Balsamic Moon: Down the Rabbit Hole

Balsamic Moon in Leo
October 11, 2012

This Balsamic Moon reminds me of the Mock Turtle in Alice in Wonderland, a melancholy creature neither one nor t'other, styled after an imitation, who's word play made him almost impossible to follow.

Here we are at the tail end of a lunar cycle that began in Virgo and climaxed in Aries, turning everything topsy turvy and tossing a few thunderbolts here and there just for effect. Like Alice, we look around for something familiar to tell us where we are, precisely, and how we get home.

This is the time for letting go, releasing what no longer serves us, in preparation for the New Moon cycle to come ... but first we have to sort out which end is up and what sort of world we've gotten in to.

Underpinning everything is a Grand Trine in Water that flows between Saturn and Mercury in Scorpio, Neptune and Chiron in Pisces, and Ceres in Cancer.

When Neptune and Chiron seem to be dragging us into waters way over our heads, an ocean that might well be made of tears, Saturn and Mercury throw a lifeline of insight––although the insight might be in the form of satire, absurdist word play, or, in a pinch, heavy sarcasm.

Ceres in Cancer offers the hope of nurturing, safety, and tribe, and yet in this mix, she's also quite ready to be fierce, refusing to participate until she gets her own back. Strange depths we find ourselves in!

The Moon anchors a jumbled Grand Cross in which planets at the beginning and end of their signs form out-of-sign squares and oppositions. There is challenge here, and plenty to be explored and learned, but the unusual pairings turn the usual interpretations on their heads.

The Leo Moon squares the Nodes of the Moon, making her the missed step that needs to be found again. This Moon wants to create, play, express from the heart. She will not be silenced. She steps forward into the light.

The Nodes in Scorpio and Taurus prefer to stay put, thank you very much, and yet Sagittarian Mars joins the North Node, squaring the Moon while adding his Fire to create movement and change.

Neptune and Chiron also square the Nodes and Mars, opposing the Moon, in cosmic, creative, emotional Pisces.

There's a lot to balance; we're now at the Mad Tea Party, when everyone wants their say and no one makes sense.

With Alice, we cry, "Is everyone mad here?"

It's not all smoke and mirrors, though. There are some strong threads to guide us through the maze.

Venus is holding on to the end of her trine with Pluto, reminding us that sometimes the only way out is through, and a willing acceptance of necessary change can make the process less painful. The Sun trines Jupiter retrograde in Gemini, bringing thoughtful, creative reflection. Mars moves into his trine with Aries, ready to act, walking into the fires of transformation on the journey to something better.

Most intriguing of all, the passionate Leo Moon forms creative quintiles to Jupiter and Mercury. Quintiles are rare aspects that invite imaginative play and innovation. At this Balsamic Moon, we're called to combine hard-won personal insight, philosophical reflection, and courageous expression.

Beneath the absurd twists of circumstance, the challenges of fate, and anxieties about where we are and what it all means, the great heart of the Leo Moon beats strongly and steadily. She brings laughter, life and love. Out of all the madness, she says, beauty will rise.