New Moon in Libra

New Moon in Libra

Libra begins the second half of the zodiac. At the spring equinox, the sun moves into Aries- the sign of the self. At the vernal equinox, the sun moves into Libra- the sign of relationship.

Libra is a sign of justice, and it seeks balance. Deeply aware of its surroundings- Libra seeks to keep the peace in its environment and everyone in it.

Ruled by Venus, Libra is an energy of unification, affirmation, and beauty.

The ruler of today’s New Moon in Libra is Venus. She is in one of her home signs- Libra, making this New Moon especially sweet, generous and charming. The Sun, Moon, Mercury and Venus all in the sign of harmony and beauty bring a strength to this lunar cycle- inviting us to plant a new seed of intention.

What new relationships do you wish to create in your life?

What existing relationships are in need of more balance, harmony, and ease?

Relationships take several forms- not just romantic. This is a moment to evaluate your relationship to money, to what you value, to your friendships and partnerships, and to your creativity.

The most important relationship is your relationship to your self. As you tune in, center yourself, and become clear in who you are, your relationships in turn will reflect that back to you.

New Moon Blessings.

xx

Virgo Season

Virgo Season

The lion has roared. Leo season brought us out of eclipse madness and Mercury retrograde. Last Saturday, Mars led the pack of inner planets to move into Leo’s following sign: Virgo. Venus entered on Wednesday, the 21st, and the Sun entered this morning. Mercury is trailing behind but picking up speed post-retrograde and will move past the Sun, Venus and Mars in the upcoming weeks.

The Sun is at its fullest expression in Leo season, and Virgo season is the transition from the heat of summer into the balance of autumn. On the zodiac wheel, Virgo comes 6th- completing the first half of the circle. The first 6 signs can be understood as more personal energies- Aries- the self, Taurus- boundaries and survival, Gemini- early cognitive development, Cancer- the first experience of emotional attachment, Leo- creative self-expression, and finally Virgo- the energy of our health and well-being.

Virgo teaches us about perception- to see form in the world and to appreciate design, fit and function. Connected to the Earth element, Virgo is practical, useful, and productive. The exacting and focused quality of Virgo brings with it the ability to be extraordinarily efficient, detail-oriented, and accomplished.

Traditionally in astrology, the planetary rulers began at the signs of Cancer and Leo- the Moon ruling Cancer, and the Sun ruling Leo. Beginning and the Sun and moving outward, Mercury’s rulership was assigned to Gemini and Virgo, Venus to Taurus and Libra, Mars to Aries and Scorpio, Jupiter to Sagittarius and Pisces, and finally, Saturn to Capricorn and Aquarius.

The energy of Mercury is fast-paced- it picks up information quickly, communicates, connects and moves in many directions at once. Mercury’s rulership over Gemini is one of curiosity, learning, socializing, and connecting to others. Virgo however, is the applied energy of Mercury into physical form. Virgo is highly analytical, thorough, and useful.

The symbol of the virgin associated with Virgo is a symbol of purity- an innocence of the mind that has yet to be subjected to the full range of human experience, including pain and suffering. Virgo’s duality begins with this concept of innocence. In its detriment, Virgo holds so tightly to the idea of purity and perfection that it begins to isolate. Virgo becomes fixated on details, holds itself and everyone else to unattainable standards. The view of the big picture is lost, and any connection to spirit is severed.

By accepting imperfection and limitation, Virgo stays connected to spirit, and subjects itself to the full range of human emotions. When Virgo allows itself to grieve, to suffer, and to feel pain, it has access to the deepest secrets of spirituality. In its exalted state, Virgo is grounded, yet present and connected to the divine. The birth of spring, the life of summer, the descent into autumn, and the death of winter remind us that life is cyclical- and Virgo embodies this spiritual truth: nothing is permanent. Innocence cannot be protected and safeguarded forever.

Virgo and its opposite sign, Pisces, are both deeply spiritual and creative. Virgo brings spirit into form, and Pisces dissolves form. Virgo differentiates, and Pisces merges. One cannot exist without the other.

To embody the essence of Virgo is to embody the essence of presence: grounded, yet connected to spirit. Virgo is attuned to the moment, and reminds us that we must find a balance between work and rest. It is through presence, sacredness and devotional love that we can fully access the creativity we all have within.

The New Moon in Virgo is just one week away. Stay tuned.

xx

Aquarius Full Moon

Align Your Self, Your Heart, and Your Mind: Full Moon in Aquarius

Every astrological season, the moon wanes to new and waxes to full, bringing the sun and moon into alignment and then into opposition. At the new moon, the sun and moon align- the night sky is dark and we are drawn inwards. At the full moon, the sun and moon are in opposition- illuminating the night sky. Oppositions bring clarity and help us to see things objectively.

The Sun in Leo brings our awareness into the energy of the lion- bold, passionate, and highly creative. Leo is the energy of self-expression. The Moon in Aquarius brings our emotions into a more detached space- where we think and intellectualize our feelings rather than express them outwardly.

Leo is the sign of the individual. Aquarius is the sign of the collective.

Leo is of personal love. Aquarius is conceptual love.

The Sun conjunct Venus in Leo connect who we are with what we desire. When our heart aligns with our center, we can shine brightly and fearlessly. But when our hearts have been broken, the energy of Aquarius can give us the ability to see the heartbreak without becoming consumed by it.

Leo rules the heart and the spine- it is our central axis. Aquarius rules the nervous system- sending messages from the brain to different parts of the body.

This is a time to reconnect: your self with your heart, and your mind with your spirit. It is time to heal your heart and come into alignment.

Leo reminds us of our expansiveness, our generosity and our great capacity to love. Aquarius reminds us that we are all connected to each other, and that our minds have incredible healing power.

Acknowledge the past, see the wound, but don’t allow it to define you. Trust that you are worthy of the purest love- and that you are already healing.

xx

Eclipse Season

Eclipse Season

Twice a year, the lunar cycles take a detour from the usual new and full moons during each zodiacal season and we experience eclipses. A solar eclipse is a new moon- and in certain parts of the world, if you witness a solar eclipse, the light of the sun is eclipsed and there is darkness. Eclipses were thought to be ominous in ancient times, as they disrupted the natural cycle of life. Lunar eclipses occur at full moons- when the moon passes behind the Earth and into its shadow. The sun, earth, and moon all align, and if you watched the lunar eclipse in January- the moon appeared to turn orange.

While the sun moves through Cancer we will experience two eclipses: first, a solar eclipse on Tuesday, July 2 and second, a total lunar eclipse on Tuesday, July 16. Eclipses are thought to be karmic events. While the wheel of the zodiac moves clockwise, the nodal axis- the axis where eclipses occur, moves counterclockwise. In order to move forward, we must also look to the past.

Beginning last year, the eclipse axis shifted from Leo and Aquarius into Cancer and Capricorn. Eclipses stay in a set of signs for about 1.5 years, and therefore it takes about 18 years to move through the entire zodiac.

Eclipses heighten energy and stimulate the areas of life symbolized by the astrological signs they occur in. In the Cancer-Capricorn axis, our focus on our home, family, roots, as well as our career, ambitions, and public life increases. The path of the sun and moon intersect, they eclipse one another. They give us a glimpse of something that was in the shadow- something we may not have been fully aware of before.

On the nodal axis, there is a north node- the direction the moon is ascending towards, and a south node- the place the moon is moving away from. The north node is symbolic of the energy we are needing more of, while the south node is a release of energy. With the north node in Cancer, our need for inclusivity, emotional sensitivity and compassion is highlighted.

The sun and moon will align on Tuesday, July 2- a new moon solar eclipse. New moons bring an inward focus, and in the sign of Cancer, that focus is on our emotional bonds, our family, and where we came from. The ideas or projects that begin at the solar eclipse may take 6 months to come to fruition, but the effects are powerful. This solar eclipse is a time to ask yourself where you feel a sense of belonging. What relationships in your life put you at ease, make you feel comfortable, and give you permission to be yourself? If the place you call home and the people you consider family are not in alignment with a sense of belonging and love, this is an opportunity to shift into a new way of being.

Eclipses can stir up energy and bring unexpected, but sometimes necessary, changes. During the days leading up to the solar eclipse, and through the end of the month, it is important to stay open-minded, flexible, and aware of your emotional reactivity. Cancer can be incredibly defensive and will shut down if it feels threatened. It is not a time to overreact, but instead to clarify and pause before speaking or acting impulsively

In the meantime, Mercury has been in its shadow for a week, and moved into the sign of Leo yesterday. Mercury will continue to slow down for the next week until it stations retrograde and begins to move backwards. Mercury retrograde is an apparent movement backward from our vantage point on Earth, and from July 7-31, it will appear to move from the early degrees of Leo back into the sign of Cancer.

June has been an intense month and has brought up a lot of challenge, frustration and difficulty. July will be a time to review and reprocess what has surfaced the last few weeks.

As we move into the weekend and the moon continues to wane, slow down, practice patience, and avoid engaging in any drama.

More on Mercury retrograde and the rest of eclipse season soon.

xx