Creating Meaningful Connections: Growing with the Moon

fractal connections

Crescent Moon in Leo
June 12, 2013 2:55 pm EDT

First Quarter Moon in Virgo
June 16, 2013 1:24 pm EDT

Gibbous Moon in Scorpio
June 20, 2013 2:28 pm EDT

Full Moon in Capricorn
June 23, 2013 7:32 am EDT

Today, we rest in a dark moon time after the New Moon.

Seeds in the ground, we've begun a new cycle of growth. Already, we're pushing against the boundaries of our wrappings, sending out rootlets and wondering what lies ahead ... because we can't. quite. see it. (yet)

If you haven't made New Moon wishes, today is perfect. The Moon is strong in her home sign of Cancer, ready to listen and lend her nurturing support. This cycle looks to be busy, with lots of bright energy for getting stuff done, so, best to be prepared and focused!

The Theme for this Waxing Cycle: Making Meaningful Connections

This waxing (growing) lunar cycle began with the New Moon of June 8 and culminates with the Full Moon of June 23. During these next weeks, the Sun remains in Gemini, moving closer and closer to Jupiter, the guy who makes everything bigger, brighter and buzzier.

Mars and Pallas Athena remain together in Gemini too, energizing a connection between thought and action, helping make sure at least some of those ideas lead to something concrete.

LOTS of energy for connecting, communicating, networking, exploring, crafting, brainstorming––and, yes, flirting, laughing, lighthearted trickstering, and getting distracted. At this time of year, playfulness is a good thing! Possibly hard to stay on task, easy to get carried away by whatever arrives in the moment, so keep your goals in mind.

At the Crescent Moon of June 12, the Moon in creative, passionate Leo channels that shiny Gemini into personal expression. Make sure your unfolding intentions reflect your own style, your own heart light.

This cycle is not all about fun, games and butterflies, though. Mercury, ruler of Gemini, has moved into nurturing, emotionally connected Cancer. Venus, Ceres, Vesta and Eris also move through Cancer now. Venus and Mercury, in fact, stay close together throughout this cycle.

This Cancerian energy links our emotional selves into the scintillating thinking of Gemini. We want our connections and communications to reflect our values and feelings. We want to know where home is, to protect what means the most to us. We want to feel safe.

This pulls our attention to meaningful connecting, not simply whatever shows up in our perceptual field. Between now and the Full Moon, pay attention with your inner as well as outer radar.

This is absolutely the time to make new connections––to people, ideas, organizations, projects, whatever––but before allowing yourself to be distracted, check in with how it feels.

Ask: Does this new bright shiny feel right? Is it aligned with my values? Does it resonate with my heart?

This can be a tricky balance, one we'll be exploring. Gemini keeps an open mind, ready to consider any and all possibilities. Cancer is much more reserved, preferring the tried and true. Which makes this cycle a wonderful time to explore our set points and triggers in this area.

Ask: Where do I feel I can boldly go, exploring new areas fearlessly? Where do I feel a need to pull back, stay safe, not take risks? Are those places good for me at this time in my life, or do I need to expand in some areas and maybe pull back in others?

Opportunities for Healing

This is a time for building meaningful connections, not necessarily easy ones. It's true, Gemini tends to prefer easy––and there are other energies out there.

Giving added weight to the realm of emotions, Chiron the wounded healer continues to flow energy to Mercury and Venus during this cycle. So, emotional buttons may get pushed, which opens up opportunities to make internal connections. When we gain new insights into our inner landscape, it releases energy and opens doors.

And then, we've got Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces continuing to flow energy together. They will be players in the coming Full Moon, so don't count them out. (Actually, never count Saturn out, and keep an eye on what Neptune's up to as well.)

These two, Saturn and Neptune, will make sure we don't stay in shallow waters too long. Scorpionic Saturn pulls us deep within. Cosmic Neptune expands our connections outward.

At the First Quarter Moon of June 16, the Moon in Virgo asks whether we're paying attention. If we've become too distracted from important goals, this Moon will gently guide us back. Well, she can be gentle. If the inner critic pipes up, move to a more compassionate place as you refocus.

By the time we reach the Gibbous Moon of June 20, the mood could feel a bit more serious. The Moon's in Scorpio and she's tightly conjunct the North Node, the path into the future, the place we all have approach-avoidance issues with.

The Gibbous Moon will be a checkpoint. Are we on track, on task, moving in a good direction? Where are we missing important stuff? Look into Shadow for the answer to this, because Scorpio is all about the things we'd rather not see.

The lightheartedness of Gemini is still around, still potent. We're reminded of the old stories in which a bit of humor, some trickery, clever strategy at the opportune moment, were what saved the day.

If we've made those meaningful connections, within and without, we'll be ready.

A Serious Supermoon

When the Full Moon arrives, she'll be in pragmatic, serious-minded Capricorn. This Full Moon of June 23 will be a Supermoon, the largest of this year. She's be at her closest point to Earth, looming large in the Summer sky.

Arriving just after the Summer Solstice, this Full Moon is a yin reminder in the midst of high summer yang. Winter will come. We can't be grasshoppers all the time. I'll be writing more about the Solstice and the Full Moon, so this is just an early head's up: Gather ye rosebuds!

We're in summer now. It's good to kick back, relax, vacation, celebrate. It's wonderful to explore, connect, and communicate. And we remember this season is one turn in an ongoing spiral. We remember who we are, where we're heading, and what we need.

This cycle is about the balance between the serious and the playful, the inner and the outer, the bright and shiny and deep and shadowy. We celebrate them all!