August New Moon: Ashlesha & the Power of Words - Vedic & Sidereal Astrology

This will be the new moon this Sunday, August 8 at 6:50 am PDT.

It will be aligned with the constellation Hydra, near Cancer (sidereal astrology), called Ashlesha in Vedic astrology. This is the snake-shaped constellation ruled by the Nagas, the serpent gods.

This constellation invites to wisdom, to mysticism. It gives great power with the word, to destroy or to heal, like the venom that can kill or heal. It is also linked to the kundalini and it is a good new moon to do yoga practices, pranayama and to raise this energy.

Ashlesha is called the clinging star, like snakes that wrap themselves around objects or creatures. So it is related to possessiveness, to the difficulty of letting go, especially in relationships and emotions. What people or emotions am I holding on to. What do I find hard to let go of?

This constellation is also related to deception, manipulation, hypnosis. Its shakti is: the power to inflict poison on its victim. We must be very discerning with everything we are told, and with the help of our intuition, separate the true from the false. In the Vedic calendar, this new moon celebrates the victory of Shiva who agreed to drink the poison while churning the ocean so that the gods and demons could have access to the nectar of immortality. It symbolizes our ability to transform all the poisons of life and the ultimate victory of the Divine within us.

Mercury is in a sensitive area, at the junction of a water and fire sign called the "karmic knot to untie", until August 9, and we can be hypersensitive and very intuitive. This is a time to let go of old thought patterns and mindsets. He will then enter Leo until August 26 to join Mars where we will be less emotional and more direct in our communications. However, beware of hurtful and impulsive words. We will want to take action, not just talk and make plans!

Venus enters Virgo on the 11th until September 6th. The planet of love is not very comfortable in this rational and logical sign. Be careful not to close our hearts to small details. Women must make sure they are honored and respected. Happy new moon!