Virgo New Moon 2017

Another New Moon. More letting go. More releasing what no longer serves. That's what New Moon energy is for.

This New Moon continues the changes begun with the solar eclipse. Since eclipses begin six month goal cycles, each new moon within that time defines a new developmental phase for long-term goals. The solar eclipse in August started the path of bold, confident changes for positive growth and happiness. Since this New Moon is opposite Chiron, adjustments must be made in how to attain the goals in response to the deepest and most painful personal wounds.

Although it may feel easier to make a completely new start, that kind of extreme change is tougher on friends, partners, family and other loved ones. Finances need to be considered in the midst of these shifts as well. It's the old adage of don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Be careful not to cause total chaos. It's important to focus on the big picture as well as personal desire. There is always the possibility for adventure and personal growth in education, travel, new relationships or other opportunities while continuing core responsibilities.

Be awake to and aware of the ripple effect of each act. What is said or done creates small, overlapping moves that touch others. One person cannot counter the effects of areas ravaged by hurricanes, floods, wildfires or earthquakes. But one gesture of care and healing can influence others and combine with the gestures of others to make a difference.

Since the energy of this New Moon is Virgo, it's about healing every aspect of being ~ mind, body and soul. Virgo is about self-focus as well as other focus. This presents an opportunity for burnout if we balance too far one way or the other. The capacity to nurse and heal wounds is strong in Virgo's energy, especially if used thoughtfully.

There's much in this New Moon that is focused on problem-solving: Venus, Mars, Mercury, the Sun and the Moon are all in Virgo. There's no way to avoid the strong pull of cleaning up everything. A good time to focus on a project, for work, pleasure or home.

What healing do you need? What is the wound that is surfacing right now? What is the most loving thing you can do for yourself? What are you hooked on? What can you release and give up? How can you best move forward toward achieving the goals you set during the solar eclipse? How can your positive gestures make a difference? How can your thoughtless gestures create chaos? Which will you consciously or unconsciously choose?

Eclipse is A-comin'

www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/augustsolareclipse.jpg

Unless living in a cave or entirely off the grid in North America, you've seen scads of information on the solar eclipse coming in its totality to a region near you.

Amazon.com put out a recall on some suspect/useless eclipse glasses sold through their site. Anywhere on the path of near totality, remember to not look at the sun during the event without appropriate eye protection.

Many articles provide information from diverse sources, from NASA to religious views to channeled messages to advertising. It's a challenge to sift through them and decide what is accurate, what is opinion, what is bunk.

Some ancient peoples hid during the eclipse. There was fear that it was the end of the world as they knew it. Some traditions continue to support hiding or remaining indoors. Other ancients explored the event, allowing their curiosity free reign. Some experts believe one function of England's Stonehenge was to predict the coming of an eclipse.

Eclipses affect us whether we actually see them or not. They are major astral events and our system, our individual core selves, recognize that. There is a tremendous energy occurring around this one. Besides the solar eclipse itself, there is the Leo New Moon, Mercury in retrograde and visible during the eclipse along with Jupiter, Venus and Mars, AND all the people who are and will be traveling.

An event of this caliber creates a thinning of the veils between the worlds. Eclipses take us into the Dark at an untimely time. They also bring us out of that Dark and back into the Light. Though our minds may be prepared for it, our more subtle being experiences the strangeness of it. Even people who don't generally feel this can sense a push from every direction. For some, it feels like a weight or burden. Others express a weariness. Many feel a vague and inexplicable agitation.

This is a time to practice good self-care and self-awareness. Self-care may involve telling significant others what you're feeling, taking time to be alone, meditate, pray or do whatever spiritual practice you may have. Rituals ground us. Be gentle with yourself and with those you love.

What do you want to leave behind in the Dark? What do you want to see birthed into the Light? What is calling to be center stage in your life? How do you see your significant expression of who you are shifting?

New Moon in Gemini and Grand Cross

New Moons are always about letting go, change and transformation. This one in particular, intimately connected with the mutable Grand Cross, is about changing direction, changing perception, changing affection.... releasing anything, any little thing, inhibiting our deeper, truer Selves from showing up.

This New Moon, as it squares Jupiter, Neptune and the Nodes and opposes Saturn, lights our way to discerning the truth in our life and making decisions to release the past so the new can show up for us. We must relish our own self-love in order to express our love for others in the best possible way. We have to learn and experience and practice how to do things differently, to create new pathways in our very being leading toward that creation and creativity. We benefit from remembering our power is in embracing Mystery and Unknowing in order to shift our reality and create change by unlocking the alchemy of surrender. This New Moon also celebrates the facets of the Divine Feminine: instincts of the Moon, physicality of Venus, resistance of Lilith.

Because this New Moon is also activating many planetary energies, there is potent and potential energy in this New Moon, preparing us to consider the seeds we want to plant for the future. This is something we should take seriously ~ or find ourselves stuck in the patterns of the past. All the recent retrograde energy we've been rolling through (see my post on the Full Moon in Sagittarius and Other Wonders) has aided us in stirring up the past in order to release it. Gemini is all about communication and the throat chakra to express our truth and feelings and call forth what we truly want.

As we look for what has been cleared and released from our lives during all the retrograde cycles, the golden opportunity of this New Moon is to notice the cracks and seek clarity on how to proceed. Our actions and energies, current to the next eclipse season starting in September. will shape what is to come. As we clarify and set our intentions, in writing preferably, it would be wise for us to remember that when one door closes, another opens.

What are your intentions for the future? What are you willing to release? What do you wish to call forth? What do you wish to manifest? How will you speak your wishes? How will your intentions affect those around you? To whom will you speak your intentions?

Capricorn Full Moon ~ July 2015

Another Full Moon is upon us! If you're lucky and you've looked up in the night sky over the past few days, the moon has been delightfully and wonderfully growing into its fullness. As its grown fuller, its moved away from two very bright spots in the night sky, Jupiter, and the brighter spot, Venus. Gorgeous!

With Pluto being the Ruler of the Underworld, there is much hidden, darkly emotional movement happening at this time. It opposes the warrior Mars and squares the Nodes, making another Cardinal Cross ~ which always carries a whallop.

In the Earth sign of Capricorn, the place of material manifestation, this Full Moon queries: What are your values? This Full Moon wants you to be grounded, to focus on commitments that run deep into your soul. How can you balance those values with your daily world?

The question of balance goes even further because of the Cardinal Cross: Be aware that you may feel needy and reactive (South Node in Aries). Let that neediness and reactivity settle down before taking any actions (North Node in Libra) and moving forward.

Opportunities may show up with a sense of duality: work or family/personal; right or wrong; miscommunication or healing; crisis or opportunity. Breathe through them. Take your time with decisions. Work on self-affirming habits. Adapt to demands of the times.

What is this Full Moon revealing to you? What is the light at the end of the tunnel? What is the buried treasure that you are uncovering? What do you value?

Venus Chasing Luna, part 2

There is much of the Goddess of Love in this time of year as we enter Sol in Libra. Venus rules Libra. She is all about relationships and balance.

As I watched Her continuing to watch and chase Luna another day or two, I knew She understood the challenge faced. I pondered what Venus could or would do.

Venus Chasing Luna

Venus returns to the Court of the Divine. She is distracted by what She has seen ~~ and by Her unspoken promise to help. She struggles with deciding what to do.
On the one hand, She is the Goddess of Love. As such, She is often called upon to help lovers. The supplications are generally from one of the lovers and not the other. She rarely intercedes. It is Her policy to only affect a relationship where both lovers approach Her with the same request. In this case, neither lover requested Her assistance.
On the other hand, She is aware that Jupiter has chosen to keep the two lovers apart. He wanted Luna for Himself ~ as He does with many beautiful women and goddesses. Luna was not interested in Him. When He pursued Her, He discovered She was seeing ~ and in love with ~ Sol. Her unavailability only made Her more desirable to Him. Luna continued to shun Him. In anger, Jupiter devised a way to separate the two lovers. Since He ruled the skies, He put Sol in charge of lighting the day and Luna lighting the night. When one was fully in the sky, the other could not be. From what She saw, that did not keep the lovers from loving each other, only from being together.
Venus smiled at Aurora as She approached. A plan was beginning to form.... maybe there was a way.....

Have you ever offered help to someone without being asked? Why did you do it? What was the result? How did you feel about making the offer?

Venus Chasing Luna, part 1

As I left for work one morning earlier this week, I looked into the brightening sky and saw the image of a bright speck following on the heels of the waning moon. The day was not as dark as the image shows ~ the camera's eye could not capture the colors and subtleties that my eye could see. I am thrilled it captured what it did.

Venus Chasing Luna

Luna faces away, moving higher and further into the brightening sky. She searches for Sol, hoping to meet Him, to be able, for whatever time possible, to touch and be touched by Him. Deep in Her pursuit, Luna is unaware of Venus trailing behind. With a subltety unusual for Her, Venus stays behind Luna's back, in Her shadow. She is intrigued by the movement of the Goddess of the Night.
"Where does She think She is going?" muses Venus. "Aurora rides the horizon. Luna becomes a shade soon; She cannot hold Her shape much longer."
Yet Luna continues Her upward journey. She is determined. Even Aurora's strong, bright presence cannot dissuade Her nor drive Her from Her chosen path. Ahead of Her, barely visible on the horizon, rose Sol. Luna stretched forward to reach Him before She faded away. On seeing His beloved Luna, Sol also stretched forth to reach Her. At the last moment, almost touching, Luna's form faded into the bright glow of Aurora as She drove the night away to prepare for the coming of Sol and day.
Venus, as the Goddess of love, was deeply touched by the heartbreak that played out morning after morning and night after night for the two lovers. She determined to help them have time to be together.

Have you ever felt yourself chasing after something or someone who always seemed out of reach? Did you give up your chase? Were you aware of anyone else around you?