New Moon in Gemini, July 5th — a Vedic astrology perspective

The meaning behind July 5th’s New Moon is so poetic. Intellectual intensity followed by pattern recognition, and the remembrance that we’re not alone in our struggles. So buckle up and let’s dive in..

A mini lesson on Nakshatras
In Jyotish, we understand that the Moon (which is always moving in orbit from our vantage point on Earth) moves through 27 different spaces, which are set within the 12 Zodiac signs. These 27 spaces are called the Nakshatras, and they’re potent divisions of the Zodiac that tap a deeper level than signs can access alone.


Nakshatras are unique to the astrology system of India, and they’re a way to explain how one person’s experience in Gemini can look vastly different than someone else’s. Same sign, different Nakshatra.


If you were to look up at the sky on July 5th (rather than looking at the fixed calendar, which is why Western Astrology sees this New Moon in Cancer), you’d see that the New Moon is actually transiting within the sign of Gemini.


Side note: This is the difference between Western Astrology and Jyotish / Vedic Astrology. Two totally different systems — one is not better or worse, right or wrong. They’re just different perspectives of how we interact with the world.


Within Gemini, the Moon moves through Ardra Nakshatra first, and at the exact moment of the dark moon, she’s passing through Punarvasu, the Nakshatra that follows Ardra.


The transits of the Moon mean something different for every person depending on the nuances of their birth chart — but on a collective level (and the reason I’m writing this lesson), we can collectively experience her transits together through our moods and emotions because in this way, we are all connected! The waxing and waning of the Moon is a symbol for how our mind behaves in the same way.


So let’s break down Ardra first.
Ardra means green, or moist like a teardrop. And I love this analogy — when the tears come, vision is blurry and we can’t see clearly... but then after the tears fall and we express the energy within, all of a sudden the storm passes and the path is clear again.


Ardra is ruled by the archetype of Rudra — who is the god of storms. Remember: All gods and goddesses in our tradition represent aspects WITHIN us. In yoga philosophy, we divide “infinity” into parts so we can better understand it. To say this is “worshiping false gods” is a misunderstanding (and a rabbit hole for another time).


Back to Ardra... at this stage in the Zodiac, the Moon (our mind) can experience dissatisfaction with the current situation, and goes searching for answers. Ardra has an intensity to it that’s not necessarily physical, but mental in nature. So on the day of the Full Moon (July 5th), we might feel the distinct need to seek answers to something that’s bugging us. We might even feel obsessed in finding answers — despite feeling utterly confused about where to go next.


The magic of Ardra comes when we look WITHIN for the answers. This doesn’t mean a complete rejection of the outer world — we’ve got to be human, after all! Rather, turning inward for direction could be as simple as taking a few deep breaths, calming your nervous system (which can go haywire at this stage in the Zodiac) and allowing the gut instinct to be heard.


Then comes Punarvasu...
At the time of the Moon’s complete shadow — which is a powerful time to plant seeds, or intentions for her next 30-day cycle — she moves through Punarvasu Nakshatra, which means “becoming bright again,” like re-igniting a flame. You can see how the search for answers in Ardra finds a target here in Punarvasu!


Here’s the thing: There’s no final destination of complete understanding the meaning of life. If we could understand infinity right now, at all times, there’d be no “drama” involved in living life! As souls, we come here to learn, to seek, to find answers within (and without). We find our own meaning, and we continually find it over and over and over again — the spaces between our discoveries represent the seeking.


In Punarvasu, the presiding archetype is Aditi. Her name literally means “undivided” because she is the mother of creation. The Rg Veda (the oldest spiritual text on earth) says “Aditi comes from Daksha, but Daksha comes from Aditi” — which is a way of approaching the chicken and the egg... the masculine and the feminine. They represent a never-ending cycle of patterns that fold into themselves, over and over and over.


And remember where we left Ardra? We turned our gaze inward. We choose to access that feeling of unity and understanding from within... because we are whole, just as we are.


Punarvasu represents the tug we feel to work cooperatively — within ourselves, and with the world around us. However “lonely” we feel at times, we discover over and over again that when we share our experience, we can find support to come together for a shared purpose. Our personal patterns and struggles become more manageable when we lean on resources outside of ourselves for support.


Aditi is our own motherly nudge: We don’t have to struggle alone. Community — and shared experience — is everything!


Sending you lots of love...
Mollie