Travel through the lunar mansions
Nakshatras reveal the emotional weather behind every zodiac sign. They braid myth, deity, and lived experience into precise invitations. Work with them to refine timing, storytelling, and spiritual practice.
- Learn each nakshatra's signature so you can recognise it in clients, events, and your own memories.
- Track guna, motivation, and temperament to balance your calendar with soulful pacing.
- Translate mythic imagery into rituals that keep your nervous system grounded during change.
Nakshatra quick reference
Use this table to anchor your storytelling. When you meet a nakshatra in charts or transits, revisit the focus column for a quick interpretive hook.
| Nakshatra | Symbol | Deity | Focus | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwini | Horse's head | Ashwini Kumaras | Swift healing & fresh starts | Initiation, Vitality, Rescue |
| Bharani | Yoni | Yama | Life-death thresholds | Responsibility, Intensity, Creative labour |
| Krittika | Sacred blade | Agni | Purification & courage | Cutting clarity, Protection, Initiation fire |
| Rohini | Chariot | Prajapati | Fertile creativity | Sensuality, Growth, Magnetism |
| Mrigashira | Deer's head | Soma | Curiosity & questing | Restlessness, Research, Search for truth |
| Ardra | Teardrop | Rudra | Storm & catharsis | Release, Intensity, Breakthroughs |
| Punarvasu | Quiver of arrows | Aditi | Renewal & faith | Hope, Return journeys, Hospitality |
| Pushya | Sacred cow's udder | Brihaspati | Nourishment & guidance | Mentorship, Rituals, Steadiness |
| Ashlesha | Serpent entwined | Nagas | Psychic fusion | Instinct, Healing coils, Alchemy |
| Magha | Royal throne | Pitris | Ancestral authority | Lineage, Leadership, Honour |
| Purva Phalguni | Hammock | Bhaga | Pleasure & generosity | Celebration, Connection, Creative rest |
| Uttara Phalguni | Marriage couch legs | Aryaman | Commitment & alliances | Contracts, Stewardship, Shared resources |
| Hasta | Open hand | Savitar | Craft & dexterity | Skill mastery, Assistance, Manifestation |
| Chitra | Bright jewel | Vishvakarma | Design & refinement | Aesthetic sense, Structure, Visionary plans |
| Swati | Coral leaf | Vayu | Independent movement | Flexibility, Self-reliance, Exploration |
| Vishakha | Triumphal arch | Indra & Agni | Milestones & vows | Determination, Milestone celebrations, Dual devotion |
| Anuradha | Lotus blossom | Mitra | Devotion & friendship | Alliances, Reliability, Soft power |
| Jyeshtha | Earring | Indra | Elite responsibility | Leadership tests, Protection, Prestige |
| Mula | Bunch of roots | Nirriti | Radical truth | Detox, Investigations, Rebirth |
| Purva Ashadha | Hand fan | Apas | Campaign & conviction | Advocacy, Inspiration, Renewed morale |
| Uttara Ashadha | Elephant tusk | Vishvadevas | Universal principles | Leadership vows, Ethics, Long-term success |
| Shravana | Listening ear | Vishnu | Learning & pilgrimage | Listening, Documentation, Travel for wisdom |
| Dhanishtha | Drum | Eight Vasus | Rhythm & wealth | Collaboration, Music, Resourcefulness |
| Shatabhisha | Empty circle | Varuna | Healing circuits | Mystery, Innovation, Sacred science |
| Purva Bhadrapada | Front legs of a funeral cot | Aja Ekapada | Sacred intensity | Visionary fire, Vows, Radical service |
| Uttara Bhadrapada | Back legs of a funeral cot | Ahirbudhnya | Deep waters & stillness | Emotional depth, Stability, Spiritual anchoring |
| Revati | Pair of fish | Pushan | Safe passage & completion | Protection, Travel, Compassion |
Lunar currents
Layer in energetic qualities to refine timing. These frameworks help you work with nakshatras holistically, not just intellectually.
Guna expression
Each nakshatra carries an energetic quality (guna) that colours motivation. Sattva seeks harmony, rajas initiates movement, and tamas provides containment.
- Map client energy levels against the guna of activated nakshatras
- Schedule restorative practices during tamasic activations
- Harness rajasic windows for launches and networking
Motivations
The 27 lunar mansions cycle through four desires of life. Tracking these shifts reframes mood swings as invitations to honour different needs.
- Note which desire repeats in your annual nakshatra returns
- Balance action plans with moksha pauses
- Celebrate when kama nakshatras restore joy after intense work
Temperaments
Temperament describes social style. Deva nakshatras seek collaboration, Manushya adapt pragmatically, and Rakshasa demand autonomy and honest intensity.
- Adjust communication tone to match temperament
- Spot when Rakshasa activations need honest boundaries
- Pair Deva nakshatras with community rituals
Working with nakshatras
These steps keep your practice grounded in both tradition and embodied wisdom.
- Locate your Moon, Ascendant, and Atmakaraka nakshatras—these three set your emotional, bodily, and soul-level cadence.
- Study the pada (quarter) for nuances in element and zodiac influence; note how it modifies the baseline meaning.
- Track transits of slow planets and eclipses through nakshatras to understand where collective attention is pulsing.
- Blend mythic symbolism with real-life experiments. Ask: what story is this nakshatra retelling through me right now?
Reflection prompts
Journal with these questions to notice how lunar stories already move through your life.
- Which nakshatra themes repeat in the stories you tell about your childhood? What wisdom is asking to be reinterpreted?
- When your Moon's nakshatra is triggered by transit or dasha, how does your body respond? Build a care protocol around it.
- Choose one nakshatra you want to court this month. Create an altar or playlist that honours its deity and symbolism.
- Reflect on a recent ending. Which nakshatra oversaw the transition, and what completion ritual would create closure?