October New Moon
As sugar is made into various figures of birds and beasts, so one sweet Divine Mother is worshipped in various times and ages under various names and forms. Different faiths are just different paths to reach the Supreme. -Ramakrishna
The amavasya new moon of October occurs in the sidereal constellation of Virgo with the Vedic star of Chitra. AEST 17/10 06:31 MDT 16/10 13:13 GMT 16/10 20:31 This new moon marks the beginning of the Navaratri festival, the nine nights celebrating the Divine Mother, in the forms of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
The Hindu tradition celebrates Durga the warrior Goddess who defeats the demons that threaten the stability of the universe. She wears a red silk sari, rides a fierce lion, has multiple arms bristling with weapons and famously destroys Mahisa, the buffalo demon. She deals with the cosmic crisis the male Gods have been unable to subdue. She acts to return Light where demons have ruled the long dark night. Durga's shakti redeems the Light.
Lakshmi is the Goddess of creation, abundance and purity and spiritual power. Saraswati is worshipped as the Goddess of the river from heaven in the Vedas, and later is associated with flowing communication, creativity, and learning. During these nine nights , each deity is venerated for three nights, while the light of the moon waxes and expands in luminosity. Navaratri celebrates the triumph and beauty of Shakti , the presence of the Divine Feminine in the world.
In the Vedas the star of Chitra is called the shining jewel. Chitra is a very bright blue radiant star adjacent to the handle of the big dipper. Chitra is known as the beautiful jewel that reflects every other jewel in the universe. This matrix of light forms the world. The deity of Chitra is called Vishvakarma, known as the celestial architect, the organising principle of Chitra is central to Jyotish. Since Vishvakarma is credited for having designed the universe, and its contents, Chitra rules creation, the arts, an ability to organise things. Chitra peeps are elegant, charismatic and have a charm and gift for narration. The radiance and structure of Chitra's grace, transmitting through the amavasya moon will lay the foundations for a profound reorganisation occurring across our world right now.
The sastras describe Chitra as the Goddess, the bringer of beauty. Vishvakarma is described in the Mahabharata as “the originator of a 1000 arts, the first of artists.” What are you creating? What are you bringing into form? Vishvakarma's expression of Light reminds us of the organise our attention. Where is your attention? There is a perfection in what we see expressed in this amavasya which will continue to expand over the coming month. Begin again.
Remember dear astropeeps, this radiance is both celestial and internal.
Even through the storms of scalding grief and deep sadness that this pandemic has brought us, and major events unfolding now in the world, this new moon sets the scene for dharma’s inevitable victory in the world. The Goddesses are qualities of Divine intelligence as well as Deities. That what we see in the heavens is represented within us.
We invoke their beauty and light .
On earth as it is in heaven.
Dawn and dusk became her eyebrows, the wind god’s splendour shaped her ears, and all else born of the other god’s light shone too as the auspicious Devi
Devi Mahatmya
There is in all things an inexhaustible sweetness and purity, a silence that is a fountain of action and joy. It rises up in wordless gentleness and flows out to me from the unseen roots of all created being.
Thomas Merton
We bow to her who is auspicious beauty. We make salutations again and again to her who is prosperity and attainment. Salutations again and again to her who is the fortune and misfortune of Kings. Salutations always to Durga who takes us through difficulties, who is the creator and indwelling essence of all… who is right knowledge..
We bow down to her who is most gentle and most fierce.
Devi Mahatmya