Makar Sankranti

Today is a very auspicious day in the Vedic Calendar.

It is the movement of the Sun into Capricorn; the nurturer of Earth into an Earth sign and at a time when we move into growth in the presence of that warm and nurturing light in our sky for (about) the next half of the year.

I say about because as we know, the Winter Solstice passed already. This day was once also a movement into the lighter parts of the year overall. - As mentioned in my post on Jyotisha and Western's differences, Jyotisha has evolved to adjust readings to the precession of the equinoxes. And the calendars of Earth, that of the sky, and that of the ways the former relates to the latter, shift.

Many years ago, the brightening Winter Solstice day, when the Sun's presence would then grow each day in the sky for the next 6 months, was aligned with the movement of the Sun into Capricorn. Mother Earth is a cosmic dancer and wobbles on her axis to the beat of her own bass drum. The rhythm is gonna get you, and hers has shifted her into a position where there is a space between the placement of Solstice and Sun meeting Capricorn. That movement into Capricorn is key, and so the auspisciouness has stayed associated with this day and has moved from being paired with the solstice, which is not as much celebrated (for this purpose) in India as it was when the days aligned.

Sun into Capricorn is marked as an auspicious day to commit to something Dharmic - prioritizing the evolution of your spirit and self. A teacher, Kaya Mindlin, for example, has encouraged students to practice for 40 days straight. She has more depth of knowledge is working on a post that I will share here when it is ready. Kaya mentioned Matar Sankranti this morning in a course on the Bhagavad Gita because she added a mantra for us to close with because of this day.

Another student reminded us that a character in the Gita and the texy within which it is nestled; the Mahabharata, Bhisma Pitamah, actually connects with this more aispiscious time, the reason for which is mentioned in chapter 8 of the Gita by Lord Krishna in speaking about times of transition; it is thought to be more auspicious to pass from this reality into the next adventure during this time of greater light. Bhismah Pitamah, a great warrior of this canon, was given the ability to choose the timing of his death. He was the grandfather to both families about to engage each other in the battle on which the Bhagavad Gita verges (Maha: Great Bharata: Battle) More about this amazing character here:

https://vedicfeed.com/bhisma-pitamah/#:~:text=Bhishma%20is%20arguably%20one%20of%20the%20most%20powerful,Kauravas%2C%20where%20Pitamaha%20meant%2C%20‘the%20grandfather%20or%20grandsire’.

I'll post more about my understanding and exoreince of that Gita (as there is more than one Gita; which translates to song). For todayc this is just a quick, spontaneous post for your awareness, in case you would choose to do something with this information.

There is a lot to say deeper into the roots and aspects of this time that I will link you to. In essence as elemental reflections of these Fire/Sun and Earth/Planet Earth energies and potential relationships between them; Earth energy is stable, works slow and steady, and tends to be constant, and the growing light, warmth, and nurturing elements of Sun can help it to grow and shine into its potential. So, what practice is committed to today (that is aligned with your and the overall dharma) is thought to likely have such strong and illuminated support.

Some expansion on this day in these links:

https://www.drikpanchang.com/sankranti/info/makar-sankranti.html

https://www.drikpanchang.com/sankranti/makar-sankranti-date-time.html?year=2022

Kaya's post link as promised:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYuqjguvYNC/?utm_medium=copy_link