Yoga is prominent in the sky this month, and supports the arts.
*Always check with your practitioners to make sure these practices are ok for your system.

BREAKDOWN OF SEPTEMBER PLANETARY EVENTS
Sept 2: Full Moon at 1:21am eastern time in 16:03 Satabhishak, the “hundred healers” sign triggering holistic healing and acknowledgment of illusion. More on this below.

Sept 9: Mars goes retrograde Sept 9 at 18:23 eastern time until Nov 13 at 19:36. More on this below.

Sept 11: Moon sits in sidereal Gemini, in Ardra, with Rahu invoking similar Mo-Ra placements as 9-11, although the Ketu-Mars factor is missing, it could be a dangerous day. Ardra is a very intense degree of Gemini connected to releasing old beliefs and ideas. Ardra, whose name means “moist” in Sanskrit, is a harsh destroyer, with a purpose to clear the path for new growth. Once it goes through the hardships it must endure, it can shine the brightest of all.

Sept 12: Jupiter stations direct in 23:15 sidereal Sagittarius at 20:41 eastern time. It will stay here until it rolls forward into sidereal Capricorn on November 20, 2020 at 2:54am eastern time. More on this below.

Sept 17: New Moon in Virgo in 00:52 Uttara Phalguni at 7:00am eastern time: healing and compassion. Other than sitting with the Sun and Mercury, this Moon is unaspected, and so is able to work well on its mindset in this cerebral sign .

Sept 19: Rahu and Ketu (the nodes of the moon) shift into Taurus and Scorpio until March 2022. More on this below.

Sept 29: Saturn goes direct 1:11 degree sidereal Capricorn at 1:11am eastern time. More on this below.

FULL MOON
We kick off the month with a Full Moon on Sept 2 at 1:22 eastern time in 16:03 degrees of sidereal Aquarius in the Vedic sign Satabhishak, which means “the 100 healers” in Sanskrit. It asks us to reach beyond one system or modality to heal that which afflicts us. Its purpose is the healing of the whole and asks us to look at all areas of our lives and to reach out to multiple practitioners for support. It favors alternative modalities, specifically the “hundred stars and flowers, and the empty circle” so astrology, herbal support, flower essences, and essential oils are some modalities to incorporate to your current self-care routine. The empty circle represents “maya” and reminds us of the illusions we encounter in life. Indeed a powerful way to start the month.

THE BIG 3: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
For months, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have been stirring up change in our lives and in our communities. In the month of September, these 3 outer planets begin to slow down to a stand still while they change direction: Mars to go retrograde on Sept 9, and Jupiter to go direct on Sept 12, and Saturn to go direct on Sept 29. This “standing still’ creates an intensification of energy that we will feel all month – like a pressure cooker building, which will likely have bursts of release throughout the month. The 5 days before and after a planet shifts direction tend to be the most magnified, so expect people to be on edge and reactive then. Practicing mindfulness and taking a pause before responding will be helpful. Scheduling time alone for meditation, personal practices and rest will be supportive. And most importantly: remember not everyone is open to the drastic changes at hand.

WHAT IS DIRECT and RETROGRADE ABOUT?
During September, Saturn and Jupiter will go direct, and Mars will station retrograde. Keep in mind these planets are in their “own” signs, and so are strong and focusing on their fundamentals. When they shift direction, they call extra attention to the lessons they have been working with us on. When a planet is retrograde as Saturn and Jupiter have been since spring 2020, the retrograde energy can make us “roll backwards” as well. The higher expression of retrogrades is to pause, reflect, reassess and reembark on the (adjusted) path connected to that particular planet. For individuals who are on a path of conscious evolution, retrograde times can be incredibly reflective and insightful, although not exactly comfortable. However, for society at large, managing retrogrades with grace and mindfulness can be tricky to say the least. We have been connecting to multiple retrogrades since May. By the end of September, we will have Jupiter and Saturn finally rolling forward but Mars will stay retrograde from September 9th until November 13th.

JUPITER and SATURN: Retrograde now Direct
Jupiter has been in Sagittarius, calling attention to our trust and faith, our beliefs and spirituality, our vision and our leaders. Jupiter has also been sitting with Ketu, creating doubt, confusion and illusion. When they move away from each other after Sept 19, we will be able to sift through the beliefs and truths, become clearer on our stances, on our beliefs, and feel more grounded within ourselves. Saturn has been in sidereal Capricorn, calling attention to authority, stability, status, order, and helping others. While retrograde, these planets have been making us reassess our connections to these areas of life. When these two heavy hitters go direct (Jupiter on September 12th and Saturn on September 29th), we will begin to see the application of these ideas in our lives and in our communities. We will be making this overarching massive shift from confusion and cynicism to beginning to feel more grounded within.
Beliefs we have been grappling with will start to settle in. Truths that have been muddled will start to become clear. The great pause we have been feeling and fighting since May will begin to lessen so forward movement can start.

However, this process is not fast or simple, and things will get amplified and even dangerous, especially around Sept 11-12 when the Moon sits in Ardra with chaotic Rahu. Have patience and use your practices. It’s not over yet, but things will start to shift that have been stuck for much of this year. And it will take time and it won’t be smooth for most people. When presented with change on such a deep level as we are and have been for most of 2020, many buck against it with groups of people being especially resistant. It takes individuality, courage and stepping out of our own way to embrace the changes. The human experience has been very trying this year, and September is a culminating month that needs to be dealt with consciously. Remember we manage our internal world before we connect with the external world. We will be encountering explosive changes within ourselves, as well as in the external world. Be prepared by committing to your personal practices that help with stress management and stress reduction so you manage the unexpectedness out there from a place of calm within. Remember nobody can enter into your mind or your meditation. Nobody is invited into your energy field without your permission. Take your power back now and become the spiritual authority that Jupiter and Saturn are asking of you.

MARS GOES RETROGRADE and *GANDANTA
Whenever Mars comes around, it brings friction and a bit of discomfort. From Sept 5 through 8, the Moon shifts to sit with Mars creating feisty emotions. On Sept 9, Mars shifts to go retrograde at 18:23 eastern time until November 13 at 19:36. Remember that even before this, it will have been shifting directions and in a stand still, thereby magnifying it. Mars is the warrior and highlights desires, eagerness, taking action, being brave, being an activist or a trailblazer, being quick or impulsive, being combative or aggressive. Mars is working us over until the end of 2020, so take time to focus on its expressions in your life and be honest with yourself if it is time to shift how you work with Mars.

On Sept 19, Mars is back in sensitive *gandanta degrees until October 15. These “tied knot” degrees force us to look at how we are interacting with Mars, and what needs adjusting. *Gandanta degrees are highly charged junctures of water and fire signs and their corresponding nakshatras (or Vedic signs). They can create all types of fires and floods on the earth plane, and within us (as happened when Mars was gandanta for all of August). The challenge of a gandanta time is to get out of our own way, to look where we are being stubborn, where we are standing in our own way, where we are blaming, where our personal “knots” are… and begin to unravel them. It takes courage to do so since this isn’t easy work. In fact, it’s the kind of work that allows us to make leaps in our personal and spiritual lives if we are able to recognize and face these old hurts, traumas, and mindset patterns that have held us back.

THE BIG SHIFT: RAHU and KETU SHIFT SIGNS
On Sept 19 at 11:55am eastern time, the Nodes of the Moon shift. They have been in sidereal Gemini and Sagittarius for the last 1.5 years, working with us on our trust, faith, mindset, beliefs, and communication. Now Rahu moves into sidereal Taurus and Ketu into sidereal Scorpio until March 16, 2022 at 7pm. (The last time Rahu was in Taurus and Ketu in Scorpio was Feb 27, 2002 – Aug 27, 2003.) Passions are high with this combo, and the focus is often times is on material gain. Uncovering what’s been hidden will come to light, especially with sexuality and finance. Both signs and planetary energies can go to extremes, so we will all need to be mindful of what we are manifesting their energies our lives. Taking time to focus on how we are expressing ourselves in these areas will be helpful during this 1.5 year transit.