Dance of Light and Dark

Tonight, a Leo new Moon and a partial eclipse of the Sun.

Sacred dance of Light and Dark in our Sky.

Meanwhile…

Moon and Sun square Jupiter in Scorpio

with 6 planets in retrograde

and yang Mars squaring wild card Uranus.

Time  to reset.  Tie up loose ends and clear the decks.  Clear first and then set new intentions. Choose what you want to focus on going forward.

This current Earth-Sun-Moon cycle is 

“a call to dig deep and be fiercely honest about
what needs to change inside so that the outside can follow.” 

~Kate Rusko

“a beautiful window within which to set intentions around
a higher vibration of self-love and acceptance.”

~Cayelin Castell

☾☽

More thoughts on this new moon / eclipse time.

#CycleswithinCycles
#newmoon
#solareclipse
#resetwindow
#setintentions

Aquarius Full Moon and Eclipse

Airy Aquarius full moon with a total lunar eclipse clears the air. All kinds of BS falls away. Retrograde Mars also stirs the pot. Wild and crazy times!

Get very clear about what you truly want. Hang on to what you love and value no matter what.

🌒

#Moon
#ClearIntentions

Virgo Full Moon

Mama Earth

Full moon in Virgo, sacred priestess of earth cycles and rhythms.

Long hidden truths are surfacing as illusions fall away.

A watery Pisces sun amps up your emotions.

You may feel wild in the midst of this shift.

Find solid ground.

Anchor yourself to

Mama Earth in the storm‬.

Inanna Queen of Heaven

Inanna - Queen of Heaven

Heaven is hers!
Earth is hers!
She is a warrior.
She is a falcon.
She is a great white cow.
She fought the dragon and slew it.
She seduced the scorpion and tamed it.
The golden lion slept at her side.
She is the singer.
She is desire.
She is the mountain of silver, gold and lapis.
On her hips tall trees grow and grasses.
From Her waters spout and savory grains.
Her lap is holy.
Her lips are honey.
Her hand is law.
Her breasts pour heavenly rain.
She is the healer.
She is life-giver.
She is the terror, the anger, the hunger.
Fierce winds blow from her heart.
Hers is the thunder, the lightning, the glory.
She is the morning.
She is the evening.
She is the star.
She wears the gown of mystery.
Heaven is hers!
Earth is hers!
Who can argue?

Inanna’s Chant by Janine Canan

Inanna is an ancient Sumerian Goddess of fertility, love and beauty. The people of Mesopotamia worshipped Inanna as far back as 4000 BCE (perhaps even earlier) as the undisputed Queen of Heaven.  No other Goddess in any culture has come close to matching Inanna’s stature and power.  The Akkadians also knew her, calling her Ishtar. And many anthropologists assert that Inanna later morphed into the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, and then the Roman Venus.

The story of Inanna’s journey into the Underworld has been told and re-told since ancient times. Inanna enters the darkness of the Underworld and must strip away her adornments and clothing piece by piece. Inanna is tested and must let go of who she once was. She is laid bare. Eventually Inanna embraces her naked and vulnerable true Self. And ultimately, she emerges from the dark and rises again as the Queen of Heaven.

Inanna’s myth is an ancient story. Yet it still holds deep wisdom about the transformation many of us go through. Hers is the story of a woman embracing her true self and recovering her Soul.

Moon Meets Morning Star Image Credit & Copyright: Kwon, O Chul (TWAN)
Moon Meets Morning Star   photo by Kwon, O Chul (TWAN)

Every 584 days, the planet Venus traces Inanna’s mythic journey in the skies over our Earth. Venus appears in our sky as a bright morning “star.” Over many weeks, Venus descends toward Earth and then disappears from view. Weeks later, Venus emerges from the dark Underworld. She has been transformed and is now a mature evening “star.”

Venus, Inanna, Aphrodite, Ishtar… there are many names for this sacred Goddess, the Queen of Heaven. Her roots are ancient and deep. And her wild wisdom flows through the Souls of all women. By any name she is one original #BadassWoman!

The Smell of Spring

Spring Crocus
First Bloom by Nancy L

Last night it rained. This morning when I walked the dog, there was a scent in the air that took me a moment or two to place… Then suddenly I remembered; it is the smell of soil waking up, coming alive after its long sleep.  It is the smell of spring.

Go outside and sniff the air. Do you smell it? Listen. Perhaps you can hear the gentle whispers? Mama earth is beginning to stir. All winter, she has quietly held the seeds of spring in her soil body; she has coddled them and kept them safe, waiting for the time to sprout. And now spring is almost here and the seeds are stirring, preparing to crack open and grow new life.

The chickadees know; they whistle to each other from every treetop in my neighborhood. My dog knows; she sniffs at the soil with new interest. And the sheep know; they birth their lambs in February, knowing spring is almost here. My Celtic ancestors celebrated Imbolc at the time of lamb birthing. It was their way of honoring the end of winter and the promise of life returning to the land. Modern man has turned Imbolc into Groundhog Day, but I personally prefer the celebratory air of ancient Imbolc.

It has been snowing and snowing here, even more than usual. And I had begun to worry that winter might decide to go on and on and on. But then, on a cold, wet day in February, I hear earth’s whispers and I get a whiff of her soil coming alive. It feels like I just received a message from a long lost lover. And I instantly know that the spring I crave is on its way back to me.

Seed Time

Trail to Mt Sanitas

On Winter Solstice, we officially entered into Seed Time in the northern hemisphere. The sun moved into the sign of earthy Capricorn, the master of building and manifesting.

Winter is the time in Mama Earth’s cycle when she becomes still and appears to be lifeless. But beneath the surface, our earthy mother is very much alive; she is quietly gestating  seeds for the new year, loving and holding them safe in the dark. This time of holding in the dark ensures that when spring arrives, the new seeds will be ready to sprout and grow.

What is yearning to come into your life now?

How does the Universe want each of us to sprout and grow in 2015?

Let’s get still and listen in the darkness…

☾ ☽

“Creativity – like human life itself – begins in darkness.”

~Julia Cameron

New Moon Forgiveness

Moon Phases

Look up tonight. The sky will be dark and the stars should be especially bright. This is new moon time.

Each month, our moon cycles from dark phase to full, then back to dark again.  This particular new moon occurs when our moon is in the earthy sign of Virgo. Traditionally Virgo represented the Priestess, keeper of sacred timing and rituals. Our ancestors who lived closer to the earth and in synchrony with the moon and sun cycles, liked to place rituals during this potent new moon time.

Forgive and Let Go

“We are all like the bright moon, we still have our darker side.”
~Khalil Gibran

The dark phase of the moon is the perfect time to let go of inner darkness and make space for more light and love. Many times we hang onto dark events in our past because we cannot forgive another person. Or we cannot forgive ourselves. When it comes to forgiveness, ritual can be a great help to us. Ritual can help us amplify our intentions. Ritual can put a little extra power into our prayers.

When most people think of rituals, they picture an elaborate high Mass at church, or long drawn out funeral. But ritual does not need to be elaborate to be meaningful. I share below a simple ritual to help you forgive and let go.

10 Minute Forgiveness Ritual

  • Create a list of 3-6 things you want to forgive and release.
  • Light a candle.
  • Offer up a short prayer; ask Spirit to help you forgive and let go.
  • Breathe slowly and deeply.
  • As you breathe, offer yourself love despite some mistake that haunts you.
  • Then offer that same love to others who hurt you as well.
  • If tears come, allow yourself to cry and release.
  • Burn your list.
  • Dance to release even more; put on a favorite song and move. Dance and shake!
  • Think of one intention you want to hold for the months ahead.
  • State your intention aloud.
  • As you blow out the candle, thank Spirit for helping you forgive and move on.

In this potent new moon time, let’s choose to consciously let go of past troubles and mistakes. Let’s release our heavy baggage, so we can “lighten up” and flow joyfully into fall.