| keywords: Uranus-sudden and Pluto-upheaveal. Well, it fits. Our power stayed on, other than for frequent flickers, but I was unable to post the column yesterday as intended due to a circuit problem in the area of my home office where my computer with the website on it is installed. This morning I am back online.
In the New Moon chart set for Washington, DC, for national news, there's a grand trine of the Sun-Moon conjunction with Jupiter and Pluto. Mercury, still in close hard aspect with Uranus and Pluto, and is in House 4. Matters of House 4 in a mundane chart include the land, real estate and living conditions of the people. Also, most specific to what's going on at present, the list for House 4 includes property damage from flooding—at this New Moon, due to Hurricane Irene.
It will be interesting to see how the aftermath of the wild storm up the east coast works out for President Obama. He is indicated by Sun in a mundane chart, and also by the ruler of House 10, in this case, Saturn and Uranus, as ancient and modern co-rulers of Aquarius). Appropriately, Neptune, God of the Sea is prominent in the 10th House of the New Moon chart. Neptune forms a wide out-of-sign opposition to the Sun-Moon conjunction. The storm caused the President to cut short his vacation and return to Washington, where he'll no doubt be busy in the week ahead in dealing with this crisis. That surely feels like the Saturn- Uranus, but Sun-Moon is also forming a grand trine with Jupiter and Pluto, which we might take as a positive sign for both the calm after the storm—it was bad, but not as bad as it could have been, based on the forecasts. It may also be an indicator of the President's approval rate benefiting somewhat from how he handles this crisis.
It is also endlessly interesting how much more clearly one can see themes come alive in a mundane chart after events have occurred, than might have been thought of when viewing such charts in advance. In any case, here's a ritual for New Moon in Virgo. Though New Moon was yesterday, it's not too late! The phase lasts until Thursday.
Ritual for New Moon in Virgo
This New Moon rite is best done in the morning—a pledge on arising for intent in this new cycle, beginning in the sign of Virgo, for our daily work on this Earth we all share.
Arise with the dawn, and face the rising Sun and Moon. Cross your arms on your chest, touching each shoulder with your fingertips, and bow deeply to the dawn light. Now, stretch your arms up as widely and as high as you can reach. Stand on your tiptoes—stretch—and then spread arms out as wide as you can. Take three long, deep breaths, inhaling fully through your nose and blowing outward through your mouth. Then, stand firmly and speak to Lord and Lady:
Queen of Night and Lord of Day
Rise at dawn, glorious sight.
I feel your presence in my soul
With energy and light.
Born this day, new month, new start
Waxing light of hope, of birth,
Charge my will, my mind, my heart
To serve your purpose on this Earth.
Live within me, guide my path
To be the best that I can be,
To work for growth and highest good,
This is my pledge, so mote it be!
Crescent Moon, 22 Libra 34, September 1 at 4:19 am EDT
The morning is changeable, but with Moon's movement into Scorpio in the afternoon, energy becomes more focused. Although this is a phase of some uncertainty—"one step forward, two steps back"—you can (with patience both for yourself and others) coomplete this work week wtih a significant sense of accomplishment.
First Quarter Moon, 11 Sagittarius 51, September 4 at 1:39 pm EDT
Labor Day weekend, so an extra Monday of leisure tomorrow, if you choose to spend the day that way—and soft aspects plus the happy Sag Moon suggest we might. But Tuesday’s Moon in Capricorn may feel like “catch up” and all business plus. It’s back to school for the kids and feels like that for we adults, too. Practical concerns arise and demand attention and cooperation with others. Here is a First Quarter ritual designed to inspire strategic thinking and appropriate compromise with others who are also involved. This ritual is really more geared toward themes of Capricorn rather than Sag, but that’s where we’ll be as the work week begins, with Moon in Capricorn. So, sometime on Sunday or on the Monday holiday, you might try this ritual to set your intent for what will need to be put into action in the week to come .
Ritual for First Quarter Moon
Prepare by getting a drum or recorded drumming music, and creating a large circle with chalk or cord on the ground or the floor that is big enough to sit within and still have some room for movement. Within your circle you’ll be dancing (and if its your own drum rather than a recording, also drumming). Create sacred space around your work area by cleansing it with consecrated salt water and smudging it with a purifying and protective incense. Light a candles for each of the guardians of the four directions, return to your center circle and center yourself in meditation as you call the Goddess for aid:
O Lady of First Quarter Moon
I need effective strategy
Help me see what I can do
That’s fair to all, so mote it be!
After your mediation, you should have a clearer idea of your boundaries and also of where and how much you are willing to compromise without feeling the solution is unfair, and what strategies you might use to resolve conflict. Now, start your drumming or recorded drumming and dance as you gradually build energy to go forward to a peak. Then ground some of the energy back to Earth, as you thank the Lady and the Guardians for their assistance in preparing you to move forward effectively.
Gibbous Moon, 0 Aquarius 27, September 8 at 6:32 am EDT
Mercury opposite Neptune late morning suggests some confusion, and Mercury is also soon to change signs, from Leo into Virgo on Friday. Luna aspects suggest a possible tired start to the weekend, although Sunday has pleasant potential.
Full Moon,19 Pisces 17, September 12 at 5:27 am EDT
Ritual for Harvest Full Moon
This is Harvest Moon. It's always been my favorite time of year, when the leaves begin to turn color—I missed Autumn leaves so much in the years I lived in California that I always made sure to find or create some reason to make a trip east during "leaf peak" in mid-October, if possible. It can be especially fun to celebrate Harvest Moon with ritual!
Often at my home in New Hampshire, we've celebrated Harvest Full Moon in the stone circle garden in my back yard, where in the center there's a fire pit over which we can cook—although certainly a charcoal grill in any yard will do fine. (I remember sometimes in the past, when I lived in San Diego, cooking over fire pits during beach rituals.) Sometimes, here in New Hampshire, we've done a harvest stew, to which everyone has contributed. If we've had vegetarians present, we've done two stew pots, one with meat, one without. We start the stew indoors prior to ritual, adding ingredients as people arrive, and then later move the stew pots out to complete cooking as they sit on a metal grate we've placed over the fire pit.
We then create sacred space, call the Guardians and invoke Lord and Lady, enact a short dialogue on the meaning of the Sabbat, after which everyone gathers around the fire pit and stew is served, either in bowls or in bread bowls we've carved out ahead of time. We'll also have mugs of apple cider. After everyone has had some time to eat, storytelling begins. Of course we've told everyone in advance to be prepared for this sharing. In the various times we've done Harvest Full Moon this way, many serious or humorous myths of the season have been shared, as well as other creative tales. Conclude this rite, of course, by thanking Lord and Lady, and each of the four Guardians. Try this ritual idea with a group of friends—you'll enjoy it!
Disseminating Moon, 8 Taurus 18, September 16 at 8:15 am EDT
It’s Friday, and Pluto, planet of upheaval and transformation is at Station Direct this afternoon at 2:23 pm EDT. Something will be changing, maybe within something of national or international import—and also within our individual lives, especially if Pluto’s degree, 5 Capricorn, is in close aspect with planets in our own chart. The true chart of the United States is most usually considered to be July 4, 1776, although there's dissagreement among astrologers and historians about the the time on that day for the birth. But no matter which time may be correct, the chart has Jupiter at 5 Cancer. This means, a the present time, there's an opposition of transiting Pluto to natal Jupiter. The USA's natal Sun and Venus flank Jupiter, with Sun at 13 Cancer and Venus at 3 Cancer. Saturn is square Sun at 14 Libra. So, the station of transiting Pluto will likely relates to something of national significance, with financial issues a probable candidate for what that “something” might be.
In, general for all of us, this is a phase of sharing, of communicating what we know, what we have learned, or what we think.
Last Quarter Moon, 27 Gemini 15, September 20 at 9:38 pm EDT
How, at this time, might we assess our activities and intents since First Quarter? If fulfilled, great! If not, this is the time to make an honest assessment of what should be continued, and what might best be dropped or changed.
Ritual for Last Quarter Moon
Think through what you should drop or change, and when you have figured out what it is then write on a piece of paper what you will release. Prepare a safe place to burn—fireplace, or a metal cauldron would work. Then center yourself in preparation for ritual, and begin by presenting the list to the four directions:
I turn to the East and release to the winds! (Hold list aloft and wave it.)
I turn to the West! Wash away that which ends! (Sprinkle list lightly with water.)
I turn to the South, Spirit fires now burn! (Burn list in cauldron or metal bowl.)
I give back to the Earth and with thanks now return. (Facing North.)
(Bury the ashes, or if your rite is indoors, salute North with the bowl, and take the ashes outside to bury right after you close your circle.
Complete your rite by thinking through your commitment to continue with the parts of your original intent that have been working and what you can do to improve. Then turn to each direction again, finishing with thanks to Spirit at center:
To the East I turn for clarity
To the South, I turn for energy,
To the West for inner guidance true,
To the North, for strength to see it through.
In my Center I open to Spirit bright
That path to change be filled with light!
With thanks for guidance granted me
To serve I pledge, so mote it Be!
Fall Equinox, Sun at 0 Libra 00, September 23 at 5:05 am EDT
Balsamic Moon, 15 Leo 49, September 24 at 1:14 am EDT
Fall Equinox and Balsamic Moon phase come so closely together this year that it's rather difficult to separate them. We might think of the nuance that Fall Equinox has to do with facing up to the need for change, while Balsamic is the final release.
My article for the lore of Fall Equinox, aslo known as Mabon, along with rituals for the Sabbat (one personal, one for a group) can be found at the links below:
Ritual for Balsamic Moon in Leo
For a Balsamic Moon in Leo, a final release fo something that you are fully ready to put behiind you would best be done in the element of Leo, fire. Write what it is to be on paper or will it into another type of symbol that wll readily burn. Then holding the symbol of what you are releasing, ask for the blessing of the Crone Goddess that your resolve be firm and forever, before casting the symbol into the first—safely (in a fireplace, fire pit, or within a metal bowl or cauldron). As your request for blessing, you could use this rhyme:
Crone of wisdom, be with me.
Aid in this my quest
Reinforce what I now know
That for my health is best
Take away that which I hold
But now release to thee
With firm resolve, I let it go
This is my will, so mote it be!
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