This Moon's Quarter: Dreaming True

White Stone (detail) by Nicholas Roerich

Crescent Moon in Pisces
10:35 pm February 2 EST
3:35 am February 3 GMT

Imbolc (astrological)
February 3, 2014
5:03 pm EST / 10:03 pm GMT

First Quarter Moon in Taurus
February 6, 2014
2:22 pm EST / 7:22 pm GMT

Mercury Retrograde in Pisces
February 6, 2014
4:43 pm EST / 9:43 pm GMT

There's so much happening, this First Quarter gets its own post. We're now in the midst of celebrations for the new Chinese Year of the Wood Horse. Tomorrow brings the Crescent Moon, followed by the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc, the First Quarter Moon, and our first Mercury Rertrograde of 2014 ... what's going on??

As promised, the New Moon in Aquarius awakened a new vision, and we're already getting glimmers of what's coming. What? You thought an Aquarian New Moon would be slow?

Still in the dark of the New Moon time, the Pisces Moon brings strong dreams. Right now, she's traveling with Neptune and Chiron, so be sure you have a notebook or recorder handy. (I use my iPhone.)

Tomorrow night's Crescent Moon, the edgy half-square when we get our first glimmer of our New Moon intentions, finds the Moon in the last, powerful, anaretic degree of Pisces. Poised to jump into a new cycle of Fire, this Moon is widely trine Saturn is mysterious Scorpio. Perhaps tonight's dreams will show us obstacles––along with the magic to work through them.

The next day, the ancient festival of Imbolc arrives. Known as Candelmas in later calendars, Imbolc arrives astrologically when the Sun reaches 15 degrees of Aquarius, the middle of winter. At this deeply quiet, frozen, silent, time, we look for early signs of Spring: snowdrops blooming through snow, the stirring of unborn lambs, the peeking out of a groundhog.

The middle of winter is deepest yin, when yang is potentiated most strongly. We have planted seeds. Now, before we see the first shoots, we feel the seed crack open in the dark earth. Somehow, the growth tip knows how to find the Sun, and heads upward.

And, oh! what a sprouting this will be! The Imbolc Moon sits right with Uranus the trickster revolutionary, igniting Fire that will light our way for the year to come. The goddess and saint associated with Imbolc is Brigid, whose triple skills in smithcraft, healing and poetry are all based in the inspiration of Fire.

The First Quarter Moon grounds us firmly in Earth, as she sits at 17 Taurus, squaring the Sun, opposite Saturn, and trine Venus and Pluto. The First Quarter is the challenge: Are we ready to step into our new vision?

The Moon's pattern is challenging, alright, and thumps us back down in the middle of the New Moon's pattern: This is about reality AND vision, coinciding, working together, becoming real.

No getting lost in the clouds at this First Quarter, it's all about what works from top to bottom, high to low, edge to edge, and every bit in between.

Which is good, because we're about to offered time to think it through: Just a few hours after the First Quarter, Mercury goes retrograde in Pisces.

Mercury is very close to Neptune as he stations, continuing the strong dreaming vibe. Keep those notebooks and recorders handy!

Over the course of the month, Mercury will move back into Aquarian territory, giving us the time to check and double check our plans. Remember, Mercury retrograde is not about making us miserable with constant glitches. It's about taking the time to reflect, review, revisit, retreat (when necessary), revise ... all the "re" words.

These periods are vital for us. We can't go, go, go all the time. Embracing the gifts of Mercury retrograde, taking time for meditation and slowness, will reduce frustration and most likely the number of mishaps as well.

So will backing up your computer and other tech devices. and making allowances for more dreaminess than usual––this is Piscean and Aquarian territory, after all.

This first week of the new lunar cycle is crowded with incident, and then we slow down. Pay attention to what's coming up for you now. This is a time of thinking and feeling, mind and body, the vision and the manifestation. Noticing where things don't fit will alert us to where those new shoots will soon be breaking through.

This Full Moon coming up is in passionate Leo, and falls on Valentine's Day. Can't wait to tell you more about that one ...
    

New Moon Time: Exploring Power

lightning!

Pluto stations, turning retrograde
April 12, 2013 3:35 pm EDT
Mercury enters Aries
April 13, 2013 10:37 pm EDT
Crescent Moon in Gemini
April 14, 2013 5:29 am EDT

The New Moon power surge arrived on the wings of yet another winter storm sweeping across the center of North America bringing snow, rain, lightning and tornadoes from Texas to the Great Lakes. This wild storm heads east, marked by temperature shifts of up to 60 degrees in ten hours.

Our dials are set to eleven.

In this heady rush of energy, where do we find ourselves? How do we find ourselves? And what can we look forward to as this lunar cycle grows?

This lunar cycle is about power––where we find it, what it feels like, how we use it, and what happens after that. When it comes to power, this cycle is the full monty: the light and the shadow.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. ––Abraham Lincoln

We're in a lunar pattern right now in which the New Moon is followed not by its opposite Full Moon, but by the next one on. We just had the Aries New Moon. Libra is opposite Aries, but we already had our Libra Full Moon. The fullness we're moving into now, arriving April 25, is the Full Moon in Scorpio.

Aries and Scorpio are the light and shadow of power. Mars rules Aries in the daytime, and Scorpio at night. This entire cycle constantly brings these two energies, which do not play well together, into juxtaposition. The cosmos as given us a test: Write an essay about the positive and negative aspects of power. Compare and contrast. Use examples.

The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse. ––Edmund Burke

Ninety-five percent of the people in the world need to be told what to do and how to behave. ––Arnold Schwarzenegger

Pluto, the modern ruler of Scorpio and power lord in his own right, stations tomorrow, April12, for a five-month retrograde. He is emphasizing his role, and Scorpio's, in our lives. This turning moves us toward the next exact Pluto–Uranus square on May 20––which, because Pluto moves soooooo slowly, will happen at the same degree he stations in now, 11 Capricorn. Uranus will scoot up a few degrees to 11 Aries.

Meanwhile, Saturn, retrograde in Scorpio, is inconjunct Uranus. Saturn tries to rein in the overweening optimism of unbridled fire by pointing to the Shadow, showing the dark side, tossing events into the mix that remind us what happens when people in power overreach. Saturn in this position talks to us about hubris.

Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes. ––Eleanor Roosevelt

I was now resolved to do everything in my power to defeat the system. ––Oskar Schindler

April 13, Mercury slips into fiery Aries, joining the bonfire continuing there. It could be harder to keep silent, which can be a good thing and also brings consequences. Saturn's presences and Pluto's gravitas become important.

At the Crescent Moon on April 14, the entire span of Aries is covered. Mercury sits at 0, Venus at 28.

Are we owning our power? Are we growing it, flowing with it, bringing our light and life and creative gifts wholeheartedly into the world? Are we in the arena, daring greatly?

This Crescent Moon invites us, entices us, dares us to join the great game. Stop sitting on the sidelines, stop letting the parade pass by. It's time to step up, step in and dance.

I cured with the power that came through me. ––Black Elk

And yet ... Saturn in Scorpio sits at the apex of a yod, that finger of fate, with Uranus and the Crescent Gemini Moon at its base. It's not all sweetness and light. Shadow is always present.

This is, in a deeply truthful way, a key element of owning our power and using it responsibly: The willingness to look at the Shadow of power, our Shadow, to become aware of it and bring it into consciousness. Only then can we maintain balance. Only then can we flow power in creative, productive, loving ways.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. ––Jimi Hendrix

Over the next few weeks, we're invited to dance in the flames. We can sense strong energies around and inside us. We can channel those energies into creative work and play. And. And. We can see where we're tempted to overstep, where we lose touch with our values, where we fall into inflation or fear. Only by holding both together can we move into our best selves.
    

The Waxing Cycle: Growing into Spring!

Crescent Moon in Taurus

new growth emerging!

March 15, 2013 10:50 am EDT
Mercury Direct
March 17, 2013 4:02 pm EDT
First Quarter Moon in Gemini
March 19, 2013 1:26 pm EDT
Spring Equinox
March 20, 2013 7:01 am EDT

Can you feel the breeze freshening? The sunlight getting stronger? The birds singing louder? It's been a long winter, and Spring is finally moving.

We swam through the Pisces New Moon gate, awash in feelings, full of visions and dreams, and a bit disoriented. Now, focus and fire emerge.

Mars is now in Aries, his home territory, ready to meet revolutionary Uranus. Transformation is in the air! One of the aspect patterns throughout this waxing cycle is a yod, a finger of Fate, in which Pluto and Saturn point at Jupiter.

Pluto and Saturn remain in mutual reception (they are in each other's signs, which means they're communicating and cooperating), and Jupiter is the great expander, the liberal-handed philosopher and adventurer. So, we're liable to say yes! when opportunities to embrace change come our way.

Tomorrow is the Crescent Moon in Taurus, and she opposes Saturn. Now, the Moon in Taurus can be stubborn, and Saturn is stubborn by nature. So, maybe we're not saying "yes!" to change ... maybe we're saying, "no, thank you, I'm quite comfortable where I am."

Except we're not, really, are we? Mercury still rests between Neptune and Chiron, keeping us deeply connected to our feelings, our visions, and where we need healing. And Chiron is squaring Jupiter, trining Saturn, and sextile Pluto, sooooo, no, we can't really pretend everything is perfect in our lives.

My suggestion is to channel the supportive, nurturing Taurus Moon energy into a commitment to self compassion and self nurturing. We can say, with this Moon, yes! let's change ... and let's work on it gently, with lots of support for the person I am, the child I was, and everyone in between.

On March 17, leprechauns bring us the gold of Mercury direct. There's real value in Mercury retrograde––we all need times to slow down, reflect, and revisit our thinking––yet it's tough to know how to apply information that comes our way during retrogrades. With Mercury's energy flowing forward again, we'll begin to see the light, understanding what needs to happen next.

March 19 brings an intense First Quarter Moon in Gemini. What? (I hear you say...) I thought Gemini Moons were fun, flirty and all about easy networking and talk. True enough, and yet this First Quarter brings a square between the Sun and Moon that falls in the final, anaretic degree of Pisces (Sun) and Gemini (Moon).

The final degree of each sign brings a concentration of energy, a strong focus. At this Moon, then, the Sun reminds us of everything we experienced and felt and learned in Pisces––the dreams, visions, creative inspiration, and also foggy confusion. The Moon reminds us to hang on to our perspective, and in fact to entertain lots of perspectives, ideas, notions, thoughts. Because ...

Boom! March 20 brings the astrological Spring Equinox, the moment the Sun enters Aries. And what an entrance this year brings! The Sun reborn in Fire is conjunct Mars and Uranus. Everything lights up!

Interestingly, the Equinox Moon has moved into protective Cancer, where she squares Mars and Uranus. One option here is to hide under the blankets, hoping those nasty, loud planets in Fire will just go away. (They won't.)

The energies now be moving into Aries (Venus is next to join the fiery gang) will make it impossible to ignore the surges of desire and will that arise now. And why would we want to? This is the sap rising, the new season dawning, time for births and emergences of all kinds.

Instead of hiding, the nurturing Cancer Moon can continue to offer support, to remind us that kindness is always possible, especially toward our tender selves. In square to Mars and Uranus, she asserts herself, refusing to go too fast or allow feelings to be trampled willy nilly in the mad rush toward the new.

The invitation coming our way now is to jump in with both feet, embrace Spring and rebirth, and let 'er rip. The challenge is to answer the call without burning *all* our bridges, and with kindness and compassion for ourselves and all life.

We can do it ... will we do it? That choice is up to us.
     

Waxing Crescent Phase: Sailing Boldly into Uncharted Waters

Crescent Moon
February 13, 2013, 3:45 pm EST
First Quarter Moon
February 17, 2013, 3:30 pm EST

In this New Aquarius Moon phase, the weird factor seems unusually high. Has it been for you?

I've been coping with unexpected health stuff, and watching odd news items––my favorite being the hacked-in emergency alert on Monday afternoon in Montana (and apparently other places) that dead bodies were rising from the grave and attacking the living.

Yes, the zombie apocalypse will be broadcast.

To have anonymous and unidentified hackers post a humorous, over-the-top interruption to normal television broadcasting: how Urananian is that? For what it's worth, Mercury in Pisces was trining Saturn in Scorpio that afternoon, and Mars in Pisces was semisextile Uranus in Aries and square Jupiter in Gemini (who was sextile Uranus).

And now we're sailing on, eagerly awaiting what the New Moon will manifest for us!

The amazing thing about the sky these days is how concentrated the energies are getting. Back when we were in Scorpio time in October and November, there was tons of planets in Scorpio.

Now we're shifting from intense Aquarius into intense Pisces, with some fiery Aries thrown in for Valentine's Day. Oh yes, to add to the squirrel factor, there's a happy group over in Gemini anchored by make-it-bigger Jupiter.

So what do we do? Waiting around for the zombie apocalypse is not the best option.

With this heady combination of Aries action and Pisces vision, it's time to seize the day and make dreams real. Today is One Billion Rising, the global day of action to end abuse and violence against women, and the call is to rise up and dance. At the website, actions all over the world are live streaming. It's time––past time––and now's the time.

I'm also thinking today of Idle No More, the movement in support of the rights of indigenous people everywhere that began when a woman, chief of her people, said "No more!" The poster, above, also captures the mood of this Aries–Pisces time: Change is coming; let's make it real and meaningful.

At the lovely Crescent Moon, the Sun remained in Aquarius while the Moon moved into Aries (where they both are today). The Moon conjunct Uranus won't take "No" for an answer to questions that deserve "Yes!"

At the First Quarter Moon, the Moon will have moved into Taurus, squaring the Sun in Aquarius, each in the powerful, final, anaretic degree of their sign. At that challenging Moon, we'll be asked: What will we stand for? Where will we not be moved?

In personal relations, today could be filled with passion, or challenge, or both. Choose love and hope (... my suggestion, anyway). Put the best spin on things. And don't back down, if you need to take a stand.

In our hearts, the challenge is there too. We're challenged to open our hearts to our courage as well as our acceptance, our strength as well as our love. Our warrior selves are called on today ... for, as the Irish say, the day that's in it.
    

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.
    

Crescent Moon: How Do We Know?

Crescent Moon in Aquarius
December 16, 2012

Writing in the US this morning, I first acknowledge our grief over the loss of young children and the adults protecting them in Newtown, CT. As a mother, an educator, and a human being, my heart goes out to everyone who lost someone yesterday and to the community. May we all support each other with kindness, compassion, sensitivity, and love.

As an astrologer, and someone who works with oracles, I point to the primacy of choice. No, we can't predict specific events with any certainty. We live in a world of probabilities, possibilities, and choices. We are actors, choosers, co-creating our lives and fates.

Astrology offers a context, a framework for helping us understand, approach and solve problems. With that in mind, I offer some astrological comments about this tragedy, and where the energies seem to be moving.

Uranus the Awakener stationed direct Thursday night and is now moving forward after five months retrograde. This alone suggests the possibility of a shocking event that shifts our perceptions.

For the overwhelming majority of us, this tragedy is experienced as perception and information. To those who lost loved ones, to those who survived and now look for a way back, I offer my deepest compassion, as inadequate as that is. The rest of us are responding to news.

Astrologically, then, we have Mercury, who is mind and communication, trining Uranus and squaring Neptune and Chiron––news that galvanizes and changes us, wounds us, holds out possibilities of healing, and is also confusing.

Thus far, the news reports have confused the identity of the young man who committed these crimes with his brother, and confused the relationship between the killer, his mother, and the school. The brother and father were reported dead, and are not. Information about the young man is uncertain, unclear. There is no clear motive.

At the same time, we're at the beginning of a Sagittarius New Moon, with Mercury also in Sagittarius. The shadow side of Sagittarius is knowing it all, and in that certainty, being more than ready to set everyone straight.

Touching on hot-button political issues, we've already seen pronouncements from analysts, writers, bloggers, tweeters, and posters on Facebook about the need to instantly enact gun control, and about the complete irrelevance of gun control. We're seeing posts on the need to lock away anyone showing any sign of mental imbalance, the need to stop the administration of psychoactive drugs, the need to increase treatment for mental and emotional issues. Many of these are expressed with absolute certainty, some with outrage, and some with outright vitriol.

Right now, we don't know what happened. We certainly don't know why. We may never be certain. What I do know is that immediately staking out a position will not help us find solutions.

There's lots of evidence that the easy availability of really powerful guns in this country increases the probability that violence will be deadly. And gun control will not magically end violence.

There's plenty of evidence that the mental health system in our country is broken. Drugs seem an easy option. They're also the only option when residential programs are few and far between. Young men are the hardest population to find good care for, hands down. It's easy to call for this to be fixed and much harder to vote for spending to fix it, not to mention finding solutions that work.

What I'm saying is that being shocked out of our complacency is only the first step to solving deeply entrenched, complex problems.

Tomorrow's Crescent Moon brings the first glimmers of light on whatever was initiated at the New Moon. This Crescent Moon is in cool, cerebral Aquarius, the sign best able to step back, take in the big picture, and makes plans that are comprehensive as well as calm.

The Moon trines Jupiter, retrograde in Gemini, an easy flow of energy that supports reflection instead of snap judgements, exploration instead of certainty.

Meanwhile, Mercury opposes Jupiter, an interesting challenge as they are in mutual reception: Mercury in Jupiter's home sign of Sagittarius, and Jupiter in Mercury's Gemini. One aspect of this mutual reception is that it places each planet in the sign of its detriment, where they are uneasy, not at home. This also supports reflection, careful examination of facts and situations, and calls into question what we thought we were so sure of.

The Sagittarian Sun squares Pallas Athena, another voice for calm, consideration, and what is best for society. The Sun is also conjunct Juno, champion of what was fair and just.

At this Crescent Moon, Venus shifts from shadowy Scorpio into bright Sagittarius. Venus represents our values as well as our relationships. Now, the things we (hopefully) learned while in the depths, can be brought into the light of consciousness. We look at the implications of what we know, how it changes our lives and our world.

This is a good time to look at our certainties. Avoiding pulpits and soapboxes, we reflect on what is true for us, and how it informs how we live our lives. In the face of terrible loss, we can appreciate––more than that, we can love––what we have, and cherish this precious life.
    

Crescent Moon: The Peacock's Tail

peacock's tail feather

Crescent Moon in Capricorn
November 16, 2012

Tonight, we reach the Crescent Moon. In the clear night sky, just after sunset, the bright sliver appears. We know the great work is underway.

The Crescent is the half-square between the Moon and Sun that lets us know something is afoot. The changes inaugurated by the New Scorpio Moon and accompanying eclipse could hardly be missed, and this Crescent unfolds the story a bit further.

This Crescent Moon has transformation written all over it. This is a relentless Moon, determined, committed, and deeply insightful.

One glance at the chart shows the focused energy in Scorpio and Capricorn, emphasized by the Sun and Moon in each.

In Scorpio, we see the Sun tightly conjunct the North Node and Mercury retrograde. Are we moving in the direction of our deepest desires? Or are we paralyzed with fear? At this Crescent Moon, the question is posed and the answer might point to very old patterns––introjects, as psychologists say.

Where are we playing out old scripts we no longer need? This might sound like a waning Moon question ... a what-do-we-need-to-get-rid-of question. But in this time of transformation, we're continually offered opportunities to understand. We're invited to explore the buried, the old, the stuck––this is Scorpio illuminated by the Sun and Mercury, side by side by side, unflinching.

The Moon, meanwhile, is conjunct Pluto (who rules Scorpio) and Mars, in unshakeable Capricorn. Emotions and action aligned with alchemy––unstoppable. What actions need to be taken, we take, fearlessly, step by step.

Saturn in Scorpio moves in to square Pluto, the Moon and Mars, emphasizing the strong coupling of insight and action. Pluto and Saturn are in mutual reception now, each in the sign ruled by the other. This puts them on the same wavelength, supporting strong expressions of each.

Saturn continues to anchor the Grand Trine in Water, with Neptune and Chiron now both direct in Pisces, and Ceres still retrograde in Cancer. Intuition remains strong, and Saturn helps ground and manifest what we feel.

Do we need another marker of change? Ceres opposes the Capricorn group, and with a square from Uranus, retrograde in Aries, a T-square is formed. Transformation goes deep here, each step feeling hard won, and each achievement celebrated.

In alchemy, the darkness of the nigredo, the Dark Moon/ New Moon phase, is sometimes followed by the Peacock's Tail. In this stage, the blackness becomes light, split into all the glorious colors of the rainbow. At this time, we catch a glimpse of the possibilities inherent in transformation. The danger is, we can be seduced by beauty, remaining stuck in contemplation of what might be.

This Crescent Moon guides us through this mysterious stage, the Scorpio group showing us wonder and the Capricorn group keeping our feet on the path. What is the next step? Take it. And the next? take that.

The image of the peacock's tail combines glorious color with many eyes, a symbol of awareness in the midst of wonders. We want to see where we're going, while avoiding siren calls that will bring our ship onto the rocks ... the Capricorn Moon, with Pluto and Mars, keep our purpose firm and commitment strong.

Here's the next step. We'll take it together.
    

Crescent Moon: Breasting the Waves

Sunset surfing

Crescent Moon in Sagittarius
October 18, 2012

The Grand Trine in Water still swirls underneath all we do, and some are feeling the undertow.

Scorpionic Saturn can be fierce in holding up mirrors to what we prefer not to see. Neptune and Chiron in Pisces turn and look, then turn away, floating between truth and illusion.

Ceres in Cancer keeps the home fires burning, reminding us of what we hold dear––which doesn't always help when we're swimming in Neptunian, Chironic, Saturnian oceans.

The lovely Libran New Moon tantalized us with creative visions, hopes of love, and an invitation to rededicate to core values. Today we reach the Crescent Moon, and the first illumination of what may grow from our longings.

This Crescent Moon sails in optimistic, generous and philosophical Sagittarius, joining determined Mars in the seas of possibility. The Moon and Mars together are ready to dive into the deepest waters, certain they will rise again, pearls in hand, triumphant.

The Moon and Mars still feel energized by their contact with revolutionary Uranus, and head into opposition with Jupiter retrograde in Gemini. There are several courses here, and good navigation is a must:

The Moon and Mars in Sag might leave Uranus all fired up, sure they have everything they need to surge ahead, full steam, damn the torpedoes ... and run aground on Jupiter's uncharacteristic indecision. Suddenly, the course is not so clear. Where were those charts again? Oh, forget the fog, just open the throttle and let's go!

Or, Moon and Mars can celebrate the energy of Uranus by taking action to confirm the details of intuitive guidance, checking where the rocks and shoals are before leaving port. In this scenario, the reflective mood of Jupiter retro in Gemini alerts us to possibilities lurking at the edge of vision, things we might miss if we don't double-check.

The semisquare from the Sun in clear-sighted Libra offers just the check Moon–Mars needs, so pay attention if something looks off balance, not quite right, or out of true. A small correction now could avoid a major oh-no-we're-completely-off-course later.

Venus moves out of her square to Jupiter, and as she's in Virgo, sign of the careful planner, this is another reminder to pay attention to details during this Crescent Moon. She sextiles Mercury in deep Scorpio, so the details we need to watch for might be the hidden ones. Mercury in Scorpio sees in the dark, and is never fooled by Neptunian sleight of hand. Pay attention to where your attention goes; watch for tricks.

With the native caution supplied by Virgoan Venus and Scorpionic Mercury, the Moon and Mars can enjoy this Crescent Moon. These are not armchair travelers, content to read about other people's adventures ... these two are ready to hit the road and see where it takes them.

Despite the strong tides around us, we can embrace the challenges of wind, rain and currents, glorying in the feel of wind in our face and the taste of salt on our tongue. Where will the journey take us? Let's find out!
    

Virgo New Moon Cycle: Chop Wood, Carry Water

Wikimedia's Picture of the Day ... perfect!

We're just past the New Moon. The window for wishes and intentions is still open, as Virgoan ears gently listen.

Today's post looks ahead through the week to amazing events coming our way, with that New Moon window open, lace curtains fluttering in the breeze. Looking ahead, noting the possibility of challenge, tucking a few extra provisions in our pack––these are Virgo moves.

September 18, Pluto stations direct, which means he's especially powerful that date, and a few days on either side. Calling Pluto "especially powerful" sound like a message from the Department of Redundancy Department, so think of this as a time when we notice in a deeper way how power is moving, where it's moving, and how it works, both in our own lives and in the world.

The Moon and Saturn are conjunct in Libra this day, semisextile the Virgo Sun, which also pulls attention to how things are structured and how they work.

On September 19, we reach the Crescent Moon, a time when we first see the shape of what's to come peeking through the soil. Have we set intentions for more mindful living? We may begin to see what that looks like for us.

Also arriving on September 19 is the second exact square between Uranus and Pluto, revolution and tradition, the explosive and the tectonic, the lightning and the glacier. Pluto's first direct action, in other words, is to engage Uranus.

This Crescent Moon, pulling away from the careful Virgo Sun in an edgy semisquare, is in psychic and wary Scorpio. Life is not as simple as it seems! How can we expect to continue living simply, taking small steps, when events are exploding around us, when our foundations are rocked and split open? The night is dark and we have far to go.

And yet, this is the message of Virgo and mindfulness and simple living: When all hell breaks loose, there is still that next step. The garden needs tending, the dog needs a walk, we are hungry, we need to sleep, the baby is laughing.

Whether we experience tragic upheaval, or the wondrous beauty of spiritual joy, the laundry is there. Virgo invites us to look past the burdens of ordinary life and see loveliness, comfort, symmetry––not to overlook the burdens, but know them, deeply, as beautiful.

Can we breathe through whatever comes, and still walk the path? This is the question of the Crescent Moon arriving with the Uranus–Pluto square.

On September 22, we reach the First Quarter Moon and the Autumn Equinox. The Equinox arrives first. Astrologically, this is the moment when the Sun enters Libra, cardinal Air. 

For those who love Autumn, this is a longed-for moment, a breath of fresh, cool air after the overheated stillness of late summer. Now life feels possible again. New books, sharp pencils, crisp apples, clear nights.

At the Equinox, the Moon sits in late Sagittarius, optimistic and expansive, opposing Ceres in Gemini, abundant and generous. Saturn in harmonious Libra trines Ceres and sextiles the Moon, supporting realistic appreciation of all we have.

How is this a challenge?

When the First Quarter Moon arrives a few hours later, the Moon has shifted into 0 Capricorn, squaring the Equinox Sun. The waxing Moon continues to pull away from the Sun, eager to move on, move ahead.

At 0 degrees, the opening degree, each sign is focused and intent. These are cardinal Air and cardinal Earth, the Moon ready to take action and the Sun wanting to be sure the plan is clear.

Do we really understand what we've committed to? Have we fully explored the risks and benefits? Are we prepared? The Libra Sun wants to know.

Strike while the iron is hot! says the Capricorn Moon. Time and tide wait for no man. This push-pull reflects one of Virgo's core issues: Do we take the small steps we can see, or do we suffer the paralysis of analysis?

Virgo is careful, anxious, keenly aware of the many pitfalls and errors out there, and the inordinate consequences of failing to prepare properly. Virgo is also the helper, the healer, the willing servant who sees what needs to be done, and simply does it.

At this First Quarter, with the Sun poised at a balance of the year, in Libra the sign of balance, our Virgo equanimity is tested.

Here, we see where we're holding ourselves back with overplanning, trying to control what cannot be controlled. We also see where we're avoiding information we find troubling, moving ahead with the plan as it is.

Neither extreme will work; we need just-right planning and timely action. In fact, one informs the other. Action brings response, which is information. Thought allows us to anticipate and gauge the effects of action. At the First Quarter, we bring ourselves into balance.

A lot for one week. A good time for mindfulness and caring.
    

Crescent Moon: O, Brave New World

Awake, dear heart, awake!

Crescent Moon in Libra: August 20, 2012

The New Moon in Leo arrives with passionate thunder and dramatic lightning––metaphorically, since it was a lovely day here––and still the echoes resound. Things have changed, shifted seismically. As we reach the Crescent Moon, we watch the dust settle.

This New Moon is especially powerful for me, as it landed on my Ascendant, conjunct my Pluto and Moon, and aspecting half the rest of my chart. Yet I'm not the only one reporting a sense of powerful new beginnings. With hearts high in Leo fashion, we plunge in to see what comes next.

The Crescent Moon is the half-square between the Sun and Moon that marks the Moon's waxing progress. At this point, we may see the first glimmer of something peeking above the horizon, a new seed sprouting. Are conditions favorable? We scan the skies ...

Conditions are challenging––now, that's a shocker. It's true, though. The Sun, late in Leo, anchors a Grand Cross by opposing Neptune and squaring the Nodes of the Moon. The Nodes are poised at 0 Sagittarius (North) and 0 Gemini (South). Just after the Full Moon, they will slip into Scorpio and Taurus. (Remember the Nodes always move retrograde.)

During this waxing cycle, as energy increases, there's a last focus on moving forward in Sagittarian ways. What is our journey now? What place do we need to reach? This is one question of the Crescent Moon.

We might associate the "brave new world" quote with Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel of genetic engineering and strict social control. It originated in Shakespeare's Tempest, a play of magic, journeys, and transformation.

The Sun will soon slip out of theatrical Leo, and into careful Virgo, so this is good time to see which play we're in and what our role might be.

Neptune makes everything larger than life, reminding us "we are such stuff as dreams are made on," if only we choose to see.

Meanwhile, the Moon thickens the plot as she anchors another Grand Cross by opposing Uranus and squaring Pluto and Venus. Venus and the Moon are in mutual reception, resting in signs the other rules: Venus in emotionally charged Cancer, and the Moon in harmonious Libra.

Pushed up against those relentless engines of change, Pluto and Uranus, tender Venus and Moon might say, with Trinculo, "Alas, the storm comes again!" Can we keep our balance in the face of the onslaught? Another question framed by the Crescent Moon.

These two Grand Crosses are laced around with semisquares that tie the two patterns together. Sun to Moon, Sun to Venus, Moon to North Node––the questions about our journey, our role, and finding our balance are linked.

We are not alone before the storm. Jupiter, the great benefic, flows energy to the Moon. Creative quintiles link Ceres and Uranus, and Saturn and Pluto. With skill, determination, and a little luck, magical action is possible.

Staying close to the energy of the New Moon, we say with the might magician Prospero, "Awake, dear heart, awake!"
    

Crescent Moon: Tend and Befriend

why not?

Crescent Moon in Virgo: July 22, 2012

A lovely sliver of a Moon sailed through the western sky at sunset last night, as the Sun prepared to leave emotionally fraught Cancerian waters for bright and playful Leo.

With everything stirred up during the Dark Moon–New Moon time in Cancer, though, relaxing enough to play could be difficult.

The Moon's in Virgo now, ready to serve the needs of others but also anxious. Opposing Chiron and squaring the Jupiter–Ceres–Venus group in Gemini, this Moon looks for reassurance and healing in community.

Our basic understanding of how we deal with stress is the classic flight-or-fight response: Pumped up on adrenaline, we run like hell, or turn and fight.

That pattern expanded to include freezing as another response––the deer-in-the-headlights thing. Researcher/ healing professionals like Peter Levine expand our understanding of what happens in the body when we experience trauma, and how to heal it.

There is another model, documented especially among females in many animal communities, that's relevant to today's Crescent Moon. It's called tend and befriend, developed by Shelley E. Taylor and colleagues and first published in 2000.

The tend and befriend model notes that some animals respond to stress by finding community, making sure the young and vulnerable are cared for, and supporting each other. This pattern seems especially prominent among females and has been related to the hormone oxytocin, which plays a role in much of our affiliative behavior.

These are volatile times, reflected astrologically in the ongoing energy of Pluto squaring Uranus.

Sometimes our responses to stress and trauma are to move into intense emotions like fear and anger, escalate, and polarize––possibilities seen in the Mercury–Uranus trine, and an inconjunct from Mercury to Pluto.

We feel a strong desire to act (Mars opposes Uranus and squares Pluto). We want that action to be dramatic (Sun square Saturn).  Fight or flight.

A pair of overlapping Yods, one pointed right at fiery Mercury with Pluto and Chiron at its base, and the other pointed at Chiron with Mercury and Mars at the base, point to the challenges in expressing our thoughts and feelings without causing more trauma.

Where's the remedy?

The Virgo Moon loves to tend. Are the kids alright? Is anyone hungry? How can I help? Opposing Chiron in Pisces, there's an awareness here of deep emotional and spiritual needs, beyond the day-to-day concerns of Virgo, and a desire to heal.

Jupiter, Ceres and Venus hanging out together in Gemini are squaring this Moon–Chiron opposition, and they love to befriend. Those three, how could they meet a stranger and not find a way to connect?

This Crescent Moon T-square opens our eyes to the sometimes hidden value of getting together with friends. It's not just about having fun. It's about connecting, checking in to find out how people are doing, offering a hug that means more than it seems.

The intensity of this New Moon in Cancer may have knocked us off balance, revealing depths of old emotion we thought already resolved, or pitching us into rough waters in other ways. Now the Moon grows again, and we look for new ways to grow with her.

This Crescent Moon points to something we might miss. When the going gets tough, the tough call their buddies. This is less about circling to wagons to fight something off, than about checking in, tending, affiliating. It's about love, basically, offered in some practical Virgoan ways.


Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. ––Dalai Lama
    

Crescent Moon: The Bud Unfurls

tight in the bud

Crescent Moon: June 23, 2012

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ––Anais Nin

Today is the day. The Sun and Moon form their waxing semisquare. Something in us pushes to open. In some way, small perhaps but finally palpable, we are no longer who we were.

The Sun moves into opposition with alchemical Pluto. The tectonic plates of tradition, ancestry, the deep past push up against each other, looking for release. Revolutionary Uranus squares them both, ready for anything.

Meanwhile, Neptune and Chiron, vision and healing (and also lies and wounding) are squaring the Nodes of the Moon, and Jupiter, and Venus. Good fortune is allied with the path of fate––do we choose the Gate of Horn or the Gate of Ivory? Apocalyptic despair or visions of hope and beauty?

The Moon's only other aspect today is a creative, quirky quintile with Jupiter the Great Good Thing: With the Moon in Leo and Jupiter in Gemini, this quintile can expand infinitely in an amazing burst of creative fire.

Saturn remains at the apex of his Finger of the World: A square-and-a-half against Chiron and Venus, who square each other.

What breaks free now? When healing and balance, wisdom and love, challenge each other, what becomes real?

The Moon is visible in the sky again, her gentle curve showing the emerging path of growth. Where are we becoming, now?
    

Crescent Moon: Careful Nurturing

Crescent Moon: May 24, 2012

First, my apologies for getting behind with the posts. My return trip from Scotland was a bit harrowing and I've been in the grip of jet lag. Without further delay, let's get on with this amazing lunar cycle and see where we are:

The Gemini New Moon and accompanying eclipse dubbed "The Ring of Fire" initiated a cascade of new somethings that will be popping up for a long time to come.

Wherever this New Moon touched your chart, you may already have experienced synchronicity, surprise, communication, connection, youth, sudden shifts, newness––or not quite yet.

The thing about the New Moon is, it's dark. Masked by the Sun, we can't see the Moon at all for about three days. The night is dark as the earth, where seeds wait to germinate, dark as the womb in which new life stirs.

At the New Moon, we note where energy is flowing and allow our energies to flow with it, in the form of wishes and intentions. But until seeds begin emerging, we can't see what we might be growing. Yes, we wished for roses, but are those sunflowers growing there? Or stinging nettle?

The Crescent Moon arrived on Thursday evening (in the Eastern Tome Zone) with the Moon in her home sign of Cancer. Semisquare to the Sun in bright Gemini, the Cancer Moon felt protective of those newly emerging seedlings, knowing full well Gemini may have completely lost interest by now, drawn to the latest shiny thing. Or remembering the seedlings, Gemini would want to see, right now, how they were doing, examining them so exhaustively the attention alone could wilt them.

So, the Cancer Moon hid the seedlings a bit longer, nurturing them. It's a harsh world out there. The Crescent Moon placed the Moon at the apex of an unusual aspect pattern called the Finger of the World, which is a broad isoceles triangle of challenging aspects.

As the North Node (the point of unfolding fate) and Chiron (the wounded healer) squared each other, the Moon formed a sesquiquadrate (a square and a half) to each. This places the Moon in the hot seat, driven to solve the problem presented by the North Node–Chiron square. In a contest between fate and wounding, a Cancer Moon will choose to protect.

Even though the Crescent Moon usually offers the first glimpse of our emerging seedlings, I'm wondering if, for many of us, we're still feeling a bit in the dark about what this New Moon will actually bring into our lives.

Now, the Moon is in bright and sturdy Leo. Early this morning, the Moon and Sun formed a sextile, and we look to the playful Leo Moon to give our seedlings the support and care they need without too much swaddling. Now we look to see what's growing in our gardens, in the energy of Air and Fire.

Challenges are still out there, though. At the moment of the Sun–Moon sextile, the Moon was also in the hot seat of a yod, in which Chiron the wounded healer sextiled Pluto the transformer, who each are inconjunct the Moon.

But wait ... the Sun–Moon sextile itself forms the base of another yod with Pluto at its apex. And, if that weren't enough, the Moon is part of a Grand Trine in Fire with the North Node and Uranus.

It's time to check in: How committed are we to those New Moon wishes? We're on our way to the First Quarter Moon, the square that will put that question right in front of us. Our seedling wishes are already on the receiving end of powerful energies, so it's good to be sure this is really what we want.

The thing is, New Moon eclipses carry power. Events, patterns, stuff reach back and forward in ways difficult to discern. The aspects we see at the Crescent Moon and this morning's Sun–Moon sextile remind us that transformation is afoot. Continue to watch the parts of your chart touched by the New Moon, and take care of your wish garden.
   

Crescent Moon: Committing to Growth

waxing Crescent Moon

Crescent Moon in Gemini: Wednesday, April 25

Early this morning, we reached the point of the waxing Crescent Moon. If your skies have been clear these last few nights, you've seen her growing in the night sky from merest sliver to visible crescent. The Moon moved from calm Taurus into bright Gemini, seeking connections that nurture growth. The question is, are we ready?

The Crescent Moon is a time of hope and possibility. Steven Forrest links this phase to the ancient Celtic festival Imbolc, that time in the depths of winter when we feel the first stirrings of Spring. Something was seeded at the New Moon, and although we can't see clear signs of it yet, we know new life is stirring underground.

Change, even planned for, welcome change, is stressful. The Taurus New Moon presented that paradox for us quite neatly––offering the promise of abundance and serenity, the New Moon calls for change and, given the choice, Taurus would rather keep things just as they are, thank you very much.

Now here we find ourselves with a Gemini Moon, who can't get enough of change, who requires variety to feel alive, and things might feel a wee bit uncomfortable. Yes, we'd love to welcome abundance into our lives, but couldn't it simply magically appear in our bank accounts? Couldn't peace and plenty drop into our laps? Well, no.

Journeying with the Moon is a constant reminder that we live an embodied life with all its pragmatic requirements and practical details. This may sound like an odd statement coming from an astrologer––isn't astrology about unseen cosmic forces influencing our lives? Yes, and ... the cosmic force of the Moon is the one that anchors us firmly to our human life.

The Moon is the ancient gateway, the liminal opening between the cosmic and the mundane. The Moon was called the Gateway of Man––today we would say the Gateway of Humans. She is the closest to Earth. In an model of the cosmos in which souls descend through the great Spheres, being touched by each on the way, the Moon is the last, the doorway through which we are born into this world.

time to get moving!

So, the journey with the Moon is one of embodiment. In the Mother, our bodies grow. Through her we are born. Our emotions move us through life, motivating action, driving thought and memory, and influencing health––emotions are also linked to the Moon.

The Moon is ever present, ever changing, and not always comfortable. When she's waxing in Gemini, we might feel that even more than usual. Gemini is a bright, flirty, laughing energy, and also one that won't let you be. What about this? says Gemini, and this over here? Oh, and that ... what about that?

I don't know about you, but I've had a hard time focusing these last few days!

The Gemini-ness of the waxing Moon feels stronger because of another aspect pattern present now: a square between Mercury (Gemini's ruler) and Pluto. Mercury, the faster planet, is in fiery Aries calling our attention to the deep, slow, tectonic movements of Pluto in Capricorn. This combination of fiery thought and intense power could lead to explosive arguments, or transformations in thought patterns, but with Uranus close to Mercury, something revolutionary seems likely.

Yet calm is still available to us. The Grand Trine in Earth is still present, with the Sun conjunct Ceres in Taurus trining Mars in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn. This energy makes it easier to avoid explosions and instead channel transformative power where it can do the most good.

Neptune and Chiron remain important too, still squaring the Nodes of the Moon with Mars, and also anchoring the tip of a Kite pattern as they sextile both Pluto and Sun–Ceres. We are reminded to hold tight to our visions, and embrace healing, as we flow energy into getting things done.

It is time to act: With the Moon waxing, that feeling of Gemini poking and prodding is a call to get moving. The Grand Trine in Earth promises the slow, steady energy to keep going. Our New Moon seeds are planted and safely underground for the moment. What can we do to prepare the way? Let's do it.