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!

Virgo in 2009

“Excellence is in the details. Give attention to the details and excellence will come.” Perry Paxton

Imagine you’re going to a large family reunion organized by your cousin Stephanie, a Virgo. This will be no bring your own food and grab a beer reunion; this will be an organized potluck with each family responsible for a certain food or drink item. The invitations will be neatly prepared and sent out early enough for people to buy discount airfare, the room will be decorated appropriately, and picture taking will be organized so that everyone is in at least one picture. There will be plenty of beer and soft drinks, and when the party is over, the room will be cleaned from top to bottom. Stephanie may be busy all afternoon overlooking details, but she enjoys herself probably more than many of the people who attend. Virgo’s keywords are “I analyze,” and she uses this power to keep her world running smoothly by scrutinizing what needs to be done and when. Work, service and organization are what make Virgo hum. On the other hand, since most people aren’t as meticulous as Virgo, she can become critical and hound others because her vision of how things should be is not manifesting. In some cases, a Virgo gets so caught up in the details that she just throws up her hands and lets things be as they are. She can’t, so to speak, see the forest for the trees, and that’s the reason that some Virgo homes look disorganized. Inside, though, she knows where everything is or should be, but the chaos keeps her in a state of anxiety, which can cause her health issues.

For people born between about the 7th and 22nd of August, life will hold many challenges this year. Saturn is moving through the last half of Virgo, and the actions of authority figures may impose restrictions on Virgo and force her to handle responsibilities and unfinished business that appear difficult. Health issues can also be a concern. Adding to this stress, Uranus is opposed to Saturn (180º) and changes that are forced on her will be unexpected and life altering. Unlike Leo, Virgo is mutable air, so change is somewhat less traumatic. Once Virgo understands that what is occurring involves her destiny and stops fighting against it, the way becomes clearer and she will organize a plan of action to resolve the issues and put her life back on an organized path.

Pluto, which has just entered Capricorn, is making an easy trine (120º) to people born at the very beginning of Virgo. This should bring ease in making career changes, and perhaps a promotion. Certainly, powerful changes in status, in the way in which she performs tasks and work responsibilities, and her approach to handling health issues will have a transformative effect on early Virgos. These shouldn’t be painful or debilitating unless the natal chart has a very strong sensitivity to things Plutonian. Pluto moves slowly and all Virgos will experience this energy at some time in the next 14 years as Pluto remains in Capricorn until 2023. The lesson is about the handling of power, and every Virgo will learn to incorporate more power into her life.

The Hermit is Virgo’s tarot card. The picture is of a man in a hooded robe leaning on a large staff standing at the summit of a mountain. He is holding up a lantern as he looks down the mountain. He represents a person who has reached a level of knowledge that sets him apart from his peers, but he stops and shines his light so that others may follow in his footsteps. I always see him as an expert in his field who has few others with whom he can communicate because of the level of his knowledge, but instead of leaving others behind, he invites them to share in his knowledge. In a Tarot spread, the Hermit indicates the need for solitude, for careful planning, and for the removal of the self from the noise and chaos of the world so that before the next step on the path is taken, it can be contemplated. Prudence and discretion are necessary before continuing on the path of self-realization. When times become difficult for Virgo, she must seek within and use the wealth of knowledge she has accumulated to carefully plan, in detail, how to move forward into her future.