New Moon in Sagittarius 2016

Today's New Moon in Sagittarius carries an awakening, positive energy. It's moving us in a more outward and upward motion. It begins a cycle of awakening, rebirth and renewal after the rest of 2016 focusing mostly on cleaning up and clearing out.

The Sagittarius New Moon also draws attention to our creative potential for manifesting what we truly desire. It's time to focus on whatever change and newness we want in our lives ~ and plan accordingly. Although we may continue to feel drawn into ourselves, there is a fiery excitement also drawing us out.

There is a strong spiritual aspect to this New Moon, amplifying our intuition, awakening our imagination and focusing Divine energies. In the philosophical realm, we find our vision of core truths and honor expanded. Sagittarius is all about Truth. As the unbalanced patriarchy makes its last stand to gain power, the Divine Feminine continues to rise. From Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote in the U.S. election to the prayers of the women of Standing Rock to the increase of women finding their voices and standing together around the world, the masculine and feminine energies continue to rock our world as they seek to come into the balance of shared, give-and-take power.

An aspect of astrology to which I've recently been introduced is the Sabian Symbol. Dane Rudyher describes his work with them in astrology as "... presenting them as a contemporary American I CHING." The Sabian symbol for the Sun and the Moon at 8° Sagittarius is: Within the depths of the Earth, new elements are being formed. One interpretation of this is that this is a time with unconscious forces at work, helping us to awaken new responses and solutions.

All of this points to rebirths ~ which are good, often painful and definitely messy.

What newness is happening in your life? How are they affecting your relationships? How are you participating in the collective struggles and renewals? Are you finding yourself speaking up more frequently? If so, what is rising in you? How do you handle the swinging pendulum of masculine and feminine power? What images are surfacing in your dreams?

Changing Your Story

Colette Baron-Reid, Wisdom of the Oracle

Self-criticism; the wounded ego; unnecessary dramas

Guidance

The Oracle's message: There is a story woven through the imperfect fabric of life that tells of hurt and loss, rejection and humiliation, self-loathing and arrogance, and all manner of suffering born of unnecessary dramas. It is the old story whose refrain is that you cannot do this, must not go there, should not say that - lest your world come crumbling down. .... Distorted guidance is preventing you from being true to yourself. You are not your story, and the narrator is simply the voice of your fearful part, small and vulnerable and easily soothed.
Relationship message: ...Right now you have an opportunity for important healing, but you must reflect on the stories you weave.... Not only do you need to begin a new story; you need to forgive yourself for telling yourself the old ones.


What are the stories we tell ourselves? How long do we choose to hold on to them? What good do they do?

Anyone over the age of two tells stories. Once language begins forming in us, so does storytelling. It's part of our nature, part of our connection to others. We determine how we fit into our communities through our place in the stories.

So when we begin to tell our personal stories, we place ourselves in relationship to the rest of our world. Stories are words, and words carry power. The old playground adage of sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me is a falsehood. Words hurt us far more than any physical wound. This is true for the stories we tell ourselves as well.

I'm in the process of rewriting one of my personal stories. The details aren't important, but the feeling they created is. It was one of those "poor me" stories. You know the ones: I'm so left out or I've been hurt so much or I'm so misunderstood. The themes are constant and recurring even as the characters change. Even though I cannot change the past, again with the details, I can change how much energy I put into it. That energy drains me ~ and I wind up having less of it for the more positive stories in my life.

The difference for me at the moment, as I work on making the changes, is that I am in relationship with some of the characters in one of the tales. Currently, we are in dialogue about those past moments ~ and working cooperatively to face and make the changes, to own what was our personal reactions as opposed to what was true (not a good word choice in stories) or perhaps what was happening inside the mind and heart of the other. It's a blessing to have this opportunity.

That said, even without those moments of connection with the other, it's about learning how to forgive. Forgive the other. Forgive the gods. Forgive myself. Because holding onto the negative energy of those stories can be a killer in the end.

What stories have you told yourself? Have you changed any of them? How have you done that? How does the energy of those stories effect you? What can you do to begin the process of change? How can you learn forgiveness?

The Page of Wands

The Labyrinth Tarot ~ Jack/Page of Wands

As I sat in the sultry air of my house this evening, I decided to draw three tarot cards. I felt a call to change up the overwhelm of the still, hot air. Each card had its own message ~ all three running together:
First, the Emperor representing the ability to take formless matter and give it shape, organization and structure.
Second was the Page of Wands: Beginning of a new journey, transformation, learning new ideas spiritually, finding the creative side within, responding to a new challenge and finding a new side of oneself.
The final card was the World which indicates completing a journey or a trial and being on the threshhold of another journey. It's about seeing the big picture and recognizing that one is a part of it, on the correct path.
The cards appeared to be an auspicious flow!

I was fascinated by the center card, the Page of Wands. It felt like the hinge, keeping the other two sections joined together, yet movable.

Generally, the Page of Wands indicates that things begun in the past, perhaps quite a while ago, are blossoming now. More than that, there continue to be new things (adventures, approaches to life, ideas) filled with creativity and inspiration. All imbued with positive energy. Something new is brewing ~ an experiment? an exciting new project? Or perhaps simply awe at the beauty and wonder of life all around.

The draw of this particular card was that it echoed something that's been playing at the edges of my vision for some time now: It's a time of change; a time of newness; a time of adventure. I love when a divination tool, such as the Tarot, speaks directly to the immediacy of my personal moment in time. This one brings with it clarity and a smile!

Do you ever use cards as a means of divination? How do you feel when the meaning of the card matches what's happening in your life? What do you do to stay positive in the midst of changes? How do you express your own creativity?