A full Moon Week: Wolf Moon in Cancer

Embracing the Full Moon: A Time for Release and Reflection

The full moon is a powerful moment for release and letting go—marking the completion of a cycle. This full moon is particularly influenced by a trine between the Sun and Uranus. While Cancer embodies a watery, emotional, and nurturing energy, this Sun in Capricorn trine with Uranus brings an exciting twist. We may find ourselves experiencing schedule changes, interesting invitations, and new opportunities. It’s an ideal time to open our minds, explore new places, and try things that push us outside our comfort zones.

Cancer encourages us to nurture ourselves, our families, and our home life, while Capricorn ignites our ambitions in the outside world. This polarity invites us to find a balance between these desires and actions.

This Tuesday, we may feel some impulsivity in the air, especially with a bit of friction between Venus and Jupiter this week. It’s a time when we might exaggerate our feelings or find ourselves confused about our passions. However, if we channel this energy wisely, it can lead to new ideas about love, pleasure, abundance, and financial opportunities.

Since this full moon aligns with a retrograde Mars, we might experience some buried tension and unrest bubbling to the surface. While we may feel motivated to make changes, we might also struggle with a lack of direction. It’s okay to sit with these feelings for a while—the answers often come in the days following the heightened energy of the full moon. Tune in to your emotions and your goals. Remember, our feelings can serve as valuable messengers, but we don’t want to be ruled by them. Stay open to possibilities. If fear arises, that’s a normal response to sensing big changes ahead—embracing your fear can be the first step in moving beyond your comfort zone.

This week, Mercury continues its journey in Capricorn, aligning with the Sun. This alignment encourages a more methodical approach, focusing on practical matters where logic often takes precedence over emotion. Meanwhile, Venus in romantic and emotional Pisces invites us to be mindful of our boundaries, as we may be more susceptible to idealizing people, places, and experiences. While this is a beautiful time for creativity, art, and inspiration, we must remain discerning. Thankfully, with both Mercury and the Sun in logical Capricorn, we can find a grounding balance.

By the weekend, Saturn will harmoniously connect with Venus, bringing stability and a sense of safety back into our relationships after a period of feeling shaky or ungrounded since the full moon.

This week is great for:

- Releasing outdated beliefs that hold you back

- Exploring new ways to love yourself and others, focusing on self-care, romance, and relationships

- Acknowledging intense emotions while practicing restraint in our reactions

- Paying attention to your dreams—they hold valuable insights for you this week. Consider journaling about your daytime feelings and nighttime visions.

- Reviewing your budget and financial matters—are there areas where money seems to be draining, such as automated subscriptions or overspending habits?

Let’s honor this full moon together, embracing the opportunities for growth and connection that it brings!

PS:This Friday, January 17, 2025,  let’s celebrate the magic of the moon cycle together as a community. We might even step outside our comfort zones and MOVE our bodies! I recently read about the importance of movement for our digestion, immune system, and mental health—essentially, everything improves when we engage in physical activity.

As winter sets in, our activity levels often decrease. The shorter days and cozy evenings can tempt us to snuggle up on the couch with a warm dinner and Netflix. And that’s perfectly okay! But let’s also consider boosting our endorphins and uplifting our spirits by gathering with other women. What better way to connect than by learning about the moon together?

When: Friday, January 17 at 7 p.m.

Where: Journey Yoga Studio, 424 N 10th St, Richmond, IN 47374

Cost: $28

Wear comfy clothes, we’re going to be sitting, moving and dancing!

Bring your journal and a water bottle xo

Link for signup:

https://wix.to/Sz2yyqr  

Sagittarius New Moon December 1

My favorite New Moon sign of the year. Sagittarius. Ruled by Jupiter, the Sagittarius vibe reminds us of the big picture, our destiny, our beliefs, our truth, and authenticity - and asks us to expand the current version of ourselves.

We are prompted to take risks and make choices that guide us toward our true north.

Mercury is retrograde now - how does this affect the new moon?

I believe this retrograde is a blessing during the Sagittarius new moon. This is because Sagittarius asks us to have a grand vision, not to get wrapped up in all of the tiny details - not yet.

Now is our time to dare to dream - and Mercury retrograde can’t touch that part of our deep soul. Mercury retrograde affects the details, the logical thinking brain. While we do need this part of our logical mind to put dreams into action, Mercury retrograde here asks us to sit in our dreams for a bit. Send them out into the universe, feel them, believe them. Fantasize. Hope. Grow in faith.

But there’s another retrograde in full swing - and that’s Jupiter itself. Jupiter goes retrograde every year - for four months. Nature has this beautiful balance - 8 months of expansion, and four months of review. This is a powerful time. While Mercury Retrograde brings communication snags, problems with technology and information sharing, Jupiter retrograde does not have the same negative effects. We are given grace and time to make necessary adjustments before the direct period begins again - this time in early February 2025.

Jupiter’s retrograde is Oct 9 to Feb. 4, 2025. During this time, we reflect on our spiritual beliefs, our morals, and personal philosophy - this is  ‘going inward’ of Jupiter’s energy. It doesn’t mean we won’t be dreaming and growing, but it does mean we may look deeper into ourselves as we go through that journey. We may feel drawn more to meditation or journaling, or analyzing our childhood - how we were brought up regarding spiritual beliefs and values. How are we different and how are we changing?

This doesn’t mean life stops or that you stop growing and living! Rather we’re granted energetic space to take some pause and check in with ourselves, our beliefs, and our life vision. 

Where are you headed?

Is anything going off track that needs adjustment?

How would you like 2025 to feel different?

Can you invest more time now in your spiritual well-being - filling up your energetic tank?

This is a re-fueling time for Jupiter’s forward motion in later winter.

The Sagittarius New Moon is the grand opening to the holiday season, blessing us with some fire energy (a welcome change from the watery, emotional energy of Scorpio) and helps us move forward. Think of the Archer, the symbol and archetype of Sagittarius. Always aiming forward.

Jupiter asks us to expand our curiosity and desire to learn, grow and evolve. 

Jupiter can also help expand our waistline! Yes, Jupiter expands everything it touches, and we may tend to overdo, overeat and overspend! Funny how that always hits us during the holiday season! The less we overdo, the less we have to over-correct in Capricorn season, post-Christmas.

Too much growth too fast can exhaust our nervous system. Too much travel, too much eating, too much of anything -  is often just - too much! So even though Jupiter is expansive, it can be exhausting if we are un-anchored, un-grounded, or expanding too quickly (relationships, businesses, etc)

The retrograde gives us time to be present, to enjoy what and who is with us now. This New Moon ushers in Sagittarius energy -  this is about 3-4 weeks of fun, bigger vision, some bigger spending - (we’re buying gifts right now, hello!)- generosity of spirit and joy. Everything has its season, so revel in the fun, food, and festivities. Just give yourself time to be alone, to be quiet, and to reflect. Maybe it’s time to pay more attention to your spiritual practice and spiritual gifts or to think about what you value most in life, where your time and energy are being spent - and what this holiday season means to you.

In the midst of it all, remember to dream and envision your next chapters. It won’t be long before we’re the New Year and the magic we want to manifest in 2025.

The SuperBlue Aquarius Moon August 19, 2024

Welcome to the SuperMoon/Blue Moon Full Moon in Aquarius: The Sturgeon Moon🌕

Themes:

• Tribe

• Social Connections & Group Dynamics (including family)

• Communication

• Boundaries

• Individuality

• Freedom

• Art, Personal Expression

Opposes Sun and Mercury Retrograde in Leo

Blue Moon (extra full moon in a season)

Super Moon (Moon rises in at the closest point in its orbit to Earth)

This Aquarius moon is a hard-hitter because it’s super magnified AND it hits directly at the most personal points and opposing areas of our charts - Aquarius (the individual, the freedom-fighter) and Leo (the heart, the leader, the artist)

We’re trying to find the best path back to ourselves. We’re trying to be as honest with ourselves as we can. We’re trying to find our way out of shadow and into light.

And that’s a bumpy ride.

There are so many rewards past these few bumps. There may be secrets revealed, conflicts, and big realizations of truth.

This could be inside of us, or outside. Maybe it’s something we need to release. Something that needs a closer look. Something that has outstayed its welcome.

This Aquariun moon opposing Leo is a powerfully creative time. Listen to music. Daydream. Ideas will come to you. Dreams, fantasies - your wishes for what could be. Pay attention - but don’t try to harness them, not yet. Just allow the flow. Aquarius energy is all about allowing the brilliance without trying to control or capture it. Create without an end goal.

Music is very healing and centering at this time - and will help channel anxiety into creativity.

Put your headphones on and listen to music you don’t usually listen to.  I’m sharing a playlist that I’ve been playing during this full moon that has been not only inspirational, but has been grounding and heart-centering.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1E4s3fGwG6yzEP?si=5b457597bab344a6

Move. Move your body, move your hips. Do some heart-opening exercises or yoga positions to move this energy.

Those who have the hardest times during full moons are ones who need to have control. And that’s a lot of us. Most of us.

Ask yourself:

What’s the worst thing that could happen if I give up control?

What if giving up control is the answer?

What if doing what I can, then letting go and loving myself - is the thing that will bring me peace?

I’d like to share a poem with you by Maya Angelou. called ‘Prayer’.

Note the beautiful way she addresses The Creator - who has many names and identities.

Feel the release of restriction and burden from your heart and body when you read this poem to yourself or out loud.

’Father, Mother, God, thank You for Your presence during the hard and mean days. For then we have You to lean upon.

Thank you for Your presence during the bright and sunny days, for then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank You for Your presence during the Holy Days, for then we are able to celebrate You and our families and friends.For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.
For those who feel unworthy we ask You to pour Your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.
For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of Your Healing.For those who are lonely, we ask You to keep them company.For those who are depressed, we ask You to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask You to give to all the world that which we need most —Peace.

Amen.

May peace, which comes from letting go and trusting in the divine, come to our hearts.

How brave is your heart? The wisdom of the Total Solar Eclipse

Total Solar Eclipse 19 degrees Aries

On the North Node

Conjunct Chiron - the Wounded Healer

During a Mercury Retrograde!

This amazing eclipse will be in the exact degrees (19)  as Chiron, The Wounded Healer. 

No matter what house this eclipse falls in in your chart - everyone will have the effect of the Healer on board. The last time this axis series of lunar and solar eclipses (in Aries/Libra) hit, it was 2006. What was happening in your life around that time? Some themes may be similar.

We are also in a  Mercury retrograde - and Mercy is also conjunct the eclipse.

Do you remember the Braveheart movie? There’s a scene where Mel Gibson is riding on horseback on the battlefield, back and forth in front of the line of soldiers and horses, who are biting at the bit to run into battle. 

He stares intensely at the men, blue warrior face paint, fierce blue eyes, and yells “HOLD!” and again “HOLD!” You can feel the tension in the air, the horses are stomping, their muscles taut with adrenalin. 

He knows the perfect time to move forward;  he doesn't want the troops to rush in too quickly out of impatience. He wants the momentum and pressure to build and erupt at just the right moment.

Picture Mel Gibson when you have this urge to move too fast right now. LOL. It’s not time to race forward into battle. That time is coming. But now, you need to prepare. Figure out some strategy. Think about what has worked and what hasn’t. 

It’s time to crystallize your mission. Get clear on where you are and where you want to go.

Remember that life-altering things probably won’t happen the day of the April 8 eclipse - but lunar and solar eclipse carry power for 10-12 months!! The March 25 Lunar Eclipse to the south node asked us to let something go. This Solar Eclipse on the North Node is preparing us for what is to come - where we’re headed and what we can gain. It’s also about leaving the familiar.

The leaving may feel scary. Chiron’s presence on this eclipse may make us feel inadequate and vulnerable.

Am I strong enough to go through this transition?

Do I have what it takes?

But what if I fail?

What is my purpose?

I’m too old.

I don’t have the education.

I don’t have time.

It’s hopeless…

For some cosmic reason, Chiron likes to poke us where it hurts. Those places we don’t talk about to just anyone, if at all.  But Chiron isn’t just about showing us where it hurts, it does so with purpose. It wants to show you where you can heal. It’s like having a splinter in your finger. You have to deal with it. Remove it. Give it attention and time. It’s not about fixing something that’s broken, it’s about finding compassion for yourself - for where you’ve been hurt, from where you didn’t receive the love and care you hoped you would. But you can heal that trauma in many ways, and it starts with living less out of fear, and more out of love.

This eclipse is in the sign of Aries, with the Sun and Chiron in Aries together. This is the sign of the warrior. This is also the time of many Gen X’s Chiron return at around 50 years of age (those born around 1968 to 1976) So it feels extra deep!

So even if the vulnerability and emotional ‘ouches’ are showing up - know that the warrior has her wounds. But she also has a sword. And it’s because of her wounds that she becomes the wounded healer.

Aries, represented by the warrior god Mars, is passionate, assertive, and feels deeply into self and the power of the individual. Venus is here too. When Venus is in Aries we are bold, we’re ready for action, and our courage builds. Aries never looks backward. It forges ahead. The past is done, and adventure awaits!

The Sacred Rebel Card “Defend to the end, the Worthwhile” - carries the spiritual message for this time.

This is not a time to look backward or give all of your energy to the care of everyone and everything else. Where are you in the mix? Where is your fulfillment, your happiness, your life force? Don't let the darkness of anger, fear or doubt distract you from the sacred warrior path. You may feel like you’re in the fight of your life. The true warrior has cried many tears and fought many battles, often in secret. You are now wise, you have a place in this world, and you have always fought for light, love, and the power of the heart.

Is there anything more sacred than that?

The Magic of Retrograde Season

Just as winter is part of nature’s cycle, a retrograde holds a “Reflective” energy - a going in, a changing of planetary energy and divine purpose from the players OUTSIDE of yourself, to all that’s happening inside. It’s a season of integration. This means we are applying what we’ve learned or experienced during the direct motion of the planets, into new thought patterns, actions, boundaries and goals.

Venus will be the first leaving the retrograde space on September 3rd - this retrograde, which happens every two years - puts a magnifying glass on the way we do relationships and finances. We may have had a few budget talks, or had some life review around past loves, love patterns, and the way we have given up our autonomy, or on the plus side, where we are doing relationships in a positive way for ourselves.

Below are some ‘need to know’ insights on the other retrogrades. Remember - these are generalities - it’s important to access your natal chart on your own or with a professional astrologer to know exactly where these retrogrades are hitting in your chart.

Mercury (the way we think) in Virgo until Sept. 16:

How you organize your life, your level of discipline and organization will be highlighted. Where have you been scattered and where do you need to tighten up the reins on life planning? Remember that Virgo energy tends to over-analyze and seek perfection. When things get chaotic during a Mercury retrograde, it’s testing the chinks in your process. It wants to show you where you can be more disciplined, but ironically shows you where perfection is impossible, and to accept your gifts in their raw form. 

Jupiter (expansion and magnification) in Taurus: Sept. 4-Dec. 31

How is your self-worth? This retrograde asks you to fin the areas where you can build your self esteem and understand your value isn’t something you earn, but something that you are. Taurus likes to move thoughtfully, slowly, step-by-step. It understands there is a process to establishing worth and value, even if that’s slowly changing our own opinion of ourselves.

Saturn (responsibilities) in Pisces until Nov. 4

Saturn has been in retrograde since June. The planet of discipline, commitment, structure and boundaries asks us to look at what we’ve invested our time in and how that’s working for us. We may need a reality check - what have we been pouring our energy into and is it yielding results? Do we need to reassess and change some things? Saturn in Pisces also asks us to look at our spiritual beliefs and may be asking us to spend more time in that space of honoring our soul and spirit in order to build a strong foundation in life and work. We may find that some elements of religion don’t align spiritually with us anymore, or we’ve been disappointed. How can we shift to either an attitude change or a new way of living spiritually more aligned to our soul?

Uranus in Taurus (change and individuality) until Jan. 27 2024

Uranus wants us now to break out of the box and change - try new things, think differently, react differently, choose differently. Stagnation will feel yucky now - we crave a different way to interact with our life. Even if you have to do something really wild that makes everyone look at you like you’re crazy - do it. Breathe life back into your routine. This one is a great one to check into on your chart - you’ll see some pretty cool things happening in that house theme that it’s traveling for you.

Neptune in Pisces (creativity, illusion) until Dec. 6 2023

This retrograde drops the veil of illusion and wants you to see the truth. Sometimes that causes blocks in creativity or some difficult ‘wake-up’ moments. What you need to remember is this - sometimes blocks are exactly what you need to deepen your creative process or focus elsewhere for a bit. Also, when the rose-colored glasses come off in a relationship or work situation, you can finally see things as they are and work on a solution, rather than be at the mercy of illusions.

Pluto in Capricorn/Aquarius (power, transformation) Until Oct. 10, 2023

Since May, we’ve felt the energy of Pluto retrograde - Pluto is all about transformation - and during its retrograde, this is more powerful, not less. We will face issues around power and control dynamics, and Pluto challenges us to let go and let die - so that we can experience re-birth. Pluto is the alchemist, and doesn’t make room for superficial change. Where Pluto is transiting in your chart will show you where this material and spiritual transformation is taking place. (in the Capricorn and Aquarius areas of our chart)

Sun and Mars in Virgo

The Sun and Mars in Virgo

It’s Virgo time!

Virgo Suns and Risings will start to feel like you’re getting back in the groove, and the rest of us will be getting some nudges for a little order in the chaos. Even with six planets in retrograde!

I can feel Virgo energy creeping in. All of a sudden I want to structure my life.  It’s crazy because –

I actually WANT to fill out my calendar and commit differently to work and projects.

I actually WANT to get more organized and disciplined. Gasp!

Here’s some Virgo vibes to embrace for the next month-ish:

• Organize your schedule

• Do the mundane tasks (like checking your banking statement - how many monthly streaming or member charges are you getting that need to be canceled that you aren’t using?)

• Commit to better health/eating/self-care practices

• Arrange your desk and workspace for better productivity

• Do the detail work you’ve put off

• Purge your closet or pantry

• Commit to an act of service (Virgo loves to help others in need!)

The warning bells also start chiming for me in Virgo season. I really have to watch for perfectionism.  Virgo energy is BIG on getting things just right. It can paralyze me. I know in my gut perfection isn’t possible. Yet she still exists - Miss Annoying Perfectionist Pearl.

Maybe you suffer from a bit of this too - and you don’t have to be a Virgo! Just notice that you may feel more of that push during the next month to over-analyze and get things right. Super important if you’re designing a NASA space shuttle, but it can go into overdrive in our home, work and romantic life - a place where exaggerated Virgo energy may not be as welcome or needed! Don’t wait to share your gifts until you get it perfect. You’ll be waiting forever.

At my writers’ retreat I attended this summer, we talked about all of the things that trap us, keep us from our writing goals. Perfectionism was one. Procrastination was another. Do you want to know how we dealt with Procrastination? - We put her in a corner and gave her something to do. (Julia, you were amazing at impersonating procrastination).  

To fill you all in - Julia sat in a corner and played with soul cards instead of doing her work. I felt so seen.

So during Virgo season - if you’re feeling it - honor that time to get stuff done, organize, purge the closets, sell the crap you don’t need, re-structure your calendar, take better care of your body, eat good food, honor your energy levels, enjoy these last few weeks of the ripeness and fullness of summer, and prepare for fall and winter when it makes sense for you!

Happy Virgo Season!

PS the Sun is in Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Mars in Virgo Aug. 18-Oct. 3

Nodes of Destiny: Claiming Space

‘ There was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own…’ - Mary Oliver.

For the next 18 months - we have an opportunity. - a window during which the universe supports us in remembering our identity and our calling.

Aries will be the north node, and offers this invitation:

“Come with me, I’ll help you find your voice again. I’ll help you be authentic, and to remember who you are. I’ll give you courage. I’ll show you where you’ve been out of balance and exhausting yourself worrying about what others may need, think, or require of you.  I want to help you get focused on what the universe has in store for you.”

On July 17, the lunar nodes change signs from Taurus/Scorpio to Aries/ Libra - a combination we haven’t experienced since 2004.

The nodes change every 18 months. During that period, the eclipses are in those signs, and those are the overarching themes in our lives.

What are the lunar nodes?

The lunar nodes (nodes of destiny or nodes of fate) are not an actual planetary body - they are a point in space. It is the point or intersection where the Sun and Moon cross paths - and also determines the signs of the eclipses for 18 months.

The north node represents where we’re going. Who we’re becoming.

The south node represents where we’ve been, our karmic past.

Understanding the North and South Nodes

• North Node:

• Represents the future, growth, and aspirations

• Points to areas of personal development and life lessons

• South Node:

• Represents the past, familiarity, and comfort zones

• Reflects patterns and behaviors from previous lifetimes

Goal: Balance of the nodes and their energies

We also have a north node placement in our charts. The symbol looks like this:(☊) The South Node like this: (☋) Find it on your natal chart HERE.

Our North Node is our Life purpose point. It is what we’re always moving toward, who we are becoming. We are trying to leave our south node behind - not  to forget it, but to give it second place instead of first. Transits to our North and South Nodes will inspire change and evolution.

For this 18-month season, we will integrate the energies of Aries & Libra:

Aries: Independent. ‘The Self’ - it rules the first house in the natal chart, and is a springtime energy that likes to act before it thinks. It loves competition, has a ‘me first’ attitude, and is ruled by Mars - the warrior. It is courage and bravery - the pioneering spirit that is able to shut out all of the other voices and claim space and time.

Libra: Interdependent. The Other - how we collaborate and compromise with others. Balancing, peacemaker. Justice. An ability to see and understand others’ points of view. It is ruled by Venus, the affectionate lover of beauty and harmony. It’s all about relationships - personal, family, work - all of it!

Libra energy, when over-expressed, can lead to  over-compromise, people-pleasing, and the silencing of our own voice and needs to make others feel better. But we need Libra energy. It is kind and graceful, and its goal is to create peace and harmony. But when we take that energy too far in our own lives, we can over-give to the point of losing ourselves.

Our north node is the New Place for us - where we are going. It is unfamiliar and maybe a little scary. The south node represents our past, our past lives, and our karmic journey. The goal is to not get stuck in the energy of our south node, repeating the same patterns over and over throughout our lifetime. The goal is to step into the unchartered waters of our north node and embrace change. It’s like showing up to a place that’s totally new for you, and you don’t know anyone there, but after you get over the initial discomfort, you unlock the blessings and soul fulfillment of gently traveling toward a more evolved you. It’s a lifetime journey.

As the nodes move to the Aries/Libra polarity, these questions will arise:

Who am I?

What do I want?

Who do I want to partner with?

Where, when or with whom am I not being true to myself?

Where do I need to have more courage?

Where, when or with whom am I over-compromising?

Some relationships may start to feel heavy, or as if they ‘aren’t working’ or you may start to notice things about the other person that aren’t a fit for you. Should they end? Maybe some. But remember, this is about getting in touch with your needs and values, and communicating them clearly and compassionately. You may just need a ‘relationship adjustment’.

Same in business and career. You may have offers of collaborations, or you may be in partnerships or organizations where you will be more aware of what is and isn’t working.

We will enter a re-balancing phase. Re-balancing our needs in relation to others - how we fit in with partnerships and what we need for ourselves. We  begin to realize if we haven’t already, that we have to focus on and take care of our own emotional needs if we are going to be at our best in relationships and at work.

We are flowing into the spotlight of these themes of self and other, and how we fit in, and how the pieces of the puzzle all relate to each other.

There may be some relationships that will end, and some that will begin again after the hiatus of the north node in Taurus and Scorpio (endings) - this is all part of reaching towards that north node - the new, the needs for self.

Don’t forget to mine the gold from the south node of Libra. Afterall, nothing ever works when it’s only ‘me-first’ and the needs of everyone else are ignored. But Aries wants you to remember, that conversely, there can be great losses to self and happiness if our own needs continually get second or last place.

This nodal shift is also happening during the New Moon in Cancer. What a kick-off. This moon, in a place it loves to be in, is sentimental, nurturing, emotional, but also a cardinal energy that is strong, with a flavor of leadership and action.

What do you want for the next 18 months? Where are you headed? This cycle holds - for all of us - a chance to find more balance. 

Maybe you need the Aries vibes to break out of your shell and find more bravery. Maybe you need it to speak the truths you’ve been holding back, for fear of hurting someone or being judged. Maybe you sense the imbalances in your personal or work life, and you’re ready to correct some of those places that need shifted.

Remember at the end of the day, our relationships are vital to our wellbeing - and in the end, your most important cheerleader will always be you. We need other people, and we really need to honor ourselves. We can have both.

Are you hoping to kick-off your new 18-month cycle with clarity and courage? Sometimes all you need is the wisdom and direction of your chart, and support to help you get there. If you’re ready to stop spinning and see results, let’s talk!

I’m ready!

What Moon Phase are You?

- Do You Ever wonder why your friends come to you for advice?

- Or why you love to start new projects, and hate routine?

- Or why you tend to be more spiritual and introverted?

The answer may be found in your moon phase or the phase the moon was in the day you were born. Learning your moon phase adds another layer of insight into your personality - it uncovers your ‘energetic bias’ or how you approach the world, much like your rising sign!

Find your moon phase with this free calculator!-then read the descriptions below for more details!

Moon Phase Calculator

Take a deep dive with a 1-1 session with Heidi to access YOUR personal moon magic - your progressed moon, moon sign, house, phase all explained; with dates when you will hit major transitions!

The moon is one of our most powerful influencers in the sky. Our tides rise and fall by the phases of the moon. Our emotions and energy levels rise and fall according to the signs and phases the moon moves through each month.

The eight phases of the moon are:

New Moon

Waxing Crescent

First Quarter 

Waxing Gibbous

Full Moon

Waning Crescent (Disseminating)

Last Quarter

Waning Gibbous (Balsamic)

And back to New Moon!

The New Moon is dark - reflecting no light from the sun. Gradually that reflection increases - or waxes. After the full moon, reflected light decreases, or wanes - until the new moon (or dark moon) arrives again.

Those born from the new moon and in the waxing phases love trends, starting new things, and are curious adventurous explorers. In the zodiac, this energy compares to Aries, Aquarius and Sagittarius.

Those waxing crescent, gibbous and first quarter personalities make great life coaches - especially those who are past the new moon phase. First quarter moon folks are often asked for their advice and insight. They understand that challenges are inherent to any project or relationship, and rise up to meet them. In team environments, these humans come up with amazing ideas and love to start new projects. Best not to throw them into a routine, boring role with no challenges, or they might get antsy! These are the types of individuals who like to morph and grow into different roles.

This is why they do well as coaches or leaders. They inherently seek for change - and working individually with others on their journeys and challenges gives them the variety they crave.

Waxing moon folks may want to learn more listening skills and empathy. While they often have great advice and answers, it’s important to brush up on truly hearing another person’s point of view. Learn to pause, to reflect, to feel into a conversation (even the one you have with yourself!) Exercise and meditation is important - any practice to bring you back to your body and what you feel. Your mind is so progressive and active and ready to “GO!” that sometimes you will benefit from some quiet and learning to be present with yourself and others.

As we approach the full moon in the waxing gibbous phase, these folks are dedicated and ambitious hard workers. They also have a sensitive and creative side.

Let’s dive into the details of the New Moon and Waxing Moon birthdays!

New Moon: Like Aries, they act often without too much thought, and rely solely on gut and intuition. They were born when the moon was reflecting no light - and they are living in this lifetime to learn about themselves. Like Aries, they are often thought of as too-self-involved - but this is their path - to learn more about themselves.

Waxing Crescent: These humans have the challenge of letting go of the past - ideas, securities and their comfort zone. Here they are just getting accustomed to more illumination, and may want to crawl back into the womb! But this crisis of old to new is their point of growth. Once they learn to move through initial fears and first steps, they will gain confidence. Sometimes they may need a bit of a push!

First Quarter: These folks can calmly handle life when the shit hits the fan. Conflict and challenges are what they live for, and they crave excitement and change. Like the sign of Scorpio - they can take the old and transform it into new - over and over again. They aren’t afraid to re-create themselves and their environment. They are alchemists, and have a hard time tolerating boring routine - even in their relationships. Here the moon is half-illuminated - and these folks like to show half of themselves and keep the other half private.

Waxing Gibbous: Here we have the researcher and analyzer that strives to be perfect. Much like a Virgo mixed with a dose of Gemini, the Waxing Gibbous individual loves to learn and ask the question “why?” They strive to become the best at all they undertake.

Full moon: If you were born under a full moon, you’re able to see both sides of an issue. - much like the sign of Libra. And because the sun and moon were opposing each other when you were born, there is often a conflict between your heart and your head - you are always trying to balance the two, and this can lead to indecision. However, you are highly sensitive, and understand how to tap into your intuition - you just have to convince your head to listen!

Because of this innate talent to see both sides of a story, you make a great negotiator and conflict resolution specialist (at home and at work). Your challenge is to learn self-trust and to stick to a decision. It’s ok to be wrong sometimes, it’s ok to not be perfect, and understand that sometimes not making a choice is still making a choice! So why not try to go with your gut?

Also like Libra, full moon individuals like to explore their personality through relationships, and crave friendships and romantic relationships (consciously or subconsciously) as this helps them play out their own evolution.

Waning Phases

The waning phases are on a journey to integrate polarities - dark and light, conscious and subconscious, mind and heart. Closer to the full moon are the communicators and rebels, and as the moon progresses into more darkness, the spiritual gurus and introverts are born.

Waning gibbous (disseminating phase)

These are the communicators who like to bring information into the world.  They disseminate it for the masses - often teachers, reporters, or involved in communications in some way. They can be quirky, dancing to the beat of a different drummer - and even if they aren’t creative, they love following or enjoying and appreciating the creative arts.

Last quarter

Last quarter humans need solitude and time to just be alone. They are trying to figure themselves out, their place in the world. The reason being - they are undergoing transformations - letting go of the old, figuring out the new - and enter a ‘gestation’ period to realign with the new self. They may change drastically or seem like a rebel for the sake of being a rebel - but often they are just re-aligning with a new value set. They are empathetic to others, and often make good listeners.

Waning crescent moon or Balsamic

These folks need even more alone time - and because of this can tend to be loners. Deeply intuitive and empathetic, these individuals are often healers or shamans. They’re able to see the wisdom in situations and distill information down to its most meaningful essence. 

While we all have unique combinations of introvert and extrovert, struggle between logic and intuition, and live in the conscious as well as subconscious, the moon phases teach us what our default pattern is - how we came into the world - the energetics of the moon that imprinted upon us the day (or night) of our birth.

Our Moon Phase, Natal Moon Sign and our Progressed Moon (Our natal moon changes station in our chart every 2.5 years!) can give us an enormous amount of info about our personalities, and the phase of life we are in.

Do you wonder why major themes in your life are repeating right now - or why you feel like you’re in an introverted stage, or why family issues are so “up” for you?

Join me for a 1-1 “Your Moon Year” reading. Dive deep into your moon phase, natal moon sign, current progressed moon sign and house to uncover themes that lie ahead. It’s the ultimate tool for planning and clarity for your unique journey.

Click here to schedule your 1-1 Session!

Identity Crisis: Pluto in Action

Transformation begins when you look in the mirror and don’t know who the hell you are.

Yeah, that uncomfortable place.

For those of us that live in the illusion of control - we have a hard time with this feeling.

We hear so much messaging about following our path, finding our purpose, living our truth…etc.

And we feel this damned pressure to figure it all out.

They ain’t lyin’ when they say that it’s the journey, not the destination. And that’s probably the most difficult thing to accept.

But when we can - when we can just lean into the NOT knowing.

It’s the sweet space.

The space of potential.

Usually, life forces us into this baby step place that births transformation.

Death, divorce, health crises, breakup, job loss, menopause - and even the happy stuff - marriage, new baby, empty nesting (okay, that’s both) moving, a new job you love, or when you’re up-leveling in your business or your life (growing and getting rid of the old stuff, people and environments that don’t fit anymore)

There’s a pause, like when the sailboat can’t find the wind in its sails just yet.

And the dream ahead isn’t clear.

Pluto rules a lot of this space. Not all of it, but the deep, transformational part. Uranus can bring in the unpredictable change, but Pluto makes you integrate it and rewire it.

Every year, we have a Pluto retrograde - When Pluto unties our reality for a bit and makes us figure out how to tie it all back together again. The universe is smart that way.

And usually, you’re grieving. You’re grieving hard.

You’re missing the you that you were. And not quite sure who the next you is going to be.

You feel like you don’t have the tools to get there.

You get scared, and you miss the people, places, things and situations that made you feel secure. But when you’re really, really honest with yourself. You realize in all of the situations, you were there, too. That version still exists in you. 

We die to ourselves sometimes. We feel like it’s all ending. And part of it is.

Every past version of yourself still lives.

The things that die, die because it’s time. And you don’t always get to choose when it dies - or how.

So when you look in the mirror, and wonder who the hell you are right now…

I’ll tell you the answer. You’re you. And you will be you tomorrow. And you create the security and safety in your life, and you create the love, and the wild abandon, and the adventure, and the hope.

The universe just comes in with tests and trials here and there.

And you get to choose. And you get to be okay with the not-knowing. Because the next version of you shows up.

In all the stumbly steps you take from this moment. Just like it did before. You showed up. You became that next version of you.

Sometimes you need a guide. You need some tools. You need support. Never find shame in that.

Holy and sacred people will show up, if it’s your prayer to find them  It’s up to you to take a hand that’s offered. To invest in yourself. Sometimes it’s a whole damn team.

Trust me, I have one. A team of people who hold my hand when the darkness is disorienting.

They won’t do the work for me, because the transformation is mine. 

But they are the ones who have been there, who understand life as sacred and joyful, but can look at pain and support me in that space, too.

So when Pluto, transformation, transitions, or just that frustrating place of the not-knowing has got you in a choke hold…know you’re not alone.

And the next you is here, even in this moment. No pressure, no expectations. The wind will pick back up, the sails will billow full of a westward wind, and you’ll be on your way, as you have been so many times before. The next shore awaits.

If you’re ready to start moving forward, book a

First Steps Transformational Reading.

We will focus in on a maximum of two areas in your life and dive deep - looking at timing, themes, and action items personally co-created for your next steps.

Are you an Alchemist?

I’ve been practicing alchemy since I was a child. Maybe you have too.

It’s how we move on through pain and loss. It’s how we choose to view challenges and blocks.

Do we stay stuck, or do we alchemize?

Spiritual or energetic alchemy is the process of transforming something difficult, traumatic, or of low energetic vibration - into something useful, beautiful, or of light energy and higher vibration.

The definition of alchemy is the transformation of matter. Coal into diamond, base metals Into gold.

Alchemy does not mean facing something horrible and glossing over it and pretending it’s great. Sometimes we do have to do this, however. Maybe we run into someone in public that we don’t particularly want to see because there is bad blood between us. But we smile and act cordial. The problem isn’t solved, you see, but sometimes we do have to be sane and kind - even if the reality is we are uncomfortable or seething inside.

But let’s take the idea of that person and the problem you have with them. Maybe it’s a long standing fight. Maybe they did something horrible to you. Maybe you did something horrible to them. 

So you get back home and you journal about it. Maybe you get all of your rage out on paper and then burn it - or write them a letter that you never send. Maybe you talk it through with someone neutral you trust, or a therapist. Emotions and feelings are released. Eventually, you are able to look at the friendship from a different view. You can remember the good things about the relationship, how it helped you grow, the fun times, or the things you learned that you DON’T want in a relationship again. But you are grateful. You understand this person came into your life for a reason, and you CHOSE it - as part of your spiritual development on earth. It took you somewhere you needed to go, on a soul level.

When you see this person again, even if you haven’t cleared the air with them on a one-to-one level - you have energetically shifted. You have become detached, an observer, and if anything, you lean towards compassion for them and understanding for both of you. This energy can be felt, and it neutralizes the relationship environment so that you are not triggered when you see them in the same way. You can send love from your heart, even if you don’t speak. You have alchemized a very heavy energy into one of light. 

Forgiveness is alchemy in action.

This is one very basic example. One thing about alchemy, it is a personal process, and must have its own time - it can’t be rushed. Alchemizing one thing into another - the very basic process of transformation, consumes a great deal of energy. And once you learn to alchemize, and feel the positive effects from it, the process does get faster.

 It gets faster and easier because you realize that heavy, low value energy only serves to hurt you and weigh you down. You feel the deep and lasting rewards of alchemizing pain or anger into lightness and ease.

You can alchemize deep trauma. You can alchemize the pain from rape, abuse, divorce, death.

If this feels impossible, think about it.  How many stories have you heard about individuals who take deep tragedy and turn it into something powerful? A nonprofit that helps other victims of the hate crimes, parents who develop a scholarship for youth after their child dies, a woman who helps others through the isolating pain of rape through support groups or sharing their story… 

This is one of the most beautiful and powerful abilities of a human - to be able to turn pain into joy, loss and tragedy into triumph. 

Healing is the power of alchemy.  

The people who do and create the things I mention above, simply cannot stay in a rage and hate place and affect positive and loving change. They have grieved, wept, bargained with their God, hated perpetrators and wished for revenge. They have traveled a great journey inside themselves in order to alchemize their pain and hurt into something that lightens the burden of others. That takes love. It takes light. It takes work, spiritual work.

Remove the guilt and shame for having the real feelings that every human does when they are wronged or have been in pain. There is no shame in going through all the facets of human emotion when we’ve been through trauma, transition, loss. This is part of the alchemy process. 

You may have heard the term ‘spiritual bypassing’. This means jumping over the steps of healing just to pretend or say that you’re healed. It means being afraid to experience true sadness, grief, or rage - the dirty emotions OR the things we aren’t doing so well in our lives. It can look like refusing to change on a deep level, but pretending we’ve done the work. This involves a bit of denial and repression. And denial and repression often feels ‘easier’ - but the long-term effects prove it is not. The event or person will still trigger us and traumatize us so deeply, that repression instead of expression becomes our MO. And that pain often comes out sideways, or presents itself with symptoms of poor health - mental and physical.

Anyone who has truly alchemized trauma knows that to be healed can often mean traversing the dark night of the soul.

But here again, I must say that alchemy can be very easy and quick the less intense the trauma or situation. and it also can get easier and quicker with emotional maturity and wisdom. This does not mean people are spiritually bypassing the healing process, but rather they're just getting damn good at it.

Some traumas are too deep to ever process quickly.  I have abandonment issues because I had an alcoholic father who didn't show up for me emotionally or physically the majority of my life. this alchemical process has been ongoing. 

It is lighter than it has ever been and I have a emotional observation of the wound like I never have before. and I can truly be present and empathetic for clients and friends who have faced the same wound. I am not in the mud of the trauma any longer. I don't live in the place of anger or resentment. I have traversed all stages of grief and the many steps of alchemy. 

That being said - such as life is -  it brings us many repeated experiences to test our growth and our ability to love ourselves and others in safe and healthy ways. It is a lifelong journey and I still have to access my supports, the people I love in my life and my therapist when those moments come up for me. 

This is also true in such life events as divorce and co-parenting. There can be many pain points we’ve alchemized in that journey, but life happens! And we can be re-triggered. But it’s practice, right? It’s my “catch and release” philosophy in action. Experience the emotions, cry, rage, and release to the light. And we march on!

Sometimes the alchemy process is not wholly complete and finished, but ongoing and just as beautiful in the ongoing journey as it is in the completion.. Being willing for self awareness, for understanding the strength in being compassionately unattached…this is all part of turning low vibration into high. It is in the choosing of lightness that we turn the base metal into gold.

The powerful cosmic universe gives us a guide for Alchemy. Each sign, in it’s unique strengths and beauty, symbolize and honor the stages of trauma and grief. We begin with Scorpio, the sign that lives in our depths, and understands pain - and we end up with Libra, that symbolizes balance and equality. Just like the stages of grief, the process is often not linear.

How do we learn to Alchemize? Simply by being willing to surrender to pain, and having the dedication to rise up from the mud. Don’t hang out there too long, in the mire. Always be reaching for the light, and asking for help as needed along the way. Recognize that we are never finished and that healing is a lifelong journey.

The 12 stages of Alchemy through the Zodiac 

Scorpio: Depth of trauma (in the mire)

Sagittarius: Alchemy

Capricorn: Rebuilding

Aquarius: Detachment/observation of wound

Pisces: Ultimate empathy for other

Aries: Action and moving forward

Taurus: Gifting & grounding

Gemini: Talking through/mental processing

Cancer: Nurture self & other

Leo: Celebration

Virgo: Regulate & maintain

Libra: Balance & equilibrium

@zingastrology

Recommended reading:

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Not a how-to book, but a beautiful journey of love & hope through challenge

Full Moon in Leo: The Magic of Bees

The Snow Moon in Leo opposes the Sun in Aquarius. The divine magic of bees teaches us how to balance both.

The sun (Aquarius) opposes the moon (Leo), symbolizing the conflict and challenges between self, warmth, heart, emotion and creativity (Leo) and the collective and longing for autonomy and independence (Aquarius) while craving community and connection. 

I’ve been reading about beekeeping, and the magic of bees. The parallel between the Leo/Queen energy and Aquarius/Community is beautifully reflected here - and shows us how to align with our own divine purpose.

Today I read about the Queen of the hive. I learned that the queen does no manual labor. She is in the hive, making baby bees. Her female worker bees tend to her every need. They feed her, groom her, and even remove her waste from the hive so she can focus on her feminine task of procreation. The worker bees also feed her young for her. 

Think of Leo energy as the Queen, and the colony as Aquarian. The queen is treated royally because she is valuable just for who and what she is. She is the creatrix of the hive, the only bee with developed ovaries. She is the future of the hive. Of course, she is nothing without the worker bees. The community. The hard working honey-makers. Here we have the harmony of the Leo and Aquarian energy - the heart of the hive, and the necessity of the colony.

Leo in its exaltation - or best form - is the archetype of the humble yet strong leader who cares for their subjects. Leonic royalty seeks to provide the most they can to those around them, seeks to secure their kingdom, and seeks for the finest things and experiences in life. They love the arts, drama, dancing, acting and singing. Leo at its best radiates the energy of the sun - warming and energizing everyone around them.

Aquarius energy at its best is open to community, forward thinking, a seeker of friendship, an innovator, and open-minded. It understands that the collective has more strength than any one person alone.

When the moon is full and illuminating these themes - all of these questions or desires may be in our subconscious or acted out by ourselves and others. There is friction between the need for self care and honoring ourselves, but also aware we need others. We want to stay in our hearts, but may feel emotional detachment while we try to figure out exactly what that means for us.

Queen energy (Leo):

• Accept the help of others

• Value yourself

• Create: it is your divine work

• Act from the heart

• Celebrate your purpose

• Honor Be-ing more than Do-ing

• (you don’t have to work to create your own value, rather you create from the desire to share yourself)

• You are worthy of being adored

Colony energy (Aquarius):

• Everyone has a purpose

• We need each other

• Honor the blessing of community

• Assist others in their time of need

• Share resources

• Share yourself and your ‘sweetness’, your creations

• Feed others with your talents and love

  As we celebrate the themes of the full moon, we hope to exalt the highest qualities of Leo and Aquarius. To find the balance between heart and mind, self and others, and to find joy in the process. Act from the heart, with love, with dedication, honoring self and other - and the effect of our lives will be one of sweetness and healing.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

New Life; Guarded Vigilantly

THREE MONTHS of all direct planets starting today. Woot Woot!!

Mercury is direct in Capricorn, Mars is direct in Gemini and Uranus went direct today in Taurus.

Those first two weeks or so of January were a little cloudy, a little hopeful, a little difficult, a little confusing - a little of all of those things in one swirly package. Now, we peep out of the emotional or brain fog with some hope and clarity.

In the last few weeks, beginning in Capricorn season, we may have been dreaming. Dreaming of new careers, relationships, creative projects, new versions of ourselves. Eliminating not so great habits, becoming more disciplined in certain areas, all the things we do when we’re ready to shed old skin and begin anew.

Today, I drew the oracle card “A New Life, Guarded Vigilantly.” When we start new routines, habits, disciplines, creative projects - all the things - it’s freaking scary.

First we start out high - riding an adrenalin rush.

Yay - this is new, this is fun!! - this is so aligned with who I want to be and what I want to do!

Then, doubt creeps in. And challenges.

It’s like after a new moon. Did you know in the first quarter phase after the New moon we are faced with our first challenges to new moon intentions? It's as if the universe is asking us - do you really want this thing?

When a powerhouse like Uranus goes direct, it electrifies and supercharges the natal house it transits. Look your natal chart up on astro.com and see what house Uranus is transiting for insight.

There’s so much hope and good vibes/energy, yet the self doubt - can I really do this? Am I strong enough? Talented enough? Disciplined Enough? Ugh, the 'enough' word.

In every creative process in every birth, in every birth, in every opening of a new cycle of life, there is a time of excitement - and of vulnerability.

While everyone (including me) is talking about how awesome it is to have all of this “Go For It” energy, we might be feeling wobbly, unsure, and vulnerable. And that’s ok. That’s how it starts. We will get traction, in our own divine timing. And yes, we are and have more than Enough to get there.

Oracle Cards: Sacred Rebels by Alana Fairchild

The Divine Threshold: Before the New Year

Ah, the space between. The liminal space…the cusp of the New Year of 2023. We haven't quite let go of the old and we have one foot stepping into the new.

The energy of this week has become a familiar one for me - a realization that I'm full of energy - looking forward to the new year, but yet still integrating the old. 

I've been doing a lot of writing and thinking about the liminal space; that space between two chapters -  the old and the new. It is a familiar and mysterious place. It is also commonly a space marked by astrological transitions throughout our life span. And it’s my favorite time to work with clients - the time we most need an anchor as we explore unchartered territories. Even our 3x per year Mercury Retrogrades, pre-New Moon phases and void moons, the pre-menstrual phase for women, are liminal spaces and pauses which ask us to reflect and be still. Nature and the universe in its wisdom, provides us with these times if we choose to honor them.

Liminal comes from the root Latin word ‘limen’ meaning ‘threshold’.  In ancient times across cultures, gods/goddesses and entities have presided over the liminal - or crossroads’ spaces. Janus is one such Roman God, and where we get the name of the month January. How fitting that this God represents our New Year and our first month. Persephone, who spent half of her life in the underworld and half on earth (bringing spring when she arrived)  and Hecate, who is the goddess of magic and crossroads - also represent the liminal space.

Our lives are a series of liminal spaces - the space between. Whether we instigate or desire change, or it happens TO us, there is the space  between what was and what is to become.

*graduating college and going out into the world

*pregnancy

*changing careers

*spiritual awakenings

*divorce

*death/grief

*health challenges

*crises of any kind

The list goes on.

It's easy to think that this is an ungrounded space -  the space we don't want to be in. It can be uncomfortable.

Ego rushes for control, for a place to stand on, for secure ground - but that's an illusion. In fact the liminal space is the richest space of our lives. It is not a valley nor is it a peak. It's somewhere in between. Sometimes we feel confused, even grasping for anything to make us feel safe. But what is safe? And what is control? The only thing we can really control is ourselves and the only person who can provide us safety is ourselves. So when we're spinning  between the two chapters  - the ‘what was before’ and the ‘what comes next’ the most power comes from the surrender to it. 

But what does surrender mean? And how do we do it?

Therein lies the greatest mystery and the greatest wisdom of the liminal space. it is in the non doing. it is in the crying to the heavens, to our gods, to the Divine…’I don't know what I'm doing, help me. All I know is I want things to be different and better, please show me.’

We often hear that the voice of spirit is still and small. Stillness is surrender. The willingness to not just hear but to listen, and to make space for the listening.

…and sometimes begging on our knees. I’ve been there. It is a dark and shadow yet richly beautiful place, when we give up control and ask for help. 

The most magical things are created from the liminal space -  the space of chaos and  the space of pure potential.

Something has ended and yet we feel nothing has yet begun. But it's in the non-beginning that the seeds are planted, the butterfly is away from the sun, in the darkness, in the depths of our soul, in its cocoon.

It’s learning to have the patience to let the beauty unveil itself. 

Just as in nature there are cycles of Letting Go and Beginning. And as far as I know, the leaves are not over worrying about when they will unfurl again, and the grass is not fretting about when it will be green again. 

And so let us be inspired by the nature around us. Let's just rest in this threshold space, giving ourselves permission to just be. Between this threshold between the old and the new, where the magic happens, let’s sit in gratitude, reflection, hope and divine trust.

Do you feel at Home? New Moon in Cancer 2022

The New Moon in Cancer today on June 28th symbolizes our relationship with Home and Family. With the Sun now in Cancer, along with the moon, the month ahead will prove to highlight these topics in our lives no matter what sign you are.

We find ourselves presented with questions around what brings us security, how we need to be nurtured (our love language) and our relationships with family, our familial and ancestral values, and how we agree or disagree with them. Now is the time to “feather your nest”. It's a beautiful time to create Sacred Space on your property -  within your home or in a corner of a room - a space where you can nurture your spirit and come home to yourself. If that space has already been created, clean it, re-arrange it, and add new magical objects that are powerful for you now. It’s time to refresh!

We may look back into our histories and be saddened by some memories and comforted by others. It's up to us to decide what traditions and what values we want to bring forward into our own family unit in the present.

As with any new moon, it is time to set intentions. This life review around family and home can give us a place to start  - what do we want to create for ourselves? How do we want our home to feel when people come inside our doors?

Our home is our sacred space, and speaks to our inner landscape, personality, and what we hold most sacred in our lives. 

The sign of Cancer also highlights our intuition, as it is a feminine sign, ruled by the moon and the symbolic Mother archetype. 

We may reflect on how we have been mothered and nurtured - the blessings and the traumas related to both. Again, how do we want to be loved and how are we doing with loving others? If we attempt to love from a place of fear or lack, unfortunately we may fail and make many mistakes we wish we could take back. But we may have been mothered with fear. So now is the time to reflect upon and heal this ancestral mother wound many of us have. The best way to do this is to nurture ourselves. Speak to ourselves with love. Have self-compassion if we make a mistake. The more lovingly we care for our own bodies, heart and spirit, the more love we radiate. “There is no fear in love”. 

Pay attention to your dreams and intuition. Your gut will be more activated now. The sign of Cancer also rules the stomach - ‘gut’ feelings will be more present, and we will feel things in the center of our belly if they are not right for us.

My own family and sense of home is going through several transitions. Greg, my husband and I, moved to his home in September of last year, and 9 months later, (the last box was unpacked yesterday!), have moved back to our farm (my ancestral home) in Ohio. Three out of our four children are in transition between homes, apartments, other parents’ homes, and other cities out of state. My son came to me the other day saying he felt ‘so ungrounded’. We had a long talk around what home means and how everything can feel out of sorts when the definition of home is in transition-either geographically or within ourselves.  

When we feel ungrounded and out of sorts, and have not created a space for ourselves that feels like home, it can shift and affect every decision in life we have to make.

Greg and I are intentionally creating space and moments to help ourselves and our children feel more at home, when home  - or the definition of home - is shifting.

The sense of home is an alive and evolving thing. And growing and maturing and learning how to create a sense of home within ourselves is a lifelong path with many lessons learned along the way. What kind of home brings us the most Joy? Who do we want to live with? Do we want to live alone? What about my home of origin? How important is it to me? What values and ways of life will I take with me when I create my new space? Where is home?

We can never underestimate the power of home. It is the foundation from which we launch into every relationship and decision in life.

 I am wishing all of you the comforts of home, the gift of being loved how you need to be loved, and the ability to create a loving and joyful environment for yourself and others -  no matter where you are.

Scorpio Sun, Moon and Ascendant

Scorpio has a reputation and is the most blatantly over-generalized sign (next to Virgo). We are either seen as devious, jealous, sex-crazed or simply scary as F. 

We can be all of the above. But as I’ve analyzed myself, and every other Scorpio I’ve come across in my lifetime - I realize we have as many variations as snow has snowflakes. Yet snowflakes we are not.

I do believe it’s advisable to have a healthy respect for a Scorpio and the depths they contain. They can be dangerous folk, yet they can also be the one sign/person that can lead you to the truths about yourself, exercise your shadow, bring up your wounds to be healed, face you with your darkness, talk about shit no one else will, and love you fiercely and deeply across time and space.

Their memories are kept as energetic imprints - as is true for many water signs. They may forget when your birthday was or your sister’s name - but they’ll never forget you - what they experienced with you, and the ways you changed each other. A Scorpio usually comes into your life to create intensity - and whether that is intense light or dark, it is for a reason - and you will never leave a relationship with a Scorpio without being changed in some way.

Scorpio rules transformation, death, sex, shadow, alchemy. They represent the Eagle or the Scorpion - and a Scorpio human will land somewhere on that scale between holy Shaman to a manipulative and wounded soul with an intention to sting.

A Scorpion must do much inner work. Their wounds and pasts are felt deeply. If they are a Scorpio that has not forgiven themselves or those who have hurt them (intentionally or not), they will first become toxic to themselves - and then naturally, to those they are in relationship with.

A Scorpio who works to plumb their own inner depth and learns to LET GO of wrongs, regrets and rejection, will soar like the Eagle and love with a love so powerful it is transcendental and holy - and that includes a love for self.

Scorpions have chosen this incarnation to transform - ruling the root chakra, the themes of sexuality, ancestry, family roots and home roots, inheritances, death, etc. are often where these transformational themes occur.

An immature Scorpio (and by this I don’t mean childish, I simply mean still learning and lacking wisdom) may use sex as a power play, may manipulate with sex, or use sex to attempt to bond or control without opening the heart and other chakras. A Scorpio overly consumed with sexuality without the balance of soul, spirit and love, will often feel a void, even if they can’t name it. It is like allowing a child to play with a butcher block full of knives. She/he has the equipment to be dangerous, and isn’t quite ready to use it to its fullest potential in a safe and ‘productive’ way - for lack of a better word. Sex is a fleeting form of adrenal high at this point, without offering the gorgeously delicious, transformative power sex can have for Scorpions. And Scorpions that do not respect their sexuality or the sexuality of others are dangerous. On the other side of the coin, some Scorpions have a fear of sex that leads them to actually shut down their root chakra and avoid connecting with other humans through sexuality. This may happen because of past sexual trauma, or because of a family or religious environment where sex was taught to be dirty, shameful, or something people didn’t do - as if it didn’t exist.

A Scorpio with not only a healthy - but a thriving, delicious, respectful and FUN approach to sex is one of the most lit up, energetic, powerful beings on the planet. Their powers of manifestation seem limitless, and they can literally perform sex magic and shamanic healing.

All Scorpions will be a bit secretive. Even the sweetest and most evolved of us will keep some cards held close to our chest. This is not to say Scorpions are cheating or lying - far from it - Scorpions are often fiercely loyal! They simply know how deeply they feel things, and often have a very difficult time spilling every emotion, thought and feeling out onto the floor. And that is how it feels to a Scorpion. What if someone stomps on those feelings? What if they use it against them? They will be crushed to the depths.

To love a Scorpio and encourage openness, their friend or lover MUST create trust and safety over time. I add the ‘over time’, because a Scorpio won’t trust you just because you ask them to. In fact, if you ask them, that may make you seem even more untrustworthy. “Trust me” may just be the two words that send a Scorpio running. They watch your actions, listen to your words, and constantly observe you. Sounds stalker-ish, but it’s not. They want to see if there are patterns in your behavior. Are your words lining up with what they see? Are you worthy of their deep love and loyalty? Can they let their guard down? They are keen observers of human psychology. They make excellent detectives because of this observation of actions, patterns, words. Their deepest fear is to be fooled - and for their love not to be returned in the same magnitude they give it.

Scorpions love getting to know people. Unfortunately, a Scorpio may too quickly disregard others who are wonderful options for friends and lovers because they may judge someone too quickly - especially if they seem superficial or fake in any way. Advice to any Scorpio, and one I’ve learned as I’ve matured: Give people time and space to reveal their depth. A Scorpio should remember that everyone has layers and often wear masks - just as they do.

Like other water signs, Scorpios need time alone. Don’t be offended when they seem to disappear mentally. Water signs are empaths and need time to disengage from the energies they absorb - even from their loved ones.  But a mature Scorpio must learn how to communicate this need. Disappearing acts without explanation are cruel and could even be a form of abuse in intimate relationship. Running away and not showing up are signs of a wound and trauma in action. They are trying to keep a bit of themselves back, and it is a form of dishonesty. Again, this doesn’t mean they are lying and cheating, it means they haven’t learned who they are, what they need, and the ability to communicate it. Trust that a Scorpion who hasn’t learned to trust themselves and others has great potential to change and turn this completely around - even if just one person shows them safety, unconditional love, and non-judgment - over time!

The Scorpion is represented by the Phoenix for great reason. They can be burnt up, destroyed, devastated, life seemingly ruined, and rise up with a new version of themselves and their life, stronger than ever before. In fact, this is often their journey on earth and the main way they grow and transform. Their strength is not superficial, and rises up from a soul level. Their being KNOWS that the dark night of the soul is the night before the dawn, and even if the pain feels insurmountable in the moment, there is a soul-knowing that keeps them moving through the pain until the new life is born. They know the inside of the chrysalis - as does the butterfly -  and that crawling on the earth was simply the step before taking flight.

Lovey, Spicy Venus-Mars Conjunction 2022

The Venus Mars Conjunction that was exact on Feb. 16 will continue in varying degrees until early April - perfect time for Spring! (birds and bees, hint, hint!)

While the two planets flow between Aquarius and Capricorn, we’ll have multiple opportunities to not just evaluate and meditate on what we want out of love, friendship and business, but what makes us feel good - AND we’ll have the energy and drive (thanks Mars!) to put it into action.

This conjunction is the balance of the feminine and the masculine. It is a passionate and romantic time where we FINALLY - post major Covid - where we will feel this drive to get out and connect with people. And guess what - if our one-on-one relationships have felt a bit stale, well - of course they would - we need good vibes with friends, work, meeting people, socializing, being inspired and connecting with different energies to feel ALIVE. This in turn will inject our romantic relationships with more zing and flavor.

Neptune also takes a bit of a dance with these two planets, adding even more romantic deliciousness to the combo. March 6 is the next conjunction - plan a date night or date weekend around that date and just feel the yumminess ooze from your pores. That sounds kind of gross - but seriously, you’ll be dripping with anticipation. 

And don’t think we only have that day - we have weeks of this relationship between Venus and Mars - intermixed with the romantic Neptunian vibe of sun in Pisces and Jupiter in Pisces. Yums.

AAAAnd - just like everything else, because this is life - there is another side. While Venus and Mars are the super elixirs for love and passion - they still have some polarity - again, the masculine and feminine. Venus likes harmony and beauty. Mars likes war and is the more carnal expression of love. So of course there are fireworks when they meet. So while its a super lovey dovey time (especially after that taxing and insecure-making Venus retrograde) We may run into some friction in our relationship until we get on the same page! After all, not everyone’s idea of romance and fun is the same as yours - OR the way you spend money (yep, Venus rules some of that too!) Thankfully we have Pisces on our side to soften the conversations and help keep us in a compassionate state of mind. Listen to yourself, your heart’s desire, and be open to hearing your partner’s. Make this a collaboration - not a solo mission. 

It’s always helpful to know where your Mars and Venus is and where these planets are transiting now (check out your chart on astro.com) - but even without that more detailed info - the weather report is the same:

• Be playful!

• Plan romantic dates that are unique and different from your routine

• Be gushy. Seriously, write that corny poem - they will love it!

• Be open to heart-to-heart conversations about love and finances. Stay open and compassionate.

• Appearance thoughts ‘come up’ - feeling the need to buy better clothes, wear your hair differently, get some cosmetic procedure? Very common right now. Just be sure to THINK about what love really is - yes, prettiness may attract some people to you - but its not always the best people. How can you make yourself more beautiful on the INSIDE? How can you be a better lover, friend, business partner just by having more LOVING ENERGY? This is what forms and keeps lasting relationships that are actually worth something!

• Be willing to be vulnerable. The environment is SUPER supportive to you sharing your innermost being!

Above all ENJOY love. Revel in it. This is true all the time, but flow with the divine energy of the universe right now, and feel the extra vibes supporting you to love and be loved in return…and to know exactly how you want that to look and feel.

New Moon Vibes

The new moon is a mixed bag. It's a powerful time for intentions, spoken and written spells, and new energy for the month ahead. Every time a new moon rolls around we take notice, we know it's a powerful time to set  our intentions. However, it's often also a time of lower energy. The Moon is dark with no reflection from the Sun, and even the body registers this “going in"; an ebb of our physical strength and possibly even our emotional fortitude.  We may even feel a little under the weather, or like we're getting sick. It is often just the body's way of telling us it is a time for rest and reflection before the higher energy phases of the moon approach. 

But  it is meant to be this way. When a delicate and tiny Seed is planted into the ground, the hot energy of the Sun, the overwhelming brightness of light, is too much for the seed. It needs darkness, quiet and calm and the absence of fiery energy. The tiny seed planted into the soil is misleading. It looks as if nothing is happening-it looks powerless and small. but inside it is merely waiting for the dark fertile soil to feed it. As soon as it knows the conditions are right, it begins the miraculous path of growth.

 If there is no other phase that you're paying attention to during the month, the new moon is the most important. It may seem that the full moon would be that powerful time - and yes, it is powerful as well. But the full moon is the fullness of the intention, the ripening, the reflection of where you were and where you are now. 

The mystery and the potential lies in the darkness of the new moon. It is not necessary to set your intentions at the exact new moon. Even up to 3 days before and a couple days after, the energy of the new moon is with us. Because energy is lower physically you may feel there isn't much power behind your words, but now they are at their greatest potential. Within days, as the moon begins to wax, you'll start seeing the tiny little evidence of your intentions. And by the first quarter moon you will also begin to face your first roadblocks to growth.

In nature, as the seed begins its fragile growth from outside the soil, reaching towards the Sun, the elements begin to affect the tiny growth. Predators seek out the tender leaves to consume or destroy. It is the same with our intentions. Often the predator does not come from outside that wants to steal your dreams -  it is often our own challenges that might keep us from them. Sometimes the predator is time - we may allow outside forces to steal time from us - from the seed/the dream. Or sometimes our own fear or insecurities begin to thwart our progress. This self-awareness is powerful. Simply remind yourself that the seed and the baby plant are fragile but powerful things that are meant to thrive. You need to protect it as best you can, to feed it, to nourish it, to give it space and priority. As the plant grows and matures you will find that its roots deepen and your intentions manifest. 

Intentions can be set at any time, at any moment, at any phase of the moon. The spoken and written word sent into the universe with belief and faith are powerful at any time. Never feel like you have to wait for a new moon to set a new dream. Working with the new moon is simply an added tool, a magnification of your intentions. A time set by Nature, with the energy that supports newness. This alignment adds power to your dreams.

Moongiant.com and timeanddate.com are great online resources to check the current moon phase and there are many apps to use for the moon cycle; just do a search in your app store! I have two moon phase calendars in my sanctuary that I constantly access. Call me old-fashioned, I just love to see the moon images on the wall.

Rest up during the new moon. Allow yourself to soak in a bath, to retreat, to do less. Align with the moon by going inward into the darkness. 

Leaving Scorpio season: Gemini Lunar Eclipse

During this recent Scorpio season, I came face-to-face with trauma around my father. Not the usual 'abandonment' story - I’ve become familiar with this one.

This time, it was the deeper wound. The one where he married four other women after my mom, and each of them had a daughter my age. The feeling of being replaced....over, and over. Always wondering if he would love her more. Feeling forgotten, pushed aside.

This was a trauma I didn't even think I had any longer. That had been healed years ago - or so I thought.

Not so.

Scorpio season in late October and through November may have brought similar themes up for you. Familial trauma. Those deepest hurts in the most insecure places of our hearts and beings. Where we have been hurt, abandoned, ‘replaced’. Where we felt powerless.

Scorpio does a great job at finding ways for us to re-live or face our traumas in UNAVOIDABLE ways. We can try to hide, mask, or run, but Scorpio is relentless. Because Scorpio wants you to TRANSFORM. Transformation doesn’t happen when life is sparkly and glittery. It happens in the mud, in the dark, and in the pain.

The beautiful progression from Scorpio to Sagittarius is this: Now we are in truth mode. Truth will set us free.

The truth I realized about my father?  I was never being replaced. He didn’t know how to love me the way I needed to be loved - and each of my step-sisters felt that same lack of love and commitment. They all were hurt and left as I was. And my father didn’t keep leaving us  - or me - because I wasn’t enough. He left because he never felt like he was enough. It had never been about me, or my lovability. This is the truth that I finally KNOW in my body, my being, my heart. Before, I told myself this in my head - but little did I know - my heart didn’t believe it. Until now.

So now, I get to move forward with a new truth. It has set me free.

Sagittarius wants the truth to set you free. Nobody else’s truth - YOURS.  Sagittarius wants you to re-write the story, re-write the beliefs.

With the lunar eclipse in Gemini we are pushed even more into truth. (This energetic push lasts 6 months)

Neptune direct asks us to hope and dream for what is true, not illusion.

Venus opposing Uranus stirs up our ideas of relationships: with people, career, and how we invest our time.

Now that we see and know our truth - what relationships will you accept? What other situations will you accept? What brings you EXCITEMENT, JOY - and feeling even closer to the person you are and are meant to be?

If it feels dull, heavy, like it's 'not yours' or it's based on lies or deception...it’s gotta go. 

“Freedom comes why you learn to let go,

Creation comes when you learn to say no’

- says Madonna in “The Power of Good-bye”

I couldn’t agree more.

art by @dopaprime

Full Moon Halloween! What it means for ALL SIGNS!

Happy Full Moon Halloween Oct. 31, 2020!

This full moon happening in Taurus is filled with electric energy.

Remember that we don’t just feel the effects of the full moon day of - this whole week from Oct. 25 and lasting until Nov.3  is the building up, peak and culmination of the blue moon (second full moon in a month) full moon energy.

Are you ready to cast your spells?

Spell casting isn’t just witchery. We cast spells  in our every day lives. Ever set an intention? Ever written down your goals? Ever made a wish and blew out a candle on a birthday cake (ahem, pre-Covid). You are sending a spell, wish, expectation out into the universe. And this weekend is a prime time to remember that powerful ritual.

How has life been for you since April 22, 2020? This was the new Moon in Taurus; the full moon on Oct. 31 in Taurus is the culmination of that cycle.

What have you learned about yourself? Are you ready to move forward with a new energy and focus and let some things and people go that aren’t an authentic use of your time and resources?

Whatever isn’t in alignment with you - your dreams, wishes, desires and highest good, is going to feel extra crappy right now. You’re going to KNOW it’s time to move on. 

Uranus is a major player affecting this full moon. Uranus brings a heightened level of anxiety, a greater need for grounding (helped by the earthy Taurus moon), surprising changes and information, rebellious actions from yourself or others, and possible major shifts.  Think of plugging into an electrical socket. Uranus supercharges the atmosphere.

Also, Venus is opposing Chiron, the Wounded Healer. Many of us will be focusing on relationships - what are our triggers, our patterns - and especially what do we not want to tolerate anymore. 

We may suddenly see how we wound ourselves in relationships - how we open ourselves up to repeated trauma with our repetitive ways of communicating, welcoming in partners that don’t see our value, and being with people we know aren’t good for us. 

Uranus and the moon in Taurus will push us to pay attention to our sovereignty and self-worth. If you feel like you deserve trauma, you will accept trauma. At some point, we need to look at what choices we make and realize there are other options. There should be no judgement or harsh criticism of self at this time. Simply the awareness that we are ready to shift our realities. If you feel like you need to forgive yourself for some shitty past decisions, do so and move on. Visualize and feel into how you want things to look and feel differently in your daily life and relationships. Are you ready to feel free? This freedom will only come by committing to self.

Full Moon Focus for Each Sign:

Aries - Value. Taurus already rules over values, and this is also where the moon is hanging out in your chart. Are you aligning to your values - do you even know what they are? You may want to spend some time writing down your values and see if you are off track. Look at how these values align with your financial health as well. There’s time to course correct.

Taurus - it’s all about you Taurus - the moon is in your first house of Identity. Where in your life are you NOT being authentic? Can you show up more wholly in your life, career and relationships and not be afraid to speak your mind? This is the beginning of a new month for you, where YOU are the priority. Make sure you are making decisions based on your needs first. Then the rest will fall into place.

Gemini - Going inward may be the best thing you can do right now. You may not feel like partying it up - and that’s just fine. Your spiritual world is illuminated, and you’re feeling the need to nurture the divine within you with a little peace and comfort. You may be looking at letting go of old spiritual beliefs or behaviors that have been too confining.

Cancer - Any problems with your buds or social connections?  A friend you need to let go of that’s draining you? Ready to switch up the friend pod? There may be sudden changes in friend-world. Just go with the flow and try not to take it too personally. Friends come and go in perfect timing.

Leo - Your career is up this full moon. Just because you aren’t working on Saturday doesn’t mean you won’t get news in the days prior or after that shift some things at work. And this information may be better than what you hoped for.

Virgo - Covid season has been great for nesting, but you’re feeling the urge to get out of Dodge. Just know Mercury retrograde may throw a wrench and the Uranus/moon relationship may throw in some surprises to your travel plans - but isn’t spontaneity and surprise what you’re looking for anyway? If you can’t travel, expand your mind.

Libra - Money and transformation, one or the other or both. Eighth house matters are always deep ones. Other people's money, debts, inheritances, windfalls...something may shift in the money realm, or in your outlook on the control or power money or lack of has over you. Sex also falls under this area of the chart. How are the power dynamics in your sex life? Ready for a super-charge?

Scorpio - Relationships receive full illumination now. You have insights you can’t ignore, and these last months since April 22 have magnified the crap you won’t take, the crap that’s holding you back in relationships, and the treasures you want to keep. You can say good-bye now, and you can welcome the vibes you really want to stay in your relationship world. Remember - it all starts from within you. You are a powerful manifester, and if you are a mess, you’ll attract messes. Time to journal and really figure out where you want to heal and change in the realms of how you want to relate and what you want to bring in.

Sagittarius - How’s your daily routine? How’s your work-life balance? How’s your health? Now’s the time to make some radical changes in time management, health practices, and general self-care. Don’t wait for health crises or breakdowns to happen to make those changes you’ve been thinking about for six months. Start with one habit you need to change, and watch how this gives you steam to tackle some more.

Capricorn - It’s play time! You’re so good at putting your nose to the grindstone and taking care of your responsibilities. Take this weekend to prioritize fun, kids, creativity, music, dance, or anything that helps you let your hair down. Don’t worry, your life won’t fall apart if you give in to some hedonism this weekend!

Aquarius - the theme is home for you - have you moved recently or thinking about moving? Some pretty sudden opportunities have been in the air and may culminate this weekend, or at least shift so that you can start to see the path ahead. A change of environment is just what you need. Even if you aren’t changing locales, change your nest. It’s time to revamp the space around you to allow fresh energy into your life.

Pisces - Communication! Now may be time to say your piece, or someone else may give you a piece of their mind. Don’t fight it, you know that it’s time to clear the air. When what was held back is spoken, you can finally move on to the next chapter. Try to stay clear, firm, and kind, just how you would like to be spoken to. You can make your point without being a brat. And so can they. Don’t let anyone verbally abuse you.