Night of the Snow Moon 2017

Tonight's sky is busy ~ the Full Moon in Leo, a penumbral lunar eclipse, and the New Years comet (45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdušáková) on the heels of the eclipse.

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes within the narrow path of the Earth's northern or southern penumbral edges and outside its umbra. [The umbra is inside the shadow of the Earth; penumbra is the partial Earth's shadow where the Sun's illumination is only partly cut off.] This particular eclipse is special because almost the entire face of the Moon will pass within Earth's penumbra, making the reduction in brightness more visible. It will be visible in Europe, most of Asia, Africa, most of both South and North America over the space of nearly four hours beginning at 22:34 (10:34 p.m.) UT Friday night, peaking at 00:33 UT Saturday morning.

The lunar eclipse calls us to release past and/or deep wounds and move beyond our old fears. As we do this, we can also transcend any negative patterns that emerge from or around our Shadow. Though possibly intense, the effect of this eclipse looks to be one that is shorter-lived ~ a time for quick letting go and completion. Release. Breathe. Release. Breathe. Relax.

The comet won't be visible to the naked eye ~ or even with binoculars ~ as it makes its closest fly-by since 2011. Yet its influence will still be felt. It reminds us that everything has its season and opportunity to move.

The Snow Moon is in Leo, a sign brimming with passion, courage, wisdom and presence. This Moon reminds us that we are in charge of our own destiny ~ and we need to step into that power and take responsibility for it. Full Moon in Leo brims with creativity and playfulness as well.

The sun right now is in independent, airy Aquarius, focusing us on truth and the reality of what is going on with and around us. The regal Moon in fiery Leo, challenging us to step into our own sovereignty.

Other factors are in the mix right now as well: Uranus in Eris, the Spiritual Warrior; and Chiron, the Wounded Healer, at the apex of the Finger of God (the Moon and Jupiter make the base), pointing us toward our growth and healing. They direct us toward showing up, standing up and participating in our own ~ and the community's ~ healing. They remind us that life isn't a dress rehearsal. It's real and present and live.

With the New Years comet in play at this Snow Moon, we also release what no longer serves us from 2016 and step more fully into finding the gifts and lessons of 2017. To prepare for the next event, the Solar Eclipse coming in Pisces on February 26th, step into that responsibility by following the insights we are receiving right now.

Are you on your own path ~ or connected to another's? What makes you 'roar'? What is your passion? What inspires you? How do you express your own uniqueness? What 'old business' do you have to release? What is your plan to do that? What wound is being healed within you? How does that wound point you toward your unique expression of healing?

Aries Full Moon

This weekend's full moon has many aspects to it. It's called a Hunter's Moon ~ having the potential to be colored orange-red. It is also a perigee moon, a supermoon, at its closest point to Earth.

In astrological terms, it rises in the sign of Aries, making it about taking action and declaring what you stand for as well as what you choose to leave behind.

This full moon conjuncts Uranus ~ the rebel, awakener and liberator bringing often unsettling change ~ and Eris ~ the feminine warrior kicking serious wake-it-up butt in the social justice arena. This moon is about taking courageous stands, not blasting anger or even blame. Move through the fiery energy fully awake, taking responsibility and being creative as you go.

The asteroid Ceres is at 29 degrees Aries, the karmic completion degree. The Great Mother brings up family, environment, safety and security. These are deeply emotional places to visit. Feel the deepest emotions, those generally repressed like anger, grief, pain. Allowing them to be exposed and felt helps them to heal.

Although sometimes difficult to consider, people and events in your life teaches you more about yourself and the journey of your life. This Aries Full Moon may bring all that and more, perhaps unexpectedly, to the surface in order to teach and heal you.

 Besides personal life events, do you notice anything in the news lately reflecting these motifs? This energy is bubbling up through our entire culture.

July 2016 Capricorn Full Moon

One theme of July's Full Moon is letting go. Letting go what no longer serves us. Letting go the past. Letting go regrets. Letting go the tight controls we put on our emotions. Another word for all of this might be surrender. It's not a passive release. It's an active process of allowing for experience, expression and exhalation.

Allow the experience of remembering and considering what is holding us back from being or doing our best. Allow the expression of regret, grief, fear or whatever other emotions bubble up. Allow the exhalation of pent-up breath, tears, exhaustion and worry. The Capricorn Full Moon is present to support us as we dig deep into our very selves, call up our shadows and bear our souls.

Uranus, the Ultimate Awakener, and Eris, the Goddess of Chaos, are square to the Full Moon as well helping to shake the foundations to cause destruction of the old and rebuilding of something new and better. This is the time to rebalance and refocus on our higher path, realign our earthly self with our heavenly self, bring the ideal into reality.

What do you need to let go of? What no longer serves your best good? What feeling/s are cramped inside you, waiting to be released? How will you move forward from here? How will you embrace the healing and joining of your earthly self and your heavenly one?

New Moon in Aries

This New Moon in Aries arrives on the 7th of April at 6:39 a.m. PT. It is also a Super Moon, a Perigee New Moon, at its closest orbital point to the Earth. Along with that, there are other energies making this one of the most intense New Moons of the year. It is time to draw deeply on our own individuality and use our personal freedom and creativity.

This New Moon's Sun/Moon alignment is conjunct Revolutionary Uranus and Warrior Eris while opposite Dark Moon Lilith and square to Underworld God Pluto. Very powerful and balanced with Masculine and Feminine energies as well as Light and Dark energies. These lead us to wholeness.

The Balance that comes with this New Moon carries a wisdom for quiet reflection and strength enough to recognize and acknowledge the times when simply we do not yet know. This New Moon is all about acting for LIFE rather than simply for SELF. It's time to clear out expectations and allow life to gift us with its wisdom along the path.

It also brings caution in dealing with change in our lives during this month. Even though it is a time of transition, we need to enter it with strength for making order from chaos both in our personal lives and in the more global perspective.

We also need to keep in perspective and in mind that all of this comes on the heels of a shatteringly powerful eclipse during the past Moon cycle. Be gentle with ourselves. Feel fully and follow our gut instincts. Stay awake and aware!

How are you feeling as this New Moon washes over you? What are you going to give up during this New Moon? What newness are you going to embrace as we move forward toward the next Full Moon? How will the Balance of Masculine and Feminine, Light and Dark show up in your life?