Upasthā – being close

«(Agni) He is called Upastha, because He is near to all. (Upastha=standing near because He is in the heart of all Jīvas)» (Bhasya, commentary of Madhva to the Chandogya Upanishad, 5. 3-5).

Upasthā indicates the action of being close, of meeting, of being present for someone. Sometimes it refers to an approach for sexual purposes, so much so that the word upashtha (with a short a) is a term to indicate the genitals.

There is a lot of nervousness in the air, Aries, you risk exploding at every push. You feel right and you take it out on those who, in your opinion, hinder your evolution, only to feel demoralized because it seems to you that you can never progress. A friend, a life partner, is a lifeline in these cases. In the chaos of this faltering time, you will find that having someone close to you who understands you is a great asset.

IN PRACTICE

Sulabha danda-āsana, simple stick pose

You lean on the ground in this position, just as you sometimes lean on the shoulders of a friend.

Awareness exercise

Whenever you feel you are on the verge of exploding, stop for a moment, take two deep breaths and with the third remember a moment of tenderness or support from a friend.

Mantra of the month

«Om Hraum Mitraya Namah»

(it is said to be the mantra for friendship)