Winter Solstice 2023
To our ancestors, this period of growing darkness gave way to various rituals and celebrations, honoring the dark and the return of the light. All festivities and rituals were focused around the gradient aspect of light, and ultimately the return of the Sun. Darkness is just one side of the scale, yet it always is light that remains, and this is the beauty in our relationship to solstice.
Mercury’s Reversal
Mercury has stationed retrograde today. Second to Full Moons, Mercury retrogrades are pretty common knowledge.Those of us who even follow astrology loosely know that Mercury retrogrades can affect communication, technology, and transportation. This can show up as a computer failing, cracking the screen of your phone, getting in a car accident, or car not starting.
Not all retrogrades of Mercury will be felt by everyone, as always it is natal chart dependent.
Obscured by Clouds
Full Moon in Gemini, the ruler of this lunation, Mercury is squaring off to Neptune in Pisces. Clarity is hard to access, indecision haunts.
Hunting Old Ghosts
The house of Scorpio is heavily activated all of November. This is the sign of the scorpion, the one who was dispatched to hunt the great hunter, Orion. It was the scorpion who emerged from a deep underground cavern, ordered by Gaia herself, to take down the giant Orion, who boasted he could and would kill all wild beasts that roamed the earth. It was quite a battle, but Scorpius prevailed, eliminating Orion and gaining the intrigued eye of Zeus.
On Monday, November 13, the Sun and Moon meet in the sign of Scorpio, a lunation that is no longer an eclipse, but a very significant new Moon. This new Moon is also sharing the same space with Mars who has only recently opposed Uranus, which has the markings of Orion’s brashness, aggressiveness and ego. It also has notes of explosive courage, sudden creative surges, increased competitiveness, and assertiveness that can quickly transmute into authoritative control. This New Moon will also oppose Uranus, and will quickly be followed a Moon and Mars conjunction, again enticing the warrior to draw swords, hearts and hearths to protect.
Planetary Apothecary: An Eclipsing Opposition
October 28th, we have the final lunar eclipse along the Taurus*Scorpio axis at 5 degrees in Taurus. This will be a partial lunar eclipse, blotting out the full Moon partially, nonetheless potent and important to a nearly 2-year storyline of this specific eclipse cycle.
Bela Lugosi- The Undead
Honoring the forever vampire’s mortal birthday, October 20. For good or bad, I explore Bela Lugosi’s natal planetary placements that may have attributed to the archetypal role of Dracula sinking his teeth in and never letting go.
Casting of Shadows
The two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, are being occulted October 14th, many ancient cultures viewed eclipses as bad omens, fortelling misfortune. Eclipses in general are not ideal spaces for playing around ritually or with magic, but rather more quiet, passive practices like prayer, journaling, and observing are advised. Watching the thoughts that flow in and out, like the wave sets of eclipses, let the ripples bring it into consciousness and just observe it slipping away, do not try to possess it. The etymological root of eclipses in Greek is ekleipsis meaning “the abandonment” or “the downfall.” This is a period of letting go, shedding, and releasing.
Mutual Reception - A Working Relationship
This week we endure two planetary sign changes, October 4th, Mercury moves into the sign of Libra and Venus bids adieu to Leo who has housed her since early June and enters Virgo on the 8th.
There is a hidden strength for the month of October, and that is Venus is in Mercury’s home sign, and Mercury is in Venus’ home sign, the two have mutual reception.
Liberation & Lunation
Full Moon in Aries, ruled by Mars in Libra, warming us up for next month eclipses. Very same day we receive the third and final square between Venus and Uranus. Both transits remind us of our own personal self-worth and desires.
Autumn Equinox Tarot
Currently I am enrolled in Archetypal Tarot School with Marianna Louis, I decided to use the technique my teacher has us currently doing for weekly pulls. The first card represents the conscious material and the second card that crosses represents the unconscious orientation, or repressed wisdom. I applied this pull in honor of the upcoming Autumn Equinox and the Sun’s ingress into Libra, the first card representing the collective consciousness orientation to this equinox and the second represents the collective unconsciousness orientation to the equinox. How are we moving as a collective into autumn consciously, and as a collective, where is the deeper repressed wisdom lie with how we should approach the changing seasons here in the northern hemisphere. Oddly, but not surprising, it aligns with my initial write up of the Autumn Equinox, which can be found here Autumn Equinox.
Libra’s Search for Balance
On September 23rd, 2:50 am EST, the Sun moves from the maiden Virgo into the scales of Libra. This is marked by the autumnal equinox, equal day and night and marks the first day of autumn in the northern hemisphere.
The Silvering of Peter Pan
Currently Mercury in Virgo is retrograde, it began its perceived backward motion August 23 with stationing effects beginning days prior as it hovered around 21 degrees in the sign of the maiden. It will turn direct on September 15th, one day after the New Moon in Virgo.
Personal Education of a Stationing Mercury Retrograde
A personal reflection, and inteneded education, on the stationing of Mercury retrograde. It isn’t always the brick wall of resistance, but can provide overdue information regarding mercurial matters.
Moon-day Musings 8.21.23
An array of transits dance across the sky this week, including Venus taking her place as a morning star and squaring Jupiter, Virgo season kicks off with the ruler, Mercury, stationing retrograde and co-present to Mars’ opposition with Neptune. The week closes with a First Quarter Moon at 0 degrees of Sagittarius.
Leo New Moon
A New Moon in Leo square Uranus, occurring shortly after Venus cazimi, can have you reviewing how you wish to show up in the world. Is a new vision of your representation surfacing? Is the urge to burn off old forms, shed past images, and redesign yourself in an updated fresh way coming through. Is there an internal revolution bubbling inside of you?
Act II-Venus Square Uranus
Curtains are raising on Act II in this triptych transit of liberation. Venus and Uranus square off for a second time on August 9th and then illuminated wisdom shines through on August 13th, when Venus is reborn in her cycle.
Full Moon in Aquarius
The Moon is fully illuminated in Aquarius, backed by multiple planetary transits supporting this new gnosis.
Mercury Enters Virgo
Mercury enters Virgo on the 28th of July and will remain until October 5th. Mercury has now returned to his home sign where he not only has rulership, but also exaltation. In other words, Mercury does very well here, has all the required power to get the mercurial task done.
7.17.23 Moon Tracks
This New Moon in Cancer is more of a clearing the rooms of our heart to make space for potting more sustainable people and activities that nurture our environment.
7.10.23 Moon Tracks
July 10th, many planets make moves across the planetary chessboard. This week’s Moon-day Musings will connect your nervous system to all the subtle and not-so-subtle shifts in the heavens.