Full Moon Eclipse: The Instability of Stasis

new day dawning

Full Moon in Libra
Full Lunar Eclipse
April 15, 2014
3:42 am EDT / 8:42 am BST

In the middle of April, the cruelest month, we walk through a Full Moon Eclipse in Libra, dramatic sign of our nonstop-high speed-unpredictably changing times. (Like we needed another ...)

This Full Moon will shine most brightly on Monday night. The Full Moon alignment occurs Tuesday morning. The total lunar eclipse with its blood-red Moon will be visible in most of the United States beginning at 2am EDT.

All this month, we're cooking in the crucible of a Grand Cardinal Cross with powerful agents of change Pluto and Uranus triggered by Jupiter (let's make this really big!) and Mars (and then we can blow it up!). There's plenty written about the pattern, with Steven Forrest's essay one of the more balanced.

Not only is this powerful Full Moon highlighting an extra-powerful Grand Cross, it's opening a series of four total lunar eclipses, called a tetrad (scientists call it that ... this time it's not astrological jargon).  Learn more about the cool science here at NASA's Space.com and dive into an amazingly thorough exploration of the astrology part here at Blue Moon Astrology.

OK, now you've got multiple windows and tabs going, the virtual equivalent of piles of books and papers strewn across the desk and drifting to the floor ... and you ask, What does it mean?

One look at the chart for this Full Moon shows us the incredible focus we have. This is not just a Full Moon––this is a Full Moon PLUS. Libra and Aries polarized: This is what we're looking at.

The Full Moon herself is in Libra, sign of balance, harmony, fairness, diplomacy, charm, and consideration for others. She is joined by the North Node (our path of becoming), Demeter (goddess of fierce mothering), Vesta (goddess of hearth and home) and Mars (of all people! the warrior and ruler of Aries).

The Sun opposes her in Aries, sign of action, singularity, hard-driving focus, compelling energy, and protector of the self. With the Sun, we see the South Node (what we've brought with us), Juno (goddess of fair partnership), Eris (edgy goddess of karmic justice), and a Mercury–Uranus conjunction bringing instant messaging from the cosmos.

Are you noticing the same interplay of checks and balances here?

Mars who rules Aries is in Libra. Juno who rules fair partners is in Aries. Past and future are both implicated, as are gentleness and fierceness, with lots of energy all over the place.

So, this Full Moon will illuminate how we're doing balancing the many balls we've got in the air right now, especially in the arena of relationships.

As always, check your birth chart. Where does the Full Moon fall? This area of life, and any planets touched, will receive extra high-watt spotlighting. With this Full Moon, watch the world stage too. The Grand Cardinal Cross signals change at every level of life, and that too may be illuminated with this Full Moon eclipse.

This Full Moon is not likely to feel comfortable. (I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty jumpy already, but that could just be me.) With Aries and Libra facing off, we're looking straight into some of our toughest issues:

• When do I hold tight to me and what I want, and when do I let go and focus on others?
• How do I say what I want in a convincing, compelling way and still include, invite and take care of important others in my life?
• When is it ok for me to go it alone, and when do I need my team? How do I be on someone else's team while still reaching my own goals?

None of these are easy, and we can really start to squirm when we're forced to face them. What can we do?

Well, notice another group in the chart: The ruler of this Full Moon is Venus, and she sits right between visionary Neptune and Chiron the wounded healer. She's telling us sailing through these knotty problems calls for special skills:

In these times, we want to follow our dreams, use all our senses to be in the right place at the right time, learn from what's happened in our lives, and turn that learning into gold.

So, what about that blood-red Moon? The ancients saw it as blood, a sign of war, conflict, pestilence, endings. Today, we know a bit more about what creates the color, which leads to a new, deeper, more hopeful view of this sign.

Because the Moon is smaller than the Earth, when they line up and obscure each other (which is what happens at an eclipse), the edge of the Earth still shows. Around that edge is a bright red ring of light. That ring shines back to the Moon, coloring it red.

That bright red ring is every sunrise and every sunset happening on Earth at that moment, all shining at once. So, if you're watching the eclipse at night, you're seeing all the other places, all over, where the day is dawning or ending.

In other words, you're looking at change, at transition, and it's beautiful.

These days, the world won't let us stay still. Somehow we have to find the right place between the poised balance of Libra and the headlong rush of Aries. Looking at the eclipse, we're seeing a world full of poised balances rushing into what comes next.

We can do that, too.
    

New Moon in Libra: Delicate Balance

New Moon in Libra
October 4, 8:35 pm EDT
October 5, 1:30 am GMD

Libra, ruled by Venus, bringer of balance, of harmony, of cooperation and diplomacy, oh, we need you now!

We find ourselves in the midst of transformational energy so intense the word "crisis" does not seem too strong:

This New Moon opposes revolutionary Uranus in impetuous Aries, and squares Pluto the alchemist in intransigent Capricorn.

Also squared by edgy Lililth, and widely squared by Jupiter, both in inflexible, needy Cancer.

Meanwhile, Venus in dark Scorpio and Mars in passionate Leo continue their square-off.

Which means there is a lot of take-no-prisoners energy around, insisting we change everything, completely, yesterday, and then change again. Relationships, especially, can feel hard-edge and downright unworkable at the moment.

So what do we reset at this New Moon? What new beginning do we hope for, what wishes do we make?

Libra, we're sometimes told, is wishy-washy, a people-pleaser, codependent. Surely we're not being asked to simply give in, give up, and follow along, are we?

No, we're not.

This Libra New Moon brings a very different energy––a path of brinksmanship, the ability (f needed) to tell someone to go to hell so he looks forward to the trip. Right now, that's the level of diplomacy we need, and Libra has it.

Sometimes, of course, we're mired in difficult inner dialogues. It's within ourselves where negotiation is needed, and a new balance needs to be found.

That's OK. Setting the intention to find a place of harmony and beauty within is perfect for this New Moon.

For those challenging outer world conversations... this is the New Moon to wish for understanding, new perspectives, creative problem solving, diplomatic skill, and balanced outcomes. If we don't need it in our own lives, we can send the energy toward our governments, whose skills in empathy, as well as cooperation, seem sadly lacking these days.

We're poised at a difficult time. Mercury has entered Scorpio, heading into his last and most shadowy retrograde. Another exact Uranus–Pluto square arrives in early November (previewed at this New Moon). Change is inevitable, not optional.

    Turning and turning in the widening gyre
    The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
    –– Yeats, The Second Coming

This Libra New Moon offers hope, which is more than Yeats does in his evocative poem. At this New Moon, we set our sights on a new center, a place where all voices are heard and, more, listened to. We make wishes for insight, for creativity on a grand scale, and for heart.
    

Full Moon in Libra: Boom!

Tiger!

Full Moon in Libra
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
5:27 am EDT
Moon at 6'52" Libra

Full Moons illuminate, and this one has a whole crew already setting up the kleig lights. Massive amounts of power concentrating for this one: Sun, Venus, Uranus and Mars all conjunct in Aries opposing the Moon in Libra.

Everyone else has a piece of this too: Neptune, Mercury and Chiron in Pisces are inconjunct the Moon, creating another awkward push. The ongoing yod (finger of fate) that includes Pluto and Saturn inconjunct Jupiter adds its transformational energy as Pluto squares and Jupiter trines the Moon. Saturn trines Chiron. Juno trines the Moon. Lilith trines the Moon.

What do we make of this?

First, the energy represented in this Full Moon is high volt, high watts. Aries is the sign of personal power, desire, anger, physical energy, libido, the raw force of life surging into this world. This energy is wonderful; it's what keeps everything going. At this concentration, it can also feel threatening and overwhelming. Kind of like "I've seen God and boy, is She pissed!"

How strongly you feel this Full Moon depends on what your chart looks like. The early cardinal degrees (say, 0-12 of Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn) will feel this most strongly. Anything else in the cardinal signs will be affected, and anything else in the early degrees will also feel the effects.

No one is likely to miss this Full Moon. It's more a question of how and how much. Check your birth chart to see which houses this Moon will fall in, and which of your planets and points will be most involved.

Aries is the sign of individual, personal, ME power. Libra is the sign of the Other, the energy exquisitely attuned to the myriad sentient beings out there who are NOT me. The balance is clearly tipped to the "me" side, and yet at the Full Moon, it's the Moon herself whose fully illuminated.

If you're in the hot seat for this Full Moon, you may experience challenges, possibly direct and pointed ones, in key relationships. This may come to a head for you or for a partner. Stuff may get said and done that can't be unsaid or undone. The opportunity is for clarity––is this (whatever "this" is) supporting my healthy growth? The risk is misinterpreting, overreacting, and moving into anger.

Aries is the sign of physicality––our physical health, energy and activity. Being active could be a great way to channel and express this Full Moon. Vigorous workouts in whatever modality you love, including sexuality, could feel awesome. The opportunity: connecting with our body's energy and needs with greater clarity and focus. The risk: Overdoing it, burning out, accident or injury.

Libra is the sign of balance and harmony. The opportunity for this Moon is to find the inner strength and peace to stand in the middle of a firestorm, and remain calm. And smile, don't forget that part. All those things we've been doing to cultivate equanimity and balance in our lives? This Full Moon is likely to take some pokes right at that, saying "Hmmm ... what happens if I do this? What about this? Are you still calm?"

Think about all those jokes with siblings in a car, at home, wherever. One is trying to read, or watch a program, or just be. The other one is waving his hands around, desperate for attention. "I'm not touching you! I'm not touching you!"

The story I offer for this Full Moon is one told and retold by Clarissa Pinkola Estes:

A young woman greets her husband returning from the war. She is thrilled to have him home, and frightened to discover the loving man who went away has returned angry, withdrawn, and dangerous. Desperate, she consults a wise man, asking what she can do to help her partner.

The wise man says he can make a potion to cure her husband, but the key ingredient is an eyelash from a fierce tiger who lives up the mountain. Can she get one? The woman loves her husband, and says she will bring one back. She travels up the mountain, to discover the tiger is larger, wilder and more fierce than she imagined.

It takes months of careful, quiet, calm, focused being. Each day she sits a little closer. She leaves him food. She advances inch by slow inch. One day, she is close enough to get the eyelash she needs. Triumphant, she returns to the wise man, her prize carefully cradled in her hand.

When she arrives, the wise man takes the eyelash and tosses it in the fire! Aghast, the young woman asks why. The wise man says "Now you have the skill and insight. Go home and treat your husband as you treated the tiger."

Garden Hose by Edith Vonnegut

An intriguing story, I've always thought. Part of me says, why does the woman always have to accommodate, be quiet, stay calm, fix things? Why can't the man deal with his anger?

Yet this is a story about ourselves, on the inside. Sometimes the parts of us that are raging, grasping, and out of control cannot stop by themselves. We need to strengthen the parts of us that can hold space, listen and reflect without judgement, and yes, stay calm and carry on.

Knowing we're in a time of big Aries energy, we can plan some extra meditation time, extra quiet, soft music. And also, depending on our needs and temperaments, plan extra exercise, vigorous activity, wild dancing. We can watch for overreacting, for risky behavior, for triggers.

It's not possible for us, as humans, to keep it together perfectly all the time. We may well see, at this Full Moon, which triggers are still active for us, where we fall down, where we lose it. That's OK. We can flow with the Libra Moon's sensitivity and vow to treat our flawed, imperfect and uniquely beautiful selves with all the compassion and love we would offer a much loved partner.

We're the young woman and the tiger both, and also the sage and the wounded warrior. At this Full Moon, all those parts may appear lit up on stage, so we can see with crystal clarity where more compassion, as well as more skill, are needed.
    

Waxing Moon: Shift Happens!

Tiger wakes up!

Spring Equinox
March 20, 2013 7:02 am EDT
Gibbous Moon in Leo
March 23, 2013 1:56 pm EDT
Full Moon in Libra
March 27, 2013 5:27 am EDT

The Spring Equinox blew into town in a big way. I wish I could say it's brought warmth and sunshine, but we're still in winter here. So far, the changes have been internal––powerful on the inside.

Astrologically, the Equinox arrives when the Sun enters Aries, arriving at the Aries Point, zero Aries, beginner's mind, the Fool card in the Tarot. Where is your Aries Point? This is one of the things you want to know about your birth chart, for it's the place where new things enter your life.

My Aries Point is in my Eighth House of deeply transformative stuff. It's also exactly opposite my Second House Libra Sun. For me, it's like the Spring Equinox Aries Sun hits me right between the eyes. This happens every year, which, while I love Spring, might tell you why my favorite season is Autumn.

The convention phrase is "I feel like a new person!" What's more accurate for me this year––and with the intensely concentrated sky energies this might be true for you too––is "Wait! I just discovered I'm not who I thought I was!"

The transformation I'm experiencing involves peeling off lots of old layers that got added on in earlier searches for things like safety, privacy, acceptance and love. Those layers may have felt good and necessary at the time, but they're stiff and old now, holding me back from living my way into a more authentic life. Still, there's a lot of "ouch" in this process.

All the powers are online for this Spring cleaning: Mars and Uranus are conjunct in early Aries, ready to remove old layers with the sharpest tools they can find. The goddesses Eris and Pallas Athena hang out in late Aries, ready with blades of their own.

I've mentioned an ongoing yod, also called a Finger of Fate, in which Saturn and Pluto point at Jupiter––reminding us not to overextend, overinflate, or get too ahead of ourselves. Now we see a second yod overlapping this one: Jupiter and Mars–Uranus are pointing right back at Saturn, psuhing back against the forces of tradition, saying, yes, we're ready to lay solid foundations here but get on with it, already!

Meanwhile, Mars and Uranus are squaring Pluto while Chiron and Mercury sextile Pluto and semisextile Mars–Uranus. Oh yes, Chiron and Mercury are also trining Saturn. Venus enters Aries tonight (11:15 pm EDT), reaching her Aries Point moment. Whew!

These complex interwoven patterns are not deadlock; there's way too much energy flowing for that. These are healing patterns, blueprints for change.

We see powers for healing and compassion (Chiron and Mercury in Pisces), an awareness of the need for depth of understanding and strength (Saturn in Scorpio), an optimistic view of many opportunities (Jupiter in Gemini) and tremendous energy for growth and joy (everybody in Aries).

I want to highlight what an opportunity this is: Yes, we have a Spring Equinox every year, and Venus enters Aries every year, but Mars has a two-year cycle, and Uranus takes 80+ years to make it around the zodiac. Having this much focus in Aries, which this complexity of patterning, is special.

Maybe you're thinking you'd like a little less "special" in your life. I hear you, believe me, but we don't have that option. We live in interesting times. Our choices lie in our responses––are we riding the tiger or frozen in his glare?

At the Gibbous Moon on March 23, the Moon will be in fiesty Leo, squaring the Nodes of the Moon. Where, she asks, are we leaving passion and creativity behind? On the way to that moment, she will trine each of the Aries planets. These are wonderful days for healing art, creative expression, and passionate play.

Then, early on the morning of March 27, we reach the Libra Full Moon. The pattern is reminiscent of the last Full Moon: a singular Moon standing alone against a full court press of other planets. The energies, though, are very different. This time, we see one voice of balance and diplomacy speaking to a room full of supercharged adrenaline junkies.

This pattern reminds me of the Chariot card in the Tarot, which is all about learning to ride the tiger. I'll write more about this amazing Full Moon in a few days. What's important to see now is that it's coming, and bringing big energies with it.

This Full Moon will illuminate things like our authenticity, our passions, and whether we're speaking our truth––so taking a look now at our personal Aries Points and considering where change wants to flow in our lives are good things to be doing.

It's time to wake up. Toss the heavy blankets aside. Look around. Then, hit the ground running. It's a beautiful day!
    

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.
    

Balsamic Moon: Cat's Cradle

compost!

Balsamic Moon in Libra
November 10, 2013

In the ancient Celtic calendar, we've entered the dark half of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, this direct link to the Sun's leaving us in darkness has symbolic depth as well.

We're now in the ancient Celtic month of Seed Fall, when seeds die in the dark earth and we wait for the new plants to emerge... later, when they're ready, when the time is right.

The Balsamic Moon is the seed fall of each lunar month, preparing to push new seeds into the earth, composting carefully with what is ready to break down and nourish the future. We will choose the seeds carefully based on what we hope to harvest, knowing that not all will sprout and even among the sprouts, not all will fruit––not knowing which ones will make it.

It's been an intense month. The losses are many and still being counted––even if you're happy with US election outcomes overall, the campaign season took a toll, and then there's storms, floods, fires, and the urgent, ongoing need to reach those still isolated and alone.

At this time, we're invited ... called ... even pushed to let go of what doesn't serve us. Let go of rancor and bad feeling. Let go of outmoded ideas. Let go of models that aren't working. Let go of stuff that's broken or damaged or simply not needed. Compost it.

Seed planting will come soon, it's time to prepare the ground.

The aspect patterns surrounding this Balsamic Moon are complicated, interwoven. Like a cat's cradle, the pattern shifts as we move our hands and look from another angle.

Notice all the planets in the early degrees of signs, connecting the dots:

The Moon at 3 Libra squares Ceres at 3 Cancer and opposed Uranus at 5 Aries, a Cardinal T-square challenging us to find a new balance amid sharply delineated changes.

The same Moon sextiles Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius, who trines Uranus in Aries––let's rethink our philosophies, look with new eyes at the world and find points of creative compromise.

Between the Moon and Mercury sits Saturn at 4 Scorpio, the wizard anchoring one node of this web. He semisextiles Moon and Mercury, and maintains still the Grand Water Trine with Ceres at 3 Cancer, and Chiron at 4 Pisces with Neptune at 0 Pisces. Emotions and intuition flow easily and powerfully, opening doors to insight and growth.

Saturn is inconjunct Uranus, the two rulers of Aquarius, sign of the new age, pushing at each other, challenging each to greater depth (Saturn) and wider revolution (Uranus).

And then there's Pluto, at 7 Capricorn, a big far away from the planets grouped at 3 and 4 perhaps, and yet Pluto's power has a long reach. He squares the Moon and Uranus, opposes Ceres, sextiles Saturn and Chiron, semisextiles Mercury, as if to say it's all, every bit of it, part of a grand movement, and alchemical shift towards ... towards what, eactly?

We don't know. This is not a time for clear sight; it's dark out there. Dark, however is not the same as evil. Darkness brings rest, release, rejuvenation, healing. Venus is in mid Libra, one of her home signs, and she trines Jupiter reflectively retrograde in Gemini. They remind us we're in a time of review that will bring a new flowering.

This is a time to appreciate the creative complexity of the cosmos, realize we can't possibly comprehend it all, and resolutely take the steps before us. Whatever's ready to go, let go of it. It will feel good, and you'll feel lighter afterwards. I promise.
    

New Moon in Libra: Open Mind, Open Heart

dancers in motion

New Moon in Libra
October 15, 2012

Tomorrow's New Moon in Libra is brought to you by peace, harmony and beauty, with additional support provided by creativity, relating and abundance.

Really! This New Moon, arriving at 22 degrees Libra, offers an opening in the spiral of time to reflect on all things wonderful about life, our lives, and the values we cherish and want to expand.

Because this New Moon occurs late in Libra, the Full Moon that will illuminate its seeds falls in Taurus (rather then Aries, the sign opposite Libra, and the sign of last month's Full Moon). It happens that Libra and Taurus are the two signs ruled by Venus, making this goddess the patron saint of this lunar cycle (to mix a few spiritual metaphors). She's a rich goddess whose gifts include the sensual pleasures and beyond, to include the networks of relationship that enfold us.

At each New Moon, we begin again. Entering the dark Moon time, something is released to become fertile ground, and something germinates. I write about this as a time for wishing and intending, for working with the forces surrounding us rather than seeking to impose our conscious will.

Astrologer Dana Gerhardt goes farther into Moon mysteries in acknowledging that sometimes, maybe more often than not, we can't see and don't know what seeds are splitting open at this time, and what might show up in our gardens afterwards. (Find Dana's wonderful writing about the Moon at astro.com and available as ebooks on Dana's website, Mooncircles.)

Dana suggests the New Moon as a time of allowing, and this month's New Moon in Libra invites that approach especially. Underlying the New Moon is a Grand Trine in Water of Saturn in Scorpio, Neptune in Pisces, and Ceres in Cancer. Trines in Water carry us into flows of emotion and intuition. This one links Saturn and Neptune, leading to manifestation. The presence of Scorpio and Pisces lets us know we're in deeply psychic and insightful territory. The goddess Ceres (Demeter) in nurturing Cancer offers protection.

Libra energy reminds me always of the Beauty Way, the prayer of the Diné which says we walk in beauty, beauty before us, beauty behind us, beauty all around. This New Moon surrounded by powerful Water allows us to see, in the dark, the wonder of our one precious life. Even in times of great challenge––sometimes especially in such times––we walk in beauty.

Jupiter the philosopher remains reflectively retrograde in Gemini, widely trine the New Moon, and squaring Venus in careful Virgo. Mercury in deep Scorpio is inconjunct Jupiter and sextile Venus. Edgy connections here, drawing us in to analyze our values, to look beneath the surface of our relationships, to reexamine our ideas of abundance.

The transformative signature of our time, the Pluto–Uranus square, is energized at the New Moon by a trine from Mars in optimistic Sagittarius to Uranus in fiery Aries. When we allow energy to move, change happens easily, visibly, and quickly.

Saturn's move into Scorpio put him in mutual reception with Pluto in Capricorm––they each inhabit each other's signs now, another aid to positive, necessary change.

As always, look to your birth chart to see where this New Moon will fall and what it will touch. These areas of life may be the fertile spots from which new seeds will emerge. Making wishes and setting intentions is worthwhile.

And for this New Moon, add in the "yes, and" of improvisational theater ... let's support the actors on stage with us, and build on their intentions as well as our own. Yes to the Sun and yes to the Moon. Yes to Venus, yes to Saturn, yes even to Uranus and Pluto and the great changes flowing in their wakes. Yes, and yes, and yes again.
    

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!"
    

First Quarter Moon: The Personal is Political

First Quarter Moon: June 26, 2012

In about twelve hours, the Moon will reach her waxing square with the Sun, the First Quarter Moon. This is the monthly challenge between the two luminaries, the core energies of our individual selves.

We started something with the New Moon––are we ready to see it clearly, accept it, work for it? This is a personal decision, based on our own feelings, understandings, commitment.

This First Quarter Moon bumps the personal up against the global, the universal, and the cosmic. This Moon–Sun square joins the Uranus–Pluto square to create a Grand Cross in which the game-changing pattern of our time intersects with individual motivation and action.

In 1969, Carol Hanisch wrote the essay, The Personal is Political, to challenge the idea that women's consciousness raising groups were "just therapy" and "just personal." The "just" label came from people wanting to dismiss the emerging feminist movement as nothing more than gals with not enough to do, sitting around––and from politically active feminists who saw the groups as a sideline and waste of time.

Hanisch says "One of the first things we discover in these groups is that personal problems are political problems." In other words, the things we experience in our lives as obstacles, as threats, as issues all have systemic causes. In today's terms, foreclosures are not caused solely, or even primarily, by individual spending habits.

Her very next sentences are "There are no personal solutions at this time. There is only collective action for a collective solution." Full stop. Really? Wow.

Today's First Quarter Moon brings us face to face with this issue, in the form of a Grand Cross. In our lives right now, where are we looking to personal solutions when collective ones are needed? Where collective action is called for, are we participating or waiting for some group somewhere else to fix it?

Today we're placed squarely in front of ideas from an earlier time: No man is an island, everybody look what's goin' down, you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Where is the line we won't cross, the place we take a stand? Where are we ready to say, we shall not be moved? Think about it.

    

Gibbous Moon: The Ripening Promise

Gibbous Moon: June 1, 2012 (EDT)

Tomorrow very early (overnight, really), the Moon reaches her square-and-a-half with the Sun that marks the Gibbous Moon. What is that word?

A gibbous Moon is a bulging Moon, full but not quite, round but not quite, promising but just a little off to our eye. "Gibbous" is an old word for "hump" or "hunch" and was used for hunchbacks as well as the Moon.

Awkward, then, this Moon. Something we can't look away from and yet don't want to be caught staring at. It pushes at us, wanting to be adjusted.

Sesquiquadrates, the square-and-a-half aspect, are like that. We've made it past the First Quarter challenge, heading for the illumination of the Full Moon, and here comes something else to trip us up.

It doesn't seem fair, and yet all the great stories have this one-more-challenge pattern. This is the falling action, the dénouement. The hero has passed the crisis and all seems resolved, but wait––who is that hiding in the shadow?

At this Gibbous Moon, we find the Moon conjunct Saturn, both in Libra and Saturn (still) retrograde. They sit at the apex of a Finger of the World, as they are sesquiquadrate both the Sun and Chiron, who square each other.

The Sun, conjunct Mercury, Venus and the South Node, also squares Mars, who opposes Chiron. Meanwhile, Neptune and Chiron square the Nodes of the Moon, and Uranus is one degree away from his first exact square to Pluto.

This is looking like the scene in the frontier cantina when everyone has his/her weapons drawn and pointed at everyone else, and no one can move.

Definitely awkward.

light increasing

There's another image of the Gibbous Moon that offers hope. Looking at the almost-full profile of this brightening Moon, we see the profile of a heavily pregnant woman not quite ready to give birth, "big-bellied with the wanton wind," as Shakespeare had it.

This is a delicate time, when we wait with some anxiety, ready to celebrate the coming birth and hoping nothing happens so close to threaten the outcome.

The signs in the sky point to surprises, flashes of energy, and hidden support: the Gibbous Moon flows in trine with Neptune and Venus, and sextiles Pluto. Mars trines Pluto, and Uranus trines the North Node.

At this time, we may feel a strong need to act without being able to see clearly what action will be best. The heady mix of planets standing around this particular cantina suggests action will be needed. It's a good time to stop the cycle of anxious thinking, and tune in to a deeper, more intuitive channel.

As we move toward the powerfully energized Full Moon, careful steps are called for, yet we want to move without anxiety, calling in our intuitive connections, and finding the way.
        

Moon into Libra: Fresh Air

Thursday morning through Saturday morning
Eastern Daylight Time

Thursday, April 5

Ma'at weighs the soul–balance in all things!
©Julie Cuccia-Watts

Moon enters Libra 11:32am
Moon trine Venus (Gemini) 2:41pm
Moon inconjunct Neptune (Pisces) 3:05pm
Moon semisextile Mars (Virgo) 6:08pm
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 7:55pm
Venus (Gemini) square Neptune (Pisces) 9:48pm

Friday, April 6
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 12:00am
Moon sextile the North Node (Sagittarius) 12:11am
Moon square Pluto (Capricorn) 2:52am
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 10:50am
Full Moon in Libra:
Moon opposite Sun (Aries) 3:19pm

Saturday, April 7
Moon inconjunct Mercury (Pisces) 2:06am
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 6:15am
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Scorpio 11:18am

The Moon is poised to move from focused and sometimes anxious Virgo into the balanced, cerebral spaciousness of Libra. This is the sign of tomorrow's Full Moon in Libra, and her first aspect is an easy trine with Venus (Libra's ruler) in Gemini. Beautiful ideas and beautiful words can flow today.

The Air signs––Gemini, Libra and Aquarius––value clarity and perspective. If life has felt murky lately, stuck in swampy emotions or lacking in movement and direction, The Libra Moon and Venus in Gemini bring fresh breezes and shifts in the wind.

Over the next few days, the Libra Moon will form awkward inconjuncts with the Pisces planets: visionary Neptune, healing Chiron, and Mercury still dreaming away in his retrograde shadow. Venus in Gemini will square these same planets over the next week or so, beginning with Neptune today.

The Moon and Venus are also urging the Earth planets forward: Edgy and challenging aspects between the Moon and Mars, Pluto and Jupiter will also happen over the next few days.

Wake up! say the Moon and Venus. Spring is here! Open your eyes. Look around. Feel the wind on your face. Spring is bustin' out all over where I live, with the energy of Air carrying sweet scents as well as loads of pollen. Plants, insects and birds, procreating like crazy and loving every minute.

Of course, challenging aspects between Air and Water can also stir up storms as movements of air carrying different amounts of moisture at different temperatures meet and mix. Yet Libra is a sign of balance and harmony, calming the exuberance of Gemini Venus, and hopefully diminishing more violent movements of air.

self and other in harmony

Libra opposes Aries on the wheel of the zodiac, and so the Moon opposes revolutionary Uranus in Aries today, a prelude to the Moon's opposition with the Sun tomorrow, the Full Moon in Libra.

The Libra–Aries opposition illuminates where we are balancing (or not balancing) honoring ourselves and honoring others, following our own star and taking care of family, friends and community, pursuing our own goals and values while creating just and fair societies.

This is the time of year when Aries is strong: New life emerging, vibrant and fiery, ready to go, to do, to grab, to have. We need this juicy energy, which is the fire of life itself.

The Libra Full Moon reminds us that all life emerges into a context, an ecosystem, a community. No being is an island, and we all depend on the support of those around us to survive. When cultures and ecosystems are in homeostasis, the energy of each supports the needs of all and each of us is thereby strengthened.

The Moon's last aspect in Libra is a conjunction with Saturn, who remains retrograde in this sign of harmony and justice. When we find our balance point, we have the power to manifest our dreams.

The Moon will be void of course for five hours on Saturday morning, a time of rest after the bright light of the Full Moon. While the Moon is in Libra, we raise our eyes above the horizon, sniff the winds, welcome change, and find a new balance within ourselves and our communities.
    

Moon into Libra: But on the Other Hand ...

Thursday night through Sunday (very early) morning
Eastern Standard Time

talking it through

Thursday, March 8
Moon enters Libra 11:50pm

Friday, March 9
Moon inconjunct Neptune (Pisces) 1:57am
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 5:45am
Moon inconjunct Venus (Taurus) 7:03am
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 9:42am
Moon opposite Mercury (Aries) 10:00am
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 1:54pm
Moon square Pluto (Capricorn) 2:53pm
Moon sextile the North Node (Sagittarius) 2:57pm
Moon semisextile Mars (Virgo) 6:02pm

Saturday, March 10
Moon inconjunct Sun (Pisces) 8:49am
Venus (Taurus) sextile Chiron (Pisces) 9:27pm
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 10:09pm
(begin void of course)

Sunday, March 11
Moon enters Scorpio 12:24am

The Moon slips into Libra tonight just before her beautiful coach turns back into a pumpkin––and with the laundry list of challenging aspects the Moon faces on Friday, she may feel like Cinderella indeed. But all is not lost––we're about to discover that the Libra Moon does more than smile and look pretty. Libra keeps an iron fist inside that velvet glove.

Some write-ups of Libra focus on the grace and diplomacy of this cardinal Air sign, and suggest the need to keep everyone happy leads to wishy-washy waffling, people pleasing, and enabling.

"La Discussion politique" by Friant

Friday, we see Libra's other side: This sign has a keen sense of justice, deep need for fairness, and impatience with the easy way out.

To reach the best solution, Libra will stay the course until everyone is on board. Libra is an able, articulate advocate––even for the devil––in the quest to consider every angle and find the right path.

Libra is the yang side of Venus, her direct and active expression. Inside Libra's velvet glove, there's an iron hand. There's a reason why Saturn is exalted in this sign!

All day Friday, the Libra Moon takes on challenge after challenge. The only easy aspects are to the Nodes of the Moon, a signal that sometimes we need to dive into difficult conversations to get someplace important.

Saturday opens with the Libra Moon trying to find a way to connect with the Sun in Pisces––another tough conversation. And then maybe we get a glimmer of what lies beneath the struggle.

Venus in Taurus flows energy with Chiron in Pisces Saturday night. Venus rules Taurus by night, her yin, receptive side. Now we connect with where we've felt wounded and where we find healing, in nurturing, compassion, and rest.

Soon after, the Moon joins Saturn for her last aspect in Libra. Having talked it all out and found peace, solutions can manifest. Maybe we understand things better, embraced a new perspective, created a fresh vision, chosen a different plan.

Sunday begins with the Moon stepping into shadowy Scorpio. During this Libra Moon time, we embrace diplomacy and speak inclusively, while standing firmly for fairness and balance.
   

Moon into Libra: A Dance with Passion

Friday afternoon through Sunday evening
Eastern Standard Time

Friday, February 10

An Offering to Venus

Moon enters Libra 2:53pm
Moon inconjunct Neptune (Pisces) 3:21pm
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 6:37pm
Moon opposite Venus (Aries) 8:25pm
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 9:30pm
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 10:02pm

Saturday, February 11
Moon square Pluto (Capricorn) 5:22am
Moon sextile the North Node (Sagittarius) 8:51am
Venus (Aries) semisextile Jupiter (Taurus) 11:33am
Venus (Aries) semisextile Chiron (Pisces) 5:35pm

Sunday, February 12
Moon semisextile Mars (Virgo) 1:25am
Moon trine Sun (Aquarius) 5:28am
Moon trine Mercury (Aquarius) 12:59pm
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 4:08pm
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Scorpio 5:02pm
Moon trine Neptune (Pisces) 5:36pm
Moon inconjunct Uranus (Aries) 8:55pm

The Moon enters calm, diplomatic Libra this afternoon. After her edgy transit through Virgo these last days, we might be looking forward to some peace and quiet––but don't count on it. Today's Libra Moon is more devil's advocate than people pleaser. Gentle she may be, and diplomatic, but this Moon is prepared to ask uncomfortable questions on the way to a true, honest balance.

Her first touch is an awkward inconjunct with visionary Neptune, followed by challening oppositions to Uranus and Venus, hanging together in fiery Aries. Then comes more awkwardness with Jupiter and Chiron. How can we keep this many balls in the air without a crash?

Classical dancers at Nrityagram

There's a pattern here: Venus weaves her way through many of today's transits. She's a powerful presence in the sky right now, blazing in Aries and close to revolutionary Uranus.

Our creativity might be shooting off new sparks, or we might meet an exciting new partner, or maybe we'll have a flare-up with the current one. One way or another, passion is in the air.

Today, the Moon enters one of Venus' signs, lovely Libra, so everything she does is touched by Venus. Jupiter is in Venus' other sign, Taurus. Venus opposes the Moon today. And the inconjuncts with Neptune and Chiron in Pisces bring in the other creative force in the zodiac.

This is an invitation into a dance of creative passion. The alchemical force of our desires has the power to make and unmake many things, including ourselves. The steps are complex, but who can resist that compelling music? This is flamenco, not a simple waltz. Join the dance!

Tomorrow continues the alchemical path as the Moon squares Pluto and sextiles the North Node. Where are we resisting the path forward? Can we move through it?

Then notice how Venus reprises the Moon's aspects with Jupiter and Chiron. Now the great lady herself is between the two sages, creating edgy semisextiles as if reaching out a hand to each. We're still in this complex and passionate dance, and also given a head's up that Jupiter and Chiron will soon reach their exact sextile––which, interestingly, happens on Valentine's Day. Passionate healing is a definite possibility.

Very early Sunday, the Moon makes an edgy connection with Mars retrograde in Virgo. There's energy here, and a reminder not to move too fast: Mars is very careful these days.

Around dawn, the Moon flows energy in trine with the Sun, then a few hours later with Mercury. Creative communication is clearly supported! Writing, teaching, planning, concept development––all these will be enlivened now.

Then the Moon meets Saturn retrograde. This helps make things real, and also right. Double check your work, find that balance point, because now we're moving on. This is the last Moon aspect in Libra, before she enters Scorpio's shadowy realm an hour later.

This time through Libra, we might miss a sense of peace and calm the Libra Moon sometimes brings. But would we trade quiet for the passionately creative cauldron we're offered here? Connect with your passions, follow the thread into the maze, light a fire, join the dance.
     

Moon into Libra: Finding Flow

Saturday morning through Monday morning
Eastern Standard Time

Saturday, January 14
Venus enters Pisces 12:47am
Moon semisextile Saturn (Libra) 6:46am

painting a thangka

Moon inconjunct Neptune (Aquarius) 7:15am
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Libra 8:28am
Moon inconjunct Venus (Pisces) 9:12am
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 10:13am
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 10:29am
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 12:56pm
Venus (Pisces) sextile Jupiter (Taurus) 9:47pm
Moon square Pluto (Capricorn) 9:50pm

Sunday, January 15
Venus (Pisces) semisextile Uranus (Aries) 12:14am
Moon square Mercury (Capricorn) 2:15am
Moon sextile the North Node (Sagittarius) 5:17am
Moon inconjunct Mars (Virgo) 11:10pm

Monday, January 16
Moon square Sun (Capricorn) 4:07am
Venus (Pisces) conjunct Chiron (Pisces) 6:11am
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 10:00am
Moon trine Neptune (Aquarius) 10:29am
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Scorpio 11:33am
Moon opposite Jupiter (Taurus) 1:34pm
Moon inconjunct Uranus (Aries) 1:40pm
Moon trine Chiron (Pisces) 4:11pm
Moon trine Venus (Pisces) 5:05pm

The Moon entered calm Libra this morning for a day that will call on her diplomatic skills. The Moon's aspects today are edgy: inconjunct Venus, Libra's ruler, as well as Jupiter and Chiron, the sages of the sky; opposite Uranus and square Pluto, the changes agents. And yet, today offers abiding peace as Venus steps into visionary Pisces and flows with Jupiter in sensual Taurus. What do we make of this?

runners

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explores and writes about flow states, times when we experience creative surges, well being, competence, and a feeling of timelessness.

One of the ways we move into flow is to experience the right amount of challenge, a level that calls us to step up without catapulting us into anxiety. Athletes, musicians, visual artists, programmers––all of us––when we do something we love, in a way that engages all our skills and just a bit more, can find that flow state.

Today, with the Moon holding her own against revolutionaries, alchemists, and sages, we might feel challenged to bring out our best. At the same time, the inspiration offered by Venus newly arrived in Pisces, plus the benevolent grace of a flowing aspect between Venus and Jupiter, surround us with a cosmic "yes!"

Sunday's energy continues the sense of edginess as Venus and Uranus seek ways to balance peaceful calm and fiery action. The Libra Moon flows easily with the Sagittarian North Node, ready to discuss concepts and make plans. At the same time, edgy aspects with Mercury and Mars in Earth signs might leave us feeling it's not the right time to act.

weaving

Monday opens with the waning square between the Sun and Moon, the Last Quarter Moon.

We shift from appreciating accomplishments to preparing for the next cycle. We begin thinking about what needs to be composted, what we're ready to release.

Monday morning's Moon aspects make this process of release one of ease and healing. Venus and Chiron meet in Pisces: creativity, harmony, healing, and mentoring aligned.

The Moon joins Saturn, then trines Neptune, allowing for creative manifestation. After an hour void of course, the Moon enters Scorpio's shadowy realms.

This Libra Moon will make it easier for us to feel the peace, abundance, and creative vision that Venus in Pisces can bring to our relationships, finances and creative work. If we also embrace the challenge, we can find ourselves in flow, accomplishing wonderful things with ease.
   

Moon into Libra: Time to Exhale

Sunday morning through Tuesday morning
Eastern Standard Time

Sunday, December 18

Clear Wind, Strong Bamboo

Moon enters Libra 3:06am
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 3:54am
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 4:15am
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 5:22am
Venus (Capricorn) square Saturn (Libra) 9:17am
Moon sextile Mercury (Sagittarius) 12:25pm
Moon square Pluto (Capricorn) 2:46pm

Monday, December 19
Moon semisextile the North Node (Sagittarius) 2:14am
Moon semisextile Mars (Virgo) 7:00am
Venus (Capricorn) semisextile Neptune (Aquarius) 9:52am
Sun (Sagittarius) sextile Saturn (Libra) 11:24am

Tuesday, December 20
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 1:19am
Moon sextile the Sun (Sagittarius) 2:17am
Moon trine Neptune (Aquarius) 3:13am
Moon square Venus (Capricorn) 4:48am
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Scorpio 5:33am

The Moon enters balanced Libra very early Sunday, heading into a series of intriguing transits. Libra is sometimes criticized for being wishy–washy, even codependent, but I prefer to think of Libra as a devil's advocate––the role the Moon will play over the next few days, with diplomacy and grace.

Over the course of the day, the Libra Moon will challenge the big transiting pattern of our time: the Uranus–Pluto square. The Moon will oppose Uranus and square Pluto, challenging these two great forces of change to rethink, reconceptualize and rebalance.

During this same time, the Moon will be at the apex of a yod, also called a finger of fate, with Jupiter and Chiron at the base. This aspect creates a point of focus on the Libra Moon, asking her to balance input from Jupiter the expansive philosopher-sage and Chiron the cosmic wounded healer.

With Uranus opposite the Moon during the yod, the message is clear enough: The way out of our current dilemmas will be original, innovative and revolutionary.

Sunday is also the day Venus and Saturn reach their exact square, another interesting challenge. Generally, a Venus–Saturn square brings limitations and reality checks in relationships, finances and creative endeavors. And yet, looking at the signs involved, we see mutual reception: Venus moves through steady, responsible Capricorn while Saturn happily rests in lovely, creative Libra.

Windy Day by Irina Baldina

With the Moon also in Libra, and a sextile to Mercury thrown in for good measure, we might struggle with but also realize one or more of the following:

• Creative solutions require clear thinking AND focused action.

• Beautiful concepts CAN manifest when we put time and effort into them.

• There is wisdom in the past that can contribute to creating a wonderful future.

Sunday's aspects call for clear Libran thinking, while offering creatively practical breakthroughs.

Monday, the Moon forms semisextiles with the North Node and Mars, and Venus forms a semisextile with Neptune. Semisextiles are classified as minor aspects, sparking a somewhat edgy energy between the planets involved. This combination suggests we might still be processing Sunday's transits, sorting out how to balance detailed action with cosmic vision.

As the day continues, part of the answer begin to emerge. The Sun sextiles Saturn, shining light on our ability to move forward. As Tuesday begins, the Moon joins Saturn, and the Sun sextiles the Moon.

We're reaching the end of a waning lunar cycle. This waning sextile is a time when we can get clear on what we need to let go of. The strong presence of Saturn gives us a tap on the shoulder: Pay attention, take this seriously, clean out whatever needs to go at this end of the cycle and end of the year.

I listened to a wonderful interview yesterday with Dennis Lewis, part of Interviews at the Edge with Tami Simon at Sounds True. Daniel talked about breathing, pointing out that natural breath balances the exhale and the inhale. Yet many of us put more effort into the inhale, trying hard to pull in more air in without releasing the old. This just doesn't work, making us feel we can't get enough air, that there simply isn't enough.

This interview expanded my understanding of a breath workshop I took a few months ago with Cynthia Bretheim, in which she also talked about the importance of balancing our inhale and exhale, the two halves of the breathing cycle. (If you're in the Bloomington area, I recommend this powerful workshop!)

So here we are with the Moon in Libra, the Air sign that values balance, in the waning half of the last lunar cycle of 2011. To what extent are we trying to bring more (and more and more) into our lives without letting go of what's finished? Can we realize with this waning Libra Moon, with the help of Saturn, that the waxing and waning halves of every cycle need to be balanced and equal?

The last two aspects for the Libra Moon are a flowing trine with visionary Neptune, and a challenging square with Venus. Dennis Lewis talked about the fear we can feel as we exhale, the fear of loss. If we really empty our lungs, will there be more air for us? Will this breath be our last? Acknowledging this fear, he suggests we relax into the mystery, letting go without knowing what will come back.

The square to Venus opens a brief void of course period before the Moon steps into the shadowy mysteries of Scorpio. We are challenged to exhale into the darkness. Let it go. Let it be.
    

Moon into Libra: Dancing with the Muses

Sunday evening through Tuesday evening
Eastern Standard Time

Birth of Venus by Lovis Corinth

Sunday, November 20
Moon enters Libra 8:15pm
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 9:25pm
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 9:36pm

Monday, November 21
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 12:11am
Moon trine Pluto (Capricorn) 6:03am
Moon sextile the North Node (Sagittarius) 8:57pm  

Tuesday, November 22
Venus (Sagittarius) sextile Saturn (Libra) 3:18amMoon sextile Mercury (Sagittarius) 4:39am
Sun enters Sagittarius 11:07am
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 12:43pm
Moon sextile Venus (Sagittarius) 1:30pm
Moon trine Neptune (Aquarius) 6:04pm
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Scorpio 8:58pm
Moon trine Chiron (Pisces) 10:06pm
Moon inconjunct Uranus (Aries) 10:11pm

The Moon moves gracefully into Libra this evening, and begins her transit through this Venus-ruled sign of creative grace with calls on her diplomatic skills. The Moon forms an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment with Chiron the mentor, while opposing revolutionary Uranus. Confrontation is not a Libra Moon's first choice, so these contacts will have an air of careful conversation. The Moon reminds powerful forces that all sides need to be considered, and acting out often creates as many problems as it solves. She seeks a middle way.

Monday, the Libra Moon finds her groove. The day opens with an inconjunct with Jupiter. Since the Moon and Jupiter are both in Venusian signs, and each is accomodating and generous, the adjustment here is one in which we're reminded to walk our talk. Simply espousing beautiful ideas is not enough.

The Moon trines Pluto the alchemist, willing to embrace deep change. Over the course of Monday, something may shift for us; something we've been working on might finally slip into place. In the evening, the Moon sextiles the North Node, signalling we're taking steps on our life path.

Mummers Parade in Philadelphia

Tuesday looks to be an upbeat, creative, productive day when everything flows easily. Sagittarian Venus and Libran Saturn form an enlivening sextile––the voice of the muse offering creative inspiration. A sextile between the Moon and Sagittarian Mercury enhances the Venus–Saturn connection, aligning emotions and thoughts with grace and optimism.

Midday, the Sun enters Sagittarius, brilliant shafts of warming sunlight after a month in shadowy Scorpio. Not long after, the Moon conjuncts Saturn and we're ready to act with beauty and harmony. The afternoon continues with the Moon sextiling Venus and trining Neptune––more energy swirling around creative visioning. If you can allow any time at all on Tuesday for creative work, honor the muse and express yourself!

The trine with Neptune opens a three-hour void of course, before the Moon enters intense Scorpio. Now we'll take the bright visions of the Libra Moon bathed in lots of Sagittarian glow, and add depth and shadow. But first, celebrate, explore, open doors and windows, and revel in beauty.
      

Moon into Libra: Negotiating Peace

Monday morning through Wednesday morning
Eastern Daylight Time

The Lady Juggler

Monday, October 24
Moon enters Libra 11:48am
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 1:05pm
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 2:11pm
Moon square Pluto (Capricorn) 8:12pm
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 9:05pm

Tuesday, October 25
Sun (Scorpio) inconjunct Uranus (Aries) 1:58am
Moon trine the South Node (Gemini) 1:59pm
Moon inconjunct Ceres (Pisces) 2:27pm
Moon sextile Mars (Leo) 9:51pm
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 10:03pm

Wednesday, October 26
Mars (Leo) sextile Saturn (Libra) 5:37am
Moon trine Neptune (Aquarius) 8:18am
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Scorpio 11:08am

The Moon enters Libra this morning, a time for calm, harmony and compassion. The Libra Moon heightens our awareness of others––what they think, what they feel, how their experience of the world might be different than ours. This ability to see through other eyes leads to flexibility of thought.

Sometimes Libra's flexibility is criticized as mere wishy-washiness, but in Libra, we realize that in times of great change, flexibility is a strength. The Libra Moon is a diplomat, an able negotiator who can speak truth to power and not only survive, but get everyone together for drinks together afterward.  Today, the Libra Moon might need to call on that skill as she encounters powerful others.

process, Occupy Boston

The Moon's transit through Libra begins with an inconjunct angle with Chiron, calling for adjustments on how we perceive our healing, what we need to learn, and how we mentor others. Maybe some of our old ideas need to be updated.

On the other hand (a fave Libra phrase), some of our new ideas might need adjusting too, as the Libra Moon opposes Uranus in Aries. Maybe the revolutionary trickster is forgetting that others need to be brought along. Maybe we need to rebalance before forging ahead.

Monday night brings a square with Pluto and an inconjunct with Jupiter––more tough meetings for the Libra Moon. As Pluto continues his demolition of what's not working, the Libra Moon asks for peaceful progress. Jupiter likes his philosophical systems to stay in place; the Libra Moon looks for creative ways to finesse a stalemate.

Tuesday opens with an inconjunct between the Sun, newly in shadowy Scorpio, and Uranus in bright Aries. Where are we missing pitfalls that might seem obvious in hindsight? Where is the glare of the new obscuring important, but hidden truths?

Tuesday afternoon, the Moon trines the South Node in Gemini. As we move into the future, we want to bring forward vital skills from the past. How can we creatively connect to past strengths? An inconjunct to Ceres in Pisces reminds us that beautiful ideas (a Libran specialty) need to be informed by deep feelings. The power of the feminine is felt.

Tuesday evening, the Libra Moon triggers a creative connection between Mars and Saturn, the actor and the manifestor, in passionate Leo and harmonious Libra. The Moon first sextiles Mars, then joins Saturn. Wednesday morning, Mars and Saturn reach their exact sextile. This is a time to act on creative ideas, to take concrete steps to make something real. At the very end of this waning lunar cycle, the action we need might be one of release: What can we passionately, creatively say goodbye to, as we dive into the Scorpio New Moon?

The Moon's last aspect in Libra is a trine to visionary Neptune on Wednesday morning that opens a three-hour void of course period. If we can complete our release work with the Mars–Saturn sextile, we can enter the void time with Neptune, meditating on this deep transition of the Moon, and the year.

The Moon enters Scorpio at 11:08am, only a few hours away from the New Moon at 3:56pm