Category: Lunar Eclipse

CAPRICORN FULL MOON / SOLAR ECLIPSE - 16 July 2019

7/13/2019

Exact at 10.38pm BST, 5.38pm EDT

Eclipse season is well and truly upon us with this powerful, transforming and potent Full Moon/Eclipse in Capricorn! There could be a high degree of emotional intensity accompanying this Moon, with our emotions rising like the tides and swelling like the waves. Eclipses can bring major endings and beginnings, whereby one chapter ends and another begins. With the North Node currently in Cancer, the theme of this Eclipse season is on us finding a sense of home and belonging and finding our roots. This can, of course, mean uprooting! We are being prompted to contemplate and even make big decisions around what truly nourishes us and what represents home. The last Eclipse, on 2 July, would have started the process off, and this one calls us to bravely face our fears and make a deeper commitment to whatever decisions we made then. This Moon is in Capricorn, after all! Capricorn is the sign of responsibility, commitment, maturity, integrity, discipline and control, so these are all issues and themes that could come up for us during this time.

The Cancer/Capricorn polarity is very much in the spotlight at the moment, with the onus on us all to find some balance between the energy of the two signs. During this 18 month period, from November 2018 until May 2020, we are invited to leave some of the less desirable qualities of Capricorn behind. Do we have a need to maintain a sense of control to feel safe? How are our behaviour and decisions still influenced by our conditioning, or by fear? Do we tend to suppress our emotions rather than allowing others to see we are hurt or in need or help? Do we tend to put up a capable front, holding it all together rather than allowing others to see that we are struggling? How might we allow the sense of responsibility to weigh us down and hold us back? Do we tend to retract, withdraw or put walls up out of fear? Ultimately we are not in control, so holding on too tightly or trying to steer from a place of fear doesn’t allow us to flow in the right direction and can cause us to make the wrong decisions. Likewise, sometimes our sense of duty and responsibility can go too far and cause us to take on more than is healthy for our emotional wellbeing.

The Cancer North Node shows us that we don’t have to shoulder everything on our own and that is ok to admit when we can’t cope or need help. It is far better to share our feelings and risk being a bit vulnerable rather than putting up walls and pushing people away because we are scared. People love to feel needed anyway, and a problem shared is a problem halved! While Capricorn represents societal expectations, our career, outer success and the “rat race”, Cancer invites us to contemplate what we need for our emotional wellbeing; what nourishes us and makes us feel fulfilled and whole on the inside. What is true success in terms of being a human being, when you take societal expectations and pressures out of the equation? Is it measured by the job we do and the things we own, or by the love that surrounds us, our quality of life and our relationships? What is more important to us? Are we supposed to work all the hours of the day and not have enough time to spend with our loved ones? How can we better take care of our needs and nurture ourselves more? Indeed, how might we soften a bit and allow others to take care of us too?

Venus in Cancer is sitting right next to the North Node during this Moon. Eclipses involve the Nodes of the Moon and signify an important time in our destiny, so any planet sitting on the North Node of the Moon will help to pull us forward on the path to our true destiny. This destiny is also linked to the sign and house that hold the North Node in our natal chart, as they represent what our soul yearns for in order to grow in this lifetime. However, we also resist that which we yearn for, as it calls for us to step out of our familiar South Node tendencies and patterns.

With Venus, the planet of love, attraction, beauty and relationship activating the North Node, there is a sense that love will show us the way. Ultimately if we act and make decisions based on love, rather than fear, we are bound to be guided in the right direction. Interestingly enough, Saturn is sitting on the South Node, as is Pluto, making us all too aware of the old patterns that might hold us back from moving forward and keep us bound by fear. It couldn’t be clearer – do we choose fear or love? Do we stay in our old patterns and make decisions from a place of fear and contraction or do we open our hearts and trust that we are being guided in the right direction?

Luckily Neptune is lending a helping hand with a harmonious trine aspect to Venus, which helps us to put our faith and trust in love and go with the flow. Neptune helps us to see past each other’s walls and protective barriers and relate to one another’s true spirit and essence. While Saturn on the South Node could cause us to get stuck in fear, desperately clinging to a rock in the river out of a need to maintain a sense of being in control, Neptune is the water that simply allows us to flow gracefully around whatever obstacles may be in the path until we get to wherever we need to go. And sometimes what looks like a disaster is actually a blessing. We are invited to see the magic, beauty and wonder of life and trust the process, no matter where it may lead us. We are encouraged to open our hearts, let go and see where the flow of the river may take us. Neptune and Venus urge us to surrender and to allow our hearts to show us the way.

It is very interesting that we have Mercury Retrograde at the same time as Eclipse season. While some of us may be experiencing big shifts and changes as a result of the Eclipses, Mercury encourages us to reflect on our process and any decisions we may be making, and to consider all of the implications. We are asked to take a step back and make sure we have all the information we need, dotting our “I”s and crossing our “T”s before Mercury goes direct on 31 July. It is important that we make an effort to be very open and clear in our communication, so that we avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications. When Mercury shifts back into Cancer on Thurs 19 July, we may be prompted to consider the emotional implications of whatever we are currently facing. It is all part of the process, and sometimes it is very important to go back over the same ground in order to solidify things and make sure that we have looked at it all from every angle. There may be something important that we haven’t noticed; a missing piece to the puzzle. Similarly, while Mercury Retrograde can cause delays, often there is a very good reason for it that may reveal itself later as a gift.

The Nodes of the Moon certainly are getting a lot of action at the moment! With Pluto, Saturn and the Moon all straddling the South Node, representing the past and the old, entrenched, familiar patterns, habits and fears, there is a sense of us having no choice but to face ourselves and to see these old patterns exactly as they are. However, we may still find ourselves in their grip if we are not careful. Luckily Venus and the Sun in Cancer are on the other end, next to the North Node, calling us home and helping us to take a leap forward in our destiny. Pluto and the Moon are sitting very close together during this Eclipse, which could bring up some very intense and powerful emotions and compulsions for us to contend with which come from a very deep place inside of us. This has the potential to be a deeply transforming Full Moon and Eclipse, helping us to face some of our more deeply entrenched emotional patterns and confront our greatest fears. Capricorn invites us to commit deeply to the process and to take responsibility for actions and responses from a place of maturity and integrity. The only control we have is over our own response to whatever comes across our path.

Much Love

Amy
Xoxo

Picture: Elbow River Rocks 4 by Madeleine Arnett

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LEO FULL MOON / TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE - 20 / 21 January 2019

1/17/2019

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Exact at 5.16am GMT, 12.16am EST

This is one powerful Full Moon, that’s for sure! It is not only the first Full Moon of the year, in the very first degree of Leo, but it is also a Supermoon and Total Lunar Eclipse! Full Moons have the tendency to bring to the surface whatever has been bubbling away since the New Moon and often play out within our relationships. Supermoons are closer to earth so that they have a stronger effect on our mind, body, emotions and spirit. It is as if they amplify the energy of the Moon. Another term for a Lunar Eclipse is a Blood Moon, because the Moon gradually turns red. Imagine what people must have thought in times gone by when they saw the moon turning red! They might have thought that the Gods were angry, or that is was some kind of powerful omen! Indeed, Lunar Eclipses do tend to be harbingers of change. Something in our lives, both personally and collectively, is coming to an end in order to make way for something else to take its place. Wherever the first degree of Leo and Aquarius falls in our chart could show where we will feel the impact of the transformation. Indeed, if we have any personal planets or angles around the zero degree of the fixed signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius, we will very likely feel this Eclipse most strongly.

The Sun will have just entered individualistic, humanitarian and revolutionary Aquarius as this Full Moon peaks, starting off Aquarius season for us. Directly opposite will be the Moon in strong-willed, creative and playful Leo, and so the onus is for us to find some balance between the two signs rather than veering too far in either direction. Leo encourages us to take charge of our own destiny and creatively actualise our own unique, special purpose. The expression “Follow your bliss” comes from Leo, because if we do what brings us our greatest joy then it is quite likely that we will find fulfilment in life. Aquarius, however, urges us to align that special sense of purpose with a socially relevant need, rather than it being merely self-serving. Leo is the sign of the monarch, and much like the planets revolve around the Sun, Leo can feel like the world revolves around him. Aquarius is the sign of the rebellious revolutionary, who feels quite detached from the mainstream and delights in being different. Leo shows where we tend to be quite heartfelt and subjective, while Aquarius helps us to be objective and somewhat detached.

Questions that might come us during this Moon are: “What makes me unique?”, “Am I afraid to stand out from the crowd?”, “Where do I seek validation from others?”, “What is my greatest joy in life?”, “What is my true purpose in life?”, “Am I making a difference in the world?”, “What trauma is still unresolved in my life?”, “Am I afraid to truly shine my light in the world?”, “Am I insecure or jealous of other people’s talents?”, “Do the people I spend my time with help me to fully express myself?”, “What patterns and behaviours do I still need to let go of in order to grow?”, “Do I dissociate or detach from my body and/or emotions?”, “Am I trying so hard to fit in that I am suppressing who I really am?”, “How can I take the reins and fully take charge of creating the life I so dearly want?”, “Am I merely self-serving or am I contributing to the world?”, “What part might I have to play in making the world a better place to live?”, “Who do I feel intimidated or insecure around?”, “Do I put other people down in order to make myself feel bigger?”, “Do I manipulate others for attention?” “How can I encourage others and make them feel special?”, “Who or what might I need to let go of in my life that is restricting my growth?”, “What is my heart’s true desire?”, “What is holding me back from my vision of my ideal life?”

Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, is a big player in this Moon and is forming a challenging square aspect to the Sun, Moon, Mercury and the Nodes of the Moon. Aside from the fact that we are in Eclipse season, which portends change and transformation, Uranus has a tendency to create sudden upheaval and change in order to release us from stagnation and help us to grow. This can be quite traumatic, but can also force us to be more objective about our lives and liberate us from any patterns or situations that are preventing us from growing. Sudden shocks or surprises, change and upheaval that seems to “happen” to us is usually merely mirroring our own inner need for change and liberation from old patterns that are holding us prisoner. The tarot card that springs to mind as an evocative illustration of the energy of Uranus is The Tower. This card speaks of sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation and awakening. Some amazing epiphanies, realisations and insights could arise during this time, as we are forced to see things from a different perspective and step outside of our comfort zone.

Interestingly enough, the asteroid Pallas Athene is directly opposite Uranus and is also forming an almost exact square to the Nodes of the Moon. Pallas Athene is also known for bringing upheaval, change and sudden wake up calls that lead to a greater understanding of things. Pallas Athene is an a very strong, female goddess and, among other things, she is known for destroying Medusa and completely rejecting her matriarchal roots in favour of male superiority, hence being a catalyst for the transition from the matriarchy to the patriarchy. With the Nodes of the Moon currently in Capricorn and Cancer, the Patriarchy and the Matriarchy, we are seeing the flaws of the patriarchal system all too clearly and are being asked to adopt a more inclusive, gentle, nurturing, tribal and family oriented way of approaching the world. Pallas Athena is an incredibly sharply intelligent female energy who denied her female roots and, by all accounts, allowed the unconscious masculine side to take over and dominate her personality. People with a strong Pallas Athene in their charts tend to identify very much with their fathers and, indeed, are known for having a father complex. This means that they have a tendency to submit to and validate patriarchal power or to absorb and imitate this patriarchal power.

As Pallas Athene is currently square the Nodes of the Moon, it means that her energy is very prominent indeed during this Eclipse season. The South Node in Capricorn, which shows tendencies we need to leave behind in order to grow, represents the patriarchal authority, repression of emotions, suppression of maternal, nurturing instincts and too much focus on control, career and status. The North Node, which shows tendencies we currently need to cultivate in order to evolve, represents the matriarchy, tending to the community and family, nurturing and nourishing one another, allowing our feelings to show, allowing more vulnerability and a greater emphasis on the home and family and honouring our mothers, grandmothers and the wisdom of womanhood in general. We are also being encouraged to heal the collective Mother/Daughter relationship, which has become quite damaged over time. The symbolic energy of Pallas Athene, as shown by this square to the Nodes, is part of what might be blocking this progression.

There are a couple of noteworthy aspects that feel important during this Full Moon/ Eclipse, and both involve Venus, the planet of love and beauty, which represents our relationship to ourselves and others. Venus and Jupiter are joining forces in Sagittarius, which is a beautiful thing! This could expand our heart space and help us to relate to one another in ways that are mutually beneficial. Jupiter is the planet of growth and expansion and is the biggest planet, so he tends to expand the energy of whatever planet he comes into contact with. In this case he is expanding the energy of the planet of love, harmony, beauty and relationship! There is a hopeful feeling about this conjunction, which also brings the potential for meeting people who could be really good for us, helping us to grow and expand our horizons, and vice versa. This aspect will be exact on the 22nd, so the energy is strong during this Eclipse.

Venus and Mars, the cosmic lovers, are also forming a harmonious aspect to one another during this Moon. This is very good for our relationships, as it creates a nice balance between our ability to attract and our capacity to assert ourselves. Venus is yin energy and Mars is yang, and so we should be able to connect with others quite easily and even playfully. If we have been trying to find the courage to approach someone that we like then this would be the time to do it, as Mars gives us a boost of confidence! Likewise, this aspect could help us to be brave enough to tell our partner things that we might usually be too shy to divulge. This is great for meeting new people and also for enjoying the relationships we already have. Both Venus and Mars are in Fire signs at the moment, which lends an enthusiastic, passionate, self-confident and inspirational element to the whole affair! This aspect is exact on Fri 18 January, but will still be present during the Full Moon. These two Venus aspects definitely lighten the atmosphere and provide a considerable amount of hope for this Eclipse.

This Moon certainly feels like is could bring in some changes, both on the internal and external; both personally and collectively. With the next three Full Moons occurring in the first degree of the sign they are in, there is certainly the whiff of new energy coming in. We never know what might be around the corner, as things can so easily change, in the blink of an eye! This Leo Moon should enhance our creativity and help us to not only envision the life we want to live, but also to shape it out of the strength of our own will. We are being asked to follow our greatest joy and to act on our heart’s desires! There certainly is the potential for some shocks and surprises during this Moon, but ultimately this could bring some amazing insight and understanding, as if we will somehow be able to see ourselves and our lives more clearly. The more we resist change the harder it is, so it is better to do the inner work and contemplate what area of our lives is stagnant or stuck and needs some life breathing into it. We all know what it is, but the question is, are we willing to act on our inner knowing and actually instigate change? Or are we just going to wait for it to come along and hit us over the head?!
Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Picture: from Prisma Vision Tarot by James R. Eads

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AQUARIUS FULL MOON / BLOOD MOON / TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE at 4° AQUARIUS - 27 July 2018

7/23/2018

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Exact at 9.20pm BST, 4.20pm EDT

This Blood Moon is the mother of all Full Moons, with such powerful potential to create major shifts in consciousness and to help liberate us from old karma and the patterns that bind us! Eclipses represent a period of significant endings and new beginnings; a turning point, as one chapter ends and another begins. This one, however, feels even more potent because Uranus, the ruler of the Moon and harbinger of change and liberation, is squaring the Sun, Moon, Mars and the Nodal axis. Wherever Uranus is found in our natal chart shows the dynamics that we have chosen to liberate ourselves from in this lifetime, and wherever it is right now shows us in what area of our lives we are experiencing change and transformation at the moment. The last Moon brought a feeling that enough is enough, that it’s time to let go, and as this Moon builds there is a sense that we are being stripped back, peeling back layer after layer of our conditioned selves so that our true, core essence can come shining forth. This process could be extremely painful and unsettling or amazingly exciting and freeing, or all of the above! It is time to wake up to who we really are.

This Moon falls on the Leo/Aquarius axis, with the Moon in Aquarius directly opposing the Sun in its own sign of Leo. The two luminaries are also sitting smack, bang on top of the Nodes of the Moon, hence the total eclipse. The Aquarius Moon is joining forces with Mars and the South Node of the Moon, taking us back to the past and highlighting any old trauma that we might have suppressed, causing a tendency to detach or dissociate from our emotions or to project the old trauma onto people and situations out of a subconscious fear of it happening again. We have all experienced trauma of various types and in various degrees in this and other lifetimes, and if it is left unresolved and undealt with then it tends to play out in the form of emotional patterns and projections, so that we keep recreating the past over and over again, perpetuating the trauma.

This Moon is the chance to get off the hamster wheel. We have an opportunity here to liberate ourselves from old stories and to purge these old, unhealthy patterns and projections, shedding the skins of our past. Like an onion, layer upon layer is being peeled back to reveal our inner core; our true, unique essence. We might experience old, buried memories resurfacing and we could become painfully and acutely aware of the way that our emotional patterns are playing on a loop, creating unhealthy dynamics in our lives and relationships and preventing growth. It is quite like that we are going to have to be brave enough to really confront ourselves and recognise what need to change. This may not easy work; indeed it might be downright uncomfortable, but the rewards will be great.

The purpose of Aquarius is to liberate us from the many layers of parental and societal conditioning that we have received over many lifetimes, revealing our true, unique nature. Uranus is very present right now, helping us to wake up and become more objective about how we have been shaped and moulded and what we need to do to free ourselves from this conditioning. We are encouraged to practice the art of detachment, freeing ourselves from unhealthy attachments and an overactive ego, and recognising any behavioural patterns that are holding us prisoner and preventing further growth.

Aquarius dares to think outside of the box, and to challenge authority and cultural norms. It is the part of us that questions what our parents and society have told us and has the inner strength to be different and stand apart from the mainstream if necessary. Of course there is also a shadow side, which is feeling like an outsider, or feeling ostracised somehow, like we don’t belong. We might be working with that energy right now as well, and could be dealing with the consequences of making the choice to take a different path or stand apart from the crowd.

The North Node is in Leo, with the Sun right next to it, pulling us forward on our path towards growth. Leo encourages us to take our own, unique essence out into the world and to let it shine! If Aquarius helps us to bust out of the mould and individuate, then Leo helps us to take charge of our own special destiny and create the life we want. Leo also helps us to find the path to joy, reclaiming the parts of ourselves that we might have left behind as a result of certain traumatic events in our lives. While Aquarius helps us decondition and liberate ourselves from old patterns, Leo helps us to put that into action and realise our full potential and take charge of our own destiny. This is all a possibility for us at the moment, although with Uranus square the Nodes we could become all too aware of what is blocking us from this joy and creative self-actualisation that we sense is possible. We may have to revisit old, unresolved material that seems to keep replaying in our lives and relationships, keeping us trapped in the past and preventing growth. It is time to wake up, to remember who we really are, to release ourselves from the past, to sever old attachments, to set ourselves free, to let go of these patterns and blocks that seem to keep tripping us up over and over and over again!

We do have some very helpful energy around to help us out with this process. Chiron the Wounded Healer is currently in brave, bold and forthright Aries and is forming a helpful, harmonious aspect to the Sun, Moon, Mars and the Nodes. This will help us to be brave enough to face ourselves honestly and without fear. There is great healing potential here, but we might have to have the courage to confront some pretty uncomfortable material, not to mention old memories coming to the surface and potentially unsettling revelations, realisations and insights. Chiron is also forming a challenging aspect to Saturn at the moment, which again is forcing us to recognise how certain crystalised, rigid or entrenched patterns of behaviour are keeping us prisoner. This combination could cause us to feel quite vulnerable as old wounds are brought to the surface, and could also bring up old grief or feelings of guilt or futility. We might have to confront how our need for control is preventing us from healing. Sometimes we need to just surrender and let the walls come down.

Uranus and Saturn are also forming a positive aspect to one another, which further reinforces the sense that we are currently being given the opportunity to break free from the past and liberate ourselves from old conditioning and restrictive or limiting behavioural patterns. It feels like we have a chance to reinvent ourselves somehow and gently dismantle any structures in our lives that are preventing growth. Uranus is shaking up the status quo while Saturn is helping us to remain relatively stable during the process. We don’t have to completely throw the baby out with the bathwater. We can learn from the past while paving our way for a better future.

And all the while, this beautiful harmonious trine aspect between Neptune and Jupiter is building again, and will be exact on August 18. This brings the faith that ultimately everything is happening for a reason and that somehow it will all work out the way it is supposed to. These two have been dancing with each other since April and can really help us to face our shadows with compassion and forgiveness. This combination brings the potential for amazing spiritual growth and for helping one another in the spirit of unconditional love and acceptance. We all have our struggles and failings and we all have our shadows. Jupiter and Neptune help us to really empathise and find compassion for one another and to see past all of the crap to each other’s true essence. This combination helps is to surrender and let go of resentment, attachment, control and anything we might be holding onto that isn’t serving us anymore. It allows us to find our flow and to be open to synchronicities and helpful omens. It gives us faith and trust that life is unfolding exactly as it is supposed to.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun/Moon midpoint is interesting and poignant, at 5° Taurus: “A widow at an open grave”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The impermanence of all material and social bonds. “All natural compounds decay,” said the Buddha. The most beautiful and enjoyable substance loses its potential energy through continuous actualisations and the principle of integration and form is withdrawn, leaving the Void – “the open grave” that ends all attachments. The Void is the great challenge: What next? One must begin anew, and if possible at a “higher,” more inclusive and universal, less egocentric, level. This symbol may seem negative, yet it opens the door to self-renewal. Beyond the personal attachment rises the possibility of participating in a larger sphere of existence. The possibility rarely manifests itself except, as one is ready to DISCARD THE PAST.”

This symbol again brings the sense of us being somehow stripped back, severing attachments and letting go of the past so that we can begin anew. This surely does feel like an incredibly powerful Full Moon / Eclipse which has the potential to really help us to rid ourselves of old conditioning, purging unhealthy habits and patterns and moving onto the next level of our evolution. This is a fateful time, when we let go of anything that is preventing us from creating the life that reflects our true nature. It’s a time of confrontation, releasing, purging and letting go. People and situations may pass away and new ones may take their place. We could become acutely and uncomfortably aware of our more unhelpful patterns of behaviour. Change is most definitely afoot and we have the potential for some massive shifts, both on an internal and external level, especially if Uranus and the Nodes are prominent in our charts right now. It’s time to let go of who we thought we were supposed to be and to become who we really are. Our cages could be well and truly rattled during this Eclipse season, but it is time. We are ready.

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Painting: Joy of Freedom by Freydoon Rassouli

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LEO FULL MOON / SUPERMOON / TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE - 31 January 2018

1/27/2018

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Exact at 1.26pm GMT, 8.26am EST

This Full Moon is an extremely rare celestial event, as it is a super blood blue moon and also a total Lunar Eclipse! Phew! Supermoons have more of an impact on our mind, body, emotions and spirits than your average moon, as it is closer to earth. This is the first time in 152 years that we have had a supermoon combined with a Lunar Eclipse, so this is rare indeed! Eclipse season is now upon us, which brings the potential for big shifts, helping us to release whatever isn’t serving us and start a new chapter. The reason Eclipses have such a big impact on us is because the Sun and Moon are triggering the nodes of the moon, which represent our destiny. As such, this Full Moon will feel more fateful and will have more of a long term impact on our lives and destiny.

The South Node, by sign and house, represents our past; our familiar patterns and habits; energetic patterns that we have brought from past lives that repeat and play out in our early life. The North Node of the Moon, by sign and house, represents qualities we need to develop in order to evolve and grow. The North Node may feel quite uncomfortable at first and we may resist it, but sooner or later we are urged to take the plunge and embrace its energy so that we have more of a balance between the two nodes. We can either go willingly or something can happen that forces us in that direction! We don’t have to leave the energy South Node behind altogether, as it has helped us to develop some valuable skills, but it does help to let go of any habits or patterns that are holding us back or preventing us from growing. A Lunar Eclipse activates the Nodes and as such it represents a key moment in our destiny and a chance to leave the past behind us so we can move forward to the next level.

The Sun is right next to the South Node in Aquarius during this Full Moon, while the Moon is next to the North Node in Leo. As such, on a collective level we are being asked to find balance between the energy of the two signs, while veering towards developing some Leonine qualities. Over the past month we have had two very intense, emotional moons in the signs of Cancer and Capricorn, which represent our childhood, emotional patterns and parental conditioning. These moons have helped us to clear the decks emotionally, facing up to any emotional patterns or habits that simply don’t work for us anymore. Now we are in Aquarius season and we have a chance to free ourselves from these old, outworn patterns, liberating ourselves from the past and letting go of any limiting stories or beliefs that hold us prisoner and prevent us from moving forward. This is a time of reckoning! The past is the past and now it is time to create a new future and do things differently. We are not these old stories; we are so much more! It’s time to break the loop! Leo and Aquarius help us to detach from our “stuff”, release old baggage and recreate ourselves, paving the way towards a better and brighter future. These last two moons have been very important, as we have been forced to face up to some pretty heavy emotional material, but now it’s time to let it all go and walk towards a place we’ve never been before.

We have a lot of Aquarius energy at the moment, with the Sun, Venus, Juno and the South Node all in this visionary, unconventional, humanitarian sign. Venus is the goddess of love and represents how we relate to ourselves and others. Juno is the goddess of partnership and intimate relationship. Goddess energy seems to be playing a very big part in this Full Moon! The Aquarius energy is asking us to try a different way of being in relationship, releasing ourselves from old patterns of relating and trying something new on for size. Aquarius demands the freedom to be ourselves and encourages fairness and equality. We are being urged to step outside of the box and allow a new way of relating and partnership to emerge which will allow greater freedom of expression, free from our old, patriarchal conditioning. It seems that we are being asked to make the rules up as we go along. We have never been here before. This is unfamiliar territory. The old rules don’t apply.

Interestingly enough, we have another goddess sitting in exactly the same degree as the Leo Moon! Lots of female goddess energy influencing this Eclipse! Ceres, the goddess of nurturing, fertility and motherhood, is helping pull us forward on our path, towards our North Node. In Leo she asks that we nurture creativity, both in ourselves and others. We are encouraged to nurture each other by acknowledging how special and unique we all are and encouraging one another to follow what brings us our greatest joy. A seed is being planted at the moment, representing our hopes for a better future, and it is very important that we tend to it and help it grow. We are currently going through a process, which started in 2008 with Pluto moving into Capricorn, of aligning what we do in the outer world with our true soul purpose. More and more people are finding it hard to get ahead in careers that hold no meaning for them. The Leo North Node will certainly help us along with this process and develop and nurture our own unique purpose! Leo asks that we learn to follow our joy and create the life we want for ourselves, based on Aquarius’s vision, taking control of our own destiny. It is time to allow our true nature to radiate out into the world without holding back! This Eclipse definitely has the potential to help us to shift forward. A new chapter is beginning.

Something to bear in mind, during this Moon, is that Neptune in Pisces is forming a nagging aspect to the Moon, which could make us feel acutely sensitive. Neptune doesn’t know the meaning of boundaries, and so we could find ourselves very emotionally absorbant, taking on other people’s emotions as well as our own. Full Moons are emotional enough as it is, and Neptune’s influence could bring considerable fluctuations in our moods and may even bring some disillusionment or sadness. Ultimately, whatever comes up could be very cleansing, so we should just allow whatever emotions arise in us to express themselves and treat ourselves and others with compassion, empathy and unconditional love, which are Neptune’s superpowers! It is important to be aware that our emotions could run away with us, which might make it hard to recognise what is real and what is illusion. There is definitely the potential for mixed messages and emotional confusion here, as well as deep compassion, emotional sensitivity and empathy. Whatever comes up could really help us to better understand ourselves and our loved ones, as we will see through to their heart rather than their emotional armour and the walls they have erected as protection.

The Sabian symbol for the North Node of the Moon is very hopeful indeed! 15° Leo: “The storm ended, all nature rejoices in brilliant sunshine” which Dane Rudyar describes as “the surge of life and love after a major crisis. How brilliant the light after the long “night of the soul”! The battered, but unconquered consciousness finds itself exalted in the marriage of sunbeams and rising sap. This indeed is “Release” – light and life singing in the cleansed and refreshed mind, flooded for a while by the waters of feeling.” This symbol speaks of “the joy and power of new beginnings”. The ruler of Leo is the Sun, whose symbol, at 12°Aquarius: “* On a vast staircase stand people of different types, graduated upward.” This symbol refers to “the ascending process of evolution of life forms and consciousness. Each person should be aware of the level at which he (or she) stands, even as he strives to move toward a higher one. He should look up for inspiration and examples, while helping the human beings of the next lower to reach up”. This symbol is certainly very hopeful, bringing the sense that this Eclipse can help us to take a step upwards in our growth, even though that might look different for each of us. Onwards and upwards!

This Full Moon/Eclipse certainly has an air of hope about it! Leo and Aquarius represent creativity and new vision, releasing us from old, outworn emotional patterns and conditioning. This year has certainly started off with a bang, as these past couple of moons have put a lot of people through the emotional wringer, but it is all part of the process. It is important to recognise what binds us before we can liberate ourselves from it! There is a sense of trying something new on for size and walking down an unfamiliar, untrodden path. This is the beginning of a new chapter and we are being asked to bravely walk towards our North Node, wherever that falls in our individual chart. Whatever sign and house our North Node is found in is what we are being asked to develop and nurture now. We have a chance for a big leap forward with this special “once in a blue moon” eclipse! Eclipses have 19 year cycles, so whatever occurs around this time will have a resonance with whatever was happening in January 1999. Possibly this is the next phase of something that was developing within us then. Certainly the message of this Moon is full of hope and promise, encouraging us to let go of our old stories, follow our joy and allow ourselves to shine the truth of our being out into the world!

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Picture: Mammatus by Ryan McGinnis

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LEO FULL MOON / LUNAR ECLIPSE - 10 / 11 February 2017

2/9/2017

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LEO FULL MOON/LUNAR ECLIPSE – Sat 11 Feb, exact at 12.32am GMT, Fri 10 Feb, exact at 7.32pm EST.

Well, Eclipse season is upon us, which means that this is not your ordinary, run of the mill Full Moon! Eclipses signify the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one in a certain area of our lives and tend to have a six month span of influence, until the next set of Eclipses come around. They have a deeper impact on our lives because they involve the Nodes of the Moon, otherwise known as the Destiny Line. The South Node represents what we bring into this lifetime in the form of karma, experience, skills, habits and patterns, while the North Node represents skills, attributes, experiences and qualities we need to develop in order to grow and evolve on a soul level. Ideally it is about finding balance; taking what we have learned from the South Node while being brave enough to give the North Node experience a try, even if it feels uncomfortable and unfamiliar! As such, Eclipses can signify a time of letting go of old habits and patterns and embracing new experiences or ways of being. This Eclipse will also have some resonance with whatever was happening 19 years ago, in 1998.

The Sun is currently in humanitarian, visionary and eccentric Aquarius, sitting right opposite the Moon in playful, expressive and creative Leo. The key to the Full Moon is to find a balance between the energy of the two signs rather than veering too far in one direction. Leo rules the heart and encourages us to act on our heart wisdom, getting in touch with the child within and following our joy. In Leo we are able to express all that we are and truly allow ourselves to shine. This Moon brings the potential for unlocking our unique gifts and taking charge of our destiny; actualising ourselves and developing the power of our will. While Leo has a clear sense of having special gifts, Aquarius encourages us to share those gifts so that they align with some kind of social need. While Leo represents the creative principle, Aquarius reminds us that creativity does not come from us, but rather flows through us. It comes from Source. There is certainly a very joyful, playful element to this Moon, whereby we are invited to connect to our hearts and also become aware of how our hearts are connected to other hearts, and indeed to the whole universe. It we practice getting out of our head and into our heart, we won’t be led astray.

There is an amazing geometrical pattern that is being formed by certain planets during this Moon that actually resembles the symbol of the heart chakra! The heart chakra is considered to be a gateway; the bridge or link between the lower, physical chakras and the upper, spiritual chakras. It connects our spirit with our bodies. When we open the heart chakra, or our love centre, we are able to move beyond the limits of our “self” and truly connect with others, our higher “Self” and the whole universe. As such, this Full Moon could also be a gateway to higher consciousness and may bring some kind of heart opening if we are receptive and ready. It certainly seems like the energy of the planets are inviting us to connect with our hearts and by so doing tune into the heartbeat of the universe. One triangle points towards the earth (matter), while the other triangle point towards the heavens (spirit). This is the Star Tetrahedron, or the Merkaba, which is a very powerful symbol that combines spirit and matter in the heart and helps us connect with our higher self.

The planets and luminaries involved in this six-pointed star are the Sun, Saturn, Jupiter, the Moon, the Vertex and Uranus. These are all in Fire and Air signs, so it feels quite dynamic. If you think about fanning the flames of a fire, or how the wind can cause a fire to spread, you really get a picture of enthusiasm, passion, movement and ideas and thoughts “spreading like wild fire”. The players include Jupiter in Libra, who is currently helping us grow through our relationships and helping us to form mutually beneficial, growth-oriented relationships and also the Vertex, which signifies fated events and meeting significant people that could have a big impact on our life. Combine that with the Moon in Leo, who is inviting us to connect with our heart centre, and we have the potential for making heartfelt connections with others that could change our lives in some way. Indeed, something about this Moon has the capacity to move us to another level somehow. As I said, it is a gateway of some description. We have an opportunity to connect to our higher selves and the higher selves of others through the heart.

Uranus in Aries is also part of the star, helping us to wake up and release emotional blocks so that we can indeed open our hearts. He wants us to break free of past conditioning so that we are able to be simply who we are. Not who we have been told we should be. It’s hard to let go of the layers of conditioning that have been piled on us since we have been children and to have the courage to dance to the beat of our own drum. However, when we start listening to our heart and connect to our Higher Self, or God, or the Divine, or whatever you want to call it, all the rules we have grown up with somehow don’t seem to make sense anymore! Uranus invites us to go a little bit crazy and step off the well beaten path a bit. It seems we have an opportunity here for some kind of awakening, connecting with our joy, opening our hearts, joining with others in a loving way and connecting with our truth. Saturn is also involved in this process, making sure we stay grounded in reality and rewarding us for our discipline, faith and commitment to our spiritual path, whatever form that may take. Indeed, some kind of focused spiritual discipline could be very useful during this time to help us to connect to our higher selves.

This Moon is not likely to hit us over the head or give us a massive cosmic kick up the bum, like a Grand Cross or a T-square would! It is much more gentle in nature; it offers such amazingly beautiful potential and possibilities but it is up to us to make the most of it. We are being asked to make a commitment to our hearts, to dare to step outside of our comfort zones, to be willing to let go of old beliefs and be open to who knows what?! The beautiful yet terrifying unknown. This would be a good time to pray, or meditate, or have bodywork done, or dance, shake, sing, paint and allow our true selves to shine!! As the Moon becomes full, so will our hearts, until they burst open with the sheer joy of being alive! If ever I have seen a Moon that asks us to express what is in our hearts, this is the one! We are invited to take a leaf out of Leo’s book and try letting go of our adult inhibitions and let the child in us run the show. The child who follows the path of joy, who squeals with excitement, cries when scared or hurt, loves without reservation and expresses from the heart. This is the gift of Leo.

Much love

Amy
xoxo

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PISCES FULL MOON / LUNAR ECLIPSE - 16 September 2016

9/14/2016

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Exact at 8.05pm BST, 3.05pm EDT

This Full Moon is also a Lunar Eclipse, which continues the theme endings and beginnings on a very deep level. The Solar Eclipse of 2 September involved the North Node of the Moon, which would have helped up to move forward on our journey; to step outside of our comfort zones and make choices to help us grow on a soul level. This Eclipse involves the South Node of the Moon, which represents where we are most comfortable but where we need to move away from in order to evolve and grow. The South Node can often become too comfortable and almost become our Achilles heel. Ultimately it is about finding a balance between the energy of the two signs involved, which in this case is Virgo and Pisces. The emphasis is on the Pisces South Node this time, which asks us to let go of any victim mentality and remember that we have created our own reality through our thoughts and intentions, and that we always have free will.

We create our reality by setting intentions in the form of our hopes, wishes and desires, something that Pisces is very good at. Then, once we have got exactly what we asked for, because the universe does tend to take us literally, we get to use the Virgoan art of discernment to decide whether what we have asked for is actually what we want or need! We are not necessarily stuck with it, even though it is what we thought we wanted! We must remember that we, albeit unconsciously, bring people and situations into our lives in order to teach us something and to grow. While Pisces may make us feel that we are at the mercy of fate or circumstance, Virgo reminds us that we are responsible for what happens to us and still have choices. Situations or people may fall in front of us and have a somewhat fated quality to them, but it is completely up to us to decide whether they are right for us.

The Pisces South Node can also show where we have a tendency to bury our head in the sand and avoid reality. It is so easy to simply see what we want to see, creating a dream reality about a person or situation that is based on what we so dearly want for ourselves rather than who or what they actually are. The Virgo North Node asks that we use our powers of discrimination to look beyond the dream so that we can see what is really there. The Sabian symbol for the North Node, at 12° Virgo, is “After the wedding, the groom snatches the veil away from his bride.” This brings a sense of mysteries being unveiled and being able to see the reality rather than the illusion. It also brings the possibility of relating on a deeper level, having dropped the veil of pretence. There is definitely the sense of letting go of the dream and not only seeing others for who they really are, but also showing our true selves rather than what we would want people to see.

The Moon in sensitive, empathetic and intuitive Pisces is forming aspects to Venus, Mars and Chiron the Wounded Healer during this Moon. Chiron is sitting right next to the Moon, which makes this Full Moon incredibly healing in nature, although it could involve some of our more acute wounds or vulnerabilities rising up to the surface, specifically in the realm of our relationships. Pisces helps us to connect to one another on a very deep level so that we truly see each other’s divinity, our true essence, beyond our ego defences. With Mars and Chiron involved we could find that our core wounds are triggered somewhat, so that we have no choice but to admit them to ourselves and others. It can be incredibly healing to expose ourselves in this way, but can also make us feel very vulnerable. Ultimately, however, showing our more tender, fragile, wounded nature can only help our relationships, because it helps us to “drop the veil” and show who we really are, minus our usual defences.

Mars and Venus are forming a harmonious connection to one another during this Moon, which is very helpful for our intimate relationships, as it helps us to relate in a free and easy manner. They are both, however, forming challenging aspects to the Moon/Chiron conjunction, which mean that we might feel quite sensitive and triggered as our sore spots are prodded and poked! Ouch! It is important not to react defensively, which could happen with feisty Mars squaring the Sun and Moon, but rather to have the courage to be open and honest with ourselves and our loved ones. Mars seems to be asking us to be brave warriors and not be afraid to face the truth in ourselves and others, as painful as it could be. There is such huge potential for healing in this Moon, which can help us to really, truly see each other and also to connect with our true essence. It is quite possible that there will be some form of cleansing and purification process involved here, which could be incredibly cathartic. Uranus is also aspecting Mars and Venus, which could help us to release ourselves from old, stuck, outworn ways of relating. The rules are changing and we are all finding our way in the dark somewhat as we move away from co-dependent relationships towards a more expansive way of relating.

Speaking of which, on Friday 9 September, Jupiter, the planet of growth and expansion, moved out of Virgo into Libra, the sign of relationships. This feels like a very positive shift indeed, as Jupiter can help us to create balance, harmony and joy in our relationships. His presence in this sign will help us to compromise without compromising ourselves and to find a sense of equality in the way we relate to one another. Relationships are a delicate balance between the needs of the two individuals, and Jupiter should help us to find this balance without too much effort. Jupiter in Libra can definitely expand our social circle in a very positive way and helps us to form connections and relationships with people whereby we can really help one another grow and expand, both individually and together.

On 22 September, which is the Autumn Equinox, Mercury stations direct again, having been retrograde since August 30th. In the days before and after he turns direct we must be prepared and aware that miscommunication, misinterpretation and misunderstandings are very possible! During his retrograde period in Virgo, we have had a chance to look within and practice the art of discernment in our lives, so that we are able to make choices that really resonate with us and reflect where we are heading in life. It has been a good time for reflection and retrospection; for going back over the past so we can better understand the present. During this Full Moon Mercury is forming a harmonious aspect to Pluto, the planet of soul and transformation, which brings the potential for some very deep, penetrating conversations that really get to the heart of the matter. This aspect definitely complements the energy of the Full Moon, as it does seem as if we might be forced to confront some emotional truths during this time! Pluto himself is also turning direct on 26 September, meaning that the chance for soul growth and transformation is very strong from the Equinox until the beginning of October.

This Moon surely does have the potential to be quite emotional and also incredibly healing! While Mars may poke and prod and trigger us somewhat, forcing us to face some uncomfortable truths and making us a bit defensive, the Pisces/Chiron conjunction is so very tender and compassionate, which will not only help us to connect in a heartfelt way, but will also help us to find forgiveness for an shortcomings in ourselves and others. Often we are so much harder on ourselves than we are on our loved ones, so finding compassion for ourselves is so very important. There is a definite sense of something being exposed, of the veil of illusion being pulled back and the full extent of who we are being revealed during this Moon. It is better to face the truth rather than just seeing what we want to see, as lovely as the dream may be! On another level, Pisces is the dreamer of dreams and has the daydreams and imaginings, while Virgo can help ground these dreams on the earth plane and make them a reality. What the mind can perceive, the body can achieve! The ultimate gift of a Pisces Moon, however, is unconditional love. The ability to look beyond the wounds, the defences and the human frailties and see the true essence and spirit within. And to love all of it, with no thought of return. We just have to remember to do the same for ourselves!

“Both Light and Shadow are the dance of love” Rumi

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Artwork: Humility and Compassion by Siva Ranganathan

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CAPRICORN FULL MOON / SOLAR ECLIPSE - 16 July 2019

LEO FULL MOON / TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE - 20 / 21 January 2019

AQUARIUS FULL MOON / BLOOD MOON / TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE at 4° AQUARIUS - 27 July 2018

LEO FULL MOON / SUPERMOON / TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE - 31 January 2018

LEO FULL MOON / LUNAR ECLIPSE - 10 / 11 February 2017

PISCES FULL MOON / LUNAR ECLIPSE - 16 September 2016

Amy Bird

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