Full Moon in Libra

Conjunctio Perfecta by   LoriRobeau.com

Conjunctio Perfecta by LoriRobeau.com

April 15, 2014 @ 3:42 am EDT.

How do we balance two totally different, seemingly unrelated things? Like this month we need to find the balance between the Sun in Aries and Moon in Libra. Aries is the astrological energy of intense focus on “Me, Me, Me.” It is about my life, my ambition, my home, my faith, my destiny, my money, and so on. Libra, on the other hand, brings its focus to the question of “You.” It is about your life, your needs, your battles, your hunger, your hate, your love, and so on.

This beautiful image of a woman (The Moon in Libra) and a man (The Sun in Aries) is a perfect illustration for this dilemma. They stand looking at each other, reaching out, but there is something between them that keeps them apart. The large circle in the center holds the key to finding the connection. The thing that is between us can either separate us or be what holds us together. We can fight about our differences or we can find peace in the points of agreement.

We pretty much all agree that things are not going the way that they should and that something needs to change. But we disagree on what needs to change. This Full Moon is suggesting that we start agreeing that things aren’t going so well, and start with that. And then find the places we agree they aren’t going so well, and move ahead with that. This Full Moon is suggesting that we let the obstacles that separate us become opportunities to join us together.

Because this Full Moon is also a total lunar eclipse, the message of balance becomes even more highlighted, since an eclipse is a perfect alignment between the Moon, Earth, and Sun. So the large circle between the Moon/Woman and Sun/Man represents Earth, that place where we all meet together. Earth can become our place of agreed connection. I think we can all agree that food, shelter, water, work, money, health, survival, honeybees, bats, and other natural wonders are important. Let’s put our energy on finding solutions, not blaming each other for the problems. The way to balance Me and You, is to find our place together. It doesn’t mean to ignore my needs in order to meet yours. It means expanding my needs to include your needs and the needs of this planet.

For You: Take some deep breaths and let your body relax. Become aware of your individual body, your personal thoughts, your private needs, and your defined identity and ego. Feel very clearly your personal boundary. Now start to feel yourself expand. Move your thoughts and energies beyond your personal space and out into your house, then to your yard, to your city, state, country, continent, and now world. See the Earth as if you are in space and notice how perfectly beautiful it is. The Earth is your home and the home of every other person alive today. Notice how fragile it is, with only a thin layer of atmosphere around it, protecting it like a bubble. Think of one thing that you need in your personal life that is also needed by the Earth. Now think of another, and then another. Notice all the ways that your ambitions are also the Earth’s ambitions. Take a deep breath and return to your body and get a sense of your expansion. As you go about your day start to notice all the opportunities that arise where you can practice harmony and balance instead of separation and discord. Spend your day building energetic connections and verbal agreements, weaving you and me, together.

Happy First day of Fall!!

We just moved into my favorite season and I can feel it in the air. Here is some information about fall from one of my favorite websites: The Farmer’s Almanac. It is a great place to go to find out the rising and setting times of the Sun, Moon, and all the planets in your area. Just great.

Fall for 2012 begins in the Northern Hemisphere on September 22, 10:49 A.M. EDT. Here’s more about the first day of fall—the autumnal equinox—plus, facts, folklore, and some fantastic fall photos! (Say that five times fast!)

It is the summer’s great last heat,
It is the fall’s first chill: They meet.

–Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt

The Autumnal Equinox – The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.” The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

Question: Why aren’t there exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness on the fall equinox?

Answer: On the equinoxes, the very center of the Sun sets just 12 hours after it rises. But the day begins when the upper edge of the Sun reaches the horizon (which happens a bit before the center rises), and it doesn’t end until the entire Sun has set. Not only that, but the Sun is actually visible when it is below the horizon, as Earth’s atmosphere refracts the Sun’s rays and bends them in an arc over the horizon. According to our former astronomer, George Greenstein, “If the Sun were to shrink to a starlike point and we lived in a world without air, the spring and fall equinoxes would truly have ‘equal nights.'”

Question: The autumn leaves seems to be hanging on longer than usual in my neck of the woods. Is this an indication of winter weather to come?

Answer: There’s an old weather proverb that states, “If autumn leaves are slow to fall, prepare for a cold winter.” Or perhaps you just haven’t had the kind of wind or rain needed to shake the leaves loose from their branches. But look on the bright side—you get to look at the beautiful autumn foliage for a little bit longer!

Signs of Fall

In many regions of North America, the landscape silently explodes with vibrant colors of red, yellow, and orange. The leaves begin to drop off the trees, providing endless hours of jumping into leaf piles for kids and raking them back up for parents! Baseball season hits the homestretch, while football season is just warming up. Temperatures begin to drop, nights begin to get longer, and all the woodland critters are storing up for the long haul of winter.

You can track when the seasons change by recording animal behaviors and the way that the plants grow. Listen to the new sounds and observe what you hear and see.

How do you know that fall is coming? Share your comment below!

Autumn Folklore and Verse

Autumn days come quickly, like the running of a hound on the moor. – Irish proverb

Trees snapping and cracking in the autumn indicate dry weather.

Full Moon in Libra on Friday April 6

The Full Moon this month is in the sign of Libra which is ruled by the planet Venus. This Venus-ruled Moon is reminding us that the women of the world are strong and powerful. I have represented the Goddess of Love as a real Venus — Venus Williams and her sister, Serena. They are joyful, competitive, strong, collaborators. They worked hard and moved into an arena where they were outsiders, and they flourished.  Women need to join together, to be as sisters. There can be no room for petty rivalries. They can all be fabulous. Here are two women who are both excellent in the same profession, but instead of trying to pull each other down, they joined together to transform their world. Women need to let go of jealousy, infighting and doubt, and realize that women will all rise or fall together. Imagine yourself and all the women in your life as powerful beyond measure and bright as the evening star.

Autumn Begins!!

This morning at 5:05 am EDT the Sun moved into Libra, signifying the beginning of Fall.  And none to soon, I say. In spite of all the challenges of this past summer, we can all look toward this new season with hope in our hearts and vision in our minds.

I love the idea of harvest and have been thinking alot about what I want to harvest in this life. In honor of the Autumn season I brought some offerings to Kuan Yin, and saw her in many ways like Demeter, the loving and caring goddess of the grain. Although these are difficult times for many, there is still much for which to be thankful.

In my Western Humanities class that I teach at UTC, we spent yesterday discussing the wonderful private journal of Marcus Aurelius called Meditations. He was a wise emperor of the 2nd century Rome, and one of the many jewels he said was:

Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to you, O Universe. For me nothing is too early or too late if it is in due time for you. Everything is fruit to me that your seasons bring, O Nature: from you are all things, in you are all things, to you all things return.

Full Moon in Aries

10-22-2010

Aries by Eric Williams

You only have a few days left to kiss and make up. The time between the Full Moon on September 23rd and this Full Moon on October 22nd has contained a very rich opportunity to find the balance between the needs of yourself and the needs of others. Both Full Moons are in Libra/Aries  which emphasizes how important it is to maintain a balance in your different relationships. Of course the first relationship that comes to mind is your lover, wife, or husband. But Libra wants harmony in all your long lasting commitments, including best friends and business partners. This past month the bold and quick energy of Aries had you speaking your mind and your heart as never before. You may have been surprised by the power of your convictions and the strength to take care of yourself, and even left some confused and damaged relations behind. But if you look closer I think you will see that as you empower yourself that you also strengthen your relationships because you can’t have a really good relationship if you don’t fully show up as the unique individual that you are.

What to focus on this Full Moon? Take some time to consider what these past 30 days have been about regarding you and your relationships. Have you created any new partnerships? Are they based on the truth of who you are? or are you building them on the quicksand of superficial appearance and wishful thinking? Have you been honest in your existing relationships? Are there any rough edges you want to smooth over? Any friends you need to call and meet for coffee just to mend any frayed links. Parents? Children? Business Partners? Now is the time to harmonize your existing relationships, because with Scorpio coming in strong, you may discover that any unsettled feelings will come to a head with a vengeance.

Best times for ceremony and meditation are Thursday moonrise at 6 pm to Friday night at 10:30 pm EDT when the Moon changes from Aries to Taurus. And don’t forget the powerful beauty of the Full Moon setting at dawn on Friday morning in the west. Oh, and that beautiful, bright, and shining light you see near the Moon? That is Jupiter, and it will follow the Moon all night, and you can see it setting in the dawn’s early light as well. Jupiter is a planet that is protective and expansive, so it brings an extra energy to the harmony of all your relations.

Sun & Mercury connect in Libra

Love! Romance! Friendship! Creativity! With the Sun and Mercury exactly conjoined in the relationship sign of Libra, it is a perfect time to reach out and communicate your feelings of love, friendship, and creativity. The Sun is your essential self and Mercury is in charge of networking and communication. When in the sign of Libra, they are working together to make connections that will open up new areas for love, friendship, and creativity. Have you been wanting to email that art rep you met last week at a Gallery opening? Just do it. Now. Don’t wait. Have you been slow to call back your date from last week? Feeling shy? No matter. Do you need to make a dinner date with an old friend you have been ignoring?Just pick up the phone. People will tend to be receptive now.  You might not get the exact answer you want, but you won’t likely get rejected either. Sun and Mercury will be hanging out in Libra until Wednesday Oct 20th. After that Scorpio is added to the mix and the results might not be as harmonious. These next few days are a pretty safe bet.

Fall Equinox and Harvest Moon

The Sun is in Libra, and the Sun is the conscious part of ourselves that is seeking and striving to be fully in its light – enlightenment. So this month, bring your total consciousness to your relationships. Open your ears to really listen with curiosity and respect, and open your hearts to allow the sweetness of compassion to strengthen the ties that bind you to the people in your life.

by Linda Holt-Ayriss

Moon in Aries. Oh boy. Watch out for emotional flare ups, challenging conversations, locking horns in battle, thoughtless actions. And all of this from a totally unconscious place. The Moon is our Soul, which lives in the realm of the unconscious and speaks through the language of emotions. So, to say that for the next few days we will all be unconsciously triggered by any little thing is a bit of an understatement. This Ram, the symbol of Aries, is prancing quite unconcerned through the wreckage of a volcanic eruption. I think that about says it all.

Aries is a wonderful energy. Passionate, fierce, energetic, direct, courageous, combative. But those are qualities best used with a certain amount of consciousness and intent. When Aries is hanging out with the Moon, and all reason is lost, and when it is fueled by Uranus and Jupiter, as it is right now, well, all bets are off. I suggest buying flowers, making dinner, seduction, flattery, humor, whatever it takes to get your foot out of your mouth.

The Sun leaves the sign of Virgo (remember her beautiful purity?), and enters Libra late Wednesday night. Libra is the sign of relationships and is represented by balance scales, an instrument that allows us to weigh two things in relationship to each other. I thought this drawing by one of my favorite artists, Susan Seddon Boulet, a more beautiful illustration of the balance between duality, than any picture of scales.

If you look closely (i.e. meditate) on this picture you will see much that reminds you of Libra. First, the duality, second, it is beautiful, and third, it is full of love. Hearts connect these two people and there is a cupid at the base, showing that the foundation of any relationship is love. And the butterflies signify transformation, which is part of any real relationship, that challenges us to grow. And the ears!! oh the ears! It is through listening that we create relationships. Libra knows that any relationship exists because of the connection between two people – not a projection of what we want a person to be – but a real connection based on truth, and honesty, and communication.

The Equinox happens twice a year, once in the Spring, and one in the Fall. It is part of the cycle of the Sun I mentioned in the last Moon Letter. Equinox means “equal” and it is when the day and night are equal in length. From this point on, night will gain the upper hand until we reach the Winter Solstice, when night is dominant and the light is short. The Fall equinox always occurs when the Sun moves into Libra, the sign of Balance. Libra represents the balance between day and night, between yang and yin, between love and war, between men and women, between …..

The Sun is in Libra, and the Sun is the conscious part of ourselves that is seeking and striving to be fully in its light – enlightenment. So this month, bring your total consciousness to your relationships. Open your ears to really listen with curiosity and respect, and open your hearts to allow the sweetness of compassion to strengthen the ties that bind you to the people in your life.

by Susan Seddon Boulet

During each Full Moon we have the opportunity to balance the opposing energies of the Sun and the Moon; this month we balance Libra and Aries. Libra is the refined, conscious, beautiful woman who seeks the best in all relationships in order to find harmony. In essence, she is Beauty.

Aries is the Beast. The lovable, but totally primitive and unconscious animal parts of ourselves that are so full of energy, that without them all the beauty in the world would die on the vine.  We need both of these energies. We need the passionate nature of our unconscious angers and emotions. But we also need them to be tamed by the desire for love and relationship.

This Full Moon, either Wednesday or Thursday (day or night, since the Moon puts out spectacular light into the dawn) meditate on how your unconscious beliefs and habits are creating havoc in your relationships. Are you reacting to your current lover like she was your x-wife? Are you overly sensitive about criticism because it reminds you of your father? Do you feel insecure due to your parents early divorce? The list of human foibles goes on. Be the Beauty. Allow your love and compassion and awareness to bring the Beast in yourself into harmony. This is the time of the year to balance that which is your darkness and that which is your light. Remember they need each other, for in the connection we are complete.

Venus and Mars in Libra

Mars, the God of War, and Venus, the Goddess of Love are together in the sky right now, and I hope they are making whoopee!  They have been in the same zodiac sign of Libra the Balancer, since August 8th, getting closer and closer together. Today they are at the exact same point in the sky, they are now One.  Hence my choice of imagery, a wonderful illustration of the God and Goddess completely joined in union. This drawing by Robert Place is part of his lovely Buddha Tarot deck, which I will say more about in the upcoming Moon Letter. This image is sexual in nature. Mars is the yang energy of external power and force; Venus is the yin energy of internal heat and passion. The physical expression of Mars is up and out; Venus is down and in. Venus is found either as the morning star, or as in her current cycle, the evening star, two of the most frequent times to be making love. So, obviously with Mars and Venus conjunct (conjoined), these are wonderful nights to be with your lover. The two planets will be closely united until September 9th, so that should be plenty of time to enjoy the connections with the one you love.

But Mars and Venus represent more than sexual connection. They are also representing the masculine and feminine ways of being in the world. The masculine ways of being are described in terms of external, logical, intellectual, rational, and action that is often power-over. The feminine ways of being are described in terms of internal, intuitive, emotional, related, and empowered means of action. We need both of these forms of action and both of these associated values. We need both yang and yin. Right now it seems as if the masculine is too strong as seen by the greed, competition, and fighting that is going on. We need the balance of the feminine energy of relatedness and compassion so that we can work to heal the wounds so evident in our own lives, our community, and the world.

Watch Mars and Venus set in the western sky about an hour and half after sunset over the next week. Venus will be the bright sparkling diamond who is setting first, and Mars will be a ruddy red following close behind. Saturn will set soon before them, so you might see him as well. A great program that will help you find the stars and planets and constellations is www.stellarium.org. You can program it to your city’s latitude and longitude and find the constellations and planets. And you can move the clock forward to find out when the planets will rise and set on any particular day in your area. Or, you can check out  the on-line Farmer’s Almanac, from which the rising and setting times for Chattanooga are listed below. I just purchased the hard copy of 2011 Farmer’s Almanac and am really enjoying the star lore and zodiac information.

Sun 7:05 A.M. 8:24 P.M.
Moon 6:01 P.M. 3:14 A.M.
Mercury 8:55 A.M. 9:02 P.M.
Venus 10:49 A.M. 10:15 P.M.
Mars 10:47 A.M. 10:23 P.M.
Jupiter 9:53 P.M. 9:58 A.M.
Saturn 9:55 A.M. 10:03 P.M.
Uranus 9:44 P.M. 9:47 A.M.
Neptune 8:17 P.M. 7:11 A.M.
Pluto 4:48 P.M. 3:08 A.M.

Fear and Love

What is the balance between Fear and Love.

At one extreme people right now in our country are afraid. The strong violent reaction to the Heath Care bill really brought that fact to the surface. Bullies are abounding, calling legislatures racial names, and throwing bricks through windows. People are afraid of losing their job, their home, their family, and even their country. There is a huge increase in gun purchases, and legislatures are passing new gun laws to allow people to pack weapons in schools, universities, bars, parks, and even Starbucks! Some people feel a need to have a weapon to protect themselves from what in their eyes is a very dangerous world.

On the other extreme people are full of love, hope, and faith. There are people who believe that some other force is watching this planet and that all the problems of the world will be fixed when this other force brings us the compassionate wisdom and salvation we need. Some people see this as an upcoming apocalypse brought on by Christ, others see it as Beings from another planet or dimension who are sending helpful energies to us through portals, others rely on Archangels as the spiritual force that will shift the vibration of the planet to love.

Both of these perspectives are valid, and have truth. But they also represent the far poles of Aries and Libra, of Fear and Love.  During this Full Moon take the time to find the place of balance between these two polarities. Ask yourself: What do I fear? How does this fear direct my actions? What is the source of this fear? Then ask yourself: What do I love? How does love direct my actions? What is the source of this love?  Once you have the two polarities understood, focus on that line between the Yin and the Yang, focus on the place where fear and love disappear. Where love and fear meld into a more perfect union.

There are so many examples of taking loving action to address something that you fear. For example, if you fear pollution of the Earth, plan to participate in an Earth Day Event on April 22nd. If you fear your child’s school is becoming a dangerous place, organize a parental group to address the issue and seek solutions. One woman, Vikki Hanchin, is finding the balance encouraging other women to become awakened to their power so that together we can begin to make the changes that the world so desperately needs, one person at a time. You can find out about her actions through www.wholepersonwholeplanet.com