Full Moon in Aries Oct 2013

by Barbara Levine

by Barbara Levine

This Full Moon is an opportunity to find the balance between the needs of ME and needs of WE. Both extreme polarities lead to experiences that can be destructive, both to yourself and to the people you love. There needs to be a balance between caring for yourself and caring for others. If you live in a rural area you know that in order to survive you need to have a good well that produces water.  If you drain the water in the well there is only murky muck at the bottom, and you will not have any fresh water left to prime the pump. You always need to keep enough fresh water at the bottom of your well to prime your pump, so that you can continue to have access to the life nourishing liquid flow. This is an analogy about making sure that you keep enough fresh emotional energy in your own life that you don’t get down to the muck, and that you have enough energy or passion to restart yourself when you find yourself near empty.

This Full Moon is an opportunity to find your place of balance between the Needs of the One (You!) and the needs of the Many (your family, community). It is so easy to get overly busy and lose yourself in caring for others. The pressure builds up until just quitting your job, ending your marriage, and running away from home take hold as plausible fantasies. If you could just cut loose from all your responsibilities you think you might not only survive, but thrive. But you don’t want to jump from the frying pan into the fire! Take some time and find a place of balance where you can take care of your personal needs while still being held in the nurturing bonds of community.

For you: Take a few deep breaths and slow down. Allow your mind to rest, and let your intuition guide you. Ponder the Aries extreme and let yourself see what it is that you want that is just for you, regardless of its effect on others. There is no judgement here; just look closely at what your own powerful self wants to have. See what needs are stirring in your unconscious, asking to be heard and to be addressed. Then shift your focus to the extreme of Libra. What do you do totally for the “other,” whether that is for your mate, children, community, or country. How do you lose your essential self to the needs of the many?

Now find the balance where you can honor both the Aries and Libra parts of yourself. Look at this beautiful picture by Barbara Levine and see yourself as the central figure, full of light and grace. You are an independent autonomous being, and you are surrounded with the joy and connection of community. You can fully acknowledge what you need just for yourself and what you are responsible for in your communal and family life. You find a way to take action so that both parts are cared for. Maybe you need to take a Soul Sabbatical, even if it is one night a week where you soak in a hot tub while the kids are at a sleepover. Renew your connection to yourself. Revitalize the very essence of who you are, and let your true self be calm, centered, joyful, and at peace. Or maybe you need some adventure, some more passion in your life. Set aside your obligations and go on a trek to some far distant place, even if it a day trip to the next state. Being alone can be refreshing, and a day trip or vacation retreat can be just the antidote. Maybe you do need to change your job, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater (I’m having great fun with these old time sayings!) Refresh yourself, and then come back renewed, ready to participate fully in this grand adventure, this Aries loving passionate adventure, called life, in the safe secure center of Libra’s community.

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Harvest Full Moon in Pisces

We are spiritual beings living in a physical body. Our existence is linked to our spiritual form, which lives within and beyond the physical world. This material world is the laboratory where we experiment and learn how to live an integrated life of body and spirit. But our material world is very concrete. It is all around us in a very obvious ways, demanding our attention with our five senses of taste, touch, hearing, smell, and sight. This intensity of our physical senses makes our relationship with the physical world dominant and we forget about the more subtle spiritual energy, the sixth sense, that also exists within this earthly life. The quieter, softer callings of our Soul and Spirit often go unheard. Just like the Sun is more forceful and demands our attention more than the fleeting and reflective Moon, so do the demands of our physical existence outweigh the needs of our spiritual essence. This Full Moon is asking us to find a balance between the physical world, represented by Sun in Virgo, and the spiritual world, represented by Moon in Pisces.

I must admit that I found it unlikely that Katy Perry would represent the pivot between the very physical Sun in Virgo and the very spiritual Moon in Pisces, but when a friend sent me this video that she had watched dozens of times with her 9 year old daughter, I had to take a look. And as amazing as it seems, this very fun video and powerful song is a great example of the balance we seek at this Full Moon. Now, I admit that I have always loved the archetype of Tarzan, and that might have a bit to do with my joy in watching it. I hope you take a moment to view it by clicking the link under the picture. The song refers to gaining personal strength after a set back, and that could be the set back of a relationship, job, or even life itself.  Watch for the archetypal theme of finding strength through connecting to your inner spirit, symbolized by the sparks of light that manifest as the Tiger. And that once that inner spirit is fully owned and integrated the world shifts from being a dangerous place where we feel uncomfortable and lost, into a place of magnificent abundance where we are surrounded by allies and everything we need is available.

For you: Take some time this Full Moon and put your attention to sensing your subtle spiritual energy. Do a bit of Moon bathing if you can, or just imagine your spiritual energy as pulses of light that sparkle and flow. See this spiritual energy as fully integrated into your body and surrounding you in life. Let go of the old ways you have defined yourself in the past. Give yourself permission to be strong. Walk through life as if you are a spiritual being having a physical existence. Notice how what you used to think of as challenging and scary becomes part of the adventure of life. Feel the inner calm, balance, and joy as you become the pivot that links together your physical and spiritual existence.

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New Moon in Leo August 6th

Full Moon at Bermuda Triangle

Full Moon at Bermuda Triangle

This Moon is reminding you that something new is stirring inside of you that wants to come into manifestation. You probably have been feeling it for a while and the latest Full Moon really brought into clarity that it is time to launch out to a new destination. The next Full Moon on August 20th will be a great time to set sail to a new port that you are willing to seek and hopeful to find.

 

There are two main challenges in setting sail for a new port. First, what is the direction and destination of your port? And two, believing that you have what it takes to make the journey.To counter the first challenge, imagine yourself in the future and see clearly what it is that you want to be doing and feeling. You don’t have to be specific at this point, but can see yourself happy, loved, secure, safe, joyful, adventuresome, and so on. Or you can be specific and see yourself on the author’s circuit at a book signing, opening day of a new business, getting your graduate degree, walking down the aisle with your beloved, holding your new child. So, once you have a clear sense of what you want you need to see it clearly. Imagine yourself  in the future being and doing this thing.

The second challenge is really believing that you can be and do your future heart’s desire. This difficulty is because your vision is only an wish and a prayer at this point. You know the person you are today, and that person is not yet the person you will become. Step into the heart and mind of your future self and see your task accomplished and your destination reached. How will you feel? act? live? Start to make your choices today based on who you want to be in the future.

The New Moon in Leo is a great time to believe in new beginnings and brings an extra boost of confidence and creativity to your endeavors. Take some time over this New Moon to write out a vision statement of what your new destination looks like and how you are acting and feeling now that you are there. Write it in the present tense and make it as specific as you can. You can also get an image or symbol that represents what you are manifesting for your future. While the words of the vision stimulate your left logical mind, the symbol will be a clear message to your right intuitive brain. Enjoy the excitement as your prepare for you

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Full Moon in Aquarius- Twice!!

July and August 2013: The Moon, the interior soul, is in Aquarius. Aquarius is the most progressive and global of the zodiac signs.  It wants to break away from the normal routines and learn about what lies beyond the next horizon. This month’s Full Moon brings a sense of longing for a life different than the one you have been living. You might be feeling an inner urge to take some risks, to reach out, to get engaged in the ideas and concepts that will bring new richness to your world. The Sun, the outer ego, is in Leo, so it wants you to live with abandon to fulfill your personal desires and to be sure that whatever you engage in is fun, creative, full of passion, color, and excitement. Aquarius, a bit more detached and intellectual than Leo, is willing to find the balance between its broader humanitarian perspective and the Leo Sun’s personal desires by taking some calculated risks, actions that not only feed your personal needs but also work for the greater good. This Full Moon is challenging you to set sail for a destination that will be tons of fun for you personally and help humankind in the process. Risks will be involved, but not recklessness.

The Moon is in Aquarius, an air sign, so this is a perfect Full Moon to catch the wind and set sail to a port that you have longed wished to see. The ‘port’ is a symbol for something you have been wanting to do, but haven’t been sure you were prepared to do it. This might be actual travel, but could just as likely be a new job, relationship, book, education, activism, garden, or creative hobby. The ‘ship’ is a symbol for your physical body, your vehicle that is ready to get involved in something that excites you and deepens your connection to this life that you are now living. As Henry David Thoreau said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” This Full Moon is asking you to Set Sail! Take the risks of a new destination. Don’t let your fears stop you. Your time on earth is limited, and you don’t know when you will return. This is your life, your time, your moment.

For You: Take a few deep breaths and let yourself settle in a comfortable position. Feel your body start to relax. Put one palm on your belly and the other palm on your chest and just breathe. Take deep belly breaths and feel your body rise and fall with each breath. Imagine that you are on the water, comfortably rising up and down with the rocking of the sea.  Imagine that you have a ship that you are ready to launch. See it clearly in your mind’s eye. It is a good ship, strong and sturdy. You have been preparing for this voyage for many years and have acquired all you need for a successful launch. See your ship shining as it floats on the sparkling water, docked at shore as it is being loaded for the journey. What are the goods that you have gathered? The skills, education, services, graces, and work that you have learned as part of this life that will be yours to utilize as you head to your new destination.  Allow yourself to feel good about the person you are, the skills you have, and the goods that your ship holds. Notice the crew, those people who are your allies that you can count on to encourage you, support you, and be there for you on smooth or rocky seas.  Feel the excitement, that blend of fear and joy, as you set out for the destination that you have always desired. Clearly see your destination, that place or thing or attitude that you are willing to seek and hopeful to find. And remember, you have an entire month to ponder these things and get clearer on your ship and your destination. Next month’s Full Moon will also be in Aquarius, so the universe is giving you plenty of time to get this one figured out.  See the New Moon in Leo on August 6th as a half way point to figuring out your dreams, with the next Full Moon in Aquarius on August 20th as the date to launch your ship.

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May Full Moon in Sagittarius

art by Pamela Colman Smith

The Magician offers the balance between Gemini Sun’s conscious desire for immediate action in everyday life and Sagittarius Moon’s urge for transcendence and spiritual energy. The Magician in the Tarot is one of my favorite cards. It represents Mercury, and is therefore associated with Hermes Trismegistus. Hermes is considered the author of the Emerald Tablet which describes the essential connection between the microcosm and macrocosm, often stated “As Above, So Below.” A translation by Issac Newton, the great mathematician and alchemist says: Tis true without lying, certain & most true. That which is below is like that which is above & that which is above is like that which is below to do the miracles of one only thing.

For You: You are a Magician. You are a link between Heaven and Earth. Take a few deep breaths and settle yourself. Imagine that you are this Magician. First you link “As above and so below.” You stand proudly, feet firmly planted on the ground. One arm is stretched to the heavens and the wand in your hand is a conduit for the divine and spiritual reality that is felt but unseen.  Breathe and feel the energy of the transcendent flow through your arm. Your other hand is pointed towards the earth, your finger a wand that transmutes the heavenly energy from above into the solid ground where you see it take root in beautiful manifestations and creations, as symbolized by the flowering roses and lilies. You are dressed in a white gown, which demonstrates your essential purity. Over your gown you wear a red robe of action. Around your waist is the snake, symbol of your powerful kundalini energy, and above your head is the figure eight, showing your connection to unity and eternity.  Take another deep breath. Now connect to to your everyday life and the table which holds the reality from which you an work. You see four tools: Cup, sword, wand, and shield. The cup represents your Soul and your emotional world; The sword is your Mind and your discerning thoughts; The wand is your energy, and willpower; the shield is your Physical and material reality. Take a few moments to consider what you bring to the table. What assets do you have emotionally, mentally, energetically, and physically? How do you want to transform those assets with the spiritual energy that is moving thorough you? What do you want to manifest in the physical world? What are your intentions? Be bold! Energize your world and create a reality in which you want to engage and thrive.

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Full Moon in Sagittarius

Come to the light! May 24-26, 2013
The Sun, the source of our consciousness, is in Gemini. Gemini is an Air element which means it is one of the intellectual and mentally active zodiac signs. The symbol is the dual Twin since Gemini is so curious and actively engaged that it needs to be cloned so it can be two places at once. Gemini strives to discover what is possible in one’s own neighborhood and make connections in everyday surroundings. Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury which brings clear mental capacities as well as the ability to travel between the folds of reality. The Greek name for Mercury is Hermes, the messenger of the gods between the upper, middle, and lower worlds; the Egyptian’s name is Thoth. Together they are referred to as Hermes Trismegistus, a source of wisdom on how the universe works and the author the second century Hermetica, a source text for astrology, alchemy, and magic.

The Moon is in the opposite sign of Sagittarius, and represents the longing of the Soul and stirring of the unconscious. It is in the element of Fire and connects to the source of our energy, our passion, and spirit. Represented by the symbol of an arrow, Sagittarius points outward and directs its attention to unknown and transcendent reality. It is ruled by the planet Jupiter which brings wisdom and expansion to seek new knowledge. This month the Full Moon is about finding a place of balance between the Moon’s expanded vision and the Sun’s desire to keep the focus close to home. The Moon is exact this month on Saturday May 25th at 12:25 am EDT at 4 degrees of Sagittarius. The Moon will be in the sign of Sagittarius from Friday May 24th at 5:49 pm until Sunday May 26th at 5:28 pm. There will be a lunar eclipse during this Full Moon, but it will be nearly invisible.

photo by George McGeorge

For You: This Full Moon will be especially tuned to mental clarity and a sharp mind since Mercury, Venus and Jupiter will also be in Gemini. You have spent several months exploring your Shadow and facing your personal and collective fears. This Full Moon is time to bring the knowledge of your exploration of the Shadow into the light of consciousness so that you can manifest your world taking into consideration all parts of yourself. The Sabian symbol for  this Moon is: “An old owl sits alone on the branch of a large tree.”  The owl is a symbol of wisdom and has the ability to see in the darker realms of night. It is time to take a “poised and wise approach to existence based on a clear perception of unconscious factors and their operation.” Bring together that which is below- your Shadow in the unconscious- with that which is above – your clear perception and illumination. (Sabian symbols in An Astrological Symbolism by Dane Rudhyar)

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Full Moon in Scorpio April 25-27

by Eric Williams

These beautiful images capture the essence of Taurus and Scorpio. Taurus the Bull represents solid grounded earth energy. The Sun is in Taurus every year in late April when the earth become fertile and life creates anew. Taurus is about creating things of substance that we can count on. Taurus energy is determined and patient, willing to wait for the seeds to grow and the new life to sprout.

Scorpio is the opposite energy from Taurus. While Taurus wants to create, Scorpio wants to destroy. While Taurus wants the simple pleasures of a good life, Scorpio wants to seek the mysteries and delve into the depths of the unknown.

Scorpio by Eric Williams

The Scorpion stinger is always ready to strike, and death is just a moment away. This push towards death and the underworld is not because there is anything essentially vicious about Scorpio. It is just the nature of life to transform and to push to deeper levels. Scorpio moves silently beneath the ground of the Taurus bull, who is unaware that the solid life he is building is threatened by forces that are unknown and unknowable.

This month the Full Moon seeks to find a balance between the forces of creation and destruction, between life and death. It seeks to find the pivot between building up and tearing down, between providing a teat for milk that can heal and a stinger that delivers toxins that can kill.

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Happy Spring!!

The first day of Spring arrives on Wednesday, March 20th, and just in the nick of time. After the hard and harsh winter we have all had, we can use some warm and fresh energy. Spring occurs when the Sun moves into the zodiac sign of Aries. Aries signifies new beginnings and the power to push new growth from a cold ground.

I think this image represents the energy of Spring. We all know spring is a time for love, so visibly seen in the mating and nesting of the birds and the reproduction of bunnies. The man and woman mating in this image not only symbolize that very physical reality, but also the conjunction of male and female is a very old and powerful alchemical symbol that represents the blending of the masculine and feminine energies within. This leads to a new birth in each individual. The new birth of spring, either spiritual or physical, is represented by the egg, the container of all things new. We bring in the rebirth of Christ with an egg hunt. The date of Easter changes every year with the date of the Spring Equinox. Easter occurs on the first Sunday following the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox, this year on March 31st.

To Do: Take some time on the first day of Spring to think about your intention for the new birth you want in your life. What is it that you want to bring into manifestation? What does your egg contain? What will it take for you to build the nest that will support its growth? And what will it look like once your intention hatches into a new and fledgling life?

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Seven planets in Pisces: A Journey to the Underworld

When the New Moon goes into Pisces on March 10th to March 12th to we will have seven of the stellar wanderers in Pisces: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Neptune, Moon, and Chiron.  This is a tremendous amount of Piscean energy. Pisces has access to the unconscious and I usually write about the mystical, creative, and spiritual essence of Pisces, and that is still true. But the unconscious is also the realm of the Shadow, and with this many planets in Pisces, the door to the unconscious just became thrown open.

The Shadow is made up of the dark and unwanted parts of ourselves that we refuse to acknowledge. In order to not deal with these undesirable parts we reject them by pushing them out of the light of our consciousness and keep them buried in the basement of our unconscious. The Shadow is the reservoir for human darkness that lies deep within ourselves.

The Shadow is scary since it is the part that we don’t want to accept as true. But an awareness of the Shadow is necessary. If we don’t get to know it and understand the weakness it holds, then we project these weaknesses outward and spread our fears into the world instead of dealing with them ourselves. And we can end up making decisions and taking actions based not on our greater vision and higher purpose, but from the Shadow’s unacknowledged influences.

Everyone has a Shadow and discovering, acknowledging, defeating, and integrating the Shadow is an important part of our growth and transformation. The Shadow is found in myths, fairy tales, and religion. We have the Wicked Queen, Evil Witch, Beast, and Big Bad Wolf. Tolkien gives us Sauron the Deceiver, and J.K. Rowling has He Who Must Not be Named. Facing the Shadow becomes a central part of the story, which is why it is so important to see it clearly. The Shadow is the flip side of God. Every light has a shadow, and if there were no light within us, there would also be no shadow. So every encounter with your own Shadow is an opportunity to know God.

For You: This visible presence of the Shadow is actually a real opportunity. Normally the Shadow is down in the dark and hard to see clearly. But now the Shadow, both personal and collective, is up in the light of consciousness and easier to identify. Normally our Shadow is influencing us from down in our unconscious, but now our fears are out in the world in the light of day, and that gives us a chance to examine them and notice their causes and their consequences.  Be willing to face your fears, look at them clearly and they will loosen their hold on you.  This is not the time to be afraid of your own Shadow; this is a time to see it clearly. Take some time to consider: What is my Shadow? What are the qualities that I don’t like about myself? What part of myself have I buried and don’t want to acknowledge? What is it that I fear? What qualities in others most irritate me that might be a projection of myself? Create your own mythic story and have your Shadow be the nemesis. Tell the tale of how you overcome and integrated the Shadow, accepting both dark and light. Since the Shadow lives in the underworld of the unconscious you can learn about it by going down into the underworld through your dreams. One reason working with dreams is so powerful is because it gives you a doorway to explore the unconscious .

Susan Seddon Boulet

Into the Mystic: Neptune will stay in Pisces for another 10 years, so we will have plenty of time to get to know the Piscean energy much better. And Pisces is the sign that connects us to the mystical and spiritual aspects of ourselves. Mercury, the messenger between heaven and earth, is diving into the mystical realms of Pisces from February 5th to April 13th. This gives us nine weeks to deepen our connection to the divine and open up the portals of our imagination. This will be a particularly potent time since Neptune is also in Pisces and will give extra depth to our insights and help us with integrating these mystical connections into our daily lives. Pay attention to synchronicity and signs. There will be longing for mystical, intuitive, and spiritual experiences during this period. It will be a wonderful opportunity to begin the meditation practice you’ve been thinking about, or deepen the one you already have. Go back to church, or spend time in nature, especially near water. And since your creative juices will be flowing, make a special effort to set aside time for creative endeavors. Be sure to pay attention to your dreams over this period since you are especially open to receiving messages from the unconscious.

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Happy New Year of the Snake

The Chinese Year of the Snake begins on the New Moon of February 10th.  The snake has long been a symbol of transformation and renewal since it willingly sheds its skin. In Chinese literature the snake is the introspective yin complement to the extroverted yang energy of the Dragon; together they form the House of Mystery. It is part of this great mystery that we have a Snake Year in 2013 to bring in the renewal promised by the ending of the Mayan calendar in 2012.

The snake is considered good luck and a bringer of treasure. Snakes are graceful, wise, mysterious, and intuitive. A snake year is a time of secrecy, contemplation, and even conspiracy. It brings an increased awareness of environmental needs and natural improvements.

In many cultures the serpent  is also a symbol of the feminine and Great Goddess since the snake moves with such sensuous grace and so closely to the earth.

Here is a blessing from the Grand Master of the Kagyu Thaye Dordje lineage for this new year:

“At the dawn of this new year,

The one of the female water snake,

I wish you all vitality as flourishing as a springtime’s grove!

May all the splendid auspiciousness Of virtue and fortune gather perfectly

And may there be an ever present abundance of happiness!”

 

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