Moon Magick (Part 1)

XXXII. To Selene
(ll. 1-13) “And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Moon. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men.” Homeric Hymn to Selene, translated by Evelyn-White

Mother Moon. From the beginning of human life, we have lived by her rhythms. Each month, she ebbs and flows like the waters of the ocean and, like our emotions, her influence surges and subsides. Astrologers watch the cycles of the moon and predict events based on when she triggers sensitive points in the horoscope. Revered for her influence on magick, shamans and magicians have for eons watched her cycles and used her phases and placements in the signs to work their enchantments. As she travels through the 12 signs of the zodiac each month and completes her cycle around the earth in about 30 days, life changes flavors.

In this two-part article, I will take a look at our Moon and her influence on us, both by the sign she’s transiting and by looking at her eight phases. Today, I’ll be discussing her monthly circuit through the signs of the zodiac. If you don’t have an astrological calendar or other way to know which sign the Moon is in each day, I suggest going to the Cafe Astrology site at http://www.cafeastrology.com/monthlycalendar.html. Click on the link below the calendar for the Moon’s sign and planetary aspects for each day of that month.

When the Moon enters Aries, life speeds up. It increases our energy, and it is a good time to begin new projects and seek new avenues of expression. Take some time for yourself and attempt to be aware of your effect on those around you. This is also a fine time to exercise because you can feel energetic under Aries. Infections may flare up under this influence.

The Taurus Moon is a time of practicality. Aries begins new projects, but Taurus brings stability to them. Anything you don’t find practical will be discarded, and the rhythm of life slows down. Values are important during this 2-½ day period, and the need to be productive is the overriding drive. Taurus is also stubborn, so people will tend to stand their ground during this moon.

Gemini brings a lot of conversation and communication. If you’ve been putting off running a lot of errands, this is the time of month to get it over with. It’s also the time of month to respond to that list of e-mails staring at you that you keep putting off. Check in with the neighbors or contact your extended family. People are in the mood to communicate. Find a good book to read.

Home and those we consider family become the focus under the Cancer Moon. This is a productive time to do some housework or make a special dish that’s usually too much work. You may feel like sticking close to home and spending time with those you’re close with rather than seeking the company of strangers. Cancer retreats to the familiar for comfort.

Under the Leo Moon, find something creative to do. Leo needs to be appreciated, and one way to be appreciated is to put energy into a project that others can enjoy. This is also an excellent time to have some fun, and you may feel like doing a little gambling now. Tell someone how much you care and make a little love during this time.

Virgo is the hangover after the Leo party. All that work you put off the last couple of days is staring you in the face and you need to get it done. This is an excellent period for deciding what needs to be done around the house and clearing that pile of papers off your desk. Efficiency, analysis and discrimination are keywords for this lunar period. Health issues should be paid attention to now.

Relationships need some attention during the Libra transit, and not just your marriage or love partner. Libra is about compromise and creating harmony and balance. Find the middle ground, create a win-win situation and make any ongoing disagreement go away. This is also a nice time to get to know new people because you’ll be feeling sociable and will find others interesting.

Deep emotions are stirred during the Scorpio moon. Secrets come out and sexual urges may be strong. You won’t want any superficial relating now – you want to feel something and will seek out intense people or situations. Shared resources can also become a focus of attention now, so be careful of disagreements regarding money.

Restlessness is the key word under the Sagittarius moon, physical as well as mental. Seek out new ideas or someone to discuss your ideas with. Religion and philosophy may occupy your thoughts today. This is also a good time to start a trip, or plan one. Find something different to do. The downside to this energy is that you may get lost in what you’re doing and forget where you’re supposed to be or what you’re supposed to be doing.

Capricorn is about taking care of business. This is an excellent timeframe in which to start creating structure in your life and to work on the discipline you think you’re lacking. Virgo analyzes, but Capricorn actually gets down to the business of physically organizing things and people. Delegate responsibility by deciding what you must personally handle and what someone else can take care of, which is especially important for those of us who think if we don’t do it, it won’t get done.

Get out and interact with groups and organizations during the Aquarius moon. You will feel sociable in a detached way, and will find the company of others enjoyable. The need for a change is the keyword for this moon, which can easily slip into rebelliousness. Tackling computer issues will come easily now, and science fiction and fantasy can pass the time and ease the restlessness of your mind. You may find yourself exposed to those kinds of things now, even if they normally don’t interest you.

On Wednesday, February 25, the flavor of this month began with the New Moon in Pisces. When the Moon is in Pisces, life gets softer around the edges. This can also be a time when people tend to use their own personal means of escape to shut out the ills of the world, whether that is through an artistic pursuit, meditation, helping others or shutting out the world through the use of alcohol or drugs. This is a good time to visualize your dreams.

Next time, I will write about the eight phases of the Moon (rather than just the four you are probably used to) and discuss how you can consciously use each to your best advantage. Combining the meanings of the Moon in the signs and the Moon in her phases can be employed to manifest what you desire in your life, magickally!

Venus Retrograde in Aries: An Opportunity to Glimpse Your Shadow

(Titian. Venus Anadyomene. c.1520. Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Scotland (on loan from the Duke of Sutherland), Edinburgh, UK)

On March 7, 2009, at 15º of Aries, Venus will begin the retrograde portion of its trip around the Sun and will appear to be moving backward when viewed from Earth. This event occurs about once every 18 months and lasts for approximately 40 days. While retrograde, Venus makes what is called an “inferior conjunction” to the Sun. An inferior conjunction occurs when Venus and the Sun align at the same degree while Venus is closest to the Earth, and on March 27, the inferior conjunction occurs at 7º of Aries. According to Alexander Ruperti in Cycles of Becoming (1978, CRCS Publications, Davis, CA), from the time Venus first transits the degree of the inferior conjunction (February 12, 2009) until it goes direct and conjoins that degree again (April 10, 2009), everyone will all be working on lessons and awareness having to do with how we relate to others and what we value in life. From February 12 until March 7, you will be made aware of ways of relating that have been unconscious, how those unconscious attitudes have interfered with what you desire, and you will have an opportunity for reevaluation in those areas. People from your past may reappear, and current relationships will go through a period of adjustment. Personal values will also be examined and reevaluated. At the inferior conjunction on March 27 at 7º of Aries, a new cycle begins, and you will have an opportunity to strengthen your personal relationships and consciously pursue personal values that don’t involuntarily work against what you are trying to achieve. At the time of the next Sun and Venus superior conjunction, when these two planets meet while Venus is furthest from Earth, the opportunity will exist to assess whether you have been successful in your efforts. The next superior conjunction will occur on January 11, 2010 at 21º of Capricorn.

Venus, when in Aries, is in what astrologers call its “Detriment.” Venus is all about attraction, love, sexuality, beauty, love received from mother, and personal values. When it’s operating in your life, you may meet someone and feel an immediate affinity with him or her. You won’t have to be cool or be someone other than who you are -- you will both just genuinely like each other. Robert Hand (Horoscope Symbols, 1981, Para Research, Inc., Rockport, MA) compares Venus’ power of attraction to gravity or atoms bonding together to create molecules. In Aries, though, Venus is working through a sign that is very self-focused, spontaneous and with a short attention span, so an attraction to another while Venus is in Aries may be full of passion and then burn itself out quickly. People also feel restless when a planet is in Aries, always seeking something new to get into, making this placement not very conducive to the formation of lasting relationships. The urge to be able to do whatever you wish without answering to anyone else is an innate part of Aries energy. Venus is all about keeping the peace and give and take, causing Venus to be uncomfortable in this sign of the pioneer.

If you do meet someone new during this period, give the relationship some time before passing judgment on it. Sometimes people just show up because there’s a lesson you need to learn or an adventure you need to have, and then they disappear as quickly as they appeared. Until April 10, my advice is to just appreciate new relationships for what they are and don’t insist on any commitments, or make any yourself.

Prior to March 7, you have an opportunity to become conscious of what’s in your life that is a value thrust upon you rather than one coming from your heart. After the 7th, you will have a good opportunity to assert yourself and be clear about values that are not true to your own vision. We often value things because everyone else does or the people we care about do, but those values may trouble us on a deep level. The first part of this retrograde period, between February 12 and March 7, is the time when you need to come to grips with values that no longer work for you. As the Sun and Venus move on from the inferior conjunction on March 7, you should make your feelings known about these outdated values, even if you just bring your new values into your personal consciousness.

On April 3, before the conclusion of the Venus/Sun cycle on April 10, Venus and Pluto will be square to one another (90º apart) from the signs Aries to Capricorn. This is the second time this separating square has occurred between these planets, the first being on February 6. There is great stress between the need for personal self-expression and freedom in relationships (Venus in Aries) and the ongoing transformation of what has been taken for granted as the foundation of personal and collective material security and status (Pluto in Capricorn). Relationships founded on a deep bond of love, such that each can give the other space to be who they are, and which are not based solely on material security, will transform and grow stronger through this period. Relationships created around values that don’t include a basic bond of love may fail because the roots supporting them are not strong enough. This square will occur one more time on May 2, after Venus goes direct, and if your relationship is in the grips of crisis after April 3, you will still have an opportunity to communicate your needs and your values to your partner so that adjustments can be made before May 2. Pluto is the destroyer, and if you ignore the stress and the pain hoping that the crisis will pass, you may find yourself alone – Venus in Aries.

This retrograde cycle actually began when Venus crossed 7º of Aries, the degree of the inferior conjunction, on February 12. Between now and April 18, when, for the final time, Venus passes 15º of Aries, the degree of its station, pay attention to your relationships and pay attention to your values. You now have the opportunity to reach into your own depths and cast some light upon your shadow self.

Jupiter is Thinking Outside the Box This Year

Think big. Think optimistic. Think the sky’s the limit. That’s Jupiter, and all that expansive energy is being focused through the sign of Aquarius, the Water Bearer, for all of 2009. Thinking outside the box is a good way to describe the way Aquarius thinks, and with Jupiter in this sign, new solutions to our country’s problems will be pondered and many will be acted upon. The people, rather than corporations, are important now, as Jupiter has finished transiting Capricorn. The large corporate bailouts of the banks took place with Jupiter in Capricorn; now it’s time for the regular people to benefit from Jupiter in Aquarius’ non-discriminatory generosity.

Groups of people with similar interests are governed by Aquarius, and I believe this will be a year when forward thinking people band together for the specific purpose of making changes to the established order. This year, Uranus, the planet that rules Aquarius, is facing off with Saturn, the planet of the status quo (and will continue to do so on and off until 2011), and with the added emphasis of Jupiter passing through Aquarius, this is the year for new ideas to germinate and grow into new movements focused on humanitarian goals.

Jupiter is also the planet of organized religion. Look for established churches to try to become more in synch with modern attitudes, and for churches that are creative and appeal to the mind rather than the emotions to grow larger. Pagan groups, whose members tend to walk their own path with little regard for what they “should” believe, may also see an increate in interest this year, with people actually taking the step to join rather than just lurking in the shadows.

Higher education will be affected too, and I believe colleges and universities, which are very much in competition for students now that it is harder for parents to afford a college education, will create new progressive programs intended to interest the younger generation and draw more students to their campuses. It is now possible to get a degree in Astrology from a university, and interest in that subject should also be very strong this year.

Travel in general has slowed down because of the economy, but with Jupiter in Aquarius, those people who are traveling will want to do something off the beaten path. Educational adventures may see a lot of interest this year, particularly if the destination is somewhere new and fascinating.

Interest in UFOs will probably increase this year, particularly later in the year when Jupiter conjoins Neptune in December. This occurs right before Christmas, making me think that escapism will be a big part of the holiday season this year. Look for an increase in consumption of alcohol and perhaps false optimism leading to spending too much money on electronic gifts. The positive side to a Jupiter/Neptune conjunction is the ability to expand spiritually and for those seeking a peak experience through contact with a higher power, the weeks leading up to Christmas will be conducive to achieving that goal.

I am concerned that revolutionary radical fundamental groups could become dangerous in December with Mars stationing in Leo opposing the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction. My hope is that the conjunction causes them to be overoptimistic and that they miss their mark because of the confusion Neptune creates.

While Jupiter is in Aquarius this year, forward thinking is the key to expansion in the area of life where Jupiter is transiting your horoscope. The downside is being overly optimistic and taking on too much, so being positive mixed with a dose of practicality will allow growth and abundance to enter your life through friends, groups, and your hopes, wishes and dreams.

Pisces in 2009

“I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it.” Thomas Aquinas

Pisces, the final sign before the cycle begins again, is the mutable water sign of the zodiac. She is a being of feeling that is like the water that spills over a damn and fills all the cracks and crevices of the ground or the water that ripples and moves with the wind. All of the universal love of Aquarius is combined with emotional caring, creating the desire in Pisces to help people or animals who are in pain or in need. They are so sensitive that their emotional body changes with the emotional atmosphere of their environment. The greatest lesson for Pisces is to learn the discrimination of her opposite sign, Virgo, and be cautious about extending help so that she doesn’t lose herself in the process of rescuing others. Sometimes Pisces is so sensitive to the needs of others that she shuts down and isolates herself as a self-protective measure. It is important for her to learn at an early age to block out negativity from the people around her, which can make Pisces physically ill. There are several good books on the market about psychic self-defense, and it would be helpful for any Pisces who finds she is having problems when around negative people to learn some of those techniques. One technique for blocking the effects of negativity from others is to just place a piece of plastic wrap over the belly button area under your clothes. Another is to visualize your aura filled with white light, or to visualize yourself surrounded by mirrors and reflect the energy away from you. However, since knowingly causing others ill is bad for your karma, it would probably be best to visualize the negative energy returning to the earth rather than to the person who sent it, as most people who are radiating negative energy are unconscious of that fact. Some Pisces turn to alcohol or drugs to numb themselves to the emotional effects of the negativity around them, but the above techniques are cheaper and easier on the body.

Pisces, like the other mutable signs, now has to deal with the prolonged Saturn/Uranus opposition. People born from approximately March 5 to March 21 will feel this difficult aspect more intensely until Saturn finally leaves Virgo, and the seriousness it brings to Pisces’ lives will taper off at the end of October. For those being affected by the Saturn/Uranus opposition, life is a combination of restriction and rebellion. Duties and health problems can make life seem like it’s slowed down to a crawl with little or no laughter or joy. On the other hand, adding to the stress, situations that Pisces have taken for granted keep changing unexpectedly. Life will begin to lighten up at the end of October, but Uranus will continue to transit Pisces until 2011, moving back and forth between Aries and Pisces beginning this July. The best way to handle Uranian energy is to go with the flow and follow your heart. Pisces is the most psychic of all the signs and is at her best when she trusts herself. You have to realize that the changes are freeing you from stagnant situations and the harder you attempt to hold onto your old ways of doing things, the more stressed out you will become.

On March 16, Mars goes into Pisces until April 22, making a conjunction to Uranus on April 15. This will be a critical period for people born around March 15, with the potential for explosive or rebellious events (arguments, sudden separations from people or jobs, infections, or the sudden desire for freedom from humdrum routine). This conjunction will be felt by everyone in some way, but for Pisces, it will be more intense and more personal.

In the Tarot deck, The Moon is the card associated with Pisces. This card (in the Rider-Waite deck) contains a mysterious pool from which a crayfish is struggling, torn between staying in his comfortable environment or moving into unknown realms of dry land. Two wolves, symbols of instinct, guard the pool of our deepest emotions, and both are looking at the full moon above. Two towers are in the background, guarding the outside world from the unknown. This card is about allowing the mysterious into our lives, but not allowing it to take us over. The element Earth, with its every day duties and realities, and the element Water, the emotional life that we all have within us, join forces in this card, and it is the lesson of Pisces to ground deep emotion so that life isn’t a desert devoid of the profound connections people can only experience when they join together emotionally. To accomplish this, Pisces must move out of her place of comfort and act on her need to be compassionate without causing harm to herself. She is a creature of the water and her symbol is the Fishes, a symbol for the soul. Without emotional connection, the soul of each of us never experiences firsthand that it’s not alone, which, if we let her, is what Pisces will show us. The pool of Pisces’ compassion is limitless, but her ability to protect herself from the disillusionment wrought by those that prey on the feelings of others is not. If you are a Pisces, jump into that mysterious well of emotion and share it with those you love and trust. Your gift to others is through unconditional emotional love, and your lesson is to discriminate so that you do not lose yourself in the process.

Aquarius in 2009

“To achieve the mood of a warrior is not a simple matter. It is a revolution. To regard the lion and the water rats and our fellow men as equals is a magnificent act of a warrior's spirit. It takes power to do that.” Carlos Castaneda

Aquarius, the Water Bearer, is the last fixed sign, this time in Air. The opposite of Leo, Aquarius is about impersonal love as opposed to personal love – a trait that can be confused for being cold and detached. He has a great ability to focus his mind, and he is the first to believe that science fiction can become science fact. Always ahead of his time, he has a reputation for being revolutionary, eccentric and for loving new electronic “toys.” Aquarians have played a large role in my life – my dad was an Aquarian and two of my close friends were Aquarians, one of whom has already passed on. My experience with them was that they were always surrounded by many people – family, friends and acquaintances. My dad had a large family and made friends with everyone – waitresses, co-workers, everyone he had contact with, and he had a smile and a joke for each of them. At home, he wasn’t as jovial all the time, but he always had that warm Leo heart that all Aquarians carry within them. One of my two close Aquarian friends introduced me to the world of fantasy fiction, and he is smart, witty and can become part of any group of people he finds himself among. He has forged a career using his tremendous creative abilities and has attracted a following based on his good taste and style. He, and my dad, always dressed impeccably, both on the conservative side – showing Saturn’s continuing influence on this sign that has been assigned to Uranus in modern times. Another friend, a woman, who passed on about three years ago, lived on the fringes of society from the time she was young, knowing she was gay at a very young age. She never hid it, except perhaps when she was in the service. She also was an impeccable dresser. Her pants, even jeans, always had a precise crease down the center. She was very involved in politics and her vision of the world opened my eyes to possibilities that never occurred to me before we’d have one of our “discussions” about our opposing views on current events. She liked to drink and wherever she’d hang out, everyone was her friend and knew her by name. Even the people in the grocery store knew who she was. Both of these friends had the habit of periodically completely rearranging their home – moving furniture, rehanging pictures, cleaning out closets – without any warning. They needed a change and the easiest way was to move things around in their environment, which is a lot less stressful than actually leaving and living somewhere else. All three were sticklers for organization, another trait from Saturn, and all three were leaders. And none of them would ever get lost in the crowd.

Neptune has been influencing Aquarius since 1998 and will remain in that sign until 2012. Right now, it is affecting those born in the latter part of the sign. Unbridled idealism should be reigned in because if it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Neptune dissolves the ego and that can leave Aquarius confused and disoriented, since this sign naturally has a large ego. Neptune also teaches us that there are higher powers at work in the universe, and this transit to those born in the latter part of Aquarius can get them in touch with a new world view. Creativity soars where Neptune touches the horoscope, allowing us to get in touch with visions of a higher vibration. Spiritual painters are in touch with Neptune when they create their mesmerizing artwork.

Jupiter, the expander, moved into Aquarius in January and will be in that sign almost the entire year, bringing good luck and protection to Aquarians. It can also bring weight gain, so if you are feeling frustrated, find someone to talk to instead of reaching for a bag of chips.

The other major planets, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, are making somewhat stressful aspects to Aquarius – Saturn in Virgo is making an inconjunct (150º), and Uranus in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn are making semi-sextiles (30º), creating tension between two completely different modes of being (inconjunct) and showing unnoticed opportunities between the two planets being aspected (semi-sextile).

The Star, the Tarot card associated with Aquarius, shows a naked woman pouring water out of two pitchers. One pitcher is pouring water onto the ground, the other into a pond. The water from the pitchers represents the balance of the conscious and unconscious mind, and the flow from the pitchers is the easy flow of creativity in Aquarius. Above her, seven small stars and one large star shine in the sky. The large star is the star of insight and healing. When this card appears, it is a beacon of hope, of brighter days to come, of uncontainable optimism. Aquarius contains within himself boundless reservoirs of creativity and intellect. Optimism and love for all of humanity and all living things is what sets Aquarius apart. When Aquarius loses touch with that part of him and becomes self-centered rather than community centered, he should send his mind soaring above the earth to that bright star and regain his perspective, spreading his love to Mother Earth and all who call her home.