Miracles Happen at Check-Ins - The Power of Vedic Astrology and Self-Compassion
What if a simple weekly check-in could transform your week? Imagine finally understanding how Mars agitates Saturn—not just intellectually, but viscerally. Or grasping Kshudita and Kshobhita Avasthas in a way that stays with you long after the session ends. Every Thursday at 4 PM, our patreon group gathers for a 30-minute Vedic Astrology check-in. It’s a space of reflection, validation, and insight. In these moments, Vedic Astrology becomes more than a study—it becomes a living, breathing experience of connection.
The Magic of This Week’s Session
This week, the energy of summer was unmistakable. Here in Lisbon, rolling public holidays mark the shift of the season and the conversation turned to Saint Anthony, Lisbon’s beloved patron of love and match-making. Thursday marked the Eve of his holiday - a night marked by celebrations, grilled sardines, dwarf basil pots (called Manjerico) filled with love messages, a parade of the 16 couples whose wedding ceremonies were paid for by the city and neighbourhood singing-dancing competition parading down our main city avenue!
I invited everyone to share how the start of summer was unfolding in their part of the world. As we went around the group, one participant shared their practice of aligning their daily routine with the Sun’s rhythm. A grounding force that provides the strength, momentum, and stability that are essential to a life of daily service exempt from vacations and holiday days. This share was the antidote for another member, who had been feeling overwhelmed by endless tasks, barely allowing themselves to rest. The wisdom of the Sun's steady cycle created a shift. It was as if a window had opened and the intense heat of focus had dissipated as a cool breeze of relief entered the conversation. All of us could identify with this lesson that the ego and the mind where so prone to use force when there is grace all around us, even in the Sun’s daily rhythms.
What Kshudita Mars and Kshobhita Saturn feel like …
This seemed like the perfect time to draw solace from Vedic Astrology. Mars has finally exited its long retrograde and entered Leo, bringing an undeniable urge for action. Remember, during its retrograde, Mars was full of Chesta Bala (one of the six strengths of Shadbala, associated with the confidence to act). Think of it as the ‘yang’ energy within the Taijitu—bold, assertive, and ready to move. But Mars’ location near its Debilitation sign of Cancer made it wilt when actually given the opportunity to act. That’s because Mars was low in Uccha bala (a compentent of Sthaana bala) tied to our inner reserve of strength. Uccha bala is like the ‘yin’ of the Taijitu—the quiet, rooted force needed to sustain action. Now, Mars finds itself, like a toy “Hot Wheels” car from my childhood, it’s wheels are all revved up, but its forcefulness is making it spin all over the place! (We can see even in the days since this gathering how Mars squaring Uranus has brought explosive action between Israel and Iran and perhaps played a role in the massive Air India crash).
Leo is a fire sign and a natural ‘king of the jungle’, so the pressure to be ‘great’ and ‘improve one’s life (the 5th sign) is amplified. As we took it down to the individual level we say the birth chart reveal an intense struggle—Mars and Saturn conjunct in Leo, locked in Kshudita and Kshobhita Avasthas. Saturn, ever-focused on flaws, was starved (Kshudita), believing it was not good enough, while Mars agitated Saturn (Kshobhita), forcing it into relentless self-criticism. The result? A harsh internal voice, demanding more effort, more perfection. Mars, driven by urgency, lashes out, believing Saturn’s slow pace signals weakness. Yet Saturn, ever burdened by self-doubt, internalizes the pressure, mistaking discipline for punishment. The result? An exhausting cycle of effort without grace.
Guided Meditation reconnecting to Grace
With these transits transforming our understanding, it was the perfect moment to ground ourselves in meditation. I lead a guided meditation, focusing on the outbreath as an offering to the Earth—letting stress flow downward, into the magnetic pull of the Earth’s negative charge. From this place of release, we breathed up love, resilience, and Divine purpose, setting the intention for Mars to dedicate itself like a good soldier, not to the mind but to supreme service, knowing that Divine will never involve torture only grace.
As we parted ways, there was a palpable shift in energy. A renewed sense of self-compassion, grace, and community. Vedic Astrology had, once again, illuminated not just planetary transits, but had connected our inner workings of hearts and minds to the Divine plan.
Much like Lisbon’s Thursday night’s street party for St Anthony, (Festas de Santo António), our Vedic Astrology check-ins celebrate love, the deep love in community, self-acceptance, and shared wisdom. St Anthony is the patron saint of lost things and often we find ourselves when we gather in community. Whether through joyful street festivities or quiet moments of reflection, both remind us that we are never truly alone. In every transit, in every conversation, in every breath—we find connection.
Join Us for weekly Check-Ins on Vedic Astrology and Mindfulness
These 30-minute sessions offer a space for reflection, insight, and renewal—a place where Vedic Astrology validates experiences, and where self-acceptance takes root. If you’ve ever felt alone in your Astrology journey, if you’ve ever wondered how transits mirror your own transformations, this is your opportunity.
Join the Regular Contact Tier on Patreon for exclusive Vedic Astrology check-ins, meditations, and a supportive community every Thursday!
I never know what is going to happen each week, but I do know that miracles unfold when we pause long enough to truly see them.
