Essence of Aśvinī Nakshatra and Horses: Spiritedness, Energy, Vitality and Freedom

Understanding the Symbolic Representations Associated with Horses

One of the best ways to understand symbols is to observe how they unfold in nature. When a symbol, like horses for the Aśvinī Nakshatra, is seen in the world, its representations become clearer. You can read many books and scriptures, but when you take the time to watch a horse's behavior, movement, and characteristics in their natural habitat, you allow their essence to enter your mind as a symbol, as this process lets the symbols communicate their attributes to you. Therefore, in this article, we will continually refer to the behavior and nature of horses to understand their symbolic associations and descriptions as they relate to the qualities and functions of the Aśvinī Nakshatra. This nakshatra’s primary symbol is the horse, specifically the horse's head, along with its twin deities, the Aśvinī Kumāras, who are known as the two horse deities or the two horsemen.

Universal Qualities Reflected in Horses and Human Psyche

One of the most prominent and universal symbolic connections to horses and the Aśvinī Nakshatra is their association with spiritedness, energy, vitality and freedom. It could be argued that these observable qualities are why humans, both historically and currently, have idealized horses—not just for their utility in advancing human societies and civilizations. Horses embody a universal existential quality that resonates within us, reflecting attributes we value and wish to experience and augment within us: spiritedness, energy, vitality and freedom. These qualities are woven into the fabric of our being and are fundamental needs of our psyche. This deep emotional and psychological connection to horses arises because they represent our ideal state of being. In this way, the Aśvinī Nakshatra epitomizes these innate and intrinsic qualities and needs.

Inherited Vitality: The Legacy of Aśvinī Kumāras

At its core, Aśvinī Nakshatra embodies spiritedness, expressing itself as unrestrained freedom, energy and vitality. These qualities originate from the parental lineage of its deities, the Aśvinī Kumāras, sons of Sūrya (the Sun God) and Sanjña (the Goddess of the Dawn). This is significant because Sūrya, or the Sun, symbolizes the ātman (the soul), the vitalizing and animating principle that brings life-force into being with each sunrise on the eastern horizon and sustains life by perpetually regenerating it with the spirit of consciousness. Their mother, Sanjña, the Dawn, represents new potential and possibilities. The dawn symbolizes renewal, fresh starts, and the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, emphasizing the importance of change and the transformative power of light.

Through these connections, we see that the Aśvinī Kumāras, inheriting their parents’ qualities, embody energizing, invigorating vitality. These qualities grant them freedom, and this connection to their divine lineage is reflected in the characteristics of Aśvinī Nakshatra and its natives. These attributes form the foundation of the Aśvinī natives’ psyche, becoming the directive for what they strive for in life.

Connecting with Horses: An Expression of Human Potential

We can see the concepts of spiritedness, energy, vitality and freedom in the way horses run free in the wild, seemingly unbound by restraints or boundaries. In this way, horses resonate with our psyche because they reflect an innate human desire for liberation and freedom from our own constraints and limitations. We often find ourselves bound to the world and by the world, yet we have a deep need to express our potential. This vision of freedom in horses, and as a quality of Aśvinī Nakshatra, is powerful and compelling to the human psyche, offering a universal symbol of potential, possibility, renewal and the means to attainment.

In alignment with the opening statement of this article, I encourage you to observe horses in their natural habitat as free creatures. One of the first qualities they evoke is a sense of freedom through their spiritedness and vitality. Their playful ways, coupled with their elegant and agile movements, embody the idea of a vibrant spirit full of life and energy. Their sheer vitality and presence evoke awe and respect, symbolizing the life force that animates existence.

For this reason, the horse's spirited nature, willingness, and drive for motion and movement, along with its physical prowess, reflect the very nature of existence, which is in a constant state of becoming and transformation. This existential nature is also part of our own being, as we are continually in a state of movement, activity and change. In many respects, our love for horses is an admiration for these profound qualities that are overtly observed in their being and behavior. These qualities are also part of our nature and are what we value and desire more of to live fully, with spiritedness and vitality, allowing us to express ourselves as possibilities and potentialities.

Symbolic Expressions in Aśvinī Nakshatra Natives

Aśvinī Nakshatra is endowed with qualities that inspire and vitalize others, making it highly admired. These traits make this nakshatra attractive, giving it the power to draw others towards itself and endow it with leadership abilities, where their leadership style is one that inspires, invigorates and energizes those around them.

These inherent qualities are also one of the reasons this nakshatra is associated with healers. Healing involves restoring vitality, energy and life force, and this nakshatra has the power to revitalize and heal by reintroducing the necessary spiritedness to set a life back into motion and activity.

When this nakshatra is well-placed and well-supported, these qualities are evident in Aśvinī natives. They are not only filled with energy and vitality but also possess a contagious spiritedness. Their presence and demeanour naturally transmit these qualities to others, as this charm and healing power come from their innate configuration and makeup.

In the next article, we will explore additional qualities of Aśvinī Nakshatra, all of which stem from its inherent vitality, energy, and spiritedness, as I will be discussing how these foundational components of Aśvinī relate to transformation, transportation, aspiration, personal growth, the act of pursuit, potentiality and transcendence.