Full Moon to Last Quarter: Crying for a Vision

crying for a dream

Full Moon in Leo,
January 26, 2013
Disseminating Moon in Virgo,
January 30, 2013
Last Quarter Moon in Scorpio
& Imbolc, February 3, 2013


The deep intensity of Saturday's Full Moon in Leo crystallized where we stand, each of us, in our ability to passionately and creatively express what's in our hearts.

Some of us realized we've found our place in the light, our way to shine in the world. Some of us discovered we've still got a way to go.

There were interesting synchronicities around energy, burnout, ignition and keys: Two friends traveling to the same workshop left their car lights on and needed jumps to get started again. My garage door opener stopped working, and I forgot my door key, initiating a convoluted late-night series of drives, messages, meetings, and follow-ups. In the end, my own opener started working again, all on its own.

So, what did you learn? Where are you shining brightly? Where are you overloading your circuits? Where do you need a jump or a new battery?

In this first part of the waning phase, we share. Sometimes that means getting clarity within; sometimes it calls for broadcasting; sometimes it's time for outside help.

My theme for this week is "crying for a vision," the Lakota phrase to describe a vision quest. Also translated as "crying for a dream," this is a sacred time when we ask for support to clarify goals, or give thanks for what we've received.

Let's look at the transitions happening now:

[A note about the charts ... since I'll be including more charts in each post, they'll appear smaller. Not everyone will want to see the charts, and you're welcome to pass them by. But if you want to see the patterns I'm describing, click on each chart to open a larger image in a separate window.]

The Sun remains in the middle of Aquarius, the sign of visions. The Moon moves from passionate Leo, through careful Virgo, harmonious Libra, and into shadowy Scorpio. Venus transitions from pragmatic Capricorn into visionary Aquarius. Mars shifts from Aquarius into Pisces. And, glory be! Jupiter is turning direct tomorrow after long months retrograde.

Jupiter is especially powerful as he stations, signalling a shift in energy from inward reflection to outward action. It's time to move from contemplation into consequences. What have we learned? How do we implement that?

Energy overall is shifting into the signs of dreams and visions: Aquarius and Pisces, which makes it important to say, dreams and visions are meant to be acted upon and acted out! Sometimes our modern culture sees dreams as insubstantial and unreal, and visions as pie-in-the-sky fantasies. Yet without a vision, our lives are formless and empty.

If the Full Moon illuminated a wonderful place for you, this waning cycle can be one of articulating your vision fully, getting really clear on what the next steps are, and preparing for them.

If the Full Moon showed you're still out in the dark, then this is a wonderful time to cry for a vision, to ask for guidance and dreams.

When we reach the Last Quarter Moon, we also reach Imbolc, one of the four great Fire festivals of the ancient Celtic world. This festival marks a hinge of the year: In the depths of winter, we feel the shift toward Spring.

The Celts divided the year into dark and light (think yin and yang). At Samhain (Halloween), we enter the dark half of the year––at Beltaine (Mayday) we enter the light half. With this year's Last Quarter Moon at Imbolc, we reach the middle of the dark half, and begin the turn toward the light.

There's still plenty of winter left, and yet we're feeling the first stirrings of new life. One translation of "imbolc" is "in the belly," a reference to the pregnant ewes soon to begin lambing.

Astrologically, Imbolc arrives when the Sun reaches the midpoint of Aquarius. This year, the Imbolc Sun is squaring the Nodes of the Moon as well at the Moon herself. The Nodes are the path we're meant to follow in this lifetime, and anything squaring the Nodes marks a missed step, something we've forgotten.

With the Aquarius Sun squaring the Nodes, we realize––it's the vision thing! Are we clear on where we're going? Can we see the future we desire and work for?

The Full Moon in Leo charged up our batteries and reconnected us with our passions. Now we share our vision with the world... or we cry for a new one, realizing how empty life is without a dream. We all have one, usually more than one––which vision is calling us now? Commit to that one.
    

Thanks for the Feedback––Here's the Plan

Leo time

Moon in Leo
January 28, 2013

Thank you to everyone who commented at the blog, and via Facebook and email. It's good to know you're enjoying the posts and finding them useful!

The days after the Full Moon are good for sharing what we've learned, and with the Leo Moon's support, here's my plan:

Over the next lunar cycle or so, I'll shift my Moon posts from eight per cycle to four. I'll still cover the same territory, but include a full quarter each time: New to First Quarter, First Quarter to Full, and so on. This won't happen overnight, as I'll need to experiment and tinker a bit.

This main downside is, each post will be longer. My aim, though, will be to work with the themes of each cycle in a way that is concise and clear, and not drown in the details.

The upsides are, I hope to organize what I say more clearly according to themes developing through each cycle. With subheadings, it'll be easy to find where we are, if you want to refer back.

Once I get the new approach underway, I'll also have time for more kinds of posts––focused, for example, on other important astro events like Jupiter turning direct on January 30.

I'm also hoping to get back to the Full Moon journey recordings, as several of you were kind enough to say you missed them. I have some things to think through for those, and hope to have one ready for the next Full Moon.

Writing this blog is a tremendous learning experience for me. Each time I shift the format, I need to integrate the information in a new way and present it with style and grace (or that's the idea, anyway). I appreciate every reader, and hope you'll continue the journey with me!
    

Full Moon in Leo: Sing Out Loud!

Leo!

Full Moon in Leo
January 26, 2012
11:38 pm EST

The Full Leo Moon arrives tomorrow (Saturday) just before midnight in the Eastern US time zone, like a fairy godmother––except this is the Shrek fairy godmother, full-voiced, theatrical and belting out Holding Out for Hero (in C minor, of course).

We're in heroic Leo territory. This Moon is all about stepping into the spotlight and embracing who we really are. At each Full Moon, the Moon and Sun are opposite each other, which places the Sun in eccentric, individual Aquarius: No way to keep our lights under bushels now.

Mercury is widely conjunct the Sun in Aquarius, while Mars holds on in late Aquarius, bringing thought and action in line with who we are deep inside. Then there's the Uranus trine: The Moon at 7 Leo and Uranus at 5 Aries are stoking fires of revolutionary creativity and unique personal expression.

Full Moons illuminate. This one turns high-wattage spot lights on where we've been accommodating, making do, toeing the line, following orders and we just can't take it any more. 

To live with other humans, we all need to make adjustments. This Full Moon lights up the line where we compromise too much. This Moon strikes up the band and hands us the baton, saying it's time for us to lead the parade.

Now, no one said it would be easy ... Saturn in wary Scorpio squares the Full Moon. He can play the role of paranoid wet blanket, pointing out all the dangers in becoming more visible. Or he can become the magical advisor who knows where the hidden reefs are and guides our ship to a new and wonder-filled shore.

Mars squares the Nodes of the Moon, reminding us action is needed. We don't reach life goals by sitting around. Achievements are not delivered by UPS or FedEx. We gotta do stuff. Preferably now.

The Moon sits at the apex of a yod, a finger of fate, with Chiron and Pluto across the base. This hero story isn't a cartoon romp: We're called to make deep changes. Chiron the wounded healer and Pluto the phoenix alchemist push us into a wider vision of who we are and what we're meant to do.

The solution to a yod is opposite the apex, and there's the Aquarius Sun. Wherever we go, there we are. Maybe this Full Moon will light up an uncomfortable truth. If we can embrace it, things will be shaken up, but will also make sense in new and wonderful ways.

Expansive, optimistic Jupiter is on board this Full Moon, sextiling the Moon and trining the Sun. He's been retrograde for months, an unaccustomed time of inward focus. He's poised to turn direct in a few days and flow his exuberant energy forward.

Venus forms creative quintiles with both Saturn and Uranus, the ancient and modern rulers of Aquarius. Venus is creativity personified, and at this Full Moon tells us there are innovative ways to transform, embrace our inner eccentric, and express that in the world.

Where do Leo and Aquarius fall in your birth chart? These houses are illuminated, the areas of life in which we're called to follow our unique path. This Leo Moon's in my 12th House, the Aquarius Sun in my 6th, lighting up my spirituality, intuitive connections, personal health regimens, and ways in which I serve others. Yes, it's time to blaze some new paths in these areas of my life!

This is a Full Moon for playfulness, passion, creative expression and individuality. Depending on where you are and who you're with, there could also be drama and fireworks. This Saturday, surround yourself with friends ready to celebrate the real you, people whose personal paths you can whole-heartedly support. That way, everyone can have a wonderfully fun Leo–Aquarius time.

    

Gibbous Moon: Imagination Becomes Reality

Janet Echelman's 1.26

Gibbous Moon in Gemini
January 22, 2013

This morning (Sunday, January 21), the Sun has shifted into Aquarius, inviting us to be ourselves, grab onto our craziest visions, dream large, and make things happen. Mercury is also in Aquarius, conjunct the Sun. We've left the heavy pragmatism of Capricorn behind and sail aloft, amazing and magical horizons unfurling everywhere we look.

Overnight, I arrived home after a week at Blue Spirit Resort on Costa Rica's lovely Nosara peninsula, listening to inspiring speakers, moving my body to the ancient rhythms of qigong, walking on Pacific beaches and waking to the roars of howler monkeys. Now I'm ready to change my life!

We live in exciting times, and the Aquarius Sun is ready to celebrate that. Some of us, though, rather like comfort and safety. Change is needed, we can see that, but does it need to be today? And that large ... can't we have small change? So we can get used to it?

The Gibbous Moon arrives tomorrow night to say, no, not really.

This is the square-and-a-half on the way to the glorious Full Moon, the edgy time when we face what our visions are really asking of us. Yes, we want to be, have, and do all we envision. Being human, we'd prefer it neatly packaged, delivered on time, and easy to install.

The Gibbous Moon says, not so much.

We've got the Sun and Mercury together in Aquarius––the vision is so clear, so big, so compelling. The Moon is in detail-oriented, excitable Gemini.

Wait ... since Aquarius and Gemini are both Air signs, shouldn't this be an easy flowing trine? Well, we'll have the trine today, making Sunday afternoon a wonderful time for brainstorming, planning, vision boards, anything like that.

The Gibbous Moon arrives when the Moon is past the fun part and joins Ceres, the Earth Goddess, in late Aquarius. Here we get to "but how is this going to work?" and possibly "oh, no, this is not what I meant to happen..."

There is a trine back to the Sun and Mercury, from expansive, generous, and sometimes overblown Jupiter, which makes our visions seem really big, really important, and really wonderful. And they are all that and more. Still, the Moon and Ceres are working overtime to keep balls in the air and all those plates spinning.

Do we stop? Fall back and regroup? Give up? NO! With Aquarius and Gemini strong, and Aquarian Mars squaring the Nodes of the Moon, this edgy and challenging Gibbous Moon is about embracing challenge and triumphing over it. The challenges are real, and so is the dream. Both are essential.

Synchronicity delivered a wonderful example of this energy to my desktop this morning, courtesy of a friend who linked Janet Echelman's Huffpost blog and TEDtalk to Facebook.

Janet Echelman

Janet makes sculptures that float and change, are permanent, and massive. Turned down by seven art schools, she was inspired by (and worked with) fishermen in India weaving their nets.

She's worked with engineers, software developers, and scientists to bring her visions of transformed urban spaces to fruition.

Maybe we won't all work in this scale, with this success. Still, at this Gibbous Moon, we're likely to face the uncomfortable distance between what we dream and what it will take to actually get there.

Although we're looking at a single lunar cycle (which is about a month), Aquarius reminds us to take the long view. Some of Janet's works took many years to complete, as she faced each hurdle of materials, design and construction.

The title of her TED talk is "Imagination Becomes Reality" and I can't think of a better expression of the challenge and the promise of this particular Gibbous Moon.
    

First Quarter Moon: Crisis Management

The Tiger's Leap ... are we ready? or not?

First Quarter Moon in Aries
January 18, 2013

Tomorrow evening brings the First Quarter Moon, the fiesty square between Sun and Moon when challenge is in the air. Our commitment to our New Moon intentions is tested––by outside events or from within.

The First Quarter square always presents a challenge, and this First Quarter, arriving Friday evening (EST) has it in spades.

The Moon's in fiery Aries, wanting to shoot first and ask questions later, leap into unseen nets, and forge ahead into the swamp without map or compass. The Sun's in pragmatic Capricorn, standing stock still, rule book in hand, saying with heavy-handed authority, "You want to do what, son?"

Not the best mix, especially when both are in the anaretic degree: the 29th and final degree of their signs that concentrates all the energy of that particular gestalt into a single point of focus before releasing into the next sign of the zodiac.

So, the Moon is very Aries, passionate and impulsive. The Sun is very Capricorn, structured and traditional. Mercury is tightly conjunct the Sun, adding great strength of mind to the Capricornian stance––we will be able to see every possible objection to why our ideas won't work.

The strongest aspect to the First Quarter Moon is from Neptune in the first degree of Pisces, which adds to the challenge. Neptune's in the early degrees of her own sign (Neptune feels more ocean goddess than guy with a trident to me), and so makes out-of-sign aspects to the Sun and Moon in the last degree of their signs: An out-of-sign sextile to the Moon, and semisextile to the Sun and Mercury.

This Neptunian energy seems likely to add confusion and fog. The Moon, on fire to act, will feel inspired by dreamy visions that might be no more than elusive will-o-the-wisps. The Sun and Mercury might sense deep oceanic currents, making them more adamant in holding their ground without a clear view of the way ahead.

The tension in this particular First Quarter Moon might feel unbearable, and could break out in impulsive actions or authoritarian responses––something along these lines could show up in the news, for example. In our own lives, the pressure might show up in areas of our New Moon wishes and/or wherever this First Quarter touches our charts.

Who's right? Do we trust our gut and leap into action? Or do we wait for more information?

That question can't be answered by anyone but you. You know your history: If you've had problems with leaping too soon in the past, listening to Capricornian caution could be a really good idea. If you tend to wait too long and miss the opportune moment, maybe this is the time to go with the Moon and dive in.

This is a time when your connections with your own inner compass and intuitive guidance could prove invaluable. All those recommendations to practice listening to your true inner voice, make friends with the muses, and learn to follow your true path––this is a time when we'll see the value of practice.

Remember we're in the cycle of the New Moon in Capricorn, the one about manifesting our dreams in physical reality. Our decisions now are likely to have real-world consequences. Look back to your New Moon wishes as touchstones: Does the action you feel impelled to make right now, this instant, feel in line with those wishes? Is there an inner resonance? Look for the inner "ah ha!"
    

Rising Moon Reflections

A Rising Moon

January 14, 2014
Moon in Aquarius 
... moving into Pisces
New Moon 
... moving into Crescent

My journey in this Capricorn New Moon cycle includes looking at my Rising Moon blog to assess what I'm doing and how well, and what directions I'd like to explore.

I first posted under a Capricorn Moon in May 2010. I began with brief daily posts about where the Moon was, moved into posting when the Moon changed signs, and now link my posts to the points in the lunar cycle.

Each approach taught me about the Moon and about patterns in astrology, and I hope was helpful to you.

The next change, already in the works, is linking the Rising Moon blog with an integrated website. I have other ideas for writing and formats, and I know there are things I've offered in the past (like the Full Moon journey recordings) some of you would like to see again.

Today, I invite you to share your thoughts on the Rising Moon blog.

Is what I write here helpful to you? If it is, could you tell me how? What would you like to see more of? What do you especially like?

Are there ways you can imagine Rising Moon being better for you? Is there anything that gets in the way?

I know this writing reaches readers in different ways––some of you visit the blog directly, some are notified through Facebook, some receive the blog via email. Are there other delivery routes that would work better for you?

As I write (very early in the morning here!), the Moon is reaching the last degrees of cerebral and visionary Aquarius before plunging into the emotional dreams of Pisces––a good time for different kinds of perspective-taking and reflection.

I invite you to post comments here at the blog, on the Rising Moon Facebook page (which you're also invited to Like), or via email (threecauldrons at gmail dot com). I look forward to your ideas!

My heartfelt thanks to all my readers. Each of you brings the unique and irreplaceable gift of yourself that is reflected in your birth chart and expressed in your lives.
    

Crescent Moon: The Power of the Mother

Earth and Water in Costa Rica ... Pacific dawn

Crescent Moon
January 14, 2013

Tomorrow, as midnight approaches, we reach the Crescent Moon, the semisquare between the Sun and Moon marking the emergence of whatever we wished for with Friday's powerfully grounded New Moon.

It's not too late to make wishes! Today's Aquarius Moon is a far-sighted visionary, whose just-past conjunction with action-planet Mars want to do something now.

I'm in Costa Rica at the beautiful Blue Spirit resort, and lucky enough to have made my wishes at the Pacific Ocean this morning.

Howler monkeys woke me up at 5 am, and I let them call me up and out to the ocean, where I wrote my intentions in the wet sand and watched them merge with the waves. I don't have this kind of chance every month, and each time, I find a way to make wishes that aligns with the energy of the Moon and where my life is at that point.

Find your best way to let the universe know what you're hoping for––then let the energies help you reach your goals. Stay fluid and open-ended, because the universe is more creative and imaginative than we are, and we don't want to hem her in.

The challenge of the coming Crescent Moon continues the theme of groundedness and practicality finding balance with visionary change.

The Sun and Mercury are conjunct in pragmatic Capricorn, semisquare the Moon and Chiron in visionary Pisces. This is where we come to grips the steps we need to take, to bring our dreams into reality.

The Moon is tightly trining Saturn in Scorpio, the magician who knows how to do exactly that. Between Mercury and Saturn, sextiling them both, are Pluto and Venus together in Capricorn. More magical, more transformation, more power.

Pluto–Venus and Saturn are each inconjunct Ceres, a reminder that everything manifests for us here on Earth. Ceres is the goddess of growth and abundance, who asks for respect and proper boundaries. We can't get what we want by taking what isn't ours––not without consequences, anyway.

This is a very yin Crescent Moon, lots of Earth and Water. There is plenty of power here too, a continuing of the strong feminine power we saw in the New Moon. Never underestimate the power of a mother.

Uranus in Aries sparks quick change and masculine Fire in his square to Pluto and Venus. Still, the overall feeling tone of this Crescent Moon is slow, steady and reflective. There is deep insight here, and relentless power where we know for sure what we're moving toward.

Feel the power; take it slowly; enjoy the journey.
    

New Moon in Capricorn: The Power of Reality

Minoan goddess or priestess

New Moon in Capricorn
January 11, 2013

Tomorrow's New Moon in Capricorn arrives with an intense concentration of Capricorn energy that includes not just the Sun–Moon conjunction, but also Mercury conjunct the New Moon, a Pluto–Juno conjunction, and Venus newly arrived in Capricorn.

Babies born under this New Moon will have birth charts full of purpose, determination, pragmatism and practicality, and are likely to be hard workers, persistent, patient and traditional. As so will we be, as we set wishes and intentions at this first New Moon of the new year.

This is a New Moon for coming to grips with what's real. It's also a New Moon for making our dreams come true––if we're prepared to commit to the work needed to get it done. With Capricorn, there's no "easy" or "quick." This is the sign that understands putting one foot in front of the other, and climbing the mountain.

Capricorn is also the sign of the leader, the ruler, the CEO, of stepping into our own authority and owning our vision. Saturn, Capricorn's ruler, continues his trek through mysterious, powerful and intuitive Scorpio, so this is insightful leadership with a finger on hidden pulses.

With Pluto in the mix, and Uranus continuing his trek through Aries, change is definitely in the air. Capricorn feels most comfortable with the ways things have always been, but when the land is shifting under your feet, that just isn't enough.

Pluto and Saturn continue their mutually-receptive sextile, and the goddess Vesta now sits at the apex of the yod they form. Tranformation is reaching into home and hearth, shaking up our most secure and private places.

Venus is squaring Uranus now too, challenging the fiery revolutionary to make it real: What change? When? How? What are the concrete steps that need to happen. Uranus pushes back, upsetting apple carts in our creative and financial lives, and in relationships.

The New Moon sextiles the North Node in Scorpio, and together they form another yod with the goddess Ceres at the apex––we see the strong feminine again at the point of change.

Which is a reminder: We tend to think of practical, Saturn-ruled Capricorn as very male, the traditional father, the authority figure in the hierarchical sense and yet, as an earth sign, Capricorn is feminine and yin.

Women have tremendous endurance. In fact, there's evidence women have more muscle endurance (on average) than men, who tend to excel in strength. Women are the slow-but-steady engines keeping societies going. This is Capricorn energy.

Capricorn is, symbolically, doubly feminine. This is the sign of the water goat, combining water and earth. Zeus was fostered by the goat goddess Almathea, thought to represent a more ancient and nurturing goddess replaced by the Olympic pantheon. The Roman Juno had a goat form: Juno Caprotina, a fertility goddess associated with figs and the fig harvest.

So this New Moon speaks of the resurgence of feminine power, of goddess energy. Juno and Pluto are conjunct, sextiling Saturn, inconjunct Vesta, the Finger of Fate. Can we consciously and deliberately shift our understanding of women's roles from home and hearth to the wide world? Can we all, no matter our gender, embrace feminine forms of power as a balance to the masculine models dominating the world today?

This is the New Moon to set intentions for this, to embrace women as powerful, to value feminine approaches to power. Look for powerful women in the news, and in your world: How do such women embody and model power? What can we learn from them, to emulate or to avoid? How do they align with our own values?

One of the most intriguing aspect patterns for this New Moon is a series of five quintiles. The quintile is an unusual aspect that invites creativity: Mozart had seven in his chart. This New Moon forms quintiles from the Sun and Moon to Uranus and Saturn, and from Mercury to Pallas Athena.

Could we ask for a clearer signal to look beyond the obvious? Creative solutions to our challenges will be on offer at this New Moon, if we're ready to plant the seeds and nurture the shoots that emerge, even if they look a bit different. This might be a great time for wishing without too many strings attached, for allowing the universe to point the way.

The New Moon brings a tremendous amount of energy that will last a long time, if we join in and commit to making our dreams into reality.
    

Balsamic Moon: What's in the Way?

on the way

Balsamic Moon in Sagittarius
January 8, 2013

OK, this Balsamic Moon time is going to feel edgy. This is a good thing. Really, it is. This is the lunar phase for cleaning out what no longer works, and this time the cleansing could be very thorough indeed, if we're willing to go with the energy.

Of course, the cleansing could be pretty thorough if we don't go with the flow, too, which is a good reason to work with what shows up, as best we can.

The Moon will be in optimistic, adventurous Sagittarius, offering a can-do attitude for busting through challenges. The Sun is in down-to-earth Capricorn. These two are in semisquare, which isn't the easiest aspect we could have, but comes with Balsamic territory.

This Sun and Moon share a commitment to moving ahead and getting stuff taken care of. The Moon's optimism offset by the Sun's Capricornian realism, saying things like "get real!" and "let me tell you how is really is." How much of this kind of realism is helpful to you, is your call.

On to the edgy part: The square between Saturn and Mars is really tight at this Balsamic Moon, and since both are in fixed signs, this signals strong feelings of stuckness. Mars in Aquarius is certain he's got the answers and ready to implement his Big Plan. Now. Saturn in Scorpio is holding out for more study, because we don't actually have the full picture yet, and what's missing is important.

Mars and Saturn is this aspect bring the experience of seeing the way clearly and so wanting to go there, but something behind us, something we can't see, grabs our jacket and we can't move. Just swatting at that hand without looking will not work––this is Saturn, and he wants our attention.

So, what's holding us back? At this Balsamic Moon, we need to know. It's time to take a hard look in the dark corners and see what's there.

Maybe it's something we can acknowledge and release. Maybe we've left something out of the Big Plan. Whatever ... Saturn will not let go until we look.

Meanwhile, Aquarian Mars is tantalizing us with beautiful visions of what could be if only we act, which we can experience as frustration or promise––up to us.

Whatever Saturn is insisting we look at relates to our healing, mentorship, creativity and visioning. The Moon is part of a T-square as she opposes Jupiter and both square Chiron, who's still hanging out with Neptune. This T-square adds more edge, while forcing us to consider how healing and creativity are also held back by whatever Saturn wants us to take care of.

If we need a clearer set of pointers, Jupiter the philsopher, who remains retrograde in Gemini for just a bit longer, sits at the apex of that same Finger of Fate he's been under––Saturn and Pluto are pointing at him, insisting we re-examine our certainties, and now Mercury stands with Pluto so the messages are actually getting through to our brains.

"Oh, that!" we might find ourselves saying, "That's the issue??" Yes, that's the one.

The asteroid goddesses are also part of this conference: Vesta, keeper of home, hearth and tradition, stands with Jupiter, perhaps to remind us not to toss babies out with bathwater. Ceres, also retrograde in Gemini, sits at the apex of her own Finger of Fate, with the North Node and the Sun pointing at her––we forget the fierce face of the mother at our own peril. Athena forms creative quintiles to Ceres and the Sun, saying, look for unexpected solutions.

Change is (still) in the air. The Moon trines Uranus the revolutionary, ready to move and move quickly when the time is right. In fact, the message is, the time is right now. 

The phrase "in the way" is a curious one. What exactly is "the way"? Folklorist Ari Berk links the phrase to ancient beliefs in fairies who lived in the same places people did, and had their own paths which needed to be respected. When a new road or barn was built, or a field plowed, it was vital to check that the new structure wasn't "in the way"––blocking the flow of Fae energy.

The Moon in Sagittarius loves stories like these... but are they stories? Whether real or metaphoric, when we put something in the way of natural flows of energy, bad stuff happens. At this Balsamic Moon, look around to see what's in the way for you, and get those energies flowing again.
    

Last Quarter Moon: Thinking Again

Last Quarter Moon in Libra
January 4, 2013

The Last Quarter Moon arrives tonight, just before 11pm EST, turning us around the corner to the coming Full Moon in Capricorn.

January 4 itself is an intriguing day, before we reach the Last Quarter: Tem Tarrikar of The Mountain Astrologer chose this day as his Featured Chart (which you can read for free in the sample forecast section currently available online here).

The day offers a Grand Trine in Air of the Libra Moon (charming and diplomatic), Mars in Aquarius (quirky, opinionated, stubborn) and Jupiter retrograde in Gemini (reflective, philosophical, less certain than usual for Jupiter).

There's also a T-square of the Moon, Uranus in Aries and Mercury–Juno–Pluto in Capricorn, a challenging mix of let's-do-it-now vs. have-we-got-this-right?

Then we reach the Last Quarter, when the Moon is still holding on to the Grand Air Trine, and just barely to the T-square, and we're going ... whew! what was that?

This Last Quarter is about thinking again, in all the ways we can interpret the phrase. The Libra Moon is ready to find creative solutions to all problems, while making sure everyone is represented at the table and has their say. With Jupiter retrograde, we're still in the process of rethinking our personal philosophies, sorting the wheat from the chaff.

So, thinking again as in, rethinking, checking in with ourselves, our assumptions, our plans, our beliefs. Uranus and Mars want to act now, and are also interested in entertaining really radical, revolutionary ideas. We might do well to remember the tight connection between thought and action, and give the thinking process the time it deserves.

We've also come through a time of intense emotion. The Full Moon in Cancer came with a Grand Trine in Water, so we've been swimming in some pretty deep seas. Now we move into more airy territory, where we can pull back, gain perspective, consider other points of view, and make plans.

So, thinking again as in, maybe we haven't been thinking too clearly lately.

This thinking time is not about maintaining the status quo. Saturn and Pluto are still in their mutually receptive, highly transformative sextile. Plus, the prominence of Uranus and Mars in current aspects points to shifts, possibly major, possibly sudden. This thinking time is about really getting into what our thoughts actually are, what we focus on, what we attend to, and what we say to ourselves. Is this mental territory the one we want to be in? Or not?

With the Last Quarter Moon, we're heading into the days of letting go. Beginning the night of January 4, we enter the part of the lunar cycle when we're releasing, composting, and preparing the ground.

The New Moon in Capricorn of January 11 will be a no-nonsense, hands-on, rock-solid Moon when we can plant seeds for the physical reality we hope for. Now we strengthen patterns of thought that are working, locate patterns getting in the way, and prepare to let the latter go.