Follow the Moon: Forecast May 19, 2013 – May 25

I am all in favor of giving ourselves a break this week. I suggest that when tension or stress arises, we just let it go because pressure is building. The metaphor for this Spring season is birth, and possibly the next few days could feel like that critical end-stage of birth called transition—the culminating waves of contractions that precede birth.

The current lunar cycle* is colored by Taurus—the Fixed Earth sign that anchors the Spring. Everything around us is fertile now. Life is popping out all over. Even though we forget it sometimes, we humans are creatures too, caught up in the fecundity. Regardless of our genders, our ages, our choices about actually procreating, we feel this pressure to produce when everything around us is getting it on. What do you want to give birth to this season? We are able to tap into some amazing energy this week, which could either sweep us away into the next chapter of our lives, or help us manifest an intention that matters most to us.

There’s no doubt that some of the pressure we may be feeling is about survival. If we look honestly at the tally sheets: comparing consumption to resource, truly noting the costs of our present lifestyles, forecasting how long we can go on this way, the outcome looks very bleak. Taurus is a sign that asks us to live within our means. It needs sustainability. This season encourages us to pay attention to the wants and needs of our bodies and to embrace pleasure and abundance. However Taurus also challenges us to develop awareness of knowing when we are satisfied, when we’ve had enough and don’t need any more. What a gift and what pressure this challenge can be!

As the Moon waxes into the Full Moon phase this week, we feel pregnant with this possibility. Potent transits, like the third exact square between Uranus and Pluto and another lunar eclipse on the Full Moon influence both the feelings of potential and of being overwhelmed. Getting back to the birth metaphor, perhaps the best we can do to encourage the transition is to let the waves wash over us this week. How we handle the contractions of birth is as important as what we are giving birth to. Really, I don’t see how we can separate them. If we want to develop understanding of living within our means, we must learn how to stay present, aware, and trusting that we have the all the resources we need to do so.

 Forecast May 19, 2013 – May 25

Moon in Virgo
Sunday, May 19. If any sign can help us to manage the details, it is Virgo. We are able to get organized for the coming week today, but be careful not to try for perfection. It isn’t possible. The best balance to achieve is between yielding to a desire to be entertained, either in fascinating conversation or a good book, while making sure we are productive enough to feel that we haven’t wasted the whole day. Congratulate yourself if you achieve that balance. Noticing this balance could set a pattern for approaching the rest of the week.

Moon enters Libra at 12:07 pm**
Monday, May 20. The winds of change blow mightily today. First of all the Sun enters Mutable Air sign Gemini while the Moon also enters the Cardinal Air sign, Libra. If that’s not enough, Uranus squares Pluto for the third time since June 2012 and there are a whopping four more exact squares to come during the next two years. We are in the midst of a whole lot of change and transformation. Many astrologers, including me, have written extensively about this ongoing transit between these two planets. Astrologer Barry Perlman writes: “whenever Uranus and Pluto come together in any hard aspect (i.e., conjunction, opposition or square), we witness a period of increased societal unrest and turbulence, during which issues of human rights and social welfare are more loudly addressed.” http://www.astrobarry.com/2012/jun2012.php This transit also rocks our individual lives, especially if you have planets or important points in your natal chart around 11 degrees of the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn).

As these winds blow, there is a forceful, but perhaps unconscious, desire to smooth things over and put on a pleasant face to cover our strong feelings. This represents a choice point. How do you want to handle conflict? Should conflict always be nicely resolved or do we sometimes need to live with messes for a while? Mercury, the communicator, is active in this dynamic too. Perhaps thinking outside the box helps us to welcome these birth pangs.

Moon in Libra
May 21—Gibbous Moon: Perfecting. Pressure was present yesterday, and it hasn’t gone away today. My image for the gibbous phase of the Moon is a pregnant belly; so continuing with this birthing metaphor for the season, now is when we feel the complex and paradoxical emotions at the end of a pregnancy: excited, overwhelmed, industrious, disgusted, and blissful. The Moon exactly contacts the square between Uranus and Pluto. As the Moon represents our unconscious habits and needs, we may be surprised by fierce desires to create harmony, even when the world does not cooperate with us. Whatever tone is present in your life today—from highly chaotic to highly ordered—add the pleasing interval that sounds like harmony to you. Perhaps if we all tried better to harmonize with our environment, we might learn how to sense a proper balance between want and need.

Moon enters Scorpio at 3:55 pm
Wednesday, May 22. This is a good day to exhale and regroup. The Moon goes void-of-course after making a pleasing trine aspect to Jupiter. The pause before the Moon enters Scorpio in the afternoon is a good time to reflect or wrap up loose ends. When the Moon enters this Fixed Water sign, we go deeper under the surface of our intention for this lunar cycle. What do think it is really all about? What agenda has your soul carried on as you were thinking that you knew what you wanted? Now, what do you really want? Under the Gibbous phase, we are able to make those adjustments.

Moon in Scorpio
Thursday, May 23. The Moon contacts Neptune in Pisces and Saturn in Scorpio. It is OK to take things seriously today because we are encouraged by Neptune to apply our hard work to enormous healing. The hardships we’ve experienced recently are connecting us in ways we can’t fathom. Time to trust that there is a reason and that we have what we need to endure.

Moon enters Sagittarius 4:49 pm.
May 24—Full Moon: Illuminating. Today’s Full Moon is a lunar eclipse, the third eclipse we’ve experienced in this current eclipse season (lunar eclipse on April 25, solar eclipse on May 9, and this one). Usually there are only two eclipses in a row, so this particular cycle feels more significant and possibly more overwhelming. However, the Moon barely touches the Earth’s shadow in this eclipse so perhaps we only feel the barest breath of shadow in our souls this time.

The light of the Moon illuminates the visionary sign of Sagittarius. Look up to lift your spirits. Sagittarius is the sign of the explorer with a gift for believing that the journey is more important than the destination. A Sagittarian love for seeing the big picture balances the Gemini tendency to split things into parts. To make things more interesting, Neptune plays a powerful role. It is both stationary, getting ready to turn retrograde on June 7, and it is square to the opposition of the Sun and Moon. Neptune in Pisces encourages expansion as well, especially the expansion into heart and emotion. I recently read an article in an online science journal that described emotions as “survival circuits.” These circuits get us in touch with what we need to do. Emotions are automatic responses that give us important survival information. The author went on to propose that “every living thing interested in survival emotes in some form.” The circuits that we are running at this Full Moon carry information about hopes, wounds, illusions, and truth. Rather than worry about trying to sort it all out, accept what washes over you as what you need right now.

Venus and Mercury are exactly conjoined, very near Jupiter (all in Gemini). These planets should be visible at sunset in the west and will make an inspiring sight. If Sagittarius is about the unifying truth of the big picture, Gemini’s gift is an appreciation for the amazing complexity and delightful diversity of all things. Mercury, who rules Gemini, is happy as a lark sandwiched between the two benefics of the solar system. These three will grace our thoughts with inspiration.

Moon in Sagittarius
Saturday, May 25. I find it hard to sleep on nights of a Full Moon. This might be the case for this particular one as well. However a square between Neptune and the Moon in the wee hours of the morning, invites us to step off into dreams. As you awaken, take a moment to remember what those dreams were. The square aspect may mean the dream is especially vivid or might be tense or confusing. Let all that be as it is. Neptune’s influence on us is about the need to surrender. That too is an important part of birth.  

*See http://tinyurl.com/cayoyvg to follow along with the themes of this lunar cycle that began on May 9.

** All times are CDT.

Follow the Moon: Forecast May 12, 2013 – May 18

In the Upper Mississippi River region where I live, Spring is an amazing gift. After what seems like endless months of frozen ground, little green, and weak Sun, the return of life and light is stunning. When I contemplate the gifts that Taurus brings, I am influenced by this power. Rebirth is a big thing—as big as death, as big as life force, as big as vision. These big words describe essential gifts we receive from all the Fixed signs: Taurus, Scorpio, Leo, and Aquarius. No wonder worshippers of earth-based religions have marked these seasons with important rituals for who knows how long. These zodiac signs anchor us to a sacred pattern living within the wheel of the year, hence the appropriate word—Fixed—to describe them.

With the recent New Moon in Taurus,* we begin a lunar cycle dedicated to an intentional and mindful relationship to what Taurus offers. The power of rebirth is one gift. Our earthy senses give us so much wisdom. How does the instinct to rejoin life feel to your body? It is time to pay attention to our animalness. How does rebirth smell? What foods give it pleasure and health? How does rebirth like to work, play, or rest? The body’s wisdom does not need to be invoked. We simply pay attention to what it is already telling us.

In Taurus, and especially this week, there is a tension between expansiveness and sustainability. The guiding question, “How do I know when enough is enough?” Can our animal senses also tell us about this? What sensory pleasures remind us that more isn’t always better?

I recently read a great interview with Frans de Waal, a biologist and primatologist, discussing ape culture. [The Cosmopolitan Ape, by Steve Paulson]. In speaking about empathy, one statement really intrigued me: “More than any other animal I know, chimps seem to have some understanding of their community as a whole. They seem to worry about the level of harmony in the group.” How do animals pay attention to the whole this way? I wonder if humans can reclaim this ability? If so, can our animal senses tell us what is most needed for our happiness? We live in a consumerist culture that is constantly repeating the message that more stuff equals more happiness. We’ve lost touch with understanding how that mindset affects the whole. We’ve lost touch with knowing how the happiness of the whole creates more stability for each of us.

As the Moon waxes into the Crescent phase and then the First Quarter phase this week, we feel the expansiveness of rebirth. Possibilities abound. We can welcome in this hopefulness while at the same time being aware that there are boundaries to expansion too. Let’s give ourselves the gift of living in the whole, aware of the necessity to sustain life in the ways we live.

Forecast May 12, 2013 – May 18.

Moon in Gemini
Sunday, May 12. A very young Moon contacts Jupiter today. Look for these two together in the western sky at sunset. This should be a beautiful and inspiring sight. Both in Gemini, these two lift our spirits by encouraging new connections with others, new ideas, and new projects. Adding to the expansive nature of this transit, Venus is nearby but may still be too close to the Sun to see with the naked eye. However, even before we can actually see it, we sense that this emergence of Venus as the Evening Star in Gemini will bring much-needed inspiration. As May progresses, it will be easier to see Venus, and we will be treated to a close conjunction of Venus and Jupiter the last week of May. Another bonus is that Mercury will be joining them. We have the opportunity to link lofty aspirations (Gemini) with Taurean groundedness.

Moon enters Cancer at 4:57 am**
May 13—Crescent Moon: Beginning. After an airy weekend of Gemini expansiveness, the knowing of heart, hearth, and home calls us back into our senses and our emotions. The two are linked. Both emotion and sensory input give us immediate information on which we can base our instinctual knowing. We are laying down new patterns. Our homes and hearths are precious. When we feel secure there, we have the flexibility to adapt our responses to complex situations. The trick is to avoid over protectiveness. Time spent sprucing up our homes will give us a sense of rootedness.

There is a tinge of self-deception present today. We are always telling ourselves stories; some of which are true and some of which aren’t. What stories are you telling yourself? What purpose do these stories serve? Compassion towards self leads to compassion for others.

Moon in Cancer
Tuesday, May 14. This day may be awash in emotions. It is good to acknowledge how fear can rapidly escalate reactivity. This awareness helps us to be patient with ourselves and others. The real desire is to honor our roots and care for our beloveds. Later in the day, we get to the bottom of conflict or misunderstandings. It may be a struggle to communicate how we are feeling but the effort is worth it. The dialog can open up a whole new perspective if we open to it.

Moon enters Leo at 5:37 pm
Wednesday, May 15. The protective emotions of the last few days give way to the desire to be seen for our gifts. Mercury enters Gemini where this planet of mind and communication feels strong and frisky. The Moon in Leo makes a sextile contact to Mercury at the same time. We feel brilliant, and maybe we are. Tend your creative fires tonight.

Moon in Leo
Thursday, May 16. Mars reaches the same degree as the Solar Eclipse of May 9, which may trigger unexpected events. It’s as if the eclipse has another moment of rattling the cages to make sure we’ve truly begun the next phase of development. Astrological events like transits and eclipses are opportunities for integration and evolution. Perhaps what we thought this lunar cycle was going to be about for us changes to something deeper, more intense or more meaningful today. The Moon squares Saturn also and we remember this task of living sustainable, joyous lives is also very serious. Our survival as a species may depend on it.

Moon in Leo
May 17—First Quarter Moon: Manifesting. The friction between earth and fire creates the possibility of manifestation for this phase of the Moon. This lunar cycle, begun in Fixed Earth sign Taurus, holds a great deal of fertile possibility. To tap into this fertility, we commit to earth qualities like pragmatism, accountability, persistence, and embodied awareness. Earth energy is slow and flows towards the center of our planet. Fire is heat and movement. It moves quickly in all directions. The instinct with fire is to seek fuel and release energy. Leo is the Fixed Fire sign ruled by the Sun. The Sun is a great metaphor for what Leo brings to the table, which is creative life force. Although Taurus is the potential of rebirth, we need the solar fire of Leo to fuel the potential. Cosmically, these forces support each other. In humans, they can cause conflict—between individuals as well as internally within each of us.

Notice your own tendencies. Do you lean toward earth or fire? Do you resent others who need attention or act impulsively? Are you impatient with those who change slowly and seem to think too much about limited resources? Do they squelch your creativity? Do they squander their opportunities? These conflicts teach us about balance and how to nurture precious resources of substance and creativity.

Moon enters Virgo at 4:33 am
Saturday, May 18. Take a deep breath; not everything can be accomplished in one day. The Moon in Virgo, the Mutable Earth sign, feeds into the Taurus desire to manage our resources wisely. The Virgo way is through work. Home chores take center stage, but we might also be very busy in service to others. Idealistic Neptune squares Mercury. The messages we receive may be mystical or just plain confusing. Better to wait for more clarity. Mercury’s connection to Saturn today adds a sense that the message is important. Don’t forget to look for Venus and Jupiter at sunset; they are closer than at the beginning of the week. If you get a chance to see Venus, take time to notice this bright energy moving in your relationships. There is a sense we are able to change old patterns if we confront fears about power.

*See http://tinyurl.com/cayoyvg to follow along with the themes of this lunar cycle that began on May 9.

** All times are CDT.

Follow the Moon: Forecast for May 5, 2013 - May 11

The web of being is so intricate it is easy to feel lost sometimes, even if we aren’t actually lost at all. There is nothing wrong, really, with being lost from time to time. In fact, I think it is probably good for us for lots of reasons. Still, sometimes I need to orient myself to a pattern, a rhythm, or a story so I can make sense of where I am, who I am, and how to align myself with that knowing. Astrology is a map, a way to orient myself to what can often look like complete chaos (and sometimes is, and that is OK too). Astrology even makes room for chaos. After all this big cosmology dares to declare: “As above, so below. As within, so without.” That is a vast philosophy, isn’t it? It seems to hold everything.

Back to the map. In my astrological practice, I pay attention to the cycle of a lunar month—the waxing and waning of this cycle gives insight about following intention and practicing mindfulness. I also pay attention to the wheel of the year—the Sun’s journey through the signs and seasons. This cycle tells us about a larger pattern of being alive on this earth within a community of other living beings.

We’ve just experienced the Aries season of emergence. This season had some of us daring greatly; some of us individuating; and some of us developing a relationship to passion, anger, and will. These manifestations of Aries are all similar and yet different in the way each of us is expressing it.

This week, the Moon wanes through the last few days of the Aries lunar cycle. We begin to surrender that experience. For some, this may be hard and for others, we are eager to leave it behind. Where are you? In the solar cycle, the Taurus season follows Aries. New lessons, urges, and responses to what has gone on before are called for by this next phase of the wheel of the year.

Aries is Cardinal Fire and Taurus is Fixed Earth. From brash emergence in the Aries season, we are moved to form solid foundations in the season of Taurus. This transition teaches us that energy and passion alone are not enough. These get us started, but to maintain the momentum, we need to access our resources, create sustainability, and cultivate more patience and determination. Taurus’ secret power is knowing how to be led in this work by Beauty. The challenge thrown into Taurus’ lap is to embrace abundance, beauty and substance while cultivating the wisdom of knowing when enough is enough. The New Moon in Taurus on May 9 is an opportunity to acknowledge this stage of the journey with intention and mindfulness.

Forecast May 5, 2013 – May 11.

Moon enters Aries at 8:03 pm**
May 5—Balsamic Moon: Surrendering. Are you aware of the times you stepped past your growing edge this lunar cycle?* Did you try anything new? Did it turn out the way you imagined? Or do you wish you could take back a rash action, a moment of anger, or a time when you played it safe and didn’t take the challenge given you? It is not possible to navigate the Aries season perfectly without mistakes. The Balsamic phase is a time to notice and let go of everything: failures and successes. At this stage, I now have a better understanding of the Antonio Machado poem about the golden bees making “white combs and sweet honey from my old failures.” There is an alchemy that happens when we surrender our imperfections. Can you find the sweet honey from this lunar cycle?

The Moon returning to Aries reminds us of the intentions we set at the beginning. The trine between Mars and Pluto provides the earthy, powerful grounding that we need to trust the innate wisdom of nature’s cycles. We are where we need to be. The opposition between Mercury and Saturn colors this day with a desire to express ourselves clearly and meaningfully.

Moon in Aries
Monday, May 6. Later this month, Uranus will exactly square Pluto for the third time since these planets of change began this transit in June 2012. (This is a long process of cultural and personal transformation. There are four more squares to come over the next two years.) The Moon nudges these giants today. Have you learned anything about acting impulsively this last month? Some passion is justified. You may get an opportunity to practice applying what you are learning about passion.

Moon in Aries
Tuesday, May 7. Mercury in Taurus is asking us to be careful about our thoughts and words. We benefit from literal thinking by asking ourselves, it this expression useful? Is it true? Will it bring strength? Does it serve beauty? If we agree to discipline our thoughts today, we reap benefit. Cultivate steadiness. The body helps the mind to focus. A focused mind can bring healing to the body.

Moon enters Taurus 5:09 am
Wednesday, May 8. The powerful New Moon tomorrow is already being felt. The Moon in Taurus opposes Saturn lending a tone of solemnity. Notice the fears around scarcity. These fears are teaching us about non-attachment. Beauty is still the secret power of this season. Dare to find beauty where you are.

Moon in Taurus
May 9—New Moon: Dreaming. Today’s New Moon in Taurus is also a Solar Eclipse, adding a sense of heightened intensity as well as unpredictability to the lunar cycle. That doesn’t mean we can’t set intention and practice mindfulness. In fact, it may be more necessary. As you dream about the potential of this Taurus season, what do you most long for? What tangible desire will you manifest?

Saturn in Scorpio (the sign opposite Taurus) plays a big role this season. This planet of accountability insists we modify our relationship to money, possessions, and anything that we use as a crutch to stave off fears of scarcity. The potential of this lunar cycle is to tell a new story about sustainable relationship to the earth. Let’s learn the power of “Enough.” In the New Moon chart, Saturn is lending support for this type of transformation. There is a harmonious trine to Neptune from Saturn. We can be idealistic as long as we anchor it in realism.

Mars, Mercury, and the Sun and Moon are near each other in Taurus. The closeness of Mars to the Sun means that mythically, the hero is still in the underworld communing with the light of purpose and devotion. Perhaps the quest is about the hero surrendering stubborn attachment so that new possibilities are reborn. We need the determination and strength of Mars in Taurus to help us navigate possible upheaval this month when Uranus will once again exactly square Pluto (May 20).

Venus enters Gemini for just under a month. Venus as the ruler of Taurus is a guide to invoking beauty, charm, and pleasure. These qualities will appear most easily through social interactions and expanding mental horizons. Venus squares Neptune in the New Moon chart. For the first part of this lunar cycle, we could notice a tendency to be duped by a person or situation that is too good to be true. However, we can find beauty in a fantasy. The effect this has on our hearts, making them more open and receptive, is a good thing.

Moon enters Gemini at 4:21 pm
Friday, May 10. Delight in social contacts and mental activity is strong. The Moon contacts Venus. Where do you notice beauty today? Listen with open ears;ter the call comes on the wind and may be hard to pin down exactly, yet fills the air with a sweet scent of enticement.

Moon in Gemini
Saturday, May 11. Gemini shenanigans continue. Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, comes into its superior conjunction with the Sun. This is a pivotal moment in the Mercury/Sun synodic cycle. During its 88-day orbit of the Sun, Mercury spends some of its time as an Evening Star, some of its time as a Morning Star, some times too near the Sun to be seen and some of the time moving backwards in relation to the stars behind it. This busy planet is a good symbol for our busy minds. Midway between its shift from the morning sky to the evening sky, Mercury visits the Sun for a conference about Taurus. Quick-witted Mercury doesn’t always feel comfortable under the sway of this Fixed Earth sign. Do your thoughts feel sluggish? Or are you feeling particularly stubborn about your own point of view? Let the Sun burn away mental resistance. The gift can be a calmer, more focused mind.

 *See http://tinyurl.com/bm2sv7a to follow along with the themes of this lunar cycle that began on April 10

** All times are CDT.

Follow the Moon: Forecast April 28, 2013 – May, 4

During this Aries lunar cycle that began at the New Moon*, I’ve been thinking a lot about acting with passion without any guarantees of success. What if the path of passionate devotion is also a path right through the field of vulnerability? Desire itself is not the problem. We’ve been given a lot to chew on concerning violence in our world recently. Blame and projections are rampant. Some of that blame is even focused on ourselves. But shame is not the same thing as being vulnerable. It’s actually a way to avoid that uncomfortable feeling. We are all familiar with the drill: shocking event followed by frantic efforts to identify the bad guys, followed by asking ourselves why, followed by blaming some faction or group, followed by bemoaning the decay of society, followed by grumbling, followed by nothing much changes. The path of retribution, escalating violence, doesn’t bring the kind of change we need either. We go through a few moments of soul searching and then move on. I recognize in myself that blaming and shaming is part of a pattern of not feeling comfortable with conflicted feelings about my own desire nature. This is a way to avoid the vulnerability of caring a lot.

This Aries lunar cycle is about moving beyond our growing edges and it’s also about finding the thing in our lives that is deserving of our devotion. We emerge in the springtime to rejoin the flow of life. In this season, we recognize the force of desire that compels us to take a leap into the unknown, without guarantee, without knowing where it will ultimately lead. This is vulnerability. Without the armor of certainty, we escape fundamentalism and the same old patterns of blaming others and ourselves.  That field of vulnerability lets us reclaim Mars passion. Reverent, vulnerable passion is the medicine for the mess we are in.

The Moon is waning. We bring our attention to reflecting on events since this lunar cycle began. What are you learning about your desire nature? Have you stepped up to your growing edges? What happened? This birthing process requires us to clear away the dead matter from the past. Are you removing the blockages in your life?

The next New Moon in Taurus on May 9 will ask us to make a deeper commitment to life. What do you need to do in these last days of this lunar cycle to prepare yourself for that opportunity? Although there are planetary patterns that seem to emphasize the very serious nature of life right now (we will look at Saturn this week), please do not underestimate the power of joy. It simmers under the surface calling to us; it is the force that animates desire.

Forecast April 28, 2013 – May, 4.

Moon in Sagittarius
April 28—Disseminating Moon: Sharing. Let the tendency to philosophize today lead you into discovering your own truth about passionate service. What do you believe with your whole heart? Are your values aligned? The conflicts and paradoxes are important teachers asking us to not give up. There is always more to learn and more to share about what we are learning. Your questions may be someone else’s answers.

The Sun in Taurus is opposite Saturn in Scorpio. These opposing signs are the guardians of life and death. They are intimately entwined in the process of transformation. Taurus encourages us to secure the beauty of life. Scorpio encourages releasing attachment to externals. This opposition was forceful at the recent Full Moon lunar eclipse on April 25. We are drawn back into the process of purging and releasing through a directive from Saturn. It may be scary to let go of something cherished in order to infuse that thing with new life, yet it is crucial. Mars is close to the Sun, also in Taurus. In a few days it will exactly oppose Saturn too. There is potential to renew devotion through this Scorpio release.

Moon enters Capricorn 7:21 am**
Monday, April 29. It feels good to be productive today. We have a chance to apply new understanding to our goals. Take advantage of the feeling of balance in spirit, body, and emotion to further intention and notice where you feel successful.

Moon in Capricorn
Tuesday, April 30. Mars opposes Saturn today. This aspect between passionate action and responsible accountability has been noticeable for the last few days, especially since the Full Moon. The pressure finally breaks and we learn how to flow harmoniously with passion and responsibility, rather than at odds with them. The day is deliciously deep and beautiful when we acknowledge what truly moves us.

Moon enters Aquarius at 9:19 am.
Tuesday, May 1. Beltane. The emphasis between death and life through the opposing signs of Scorpio and Taurus inform the renewing rituals of Beltane. This is the season to celebrate the fertility of earth and the rebirth of joy and life. These are the gifts we receive when we look across the wheel of the year to Samhain, the season of Scorpio. The tension today is felt in our community relationships. The Moon in Aquarius adds the desire to bring vision to the creative forces unleashed in this season. Some will feel that change is happening too slowly, others will insist for more transparency and honesty, while others will question whether the communal values are being upheld. In spite of these valid concerns, take time to honor the wisdom of earth’s cycles. There is time enough.

Moon in Aquarius
May 2—Last Quarter Moon: Evaluating. The elements teach us that there is more than one way to apprehend reality. Fire ignites passion; water cools and deepens; air lightens; and earth gives weight. Today’s elemental story is about the differences between air and earth. Notice your natural proclivities and how different approaches by others can annoy or illuminate. Air folks need to entertain possibilities. Earth folks need to be realistic. We can honor both of these methods in our ongoing process of understanding the journey of this lunar cycle. What are you noticing? Is it getting easier to step up to your growing edge? Do you know what you need to dare vulnerability in service to your truth? Using air, record what you are noticing. Using earth, dedicate yourself to practice.

Moon enters Pisces 1:25 pm
Friday, May 3. Take a journey into beauty and ecstasy. These states can reinforce our capacity to feel more and care more. Notice any tendency that may arise to numb out. Although understandable, considering the pressure we’ve been under, try to make another choice. There is a relationship between right action and vulnerability. Being afraid (just a little) can be a good sign that we are choosing to stay aware and present to all the possibilities around us. Don’t be surprised if guides appear for you. In fact, invoke them right now.

Moon in Pisces
Saturday, May 4. Things come together in a beautiful way today. The challenge is to slow down and enjoy. We feel aligned and open when we honor our commitments, strengths, and passions. Yet don’t force yourself to be too productive, this can also be a good day to take an aimless journey into wonder. We need this kind of inspiration.

*See http://tinyurl.com/bm2sv7a to follow along with the themes of this lunar cycle that began on April 10

** All times are CDT.

Follow the Moon: Forecast April 21, 2013 - April, 27

I need to write about Mars. The tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon last week; the practice of U.S. drone bombings, which have been terrorizing and killing innocent people (even if they also happen to kill bad guys); the NRA’s victory against gun control legislation; and the culture of rape, which protects the rapist and accuses the victim, are all events related to the Mars archetype being out of control. Why is there so much violence?

Last week, Mars exactly conjoined the Sun in Aries—one of the two signs that Mars rules. [The other sign, Scorpio plays a big role this week in the Full Moon lunar eclipse in Scorpio on April 25 (more about that later).] Other planets transiting Aries right now increase this energy of volatility and potential violence. Yet, there is another side to Mars. In fact, every archetype carries an essential piece of who we are. The path of mindfulness and intention proposes the question, How do we harness this essential, healthy energy while discharging the painful and toxic ways it can also show up?

Caroline Casey, a wild and brilliant astrologer, explores this type of healthy relationship to the archetypes of astrology in her classic book, “Making the Gods Work for You.” She proposes that a “toxic mimic” of a wholesome quality can invade when we fail to truly honor what an archetype is showing us.

 She writes, “Modern society is bereft of rituals of invitation to Mars, so strong in young people and in those who have identified with this god by serving in the military. The predominant message we give to young people and veterans today is “Get lost, we don’t need you”—a counterinvitation to exile, exclusion, and by default, crime, homelessness, malls, and video games. But in fact we do need them; we need everybody. There is much heroic work to be done: bridges to be rebuilt, forests to be replanted, cities to be revitalized, children to be cared for.” Often, it is this disempowered Mars in young men that acts out in the most confusing and violent ways.

We spend a lot of time worried about Mars: denying our own desire natures, trying to elevate ourselves beyond Mars, punishing those who express Mars, wondering why we can’t get in touch with our own Mars. Yet, it feels like we are getting nowhere in creating a world where Mars is present and useful. Even as we hate our own violence, we are becoming more violent.

One missing piece to a healthy expression of Mars is a deep sense of reverence. Too often we use our Mars energy to compete, either out of greed or desperation, which lands us in Mars isolation where violence breeds. We can choose a different path and put Mars to good use. This Aries lunar cycle is an opportunity to fall in love with the exquisite beauty of life. Reverence, like love, is one of those risky things that don’t come with a guarantee. The vulnerability isn’t something our culture is comfortable with. Yet, to be in reverent service is an antidote to the toxic mimic of Mars isolation and repressed fury. Where will you place your devotion?

Forecast April 21, 2013 - April, 27

Moon in Virgo
Sunday, April 21. Don’t cave to the pressure of perfectionism. The Moon in Virgo has other gifts to offer. This sign excels at reverence and devotion—the very qualities that can restore Mars balance. If we can resist the square between Jupiter and the Moon, which is contributing an urge to speed up and be bigger, we are able to take small but significant steps on the path of devotional practice. The square between Pluto and Mercury provokes a desire to heal through telling the truth. If the timing is right for you, make use of this momentum. But don’t force it. Transformational truth may fall on your ears too.

Moon in Virgo
April 22—Gibbous Moon: Perfecting. There is a difference between perfectionism and the task of perfecting our intentions. The gibbous phase of the Moon presents us with this puzzle to solve for ourselves. The mission* this lunar cycle has been to cultivate a Mars-inspired sense of daring devotion to emerging life. How do you continue to craft and hone this intention without resorting to getting caught in downward spirals of self-judgment? Judgment may be strong today as we put beauty, balance, harmony, and love under the spotlight of Saturn. Strict control is a cop out when the truly daring thing is to love with all our hearts regardless of outcome. Saturn respects such commitment. From this place, we learn how to dedicate ourselves to life.

Moon enters Libra at 2:24 am**
Tuesday April 23.  We are made aware that systems are out of balance today. This realization may actually serve to engage our wills to fight for change. Our choices, even the choice of what we pay attention to, has impact. The energy is building to an important Full Moon eclipse. Consider what you wish to transform in your life.

Moon in Libra
Wednesday, April 24. Springtime emergence is a birthing process for whatever new things need to come next. Just when we are ready to give up, that thing arrives. The wisdom of birth comes from the earth. Open up to the messages about your own birthing processes.

Moon enters Scorpio 5:25 am
April 25—Full Moon: Illuminating. The Full Moon in Scorpio today is a lunar eclipse. What a powerful culmination to an intense Aries lunar cycle and how appropriate that Mars rules Scorpio as well as Aries. These two signs show us two essential natures of Mars—the passionate fool and the committed warrior. We have the opportunity to bring the healthy expression of Mars into our world by doing the work of Scorpio soul retrieval. Any place in the psyche that feels numb or overwhelmed is a potential opening for toxic mimics to take root. This happens to everyone. Scorpio’s gift is the power to sense into these places and root them out and to regenerate where we are wounded. Eclipses give us a sense that this moment is crucial, that events have been leading up to this moment for a long time, and that we need to pay attention.

In the Full Moon chart, Mars in Taurus is conjunct the Sun and Saturn in Scorpio is conjunct the Moon. The Saturn and Mars dialog is between essential parts of ourselves: Saturn is the wise one with the long view, who asks us to commit to integrity and responsibility, and Mars is the passionate one who longs for reverent service. Oppositions give us an opportunity to notice how we have split off parts of ourselves. The story could be we need to control our wild natures, or we will always be betrayed by passion, or changing the status quo is just too hard. These are false messages that can be rooted out. The sign of Taurus gives us a clue to the path of reverence at this crossroads. This is the sign of rebirth, the beauty of body and earth, the reverence for life cycles, the quest for sustainable and just relationship with resources of all kinds. Saturn becomes an ally for commitment when we align with service to these ideals.

Moon in Scorpio
Friday, April 26. The Full Moon energy reverberates. Find ways that release tension and makes space energetically for healthy transformation. There are many ways to do this, find your best way. Mars makes an inspiring contact with Neptune. Tell the story of your Mars. What is your reverent service? Do you know your calling? Aim for the most beautiful vision of that calling.

Moon enters Sagittarius 6:32 am
Saturday, April 27. This week may have provoked a lot of soul searching and self-analysis. With the Moon in far-ranging Sagittarius, turn your attention to “foreign” lands. Learn about a culture or a point of view that is entirely different from yours. There is a tendency to over idealize, so find a way to be realistic about what you are experiencing without surrendering the experience.

*See http://tinyurl.com/bm2sv7a to follow along with the themes of this lunar cycle that began on April 10

** All times are CDT.

Follow the Moon: Forecast April 14, 2013 – April 20

Approach growing edge and stick one toe over. That’s how I’ve been treating this Aries Moon cycle.* I’m not feeling particularly courageous at the moment, nor even particularly energetic, however, I do want to claim new space for myself in this season of emergence. I want to shed an old layer of skin and see how far out I can grow. This growth might not even look like much on the outside, but inside I feel the change. In honor of Aries, I am honoring what feels like boldness to me, not someone else’s notion of boldness, but my own awareness of my growing edge and my commitment to move beyond it, even if it is just by a toe.

How do you recognize your growing edge? It seems important in this work of boldness to identify what the edge feels like, just so we can know we are at that moment of daring. For me, I recognize my growing edge by being aware of my standard patterns of action and reaction. For instance, noticing what triggers me is a way to know that I’ve reached a point of potential where I can make a new choice. What if, instead of reacting as I usually do, I choose a different response to the trigger? There is an element of frustration and even boredom at my growing edges. I’m tired of the same old thing happening. I’m tired of my same old responses to it. Invoking the April Fool, what do I have to lose by trying something new? It is all part of the trial and error of growth. Some of our experiments succeed and some don’t. The time of Aries growth isn’t about surefire success; it is about risking something new.

Not every growing edge is about dissatisfaction. Every one of our gifts wants to grow bigger. It is as if the gift itself is taunting us by saying, “Come on, show us what you got. Come on, this is so rich and juicy, don’t you want more?” It is entirely appropriate in the season of emergence to want more, to dream of being bigger, to take a bold leap, even if it is by only a toe’s length. I love Mary Oliver’s poem, The Summer Day, for this enticing call into the joy of being. At the end of the poem she asks:

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?


Tell me, what is it you plan to do


with your one wild and precious life?

Would we really want our lives to go by without a least one or two magnificent failures? This poem by Antonio Machado, Last Night As I Was Sleeping, celebrates our failures as sweet gifts: 

Last night as I was sleeping,


I dreamt—marvelous error!—


that I had a beehive


here inside my heart.


And the golden bees


were making white combs


and sweet honey


from my old failures.

As the Moon waxes, it is time to be bold. We can account for our failures later. 

Forecast April 14, 2013 – April 20

Moon in Gemini

April 14—Crescent Moon: Beginning. The Moon joins Jupiter today and that should help us dare to be bolder. Hold the image of a seedling in your heart today. Like that seedling, each of us is emerging into a new season without any guarantees of where we will ultimately end up. Honor the vulnerability of this state of being and the shear joy of life force that makes us act this way even when we know better. While holding that image of a seedling, what resides in your heart that longs to grow just a little bigger and be just a little bolder? This lunar phase of daring to begin fits with the Aries season perfectly. While the Moon is in Gemini, we can expect mental stimulation to be high. There are lots of ideas and plans for what we’d like to see emerge in our lives. Find a way to center and capture these ideas before they flit away.

Moon enters Cancer at 9:49 pm**
Monday, April 15. Venus shows up as the Evening Star after a long disappearance from the sky. Look for the bright star of Venus in the western sky at sunset and welcome the planet of beauty and abundance. Following our hearts into the exquisite longing for beauty is a bold surrender to life. We can embrace that desire. Venus is also entering Taurus, one of the signs of her rulership. We feel stronger and perhaps braver when we embody what we love.

Moon in Cancer
Tuesday, April 16. Recklessness meets protectiveness today. Do you feel that you need to disregard messages about safety in order to be bold? Or do your fears get in the way of pushing past growing edges? The relationship between the Moon in Cancer and the Sun in Aries today heightens the tension between being bold and being safe. This feeling peaks on the 18^th when the Moon enters its First Quarter phase. Notice where this tension lives in you. Neither point of view is wholly right or wrong. To embrace the energy of Cancer, honor the role that your home or family plays in your emerging growth. The urge to protect or defend our homes could be a strong factor in the bold actions we take today.

Moon in Cancer
Wednesday, April 17. Mars joins the Sun today at 28 degrees Aries. This is a “seed moment” for the two-year long Mars cycle. We begin a new journey in our relationship to will, desire, passion, and action. Mars as the ruler of Aries is an ally of boldness. On a primal level, Mars represents energy. It can be helpful to release excess energy today in the form of exercise or physical activity. Exercise releases endorphins that help us to appreciate the gift of Mars energy—feeling alive and capable of acting on behalf of our strongest desires. When we are not in touch with this energy, we are more prone to fits of anger or frustration. With the Moon in Cancer, we are extra sensitive about anger. Allow this energy to move through you in positive ways.

Moon enters Leo 10:13 am

April 18—First Quarter Moon: Manifesting. Challenge. How do you react when you’ve taken a risk, stuck your toe out past a growing edge only to be discouraged at the very first moment you try something new? What happens when those tender seedling leaves meet a cold snap, or a drought, or an animal that eats them up right away? Unfortunately, no guarantees means no guarantees. And that kinda sucks. This phase of the Moon is when we learn that we will be challenged on the way to manifesting our hearts’ desires. This is when we get to develop our real strengths. Yesterday was probably an exciting, energy-filled day. It may have also been a day of overwhelming emotional reactions. Notice what discourages you right now. Even that is an ally of bold action because it is teaching something important. As the Moon enters Leo, we become sensitive to feeling discouraged. Try to remember the gifts that are urging you to expand. Don’t give up. Venus and Neptune conspire to inspire us. The beauty around us is a reflection of the beauty within.

Moon in Leo
Friday, April 19. The season of Aries shifts into Taurus today with the Sun’s ingress into this Fixed Earth sign. Because we are still working through the waxing phase of the New Moon in Aries, we get to use this Taurus energy to infuse our bold actions with grounded integrity. This can be a welcomed addition to the unsettling impulsivity of Aries or it can be a frustrating slowing down of forward momentum. Both are true and both are necessary. The need to make adjustments in how we are doing things is also reinforced by a quincunx aspect between Mercury in Aries and Saturn in Scorpio. Even though we may have to broaden our point of view, the new input will help us in the long run.

Moon enters Virgo at 8:08 pm
Saturday, April 20. Mars joins Venus and the Sun in Taurus today. We get to remember what the body knows. One of the lessons that Taurus offers is how to make our efforts sustainable over time. As you’ve been inching past your own growing edges, what have you begun to identify as ways to sustain this expansive growth? We get more pragmatic this evening as the Moon enters Virgo. To be whole in body and mind, what adjustments do you need to make? The wild card today is the Mercury/Uranus conjunction in Aries. Open to brilliant new insights.

*See http://tinyurl.com/bm2sv7a to follow along with the themes of this lunar cycle that began on April 10

** All times are CDT.