Last Quarter Moon: Lords and Ladies of the Dance

The Fifer

Last Quarter Moon in Virgo
November 25, 2013
2:28 pm EST / 7:28 pm GMT

The Sun's moved into happy-go-lucky Sagittarius, gladdening hearts and lightening burdens. It's time for thanks in the United States, and here's hoping we extend it to all, to the those who support invisibly, who carry on with little, and who have been ignored, even forcibly turned out, in the past.

There's an old, old song called the Lord of the Dance, with many versions of lyrics––a song from the old days still vibrant. Now, the Sun is the Lord of the Dance, and we're all invited to join in.

This is not a simplistic dance, mind you ... no "happy happy joy joy" without awareness of what's going on. Instead, the Lord of the Dance says yes to life in all its complexity and suffering, the joy and the pain, the gifts and the losses.

Our response is the key. To look at life and still dance. To see what is, and still sing because, despite the challenges, it's all so wonderfully beautiful.

Today's Last Quarter Moon tips the balance, rounds the corner toward the New Moon in Sagittarius. And while the Sun sounds a happy keynote, the engines of transformation are very much alive.

Three Russian Dancers

Today, the Sun and Moon square each other––the Moon in careful Virgo, gently warning the Sag Sun not to go all grasshopper and find himself with an empty larder come winter.

And the Sun and Moon are both in aspects patterns called the Yod, or Finger of Fate. This is a challenging pattern, an itchy feeling that somethings needs to be adjusted. And so it will be!

The Sun flows easy sextile energy with Ceres and Vesta in Libra, happy to see a bountiful harvest. They are both inconjunct the South Node in Taurus, which creates an awkward sense we might be missing something––a message from the past? Something we haven't completed? Here, Fire and Air are drawn back to Earth, reminded not to become ungrounded.

The Virgo Moon flows easy sextile energy with the shadowy North Node in Scorpio. These two, in Earth and Water, are cautious, wary, checking everything twice. But they are inconjunct Uranus the revolutionary, who says, Get on with it! Get moving! This is Water and Earth sparked by powerful Fire.

It's a dance of the elements. Shifts, movements, ripples and shakings. Sometimes when the ground underfoot begins to move, the best way to keep your balance is to dance.
     

From the Full Moon to the New: Finding "Best Practice"

What is being mirrored?

Disseminating Moon in Cancer
November 21, 2013
11:38 am EST / 4:38 pm GMT

Last Quarter Moon in Virgo
November 25, 2013
2:28 pm EST / 7:28 pm GMT

Balsamic Moon in Libra
November 29, 2013
10:00 am EST / 3:00 pm GMT

New Moon in Sagittarius
December 2, 2013, 7:22 pm EST
December 3, 2013, 12:22 am GMT

This Full Moon has been, for me, a time when time itself seemed to alter. We think of time as linear, discrete, one. second. after. the. other. But we invented that with clocks and computers. How we experience time is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

In the past days, some events seemed to expand and some to contract, some gone by in a flash and some lingering. Always, always with a special emphasis, as if the cosmos were saying, Look how this works! I'e been watching what happens, how I react, respond, and in some mysterious way, anticipate.

Maybe it's been like that for you, too. If so, it could be a relief to hear we're moving firmly into a more practical, action-oriented phase.

Important caveat: We're not out of Scorpio's deep woods yet! The Sun remains in Scorpio for another few days, and throughout this lunar cycle, Saturn, Mercury, and the North Node will also remain.

That ongoing sense of everything having a deeper meaning, something to be noted and learned, will continue. We will have ongoing opportunities to confront our own Shadow material and face our fears. (oh, yay)

AND ... other energies are shifting the key questions away from: What does this mean? What am I supposed to realize about this? toward: What decision needs to be made here? What can be done about this?

We're beginning to look for best practice, a term used in fields from medicine to education to computing to signify what we know works best, so far, based on past experience.

This transition will not feel easy, for many of us, or for some of the issues we're working on. We're now in the waning half of the Moon's cycle, the time when we see the results of the Full Moon's illumination, share achievements, and begin sorting out what goes from what stays.

The Disseminating Moon on November 21 confronts us head on with finding the balance between emotional ties and commitments, and pragmatic reality. The Sun on this day is in the especially strong, possibly merciless, final degree of Scorpio. This Sun will unflinchingly put before us whatever we need to see.

The key aspect pattern at this Disseminating Moon is the opposition between tender, nurturing Cancer and hard-headed Capricorn.

On the Cancerian side, we have the Moon, Jupiter retrograde, and asteroid Lilith. This trio has the power to hold on tight to the past, to what we feel are our emotional commitments and duties, and to the safe and familiar, even if it really isn't.

This Cancerian group also says, Look carefully at what you would discard. There may be gold here, vital aspects of your ancestry, perhaps, or important learnings from the past. And never overlook the value of commitments to family and tribe. Sometimes, that's what gets us through the night.

On the Capricorn side, we have Pluto and Venus. They say, Look, we get it, the past is important––in fact, we agree with you Cancerian folks that traditional values are solid and good. But you can't live in the past all the time. Sometimes the tough decisions need to be made, to cut ties, move on, get it over.

Or perhaps the Capricornian side says to you, It's time to step up and honor your commitments, to take the hard steps to make a cherished dream come true, to go for the goal in a way that celebrates your past and who you are.

If Cancer is stuck, Capricorn pushes for movement. If Cancer is wishy-washy, Capricorn says, get on with it! But when Capricorn is materialistic, Cancer says, there are other values than success in the marketplace. When Capricorn is cold, Cancer says, hey, you need a hug.

That's a lot about Cancer and Capricorn, but the polarity of those two energies remains a key theme throughout this cycle. At the Last Quarter Moon of November 25, Venus in Capricorn and Jupiter in Cancer oppose each other, keeping that conversation going.

rev your engines!

Meanwhile, the Sun has popped into upbeat Sagittarius, with the Moon squaring from careful Virgo. We may be ready to hit the road, but the Moon wants to go over the checklists one more time. Are we really ready? Are we sure about this? OK, then, let's give it a try––but not everything at once! Mars has been transiting Virgo too, so taking small steps at first feels right.

At the Balsamic Moon, the pace picks up. The Moon in Libra squares Jupiter in Cancer, offering ideas, negotiating, and gently pushing toward a new balance. Meanwhile, the Sagittarian Sun trines Uranus in Aries, feeling the fire and ready for anything.

Take the time now to review, to work with the Scorpio energy and the Disseminating Moon to be as sure (as sure as you can be) you've found you're best practice. Balsamic Moons are times of letting go, composting, releasing. When this particular Balsamic arrives on November 29, you could feel ready to just haul it all to the curb and set in on fire.

When the New Moon arrives on December 2, big changes could look really good––why not? we may say, it'll be fun! Sagittarian New Moons are for planting seeds for new journeys, new philosophies, new expansion. This New Moon will trine Uranus and square Chiron, so the "damn the torpedoes" vibe will be high. (I'll post a more in-depth profile of the New Moon closer to the date.)

So, take advantage of the current energy pushing us to look within, examine values, see who we really are. This has not been comfortable, but the work we do now helps find the best practice for moving ahead. Energy is shifting. Now's the time to take one more plunge into the depths.
    

Full Moon in Taurus: Practical Magic

Full Moon at Fugato Island by Hasui Kawase

Full Moon in Taurus
November 17, 2013
5:16 am GMT / 10:16 am EST

Does it feel like this lunar cycle is especially long? It does to me! It seems like forever since I last posted, but when I check the calendar it's all good––I think it's the amount of stuff happening, and the intensity of what we're being asked to absorb.

In our lives and internationally, it's not all bad but it is intense and often confusing. Astrologically, this reflects the ongoing strong Scorpio signature, the strong presence of Pluto (modern ruler of Scorpio) and Uranus (sudden change), and Neptune stationing,  getting ready to turn direct.

For example, catastrophic typhoon Haiyan is an ongoing nightmare for the more than half a million people displaced––homes gone, family lost, nowhere to go. This is a tremendous human tragedy and I urge everyone to do what they can to help. Astrologically, the storm landed under transits that point to extreme events involving wind and water.

As aid pours in, Neptunian confusion interferes. Communication networks are disrupted or destroyed, along with what appears to be organizational and political issues getting in the way. At the same time, the death toll has been revised downward, and aid is arriving in from around the world, reaching at least some of those in need.

On another front, the drug and behavior problems of Toronto's mayor Rob Ford are becoming more and more public. An open secret in some circles for a long time now, it's reached the point where it can't be swept under the rug––transformation, information, dragging what needs to be known into the light, brought to you with the support of Pluto, lots of Scorpio energy, Mercury's retrograde-then-direct, and Neptune (who rules drugs and addiction) stationing direct.

Intense things (again, not all bad) have been coming up for me personally. My Scorpio energy concentrates at my I.C., the bottom of my chart leading into the 4th House of home and family: Yes, events relating to long-standing unresolved problems, information and experiences bringing new insights and perspectives. As always, lots of chances for me to witness my own reactions, learn about myself, and dive into whatever needs to be adjusted.

Phew!

Still life by Ilya Mashkov

But a Taurus Full Moon ... that's all about comfort, and stability, and sensual pleasure, right? Please??

Well ... yes and no. You will not be shocked to hear this Full Moon has its own intensity to offer.

Remember, Full Moons are about illumination, revelation, seeing clearly what may have been hidden.

Taurus is definitely about the physical world, which includes everything that makes our bodies feel good: health, wealth, security, good food, tasty beverages, a warm fire. We are invited to celebrate the Full Moon enjoying all the good things we have.

The wider message of this Full Moon is finding the balance. Seeing where the balance is now, and taking note of where adjustments are needed.

At a Full Taurus Moon, the Sun is in Scorpio, and with Saturn, the North Node and Mercury also in Scorpio, this energy is still strong. The Scorpio–Taurus polarity reflects Jung's personality functions of Sensing and Intuition.

Taurus is ALL about Sensing. If I can see it, taste it, touch it, hear it, it's real. Otherwise, forget about it. Scorpio is all about Intuition: Using our emotional antennae and/or clair senses to see what our ordinary senses cannot.

So, this Full Moon asks us to look at how these arenas are working together (or not). Are we so into the hidden realms we're missing what's right in front of our noses? Are we so focused on the "real world" we won't acknowledge our own or anyone else's feelings? Or are we finding ways to work with our strengths and develop our weaknesses in perception?

Interestingly, the Full Moon is part of a wide-ish but still important Grand Cross. Neptune and the asteroid Pallas Athena will oppose each other and make out-of-sign squares to the Full Moon.

[Let me explain the "out-of-sign" thing because it adds interest to this aspect pattern. Ordinarily, we would expect Aquarius and Leo, the other two fixed signs, to be making squares to a Full Moon in Taurus.

But the Full Moon is in late Taurus and Scorpio, and Neptune and Athena are early in their signs of Pisces and Virgo, close enough by degree to count as a square but, as we say, out of sign. This means we've got all Water and Earth, yin energy, going deep and paying attention.]

Neptune and Athena bring in another Jungian personality function polarity, Thinking and Feeling. Neptune in her home sign of Pisces is awash in intense feelings of all kind. Athena has always been known for her cool head and intellectual acumen.

At this Full Moon, we're really being asked to look at how we take in and process information. This is good to know! It's a really valuable check in, and we'll want to take advantage of the opportunity.

That said, this Full Moon may not be very comfortable. In their different styles, Taurus and Scorpio are very hard-headed, pull-no-punches kinds of energy. As we approach this Full Moon, we're quite likely to find ourselves in situations where we come face to face with what we actually do in taking in and processing information, not what we might like to think we do. This could be reassuring, but will probably have an "ouch" factor.

So, prepare the Taurean treats––your favorite bath salts, that special whiskey you've been waiting to taste, the time with those close friends you don't see often enough––and absolutely enjoy them.

At the same time, keep your antennae up for the messaging around what we do and how we do it. Where are we in denial, painting a rosy picture that's just not accurate? And also, where are we not appreciating ourselves and others? Where can we say, oh! that's really great, how awesome that is?

We've been through a lot and it's not over. We can take some time for real, solid Taurean self care. We can also attend to that information about what's not working. It's all about balance.