October 2005

October’s New Moon is a solar eclipse.  This means that new beginnings emerging with this New Moon have potential impact lasting far beyond the usual one month theme of New Moon. On October 3, the Libran Scales highlight the need for balance.  When life has balanced, energy flows smoothly, but when life seems out-of-balance, we feel it in varying levels of frustration, stress, tiredness, or even susceptibility to minor illnesses.  Another Libran theme involves our close one-to-one relationships, and these, too, need fairness and balance to be harmonious. This New Moon/eclipse may be just the right time to take whatever action is most needed to bring our inner “scales” into equilibrium, with greater clarity and renewed energy as our reward.

Retrograde Mars, from October 1 until December 9, suggests that this is also a good time to be considering how we’re using energy, what isn’t working as we’d like, what we’re going to do about it, and then…doing it! 

Often I’ve found that inventing a little magical ritual can help me get back on track.  My issue of balance lately has managing too many things on my list, all needing to be done “now.” Obviously, this is an unrealistic expectation that was resulting in a sense of “spinning my wheels” with an endless list that never got caught up.  Procrastination on the bigger and more time-consuming jobs meant they became ongoing “nags,” as little jobs crossed off the list were instantly replaced by newer short-term tasks.  Here is how I got back on track—maybe it will work for you, too.

First I cut a bunch of small pieces of paper, all the same size.  I planned three categories: #1 the procrastinated nags, #2 the things I most wanted to do but had been putting off until I “had time,” and #3 all the little things on my ongoing list.  I arranged the three separate groups of papers all turned face down so I couldn’t see what I’d written, and then thoroughly mixed around the papers within each group until I had not clue which one was where.

To begin my intuitive quest to more effectively manage my lists, I did my favorite centering ritual:  

Salute the East and ask for mental clarity, balance and freedom of thought.  Thank the Spirits of Air.

Turn to the South, and ask for courage, confidence and enthusiasm to forge ahead.  Thank the Spirits of Fire.

Turn to the West and ask for compassion for self and others, intensity of inner strength and flow of intuitive knowing.  Thank the Spirits of Water.

Turn to the North and ask for stability, discernment and the power to manifest according to your highest purpose.  Thank the spirits of Earth.

Turn to the East again, full circle.  Stretch and reach above, saying, “As above.” Stretch down to touch the floor, saying, “so below.”  Stand and touch both hands to chest, saying, “as within.”   Hold arms outstretched, hands opened wide, while circling slowly around, saying “so without. Then, raise arms upward, saying “As the Universe,” then with arms crossed over chest, “so the soul.”

Then, here is the process I used for intuitively prioritizing:

Assign on the calendar one day of the week ahead for tackling one #1 list “nag,” pledging to absolutely stick with it until it is done.  Assign one other day to do an activity from list #2, no matter what else does NOT get done in the meantime.  The rest of the week is for getting though the little tasks on that #3 list.

Take a deep breath, center and pass your hand over each paper in the #1 list, one by one, trusting that intuitively one paper will “feel” differently from the others.  Sense it.  Turn over the paper with the strongest feeling and read it.  That is the “nag” to be done on the pre-assigned day and not put aside again until it is finished and crossed off your list.  Use the same process to choose one activity from the #2 list.  This one is your gift—your “free” day to do what you’d really like to do!  Now, again use your intuitive process to choose from your #1 list, one at a time, until all are turned over and lined up in the order chosen.  Work though each task steadily, one by one, as realistically as your days permit, and enjoy crossing each of them off that list!  At the end of the week, burn the papers of completed tasks in a safe place and then release the ashes to the wind, as you enjoy a much greater sense of accomplishment and balance.

More Eclipse Magic: 

Past Memories for Understanding the Present and Creating a Better Future

The eclipse tables in Moon Tides, Soul Passages show that in October of 1986 there was not only a solar eclipse in 10° of Libra, exactly the same degree as this month’s eclipse, but also a lunar eclipse at 24 Aries, exactly the same degree as the lunar eclipse that occurs October 17 of this month. More recently, in July of 2000, a solar eclipse at 10° Cancer squared the current solar eclipse, and a lunar eclipse at 24° Capricorn squared the current lunar eclipse.  If 10° or 24° (give or take 3°) of any of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) are prominent in your own birth chart, the current corresponding eclipse is especially significant for you.  Remembering what was significant in your life in 1986 and possibly also in 2000 can help you understand the present and make good choices in directing your future.

The October 17 Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse and Complementary Opposition

At Full Moon, Moon is exactly opposite the sign and degree of the Sun.  She reflects back his light from the opposite side and opposing theme, as both complement and balance.  As Libra seeks peace even at the sacrifice of self-interest, Aries will stand up for self-interest, no matter the cost.  As Libra seeks peace, Aries is the warrior.  As Libra may hesitate in indecision, Aries may act in haste. As Libra seeks compromise, Aries will fight to win.   At the Solar Eclipse, both Sun and Moon were in Libra.  Now she moves to the opposing sign of Aries.  Normally, she reflects back Sun’s Libran light with a monthly theme of complement and balance to the Sun’s theme.  When the Full Moon is eclipsed, it is Earth’s shadow that blocks Moon’s ability to reflect Sun’s full light. What might that mean?  One symbolic possibility is that something in the earthly environment blocks what lunar intuition seeks to illuminate from Sun’s message of life purpose. 

The following variation of an eclipse ritual from Chapter 9 of Moon Tides, Soul Passages might help you remember what will illuminate what you need to do going forward.  

Intent:  to gain insight and understanding of personal meaning in the eclipses of October 05.

Preparation: Find items of memorabilia from 1986 and/or 2000.  If you need help remembering, then a diary or journal you’ve kept, an old photo album or an Internet search may help you put your life events in context. Place your things on a small center altar, along with a censer, incense, and two candles, one for the Sun, in yellow, color of Air, element of Libra, and the other one for Moon, in red, the color of Fire, element of Aries. Play meditation music of your choice.  First, combine the elements of fire and air by burning incense, as you say:

 Clear the space and charge your intent by carrying the incense clockwise all around your ritual circle.   Use a feather or your hand to direct the incense smoke. 

After charging the circle, light the Moon candle saying:

Now, meditate on your memories of the time of the past eclipses that correspond to the current ones.  Open your mind to deeper insights into what happened in your past.  If there are painful memories, what was your part in them?  Could you have handled things better?  What did you do well?  What did you do badly?  If so, how might you have done it better?  What have you learned?  Can you relate any issues form the past to what is happening currently?  If so, visualize how you might apply what you have learned to the present and the future.  Write notes, if you wish.  When you feel the meditation has brought you the insight that will help you move forward, give thanks to the Moon and Sun for their assistance and then snuff the candles.