This is astrologically a big weekend for planet earth, and the show starts on July 12 at 7:35 A.M., Eastern Time when the Full Moon is exactly opposite the Sun. It is known as “Super Full Moon” because the Moon is closer to the earth than is usual. Astronomically, it is known as “Luna Perigee” a phenomenon that is not all that unusual – but, the brightness of the Moon and the high tides along with the possibility of high emotions makes it a bigger Full Moon event than other Full Moons.

This Full Moon cycle also falls on an ancient Hindu holy day known as “Guru Purnima.” This holy day is held each July during the Full Moon cycle which takes place with the Sun in Gemini and the Moon in Sagittarius. (Please note that this system is based on sidereal time which does not yet have the Sun in Cancer.) This day is chosen because of the Moon being in Sagittarius which is ruled by the planet Jupiter. One of the Sanskrit words for Jupiter is “Guru” and can refer to either a physical spiritual teacher as well as to what some refer to as “guides, angels, spirits, soul or universal knowledge available through intuition” – the point being that we are not as cut off from spiritual essence as our egos would like to have us believe. It is a day in which we can all honor those who have assisted us on a path of consciousness and tune into the inner-knowing that is beyond the intellectual and individual mind.

One doesn’t have to be a Hindu or Yogi or Brahman to participate in the energy of this day. One of the benefits of days like Guru Purnima is that there will be many, many people throughout the planet who are participating in a conscious spiritual celebration and we are all invited to join in our own way – meditation, nature, chanting, reading something uplifting or just taking some time out to enjoy the beauty of the “Super Full Moon.” It is powerful because it is a day when the vibration of the planet is more positive. No religion is necessary – religion is not the same as spirituality and, as the planet struggles toward a recognition of our soul connection to each other, we can tune into the true meaning of the word “guru” which can be translated as the “dispeller of darkness” – it doesn’t really matter if the darkness is dispelled by enjoying the Full Moon reflecting on a lake or by watching What The Bleep Do We Know; the point is to spend a bit of time in the light of the inner being and to know for a bit of time that so much of what we react to in the world is simply false knowledge – we were not born to suffer despite how mundane life feels.

What is exceptional about this particular Full Moon is that at the end of the 12th at approximately 9:38 P.M. Eastern Time, the Moon will directly aspect the recent movement of Jupiter into his exalted sign of Cancer – it is what Vedic Astrologers would refer to as an “auspicious” moment in astrological time. This will help to activate the positive energy of Jupiter’s excellent placement.

The very next day the planetary march changes gears with the movement of Mars into Libra and the Nodal Points into the Virgo/Pisces axis. Rahu and Ketu move on July 13 at 4:30 A.M, Eastern Time and Rahu will be conjunct Mars in Virgo until Mars moves into Libra at 11:22 P.M. Eastern Time. The day may feel unsteady, there may be a few surprises, and we can be assured that our “leaders” will be making the news rounds with the usual nonsense – but it is possible to keep tuned into the positive energy we created on the 12th and tune out the noise which constantly covers the truth of existence.

I have discussed Mars so much that I think we all know what to expect from the fiery warrior of the planetary forces. He will continue to misbehave until early September when he reaches the sign of Scorpio, which is a sign ruled by Mars and, therefore, is strong enough to handle the Mars energy and focus it in a more positive way.

The big news of this remarkable weekend is the switching of the nodal positions, Rahu and Ketu. These points on the ecliptic path are very connected to karma, desire, transformation, disappointment, and spirituality and will often change the focus and activity of our lives for the eighteen months they spend in a specific zodiacal axis. For most of us, the challenges and growth brought about by Rahu and Ketu in the past cycle will now switch gears to the location of our Virgo/Pisces houses. For instance, if one has a Gemini ascendant, the focus for the past eighteen months has been on children, creativity, love life, and the challenge of keeping up with the activity of those fifth house concerns through Rahu while at the same time living through the sacrifices required by Ketu which was placed in the eleventh house of social life, personal desires, and money. Rahu always operates through head-strong desire while Ketu operates through denial – the goal is to meet in the middle with truth, balance and objective expectations.

In the past eighteen months, Rahu and Ketu were hammered by the discipline, slowness, and denial of Saturn. No matter what houses the eclipse points were placed in our charts, it has been a remarkably frustrating time because Saturn’s job is to hammer the impulsive nature of Rahu, and he’s done his job well. For all of us, the biggest problem was that the nature of the Libra/Aries axis (the signs not being vacated by the nodal points) is the inherent challenge of relationship versus individual needs. Many family, work, and social relationships have been under enormous stress – I don’t recall such a difficult time in the recent past in which even something as simple as going to the grocery store felt like walking through a hostile environment. I really do expect that by the time we move into the middle of September that the people-to- people energy will improve.

Rahu and Ketu do well in the signs of Virgo/Pisces and, for many, the energy will calm down, spiritual practices will be easier, positive health changes will be easier to maintain, and relationships will not be as challenged. On a level that affects all of us, we can anticipate positive changes in health care, science, diet, arts, and the environment. There is also the possibility that more people will drop their individual anger and begin to move into a more neutral state of mind. It is the 21st century, and we live in an international world – it is a good time to discover that humanity has more in common than in differences. No, the world will not become perfect – it is not the nature of the world to be externally perfect, but it can be the nature of humanity to discover that there is perfection to our inner beings.

Enjoy the Super Moon and take a break from the problems and unhappiness for the 12th; if you choose to stay in a negative world – well, there is always plenty of that available.