A Full "Boo" Moon

   Taurus Full Moon, October 31, 2020

Happy Full Moon! Happy Blue Moon! Happy Halloween!! Wow, what a mouthful and what an eventful few days we have coming up! The Full Moon at 8 degrees Taurus, is exact at 10:49am EST. And just a few minutes later, the Sun in Scorpio is opposed to that attention-seeking upstart, Uranus in Taurus. You know what that means... The Moon is directly aligned with the planet of uncontrollable energy and revolutionary activity during it's most potent phase!

People who have natal planets around 8 degrees of the Fixed signs, are more apt to be directly affected by these surprising events. Watch out for explosive behaviors, sudden upheavals and potentially life-altering incidents out-of-the-blue. Of course, these could be sudden changes for the better, not just negative situations. If you've been waiting for a sign of things to come, pay attention, you may find an opening.

As the Moon and Uranus both have to do with fluctuation and change, and they are hanging out together in the immovable Earth sign Taurus, we might expect some strong earthquake activity. That could happen anywhere along those planetary pathways around the globe, most notably in Eastern Europe, the Middle east and northern California.

Mercury is still retrograde at 26 Libra, not going direct until the afternoon of the US Election, keeping us guessing about the outcome even as it moves direct back into Scorpio, possibly stirring up secrets and misinformation. Try to remain clear in your communication with people, don't overreact or jump to conclusions in the week ahead. Staying in the moment and observing is your best means of navigating the uncertain waters ahead.

Mars is retrograde through November 13th in mid-Aries still creating an atmosphere of anticipation and anxiousness about beginning something new. It's best not to jump into anything you're not 100% sure of at this time, no hasty decisions or rash actions. Mars will wend his way back through the latter degrees of this Fire sign for the rest of 2020 and into the first week of 2021. This keeps everyone on the edge of their seats wanting a cure for covid-19 or a new direction in business, government or an uptick in their finances.

Neptune is interacting with the Nodes of the Moon, reminding us to focus on what we can do realistically that involves compassion, healing, spirituality or the arts. Burying our heads in the sand through escapism of any kind, especially indulgence in drugs and alcohol will only increase the befuddlement we already feel. Look to your connection with your higher self to find some peace and understanding, then act as a beacon to spread the light.

Remember to keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground~

Libra New Moon October 16, 2020

    With this afternoon's New Moon at 23 degrees of Libra, it's time to seek balance in our relationships and partnerships. Have you been feeling the discord that is so prevalent everywhere  in your own relationship? Do you desire more peace and harmony at home or in the office? If you're feeling out of sorts, so too are your loved ones, family, friends, co-workers and business partners! Libra is all about equality and fairness. It rules the lower courts, as well as art galleries and museums.

   With the Sun and Moon joining together in this Cardinal Air sign, this is an opportunity to pause and reflect on how the outer picture of your life presently reflects your inner turmoil. This alignment can be used to strengthen relationships by acknowledging the polarities that exist and attempting to find common ground. Nothing and no-one is ever perfect, but it's the harmonious pursuit of an even playing field that is important. Seeking outside ourselves for someone to make us feel alright, is putting too much pressure on ourselves first and others second. 

   Librans desire being at the helm of the ship while navigating relationship waters. They don't do exploration very easily due to the unknowns. Once they realize that balance begins with the self, they find themselves at the fulcrum, keeping the soul in harmony with the personality. Think of your higher Self as your Soul and your lower self as your personality. Both have something to offer during trying times, and while seeking that still point that let's us know, it may not be perfect but now we know what we're dealing with and can make choices about how to proceed.

    Generally a very refined sign, Libra tends towards peace-keeping so as not to rock the boat. Sometimes, this can lead to indecision or needing the opinions of others in order to make up our minds about things. Taking into consideration the thoughts and feelings of our significant others is a natural thing to do, but when it becomes hemming and hawing and being unable to make a decision, then it's time to question our inner motivations and discover what we're afraid to reflect outward. Being honest with ourselves lays the groundwork for better relating and interactions with others. This may involve some professional guidance at first, so be it. Whatever you do, stay out of judgement, shame and blame, or right and wrong. Those thought processes are what initiated feelings of unworthiness in the first place. You are worthy. You deserve a loving relationship with yourself and others. You are lovable and capable of giving and receiving love. Believe it!

   While trying to keep the ship of love afloat, remember to keep your head in the stars and your feet firmly planted on the deck~

Aries Full Moon October 1, 2020

   Today is October 1st and we welcome the first Full Moon of the month, a Harvest Moon. The second Full Moon falls on October 31st, making that one a "blue" Moon, just in time for Halloween! This evening's Full Moon is exact at 5:05pm in the 9th degree of Aries. The Sabian Symbol for this degree is "A scholar creates new forms for ancient symbols."  To me, that means using our thoughts and minds to create current, unique models out of past figures in order to design new shapes that grow and develop into workable templates for the times we live in. An example: forms of society based on old conditioning that no longer fulfill their intended purpose and now need fresh new parameters. In other words, change and growth based on new reality. Think about it...

    So, how can we use the illuminating Aries Full Moon to incorporate our need to assert ourselves without blowing the "others" out of the water? By realizing first that our battle is always with the self, an internal struggle between our ego and our will. This Full Moon only makes one aspect to another planet and that's the opposition to the Sun In Libra, making this a quest for balance, first with the self, then as we project ourselves out to others.

     Aries Moon sits alongside the Centaur, Chiron, known as the Wounded Healer.  This alignment offers a strong and compassionate ability that stems from knowing one's own insecurities and wounds and having done our work, so we don't project our hurts onto others. Chiron in Aries is about healing the damaged self that may overcompensate for early hurts by reacting or pushing others away before they can hurt us too. The polarity of an Aries Moon/Chiron opposition to the Libra Sun is a tricky one, because it holds so much potential for either making inroads to healing relationships, or becoming a runaway train wreck! 

    It's all well and good to see what others need, but if we ignore our own needs, we run the risk of burnout, or worse yet, injuring someone else emotionally because we haven't started with self-care. If asking for help is new to you, maybe that's the thing you need at this time. If only asking for help and not taking steps to make the changes you need in your life is your M. O., then this Aries Full Moon can give you a new starting line. Maybe you're somewhere in the middle, with an awakening awareness of yourself that allows for loving detachment. Wherever you are, today offers new insight.

    Whatever new possibilities this Full Moon shines on for you, remember to keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground.

   

Virgo New Moon September 17, 2020

    The Moon joins the Sun at 25 degrees of Virgo today, a little late to the party, but bringing healthy digestibles nonetheless! In the Northern Hemisphere, Virgo Moon wants nothing more than to harvest what's left in our earthly garden and to see how we can best use these gifts from Mother Nature.  As an adaptable Earth sign, Virgo in the Southern Hemisphere addresses what needs to be planted in the way of healing herbs and vegetables. No matter where you live, this Virgo New Moon is a time for sowing or reaping practicality, whether with health considerations or in daily service. Plant new seeds of productivity!

   With the Sun and Moon tucked away in the 12th House of inner work, confinement is a keyword here. Haven't we been dealing with this issue for the last 6 months?! Enough already! Although... it's perfect for a self-imposed time of sorting through negative thoughts, fantastical ideas and unhealthy habits, so that we can be more productive members of society. 

   This lunation forms an earth alliance with Saturn (response-ability) and Pluto (transformative power) in the Cardinal sign Capricorn. Self-confidence and knowing what your strong points are can assist you greatly in making new foundations for your future. Pay attention to those around you, especially the more vulnerable, and make sure to build structures that are inclusive, rather than exclusive. If you have the bare bones of something you started, but had to put on hold since the pandemic, it would be wise to revise your  plans into something more do-able now.

   Be practical, considerate and realistic while taking measured steps forward and make sure to gently test the terrain around you to see if it holds up to your plans. Remember that Mars is retrograde until November 14th so don't push too aggressively against the tide. We are in very rough waters right now and need to tread lightly, while compromising where our conscience lets us. Intention is more than half the battle, so learn patience and adaptability while seeing where the fruits of your labor has shown promise.

   I am reminded of two of the Norse Runes at this time: Hagalaz, or hailstorm and Hera, or harvest in one year. Pay attention to the detail/symbols all around you for guidance and insight. and kindly remember to keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground. May you reap abundant rewards in the future~

   

Pisces Full Moon September 2, 2020

   The Full Moon culminates overnight at 10 degrees of Pisces, highlighting our unseen connections to the whole world. Sensitivity, intuition and empathy are hallmarks of this water sign.  Pisces expresses energetically through love and wisdom, devotion and idealism, and asks how best to be of service in the world. Taken too far, this can manifest as radical extremism, which can promote savior complexes, either waiting for one or thinking you can save the world single-handedly.

   When positively demonstrated, Piscean energy shows up in compassionate caring or artistic and/or spiritual endeavors. When acting negatively, the mutable energy of Pisces lacks boundaries, confuses fantasy for reality, and can overindulge in drugs or alcohol. Listening to one's inner muse is the stuff dreams are made of, channeling creativity into beautiful works of art, engaging films and music that speaks to our souls.

   In the chart of the Full Moon, we see some difficult aspects between the planetary archetypes that necessitate careful consideration, beginning with the opposition of the Sun in Virgo and Moon in Pisces. Immediately there is the pull between what is real and what is not. Virgo's specialty is organization and that requires clarity, yet the opposing Moon in Pisces lacks boundaries and doesn't know if it's seeing an illusion and what it wants to see or something concrete.

   Add to that, the Moon's applying to Neptune, planetary ruler of Pisces, and one runs the risk of projecting needs and wants onto others. A remedy is to sit this one out while communing with your inner muse or spiritual beliefs. Time spent in solitude, or in nature are effective ways of getting clarity about what is most important at this time. This is an opportunity to connect with our higher selves or better angels, while ignoring the the lure of instant gratification and hidden promises of things too good to be true.

   Keeping your head in the stars and your feet on the ground, can help with this delicate balancing act of the here and now, dreams and reality.

Pathways Astrology: August New Moon in Leo

Pathways Astrology: August New Moon in Leo:    I'm not sure where you are, but here on the island, the wind and rain has abated, letting the sun shine, just in time to celebrate to...

August New Moon in Leo

   I'm not sure where you are, but here on the island, the wind and rain has abated, letting the sun shine, just in time to celebrate today's Leo New Moon! The Moon joins the Sun at 28 Leo, coming together tonight at  10:41pm EST.
Sitting alongside the Lights, is communicative Mercury. This collaboration in Leo brings the mind and heart together making it easier to express our true feelings. A loving and caring ease is brought to any conversation now, as long as the Leo ego is set aside. The courageous will of the lion can roar mightily in defense of self, children or loved ones.

   While the Sun in Leo is filled with life force and vitality, desiring to express itself in a dramatic outgoing way, the Moon here is borrowing courage to take a risk and allow its innermost feelings to see the light of day. The power of these two archetypal energies aligned in fiery Leo can work together to make bold declarations of love, creativity and necessary change. Where are you needing to tap into your inner strength and ignite a spark?

   Mars in Aries is forming a trine to the threesome in Leo, animating whatever is coming to life with a burning intensity that will continue to grow throughout this lunar month. Just know that all this fire energy requires a good dose of self-discipline and adjustment. Thankfully, Saturn is in the picture to apply the brakes to all this martian energy, while the Sun, Moon and Mercury are all in a quincunx aspect to Saturn helping us to regulate or fine-tune whatever we are adapting to.

   I like the image of a kite in the chart for this New Moon, formed by the Grand Trine of Fire between Mars in Aries,  the Sun, Moon and Mercury in Leo, aand the South Node in Sagittarius, connected by sextiles to the North Node in Gemini. This aspect pattern speaks to possibilities and inspiration, trust and faith which is inherent at this time, especially with words and interactions that support and encourage others. Perhaps it's the audacity of hope and change that I'm feeling. I hope you feel it too!

   While finding time to enjoy the last weeks of summer, remember... keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground.