Blue Moon in Libra: You, Me, and the Co-creative We

'The Moon Flower' by BlueAngel16 on Deviant Art

Blue Moon in Libra: You, Me, and the Co-creative We

Moon opposite Sun @ 4-19-19, 6:15am CDT

There are 3 types of Blue Moons. There is a Biological Blue Moon...which is the third of four Full Moons in a season (there are usually only 3 Full Moons every season). The next of these Blue Moons will be a month from now, and the last was May of 2016. The Biological Blue Moon (also known as the seasonal Blue Moon) is a moon where we can tap more deeply into the Mother Mind of our Earth and know her rhythms and how she moves us.

There is also a Sociological Blue Moon...created somewhat recently, but no doubt integral to our current folklore. The Societal Blue Moon is the 2^nd Full Moon within a calendar month. The last of those were in January and March of last year. The Sociological Blue Moon (also called the monthly Blue Moon) can help us tap more deeply into the flow of our societal stories, the Societal Mind, giving opportunities to interact and shift some flow into a new direction.

The 3^rd type of Blue Moon we’re experiencing now is an Astrological Blue Moon...which is the 2^nd Full Moon within one sign of the Zodiac (in my work, I use the tropical zodiac). Last month’s Storm Moon in her fullness was in the 1^st degree of Libra, on the day of the Equinox. This month, the Seed Moon is full in the last degree of Libra. That means this is an Astrological Blue Moon. This Blue Moon works on both the biological and sociological levels...but also co-creates something beyond that by our relationship to the cosmos. These are the ‘once in a Blue Moon’ opportunities to tap more deeply into how the Universal Mind moves us through the Music of the Spheres.

This is our Seed Moon...co-creative in our relationship between Self and Other. The Aries-Libra axis that Sun and Moon are in now is about how one relates to another. This can be in any kind of relationship...though it is often most dynamic within intimate relationships, when people get right down to the core of who they are with each other. Yes, our intimate partnerships will be in full light in this moon. But so will the ways we bond, relate, and interact with others. What are we agreeing with others to co-create in each interaction? The deciding question, at this time, might be...is it productive???

Sun in Aries 30- Sabian Symbol: ‘a duck pond and its brood’

Are we excluding any part of ourselves that we consider
the 'ugly duckling'?
There is actually beauty to embrace in that shadow.

What we know of as our singular identity can actually be thought of as a close-knit family of energies working as one. Within this holarchy (though for many, it may be a hierarchy within)...what takes care of the whole brood? And what parts are guided along by what directs the pond’s inhabitants? Also, how open are we to letting something new come in and change the dynamics? Is the very thought of it unsettling or exciting? Either, or both, can be the case with Sun applying to a conjunction with Uranus in Taurus. In between them is the asteroid Hygiea, though, named for the Goddess of Preventative Health...so there may be something to arise that leads us to holistic healing.

How we each are designed uniquely to fill a certain space (a body...made of mostly water)...and how we interact in ways of survival, self-bonding, self-reasoning, and self-understanding...is the essence of this final degree of Aries. This is where we can come to a certain mastery of self-realization which provides us direction. Of course, Sun is only illuminating this degree for a day before moving into Taurus...so we shouldn’t expect the full extent of this mastery all at once. But this Blue Moon will be reflecting this Sunlight for us to tap into at this time.

Moon in Libra 30- Sabian Symbol: ‘three mounds of knowledge on a philosopher’s head’

'The Philosopher's Head' by David Delruelle

Any Moon in Libra, including last month’s, relates to the building of relationships. In the first degree of Libra last month...we were relating to how another is displayed on the surface, and what we can learn from this. Now, Moon illuminates the mounds of knowledge we can grow from a full experience of others.

Like the 3 types of Blue Moons...there are 3 ‘mounds of knowledge’ in these Libra Mysteries. One is biological knowledge...how the individual relates to the Earth and all life upon her through the Body. One is sociological...how we relate to other people through the Mind. And one is astrological...how all of our energies combine with the cosmos as a co-creative relationship through Soul and Spirit. This Seed Moon is a thoughtful one. And hopefully it will inspire you to make manifest the best of those thoughts.

Juno in Gemini 30- Sabian Symbol: ‘bathing beauties on a beach’

'A Bloat of Hippos' by Bruce J Robinson
Maybe you were expecting women in bikinis?
Hippopotamus Medicine is much more aligned with Juno in this degree.

The asteroid Juno, named after the Queen of the Gods, is in beneficial aspects to both luminaries at this time. In this Full Moon’s mythic storyline, she is acting as midwife to this Sun-Moon opposition and assisting the initial seed planted at New Moon (April 5^th) to flower. Her husband, Jupiter, is opposite her in Sagittarius, and helping in his own way of expanding the vision inward...but he is also retrograding away now, and into a space of preparation for opposition with Mars on May 5th. It is the Bona Dea (the Good Goddess) who is most influential at this Full Moon. And when Juno is at work...she brings up themes of commitment in partnership and feminine empowerment to balance out the patriarchy.

Watch women work together now in ‘Blue Moon’ ways to bring equality in partnership to an even more conscious level of engagement. What we need to be conscious of, within ourselves, is that this isn’t a competition with others. This creative flow and good rapport with Juno is about how we communicate and create networks within our environment. This is the last degree of Gemini at play...so it has the potential to connect in fascinating (perhaps even curious) ways.

May you all have a blessed Blue Moon!

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

Full Moon in Libra: The Balance of Rise and Set

Ostara by Helena Nelson Reed

Full Moon in Libra: The Balance of Rise and Set

Moon opposite Sun @ 8:43pm CDT on 3-20-19

Happy Equinox, Stargazers! And Happy International Astrology Day! The Equinox is when we have equal day and equal night...when Sun rises due East and sets due West. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the Vernal Equinox (while the Southern Hemisphere is having their Autumnal Equinox). Many pagans in the North (myself included) celebrate this day as Ostara...which is the name of a fertility goddess whose symbols are the egg and the rabbit (ever wonder why these fertility symbols are associated with modern Easter?). Another name for this goddess is Eostre (which is where the word ‘estrogen’ comes from). As night and day are in perfect balance, with Sun on the increase, the young Sun God and the Maiden Goddess celebrate their hierogamy (Sacred Marriage), and conceive a child. In nine months time (the Winter Solstice), that child is born...and the cycle continues. On this day, we celebrate this energy of fertility and new growth.

And really, with all the tumult that has happened worldwide already during this Storm Moon cycle (which is likely to shift into new forms toward the dark part of this cycle)...celebrating the change of seasons and the promise of new growth (inward and outward) is the kind of earth-centered healing that will carry us through the dramatic shifts of this Storm Moon. We began this Storm Moon cycle in Pisces, conjunct Neptune-Vesta...a very watery initiation. And now at the fullness of this Storm Moon, we have Sun and Moon at the Equinox degrees of Aries and Libra (with Sun conjunct Chiron in Aries).

Libra and Aries are cardinal signs that are traditionally ruled by Venus and Mars (the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine planets). Several hours after Full Moon, Venus (in Aquarius) and Mars (in Taurus) meet in a dynamic square aspect of 90 degrees...highlighting the need for change in our relationships. This can be creative (such as birthing new ideas), or it can be stressful (such as arguments that finally address something needing to be said in order to move forward)...or somewhere in between, because the point is to make a move (especially when feeling the ‘something’s gotta give’ vibe that will only be increasing through the next couple weeks).

So what is this that’s increasing...what are these dramatic shifts into new forms that are coming? And haven’t we already dealt with enough drama lately? Well, not according to the Eris-Pluto square in Aries and Capricorn. The Cancer-Capricorn Lunar Nodes have been shifting closer and closer toward a T-square pattern with Eris at the apex (where the stress of the opposition pools and demands action, exact April 2^nd)...and the South Node will be exact with Pluto in Capricorn at the end of this Storm Moon cycle (April 4^th).

'La Discordia'

What does it mean? Well, firstly, Pluto at the South Node is like a karmic cleansing of a lot of build up that has been blocking the soul. It is a transformative release...quite like composting that which is dying to give new life to something else. And Eris at the apex of this T-square...she’s that fierce Warrioress within each of us that emboldens us to fight for our cause and live our true purpose (or suffer the chaotic consequences if we deny her call for integrity and right action). There is no living being on this planet who is not hearing her call ‘round the world during this lunation...and I can assure you that the only ones not answering the call are humans (not all of us, but...well, you know...we’re largely a stubborn species and we tend to deny the kind of instinctual drive that Eris can represent). With Pluto and Eris growing to dynamic aspects with the Nodes...Shadow Work is not only advised, it’s probably inevitable. That part of yourself coming up that you don’t want to see...that you want to blame on someone else or somehow dissociate from it...bring it closer and get a good look at it instead. Try to understand that part of you better and why it is necessary...dance with it, embrace it...let it play in the light instead of having it only act out unconsciously while being repressed. The Shadow holds great wisdom for each of us...and the Collective Shadow as well! Notice all of the people calling it out right now...one of my favorite Eris-like activists making waves lately is Greta Thunberg. Check her out if you’re not familiar with her yet!

Sun in Aries 1/ Moon in Libra 1- Full Moon in Equinox Degrees

'Selkie Blues' by sgorbissa on Deviant Art

A few hours after the Sun’s ingress into the sign of Aries, Moon exacts her opposition with Sun...so this Full Moon happens to be exact while in these Aries-Libra Equinox degrees. The Sabian Symbol for the Sun in Aries 1 is ‘a woman emerges from the ocean; a seal embraces her’. This refers to new beginnings, to potentialities, and to emergence of the individual from the collective unconscious. This is the RISE. The Sabian Symbol for the Moon in Libra 1 is ‘a butterfly made perfect by a dart through it’. This refers to endings, to that which is inevitable, and to returning to the collective unconscious with something perfected...having lived a purposeful life and relating that purpose to others even after death. This is the SET. The Rise and the Set of these degrees...one which evokes imagery related to the mythic storyline of the Selkie (Mermaids who could shapeshift from seals to humans) and one which evokes imagery related to the mythic storyline of the sacrificial God-Man (such as Jesus, Dionysus, Osiris, Odin, Mithras, Attis, etc.)...tell a tale of life and death that is cyclical, never-ending, and purposeful. What this Full Moon evokes in us is the necessity during this time to reclaim our purpose in life by also releasing that which is dying in us. By letting go of that which is no longer necessary to hold on to, we are better able to emerge into something truer to ourselves. This has to do with that Pluto and Eris influence as it relates to the Lunar Nodes. Pluto at the South Node is the letting go of crutches, addictions, or false beliefs that hold us back. Eris is the necessity to step into our purpose. And though this energy is most acute at the end of this lunar cycle...bringing us into new beginnings for the New Moon in Aries (April 5^th)...it is now when we are becoming very aware of how necessary the changes really are. Sun is conjunct Chiron in Aries during this Full Moon, showing us that this is the way to heal.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

Full Moon in Virgo: The Wisdom of Focus

'The High Priestess' by Cathy McClelland

Full Moon in Virgo: The Wisdom of Focus

Moon opposite Sun @ 9:54am on 2-19-19

The Quickening Moon began on 2-4 at the Imbolc cross-quarter degree (Aquarius 16) between Solstice and Equinox...starting to thaw out those of us in the North as we quicken to Spring. Now as we are in the fullness of the Quickening Moon, we may really be feeling things speed up around us...though you may notice a call for stillness within. All Planets are still in direct (sunwise) motion across our sky throughout the month of February, with Mercury slowing to a retrograde pause on March 5^th to take the collective mind on our next “widdershins” journey.

'Athena' by Alyana

But the asteroid Pallas (Athene, the Goddess of Wisdom) has been paused in her retrograde station at the end of Libra since Sunday...directly opposite Uranus at the end of Aries. Uranus tends to shake things up (and has been doing just that!), but this opposition with Pallas creates a balance for the mind to channel high mental energies into constructive strategies. This opposition is inconjunct to the Full Moon opposition. So while the Full Moon represents what we see and feel, Pallas and Uranus has to do with what we feel but don’t see...all of the energetic patterns at play between ourselves (Aries) and others (Libra).

So we began this Moon cycle in Aquarius, with the Mind in Focus (Fixed Air), and a call for more progressive organization in our lives. And now we come to the more adaptable Full Moon of this cycle, highlighting the 1^st degrees of Virgo and Pisces...Body and Feelings in Service (Mutable Earth and Water). How does that New Moon seed blossom now into fullness? In the way of the Priestess (Virgo).

'Hestia/Vesta' by Pamela Matthews

The Pisces Sun at this time is also conjunct Vesta (the asteroid named after the Goddess of Hearth and Home, Priestess of the Sacred Flame). So the Priestess signature is written all over this Full Moon. Priestess energy asks, ‘What is the Focus of your Sacred Work?’

The word ‘Focus’ refers to concentrating interest or activity on something, bringing it into clear definition. However, this word also relates to the Sacred Work of the Priestess. Focus is a Latin word that means ‘domestic hearth’...where Vesta’s focus is as she tends the eternal flame.

So the Full Moon in the sign of the Priestess, opposite the asteroid of the Priestess, is bringing us to our Focus…even in the midst of much growing activity as we quicken to Spring. It’s not like everything will slow down for us to concentrate on what we need to do. It’s kind of like (how I personally feel on a regular basis in my immediate family) an owl resting in a tree full of scurrying squirrels...focused stillness even in the midst of frenzied activity. That’s what we have the capacity to tap into now.

Moon in Virgo 1: Defining Character

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘a man’s head’. Virgo is an earth sign, and this element has to do with matter...such as the body. But Virgo is also ruled by Mercury, which has to do with the mind. The head as a symbol relates to this body-mind connection. Virgo has a way of separating the wheat from the chaff, sorting through and defining things more precisely. It is with the head that we use most of our senses to distinguish one thing from another...such as the clarity of vision. It is also in the features and expressions of the head and face where our true character is often seen most clearly. At this full moon, we may experience a test of character...or how we define ourselves. The changes we have been making to align ourselves more clearly with our true character have us ‘heading’ down a clearer path now.

But this is not about trusting the head over the heart...this Full Moon is conjunct Regulus, the ‘heart star’. This Moon combines the character of the head with the courage of the heart for the clarity of focus we need.

Sun in Pisces 1: Sacred Reciprocity for the Well-Being of the Whole

'Marketplace' by Rein Sievers

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘a public marketplace’. This symbol is about the interplay of all the diverse elements of a group. The emphasis is on group integrity, which relies on Sacred Reciprocity (healthy giving and healthy receiving, in mutual benefit). The marketplace represents a place where many different people can come together and engage in exchanges that address the basic needs of humanity. It merges all parts into the whole, which is the Piscean way. This symbol may well describe the hustle and bustle feeling we tend to get in the Quickening Moon cycle that comes before the Spring Equinox. Here, it’s still cold and another round of snow just resulted in school being cancelled tomorrow, but the promise of Spring renewal is stirring within and we want to follow the urges for more lively exchange.

So as we bring into focus the things that define us, we are also finding how the changes we’re making can fit into the larger whole. Now is the time to discover what is a distinct truth about your character, and how it can productively serve the Greater Good.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

Mercury in Pisces and the Upcoming Retrograde: A Mystical Journey in Three Acts

Art by Shijun Munns

Mercury in Pisces and the Upcoming Retrograde: 

 A Mystical Journey in Three Acts

Sunday morning, Mercury moved from the innovative air of Aquarius to the mystical waters of Pisces. The Messenger Planet in Pisces may speak to our Collective Mind through poetry, music, art, and spirituality...but if he must speak in terms more defined, the messages may sound very soft and unstructured. Either can leave us with more questions than answers. Thoughts had been clearer in Aquarius, but Mercury in Pisces whispers, ‘unknowing is part of the integration process’. And though it was a relatively quick journey through Aquarius, Mercury will don the cloak of the Mystic for another couple of months. If you feel your mind swimming in a vast sea in the coming months, you’ll see that you are not alone.

This is the first of the water signs we’ll be focusing on with Mercury’s retrogrades this year. The shadow of the retrograde begins on 2-19, followed by Mercury’s retrograde station on 3-5. Then Mercury stations direct on 3-28, and moves beyond the retrograde shadow on 4-16. So from 2-19 to 3-5, we might forget a thing or two or more...but from 3-5 to 3-28, we have a chance to return through those Pisces degrees and retrieve whatever our minds misplaced (or misunderstood). Then from 3-28 to 4-16, we integrate that medicine we re-learned.

Throughout Mercury’s journey in Pisces (2-10 through 4-17), multiple planetary transits are re-visited.

Act I: The Pre-Shadow Introduction

2-19: Just before entering the retrograde shadow, Mercury meets up with Neptune in Pisces 16 (‘a flow of inspiration’). Neptune is the modern ruler of Pisces, so follow that flow and recognize what inspires you at this time. It will be key to navigating this journey. Then in Pisces 17 (‘an Easter promenade’), Mercury enters the shadow (just before the Full Moon) and then forms a harmonious sextile with Saturn in Capricorn a little later. There’s a good rapport there to tap into (though quite subtle for a celebratory display), but the opportunity won’t just fall into your lap. Saturn makes us work for it. You may even have a feeling of ‘being alone in a crowd’ because while others are celebrating, you’re distracted with feelings of hopelessness or futility. It can help immensely to shift your perspective to something more productive. However, if you’re too distracted in these 2 weeks before Mercury stations, most of these Mercury transits will be revisited thrice. Mercury Retrogrades CAN include lucky breaks, after all.

2-22: Mercury in Pisces 22 (‘a prophet carrying tablets of the new law’) squares the traditional ruler of Pisces, Jupiter, who is currently in the other sign he rules (Sagittarius). This Jupiter square is also important because he rules both signs in play, and this message is one of action (though squares often bring some amount of force or stress). Some mindstuff might need to be cleared out so that new enlightenment can come in, but it won’t be easy. However, without the necessary action of this thrice-visited square, some of the more subtle aspects Mercury is making will likely seem ‘a dream within a dream’...when actually they are full of opportunity.

2-23: Mercury in Pisces 23 (‘a materializing medium’) sextiles Pluto in Capricorn. Here is another chance to tap into a good conversation between planets, and this one may get deep later on when re-visited. It may have to do with rewarding opportunities for producing results...likely through compassionate service. But this is a sextile, so it can be so subtle that it might be one of the unnoticed things the retrograde helps to better see.

2-26: Mercury in Pisces 26 (‘a new moon that divides its influences’) forms a harmonious trine to the North Lunar Node in Cancer and a beneficial sextile to the South Lunar Node in Capricorn. The nodes in these degrees are balancing between repose and restlessness, and Mercury can provide an opportunity for deep soul insight at this time.

Act II: The Retrograde Revision

Cover Art for 'The Great Stone Face' by Nathaniel Hawthorne

3-5: Mercury stations retrograde in Pisces 30 (‘The Great Stone Face’).

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘A majestic rock formation resembling a face is idealized by a boy who takes it as his ideal of greatness; as he grows up, he begins to resemble it’. This is a symbol of envisioning an ideal and becoming it. What do you idealize? This image we try to project is much greater than us, but as we admire and try to emulate it…we take on some of those characteristics as we grow into who we are meant to become. The rock formation in this image is created by Mother Nature herself; not by man. She created it to show who we can be. The boy in this image gazes up at the stone face in awe. It commands respect in a gentle and quiet way. It shows a solid character at peace with its surroundings. There is a sense of immortality to it…an ancient and enduring truth.

This is a time to do some inner work on defining goals and ideals in our lives. We must be clear about it. What do you want? Who and where do you want to be in this life? With clear intent, we can plant those seeds in the Pisces New Moon that follows this Mercury Station...and see our dreams unfold.

The shadow side of this image that may come up in this Retrograde Station is when we project the wrong kind of image…one that doesn’t line up with what we intended. It may be that we are trying too hard to live up to the ideals that others project upon us…or that we are unsure and vacillate between what we think we should be for others and what we really are. The key is to not get caught up in superficial ideals. Many may look in the mirror at this time and see only what they don’t like about themselves being reflected back to them. The more conscious thought you give to the negative, the more the negative is reflected.

3-14: Nodal Trine/Sextile, part 2 (Pisces 25) and Interior Conjunction with Sun (Pisces 25)

The Sabian Symbol here is ‘the purging of the priesthood’. With this revision of the Nodal axis, there may be some fated encounters that help to purify and renew. Renewal comes along with the Interior Conjunction between Sun and Mercury...as it can be seen, much like a New Moon, as a ‘New Mercury’. In each Mercury retrograde, there is this moment of reset for the Collective Mind. This is when Mercury passes between Earth and Sun and then begins rising before the sun each morning. New ideas are formed in this time, energized from the Sun with pure potential. This New Mercury has to do with renewing vows of integrity, trustworthiness, and compassion.

3-15: Jupiter Square, part 2 (Pisces 24)

The Sabian Symbol here is ‘an inhabited island’. This revision of the Jupiter square has to do with inviting good fortune in through concentrated efforts. Learning to not just co-exist but to cultivate harmony with others is part of the challenge this time around.

3-16: Pluto Sextile, part 2 (Pisces 23)

If this opportunity passed you by on 2-23, here’s your next chance to utilize the ‘materializing medium’ degree. The same effect applies as it did then, though it may have a more internal focus now.

3-17: Mars Sextile (Pisces 22)

This was the degree (‘a prophet carrying tablets of the new law’) where Mercury first met in a square with Jupiter. In this Retrograde though, the initial challenge turns into a great opportunity with this Mars sextile. This may come in the form of some much needed guidance at this time on how to productively act upon your creative ideas.

3-20: Saturn Sextile, part 2 (Pisces 20)

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘a table set for an evening meal’. The revision of this Saturn Sextile is an opportunity to recognize things we may have taken for granted and how even the small, and sometimes overlooked, things can reveal to us how we are provided with sustainable emotional nourishment on a daily basis. This is not just about seeing what is laid out before us, but about listening for what ‘sings’ in our life. This happens several hours before Spring Equinox (when Sun moves into Aries) that evening, followed by a full moon that night. Celebrating the beauty of Springtime under the Full Moon will help to engage in this opportunity to appreciate the harmony of supportive structures in our lives.

3-24: Neptune Conjunction, part 2 (Pisces 17)

As Mercury slows down before his next pause, he comes back to Neptune for some mystical guidance on this ‘Easter promenade’ degree. This is the degree where we missed something the first time around. Maybe we were too focused upon the outward displays of the ‘promenade’ and couldn’t quite see beyond the superficial, but now the mind meditates deeper inward. In the still moments of the next few days, Neptune’s message of rejoicing in the renewal of hope may bring some mystical revelations about life.

3-28: Mercury Stations Direct (Pisces 17)

'Promenade near Argenteuil' by Claude Monet

This ‘promenade’ degree has a very Phoenix-like effect on our minds when Mercury pauses to retrieve this medicine. We see, by the end of this retrograde journey, that it had much to do with resurrecting dreams, ideals, beliefs, and aspirations. What we find is that it was all within the whole time...things we thought we’d lost in the perceived drudgery of time. Yet, here is a moment of timelessness. The mind is suspended in the vast sea of Pisces...and we realize we’ve been witnessing a sea change through this inward focus. And soon, we will integrate this medicine.

Act III: The Post-Shadow Integration

'Drop of the Ocean' by Ruth Meharg

4-2: Neptune Conjunction, part 3 (Pisces 18)

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘a spectacular performance in a gigantic tent’. To integrate Neptune’s Mystic Medicine, he may don the top hat of ‘The Greatest Showman’ after we return from this Mercury Retrograde, and invite us to either engage in or simply watch an inspiring performance. Something about this spectacle will show us how to integrate what we’ve learned over the past several weeks. The creative flow of inspiration went from a leisurely stroll (a promenade) to an exciting burst of creative expression. And after the New Moon in Aries (4-5), the sextile opportunities aid us in putting it to good use.

4-7: Saturn Sextile, part 3 (Pisces 21)

The Sabian Symbol here is ‘a little white lamb, a child, and a servant’. This is an opportunity to integrate the wisdom of bringing together past and future in the present moment. Being present in the newness of each moment is important here. Notice the help you have around you to accomplish your goals. You are not alone. Seize this moment to integrate your hopes and dreams.

4-9: Nodal Trine/Sextile, part 3 (Pisces 23)

Mercury returns for a ‘third-times-a-charm’ to this ‘materializing medium’ degree, this time with the Lunar Nodes instead of with Pluto. You may have an opportunity now to materialize something of this mystical knowledge you’ve gained in a way that is more group-oriented. You will need some constructive criticism for growth, and the connection with others will allow you to integrate and share your gifts in mutual benefit.

4-10: Pluto Sextile, part 3 (Pisces 24)

To integrate the Pluto Sextile, we bring the ‘materializing medium’ to ‘an inhabited island’. This was the degree Mercury Rx was in during the 2^nd square with Jupiter. Now Pluto drives home the message by presenting an opportunity. A deeper transformation takes place when one co-mingles their talents with community. This is a soul commitment to realizing your hopes and dreams in new ways.

4-11: Jupiter Rx Square, part 3 (Pisces 25)

This ‘purging of the priesthood’ degree was where the Interior Conjunction of Sun and Mercury took place to usher in a New Mercury cycle. Now Mercury revisits the Jupiter Square here for some integration through purification of beliefs. With this dynamic, Jupiter is even stronger as he has just recently stationed retrograde and wants to expand inwardly on this degree. This symbol is about overcoming corrupting influences...and Jupiter Retrograde knows there’s still some limiting beliefs to clear out. Especially for the accumulation of corrupted beliefs in our Collective Mind, it’s going to take more than one retrograde to address. It’s an ongoing process, really. In this integration, you may find that what is being revealed is the need to purge some unproductive fantasies as you move forward with renewed vision.

4-16: Mercury moves past Rx shadow (Pisces 30)

That inner work we did on March 5^th at the Retrograde Station can now be expressed in more outward manifestations as we move through the entirety of this degree with Mercury direct. ‘The Great Stone Face’ is no longer just an ideal...it is now the solidness of our own character and integrity.

4-17: Mercury enters Aries...and thus a new stage of the journey of the Collective Mind begins.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo: Reclaiming Power

Art by Donia Lilly

Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo: Reclaiming Power

Moon opposite Sun @ 11:15pm CST on 1-20-19

Eclipse lasts from 8:36pm CST on 1-20 till 1:48am CST on 1-21

Full Eclipse between 10:41pm - 11:43pm CST

Maximum Eclipse @ 11:12pm CST

'Blood' in red for dramatic effect

Welcome to the Full Cold Moon (or Super Blood Wolf Moon as it’s being hyped...whatever combination of sensational words most draws the attention of readers, right?). While there are many names for the full moons of the year, I go by the ones that make the most sense for me in the middle of the US...and the Full Moon in a midwest January almost always brings with it some freezing temperatures. From my observations, this is when most people in Omaha are really bemoaning the cold, after the holiday season (another fitting old name for this moon is ‘Moon After Yule’). And yes, it’s close enough to perigee to look a tiny bit larger (when the Moon gets a ‘supermoon’ status)...but it’s actually a bit closer at the Quickening Moon next month (which might not be as hyped because there’s no lunar eclipse then to also turn it ‘blood red’). 

Whatever fascinating words or events might have put this particular moon in focus for you...it’s actually the Moon herself who is pulling you in (even before you see her in shadowed fullness, if you are in an area of good visibility). She’s got a powerful message for us this weekend...one that will continue to resonate at least until the next eclipse season this summer. Pieces of this message may even come up after another 18 years, as eclipse cycles do. 

Moon messages communicate intuitively...sometimes through feelings, musings, visions, dreams, or symbols. Often times, you’ll see or hear something that connects you to an unmistakable knowing (do your best not to doubt it). This is the way I write these astrological blogposts...following the feelings that emerge from the connected symbols and sharing my musings. Here is how the Music of the Spheres speaks to me, and how I translate the messages within the music.

All Planets Direct (APD) from January 6^th to March 5^th

First page of a picture book called 'Slow Down, World' by Tai Snaith...
It says, 'Are you galloping along?  Faster and faster until...'

A day after the opening eclipse of this season, Uranus stationed direct and ushered in another time of APD quickening that will be especially potent throughout February. In March, Mercury gives us his first pause and shift of perspective of the year for our Collective Mind. At that point, we’ll be working through any of the inconsistencies or disregarded necessities of this APD time period. 

That this APD time period began within this eclipse portal is important...there may be a lot more ignorance of the shadow we’re carrying, especially collectively. In worldly affairs, we’ll see a lot of rushing about within the matrix of our human constructs...trying to get things done that may not be integral to the larger plan before the Universe can call us out on any failures. 

Here in the US, the Trump administration has forced a government shutdown to further continue an ultimately useless agenda. Trump was inaugurated during APD too...so it’s good to be somewhat skeptical of any APD hype that this is a time of wish-fulfillment with only good manifestations. Move forward, yes...but make sure you’re doing no harm or karma will eventually bite back (remember, it’s Eclipse Season). 

From the perspective of a woman with 6 natal retrogrades, don’t speed up so fast that you ignore the important things along the way. It’s not like you’ll be able to ‘take it slow’ while the world speeds up around you, but try your best to keep things in check. Also, this Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse carries a warning of using our power wisely as we call out the shadows.

Total Lunar Eclipse (Saros Series- 135): The Shadow of Sovereignty

Saros 135 began in 1550 with an imperceptible penumbral lunar eclipse. And thus began what is referred to as the First Wave of European Colonization and the First Atlantic System of Slave Trade. The shifting concept of Sovereignty emerged anew in France and spread, but it failed to recognize its Goddess roots in the land and Her integral role in granting sovereignty to human rulers. What was ignored is that Sovereignty does not represent ownership of land and people, but stewardship. And so a whole new treacherous wave of hierarchical ownership displaced the importance of a network of nurturing relationships. The misunderstanding of the value and worth of the land, Her anima loci, and Her indigenous lives, has had lasting consequences. Sovereignty was then used to colonize, dispossess, enslave, and threaten the ‘New World’...and continued to evolve over centuries through this 16^th century shadow.

ANWR Porcupine Caribou

The last time this series of eclipses was total was on January 9^th, 2001. A day later, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was denied national monument status by the White House...shattering hopes that such status would prevent oil drilling. I bring this up because, fast forward to recent news and we see that the Trump administration is currently rushing to open up the ANWR, one of America’s last untouched pieces of wilderness, to oil companies. May the odds of APD endeavors be ever in Earth’s favor.

This is only one of the myriad of eclipse shadow manifestations in our modern times...but it distinctly brings up this Saros 135 theme of the misrule of ownership over the sacredness of the land, and disregard for the life that dwells upon it. What we must remember, as we peer into this eclipse shadow and watch the full light re-emerge as it passes, is that what we are here to do is in sacred stewardship to our Mother Earth and we must nurture this web of relationship that connects all life on this planet. It is the reclaiming of personal sovereignty that encourages healthy, heart-centered leadership to emerge by our example.

Moon in Leo 1

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘blood rushes to a man’s head as his vital energies are mobilized under the spur of ambition’. In this first degree of Leo, the symbol refers to the individual experience of energy rising from the heart to the head. Essentially, in a creative sense, our heart’s desire comes to mind and seeks conscious manifestation. Or, in a destructive sense, the wrath that arises from a wounded heart starts a wildfire within…and the heat rises to the mind, creating a chain reaction of destructive thoughts. The original wording of this symbol gives more clues into the destructive shadow aspect of this energy: “a case of apoplexy”. Apoplexy is unconsciousness or incapacity resulting from cerebral hemorrhage or stroke. But apoplexy also has a more informal definition as an incapacity or speechlessness caused by extreme anger. In either definition, the result is incapacity in some form if we’re not careful with this energy. The different descriptions of this symbol present a choice. Will we intentionally focus this trailblazing force of bio-psychic energy into ambitious creative pursuits, or will we leave it unattended…resulting in a conflagration of disastrous effects?

The way this Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse energy manifests in our individual lives will largely depend on what energy we are currently holding in our hearts before it rushes to our heads. Are we holding space for love and gratitude in our heart center? Or are we holding onto damaging feelings of fear, lack, jealousy, rage, revenge, or hatred? Let the healing fire within purify your heart center during this closing of the Eclipse Portal...and then allow for grounded release. No matter how broken you may feel, that sacred flame is eternal. Whatever you hold in your heart right now (be it radiant love or a towering inferno)…it is bound to spread…first to the mind, then out into the world around us. As within, so without.

Sun in Aquarius 1

San Diego Alcala Mission

The Sabian Symbol here is ‘an old adobe mission in California’. In general, this symbol refers to enduring structures of group effort that outlive those who founded and built them. But, during an eclipse, it is often the shadow of the symbols that is most revealing. In the early colonization endeavors of the Spanish along the Pacific Coast in North America, a mission system was constructed to both defend against Russian fur traders and to convert the natives to Catholicism. What is often taught today, that the Franciscan friars and the natives lived together in these missions harmoniously, is a completely glossed over version of the darker truth. 

It often began with the youth of the tribe, being curious and more gullible to the false promise of a better life through conversion...but once in, they were never allowed to leave and were forced into slavery. Mothers would come next, searching for their children...followed by fathers in search of their whole family. The conditions were little more than concentration camps, and the baptized lives of these natives were considered worthless...except for their contribution to the workforce and their deaths meaning that more souls would go to heaven, in the twisted minds of those who controlled them. 

What this symbol brings to light is that Aquarian innovation often brings together group efforts from like-minded individuals...networking ideas and contributing talents for the greater good (such as the current Women’s Marches across our country, largely speaking to a shared message of gender equality). However, the shadow side of spiritual bypass comes in when our humanity is disregarded in ‘us and them’ distinctions. Consider, especially for those of us in the states, that this longest-ever government shutdown is because Trump wants funding to build his hyped-up border wall (a physical structure, like the mission system, which would do more harm than good).

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Let’s pull it back now to our individual lives. We’re at the figurative flowering phase of this current lunar cycle that was seeded at the New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse on Jan. 5^th. The intentions set forth then are now in full bloom. What grew from there might look different than you envisioned a couple weeks ago, as what is grown in the eclipse portal can often surprise us (especially this one, which has had a very Uranian influence throughout). Beyond this cycle, there is a larger lunar gestation cycle...and this one began with the New Moon in this same degree of Leo on 7-23-17. So something that began then in your life is now culminating. And beyond this, the Saros cycles of eclipses come back around roughly every 18 years...so things may be resurfacing in a graduated light that happened in your life in 2001.

As we close out this Eclipse Season, our cauldron is full of the many ingredients we’ve been stirring into this Strange Brew. As the moon starts to wane, we’ll be going through a distillation process where we extract the essential meaning from these eclipses and use it as a potent elixir for the integration of these lessons.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse in Capricorn: What it Takes to Move Mountains

New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse in Capricorn: 

 What it Takes to Move Mountains

Moon conjunct Sun- 1/5/2019 @ 7:28pm CST

Welcome to the Cold Moon (also known as the Moon after Yule or, sometimes, the Wolf Moon), our first New Moon of the New Year and the opening of another Eclipse Portal! Now is the time to set solid intentions while we do the shadow work that is often called for during Eclipse Season. I refer to the two week window in between eclipses as the Eclipse Cauldron (because of the unique elements brewing each time). The luminaries, lunar nodes, planets, and asteroids all add their own elements into the brew that will become the elixir we’ll need in the months ahead. The stronger ingredients come from Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn in conjunction with the luminaries, dropping some weighty responsibilities into the mix. There is also a supportive sextile to the New Moon from Neptune in Pisces, a subtle hint that can bring in some creative communication opportunities.

New Moon in Capricorn 16

Sabian Symbol: Children in gym suits

What is active at the center of your being this weekend? What moves you? Yes, many important people in our lives will be inspiring us to activate in this energy...but what is that inner motivation whispering of your truth? Now is the time to align it with your outward expression and create something tangible from the tools provided in this gymnasium of possibilities. Mars in Aries energy is stoking that fire in each of us, and the planet party in Capricorn gives us the structure to build upon. We could do anything with this active Mars energy in an open gym...but put an obstacle course in front of us and we’ll learn specialized strategies while imagining each goal. This is the kind of gym we are walking into. Some of us are ready for anything...some of us may feel a bit apprehensive about challenges and even some awkwardness as we get used to a gym suit that doesn’t quite ‘suit’ our individuality. The point is to explore the possibilities...have some fun while doing the work that is being called for now...but don’t be afraid of the shadow of disappointment. It will want to be addressed in this eclipse window we’ll be opening. But whatever shadows may arise that want us to examine our beliefs of failure...know they hold valuable wisdom for our success. Maybe the monkey bars aren’t an inherent strength of yours...but practice makes progress.

New Moon conjunct Vega

The symbol for the fixed star, Vega

I don’t usually include details about the fixed stars, but Vega is a particularly familiar star for me (and for my daughter, Alyrica, whose nickname is ‘Lyra’...the constellation of the harp that Vega is in). There is an abundance of creativity in this Vega New Moon...like so many kids bursting through the gym doors to engage in creative play. Ah, an outlet for all this learning we do! Time to release some physical energy! This is innovative energy that thrives in the structure that Earth provides us. It creates from within and then releases that energy with others...growing something tangible and sustainable for all to enjoy. Alyrica and I find this particularly suitable to creative endeavors such as storytelling, visual art, or musical expression. But the energy can be channeled into anything, really. What makes you shine, even in the shadows? This is where Vega will be guiding us as we begin another eclipse season.

Partial Solar Eclipse (Saros Series- 122): The Anarchy

12th Century Knights depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry

Each eclipse is part of a long-running series, and the Saros 122 solar eclipses were at their longest duration of totality in 1135 and 1153. These years marked a historical period of civil war in England and Normandy which has been called ‘The Anarchy’. Looking into the history of when a Saros cycle is strongest can give clues to the shadow energies at play when this series comes up again. This eclipse is only a moderate partial eclipse now...with 71% of the sun covered for viewers closest to the center. Most of us won’t get to see this one...unless you live in north-east China, Japan, or eastern Russia. And still, the eclipses have a palpable effect upon the world...even when mostly unseen. England and Normandy never saw the total eclipses in 1135 and 1153 either...but King Stephen’s reign between those total eclipses (from the death of King Henry I to Stephen’s own death and the succession of King Henry II) was full of conflict and a widespread breakdown of law and order. And all because the oaths King Henry made his court take about his successor being his daughter, Empress Matilda, were not upheld after his death in 1135. This eclipse series holds the shadow of contested, unsupported, and unfit leadership. And while the implications may be very obvious on the world stage, how might it translate on the individual level? In some part of your life (which the New Moon can clue you into if you know which house of your natal chart it is transiting), your authority may be challenged (either by your inner saboteur or by others). As mentioned before, feelings of failure and/or disappointment may arise in the shadow of something you are trying to accomplish. And yet, you still have to do your best. Maybe others are relying upon you to provide some sense of stability, safety, or even fulfillment at this time. How do you rise to the challenge of being under pressure to perform? In this New Moon, you’ll have to get creative with the obstacle course before you. And if you feel overwhelmed, look to others who can provide some support. Mars in Aries may be pushing for self-reliance...but there is no shortage of support from the current Capricorn Council of Wise Ones.

The Wisdom Keepers

At New Moon, 3 planets (Mercury, Saturn, and Pluto) and the South Lunar Node are in Capricorn with our luminaries. This is another packed Council meeting. Mercury has just begun his trek through this earth sign, but Saturn (the traditional Capricorn guide) and Pluto are close enough to the middle of Capricorn to conjunct the Sun and Moon. Not only is Saturn in his home sign, but Pluto has been a very strong teacher of this medicine for a while already...he takes his time in each lesson and makes sure we feel it at our core. All 5 of these guides are moving ever closer to meeting up with the South Lunar Node, each in their own time. Mercury starts off this moon cycle by teaching how to better use our mind power through communication, Saturn is giving an informative lecture on the laws of nature, and Pluto is backing up the New Moon gymnasium energy in the ‘relay race’ degree. This is a lesson in working together and sharing responsibility to reach group goals. And they’re all making the Capricorn climb with us to highlight the South Node in the ‘mountain top pilgrimage’ degree. We have climbed this mountain many times before...even just a year ago (New Moon in Capricorn last year was in that ‘mountain pilgrimage’ degree)...but there is something new to learn every time from the Wisdom Keepers of each Capricorn Council. This time, with South Node here, the purpose of this climb is one of release. Whatever we are collectively learning, we learn to give it back in productive and sustainable ways.

Kite with Nodes, Venus, and Chiron

Connected with South Node in Capricorn is a Grand Water Trine between the Cancer North Node, Scorpio Venus, and Pisces Chiron. Together, these four energies create an aspect pattern called a kite, where second element (Capricorn Earth, in this case) anchors the Grand Trine with sextiles and an opposition. In this, the creative current flowing easily with the trines finds a place to ground. So, all that we are learning also has this supportive flow backing it...to creatively manifest the wisdom into new forms.

Uranus Stations Direct in Aries 29

Sabian Symbol: The Music of the Spheres

'Music of the Spheres' by Fiona Watson

The day after New Moon, when Moon reaches her South Node in Capricorn, Uranus stations direct in Aries in a dynamic square to Moon. By Sunday night, we’ll be back in that ‘all planets direct’ energy...which is so different from the ‘6 planets retrograde’ energy we felt last year. The fast-paced world doesn’t often slow down for us when all planets are direct, so we have to keep up. However, at the time of this New Moon...Uranus is at the very end of his retrograde and has paused in this degree before shifting direction (in our sky). There is a slow-down point here at the beginning of this lunation. There are a lot of ingredients at this time to stir into our Eclipse Cauldron, after all. With Uranus Retrograde medicine so focused right now, this is likely to be a strange brew we’ve never even heard of before. The contents in this cauldron are a mix of tried-and-true Capricorn earth, juicy water signs, and the unpredictable fire nature of Uranus in Aries innovations and oddities. In this degree of ‘the music of the spheres’, take a pause with Uranus to listen to what our Cosmic Neighborhood is communicating. They are guiding us, even if we don’t grasp every detail of what we just read about them here. Tap into these frequencies, and play along. The spheres aren’t the only ones meant to make music.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi