Dear Friends;
It seems that each new day reveals more of what Ekhart Tolle refers to as the “collective insanity”… and a clear indication that society is more eager to believe than we are to learn. 

A woman I know from America shared how she has been harassed, threatened, gestured at obscenely, and dangerously cut off while driving because she drives a Tesla, a model she chose because it was designed by Elon Musk to be one of the safest cars on the road. What she and other Tesla owners did not anticipate when signing the title at the dealership was that they would be subjected to a violent backlash against Musk funded by corrupt megadonors and spurred on by dangerous rhetoric from unconscious politicians and podcasters and a biased media. This week in Oregon, criminal activists came out of the shadows and raked a Tesla dealership with gunfire while firebombing another with homemade Molotov cocktails. The reason? They object to Musk’s attempts to increase government efficiency and reduce waste in America. 

Moreover, it matters not that owners like this woman have liberal views and do what they can to reduce their carbon footprint including buying Teslas; these activists seek to make a statement and Left leaning Tesla owners are simply collateral damage. In the tortured minds of these individuals, the ends always justify the means — including violence, vandalism, destruction, disruption… and even murder.

Has the world gone mad? Have we? Are we part of the collective insanity? 🤔

Eckhart Tolle has discussed the concept of “collective insanity” both in public appearances and in his books “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” and “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose”. He describes the collective egoic mind, amplified by technology, science, and social media, as rapidly taking humanity to the brink of disaster, and suggests that “normal” behaviour on this planet can often equal insanity due to complete identification with one’s thought and emotion. Like seeking like, these identifications find a home among each other and form a collective that no longer capable to see what is real.

In global astrology, Jupiter and Saturn represent the pillars of a balanced society where its members are in harmony with one another. Jupiter represents wisdom and the desire to benefit all life. Saturn is discipline, objectivity, and most critical, the capacity to let go of what is not working. When either of these planets are troubled within us, the integrity of our mind is destabilised and we find ourselves stuck in belief systems that support neither the greater good nor our own health and wellbeing. In such a state, emotions become unstable and assume a position of rigid authority in our mental landscape. Whether leaning left or right, extreme views fuelled by familial, social, cultural, and economic bias have turned the world into a chamber of horrors.

Consider these words by Sadhguru:
Why can’t you learn to not take a position on anything? To conduct a particular activity we take positions but there is no reason to take a position to live. If you want to know life you should not take any position or any opinion about anything. The moment you form an opinion, that means you are not open to anything else…

Conclusion means death. Life means no conclusion. Instead of sharpening your vision you’re drawing a conclusion because conclusion brings a certain certainty. It brings a certain confidence. Confidence without clarity is a disaster.

The greatest enemy to truth is belief. Belief shuts down your capacity to learn what is real and makes you a “useful idiot”, an unwitting pawn who does the bidding of the powerful. Belief blinds you to reality and leads to conflict. It is born from a calculating mind fearful for its survival. When we believe, we shut the door on learning, we shut the door on truth. 

The roots of some beliefs are shallow and, with effort, can be overcome by a caring teacher or an open mind willing to say “I don’t know” and the courage to listen to another’s views. Some beliefs, however, are deeply etched into the stone walls of our subconscious and only an experience of seismic proportions can tear the wall down so we can see the light.

It just so happens we are in the midst of a chance to experience our walls crumbling… if we are willing.

The lunar eclipse on 14 March is a chance to transform the way we experience life, both inside and out. Especially in those areas of our horoscope affected by the eclipse, we have the chance to let go of the false ideas we carry that have held us back for so long. It’s a chance to tear off the blinders that have prevented us from seeing things as they really are. 

Our nonsense is rooted in the graveyard of the past where it projects an imagined future. It is only in the present that Life is lived, that Love is found. Throw yourself at the feet of this week’s possibility and you will come to realise why you are here. I’ll do the same, then together, we will create that better world of which we so often dream.

More details are offered below including suggestions on how to make the best use of this eclipse. It’s a real opportunity for you to see where in your life wrong ideas and misunderstanding are keeping you small. Whatever gains you make will reverberate across the universe in ways that are hard to even imagine.

Join me to make a real difference.

 🤗

David 🔆

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Dear Friends;
This week, we celebrate International Woman’s Day. I chose 19yr old Joan of Arc for this week’s issue because she is a well-known figure in the West who imbibed both the feminine and masculine qualities. Pictured is a 1918 illustration of her created to inspire American women to buy war stamps during WW I to help support the American war effort.

The artist offered an excellent rendering of the gentleness of the feminine in harmony to the firmness of the masculine. With a bright, moon-like visage and slightly upturned gaze indicating humility, respect, and devotion towards a higher power, Joan is depicted wearing armour and holding an upraised sword imparting the Mars masculine of right action at the right time. You might even say this illustration is the West’s version of Ardhanarishvara, the form of Shiva indicating the complete synthesis of the masculine and feminine qualities, an example illustration of which I used last week.

The short life of Joan of Arc becomes an interesting metaphor for the interplay of the masculine and feminine qualities. Born in a French village during the Hundred Year’s War between England and France, Joan began experiencing visions of Christian saints telling her that her destiny was to help coronate Charles VII and push the English out of France. That she was able to inspire the French military to accept her as a leader is quite a remarkable story. That she maintained her commitment to Christ even as she burned at the stake (Jésus! Jésus!) is transcendent…

The masculine and the feminine. Two sides of the same coin. Two interlocking sets of qualities that form the basis of this whole Cosmos, including us. Indeed, the human experience reaches its full potential only when these qualities are allowed to express freely, without limiting the inherent potential of each.

I lived in the ashram of the enlightened spiritual master Gurumayi Chidvilasananda for over ten years. It was an amazing period of my life filled with experiences beyond typical human understanding — from the miraculous to the otherworldly. Yet, some of the most affecting experiences were the unscheduled moments when I saw who she was beyond the big crowds and the formal events. She was always anchored in a masculine/feminine aliveness that was so profound and vibrant I would fall into a state of ecstasy knowing I was witnessing my own destiny.

Once while working in the ashram kitchen, Gurumayi came striding in like a gas flame on high. She was Mars incarnate and chastised management for not preparing a special feast as it was the day a much beloved guru of the Siddha lineage had left his body. Mahasamadhi is when an enlightened being leaves their body through their own will and such a day is always celebrated for it signals their final merging into the Ocean of Consciousness.

After making sure management would not make the same mistake, Gurumayi came to the counter where several cereal box sized containers of spices were sitting on the counter and instructed a bowl to be placed on the floor to prepare the batter for bhajis, vegetable fritters. When I say bowl, I mean BOWL. The ashram was feeding 5 — 10 thousand guests at the time, so the bowls we used were rather large. I set the bowl on the floor and squatted down with a whisk and began whisking as one of the chefs threw in heaps of besan (gram) flour and water. Gurumayi then began to pick up a select number of spice containers and without looking at the label, dropped a portion of their contents into the batter. No measurement, no indecision, no taste test. One after another she threw in the spices like she was feeding a hungry dog biscuits.

As I stirred, I became lost in this show of complete awareness. I was witnessing perfection in action and I became ecstatic. Suddenly, I felt a rap on the top of my head as if someone had hit my crown chakra with a broom handle. Not painful, but definitely attention getting. I glanced up to see Gurumayi looking at me with an amused smile and indicating with a small gesture to stop whisking. Placing the bowl on the counter, Gurumayi turned away while the cooks tasted the batter. Perfect.

The bhaji batter Gurmayi had just spiced was exquisite, beyond compare. To see her take from an assortment of at least a dozen spice containers without looking and tossing with seeming abandon into the mixture without measuring was a profound testament to the state of complete freedom. In this simple display, she was demonstrating what it means to be a complete human being. Through decisive action and laser-like focus, she expressed the masculine and through gentleness, compassion, and intuition, she expressed the feminine.

As it was, her rap on my head opened a space within me, a clear indication of how energy can be harnessed for the benefit of all when supported by conscious action. I was like a drunkard the rest of the day, intoxicated on the experience of being alive, an experience I gained simply by being in her company.

Let me be clear: when we are completely involved in Life, Life answers back with Love. It matters not what you do, but how you do it. This is what it means to be half man and half woman and when we come to know this within ourselves, we have solved the mystery of our existence.

 🤗

David 🔆

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Dear Friends;

A Night of Awakening
Mahashivratri (FEB 26; Live webcast) is one of the most important celebrations in India and recognises a natural alignment of the Sun and Earth that creates a tremendous spiritual opportunity. Mahashivratri commemorates the divine wedding between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati representing the union of the masculine and feminine energies, the harmonious interplay necessary for cosmic order and creation.

Sadhguru says this about this auspicious opportunity:

On this night, the northern hemisphere of the planet is positioned in such a way that there is a natural upsurge of energy in a human being. This is a day when nature is pushing one towards one’s spiritual peak. It is to make use of this, that in this tradition, we established a certain festival which is nightlong. To allow this natural upsurge of energies to find their way, one of the fundamentals of this nightlong festival is to ensure that you remain awake with your spine vertical throughout the night.

For a more in-depth explanation of Mahashivratri and why it is such a powerful opportunity for families, entrepreneurs, and spiritual seekers, follow this link.

The live webcast includes a talk and midnight meditation by Sadhguru.
…

I wrote recently that I have been making more use of the Adityas, an ancient form of astrology which predates Western and Hindu astrology. First referenced in the Rig Veda, India’s oldest scripture, this system is estimated to be at least 6000 years old. Unknown to most practicing modern astrologers, it offers a deep and profound window into the life of an individual through twelve equal “seasons” related to the Earth’s yearly path around the Sun. I now use the Adityas in all my readings.

Of particular interest is in reference to the current locations of the planets. Currently, Saturn is in the division referred to as Dhata which corresponds to Pisces in the zodiac. Dhata represents the capacity to bear the burdens of responsible change. Unfortunately, Saturn is not welcome in this division. Saturn is about letting go and turning away and resisting. Sometimes it is good to resist what is unhealthy, but in Dhata/Pisces, the resistance is slowing down the germination of something new and groundbreaking. In short, especially through May 2025, there is a tendency in society and in ourselves to resist meaningful change and look for shortcuts so as to avoid the work necessary for real change. 

For individuals, there is a need to strengthen the capacity to be objective, rational, and practical. This is not the time to fulfil unstable emotional needs or seek to resolve our emotional pain through others. Like a farmer, now is the time to til the soil and plant the seeds so that in the spring, healthy sprouts can rise.

As a society, there is a need to shoulder the responsibility for healthy change. For too long, we have resigned ourselves to simply following the agenda’s of others. We saw this during Covid when lockdowns and the vilification of alternative views became business as usual. We must be on guard against knee-jerk reactions detrimental to longterm gains. Knee-jerk reactions are not objective nor do they have the force of beneficial transformation behind them. They are products of our conditioned past and serve no value in the present.

Fortunately, Jupiter is in the Aditya of Varuna through this same period. Varuna is related to the one, all-encompassing Love. Jupiter is the planet of all encompassing Love. Along with Jupiter ruling as lord of Saturn in Pisces, Jupiter in Varuna marks a chance for an opportunity the world has not witnessed in a long time.

Being objective in all aspects of life and towards the global life is the best way to take advantage of this time. Now is the time to exchange reaction for response. Responding is being responsible not only to yourself, but to your neighbours and to the world. And one of the best ways to be responsible this week is by joining the Mahashivratri celebrations Wednesday night. Stay awake, spine erect. Good things can happen.

I’ll see you there. 😉

 🤗

David 🔆

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Dear Friends;

With International Women’s Day approaching on 8 March, the next few issues of Astrology of Joy will be dedicated to the feminine… 

On 18 February, the Sun moves into Pisces, the 12th sign of the zodiac related to the water element. Like water, Pisces embraces the feminine quality: nurturing, life-giving, healing, empathetic, compassionate, fluid, imaginative, creative. In Vedic astrology, Pisces is also associated with intuition, insight, emotional sensitivity and connection, enlightenment and liberation.

In astrology, fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) and air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) are masculine. Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) and earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) are feminine. Thus, there are six signs masculine and six signs feminine indicating our nature as embodying both qualities… equally. An issue arises, however, when we skew too much to one side or the other. A man who skews feminine becomes indecisive, hesitant, and confused. A woman who skews masculine becomes aggressive, impatient, and opinionated. Imagine if these two come together in relationship… fireworks and hurt feelings! 😁

To live life to its full potential means we have fully accessed both our healthy feminine and our healthy masculine. After all, as human beings, we have been endowed by the Creator to be a reflection of the Cosmos which embodies the masculine and feminine qualities. Still, we live in a community of humans…

What happens when society skews to one side or the other?

The masculine qualities are primarily about the survival of life and the feminine qualities are primarily about the quality of life. As you can see, both are necessary. Without the masculine, we would have never learned to make a spear to hunt a wooly mammoth; without the feminine, we would have never created intricate tapestries from its wool. 

An issue of concern raised by many mystics like Sadhguru and Baba Muktananda tell us that one of the major roadblocks in modern society is the continued masculinisation of the feminine which in turn contributes to the feminisation of the masculine. Initially, the women’s movement was a pushback on the trampling of women’s rights and began in earnest in the early 1900s, but like many things that start out well, movements get hijacked by those with more power and resources — and whose agenda’s may ultimately prove to be at great odds with the original intent.

Indeed, “International Women’s Day” has roots back to the Russian Revolution when Vladimir Lenin designated the day to commemorate the 8 March demonstration by women textile workers in Petrograd against poverty and the war in Europe (WW I). According to Leon Trotsky, the women’s protest was the unexpected beginning of the Russian Revolution which exploded four days later, a revolution that eventually claimed the lives of ten to twelve million people and ushered in a period of socialism that is estimated to have killed upwards of 200 million people in the 20th century. What began as a worthy cause became an utter nightmare for untold millions. Do you think this is what those women in Petrograd had in mind? 

The Sun, a masculine symbol in astrology, loves being in Pisces, a feminine sign. Why? Because the masculine energy needs guidance. It needs love, compassion, and empathy, otherwise the masculine becomes destructive. Sadhguru has said many times that the most destructive person is a confident person without clarity…

Clarity is fuelled by the feminine — by love, compassion, and empathy. This is not saying emotions should dominate for the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but neither should the masculine dominate lest we experience war and famine again and again.

We need both. In perfect balance. During the month of Pisces, we have a real chance to understand this not only in our own life, but as it relates to making the world a better place — for all of us.


Every man who is any kind of artist has a great deal of female in him. I act and give of myself as a man, but I register and receive with the soul of a woman.
Orson Welles (1915 — 1985), American director, actor, writer, and producer who is considered to be among the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. 

 🤗

David 🔆