27 Moons Project: Ashvini Nakshatra
...the key to understanding your mind and the mind of others
In Vedic astrology, the moon is divided into 27 divisions called Nakshatra. The moon is our mind and therefore how we filter all thoughts, impressions and experiences. Knowing our Moon Nakshatra and the Nakshatras of others is key to understanding and appreciating how we think and approach the world. If you don’t know your Nakshatra, you can find out what it is here.
Happy Moon Monday!
For the next half a year, I’ll be writing a post about the current Nakshatra of the moon every Monday, the day naturally ruled by the moon.
If you don’t know what Nakshatra are, check out this post first.
For now, let’s dive into the Nakshatra the moon is currently in this lovely Monday.
This Monday’s Nakshatra: Ashvini
Ashvini is the first Nakshatra in the Vedic lunar zodiac, spanning from 0°00' to 13°20' Aries. It is governed by Ketu.
The term Ashvini translates to "horsemen" or "horse tamers" in Sanskrit, emphasizing this Nakshatra's association with speed, healing, and pioneering energy. The Sanskrit transliteration is Aśvinī.
Ashvini is characterized by two stars, Beta Arietis and Gamma Arietis, which are perceived as the two twin horsemen that give this Nakshatra its dynamic and vigorous nature.
To gain insights into the mindset of individuals with their moon in this Nakshatra, let's explore its symbols, deity, and general keywords.
Symbols
In just a moment, we’ll see why Ashvini is tied so closely to horses – in fact, its symbol is a horses’s head. But first we’ll mention another subject so closely related to this Nakshatra: healing.
Ashvini Nakshatra natives are often natural born healers who excel in medical or counselling fields. They are drawn to philosophical and spiritual disciplines and are often quick learners who are adept at applying that which they have learned.
Like a horse, these natives can be fidgety, restless and sensitive to their environment. They are true and steadfast friends who remain loyal to those they care about. Although blessed with a gentle, loving nature, watch out when they do lose their temper!
Built for speed, they can be as graceful and athletic as a mare or steed. In some cases, they may be particularly drawn to horses and adept riders themselves.
More on their traits later. First, let’s take a look at Ashwini’s ruling deity.
Ruling deity
When it comes to Nakshatras, knowing the ruling deity gets you closer to understanding their inner nature than the sign they are in.
The ruling deities for Ashvini Nakshatra are the Ashvin twins. Also known as the Ashvins or Nasatya, they are revered as the divine physicians and healers of the gods. As celestial twins, they embody the dual aspects of healing and vitality, traveling swiftly in their golden chariot to bring aid to those in need.
The Ashvin twins were born to the sun god Surya and his wife, the cloud goddess Saranyu (also known as Sanjna). Unable to bear the intense brilliance of Surya, Saranyu created a shadow replica of herself, Chhaya, to take her place. She then transformed herself into a mare and roamed earth. At first unaware that the switch had taken place, Surya had many children with Chhaya.
However, drawn by their inexplicable bond, Surya eventually transformed himself into a horse and joined Saranyu on Earth. Their union in equine form gave birth to the Ashvin twins, symbolizing the dawn of new vitality and the breaking of the first light, which their name reflects.
The twins are often depicted as harbinger of the dawn, a metaphor for new beginnings and the promise of relief from suffering.
Skills and interests
As the story of the Ashvin twins suggests, a major gift of many Ashvini Nakshatra natives is the power to restore, revitalize, rejuvenate or renew. These individuals can often naturally tap into healing energies, making them ideal in both traditional and alternative medical fields that seek to bring new life and vitality into that which is worn out, old and dry.
These quick footed individuals bring a brilliance and celestial agility to that which they do and are often dedicated to helping others. Pure-hearted and kind, they often have a charismatic personality that draws others in. Although they need to take their own time to finish tasks – in other words, don’t try to rush them! – they are hard-working and committed by nature.
Ashvini Nakshatra natives tend to prefer cleanliness and order, sometimes to the point of being somewhat of a neat freak.
In some cases, they may blow things out of proportion and become overly fixated on situations that made them angry. This can sometimes bring in the tendency to have a hard time letting things go. However, their balanced, vibrant nature always ultimately restores order and peace in the end.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
natural healers
vibrant with strong vitality
intelligent and devoted
idealistic and spiritually
swift, athletic and strong
playful, adventurous and sensual
good with money and charitable
love travelling and spending time with family
can be major horse lovers
Weaknesses
may be impulsive
stubborn as a mule
may spread themselves too thin with too much multitasking
can become angry when things don’t go their way
can be arrogant and/or prone to dissatisfaction
may be frugal to the point of stinginess
Famous people with their moon in Ashvini
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Aldous Huxley
Ingrid Bergmann
Pamela Anderson
Geena Davis
Selena Gomez
Cate Blanchett
Anderson Cooper
Chris Rock
King Charles III
Thank you for your work in writing this series, Rebecca. So very insightful and immensely helpful.