The Waning Moon: The Ideal and the Real

which glasses??

Disseminating Moon in Virgo
January 20, 2013
2:34 am EST / 7:34 am GMT

Last Quarter Moon in Scorpio
January 24, 2014
12:29 am EST / 4:29 am GMT

Balsamic Moon in Sagittarius
January 27, 2014
12:12 pm EST / 4:12 pm GMT

New Moon in Aquarius
January 30, 2014
4:39 pm EST / 9:39 pm GMT

I'm hibernating. Not literally, but part of me really wants to say: "... see you in March ..."

It's way cold here for what used to be "normal" and yes, others have it much worse. I have the luxury of working from home in a safe, warm place, and still, my brain moves in slow motion. Sometimes I watch my ideas form on a very slow screen––or maybe they're just defrosting.

As I sat down to write this morning (which I made myself do, knowing I'm already late with this post), I realized my slow-moving state fits the astrological weather (duh!). These weeks from the Full Moon in Cancer to the upcoming New Moon in Aquarius, we're at the interface of mind and body, the idea and the reality, the transition between thinking something up and manifesting it in the physical world.

At the Disseminating Moon on January 20, the Sun stepped into Aquarius, the cool, clear-eyed visionary. No longer in plodding, pragmatic Capricorn, we find ourselves on a mountaintop, the air dazzlingly clear, able to see far horizons on every side.

With Mercury also in Aquarius, grand visions form easily. We might find ourselves dazzled by sparking new thoughts, ready to jump on the latest bandwagon. How wonderful to see it all clearly now. Visions are so intoxicating!

And yet, the most powerful thing happening in the sky right now is Venus retrograde in Capricorn moving inexorably back toward Pluto, opposed by Jupiter retrograde in Cancer moving into a more exact opposition.

Venus, Pluto and Jupiter are keeping us firmly in what is real. With these planets, in these signs, we cannot look away from what is actually happening day-to-day, sometimes moment-to-moment, in our lives. What is working? What is not working? What needs to change?

Tomorrow (January 24) is the Last Quarter Moon in Scorpio. The Sun–Moon square in fixed (read: stubborn) Aquarius and Scorpio will force us to face places where our lovely vision does not square with emotional, psychological, and/or deeper realities.

This is not a bad thing, although it won't always feel comfortable. At this Last Quarter, the Moon flows energy with Neptune, allowing our deepest dreams to come through to enrich our cerebral visions (if we let them). Also, Mars in diplomatic Libra flows energy with clear-sighted Mercury in Aquarius, supporting positive action.

We're being offered the chance, at this time, to think, feel and experience where our visions and our realities are not matching up. It's not about being judged and found wanting. It's about getting essential feedback that will actually support us in reaching big goals.

We can look away if we choose, but we'll miss something important.

What that "something" is will be different for each of us, depending on our birth charts, life choices, where we are in our life cycle––all those things. It could be seeing where a job, workplace, or relationship is not a good fit. It could be realizing we need to commit to THIS and let THAT go.

The Balsamic Moon of January 27 suggests part of the alignment process in this cycle has to do with our beliefs. For this late waning Moon, the Sun continues in visionary Aquarius and the Moon sails through Sagittarius. Sag is optimistic and generous, but also philosophical. One of Sagittarius' failings is being too certain, too wedded to a particular worldview, too confident we've found "the way."

So at this Balsamic Moon, the time of letting go and clearing out, we get the opportunity to see where our ideas don't quite fit what's actually happening. Mercury and Mars continue to support each other in moving easily between thought and action, so things can shift.  The ongoing Venus–Pluto–Jupiter dance keeps the focus on what's really important.

Think of this like a complex piece of music (you choose the style). Venus, Pluto and Jupiter are the bass line, thumping away, keeping us grounded. The Sun, Mercury and Mars bring in a lighter melodic line, something enticing and playful, beautiful imagery. The Moon moves from sign to sign, sometimes focusing on the slow, steady bass, sometimes flying high with the melody.

Both are there, neither is going away, and for the music to work, they need to match. (Unless you've chosen a really dissonant musical style, in which case, you're on your own...)

During any waning cycle, we let go of what doesn't work. During this particular waning cycle, we're at the edge between what we think we know, and what's actually going on. This is a good place to be. Not comfortable, necessarily, but good. Without a reasonable amount of congruence in our sense of where we are now and our vision of where we're headed, progress is unlikely.

The upcoming New Moon will be in Aquarius. At that time, we'll be invited to commit to a new vision, or recommit to our current vision. Now, we have time to check the game plan. Where is our thinking outmoded? Where has reality shifted in a way we need to recognize? Now's the time to let go of old ideas that just don't fit.

Sometimes, changing our thinking is the hardest change to make. The results, though, can be amazing.
    

Full Moon in Cancer: Deep Roots

Roots   Glendalough, Ireland

Full Moon in Cancer
January 15, 2014 11:52 pm EST
January 16, 2014 4:52 am GMT

... Before diving in to explore tomorrow night's rich Full Moon, let me acknowledge I misspoke in my last post in saying this would be a Capricorn Full Moon. It's not, it's in the cozy sign of hearth and home, Cancer. And yet, I wasn't wrong to focus on Cap energy for these last weeks––it's intense, right? It is for me, anyway.

In my time zone, tomorrow's Full Moon arrives at pumpkin time, when the fairytale sparkle disappears and we turn back into who we really are, soot and all. Which is just what this Full Moon is about, in a way––not the magical, ethereal, pie-in-the-sky, but the mundane, everyday reality.

Boooooring, you say? But think about it. It's only when the prince comes to find Cinderella where she really lives that the happy ending happens. This Full Moon is about that part. It's about seeing where we actually are in all its quirkiness and rough edges, and seeing the happy there.

The Full Moon is part of a Grand Cardinal Cross, which means stuff wants to happen. The Sun and Moon opposite (as always at the Full Moon). The Sun is widely conjunct Venus, with Pluto just outside range (but still a presence to be felt). The Moon is conjunct asteroid Lilith and widely conjunct Jupiter. The other sides of the Grand Cross are held by Mars, Vesta and Ceres in Libra, and Eris in Aries.

It's an interesting mix. Capricorn and Cancer are the signs of traditional, the way it's always been done. Venus in Capricorn amps up the traditional vibe, and Jupiter in Cancer makes it all bigger.

We could see this Full Moon as a call to return to traditional values, that (mythical) golden age: "In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were REAL men, women were REAL women, and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were REAL small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri."

... except I couldn't resist putting that Doug Adams quote in, and that tells you there's something more going on with this Full Moon.

Because what are these "traditions" anyway? Aren't they constructions? Yes, it's true, culture itself is a construction but today we're far more influenced by advertising than human (and humane) concerns.

The presence of Pluto, Lilith and Eris challenge us to ask the deeper questions about what's real, and what's important.

The Moon is strong in her home sign of Cancer, brim full of traditional womanhood. And yet, Lilith stands with her, as close as close, challenging us to look beyond apple pie and gingham aprons to the real strength and power of women.

Venus and Mars move toward a perfect square, offering enough switches to confuse even the staunchest traditionalist: Venus in Capricorn, hard-nosed and pragmatic, in a sign thought of as masculine but actually feminine (it's in Earth). Mars in Libra, charming and diplomatic, in a sign leaning toward the feminine but actually masculine (it's in Air).

With all the asteroid asteroid goddesses in the mix, there are so many female role models, all we can do is throw up our hands and say, who are we, really? (And I mean all of we, not only the women we.)

That "who are we, really?" is the illumination of the Full Moon. As always, check your birth chart to see where the Full Moon's light will fall. But consider these questions and maybe take them into your dreaming with you tomorrow night:

Who am I when I'm at home? Who am I when I really need to get something done––when the rubber meets the road? Who am I deep down, when the glamour and the fancy goes away, when the party's over and it's just me with the toothbrush looking in the mirror?

That person, that you deep down, is the one who can bring you (and me and each of us) to the happy ending. Maybe by going out and getting it (Capricorn) or maybe by realizing we already have it at home (Cancer).

Or maybe (probably) a little of both. Wishing you moonlight on your face tomorrow night.
    

The First Cauldron: Traveling with Capricorn

Head of an Old Woman by Jordaens

Crescent Moon in Aquarius
January 4, 2014
10:40 am EST / 3:30 pm GMT

First Quarter Moon in Aries
January 7, 2014,10:39 pm EST
January 8, 2014, 3:30 am GMT

Gibbous Moon in Gemini
January 11, 2014, 8:51 pm EST
January 12, 2014, 1:51 am GMT

Full Moon in Capricorn
January 15, 2014, 11:52 pm EST
January 16, 2014, 4:52 am GMT

We're in the time of Capricorn, an easy link to the archetype of the Father––Father Time, authority, the senex who is the old goat, the one who holds us back, holds us down, and says "no" a lot.

Capricorn's much more complex than that. As Elaine Kalantarian notes in her solstice essay, Capricorn is a feminine sign, a yin energy, and linked with water as well as earth, agriculture as well as 'business' in the modern sense, and the Earth itself.

Indeed, our limited view of Capricorn may well be linked to our separation from the Earth, mythically, spiritually, and (we think) physically. Now, we're traveling in Capricorn territory, facing some of the things we'd rather not: limitations, physicality... you know, the fun stuff.

Today, I am iced in. Not literally––I can open my door and could probably drive if I had to––but there's a snow drift against my front door, they've closed the university for the day, and the wind chill is more Alaska than Southern Indiana. Folks are out of power, and the limits of the physical are very real.

It's a day to appreciate all I have, physically, and I do. This also is part of the Capricorn journey. I have power, made quiche yesterday, have soup in the fridge, and the scent of the fresh lemon I sliced for my morning hot water with lemon was citrus personified––clear, clean, awakening.

I'm also confronting limits in another way, as Blogger isn't wanting to save my work and didn't want me to sign in in the first place. The grid is stretched today, and I need to appreciate that too.

And then, I feel older when it's this cold––stiffer, creakier, more wary of sudden moves. Another Capricorn reminder that helps me appreciate warm sweaters and even warmer baths. Oh, and this hot water with lemon, which also has ginger in it.

Why all this carrying on about Capricorn? Because we're in a strong Capricorn cycle. This year's Capricorn New Moon (on New Year's Day) was in early Cap, so the coming Full Moon is also in Cap. We're meant to be diving deep into this earthy territory now.

The Crescent Moon of January 4 landed on the extra-strong, final degree of Aquarius, asking, what's our vision for the Earth? For our lives? For this day? It'll be transformative, whatever else may happen, we know that much.

Tomorrow's First Quarter Moon is in energized Aries, part of a Cardinal Grand Cross that will push hard for new action. Moon opposite Mars, squaring the Sun, Pluto, Venus and Mercury who are all opposite Jupiter. The definition of "up close and personal"!

And yet, the strong Capricorn vibe will keep our feet on the ground, asking at every step, is this viable? Can it be done? Can we do it? The Aries Moon may feel like charging into the snow; the other energies will be holding out wooly scarves and cups of hot soup.

The Gibbous Moon in Gemini will look for ways around any obstacle. Well, Gemini will go over, under, around, negotiating, wiggling, cutting a deal––anything but straight through. Again, the Capricorn planets will play the heavy, pointing out the things that must be faced.

It's not about holding us back. It's facing the fact of living in a world with structure and form. The physical world, certainly; the spiritual or imaginative world as well––without form, nothing can be perceived, apprehended, worked with. And the very forms that allow this, create limits.

We don't like limits. We need limits. This is the Capricorn paradox. 

Back to the this morning's lemon. Our greatest joys as well as our greatest challenges are inherent in each present moment. I think if I could really, really know this, many of the things that trouble me would fall away. But it's tough. Capricorn is not an easy energy for me.

This Capricornian space feels slow and heavy. Words don't come as easily, ideas take times to tease out. As an Air type, I prefer something more cerebral, less dense.

And yet this earth is our ground, in every sense of those words. That from which actions and thoughts emerge. When I can appreciate that deeply, it feels good. It's something I need to practice accepting and, more than that, loving.

We're all on this journey this month. It's a time to celebrate simple things––food, warmth, friends, our bodies, shelter, song, hugs. The Full Moon will bring illuminations around this, so exploring limits from all sides this month is good.

Here's a way to celebrate Capricorn I learned of recently, I'd like to share: Aleah Chapin's Aunties Project, paintings of women's bodies that set aside the artfully presented so-called ideal in favor of the actual, which is art of a much deeper kind.

This is the Capricorn journey. Here, take this hat ... stay warm.