Bharani

The cosmic force of Bharani nakshatra is called apabharani shakti – “power to take things away with the waters”. Like the powerful waves of the ocean, it takes the things away from us, and carries them further. It inspires us to let go of our attachments and go with the flow of life, instead of clinging to all those things and relations that we are so attached to. Because whenever something dies, the new beginning is already awaiting. Even though Yamaraj, god of death and mortality, is presiding over this lunar mansion, its symbol is at the same time the womb, or yoni, through which we come into this world. “As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones”, explained Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, and compares happiness and distress of material life to changing seasons. Similarly Bharani nakshatra inspires us to see beyond the temporary grief and loss, not to block the natural flow of life by hanging onto the past. Because only when we accept death and endings, paradoxically, we truly become alive.

In many cultures and spiritual traditions meditating on one’s own death was considered a very liberating practice. When you lay down in shavasana (corpse position in yoga, ideal for complete relaxation of the body) in the dark room, relax all your muscles and relax completely into the present moment, imagining, what would be, if in that very moment you would die, there is a sort of catharsis happening within you. Suddenly you see your entire life in a completely different light and in a bigger context. It becomes so much easier to let go of so many things and forgive – because in front of death all the little human conflicts seem so unimportant. This is what Bharani nakshatra is trying to teach us – to unblock the healthy flow of life by embracing the change and seeming endings. To relax a little bit more into the present moment and instead of fearing what is new and unknown, to trust the mighty flow of the ocean life and to have faith that it always takes us in our destined direction. And if that direction doesn’t seem very pleasant, perhaps it is time to change something inside ourselves.