, Solar month, Sun
The Sun will enter the sign of sidereal Virgo in the early hours of September 17th and will remain in it till October 17th afternoon BST. The Aditya blessing the sign is Vivasvān, the one who is brilliant and effulgent from the root word वस् (vas). As per the Samba Purana he dwells in the fire and is responsible for digestion of food in the body of creatures. The digestive fire is also the fire of intelligence (agni tattva) and of assimilation which governs all transformative processes. In the Bhagavad Gītā 15.14 Krishna says he is the digestive fire called Vaiśhvānara that enables us to assimilate food. This fire serves as a bridge between the body, the mind, and the consciousness and when this fire is not right in our bodies, we have problems with metabolism and digestion.
Virgo the natural sixth house of zodiac deals with diseases which are often the result of imbalances – undigested actions and emotions. The sixth house being the 7th from the 12th house where the mind was created (12th house being the 9th from the 4th house of mind) showing the desires of the mind to be experienced this life and thus becoming a major reason for re-birth. That is why Rahu has his mulatrikona (office) in Virgo as he responsible for bringing us back into the planet because of our unfinished desires that may result in our vices (shad ripu). Saturn the natural significator (Karaka) of the 6th house is the other planet that is responsible for us coming back to earth to complete any unfinished business (Karma) which we may view as punishment. Malefic planets in the 6th house propel us to play for “win to take” all the time – akin to the harvest energy the 6th house brings, but they leave us with a lot of residue in the form of imprints in the mind which may take more lives to exhaust. Nevertheless, the 6th house is also an upachaya – house of improvement and It pays to be aware of the nature of planets in the 6th house as well as its ruler to see how we can bring more acceptance in our life.
The sage travelling with Vivasvan in his chariot this month is Bhṛgu. Bhṛgu’s greatness is ineffable as Sri Krishna in Bhagavat Gītā identifies himself as Bhṛgu of all the sages (10.24). He is described as the son of Varuṇa in Book 3, Bhṛgu Valli of Taittirīya, Upaniṣad of Kṛṣṇā Yajur Veda, where Varuṇa instructs Bhrigu on Brahman. Bhṛgu realises Brahman by transcending though the pañcakōśa – the five sheaths – physical body (anna), vital energy (prāṇa), the mind (mana), intellect (vijñāna), and the blissful core of being (ānanda). The pañcakōśa viveka enquiry by moving the consciousness from grossest food sheath to the most subtle bliss sheath to realise Brahman is called Bhṛgu -Vāruṇī vidya.
The Upaniṣad in Book 2.9.6 presents the importance of food as it describes that all beings that exist on earth are born of food. Then they live by food: then, again, to food (earth) they go in the end. So, verily food is the eldest of all creatures and a medicine to all. All those who worship food as Brahman obtain all food.
This verse shows us the interdependence of all beings in the universe as we are supported by the universe and become the supporter of the universe by becoming food ourselves. Here, the Upaniṣad alludes not only to the food we consume with our mouth, but all that we consume using our sense organs – what we see with our eyes, hear with our eyes and touch with our skin. We must become mindful that all our actions, thoughts and activities are indeed food for others.
Transits
Sun joins Moon and Mars in Virgo on the 17th early morning. Sun will be in its favourite Nakṣatra of Hasta ruled by the deity Savitur (giver of Gayatri mantra) from the 27th of September to late in the evening on the 10th October. This is the time to propitiate Sun if we are experiencing financial troubles.
Mercury joins Sun and Mars on the 1st of October in Virgo. where it is exalted upto 15°of the sign. This movement is followed by a series of other moves in the sky that almost seems like a choreographed dance as the planets are taking up their positions for the upcoming eclipses in October. From this point the entire period of 30 days remains delicate. Venus moves into Leo on the 2nd. Mars moves into Libra on the 3rd of October to meet Ketu in Chitra Nakṣatra. The exact conjunction is on the 5th of October. Ketu and Mars remain in Chitra until October 13th and in the same sign till October 31st. Both planets are fiery, and the combination can be explosive in the airy sign of Libra (air stokes fire) which is also aspected by a retrograde Saturn in Aquarius. A retrograde Jupiter will be aspected by a retrograde Saturn from Aquarius, and the fiery combination of Mars and Ketu from Libra. Meanwhile, Rahu will be in the first degree of Aries in gaṇḍānta (crossing from fire sign Aries into the water sign Pisces) from the 11th of October.
The second solar eclipse on the 14th of October caused by the descending node Ketu will be in Virgo (as the Sun is placed there) in Chitra Nakṣatra, 2nd pada. The symbol of Chitra is a bright jewel, a spot for brilliance as well as illusion. The ruler is Mars, and the deity is the divine architect Tvaṣṭṛ who is a diplomat as he makes arms for both the devas (divine forces) and asuras (demonic). Chitra is a place for creativity, sometimes without the thought for consequences. The eclipsed house is Virgo, does not receive the benefic aspect of Jupiter. The presence of Mercury in Virgo is not very comforting but signalling more about business and inflation. This eclipse is more significant for Virgo ascendants and Moon signs. The Solar energy or the Agni (Fire) gets weakened in an eclipse. It is good to fast at the time of the eclipse and worship the teaching form of Shiva, Dakṣiṇāmūrti. Read more the eclipse on at https://vijayajyoti.com/eye-on-the-sky-solar-eclipses-of-2023/.
With the arrival of the autumnal equinox on the September 22nd, the days will shorten in the northern hemisphere, the trees shed leaves and the squirrels gather food in preparation for winter. The retrogradation of the two slowing planets Jupiter and Saturn provide an opportunity for reflection this month allowing the space for us to acknowledge most things we are grateful about symbolic of an inner harvest.
Festivals
Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of dear Ganesha who removes all our obstacles falls on the September 18th in London. The holy period of ancestors, pitru paksha starts on September 29th and ends on the 14th of October. This is a good time to honour our ancestors and make food offerings. Navaratri, the 9 days of divine goddess starts on the 15th of October. These nine days are filled with special offerings, yagnas, fasting, meditations, singing and dancing and by the display of beautiful art and dolls to honour the Mother Divine and her entire creation.
May we implore Vivasvān Aditya to bless us with right fire so that we are able to digest our thoughts, emotions, and actions properly and to remain free from diseases.
ॐ घृणिः विवस्वानादित्य
om ghṛṇiḥ vivasvānāditya