Full Moon in Cancer

Susan Seddon Boulet

Susan Seddon Boulet

The Moon is full on January 15, 2014 at 11:52 pm EST. The Moon is very very happy in the sign of Cancer. After a month of traveling through every sign in the zodiac it feels like she has come home to heart and hearth, the place that feels safe, secure, loving and kind. During this Moon she is reminding us that we need that safe loving place to retreat so that we can renew ourselves. It can get crazy out there navigating the world and it doesn’t take long to get overwhelmed by all that we deal with every day. It is easy to get irritable, angry and scared, especially when burdened by the extra concerns brought on by this very difficult winter.

This Full Moon is sending out a flow of love and kindness to bring a balm of peace to each person and to the world. Jupiter, sometimes called the Santa Claus of the solar system due to the generous abundance he spreads, is helping the Moon by increasing the love and light she is sending forth. They are a great pair, a yin and yang combination working together for the greatest good.

This morning right before dawn as I was watching the Moon and Jupiter set, I heard the words “All you need is love.” So simple, but so true. Many of the world’s problems could be solved using loving compassion. This Moon is encouraging us to renew our  capacity to love so that once we are full ourselves it can flow from us to others, like a cup running over.

For You: Find a place in the outer world that feels like what you imagine home and hearth could be – comfortable, safe and secure. It can be your bed, a favorite chair, a cat on your lap, a cup of hot tea in your hands or a tree in the city park. Find the place where you can let go of your burdens, if even for just a while, and fully relax. Once you are in your hearth place, close your eyes and take deep and slow breaths. Scan your body for tension and imagine that someone is gently stroking you, like a mother soothing a restless child, removing tension and bringing ease.  Once your breath is slow and relaxed, use your imagination and look inside at your heart. Like this beautiful picture, imagine your heart is a cup filled with water that is illuminated by the light of the Moon. The water in your heart is pure love and is a balm to your soul. See it gently pouring out of your heart and moving through your entire body, until you feel filled with a peace that goes beyond understanding. Try to find this place of renewal every day so that you have enough loving compassion to share with those near and dear to you, with some left over for a few random acts of kindness.

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New Year 2014 brings life into focus

The rising Sun on the first day of the New Year 2014 brings an opportunity to start anew. The movement from one year to the next is a ritual moment in time that acts as the resetting of a speedometer, clearing out the old and beginning something with a fresh start. Like any birth or ritual moment we can look at the astrological chart and see what possibilities and challenges it holds.

ChartThis year we begin the New Year with a New Moon, an auspicious indicator that emphasizes the fresh beginnings that are possible for us, individually and collectively.  As you look to the Sun as it dawns in 2014, what you won’t see are the other planets that accompany the Sun. But in looking at the astrological chart you can spot the Moon, Sun, Pluto, Mercury and Venus aligned in Capricorn. These five planets are in a grand-cross (sometimes called a grand square) with Uranus in Aries, Jupiter in Cancer, and Mars in Libra. This is a very powerful combination of energies that signifies the birth of a powerful and productive year. You can see these energetic planetary connections in the center of the astrological chart. The grand-cross is indicated with red lines making a tension-filled square with lines in the middle of the square creating a cross. The blue lines indicate harmonious energies between the planets. You can see that both tension and harmony are combined in this chart.

These five planets put the emphasis on Capricorn, an earth energy that calls for a tangible manifestation that is visible for all to see. This is not a hidden quiet energy, but solid and strong, like a mountain erupting. Something will change substantially in the physical world, both your personal world and the collective global society of which we are a part.  And due to the conjunction to Pluto, that change will be transformative and take place from the deepest level of our psyche, since the Moon is also involved. It is a change that is essential, but with Capricorn’s influence, this change will take a lot of focus, dedication and hard work. Mercury in Capricorn brings an intelligence and the need for clear communication to all endeavors. Venus in Capricorn adds compassion and a reminder to foster relationships that are meaningful. There is a call in 2014 to develop evolutionary partnerships so you can build a solid network that can support your personal endeavors and the changes our world needs so desperately.  It is time to acknowledge your inner authority and join it to your outer determination to do something that really matters.

This is not a year where things will be given for free and life will flow from a gentle stream. This is a year demanding action. This is clearly seen in the square to Capricorn by Uranus in Aries and by Mars in Libra. Both Mars and Uranus are planets of action. The Uranus/Pluto square has been mentioned repeatedly as a potent, even revolutionary, drive that can be chaotic, since Uranus tends towards chaos, especially when in the sign of Aries. Mars, which rules Uranus, lies opposite and could indicate increased violence and chaos. But there is also the potential that the energy stirred up by the Uranus/Pluto square can to be channeled into fair and balanced (Libra) actions (Mars).

Jupiter in Cancer is also part of this grand-cross and reminds us that love and caring can be found in abundance in all that we do. Keep your attention on what is really important and instead of focusing on the problems evident in life, build on the possibilities. Neptune and Chiron in Pisces continue to bring a gentle healing energy to our inner wounds and remind us that even though this is a year of physical manifestation, that physical form is always imbued and animated by spirit. The North Node in Scorpio sextiles the planets in Capricorn and repeats the theme for 2014 of using our basic values as the foundation for transforming our material world.

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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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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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See Moon and Jupiter conjoined in the sky

January 21, 2013  From around the world on the evening of January 21, 2013, the growing moon will shine right next to Jupiter. From North America, the pair are very close  – closer than we’ll see them again until 2026.  No matter where you are on Earth, look outside tonight for this wonderful pair of objects in the evening sky.  They’ll be the brightest objects in the sky and impossible to miss. They are exactly conjunct at 10:13 pm EST in the sign of Gemini at 6 degrees. Take some time tonight to go outside and make a wish upon the bright “star” by the Moon. With the Gemini energy, its a good time to ask for communication to be improved and conversations to become mindful, especially in our Congress, since today is the Presidential Inauguration, and the beginning of 4 new years of governance. And  anything at 6 degrees Gemini in your birthchart will receive a boost of great energy and momentum to expand.

For wonderful images of the pairing, and more information check out the EarthSky website.

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Full Moon July 3rd @ 2:52 pm edt

When the Moon’s feminine energy  is combined with Capricorn’s discipline and drive for success, the result is a powerful, successful and disciplined female. The Greek goddess Athena immediately came to mind as a feminine archetype that knows her own worth and is not afraid to engage in the affairs of the world. Athena is known for her courage, maturity, and sense of responsibility. Born fully armed and seen carrying a shield, she is known as a warrior goddess who protects those loyal to her. Yet she does not like to fight. She prefers to use wisdom and strategy to settle conflicts and only goes to war when necessary. The city Athens is named after her, and her temple is the Parthenon which held her 40 foot tall statue. She gave the people of Athens the olive tree as a symbol of peace and prosperity. She oversees the basic necessities of life including agriculture, industry, and the arts and crafts, particularly weaving. The owl is her bird, symbol of vision and wisdom.

Certainly we can not aspire to be like the goddess Athena. But we can realize that women are just as smart, driven, strategic, wise, crafty, and protective as men. The marginalization of women is one of the great losses in our world’s history. But fortunately that is changing, and more women are stepping up to a larger and more powerful sense of themselves. We see women as world leaders, like Hillary Clinton the the U. S. and Angela Merkel in Germany. There is also the rise of powerful woman leaders in Africa, and in Afghanistan Fawzia Koofi, a mother of two girls, is running for President, in spite of threat by the Taliban. Her inspiring story can be read at CNN.com. And there are thousands of unknown women taking actions in their own communities by starting schools, businesses, and giving their time and energy to build a better world.

To Do: This Full Moon in Capricorn is a perfect time to feel the power that exists within you to be a bolder and more courageous version of yourself. The planet Pluto conjoins the Full Moon to bring an extra boost of fearlessness and tenacity. Take some time over the next few days and quiet your mind and still your heart. Use your imagination and get a picture of what you would be doing in the world if you had no fear of failure, ridicule, or risk. Imagine that you have the goddess Athena on your side and she is using her spear to forge your way and her shield to protect you. What would you do differently if you were your most powerful version of yourself? See yourself doing it, being it, acting it out. Practice in your mind the job interview for that position your thought was more than you could handle. See yourself add your name to the city council election, volunteer to build a new playground, teach gardening to the inner city children. If you could be the power, what would you look like and what would you do? The world needs all your positive actions, large and small.

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Summer Solstice on June 20, 2012 7:09 p.m EDT

Anne Stokes

During the year the Sun moves through cycles that we have come to know as the Seasons. The Summer Solstice is the point in this yearly cycle when the Sun is at its fullest point. It is like the point in the cycle of a Full Moon, but it happens with the Sun only once a year, while the Moon becomes full once a month. Think of the Summer Solstice as the Full Sun!

Why pay attention to the changing cycle of the Sun?

We are rhythmic creatures. Our physical bodies have their own rhythms. Our hearts beat like a steady drum, and our breath brings the gentle rising and falling of our chest, which gives the sensation of being rocked by the waves of the ocean. We live in communal rhythms of 9 to 5 jobs, Monday through Friday work weeks, and yearly rituals such as birthdays, anniversaries, and religious celebrations.

We are also part of the natural rhythms created by the Sun. The daily cycle of sunrise and sunset creates circadian rhythms that set our awake and sleep cycles. The Sun also creates the seasonal cycle that begins March 21 at the Spring Equinox, when the growing light stirs new growth (and our moods). Next comes June 21st, the Summer Solstice, when the abundance of heat provides the fullness of growth and when we spend the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. During the Fall Equinox of September 21st  the Sun begins its decline and the days become shorter and colder and the earth produces the abundant harvest that we celebrate at Thanksgiving. And the last phase of the cycle begins on December 21st at Winter Solstice, when the cold and darkness take hold and seeds rest in the ground, and we rest in bed.  And every year the Sun begins its cycle anew when the light of Spring again stirs the seeds to growth. It is the original cycle of death and rebirth that has become part of many of our religions.

Participation in communal rhythms, like birthdays and New Year’s Eve, bring us into the emotional, spiritual, and physical bond of community. Likewise, the participation in the earth’s natural rhythms link us to the cosmos and heavens in a deep and profound manner that goes beyond intellectual understanding.

As a society we are losing touch with nature. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that children spend an average of 7 hours in front of entertainment media in a typical day. This is compared to the only 7 minutes the average child spends outside per day. And the night sky, which used to be such a powerful and awe inspiring part of our lives, has now become faded and nearly forgotten due to city lights and pollution.

By remembering to move in rhythm with natural cycles of the Sun and Moon we re-tune ourselves to the harmony of the cosmos.

We need these natural and cosmic rhythms. We need these connections in order for our Body to slow down from the rush of an overactive life. We need these rhythms for our Mind to clear out the buzz of technology and bring back the sound of silence. But most of all, we need them for our Soul and Spirit. We have within ourselves a natural connection to a divine Spirit, and that connection is hard wired into us through our Soul. But the Soul and Spirit are subtle and quiet and are easily overshadowed by the increased noise of our Mind and Body.

One way to remember our Soul and Spirit and provide them the stimulus they need to become central part of our existence, is to remember our connection to the cosmos and our link to the heavens, which we can do through these solar and lunar cycles.

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Full Moon in Sagittarius

Monday June 4th at 7:12 am. EDT    It is during the time of the Full Moon, when the Sun and Moon are at opposite points in the zodiac, that we have an opportunity to find balance between them. This month the Sun is in Gemini, and the Moon is in the opposite sign of Sagittarius. With a Gemini Sun our Conscious mind seeks what is already familiar, like looking into the eyes of a sister or dear friend. Gemini energy navigates within the perimeters of the known, bound by family and history. There is great curiosity in Gemini, and it will seek out endless ways to learn everything it can within these boundaries.  Like a butterfly going flower to flower, it seeks the sweetness in life that is close to home.

by Eric Williams

With the Moon in Sagittarius our Unconscious mind is inspired by Spirit to quest into the quests of Spirit go beyond what we already know is possible and are open to finding, even seeking, ideas never before considered. Sagittarius is represented by the archer who charges forward and aims high. The Sagittarius experience is not just what lies beyond the next turn in the road, but what lies beyond the next continent. Sagittarius wants to learn about global ideas through travel to new and exotic places, and reading about the philosophy and religion of unknown people. Sagittarius is the explorer, and find the confines of home very limiting.

To do: Find the balance by setting your sight on a far horizon and take aim at something you have thought beyond your reach. Let your imagination embrace that there are possibilities that you never before considered. And do this expansion in your own backyard, neighborhood, and community. This is the  “Think Globally, Act Locally” Full Moon. Take risks, but with your own family and friends.  Share you thoughts on new, even radical ideas you have been pondering. Maybe this is the week to meet a new neighbor, join a community program, go to a yoga class, or check out a new church. Open up to the possibility that your earth walk has purpose and that the people and place you are right now are everything you need.

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Super Full Moon Saturday May 5 @ 11:35 pm edt

Katniss from The Hunger Games

The Full Moon in Scorpio is a powerful place. It combines the nurturing quality of the Moon with the fierce and unforgiving energy of Scorpio. Artemis represents the Moon as a strong female, at home in nature and confident within herself. We can see a modern interpretation of Artemis in the portrayal of Katniss, the main heroine of The Hunger Games.  Katniss has an integrated balance between yin and yang. She carries her bow and arrow and is a fierce and skilled warrior, but she kills only to protect those she loves. Her goal is not to win for personal glory, but to save her family and friends. There is even an Apollo figure in her close companion Peeta, who is engaged in what could be seen as more yin pursuits. He is a baker, a cake decorator, and when called on to protect himself, he uses his skill of camouflage and disappearance. He is an artist who is motivated by love and devotion as he finds his way through the game of life. This movie that pits violence, superficiality, and oppression against values of love, family, and sacrifice has struck a note in our national psyche. The combination of balanced masculine and feminine energies create the shift that Katniss and Peeta’s society so desperately needs. This is a modern day myth, pointing the way to our own personal and societal transformation so that we might never see the fractured world of The Hunger Games.

To Do: This entire weekend, from Friday to Monday morning, will be filled with the light of the Moon. During this weekend try to slow down. Take deep breaths, engage in your body, eat more mindfully, let others go in front of you in line, and allow yourself time where you have no agenda. Imagine that you are in a perfect place of balance; not a static rigid place that you need to defend, but a flexible, moving point of balance that rises and falls like the ebb and flow of life. When you find that place of balance within yourselves you can find a way to be a creative, musical, healer who is in touch with your inner knowledge. When you find that place of balance you are powerful, clear, and directed, taking aim with intention to bring your goals into manifestation. You might be thinking that such balance is too much to hope for. But in fact, it is the natural order of things. Day and night find their moving point of balance, Sun and Moon dance through the month as they come close and then move apart again. Life is always changing. Take this Full Moon as a time to slow down, and participate in the flow of life

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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.

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