Embody the Heavens: Ebullience and Pleasure
Astrology Transits and Yoga Practice for January 22 to 28, 2023
Astrology Summary
This week we welcome a waxing New Moon in the Water Bearer. She traverses Aquarius, Pisces, and Aries, and closes the week in a first-quarter square to the Sun in Taurus. Ares and Hermes pick up forward momentum. Aphrodite slips into her exaltation in the Fishes, hosting Selene in her exaltation, the Bull, via sextile, on Venus’s day, Friday. Initially, there’s a charge in the air, and we finally feel like things are beginning to fall into place. Then, we’re seduced into a state of dreaminess and indulgence before a sense of urgency takes over, influencing us to make up for lost time. A more detailed breakdown of the week’s astrology follows.
Asana Summary
For this fresh, budding Moon, the yoga practice for the week is a simple cycle of Chandra Namaskar (Moon Salutation). The Moon Salutation is a sequence of postures that honor the energy of the Moon.
The yoga sequence follows the astrology below. Once you embody the flow, try it again from a more meditative perspective, slowing down and following your breath through the movements.
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(The transits for the week are outlined from Sunday midnight to 11:59 p.m. Saturday, PST.)
Helios
Helios begins the week at 02°00' in the fixed, airy, yang temple of Kronos, the Water Bearer, and ends the week at 09°09'. This is the sign of the Sun’s exile, where he is in an environment opposite his nature and his expression becomes distorted and performance insecure and indirect. The natural authority of the Sun becomes arrogance when overcompensating for its natural radiance in this hot and moist environment.
Helios sextiles Zeus at 04° on Tuesday and applies by trine to Ares on Saturday. Host Kronos is copresent, as is Aphrodite, until Thursday evening.
This is the last New Moon in the Water Bearer, hosted by Kronos dignified until September 2039, when he enters the Scales, the sign of his exaltation. Take advantage of these final days building structures or setting boundaries for future concepts and ideals you’re cultivating during this waxing New Moon.
Selene
Selene begins the week at 08°39' in the Water Bearer, separating from Helios and trining Ares in the mutable, airy, yang temple of Hermes, the Twins. Under cover of midnight skies, she conjoins Kronos and then Aphrodite before entering the Fishes by midmorning, Monday. Tuesday, she squares Ares in the Twins, then sextiles Hermes in the Sea Goat. She runs in the void nearly all day until conjoining Zeus in the Ram on Wednesday evening. In short order, she then sextiles Helios and Ares, then squares Hermes. Early Friday morning, she sextiles Kronos, and by midafternoon she enters the Bull, where she is raised up, sextiling her host, exalted Aphrodite. Twenty-four hours later, she trines Hermes, ending the week at 17°15' in her exaltation.
Hermes
Direct Hermes begins the week at 09°02' in the tropical, earthy, yin temple of Kronos, the Sea Goat, recovering territory from his recent retrograde period, ending the week at 13°44'.
He will retrace this path until meeting the station retrograde point on Monday, February 6, which was 24° of the Sea Goat, last reached on December 29, 2022. Finally, a fresh perspective and renewed plans for taking practical, objective actions will be accessible.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite begins the week on Sunday at 24°03' in the solid, airy, yang temple of Kronos, the Water Bearer, applying to conjoin her host, reaching bodily union just past noon. She separates over the week and ingresses into the sign of her exaltation on Thursday evening, ending the week at 02°46' of the Fishes, the mutable, watery, yin temple of Zeus.
There’s a persevering conversation or commitment shared, perhaps one that’s more theoretical than practical. By week’s end, actions become less reserved and more receptive and sentimental.
Ares
Ares begins the week at 8°40' in the bicorporal, airy, yang temple of Hermes, the Twins, retracing the degrees he retrograded through since October 30, 2022. He ends the week at 9°44' and will leave the shadow degrees after reaching 25° on Wednesday, March 15.
During the 20 weeks of dredging back and then forth, it’s finally time to begin to assess the carnage, leave behind what no longer serves you, and move forward with confidence in action and speech in the areas of life where the Twins reside in your chart.
Zeus
Zeus begins the week at 4°19' in the tropical, fiery, yang temple of Ares, the Ram, and ends the week at 5°33'. He travels the remaining degrees of this sign over the next four months, ending his visit Tuesday, May 16.
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With host Ares now direct, enthusiasm and passion increase for moving forward with ideas and plans that may have been put on hold since as far back as late July, when Zeus stationed retrograde in the Ram and retreated to Pisces.
Kronos
Kronos begins the week at 24°43' in his solid, airy, yang temple of the Water Bearer, and ends the week at 25°32'. He travels the remaining stretch of this sign, departing on Tuesday, March 7, into the Fishes until 2025. Kronos has been in domicile since entering the Sea Goat in December 2017 and will lose his dignified status for 16 years until finding the Scales in September 2039.
Embodied Practice for Week
The embodied practice for the week honors the New Moon. We will practice a cycle of Moon Salutations. The sequence takes about 5 minutes, but you can repeat it for a longer flow. Try to move slowly and meditatively with each breath.
Moon Salutation mainly involves lower bodywork, so it is a nice break from poses that require supporting body weight on the hands. You may choose to grab a yoga block or other prop to assist you in triangle and pyramid poses.
There are many variations of Moon Salutation, but the sequence typically includes:
- mountain pose
- standing crescent pose (left and right) *
- goddess pose
- triangle pose (left)
- pyramid pose (left)
- low-crescent pose (left)
- wide-legged squat over one leg/skandasana (left)
- wide-legged squat over one leg/skandasana (right)
- low-crescent pose (right)
- pyramid pose (right)
- triangle pose (right)
- goddess pose
- mountain
- repeat from * beginning on right, reversing sides
- cycle left and right complete; begin another if you desire.
How is your week? Do you follow the transits of the Moon? Did you try the yoga practice? Please let me know in the comments!
Astrology is a rhapsody. And this article tells just a very small part of the epic poems written by the stars in our heavens. Stay tuned for additional compositions that weave the wisdom of the stars.
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Disclaimer
Astrology Rhapsody recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, and assume all risk of injury to yourself.
Published when Helios was ruling the Ascendant and placed early in the Water Bearer in the 7th house, copresent with his ruler, Kronos, as well as Aphrodite. Selene is also in the early degrees of the Water Bearer, just past the New Moon, and both luminaries are applying by sextile to Zeus in the Ram in the 9th house by day. January 21, 2023, 4:39 p.m. PST.
