After reviewing the archetypes associated with rohini moon, I found myself questioning popular perceptions of this nakshatra. This is my natal moon placement in Vedic astrology (sidereal taurus) and as I edit this the full moon in rohini exacts in a few hours. This began as a twitter rant originally posted September 2022.
part one: personal reflection
These are some reflections on my own experiences with rohini and some points that Claire Nakti has popularized. I.e. associating rohini with portrayals of sexy but ‘dumb’ women.
I’ve been trying to better understand why people perceive us rohini as being dumb?
Having rohini moon does frustrate me sometimes because I can thoroughly understand some complex philosophical theory but not know how to communicate it or put my thoughts into words. Which is interesting since taurus is the natural ruler of 2nd house, the throat, using one’s voice to form words.
I often find myself playing dumb because I have internalized that others, especially men or authority figures, will perceive intelligence in a woman as threatening. Perhaps, this is a defensive mechanism of rohini because we subconsciously are aware that others are more comfortable around us when we allow them to just think we are completely childlike or appear as a beautiful figure to be admired but not taken serious.
Marylin Monroe’s (rohini sun) public persona is immortalized by her playing the role of ‘dumb blonde’ and being physically attractive. I always sympathize with her because who she truly was and her intelligence is never properly acknowledged as much as her beauty and sexualized body.
In some ways I can relate to some of those sentiments. Feeling like people would rather objectify me than allow me to be myself and communicate my ideas. If I decided to post photos of myself online people would probably engage with me more but I despise that kind of energy.
I have to remind myself that all that we are is not limited to our chart placements. The entirety of who we are —at a soul level + our higher Self —is so much more than our personal experiences and how we function on this mundane plane of existence; a natal chart is simply the cosmic energies and lenses that our worldly experiences are being filtered through.
I think this is why I prefer being in the astral realm, because as a rohini, I understand that the limitations I experience in ordinary reality don’t apply there. It is a realm where you can glimpse the entirety of who you are. In the astral you are not as restricted by persona, personality, or objective perceptions. Some of the restrictions of the human mind become alleviated in other realms (which also relates a bit to ketu).
Being that moon is the ‘pure mind’, I agree with the theory that having an exalted moon allows one to better understand the true nature of our ordinary existence, because here the subconscious mind can transcend duality and the cycle of over-rationalization that most become stuck within. There is a sense of childlike purity in forming ideas from within the genuine space of one’s own mind. Understanding reality from a higher perception requires one to transcend viewing the world as strictly dualistic. The cosmic journey of the zodiac begins with separation and ends with unification.
part two: devotion + creation + jealousy + unity
Although the brilliance of rohini may go unrecognized because subconsciously people don’t identify rohini as being a rational, intellectual; the purity + sincerity of artistic expression by rohini natives is felt on a deeper level.
I. devotion
Examples of rohini sun artists who are highly regarded for their creative brilliance and whose music seems to deeply connect with others:
- Ms. Lauryn Hill
- Andre 3000
As rohini suns, their artistic expressions and music seems to be created with pure intention and devotion to selfless expressions of love + devotion that makes their work relatable on a deeper level.
Ms. Lauryn Hill
Ms. Lauryn Hill’s ‘MTV Unplugged’ live recorded album isn’t as popular as her debut studio album, but is loved by those who recognize Hill’s spiritual vulnerability during the live recording. The live performance took place when saturn was in rohini conjunct mrigashira venus, saturn is also trine shravana neptune. The atmosphere of the live recording invites the audience into Lauryn Hill’s personal world. Hill explains that, “fantasy is what people want but reality is what they need”. This live performance is a retirement from the public persona ‘Lauryn Hill’ and a presentation of who Lauryn is in reality. She goes on to explain that although she wrote this album about herself, it really is a reflection of what we all experience as humans.
Her song Tell Him explores themes of rohini’s devotion. The song Tell Him is a conversation with God, plead for redemption and pledge to devotion. A song I enjoy singing as a prayer. ‘Tell Him’ is written in an ambiguous manner and could also be interpreted as a love song about a soulmate. Deep devotion and faith in God can be experienced in this nakshatra.3
Andre 3000
The song ‘Prototype’ embodies finding a love like no other, the blueprint, miraculous creation, a soulmate —the crafting of the most idealized love humans experience on the physical plane. Everything experienced under this creative impulse has a quality of newness, a sense of childlike delight and the desire to experience more and more of the same.2
In a state of mystical ecstasy, rohini can guide the individual to an overpowering experience of the Divine or a sense of dedication to some spiritual mission. It leads the individual into some kind of symbiotic relationship with those in whose company one may receive some sort of transcendental experience. 2
II. creation
The shakti (or power) of rohini nakshatra is rohana shakti which fosters creation on all levels. Rohini means ‘the red one’ which hints at fertility. The moon is exalted in rohini, full and fertile. Rohini represents the cosmic preparation needed to facilitate the growth and development of our creative potential; rohini allows one to essentially ‘engineer’ divine power. 3
In my personal creative process as an artist with rohini moon, I enter altered states of consciousness for the purpose of channeling or to create art from a subconscious origin + with pure intentions (other chart placements also contribute to this).
I intentionally create a scared space with sound: prayer/meditation/song, using mantras or specific music to sustain more control or deepen the altered state. Reaching a calm inner state where the rational/analytical mind becomes quiet and entering into my own pure world of creation. When in this ecstatic state of connection with a higher power, creation becomes a process of bridging the astral realm with the mundane realm.
In this sacred state of detachment from the dualistic state of mind there is opportunity for excitement, curiosity, an endless well of creative ideas and desire for experiences to flow freely and unobstructed.
III. jealousy
When rohini displays traits of being in this inner state of abundance it causes people around us to react differently. Some people become jealous, others perceive it as naivety or as a target for manipulation.
The character Tanya on hit HBO series The White Lotus is played by rohini sun actress Jennifer Coolidge. In season two, a plot unfolds where Tanya’s perceived naivety and enjoyment of venusian things, like beauty and pleasure, are used to elaborately lure her into a dangerous situation.
Sometimes it can be perceived as ‘gloating’ or ‘dumb’ for an adult to fully express their joy because most adults have become too burdened to reach such a state of pure joy .1 The character Tanya is perceived as a ‘dumb blonde’ because she is often so joyous in her pursuits of pleasure.
Being venusian in nature rohini can sympathetically learn to not fully express their pure joy + creativity because of fearing jealousy. It is also possible that natives can strategically use this perceived incompetence to their advantage and manipulate others.
Jenna Ortega
Which leads to another manifestation of rohini moon as the ‘emotionless’, ‘cold’, ‘deadpan’ girl like Jenna Ortega’s (rohini moon) portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the popular Netflix series Wednesday. Aubrey Plaza (rohini moon) is also well known for portraying this trope. In season 2 of The White Lotus, Aubrey’s character, Harper, spends time getting to better know Daphne while on vacation in Italy. Daphne enjoys Harper’s companionship because Harper is somewhat naive about what it’s like to be married to a wealthy man. It is obvious that Harper is very strategic about being emotionally distant with Daphne. Daphne mentions that she doesn’t have any female friends but finds safety in Harper’s reserved nature.
IV. unity
When reflecting on rohini, I also was reminded of a conversation I once had when I was paradoxically going through my rebellious atheist/agnostic phase. Someone from a campus religious group asked me to pick a card and explain why it represents God? I picked a card with a payphone on it and explained that you can always telepathically commune with God directly whenever you need to.
I assumed this was how everyone conceptualized their relationship with God. At the time, I didn’t believe in God because I was in college and in the mindset of rationality and duality. But I now realize most people feel disconnected from God. However, in the nakshatra of rohini there still exists a very intimate relationship with God — or one’s Creator. After years of experiencing hardships and destruction to the life I tried to create on the material plane while in a state of separation, I was reoriented towards finding abundance intrinsically + spiritually. I surrendered to allowing the Creator to provide my needs as I live in devotion to the Divine.
The end goal of spiritual evolution is often thought to be nirvana, self- enlightenment, ending the cycle of rebirth. Along this journey one transcends the mutable universal laws, including the law of duality. When we are born we are veiled from seeing unity because as humans we must experience duality. However this illusion of duality and separation can only be dissolved through devotion.
When in a state of unity, one becomes capable of seeing and experiencing things in a non-dualistic manner. This experience of duality bears resemblance to the biblical allegory of Adam + Eve. Christ being the biblical figure who illustrates the latter process of rebirth + devotion + transcending duality to find unity with the Creator.
thank you for reading
S O U R C E S
- Rohini Nakshatra in the Modern World, Claire Nakti
- Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology, Bepin Behari
- The Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology, Dennis M. Harness Ph.D.
keni sekhem 