Full Moon In Capricorn
If you feel like you are pushing a huge boulder up a steep hill on this Full Moon in Capricorn, blame it on retrograde Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Chiron. Ouch! Well, what other Full Moon could face this kind of struggle by shrugging its shoulders, and saying, “So what else is new?” Thank you Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, the great teacher of how to handle hardship, struggle and reality, with commitment, follow-through and guts. So though this is the Full Moon to celebrate goals and achievement, with this kind of planetary resistance to moving forward, we can also celebrate small steps, realistic goal-setting, and being successful when faced with tremendous limitations. Going forward has its right time and right place. This is the night to look within, connect with one’s own sense of proper timing and trust the wisdom that arises from this kind of inquiry. Remember retrograde planets are ideal for inner work, especially with Mercury (mind) in Cancer.
This is the Full Moon of the Guru: Guru Purnima. A night dedicated to thanking all our teachers, in every walk of life; especially the difficult ones who challenge us to reach deep within to feel love and compassion. You might want to do metta practice in your ritual as you celebrate the teachers in your life: your kids, parents, siblings, lover, partner, spouse, co-workers, bosses, professors, etc. Wishing them well with metta is a beautiful way to celebrate the gifts they give to you and return the sentiment through the heart of compassion.
When the Moon is full in Capricorn, the Sun is in Cancer, the sign that rules emotional connectedness, nurturance, compassion, and personal expressions of love. Because the Moon rules Cancer, when the Moon is posited in Capricorn (the sign opposite its natural zodiacal energy) this makes for a special energetic symbiosis between the Sun and Moon. Only at this time of year, can the Moon fully infuse the restrictive, withholding, structured, serious energy of Capricorn with its natural, energetic Cancerian open, flowing love and compassion. This is especially true with Mercury in Cancer (mind/heart connection). This is a celebration to enliven compassion for ourselves, especially in these uncertain and tough times. So use your ritual to bring compassion to bear upon your most critical, negative images and thoughts about yourself. Self-love is not a concept; it is active, and takes energy and time to develop. This is especially important with Saturn in self-critical and perfectionistic Virgo.
This Full Moon in Capricorn along with Pluto in Capricorn calls upon each of us to find the appropriate structures to express love and connectedness without manipulation. Pluto asks us if we can risk being fearless, honest and open with the ones we love. This is especially true when love is not our first response, or is drowned out by pain, fear and hatred (the domain of Capricorn/Saturn). Where Cancer feels almost childlike in its attachment to direct experience of emotive love, Capricorn knows that sacrifice and personal responsibility are the building blocks of true love, and realizes this goal with a special grace and maturity.
This is the Full Moon of tough love, facing the reality of love lost or denied. Don't underestimate the depth of understanding that a Capricorn Moon brings to the table, especially with all these retrograde planets. This is a huge invitation to look with depth at the suffering you create around love; Venus in Gemini asks us to be lighthearted and open-minded. To not take things so seriously, which is a good thing on a Capricorn Full Moon.
Saturn/Capricorn forces us to come to terms with fear. The old ways (Capricorn) steeped in solutions that arise from fear and war will not work. Sowing the seeds of fear, greed, hatred, and ignorance will never bring about freedom from fear. The Full Moon in Capricorn is the one night of the year when we can truly see our fear for what it is: a distinct inability to transcend the human-made irrational divisions of race, religion, nationality, and gender. There is no separateness, only love. All matter is made of love and therefore can only be love at its most basic, as well its highest expression. We need to create societal and governmental structures that solve these problems from a core belief in love and connectedness.
This will of course require a complete shift in human consciousness. We must move away from identification with the small egoic, self, mired in the ignorance of separateness, to the full experience of the unbounded, transcendent divine Self, realizing love as the true nature of all existent life. When we change the Self, we change everything. Do you think this goal is unrealistic? Not on this Full Moon. This is the Full Moon of hard work and accepting one's personal responsibility to heal the suffering of others. Did you know that most of the great spiritual teachers were born under the Sun sign of Capricorn? Why? To change human consciousness requires a Herculean commitment to achievement no matter how hard or how long the road. This is Capricorn at its best.
Listen up men! Saturn/Capricorn symbolizes the responsible, hardened male, and Saturn also rules depression. Though most people would agree that patriarchy has been detrimental for women, many don't consider how wounding it has been for men. Think of all the men you know who find it hard to talk about their feelings; particularly feelings of loss, vulnerability, sadness, and confusion. Violence, irritability, isolation and anger are often used by men to cover up emotions and feelings that require vulnerability. Interestingly, along with substance abuse, violence, irritability, isolation and anger are often symptoms of male depression. Our society requires that men always have it together, or at least give off the appearance of being fine. Few men admit to depression and even fewer go get therapeutic help. Consequently the highest rate of suicide in America is among men 55-70 years old. So guys, admitting you have depressive feelings is the first step, and right after that comes sharing it with a spouse or friend or adult child. Believe me they already know it and will be more than happy to support you and your journey to wellness. This is the Full Moon to reach out and get help. Find a therapist and a men's group in your area. Take responsibility for your own healing.
This is the night to reach deep into your well of strength and decide that achieving your own inner peace is the only goal worth attaining at this moment in our human evolution. This Full Moon simultaneously uncovers our fear and reflects the solution to our fear: acting only from love, compassion, and doing the hard work of relieving the suffering of all sentient beings by achieving enlightenment and inner peace. This is a very powerful and serious Full Moon-don't waste it!
©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved
At the end of the day there are far too many worthy causes out there for one single individual to support (without becoming a charity themselves) so one has to make choices. When I make the choice of what charity I should support (regardless of what manner), I often weigh up how much other support the charitable organisation might get from elsewhere .. or sometimes it is the simple fact that I resonate with the work done by that charity.
However, the point that this person seemed to be missing, is that a donation is a donation - an act of goodwill to help ease the burden somewhere else. The last time I looked there wasn't a list of what or who one is allowed to donate too.
If a person chooses to donate to animal causes as opposed to humans, then that is their right. After all, it is often the plight of animals that tends to be overlooked - and such plight is more often than not cause by human action.
I don't feel I need to justify why I donate to certain charitable organisations nor should I be labled "selfish" simply because these organisations I choose to donate to don't appear to rank high on the importance list of someone else.
Here's a thought - if every working person within Australia donated just $5.00 a year there would not be the need for such bickering as to where one's donation goes as there would be plenty to go around.
But never fear - where there is a will there is a way.
With the influx of books and internet "schools", one thing I have noticed over the years is that there is still a need for "physical" teachers. While someone may be very well book read, it does not necessarily mean that they are also very experienced in the physical realm. Some readers may be aware of the term "armchair occultists".
So indeed of offering an intensive six week course, I have decided to offer in its place a monthly meeting where the emphasis will be placed more on the practical side of things, such as group workings, as opposed to the theory. In a way those attending the study circle will create their own "mini" coven until the end of the year ... with the extra benefits of also being able to attend coven functions usually reserved for the Temple's Inner and Outer Courts.
Barely within a week of publically mentioning the area, I had two enquiries, both of which have since forwarded their registrations so their positions are now secured, not to mention three other enquiries being received just this week. This is wonderful as obviously despite what seems to be an overall preference to work solitary, there are those who not only value the opportunity to work with and possibly join a coven, but there is still an appeal for some in being able to work with a coven such as the Temple, that is more "traditionally" focused.
Within the next couple of months those who have formed part of the Temple's Outer Court will be undertaking Dedication and from there, the choice will be given to train within the Wiccan priesthood if that is what they are after. From Dedication onwards, these people will move to work with the Inner Court in increasing not only their Wiccan knowledge but also their magickal and spiritual skills.
Allowing participants of the study circle to interact with both the pre-Dedicants as well as the Inner Court members, helps those curious about coven workings, to gain an unique insight on what being part of a coven actually means in the "real world", and in particular belonging to one that still honours the value of the original Wicca teachings that these days is either totally disgarded or interpreted beyond recognition.
There are still a few positions available - registrations do not close until 24 July 2009. Visit the web site for more information.
We gathered at the bakery at Lobethal, a beautiful little town in the Adelaide Hills, prior to heading up to the hired venue. The smell of fresh coffee and pastries were hard to resist and as the weather started to deteriorate, we gave in. Surely one wee little pastry would not spoil our appetites.
Once we had all arrived, we convoyed up into the forest to the old farmhouse we had hired that overlooked St Vincent Gulf. I love this place for despite only being about 10-15 minutes from civilisations, due to the nature of the land, you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere - the rolling tree covered hills, whether native or pine forest, adding to this feeling.
The rain arrived as we unpacked and for those who hadn't attended the venue before, explored the house. We didn't mind - for not only was it Winter but also any rain we get is good rain. A house had a large fire in the lounge that soon was roaring and we settled down to soup, chicken and homemade scones.
After lunch, as the rain eased, we were able to make fire sticks that were to be used in the evening ritual and once they were proven to be successful, we gathered around the large table to construct special charm bags.
The Winter Solstice is a special time of the year - on the evening, it marks the conclusion of one solar year whereas with the rising the Sun the next morning, the birth of a new one. Likened to that of the New Moon where magicks are performed to bring things into one's life, so too can the Winter Solstice be used in much a similar manner. The bags we were made could also be added to throughout the year.
For those who hadn't attended any previous retreats held by the Temple of the Dark Moon, an extremely short demonstration on sigil magick was given to assist with those making their charm bags for specific purposes.
I had taken up with me a number of various herbs and resins, as well as my large box of oils for those who wanted to also test their hand at making incense. I am often surprised that today a number of these more practical aspects of the Craft tend to be overlooked - why make something yourself when you can easily buy it? Little do these people realise just what they are actually missing out on. I personally love making my own oils and incenses - not always successful, I have to admit, but it is a lot of fun and highly recommend it to anyone.
Keeping an eye on the descending Sun, soon we heard the call of the Horn'd God - the sound of the horn drifting on the wind. We gathered in front of a grove of trees, the chill factor increasing as we were reminded that we were not the only ones to have heard the call of the Horn'd God - "for all the creatures of this place have gathered, seen and unseen to bear witness. They too have answered the call of the horn".
Entering the grove, we soon were greeted by the Horn'd God himself who led us to the top of the hill where we witnessed the "death" of the Sun. And the Horn'd God tells us:
"This is the place where I am most settled, this is the time I am most calm. I have stood by and watched my power fade, my importance denied. My dominion has been forgotten, and eroded by time. I can hear your breathing, I can feel your pulse, because your life force is as one with the Earth and I hold the Earth in my care. In every breath, with every beat of your heart, you are living and dying, and in every breath and with every beat of your heart, I am there with the Dark Goddess, to guide your transition through the worlds, of death and rebirth. Your only weakness is not having the strength and courage to face your fears, the paths to become whole are yet hidden to you. Tonight I reclaim my place as the Lord of the Wild Hunt."
Moving into the valley we find ourselves confronted by the Dark Goddess who is the "absence of air that awaits at the bottom of every breath" as well as being the "bottomless pit, the never-ending struggle to reclaim that which that which is denied". The Dark Goddess is also the key that unlocks every door, for she is that which is hidden, secluded and forbidden.
She beckons us to follow her up to the fire pit. Widdershins we walk, releasing negativity of the old year to enable us to bring in the positive insights of the new year. Symbollically an image of the sacred flame is shown in an attempt of our objective tomorrow, in welcoming back the sun.
Safe inside the venue again, we set about dinner preparations, finished off our charm bags and also had a go at making mulled wine to accompany our evening meal and celebrations. Wishes for the new year were made and placed in the Yule log, cords also made to complete our charm bags, and entertainment in the form of enacting a traditonal Mummer's play was held.
The next morning, that of the Winter Solstice, we rose before the dawn, to welcome back the sun. The above photo is of the pre-dawn over Mt Crawford forest on the morning of the Winter Solstice. For some, the sight of the changing colours of the early morning sky prior to the rising of the sun was a new experience. I found it rather interesting that prior to the sun rising, it felt rather warm, then as the sun gradually appeared over the horizon, the temperature seemed to decrease. The local birds also seemed to object loudly to being woken to our drumming.
The Sunday was glorious with the sun shining down on us after the much needed rain the day before. It drew one of resident emus out to see what us humans were doing around the house. After breakfast, I reacquainted myself with the beautiful old oak tree that is up there. A fallen branch provided us with a number of wands to take away with us.
As we left the farmhouse and entered civilisation again, the rest of the world was also well awake. Numerous cyclists and bush walkers were assembling at the gate to various activities in the forest. And as we headed off in our separate directions, I was smiling to myself for it had been a glorious 24 hours - with people already wanting to attend the Bealtaine camp.
This weekend is our Mid Winter retreat and I have been looking forward to it since we were up there only last month for our "Journey to the Great Below" weekend which was brilliant. This camp will focus around the mythos of the Wild Hunt, that can be found in Celtic, Teutonic, Norse, Welsh and even Christain mythology. Acknowledging and honouring the Divine Masculine is something I feel is lacking amongst the modern neo-Pagan community, which is sad. It is as if the God of the Wytches is being portrayed as just another aspect of the Christain tyrant YHVH when, if one bothers to look, this is far from the truth.
The Horn'd One of the Wytches has always attracted me within the Craft - or maybe it has something to do with my country upbringing, as I love being out amongst the wilderness, taking in all that Mother Nature can throw at me.
Where we go on these camps, isn't a draughty humpy, nor is it a 5 star luxury retreat - but a comfortable old farmhouse that despite being only about 10 minutes from the nearest town, being there, on top of the hill surrounded by bush, you would think that you are indeed miles from civilisation itself. And whilst the camps are only 24 hours, they make a perfect getaway.
So the last minute shopping has been done and all I need to do tonight, aside from pack the car, is to make the desert - chocolate pudding from my mother's recipe.
The next magickal retreat will not be happening until Bealtaine - we are going to have an Imbolc event, however I have been invited to attend a long awaited ritual north of Sydney over that weekend so by concensus of coveners, that will be taking precedence. However, the Bealtaine event will be held differently - allowing daytrippers as well as those wishing to stay for the feast and even overnight campers as well.
But in the meantime there are still plenty of happenings:
August will see the commencement of the Wiccan & Magick Study Circle to be held once on month on the Thursday evenings. Also in August, together with The Goddes House, a special supper and ritual in honour of Hekate, the Goddess of the Crossroads, will be held.
September will bring the Australian Wiccan Conference to near Adelaide where I will be presenting a lecture. I am also hoping that this month will be the launch of my first book.
October sees a special workshop being presented in honour of numerous Egyptian Goddesses, as well as the Beltaine Camp.
November will be time for the Dark Goddess workshop.
Added to this are the Full Moon Gatherings that will be held througout the Winter months in the beautiful Botanic Park regardless of the weather ... my regular writing commitments for Insight magazine as well as possibly for Spellcraft and for an ezine produced by an on-lined school. Then early next year, I am hoping to be in a position to attend the New Zealand Pagan festival ... still a long way off but time usually flies.
So busy busy busy ... but there is still time for me to admire the seemingly abundant display of irises I have in my garden at the moment.
Ah…a New Moon in Cancer, our chance to be held by the sweetness of love that pulsates through every living thing. With a Sun/Moon conjunction in Cancer in an exact opposition with Pluto in Capricorn, this is the New Moon to risk a full-hearted, active surrender into fearless compassion for self and others. Venus and Mars in Taurus trine Saturn in Virgo make it easy to recognize that compassion is real and must be acted upon in very practical ways. Doing for others who are unable to do for themselves, offering useful tools for sustenance and empowerment to those who have the will but lack the means, and teaching love as a prescription for healing the wounds of broken families, communities and nations. The Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron conjunction in Aquarius trine Sun and Moon in Cancer adds to the compassionate heart a generousness of spirit that is egalitarian and innovative. On this New Moon of love, we must accept the responsibility to cultivate the intention for living each day as a loving, heartful, mindfully, compassionate being. Recognizing the sources of suffering is a compassionate act in itself. Clear seeing of the causes of suffering leads to the desire to end all forms of our own suffering and the suffering of others.
On this New Moon, we can go one step further and take action to make reduction of suffering a reality. If your life has been characterized by disconnection and alienation, this is the New Moon to honestly appraise the usefulness of defending against deeply felt emotional interactions with others. This is the time to look with real compassion at the insecurities and co-dependencies that arise from refusing to recognize and deal with inner emptiness. The exact opposition of Sun/Moon and Pluto will activate recognition of the ability to feel the extremes of existential meaninglessness and complete spiritual interconnectedness. The beauty of the human heart lies is its ability to feel a full range of emotion that arises when faced with the fundamental paradox of the human condition: we are essentially alone and ultimately one with all other existent life. Humans seek love and relationship in order to feel whole; yet real wholeness arises from self-realization. If we listen to the longings of a lonely heart, we can find tools to help us surrender into the ocean of love that is always all around us; always accessible to us. Loving-kindness meditation practice is a wonderful tool to cultivate love for self and others. Here is a link to my recorded loving-kindness meditation practices.
Cancer is about emotional nurturance and above all craves emotional security. Need I mention that it takes at least two to heal a relationship? This means that if you want to work on a relationship, this is one of the few New Moons where ritual is best done with all involved parties present and ready to do some serious work. Remember that half the battle is finding a way to express truth with love (Moon in Cancer) and a willingness to see the reality and deeper meaning of any relationship (Pluto in Capricorn.)
Cancer represents the archetypal nurturing Mother that lives in both genders. Cancer rules family, home, and the archetypal mothering energy. Saturn in Virgo adds the energy of the archetypal father to this New Moon. This is the best New Moon to work on your home life and the quality of interaction that goes on in your family. Though nothing is more important than family, it’s hard not to get caught up in the day-to-day hassles of family life. These days, most families are overwhelmed and harried by a never-ending cycle of work, school and extra-curricular activities. Since rushed lives leave little time to just "be" together, this is the New Moon to make a commitment to bringing relaxation back into the family schedule. We all need time to stop and really appreciate our loved ones: to fully embrace them, look deeply into their eyes, allowing the heart to soar in the recognition of oneness.
Generation gaps often create poor relationships between parents and children. This is especially so with teenagers who need to separate and parents who desperately want to protect. This is a great New Moon to redefine rules and extend boundaries for teenagers, by creating a contract that is based on mutual respect, personal responsibility and trustworthiness. Supporting a teenager’s need for independence can be done with love.
This is also a great New Moon to engage in healing work around your own childhood/family system issues. Most of us come at our adult lives based on our desire to recreate or disengage from our family patterns of behavior. Astrology is a great tool for delineating introjected familial patterns of behavior that affect our behavior in current relationships. Once the issues are delineated, there are many psychotherapeutic techniques for working on healing childhood trauma, and this is a great New Moon cycle to investigate issues of and methods for emotional healing. For those of you that have emotional issues with people who are no longer available, this is the New Moon to use the powerful psychic and intuitive power of Cancer to work on an energetic level and heal your own internal pain. Sometimes Cancer never knows when to cut the cords and stop trying to take care of other people. This is the right New Moon to take a hard look at your own patterns of neediness and codependency and let go of any strong attachments to constant worry.
This is the right New Moon to begin letting go of old defense and protection mechanisms that may be doing you, and your relationships, more harm than good. Do you crave love as a way to fill up your own inner emptiness? Do you mother others as a way to bury your own inadequacies in feelings of power? Do you hold on to unhealthy relationships because of a deep sense of unworthiness? The answers to these important questions often teach us much about our own underlying motivations for being loved.
This is a great New Moon to investigate the Sacred Feminine and incorporate this wisdom into your daily life and by extension, into our world. The Way of the Sacred Feminine is one of love, caring, understanding, compassion, peace and joy. Our world suffers from a lack of Her presence and Her values in our governmental, educational, business and religious institutions. It is of course our job to reinvigorate our workplaces, communities, schools and politics with Her wisdom.
The New Moon in Cancer rules the power of the archetypal feminine. Women have to support each other in an effort to take our places as heads of State, corporate leaders and religious authorities. There is no one that will free us: we must liberate ourselves and insist that the way of the heart, the language and action of love is the only policy we will support with our votes and with our dollars. Women have the power, but we consistently refuse to use it. Let us not abdicate any longer! Use some of your ritual time to release indifference and inaction and come up with a personal action-plan to empower women.
Since Cancer rules caregiving, this is the New Moon to look at how much you give to those in need, especially with Mar/Venus in Taurus and Saturn in Virgo. Do you volunteer at a local school, shelter, food bank, environmental group, children’s educational service, eldercare facility or hospice? How much have you extended your definition of family? One of my favorite Cancer New Moon cycle activities is to go through my house and gather up clothing and belongings I haven’t used for the last year, and then donate them. It reduces clutter in my own life and allows me to share the wealth with others.
For those of you who use your intuitive skills in your work, this is certainly the time to start any new programs of study to increase your intuition. Those of you who call yourselves healers and spiritual teachers should use this New Moon to look at your own motivations. Do you crave attention and get off on the neediness of others? Are you disempowering through advice-giving, rather than empowering a client’s ability to find their own answers, their own inner healing? Sun/Moon opposing Pluto require an honest appraisal of your own emotional agendas and desire for power. How much our own work as healers is rooted in a narcissistic need for love and attention? So don’t be afraid to ask yourself these tough questions. In the end it can only benefit your clients.
Any of you who wish to get in touch with your own intuitive capabilities couldn’t ask for a more psychically potent New Moon than this one. Try asking for wisdom while gazing into a bowl of water or crystal ball or drawing a few cards from a Tarot deck. You will be amazed at how much contact you already have with your own inner truth. You already have your own answers, and ready access to them. It is just a matter of opening up to your own inner voice and then trusting it. This is certainly the perfect New Moon to open the channel to inner wisdom and self-knowing.
So take care of your emotional life by committing to an insistence on love and kindness in all your interactions. This is the way of Cancer!
©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved
PERMISSION MUST BE GRANTED BY THE AUTHOR FOR USE ON WEB SITES AND FOR OUTSIDE PUBLISHING
Whilst based along the lines of The Wytch's Circle, the material contained won't be as intense and the focus will be more on creating ritual and working magick. There will be a small charge to cover the production of notes, the use of incense, oils, candles, amulet/talisman making material, etc etc. At this stage, $10.00 is being considered or $5.00 with a can donation to the Animal Welfare League.
There will also be the opportunity to join the Temple's Inner Court at our private Sabbats and camps, as well as other events we are holding such as Hekate's Supper.
The Temple of the Dark Moon is located in Parafield Gardens (about 10 minutes walk from Bus Stop 37 Salisbury Highway).
If anyone would like more information or would like to express their interest, please do not hesitate to contact me privately.
BB - Frances
Temple of the Dark Moon
http://www.templedarkmoon.com
The spot we go to is really divine - being an old farm house, we do have mod cons (like electricity and a large wood fire inside that comes in handy). And with the rolling forest covered hills, it is hard to believe that we are only 10 minutes from the nearest town. But surrounded in silence ... it is totally wonderful.
The evening ritual - a progressive story - is shaping up nicely, well I hope so as I have delegated that task to a covener ... and haven't seen the end result as yet. I am focusing on the craft making - as this is something we usually undertake as from personal preference, I like taking something away with me. Honing on the skills we learn at the last camp, talismans for the Sun/Son will be made.
Inbetween all of that, I am trying to finalise my book that I have been writing for about 4 years now - probably longer. Had thought that it would be nice to "launch" it at the Australian Wiccan Conference that will be held in Adelaide in September this year - at which I will be speaking - but that might be pushing it. However I do have an artist designing the cover which is at least a start. I just need to focus on my writing.
More information about the book will be written about when I get a chance.
Until then, stay warm.
BB - Frances
Sagittarius represents idealism, faith, enthusiasm, the quest for meaning, and a generosity of spirit. The Full Moon in Sagittarius is an invitation to bask in the light of some good old-fashioned Jupiterian optimism and joy! This Full Moon represents the union of the physical and the spiritual in the search for knowledge. Sagittarius wants to understand the totality of existence through “journeying” in all its forms. This sign loves to travel abroad to foreign lands or armchair travel with books and on the Internet. It also loves to move through the spirit realms, and use the mind to uncover deeper levels of the psyche or theorize about philosophical and moral issues. The bright fire of knowledge is at its apex on a Full Moon in Sagittarius.
This Full Moon is tempered by a T-square with Sun in Gemini and Saturn in practical Virgo and Mars/Venus/Mercury in grounded, show-me Taurus. That Mercury will be spiritually energized by a square to Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron conjunction in Aquarius. All this intense planetary energy focused around such an expansive Full Moon makes it perfect for a celebration: make a bonfire, gather friends and loved ones to while away the night telling stories of worlds seen and unseen. Share experiences of other cultures and far away places, or share your spiritual insights and speak about the paths and belief systems that worked and those that didn’t. Open to the desire to understand your place in the universe, to know the deeper meaning of life, and to do both through investigation and conversation.
This is a great night to deepen wisdom though meditation, chanting, and prayer. Have your group gaze at the Moon, the stars, the vast ocean of sky above us, and seek connection with the universe. Use visualization to send them on this personal journey and then have them return to the gathering and share their insights with the group. The cosmic/global spiritual healing energy of Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron in Aquarius (the visionary) and Uranus in Pisces (awakening into healing) joins the grounded, bodily experience of Mars/Venus/Mercury in Taurus and Saturn in Virgo to form a rainbow bridge connecting personal insight with global awakening.
Since Sagittarius is naturally optimistic and enthusiastic, we can mine these qualities to help us find a calm center in these turbulent times. Going to new places expands your sense of who you are and how your life stacks up. After all, perspective is a great vehicle for growth and gratefulness, two Sagittarian ideals. Sagittarius is convinced that everything happens for a reason; no matter how painful or how hard the lesson.
The Sagittarian Moon represents the ideal form of communicating wisdom with compassion and joy. When you communicate do you do it with compassion? Do you look to help not hurt? Do you constantly talk or just talk to hear your own voice or do you speak with forethought and care? Words do have meaning and effect, so use them wisely and never as a weapon. But it is not enough to talk the talk; we must walk the walk as well.
All this deep insight will force the issue of clearly, honestly, seeing the dangerous and dark side of organized religion, which is ruled by Sagittarius. Causing death and abuse in the name of Allah, Yahweh, Jesus or any other god is a reflection of how disconnected the fundamentalist wings of the major religions are from true spiritual principles. Dogma and codification are the by-products of fossilized spirituality. Don’t give in to their trickery, but insist on continuing your own search for truth and wisdom. Sun in Gemini brings openness to old spiritual beliefs while Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces jumpstart freethinking. Both loosen attachment to deluded old patterns and beliefs. Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune in Aquarius, Uranus in Pisces and Saturn in Virgo are crying out for new solutions to global hatred and disconnection that stems from fundamentalism. It is time to turn away from old, destructive notions of religion that keep us beholden to some intermediary for experience of the Divine. We have ready and direct access right now since our common source is an underlying blissful reality from which all existence arises. This is the truth of our interconnectivity and our sameness. Diversity is the key element to transforming our isolationist spiritual beliefs. True spirituality is all inclusive and all-loving.
This means that it is time to turn off your TV and tuning into the broadcast channel of existence. This particular part of the Sagittarian spectrum is all about questioning, postulating, and reaching for universal truths that exist outside the boundaries of spiritual/academic dogma and rhetoric. Isn’t it interesting that over on the other end of the Sagittarian spectrum are the religious, political, economic, and educational institutions telling us what to believe, what to think, what to do and how to act. This is the paradox of Sagittarius: it seeks meaning, finds what it thinks is the truth, institutionalizes that truth for the masses, and then uses all its energy to stop adherents from searching for deeper truth and meaning.
Truth and meaning don’t live somewhere far away. It is not in heaven, it is not in the words of some channeler, it is not in your guru, it is not in your church, it is not in your school, it is not in your therapist, it is not in your psychic, tarot card reader or astrologer, it is not in your government, it is not in your guides, angels, or other disembodied entities you have chosen to give away your power. The Earth is speaking to you, every minute of every day! The answers you seek are in the wind, the movement of the waves, in the activity in a bee hive or an ant hill, in the intelligence that moves the stars and planets, in the storms and earthquakes, in the songs of birds, in the howl of a wolf, in the grace of a deer, in the smile of your child/spouse/parent/friend, in the sensual embrace of your lover, in the flowing water of a river, in the shape of a cloud, in the cosmic music of the shimmering particles and waves that make up our universe! Go outside, be in nature and tune in to the teachings of Mother Earth.
Get your Ego out of spirit’s way and open yourself to listening deeply to the existent wisdom of our world. Accepting the animal part of humanity as a source of knowledge will help bring harmony, peace and generosity back to our deadened species. This is why Sagittarius is a Centaur: half animal, half human. Think about it, it will make sense to you! Above all else, make sure to spend this Full Moon celebrating your life with enthusiasm and optimism and sharing this joy with everyone you meet!
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind,
and happiness will follow you
as your shadow, unshakeable.
How can a troubled mind understand the way?
Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much
as your own thoughts unguarded.
But once mastered,
no one can help you as much,
not even your father or your mother.
Buddha (from the Dhammapada, translated by Thomas Byron)
Gemini rules information: its gathering and dissemination. Gemini represents knowledge of the material plane of existence, which is made up of binary information bits; a digital landscape of 0’s and 1’s. Gemini rules the mind and our thought processes. This is the New Moon for all of us to reclaim our mental space; to set limits on what gets our attention, and to carefully examine how our current diet of information is affecting our lives. As you may have noticed, our world is suffering from a bad case of close-mindedness fueled by fear, hatred and delusion. Concurrently, we are also suffering from information overload. Our lives have become a roller coaster of good news one day, bad news the next, and a constant need to deal with the ensuing manic reactions that follow both extremes.
Gemini’s symbol is the twins, but they are not identical; they represent the broad spectrum of experience and therefore oppose one another. However, their shared transcendent source makes them identical. Gemini allows us to realize the truth that all things, which appear different on the surface, share a fundamental sameness.
On this New Moon we can work toward opening the mind to a diverse range of new ideas, while maintaining a perspective rooted in the principles of generosity (Jupiter in Aquarius) and responsibility to serve (Saturn in Virgo). Though retrograde Mercury in Taurus is not great for open-mindedness, Venus and Mars in Aires are all about trying new things. Neptune/Chiron/North Node/Jupiter in lightning-fast Aquarius can make a steady mind difficult to achieve, these planets make for a brainstorming opportunity bar none. If you find yourself feeling pulled in a thousand different directions simultaneously, this is the source. Do what you can to reign yourself in intellectually and verbally, while allowing the play of ideas free reign to take you places you might not otherwise go. If you make your living in high tech, communication, politics, education, or new media, these aspects are incredible for brainstorming sessions or meetings to forge new creative or professional relationships.
Gemini, with its love of communication, makes this New Moon a good one to work on opening up around areas of our lives that have been mired in conflict and misunderstanding. Even with Mercury retrograde in obstinate, opinionated Taurus, the Sun/Moon conjunction in Gemini and all the planets in Aries and Aquarius, help us realize we can talk openly and we can find the right words. We can be inspired to open up to new ideas. We can relax and let our words be a force for healing and transformation.
Gemini is best symbolized by flexibility, changeability, and adaptation, and this is the New Moon to cultivate these qualities and incorporate them into our daily lives. When strong winds and hard rains come, the supple trees bend and sway with the each gust. It is only the hardened, stiff trees that break and fall. When we harden our hearts and minds, plant our feet and become immovable, we set ourselves up for failure. To survive the gusts of hatred and fear, we must open our minds and create useful dialogue. Fear makes us stiffen up and go rigid.
As you know, all New Moons are a time to initiate new goals, ideas, and desires. Mercury, Gemini’s ruler, shows itself in our thoughts, ideas, and our ability to learn. Gemini rules the gathering of knowledge, an inherently open-systems process, that requires us to reach far and wide to get as much data as possible, even opening our minds to perspectives we might normally dismiss. If you are in a researching phase, this is the time to get help and gather as much information as you can about new endeavors. The New Moon in Gemini calls on each of us to open up, talk about it (whatever it is), and open ourselves to feedback.
This is the New Moon to work on your communication skills. Learning how to communicate effectively creates successful relationships. Mars in Aries tends to make us self-centered, impulsive and overly excited about our own ideas and desires. So try warming up to the idea that you are not the center of the universe and your great ideas might get better with some good ‘ol Gemini teamwork. It’s just not all about you! So open yourself to the perspective of the other. What harm would it do if you chose to see the other side or walked a mile in someone else’s shoes? We must all find a way to talk through our disagreements. Walking away in anger never solves anything. Learn to recognize your anger: stop, stay, be quiet, and then speak from a calm rationality and not from the rage.
This is the right New Moon to communicate your wishes, dreams and desires to those who can aid your progress. The truth is, no one does it completely alone and learning to ask for help at the right time is one of life’s hardest lessons. Over the next two weeks as the Moon waxes to fullness, try to really hear what those around you have to say about your wishes, and take their advice to heart. Honest and clear communication is a two-way street and the best way to achieve a successful outcome for all.
Of course for those of you who make your living in the communications/publishing field, this is the best time to initiate new projects in film, video, TV, publishing, and writing. Deal with your fear and just get the work out there!
One last thing, Gemini rules change. This is the best night to work on managing your fear of change. Everything changes; it is the nature of Maya, the field of relativity. When we ride the changes and make surfing the waves of change a vehicle for success, we actualize the highest expression of Gemini. This is the New Moon to celebrate the power knowledge holds to broaden our perspective and open our minds!
©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved
PERMISSION MUST BE GRANTED BY THE AUTHOR FOR USE ON WEB SITES AND FOR OUTSIDE PUBLISHING
All I have to do now is to focus and settle on the direction I anticipant my presentation to take .. then again, maybe I should throw all caution to the wind and see which direction the Goddess (or even Goddesses come to think of it) take me ... after all, with the conference occuring around the dark Moon in September, I thought it would be rather appropriate to possibly present something on the Dark Goddeses. Tying that theme into that of the Conference might be a tricky one however .. but it should be interesting to see what the research over the next few months come up with.
The Dark Goddesses have been making their presence known to me at the moment - in more ways that one. I feel this could largely be because of the huge amount of misinterpretation and/or misrepresentation surrounding them and their energies. Added to this, the increasingly popular modern perception that they are merely "archetypes" ... if I was a Divine being being reduced to largely a figment of someone's imagination, I would also be a tad annoyed!!
Last year I wrote and held a one day workshop where we looked at and worked with six such Dark Goddesses - from various cultures and eras ... Persephone and Sekhmet, Medusa and Kali, Cerridwen and Hekate. This year I wrote a follow up workshop that was supposed to go ahead this coming weekend but unfortunately time restraints and "life" got in the way a bit that it has been postponed until later in the year. In this workshop Baba Yaga, Lilith, Oya and Pele have been included.
Does it bother me when a workshop doesn't go ahead? Not really as I love the research involved. Likewise, the current research I am undertaking for my next article for Insight magazine ...
With the Wiccan Conference occuring in September, this has inspired me to look at my book that I am writing again - I haven't actually added to it since early March ... would I be able to finish and have it presented in time for the conference? I hope so as it would form a perfect platform to launch the book from.
So I guess I better get back to it and continue writing .. not to mention get my finger out and commission those talented artistic friends of mine to design something for the cover.
The venue was an old farmhouse that we had hired the previous year from Forestry SA - about 10-15 minutes from the closest town but due to the rolling hills that were covered in both pine plantation as well as some natural bush, gave the sense of isolation - well, except for the city lights glittering in the distance as the house, perched on top of a hill, overlooked St Vincent Gulf.
Upon arriving, the coldness in the air surprised me - Winter had certainly arrived. Luckily the house had a large fire heater in the lounge that we got started to take the chill of the rooms. After lunch we went for a walk, taking in the natural beauty and the stillness of being away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Wild life was abundant - wallabies and emus, various parrots and silver crested cockatoos. Perfect for de-stressing.
Initially we were going to make masks from scratch for the evening ritual, but with the weather being a bit of the damp side, we decided to decorate already prepared plaster masks that I had also brought. Emma delivered a very indepth presentation on masks, their history and various uses. Afterwards, we also made sigils that were needed for the evening's ritual.
A time to relax, get the outside fire going, start prepping dinner before the ritual area was set up and we then robed up for the evening ritual.
Neit, the Guardian/gatekeeper to the Great Below, had his station set up before the curtained entrance that led down to the fire pit. One of the journeyers commented afterwards how that after waiting in silence, Neti's dark and foreboding presence coupled with his booming voice as he demanded answers made her heart to be "beating a mile a dozen in the fear of the unknown".
Despite best efforts to have the path lit with lanterns, not to mention giving each of the journeyer's a lantern, the wind thought otherwise and blow out most of them out so everyone was encased in darkness, except for the fire pit where a "stern and extremely peeved off Ereshkigal" was having her peace disrupted.
When the bountiful Inanna entered the Great Below, Ereshkigal was most displeased - especially as Inanna was flouting her fertility being some seven months pregnant. Sigils were transformed through the power of the fire and personal desires were released. Each participant was then given a special "key", a stone with Inanna's sacred eight pointed star drawn on it, to return to the world above.
Upon returning to the upper world, we discovered that dinner would be delayed a while but when it was finally ready to eat, what a feast we had - more than enough .. although not so the self-saucing chocolate pudding that I had made from my mother's "secret" recipe!!
We woke the next morning to being engulfed in mist which was a wonderful feeling. After an extremely hearty breakfast, Brian delivered an extremely interesting and indepth presentation on the Buddhist Bardo Thodol states. Afterwards some of us made an attempt to walk off some of the food we had consumed before it was time to pack up and leave the farmhouse.
Reluctantly I washed the smell of the fire from robes and clothing - a sign that glorious 24 hours was over and time for modern existence to start impinging again. But with my "key" stone on the altar, it is reminder of the peacefulness and stillness experienced ... regardless have short that time may have appeared.
Plans are now being made for the next camp - to be held over the weekend of 20 and 21 June. The proposed theme is the Wild Hunt ... how could we resist such a theme with the farmhouse being surrounded by bushland and plantations.
More details can be found on the Temple of the Dark Moon's web site - http://www.templedarkmoon.com
Last night's Full Moon gatherings, the first public one to be held in the beautiful Botanic Park, gave me such a feeling. Whilst a small sized group of people, some new, some returning faces ... we all had the same goal and aspiration - to honour the Lady of the Midnight Skies and to gain inspiration from Her.
The evenings have been a tad on the chilly side here in Adelaide of late but surprisingly enough it was not cold ... cool but not cold. Despite the cloud cover, Her Ladyship graced us with Her presence for the entire evening ... and we had a few visitors ... some of the local park inhabitants (opossums) scurried about as if wishing to join in.
After the Charge was declared a number of healing and energy requests were made - for those awaiting results of tests, recovering from operations, entering the last phases of pregnancy - as well as support and best wishes for a couple getting married this weekend.
Whilst these gatherings that I hold are somewhat structured, this is by no means the only way to honour the Lady of the Luna Light ... for simply glazing at Her in all Her bountifulness and glory is enough. For as the old saying goes ..
"Pray to the Moon, when She is rounde,
Luck with you, shall then abounde.
What ever you seek for, Shall be founde,
In Sea, or Sky, or Solid Grounde"
Or you may wish to make a Moon Water tonic as following:
Moon Water Tonic (by Marguerite Elsbeth)
Tonic waters containing the energies of the moon embody very powerful healing benefits that bring about integral balance and wholeness throughout the body, mind and soul. Clear quartz crystal catalyzes the absorption of lunar energies as well as amplifies the healing benefits.
To Prepare Moon Water
1. Wait for a clear night, preferably on or right before the full moon. put your crystal in a clear glass and cover with one cup of purified water.
2. Check an almanac for the exact time of sundown on the day you have chosen. At sundown, place the glass out of doors in a moonlit place (cover the glass with clear plastic wrap).
3. Remove the glass at dawn. The water is now filled with lunar potency. Drink the moon water every morning to prepare your body, mind and spirit for the stress of the day.
This group is open to people of all genders (as the Great Goddess) does not discriminate or exclude, and is a fun way to encourage those interested in learning more about the Divine Feminine and Her various aspects.
The only chat is that you will have to actually become a member of The Goddess House Yahoo group (which is free) - http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/Goddes
For those who reside in Adelaide, The Goddess House does, from time to time hold actual events and services so please visit The Goddes House web page http://www.templedarkmoon.com/ghouse.ht
BB - Frances
BB - Frances
Full Moon in Scorpio - 8 May 2009
This is the truth or dare Full Moon; a time to honor the transformative power of truth-telling and a very intense Full Moon to put into action (through ritual release) the goals you set at the New Moon in Taurus. Since this Full Moon falls in a water sign, releasing your intentions near a stream, river, lake, or ocean is particularly powerful. But before you let go, have one last look at your goals. Whom do they truly serve? What will they bring to the world? Since Scorpio demands depth and fearlessness, this last look will have to be brutally honest. If your goals require a change of mind, of heart, and/or of action, this is the night to successfully tackle fears that could impede the ability to fully embrace change. Scorpio seeks deep truth by peeling back layers of lies and half-truths—within us and without us. This is a Full Moon to see things as they truly are, not as you wish them to be. The intense planetary configurations on this Full Moon will be a great help in this regard.
The Moon in Scorpio (intuiting the complexity of reality) opposes Sun (motivation) in Taurus (providing for basic needs and security) and both are square the amazingly spiritual Jupiter (bliss)/Chiron (healing)/Neptune (transcendence) conjunction in Aquarius, the awakener. This T-square challenges us all to look deep within to see our own fears and know how our fear creates divisiveness and suffering for others. The thread of commonality transcends any difference we might imagine exists between any of us. The Moon in Scorpio invites us all to see beyond the veil of intolerance and hatred, and embrace true reconciliation between all nations and peoples in conflict. How many more deaths? How many more bombs? How many more shooting sprees? How much more hatred? How much more displaced anger? Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Virgo urge us all to meet this call for sanity with real action.
On a personal level this T-square sets the bar quite high for each of us. How much longer can you say it is someone else’s responsibility or feel powerless to change the world? How much more can you blame others for your own condition? How many more times can you call yourself a victim without looking at your own ability to just let go and heal? Yes, Scorpio is tough love incarnate: see it as it is, not as you wish it to be, and then deal with it in as life-supporting a way as possible. We can each in every moment make the choice to be real and responsible for what we output to our loved ones and coworkers and community.
The Full Moon in Scorpio is a time to release attachment to old pain and arise like a phoenix from the ashes of burned off karma; freed from narcissistic self-obsession and ready to help others heal their own pain. Jupiter (relating), Chiron (wounding) and Neptune (transcendence) in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces make this a particularly potent New Moon in Scorpio to wake up and out of victimology. Visualize yourself as a snake, shedding its dead skin to reveal gleaming new colors. The fresh-faced innocence of Venus and Mars in Aries will give you the energy to start anew.
The Full Moon in Scorpio is the night for full disclosure. It is the night to empower ourselves by naming our truth and shouting it from the rooftops. This is the Full Moon to celebrate our right to know. Though your merriment can take many forms, it should be done with others. This is the night to show up in a way that feels most honest for you, which sometimes implies revealing a secret or a fear. When we name our fear it loses its power over us. Make sure that if your agenda is to reveal, that you do it surrounded by a supportive, caring group of people. Don’t go this road alone on this night. Sharing the pain and the joy of disclosure is the way of Scorpio. It may only take one person to uncover a secret, but it takes many people working together to break the spell of illusion and denial.
The impulsive emotionality of Venus and Mars in Aries might make it challenging to openly discuss polarizing issues that have been hard to tackle. Make an effort to get beyond scripted points of view to find the real issues that divide and separate. Mercury in open-minded Gemini should help us to see all sides of any issue. Commonality can be gained from truthfully admitting where both side’s arguments lack focus and power.
Talking openly and honestly is challenging, but works magic for bridging gaps and bringing people together. Venus in Aries and Mercury in Gemini will lend lightheartedness to communications that could otherwise be quite intense. Try passing around a talking stick, allowing everyone to speak without interruption about whatever is on his or her mind, and in his or her heart.
Remember that on any Full Moon, the Moon is reflecting the light of the Sun in its opposite sign. The reflected light of the Taurus Sun is aglow with the love of and deep commitment to family values. Taurus likes hard work, and opening the lines of communication can be very hard, but ultimately very rewarding. This is especially true when issues of self-esteem (Taurus) lie at the heart of a family’s problems with trust (Scorpio) issues.
This is also a great time for couples to tackle trust issues, especially if a secret has been coming between the two of you. The aforementioned configurations will make this an intense night to reveal secrets and deal with the consequences, but the planets in water signs will provide enough empathy and love to get through it. Scorpio can bring destruction or relief and most times a bit of both. Just know that no matter what happens change is essential for evolution and growth. Remember that radical change done appropriately can lead to more solid relationships built upon openness and unconditional love. At its core, Taurus/Scorpio wants to love. Yes, Taurus can be judgmental, boorish, and opinionated and Scorpio can be too intense and demanding; but both signs eventually come around through an overwhelming need to love and give care.
The Taurus/Scorpio polarity requires that we learn about our power and then discover how to deal with it effectively. Those of you who can’t take all of this deep disclosure can do something a bit more fun. Join your friends for a game of truth or dare, or create a mystery game or a treasure hunt. It’ll be a hard night to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes, but it might be a lot of fun to try!
So meet the challenge of this Full Moon in Scorpio. Go deep enough to face the underbelly of your life, your goals, your community, your nation, and then arise to embrace your power to transform our violence-wary world!
©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved
PERMISSION MUST BE GRANTED BY THE AUTHOR FOR USE ON WEB SITES AND FOR OUTSIDE PUBLISHING
I discovered this magickal site last year where we held our Samhain camp (some photos of which can be found in the Photo Album section on the Temple's web site) and this year I have managed to secure hireage of the venue for four Sabbat camps - the first being in May.
Many people are of the belief that Sabbats should be held on certain calendar dates - after all this is what is mentioned in books ... however I disagree. Firstly, our ancestors didn't have calendars as such to specifically pinpoint dates (they would have used astrological or natural observances if anything). Secondly, the calendar that we are familiar with these days, the Gregorian calendar, technically was not used until 1752 by Britain and her colonies (therefore including NZ and Australia) despite being proclaimed by Pope Gregory XIII and in 1582).
If we look at the astrological timing for Samhain, when the Sun moves 15 degrees into Taurus, that this occurs on Tuesday, 5 May - so holding a "Samhain" camp that following weekend is not too far off the mark ... but I am degressing.
In preparing for the main evening ritual, my research led me to the Sumerian myth of Inanna's descent into the Underworld. With Samhain/autumn providing an appropriate time to do such work as the veils between the realms are at their thinnest, that became the main theme - a journey into the Great Below, where participants will meet Ereshkigal, Inanna's dark half/sister.
Everything from sourcing the craft materials for ritual mask making on the Saturday through to organising lectures and the preparation of the weekend's catering is well on track. And the closer the date gets, the excitement mounts ... it is going to be a great weekend.
Already the ground work for the Mid Winter magickal retreat is also being laid - with the theme of that camp being the Wild Hunt and interest being registered from people as far away as Perth and Melbourne.
This upcoming dark/new moon occurs this weekend - just in time for ANZAC Day that honours those who have lost their lives during wartime conflictgs .. an apropriate time to share another thoughtful article written by Lisa Miller.
Taurus rules our commitment to provide for our families and communities, and Sun/Moon Mercury in Taurus represents our mental, emotional, and physical connection with Mother Earth. This year Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Virgo are hammering away at the necessity for “green consciousness” to be fully embraced. Saturn in Virgo is all about responsibility repair of our planet, Pluto in Capricorn represents taking real steps toward sustainability, and Sun/Moon/Mercury in Taurus adds total alignment of mind, body, and intention toward healing the planet and All our Relations. So, its time to do more than mea culpa for global warming, deforestation, and extinction of so many species on our planet. We must ACT NOW!
Taurus is all about making real what is in our minds. What can you do? Connect your self-worth with your role as caretaker of Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. Taurus walks the path of beauty and gives away its time and talent for many causes. Don’t just gripe about the environment: get out there and pick up trash in your local park or on a beach. Don’t just gripe about the price of gas: go buy a more fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicle, or walk/bike to work. Don’t whine about homelessness: get yourself to a shelter, food bank or aid program and volunteer your time. Don’t scream about the trashing of education funding: get to a school and offer your services to the kids and get on the anti-war protest lines to demand your tax dollars go to education not bombs. Enlist your brain, brawn, talent and time in shattering the illusion of separation.
Taurus represents caretaking, security issues, personal values and morals, self-worth, and one’s attachment to possessions, land and money. This is the New Moon for revisioning our ideas about abundance. And these days, with the global economy in the dumps, we all have to reframe personal gain of wealth and security, as part of our own effort to build the health and wellbeing of all others. There is no system in nature that exists in a constant state of expansion. Contraction is an integral part of a balanced life. Taurus embodies the challenge of knowing how to save in the good times, so we can savor and enjoy the downtimes. Saving requires maturity, responsibility and moderation: the defining lessons of Taurus.
The Taurus New Moon is the best time to get serious about your finances. Even though Mars and Venus in Aries would advise adventure and spontaneity with money, we all must do our part to be responsible and set financial goals that make sense. So this is a New Moon to commit to a budget, and/or set earnings and savings goals for the year. There are some people for whom financial success seems effortless, and some who engage in an endless struggle with their finances. Money is not a fixed entity, it is energetic and always in flux; sometimes we have more of it, sometimes we have less. A healthy relationship to money reflects a sense of rhythm and play. That Taurus, a fixed sign, rules the ever-changing world of monetary matters really comes down to the fact that Taurus’ modest, frugality breeds an even-tempered relationship to money. It is true that Taurus loves to be surrounded by luxury, but there is a great difference between insisting on good quality and indulging excessively in materiality. Think of this New Moon as a time to nurture the boy/girl scout within by cultivating financial preparedness and responsibility.
Since Taurus rules survival issues, this is the New Moon to look at how you meet your daily needs. What does fulfillment mean to you: surrounding yourself with mountains of possessions as a means to self-definition, or spending wisely on the few things that really matter? This is the New Moon to seriously reconsider what makes you happy in a realistic way. Pluto in Capricorn asks each of us to bring our desires in line with an economical consciousness. Try this exercise for the next two weeks. Before you purchase something, think about how you will feel after you own it, and be honest about how much use you will really get out of it. What will you do with it when it has outlived its usefulness? The answers to these questions will tell you if it’s worth buying. You will be surprised at how much prosperity can be generated from a concerted effort to be more conscious about spending.
Taurus is the great procrastinator of the zodiac. It can always find more than enough distractions: shopping, cleaning, cooking, laundry, carpooling, errands, paying bills, caring for loved ones, and never-ending yard work. If you are a procrastinator, use this New Moon to make some serious commitments to setting goals for getting your work done…and adhering to them. Since Taurus rules procrastination, work on taming this demon and you will see your success rate soar! Taurus needs to enjoy its work. So if you make your living doing what you love, you are way ahead of the game. But if you spend your time at a job you despise because you can’t figure out how to get paid to do what you love, this is the New Moon to work on changing that reality. This basically comes down to building self-confidence, believing in the value of your talent and then doing the work. Creativity isn’t about genius; it is really about giving from the heart and with Mars and Venus in Aries this can be so much fun! And remember, anything when done well (even sidewalk sweeping) can be satisfying and creative work.
Chiron in Aquarius asks us all to look at our wounding around issues of originality and staying ahead of the curve. Here in Silicon Valley, business is driven by an obsession with being first and always new and different. Aquarius reminds us that it isn’t just being new or first, but more connecting with the pulse of the communal mind and heart; expressing that which everyone is feeling and thinking but not ready to face openly. Taurus is all about making real things that uplift and benefit real people’s lives. This requires some attention to how one defines success. Look at the cost of what you define as success. And remember, success when measured with the yardstick of ever-increasing productivity is the mania that drives our world and us to desperation, violence and war. What good is all that money if you don’t have time to enjoy it? We all have to learn how to take some time off and relax.
In the Tarot, Taurus is associated with the Magician card—garnering personal will to gain the necessary tools and knowledge for future success. If you own your own business, this is the New Moon cycle to ground strategies and products in reality by invest in research and development. For the self-employed, this is the time to work on developing new client relationships, expand your skill-set, investing in equipment upgrades, and set earnings targets.
Taurus is all about the push/pull of responsibility to others and the desire to follow one’s own will. This is a constant theme in all our lives. Some feel like free agents; others feel constantly at the beck and call of family, friends and business associates, never able to enjoy a private moment. Most of us have lives filled with the constant weighing our own needs against the needs of others. This is the New Moon to consider how this juggling act plays out in your life. How easily do you devote time to your own pleasure? How much responsibility do you take on for others? Are you choosing to martyr yourself, while thinking others demand it from you?
Since Taurus rules our relationship to nature and its beauty, spend the next two weeks beautifying your home and garden, or get involved in a local beautification project or conservation program. If you are looking to buy or rent property, this is the New Moon to focus your attention on getting exactly what you want. Taurus demands beauty and comfort at a reasonable price: and so should you. And this year, if you have the money to purchase a house, getting a good deal is more likely than ever.
Of course we cannot forget Taurus, the passionate, sensual, lover! So after you do “the hard work” of this goal-setting ritual, relax into a hot bubble bath or treat yourself to a delicious meal and then get a good night’s rest. Of course if you are lucky enough to share your life with a partner, it becomes an invitation for lovemaking and sharing of sensual pleasure. Either way, you will awaken ready to face the new day with renewed vigor and joy!
Enjoy this beautiful and fruitful New Moon!
©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
Most of the Temple arrived which was wonderful to see - as well as a group involved with the Gumeracha medieval fayre (which will be held in May - http://www.medievalsa.org/)
A number of regular faces from the local Pagan scene turned up as well as a few new ones ... so it was a wonderful turnout.
Life sometimes gets in the way and we realise that we haven't had an opportunity to have a decent catch up with friends or we spend too long indoors communicating to people only via the internet ... and the picnic provided a perfect occasion to do just that, catching up face to face.
An asortment of food (and there was more than plenty to go around) flowed over the table and were shared ... and then after the feasting the Temple shared a ritual that focused on the beginning of time and Mother Earth - Rhea as she was known by the Greeks. This was followed by the reading and sharing of various aspects of the Sabbat including "Ode to Autumn" by John Keats ..
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing, and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies
The following is taken from a rather excellent Australian Celtic based site - Caer Australis - http://caeraustralis.com.au. I have only included part of their article on Mabon. If you would like to read the rest, please visit their site - http://caeraustralis.com.au/mabonapmodr
BB - Frances
Mabon ap Modron - The story of the Divine Son
Mabon ap Modron, the Son of the Mother, in his story from birth to kingship, is a recurring theme found throughout Celtic mythological and legendary literature. Presented here is an insight into his story as found in the myths of "the Mabinogion" collection in the White and Red Books, and from this the reader will recognise the theme as it occurs in the Welsh, the Irish and in the ancient Gaullish traditions.
The Mabon theme is that of the birth of a miraculous - divine - boy, born to a remarkable or significant - divine - mother, who is lost to her, performs amazing feats to attain manhood, and wins the hand of a beautiful - also divine - maiden. Mabon is the Celtic child solar deity; his mother the Celtic tripartite goddess in her mother aspect and the maiden the goddess as maiden. His story has a seasonal aspect, for we can identify the time of birth of the Celtic god's nativity, and also of his union with the goddess: these are recorded in the myths quite clearly.
Mabon literally means 'son' and comes from the Celtic 'maponos' now found in 'map', 'mab' and 'mac' (meaning 'son of') in the extant Celtic languages. Likewise, Modron literally means 'mother', from 'matronae', 'the Mothers', the Celtic tripartite Goddess. The ultimate meaning of "the Mabinogion" relates to this, and the Four Branches together appear to have originally formed a 'Myth of the Son'. While the White Book of Rhydderch (1325) and the Red Book of Hergest (1400) were compiled from redactions quite late, the stories themselves are much older, and the themes ancient. The fostering of the 'son' characters, for example, clearly echo the account Julius Caesar recorded during the Conquest of Gaul.
We meet the divine child Mabon over and over again throughout the myths in the Mabinogion and in other sources, and he has many names. He is Mabon ap Modron, he is Culhwch, he is Lleu, and he is Pryderi; he is many others as well, but these will suffice to reveal his nature and deeds.
The Autumn Equinox is the second harvest festival, the one usually associated with vegetables and fruit (as Lughnasadh is the grain harvest). My garden was burnt to a crisp during our January heatwave so all I have left is a rampant basil plant and a pumpkin that doesn't seem to know what it is doing - there is a flower still but no sign of turning into anything that may resemble a pumpkin as yet. But of such small mercies I am grateful.
On a personal level however my harvest for this solar year has been extremely bountiful and it is for these things that I give thanks to - as well as all the challenges also received because if it was not for the challenges one would never truly grow spiritually.
Then over this weekend as if indicating something else to give thanks for, some rain fell ... okay it was not a lot, nor the thunder storms promised last week by the "experts", but enough to slowly start to sink down through the layers of dust that have developed after three months of nearly no rain at all.
Yes - the small things are often the most important and it is things simple pleasures that I will be showing my gratefulness for this coming weekend at the Autumn Equinox picnic.
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