WHY SKINCARE IS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

Fed up with the beauty industry’s impossible standards, Giselle La Pompe-Moore set out to heal her relationship with her skin at soul level. She explains why skincare is a spiritual practice …

giselle la pompe-moore skincare spiritual practice skincare is the missing piece of your spiritual practice rediscovery skin sessions ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world the now age rediscovery soul sessions project ajna
Giselle La Pompe-Moore

Have you ever thought about your skin beyond aesthetics?

We can spend hours in front of the mirror analyzing every pore and perceived flaw, but we rarely see beyond this. But on a deeper level, our skin is a barrier between our internal and external worlds. Something both public and deeply personal at once.

This skin allows us to experience the universe around us, to touch and be touched in return. This is why skincare is a spiritual practice.

The color of my skin was different from most of the people I grew up with, and from the women I saw in the media. I loved my skin, but as a black woman I always felt like an “other.” Was always comparing my skin to that of somebody else. The black women I DID see on TV and in magazines seemed hyper-real, with flawless, perfect skin. In an attempt to replicate this for myself, I pursued a career as a beauty editor, drowning myself in products.

Over the years, I began to notice that while creams and treatments can heal the skin externally, they do nothing to address feelings of not being good enough, of shame, and of endless comparison.

And so I took a step back to shift my focus from how skin looks on the outside to what it reflects about our inner life. To investigate the impact of spiritual tools, such as reiki, meditation and tarot, on our relationships with the skin we are in.

Now working as a healer specializing in skincare, I’ve seen how acne, psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema have impacted the way my clients move through the world. I’ve listened to stories about what they’ll do once their skin is “healed, better, or different,” while denying themselves of the life they could be living right now. I’ve also learned that our skin is the physical embodiment of our innate self-worth.

Whether you’re working through a skin condition, are struggling to accept your physical appearance, or want to add some spirit to your skincare, here are the tools that I’ve used on myself and my clients to help shift our skincare mindset …

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1// Give yourself a crystal facial massage
Crystals can work wonders helping to set intentions around your skin—and one way is with a crystal facial massage. Here’s how to do it:

  • Choose a crystal that symbolizes your skin intention. Pink Transparent Calcite (for non-judgment and comparison), Apatite (willpower for shifting your skin mindset) and Malachite (forgiveness, committing to this journey) are some of the crystals I’ve prescribed to clients.
  • Get comfortable, cleanse your space, and connect to the crystal. Hold it in your hand and feel its energy. As you hold it, visualize your intention. If it’s to help you to forgive yourself for the unkind words you’ve said about your skin in the past, imagine this forgiving energy passing through your body. Then ask the crystal to offer you support and guidance in achieving this.
  • With the crystal in front of you, start to massage all around your face in upward and outward strokes using a face oil. With each movement, feel your intention sinking into your skin at the same time.

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2// Journal to go beneath the surface
A lot of our limiting beliefs about our appearance reside deep below the surface. Use journaling to investigate your relationship with your skin and unearth subconscious beliefs.

Here are a few questions to start with:

-How would you describe your skin? Think about the language you use, is it positive or negative?
-What does the word ‘comparison’ bring up for you, in relation to your skin?
-What memories do you have where someone made a comment about your skin or appearance and how has this had an impact on you?
-What has your inner critic said to you today? Do you believe what it told you? How do you usually talk to yourself when you’re in front of the mirror?

Through journaling, I realized that I used only negative words to describe my skin and would skip past the features I liked. So I decided to start accentuating the parts of my face that I did love, like my lips. See what comes up for you and what tools you can use to release and heal these limiting beliefs. I’ve used tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique), binaural beats and visualization in response to what I uncovered in my journal, and written letters to my skin.

giselle la pompe-moore skincare spiritual practice skincare is the missing piece of your spiritual practice rediscovery skin sessions ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world the now age rediscovery soul sessions project ajna
Giselle guides a client

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3// Synch your skincare with the Moon
The phases of the Moon phases can provide a mirror to examine our self-image triggers, and a framework for charting our inner work and emotional landscape over a period of time. Here’s how to incorporate each phase into your skincare routine …

New Moon. Use this time of new beginnings to set an intention for your skin. It could be to reconnect with your skin. Start with self-massage, simply feeling the skin beneath your fingertips. This is also the time to add any new products in to your beauty routine.

Waxing Moon. Check in with the intentions you set at the New Moon, examining how you’re feeling about your appearance now, and thinking about how you can move closer to growing your intentions and reconnecting with your skin. Your skin is also the most absorbent and receptive to nutrients now, so add in a serum with hydrating properties or a nourishing face mask.

Full Moon. Take a moment to celebrate yourself, thanking yourself for all of the work you’ve been doing to shift your skin mindset. There can be heightened emotions and energy at this time, so make sure you’re filling your cup back up with restorative baths or an Ayurvedic abhyanga massage.

Waning Moon. Use this phase for journaling and exploring the limiting beliefs that might have come up for you over this cycle, reflecting on what you need to release in order to grow. To support this internal cleansing and shedding, use an exfoliating body scrub, try body brushing, or add in a detoxifying charcoal soap to draw out impurities and toxins.

Dark Moon. Give yourself a break! It’s easy to end up with spiritual overload, I’ve been there many times – digging into shadow work, past life astrology, and the deepest crevices of my psyche all before lunch ain’t easy! Allow yourself this time to restore, heal, imagine, and to press pause.

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4// Use the tarot to talk to your skin 
The tarot is a powerful tool for working on your mindset and self-worth, and I use it daily for both myself and in my rediscovery: skin sessions. You can start with a single card pull, asking the deck to show you how you can work on your self-image. Use the cards to start a conversation with your skin and listen to what it needs.

Example:
In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the Two of Swords depicts a blindfolded woman with two swords crossed over her. The moon is above her and a body of water lies behind her. This card is all about taking the time and space to be still and look inwards. To embody this card, think about how you can create a boundary that allows you to dive into your own self-care. Allow this stillness to offer you intuitive guidance as to where you’re in need of healing and any areas of low self-worth. Use this as an invitation to see through your third eye rather than your physical eyes.

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5// Meditate for both mind and skin
Meditation is a powerful tool for shifting our skin mindset, and for relieving the stress that can trigger or aggravate neuro-inflammatory conditions such as acne.

In sessions, I guide my clients through a skin-focused meditation, which fosters gratitude, forgiveness, acceptance, and kindness, and includes a simultaneous facial self-message that creates physical connection with the skin.

*You can download a version of this meditation HERE. You’ll need cleansed skin, a comfortable space, and a facial oil in easy reach, then plug in and tune out.

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Giselle La Pompe-Moore offers one-to-one rediscovery: skin sessions that guide you to shift your skin mindset to a path of acceptance and gratitude. Her rediscovery: soul sessions incorporate reiki, tarot, and meditation. Both are held either virtually or in-person in London. She also hosts monthly Mirrorscope skin healing circles

THE 2019 AQUARIUS NEW MOON HAS A MESSAGE FOR YOU

The 2019 Aquarius New Moon is a potent opportunity for fresh visions, transformational downloads, and radical release, says Sandy Sitron

Aquarius New Moon 2019 Sandy Sitron The Numinous
Photo: Alexandra Marcu

New Moon :: February 4th, 2019 :: 4:04 pm EST :: 15 degrees Aquarius

Hold the earpiece of an old fashioned telephone, and wait patiently. Practice listening. There’s a message coming down the line.

On February 4th we have a New Moon in visionary Aquarius. This moon has a lot to say. But the first thing it wants you to do is listen. Get silent and be present.

Wait for the message. Time condenses as you embody stillness and practice listening.

The message finally comes through. It’s juicy. This moon is wrapped in ideas and potential. It’s like a perfectly ripe pear. You can hold it in one hand, but when you bite into it the juice travels down your arm. A compact message, filled with information.

When you receive the message that this moon will deliver, it will be time to activate. You might slam down the telephone and spring to action. You might go running for a napkin to wipe up all the pear juice. Once it begins there will be no delay. 

It is exciting. And transformational. A New Moon is a chance for a new beginning and this one in the sign of Aquarius is helping you bring your ideas and vision for the future to the world. This lunation is pumped up with energy. There’s action and release happening all at once. In the background beats the drum of expansion. Listen for it. Your big ideas are supported. Receive your message and run with it.

Aquarius is the sign of innovation, vision, and collaboration. This is not the time to hole up with Netflix and a cozy blanket. You need to be engaged, alert, and present so that you can incubate new ideas. Then you’ll be able to share these ideas with others and really take things to the next level.

Here are the steps for this New Moon and the days that follow … 

Listen and wait for the message.

The message is coming and it’s going to be juicy.

When you get it, you need to spring into action.

Be willing to transform some things. To let go and be surprised.

Set the stage for an innovative new concept or a new mental framework to emerge within you. It’s time for fresh vision. You are ready for it. 

Share your heart, your ideas and your vision for the future. You can make change happen. Or maybe you can discover that you are willing to change your mind.

Think about the greater community that surrounds you. How do you want to collaborate? What do you want to share? 

The answer will become more clear over the coming weeks. For now, listen for silence on the other end of the telephone. Silence and stillness are your first steps. Silence is nowhere and everywhere. You can hear silence under and around other sounds. Silence has different textures and opacities.

Be very present while you wait. And before you know it, the message will have arrived.

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New Moon conjunct Mercury
Fireflies.
Tiny illuminations everywhere. Tiny new ideas floating through the air. Grab them quick. Write them down. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the mental activity. Ideas are beautiful. If they hold positive potential they are like gifts. Take any good ideas you are given and anchor them somewhere, in a journal, in your psyche, in a conversation. These ideas will light up your next phase with dazzling promises. So make sure you’re paying attention.

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New Moon sextile Jupiter
An awards dinner.
Go out in your finery. Eat well and unabashedly. Then stand up and take a bow. You’ve done it and you’ll do more. This aspect is encouraging you, telling you to dream bigger, use your talents, and enjoy the celebration.

Your public is appreciative. There is roaring applause for you at this awards dinner. Soak it all up. Appreciate yourself, too. Take a bow and then keep going. Make your vision better and bigger. Keep your vibration tuned to love. Don’t hold back from enjoying attention or celebration. Let it propel you forward.

THE 2019 LEO FULL MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE WANTS YOU TO SHINE ON

The 2019 Leo Full Moon Lunar Eclipse is a powerful invitation to push past resistance, hit the refresh button on your creativity, and show up ready to sparkle, says Sandy Sitron

sandy sitron sandra sitron ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world the now age 2019 leo full moon lunar eclipse
Photo: Karina Tes

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse :: January 21 2019 :: 12:17am EST :: 0 degrees Leo

Lace up your shoes and get ready to play a game. Grab your bowling ball and hurl it down the lane. It’s time to take aim. You’ll set up the pins and you’ll knock them down. How the game is played depends on your exuberance, focus, and finesse. 

On Monday at 12:17am EST, the skies light up with a Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in the sign of Leo. There’s a lot going on at this Full Moon. Most importantly, we get ready to hit the refresh button. Since February 2017, most of the eclipses have illuminated the Leo/Aquarius axis, and this is the final one. The Leo/Aquarius Eclipses have helped us define our individuality and loop us into the collective.

Eclipses help us end old patterns and start new ones. There are multiple themes coming to the surface at this important lunation. Mercury (the ruler of writing) is still in matter-of-fact Capricorn, so I’ll be practical and describe these themes one by one:

First of all, how are you approaching your work? How do you set ‘em up and how do you knock ‘em down? With Mars square Saturn exactly at this Full Moon, you need to go after what you want, but you need to do it in a structured way. This aspect can put the pressure on. Are you willing to release some tension and create a new pattern around how you work?

Next, put yourself out there and play the game, while tenderly tending to your ego. You have something to share and you need to shine. This is a Full Moon in the theatrical and brilliant sign of Leo. Leo urges you to share your unique soul with other people, through creativity and play.

Sometimes the R word, “resistance,” comes up when we try to put ourselves out there. It can be scary to be exposed. This Full Moon urges you to push past resistance and fear so that you can get out there on the slickly polished floors of the bowling alley, ready to play. Do a little dance. Show off! Shine!

Is there a message or creative spark that you’ve been too afraid to share? This Eclipse might open the windows and doors for you. Create a new pattern. The sign of Leo reminds us to begin by being playful and see where we go from there.

Finally, circumstances may seem precious or important right now, but can you set your ego aside and make it into a fun game where everyone gets to take a turn? The more that you are able to release a preoccupation with self, the more mental perspective you can achieve.

Overall, this is a moment for spontaneous and creative action. Have fun with it! Play a game. When the bowling pins are cleared away, it’s time to start all over. Let yourself have a fresh start every time. Allow space for your uniqueness, and use this Full Moon to celebrate and release!

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Full Moon square Uranus
Electrifying dance moves.
Shake it, shake it, shake it off. You’re dancing. And your body is making all kinds of surprising new shapes, almost without your conscious permission. Allow yourself to be surprised by your own choices. This Full Moon offers moments of action followed by lightening bolts of self-discovery. Did you even know you had it in you? Open to the fact that the plan can only take you so far. There is genius that arises in the moment.

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Full Moon trine Chiron
A mud bath.
You are removing layers of residue. Sitting in the muck might be a way to feel clean. Healing is happening easily and spontaneously. It’s taking unexpected twists and turns. It could be that one moment you’re covered in a dry clay mask, dirtier than you’ve ever been before, but in a good way. And the next moment your skin glows with refreshment. Don’t be afraid of tears or emotional release. Just like the mud bath, they are an unexpected way to peel back the layers.

THE 2019 ARIES WAXING MOON WANTS YOU TO GET GRITTY

Building on the recent Capricorn New Moon’s soulful sweat, the 2019 Aries Waxing Moon invites us to get friendly with friction and persevere for our passions, says Jennifer Racioppi

2019 aries waxing moon jennifer racioppi ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world the now age moon club tyler nix
Photo: Tyler Nix

Waxing Quarter Moon // January 14 2019 // 1:45am ET // 23 degrees Aries

2019 wasted no time before it dropped us off in the deep end of the cosmic transformation pool. Kicking off with a Saturn/Sun conjunction, an immediate entrance into Eclipse season, and Uranus stationing direct with a square to the nodes of fate, January has been a robust initiation into the most profound sense of grit and resilience.

With the 2019 Aries Waxing Moon punctuating the halfway mark between the most recent Solar Eclipse, and the upcoming Total Lunar Blood Super Moon Eclipse, the last in its series in Leo, this Waxing Moon is a check-in point that provides a vital moment to put your feet on the earth and ground down. In Mars-ruled Aries, conjoined with Uranus, it might feel a wee-bit volatile, possibly even angry. Because of this, nurturing your passion remains a non-negotiable.

No matter how hard things might feel, trust that this too shall pass. You have everything you need to go the distance …

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// The Cycle //
This Waxing Quarter Moon harkens back to the 2018 Aries New Moon. Think back to April 15, 2018—what intentions did you set then?  This opening square to the Sun should bring growth and stimulation to goals set then. What did you set in motion then that relates to what’s beginning to sprout in your life now? Tend to the crops that are starting to fruit. They need to be your most important focus.

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// The Transits //
At the time of this Waxing Moon, Saturn, Mercury, Pluto, and the Sun form a dense stellium in Capricorn. Thankfully, Neptune in Pisces sends a soft beam of support to this otherwise, rigid, and robust configuration that’s commanding you to drop the façade, get real, and work hard (possibly harder than you ever have in your whole life).

On the more easeful side of good luck, Venus, the planet of love, meets up with Jupiter, the planet of growth and expansion. Yet despite these aspects that take the edge off, this Waxing Moon’s connection to Uranus and to the nodes of fate, is reminiscent of one of the most difficult astrological energies we’ve experienced over the past decade: the Uranus-Pluto Square. This aspect took place from 2013-2015 and triggered massive political change. With Uranus remaining in Aries for only six more weeks, this Waxing Moon is one of the last throwbacks to this challenging configuration. Lean into the challenge. 

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// The Square //
The Sun in Capricorn, only 7 degrees away from Aquarius, commands respect. With the Sun creeping closer and closer to the South Node, which brings past actions and their subsequent karmas front and center in your life, now’s not the time to take your eye off of your goals. Instead, keep a steady focus on what you most want, need, must do, this lifetime. This Aries Waxing Moon might feel super angsty, especially as it conjoins Uranus, but don’t let the angst push you in the wrong direction. Yes, you might need to surrender what you no longer need, or what isn’t working. However, don’t turn against yourself. Or your goals.

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// The Opportunity //
With the Leo Total Lunar Eclipse just one week away, it’s not the time to hope for easy, but rather to trust that you have what it takes to rise to the occasion. Even with the Moon waxing, which generally connotes a time of gains, the cosmic broom also wants to sweep away that which you no longer need.

While this Waxing Moon will shine a light on the positive seeds you planted with the 2018 Aries New Moon, overall this is a tough, hard-edged astrological moment. So if it feels challenging, let it. Don’t take it personally. Instead, dig in and commit to your truth. Grit, a combination of passion and perseverance, means staying ferociously committed to your goals. Lead with tenacity.

Discover more about astrologer and success coach Jennifer Racioppi and her work HERE and follow her on Instagram.

THE 2018 LIBRA WANING MOON WANTS YOU TO OWN IT

As we close out the year, the 2018 Libra Waning Moon asks us to face up, stand up, and get real and right with our souls, says Jennifer Racioppi

mitch walker ruby warrington jennifer racioppi 2018 libra waning moon the numinous the now age material girl mystical world
Photo: Mitch Walker

Waning Quarter Moon // December 29 2018 //  4:34 am ET // 7 degrees Libra 

The last Waning Quarter Moon of 2018 highlights the dichotomy between drive, determination, and the quest for power (Capricorn), and the desire for balance, harmony, and justice (Libra).

As the Moon travels through Libra, the Venus-ruled sign of the scales, forming a 90-degree square with the Sun and Saturn, both in Capricorn, she’ll provoke you to stand up for yourself: your values, your desire for pleasure, and your truth. The 2018 Waning Libra Moon leaves little room for nonsense.

Embrace this lunar opportunity as a chance to get real, and right, with your soul … 

// The Cycle //
As we close out 2018, we end more than just another year; we also wrap up an over 2-year-long lunar gestation cycle. This Libra Waning Moon highlights the consequences of actions taken on the September 30, 2016, Libra New Moon.

On October 7, 2016, the Washington Post published an article about Donald Trump and Billy Bush having “an extremely lewd conversation about women.” Now here we are, in the midst of Trump’s presidency, as the USA undergoes a governmental shutdown, General Mattis’ resignation/expedited termination, and, all of this happens as the country awaits the results of Bob Mueller’s investigation into President Trump’s potential collusion in the 2016 election.

It’s clear that we may be arriving at a critical turning point in the Trump presidency. You are likely at a critical turning point in your life too. Claim your truth and move forward accordingly.

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// The Transits //
2019 begins with a whopping solar eclipse Jan 5 at 15 degrees of Capricorn, happening right between Saturn, the lord of karma, and Pluto, the planet of transformation. This planetary formation commands that truth be revealed, and abuses of power healed. The current, pre-eclipse, Libra Waning Moon squares a Saturn-Sun combination. As hard truths reveal themselves, embrace them.

More provocatively, Venus, the planet of love (and ruler of the Moon in Libra), makes a harmonious angle to Pluto, the planet of power. This angle between Venus in Scorpio and Pluto in Capricorn amplifies lusty desires and the urge to experience sexual pleasure. Cosmic sexual healing, anyone? Sacred sex can bring deep healing, and the release of oxytocin through orgasm can detoxify the body of what it no longer needs.

At the same time, Mars, the ruler of personal will, conjoining Chiron, aka the “wounded healer,” might stimulate feelings of shame. Thoughts like, “Is it ok to want what I want?” or “Am I too pushy, too needy, or too much?” could potentially stand in the way of you enjoying yourself.

Allow yourself to hear and understand what your voice of shame sounds like. Get to know her. But don’t let the voice of shame win. Bow down to the voice of truth instead.

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// The Square //
The Sun and Saturn sit very close to one another in the sky, amplifying the impact of the great planetary task-master. The Libra Moon, which has a fierce need for justice, squares Saturn, commanding both literal and figurative sobriety.

Get quiet and listen to the voice of truth emerging within. Purify yourself, mind, body, and spirit, so you can hear where your inner voice most concretely wishes to lead you.

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// The Opportunity // 
Remember that you have two options when it comes to reconciling difficult feelings and emotions, especially shame: you can talk out your feelings and thoughts, or you can act them out. Choosing to talk things out now, helps you make better decisions later. It also opens you up to acknowledging what you no longer need, want, or desire, and makes room for you to enjoy Venus’ luscious connection with Pluto, and its potential for healing through pleasure.

Libra, a justice-oriented sign that craves beauty, love, and relationship, isn’t shy when it comes to standing up for what it believes. Consider what’s coming full circle in your life right now. Perhaps it’s year-end related. Maybe it correlates with actions taken years ago, around the time of the 2016 Libra New Moon.

Shed the lies and limiting beliefs that have kept you playing it small. Whether it’s the old pair of socks or the relationship that pulls you into toxic dynamics, again and again, let this Libra Waning Moon act as a cosmic vacuum cleaner sucking up the dirt. With the new year just a few days away, choose to embrace the openness and sobriety of truth. With the world at a critical political moment, staying in a healthy place, mentally and emotionally, supports you on your individual path.

The upcoming Capricorn New Moon Solar Eclipse in Jan 5 invites you to conjure and create a life that reflects the most real sense of who you are. Start preparing for it now.

Discover more about astrologer and success coach Jennifer Racioppi and her work HERE and follow her on Instagram.

THE 2018 PISCES WAXING MOON WANTS YOU TO LIVE THE DREAM

The 2018 Pisces Waxing Moon asks us to relax in the face of year-end pressures, embrace all that is unknown, and let our dreams vanquish fear, says Jennifer Racioppi

ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world the now age olha zaika jennifer racioppi 2018 pisces waxing moon club
Photo: Olha Zaika

Waxing Quarter Moon // December 15 2018 // 6:49am ET // 23 degrees Pisces

With year-end madness in full-effect, and the personal development world not only encouraging you to see into the future but to begin to sculpt your next year accordingly, the last two weeks of the year might feel like pressure. Bone-crushing pressure. 

Coming off of the bold and blunt Sagittarius New Moon’s cosmic invitation to claim your dream, the Universe now awaits your response. Where is your vision leading you, next?

In an ideal world, the answer might feel obvious. But considering the Piscean influence, direction can feel obscure and hazy. Pisces, after all, a sign ruled by trance-inducing, otherworldly Neptune, who inspires subterranean explorations of the subconscious, doesn’t always deliver tangibility.

What to do if you lack clarity on your future visions and goals? Embrace the unknown.

// The Cycle //
Waxing Quarter Moons often connect us to intentions set nine months prior. Consider what’s coming to your life now based on intentions set with the Pisces New Moon on March 17, 2018. What’s percolating in your life now that connects to energy set in motion then?

And in the current cycle, this half-way mark between the New Moon and Full Moon acts as a stepping stone, here to help you traverse the distance between where you are and where you want to be. As the assertive energies of the Sun clash with the yin-like qualities of the Moon, take this time to resolve any cognitive dissonance you may experience in your own life. Embracing this confrontation expedites the journey to clarity.

Use this Pisces Waxing Moon to center yourself and tap into your intuition as you prepare for both the Solstice and the upcoming Cancer Full Moon, which will invite you to come home to yourself even more. Like Dorothy walking the Yellow Brick Road in her ruby red shoes, this Pisces Moon is guiding you on a path home.

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// The Transits //
With so much retrograde activity behind us, this halfway moment between the New and Full Moons boasts serious magic.

For starters, Mercury in Sagittarius prepares for its second alignment with Jupiter (the first of these conjunctions happened in late November, and the second will happen on the December 21st Solstice). The biggest planet in the solar system, who’s often referred to as Santa Claus, Jupiter has a tendency to deliver good news. With this meet-up between Jupiter and cosmic messenger Mercury in the expansive sign of Sagittarius, it’s the perfect moment to lean into the wave of positive momentum. Do you need to ask for something? Now’s the time. 

Further, with the Moon in Pisces, conjoined to Mars, Chiron, and Neptune, which makes a sweet angle to Venus, this Pisces “stellium” activates healing on a cellular level, inviting you to feel and heal what’s no longer needed. Lean into your desires, not your fears, as you seek to live your dream.

To top this off, after a year riddled with heavy retrograde activity, only one planet remains retrograde: distant Uranus. The cosmos signals green lights for action. Use this time to assess what you’ve learned, and mindfully integrate the lessons obtained.

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// The Square //
On the challenging side of things, the Sun in Sagittarius and the Moon in Pisces (magnified by the dense planetary activity in Pisces) blurs the lines. Go-big-or-go-home-Sagittarius strongly dissuades boundaries. And spiritually inclined and sensitive Pisces can go so deep into the dream that it forgets reality altogether. With the luminaries traveling in these two mutable signs, feelings, impulses, and urges might override the truth.

Stay on the lookout for lies, addiction, and deceit. Much like the Waxing Moon which appears as a half in the sky, but is indeed only at the quarter phase, this square asks you to decipher fact from illusion. Be aware of where you check out prematurely or run away as a coping mechanism.

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// The Opportunity //
The high road here asks you to tap into the potential and power of your dreams, and the expansiveness of the moment, without losing a brass-tacks approach to rallying your life force energy on behalf of your desires.

Let this Waxing Quarter Moon in Pisces illuminate the next steps you need to take to not just bring the Sagittarius New Moon’s intentions to fruition, but to consider how what’s unfolding in your life now relates to intentions set during the 2018 Pisces cycle. What did you set in motion with the March 17th New Moon that’s coming to fruition now? Claim it!

It also invites sleep, healing sleep. This potent lunar moment invites you to genuinely enjoy the experience and engage out of bounds thinking — even lucid dreaming and astral travel (which is so Pisces).

With one week before the Winter Solstice, the darkest moment of the year, take advantage of the seasonal cue to sleep. Treat it as a ritual, and open wide for prophetic dreams!

Discover more about astrologer and success coach Jennifer Racioppi and her work HERE and follow her on Instagram.

THE 2018 SAGITTARIUS NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO FIND YOUR ‘WHY’

The 2018 Sagittarius New Moon is an opportunity for inspired curiosity, as we set off in search of our “why” and recover our very reason to live, says Sandy Sitron

diego ph sandy sitron sandra sitron ruby warrington, the numinous material girl mystical world moon club 2018 sagittarius new moon
Photo: Diego PH

New Moon :: December 7 2018 :: 2:21 am EST :: 15 degrees Sagittarius

An explosion of light as two worlds collide and a portal opens. 

A portal is opening and that’s important. But let’s begin by understanding this symbolic explosion of light. In TV shows and movies there’s usually a flash of light when a portal opens up. Insight! Illumination! You see more clearly. There’s more to reality than one singular dimension.

On Friday, December 7th, there’s a New Moon in fiery Sagittarius. Sagittarius is the sign of truth-seeking. Bam! The centaur shoots a fire arrow to illuminate the target of truth. Yes, you are getting a flash of clarity. But it’s a little more complicated than that. This New Moon is a truth-seeking arrow that dissolves against the disappearing body of Mars and Neptune’s Cheshire cat.

Just like the mischievous and confusing Cheshire Cat, your clarity won’t take the form of answer. It takes the form of a question instead. You need to delineate a question and it has something to do with your values. Once you find your question, you can treat it like an egg in a nest. Just sit on it. Tend to it. Keep it warm and away from predators. Treat the question with the honor and respect that it deserves.

One thing that’s become clear during this year of many retrogrades: rushing forward because of emotional discomfort doesn’t get you anywhere. You can’t race through this process of sitting with the question.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t be passionate, purposeful and exuberant while you hunt down your answers. You can. Raise your energetic vibration purposefully so that when you encounter the answer to your treasured embryonic question, you’ll be a vibrational match for the answer.

How do you change your vibration purposefully? Use your imagination. With Mars and Neptune square this Sagittarius New Moon, your imagination will take you to your target. Imagine a special control room in your mind that has a panel of dials. Visualize or notice a larger dial in the middle of the panel that says “Vibration.” Notice what level it is at now and ask your imagination if you need to turn up the dial. Then adjust it to the correct setting and remember you can always come back in the future and make more adjustments.

The Sagittarius New Moon is an opportunity to align yourself with the big question you need to be asking. When you have the right questions, then you can begin the wild hunt for the answers. When you are driven to understand “why” or “how,” you can raise your vibration up into a new dimension.

Sagittarius the explorer wants to find new worlds. Instead of being stuck in the pattern that already exists, you get above it to see the bigger picture. You can experience the “bam!” of illumination as you journey out of this world and into a mirror-image dimension.

The other dimension through the portal is exactly the same as this dimension, except for one thing; while our world is currently fueled by scarcity mentality, which causes greed and oppression, the driving force there is optimism and abundance.

If you can get through the portal, the mindset shift becomes: “There is enough, so what do I want teach, learn, explore? Not because I have to to survive, but because I am curious and alive.”

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New Moon conjunct Jupiter
A car covered in flowers.
Imagine that you try to get into your car and it’s completely covered with loads of flowers! Not flower petals- entire flowers! It’s so much beauty and joy that the abundance almost becomes inconvenient. You would have to laugh and admire all the beauty while trying to clean off your car.

So much goodness. But is it in the right place? It all depends on how you look at the situation. Remember your gratitude practice and you’ll be able to accept the unexpected gifts that come your way.

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New moon square Mars and Neptune
The Cheshire Cat.
This Cat has places to go and battles to disrupt. Along the way it creates quite the commotion. The world is confusing but we have try to go after what we want anyway. You have two choices with this aspect, Alice. Moon about in confusion and ask all the wrong people for advice. Or actively try to lift your vibration to experience your own unique sense of faith, purpose, and soul-level interconnectedness.

THE 2018 LIBRA NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO CHOOSE HEALING

Intensified by powerhouse Pluto, the 2018 Libra New Moon wants us to sit with challenging emotions, tend to deep-rooted wounds, and embrace release through conscious healing, says Sandy Sitron

sandy sitron ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world 2018 libra new moon joren aranas
Photo: Joren Aranas

New Moon :: October 8, 2018 :: 11:47 pm ET :: 15 degrees Libra

A droplet of rain rolls slowly off a leaf and lands in the shadows below. The sun comes out and the leaf quickly dries. But the water that has pooled in the shadows remains.

The symbolism reads: just become a tiny puddle. Find your spot in the shade and wait. While you’re there, feel your feelings and heal.

This New Moon is in the sign of balance, and the Moon and Sun are making a square to Pluto, the planet that symbolizes grief, loss, letting go, healing the past, and rebirth. This is an emotional New Moon, but in air sign Libra, it’s an intellectual time as well. Tending to your feelings will help you make room for new ideas.

Letting yourself go through the phases of grief will support your ability to speak your mind, say what your boundaries are, and communicate diplomatically with those who have different viewpoints. This air sign New Moon can help you verbalize and communicate your emotions.

Because this is a New Moon, it’s a time of germination. A chance to plan the future. While you’re resting in your emotional puddle, tucked away in the shadows— pinpoint what you want. What are your intentions for fairness, harmony, balance, healthy relationships, and open communication?

The balance that is developing will feel like fresh air after a thunderstorm. But the first step is to slow down and sit quietly with what you’re feeling.

Remember that somewhere along the way, it’s important to face challenging emotions. The Plutonian wound is festering. This New Moon invites us to perform a sacred purge. The only way to move past this moment in history is to push right through. We must sit with the wounds. Let the emotions move. Let the emotions flow. Release. Burn it up. It will take time. This is a cathartic process of healthy release.

Heavy healing. We don’t always want to do it. But here we are, working with personal and collective wounds to move through and come out the other side. Pluto’s symbols are the Phoenix rising out of the ashes, the butterfly coming out of the cocoon and the snake shedding its skin. We can move through this phase with the resilience of a Phoenix, the grace of a butterfly, and the wisdom of a snake. The cycles continue and change is wonderful.

The heaviness of this moment will soon funnel into action and activism because of an upcoming t-square between Uranus (change), Mercury (clarity), and the North Node (purpose). So don’t worry, we won’t be sitting in the emotional muck for ever. But sitting here for now can help

Heal as deeply and powerfully as you can. Put your conscious attention on it. Ponder the parts of you that are triggered and asking for support. What kind of support do you need to rally, so that your inner child feels safe? Imagine your healing happening on a cellular level.

As this is an intention setting time, keep part of your vision trained on what you are creating. Mark some intentions. Visualize what you want to see when the healing is complete.

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New Moon Trine Mars
A fire ball. An important part of this New Moon story is the energizing jolt that comes through its trine to Mars. Drive, enthusiasm, motivation. Where does this energy want to go? Let it help you integrate your healing and impassion your speech. Having energy can help you feel that you can get through whatever needs to be done. This aspect offers a dose of spirit.

New Moon square Pluto
Sharpening a stick until it becomes a spear. Getting yourself to sit down and do the work of emotional healing may be a challenge. The Moon and Pluto are square, which is an aspect that requires practice before it can be mastered. Repetitive, steady effort is required. Keep chipping away and soon the stick transforms. Eventually, you’ll break through into a new shape. Look at whatever is happening in your life and notice where persistence may be the answer.

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Use the below journal questions to help you set intentions the 2018 Libra New Moon. Look for the house containing 15 degrees Libra in your chart for the most accurate insights. Don’t know your chart? You can enter your birth details HERE to calculate it for free.

Aries // Aries Rising // New Moon in the 7th house
“My most healing relationships allow me to …”

Taurus // Taurus Rising // New Moon in the 6th house
“I feel most joyfully productive when I …”

Gemini // Gemini Rising // New Moon in the 5th house
“I am falling in love with …”

Cancer // Cancer Rising // New Moon in the 4th house
“Truly caring for my self means …”

Leo // Leo Rising // New Moon in the 3rd house
“I can’t stop myself getting excited about …”

Virgo // Virgo Rising // New Moon in the 2nd house
“I understand my value in the world when I …”

Libra // Libra Rising // New Moon in the 1st house
“My confidence gets a boost whenever I …”

Scorpio // Scorpio Rising // New Moon in the 12th house
“I am taking the steps to seek closure with …”

Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising // New Moon in the 11th house
“When I rise above the small stuff I see …”

Capricorn // Capricorn Rising // New Moon in the 10th house
“I feel most confident in my abilities when I …”

Aquarius // Aquarius Rising // New Moon in the 9th house
“My next big adventure will be …”

Pisces // Pisces Rising // New Moon in the 8th house
“A deeper level of intimacy requires me to …”

THE 2018 SAGITTARIUS WAXING MOON WANTS YOU TO FOLLOW YOUR SOUL GOALS

The 2018 Sagittarius Waxing Moon marks a powerful moment for reflecting on our truth and realigning ourselves with soul-centered growth, says Jennifer Racioppi

ruby warrington jennifer racioppi the numinous 2018 sagittarius waxing moon sydney altschuler
Photo: Sydney Altschuler

Waxing Quarter Moon / September 16 2018 / 7:14pm EST / 24 degrees Sagittarius 

As we quickly approach September 22nd’s Fall Equinox, the 2018 Sagittarius Waxing Moon asks us to explore our freedom and truth (without throwing in the towel on our goals).

This Waxing Quarter Moon boasts a mix between super friendly transits and those that midwife deep soul level truth. This halfway point between the Virgo New Moon and the upcoming Full Moon marks a potent moment to check in with ourselves.

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//The Cycle//
This Waxing Quarter Moon brings our attention to intentions set with the Sagittarius New Moon back in December 18, 2017. Think back to the end of 2017; what heartfelt prayers did you solicit the divine to support you with? What soul-driven goals did you set for yourself? This Waxing Quarter Moon shines a light on the growth and progress you intended for yourself since the close of 2017. As we quickly approach the Autumnal Equinox, and the Sun’s entrance into Libra, let this Waxing Quarter moon support you in reflecting on how far you’ve come this year.

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// The Transits //
At the time of the Waxing Quarter Moon, Jupiter, the ruling planet of Sagittarius, makes a sextile to both Mercury and Pluto. The bestower of good luck and growth, Jupiter imbues our minds and deeper psyches with illuminated thought— should we choose to listen. Score!

However, on the challenging side of things, Mars at 1 degree of Aquarius squares both Venus and Uranus who find themselves in a massive tug of war! Ouch. With Mars approaching an exact conjunction to the South Node of fate and destiny, old patterns get activated that attempt to derail your growth and progress. Be aware. Do not fall for fools’ goals. Watch out for digressions and backward slips, and keep evolving forward.

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// The Square // 
With the Virgo Sun at 24 degrees squaring the Sagittarius Moon, the need to break free battles a sincere desire for order. Virgo season, after all, asks us to get our ducks in a row, and to imbue our life with a deep devotion to our dreams and deep sense of discipline. Yet with the lunar energy, which connects with our core emotional needs, traveling through the sign of freedom, it’s kind of like we want to give the middle finger to discipline and structure in the name of fun and freedom.

Remember, with Mars quickly approaching the South Node of past karmas, old patterns and behaviors reach out like an ex wanting to rekindle a romance in service of a good f*ck. Don’t get sucked in! 

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// The Opportunity //
Use this Waxing Quarter Moon as a point of reflection. Look back to the December 2017 Sagittarius New Moon and check in on goals set then. How are you doing thus far in 2018? With the Equinox right around the corner, let this Waxing Quarter Moon support you to ready yourself for Fall. With Mars quickly approaching the South Node of past karma while squaring Venus (in her retrograde shadow) and Uranus in Taurus, now’s not the time to regress. Be free but don’t sabotage. Let your evolution lead you forward.

For more Moon wisdom, or to book a coaching session with Jennifer visit Jenniferracioppi.com.

LUNAR FENG SHUI: ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE WITH THE CYCLES

In keeping with the vibes of Virgo season, Meghan Wallace James’ guide to Lunar Feng Shui reveals how powerful intention setting starts at home …

meghan wallace james ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world lunar feng shui moon cycle feng shui moon club
Photo: Jacob Dowis

The New Moon offers us the chance to use darkness to initiate insightful alignment in both our inner and outer worlds (especially true during Virgo Season, the zodiac’s queen of divine detail!)

Let’s start by bringing back the concept of boudoir—a French term that includes the master bedroom, closet, and bathroom, and designed for deep withdrawal and privacy. For this lunar cycle, we’ll start with the master bathroom. In its most romanticized context, a bathroom is a place to leisurely commune with Higher Self: a space to practice self care while contemplating the mysteries of The Universe …

Follow the steps below for each moon phase and sync your space with the cosmos! And if you want more time to prepare, you can plan to begin your Lunar Feng Shui experiment with the October 8 Libra New Moon …

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// NEW MOON// Embrace the mess & purge the past. 
1// During the New Moon phase, sit in quiet contemplation in the heart center of your boudoir. Feel into this space and internally inquire: How would an infusion of elegant minimalism and cleanliness bolster my energy? How would a streamlined bathroom positively influence my energetic imprint within my home and beyond?How does the lunar cycle provide an inherent rhythm to a beautifully powerful reset? Answers will come. Give gratitude. Then, in the name of Beauty, enter your bathroom…

2// Turn on the lights, and your ‘energy detective’ eyes. What do you see? Which metaphors are visible? Embrace the mess – yes, your mess. In divine right timing, dedicate the time to move out of your bathroom before moving back into your bathroom. Take an old sheet and lay it in the hallway to protect the floor. Empty everything out of the bathroom, placing all toiletries, cosmetics, towels, you name it, on the sheet. Allow the sheer bulk to resonate.  Your bathroom was holding all this energy for you. Energy that is likely somewhat damp, moldy, grungy, or expired.  “Thank you dear bathroom.”

3// Now it is time to deep clean. Even if you are blessed with a cleaning service, today this is your job. Play chants, or eclectic world music to lift the stagnation from every nook and cranny. Scrub: scrub the sink, scrub the shower, scrub the bath, scrub the toilet. Clean inside the medicine cabinet and any drawers. Get on your hands and knees and do not miss a spot. Here’s the kicker: you are not just cleaning your space, you are cleaning your subconscious as well. So, clean until it becomes a graceful moving meditation. When you are done, open the window(s) and apply smoke medicine: Smudge your bathroom. Smudge your body. Heck, smudge your whole home.

4// Next, head back to the sheet holding all of your items. Let go of what no longer serves you, no longer captivates you. If you would not use the product on or in your body, rinse and recycle the container.  If something carries a negative emotional trigger – no matter what you paid for it, or who gave it to you – donate it. Keep the toilet brush and plunger out of your bathroom; these are unsightly, unsanitary and should live with the other cleaning supplies in your home, for like items prefer to live together.

5// Wipe down your remaining products. Wash the towels in a hot water cycle, take the hair out of your hairbrush, wash the cup holding your toothbrush, rinse the trash can, rinse and fill the soap dispenser … you get the idea. Place what remains back into your bathroom, with thoughtful consideration of your self care routine. Perhaps a fresh placement makes more sense? Remember, like items do best together. Aim to cultivate some empty space, which is a place for fresh energy to land, particularly if you are calling in Love & Abundance.

6// Finish with a shower, and then ideally an Epsom salt soak. You will sleep well tonight and likely have vivid dreams. Keep a notepad and pen on your bedside table, to capture any downloaded jewels.

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// WAXING MOON// Get ready for an upgrade 
Whew, with your bathroom purged, cleaned and realigned, what special touches could you now add? What ‘daily gems’ could be upgraded? ‘Daily gems’ are the household items we interact with on an everyday basis – the pretty hand towels and dry brushes of the world. They should inspire and uplift us, subliminally reinforcing: “I have a beautiful home; ease and grace surround me.” Easy, affordable upgrades in your bathroom can make a huge impact on your mood, such as a new shower curtain, a vibrant bathmat, or a bud vase with a single clipping from your yard.

Please do not overlook your cosmetics kit. Consider fewer products, all natural and high quality. Consider a signature scent for the upcoming crispness of Fall. Consider a new candle, to add a fire element to a very watery part of your home.

grace madeline meghan wallace james ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world lunar feng shui moon cycle feng shui moon club
Photo: Grace Madeline

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// FULL MOON// Celebrate the spatial shift 
This is the easy part: revel in the Oasis you have created. Reflect on your morning and evening beauty routines … do they feel more luxurious? Has anything shifted in your life since revamping your bathroom? Do you feel lighter and brighter perhaps? Hopefully you find yourself lounging in your tub even longer, dropping in some essential oils, lighting your new candle and using this time for decadent insight.  Marvelous ideas are birthed when we are inspired by what we see and sense.

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// WANING MOON// Revise & refine
You are sensing the correlation between visual metaphor and lived experience. With that in mind, is there another layer of purging that could happen? Do you truly need seventeen face creams? Do you really require that storage unit, adding bulk and taking up precious floor space? Make one final pass of your bathroom before moving onto a new spatial aspect of your Boudoir, or your home at large, with the next New Moon. Just wait and see… This work is addictive and effective. Your home will soon be completely activated and in tune with Luna!

**BONUS: Where does your boudoir fall on The Bagua? Use the chart below to discover! A Bagua is a Westernized Feng Shui energy map of a space, using the front door as a point of orientation, dividing the area into nine equal sized zones – or ‘guas’. Each gua has a name and energetic correlation, material element, color family, as well as a variety of other associations. … 

meghan wallace james ruby warrington the numinous lunar feng shui moon cycle feng shui moon club
Graphic: Meghan Wallace James & Sam Haskins

Meghan Wallace Jamesis a mother, manufacturing engineer, Parsons-trained fashion designer, stylist, and healer – bringing it all together with her bicoastal Modern Feng Shui Consultancy. Meghan is honored to offer The Numinous readers a 10% discount with code NUMINOUS, for this lunar cycle ending October 7, 2018. Ready to Begin Again? Connect with her at meghanwallacejames.com and follow her on Instagram.

THE 2018 VIRGO NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO HONOR YOURSELF

The 2018 Virgo New Moon invites us to attend to the divine details, relax into the deeper rhythms of change, and honor ourselves so we can better serve the world, says Sandy Sitron

Virgo New Moon 2018 The Numinous Sandy Sitron
Photo: Th Anh

New Moon :: September 9 2018 :: 2:02 pm ET :: 17 degrees Virgo

When we live life through the filter of Virgo, we learn that many small parts make up the whole. Here is a platter of tiny take-aways. Spoon-fed digestible bites …

The sun glints off the handle of a metal walking stick. 

Take pride. Stand up straight. Embody your solar fire and stay in movement. Your assertive and incessant motion will help you spiral around the mountain, straight to the top. This is the season of service. Although you are able to be of service, you mustn’t be bashful. You are here to share your offering at the altar.

What is the altar that you are currently tending? To be able to tend to the altar, you must honor yourself and have pride. Do the work you are here to do and stand tall.

A hidden metronome.
At this moon you can time your life to a hidden metronome. Even if the patterns and cycles are changing around you, there is a deeper rhythm. Connect to it. The trees can be your guides.

Everything is changing and you are making adjustments. But below this reality there is a steadiness. The seasons always return.

Handfuls of walnuts.
Walnut halves look like lungs. Breathe in and breath out. The focus is on health and nurturance. What small thing can you do about your daily routine?

Honor yourself. Do good, healthy things for yourself. Self-care will become magnified because of the Moon’s sextile to Jupiter. Your ability to be of service expands because of the practical and caring actions that you take.

Virgo season is all about the details. The squirrel is obsessed with every tiny nut. But the squirrel would die without also preparing for the winter. Find the larger cycle. Connect to the big picture. Zoom in and zoom out. Use your sixth sense to tune into what’s really important.

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Moon opposite Neptune
Eating flowers. 

This is a moment to draw a straight line between your daily work and your dreams. What will help you can bring these two things closer together? Eating flowers still seems like a magical thing. A thing that you shouldn’t be able to do. But you can. You can feed yourself on beauty. Your everyday world can be sustained by magic. You just have to synthesize.

Moon sextile Jupiter
Honey pots. 

Mmmm … can’t get enough of this sweetness. The potential to magnify and attract abundance is present. This sextile can help you transcend. Open your heart to everything that’s possible. Open yourself to how you want to feel. Because the moon is in Virgo, focus on self-care and organization. This will put you in a positive mindset and raise your vibration. Expansive results will follow.

Moon trine Pluto
Converting your engine to run on vegetable oil. 

There’s a transformation on deck. Can it be sustainable? Can it make your world a better place? This is a supportive aspect between Pluto, the planet of deeply fixed emotional patterns, and the Moon, the signifier of your emotional flow and emotional intelligence. These two in harmony can help you cry the tears that got stuck in the past. They can be midwives of catharsis. Bathe in their supportive waters. Cleanse and change your patterns. Upgrade.

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Use the below journal questions to help you journey deeper into the 2018 Virgo New Moon. Look for the house containing 17 degrees Virgo in your chart for the most accurate insights. Don’t know your chart? You can enter your birth details HERE to calculate it for free.

Aries // Aries Rising // New Moon in the 6th house
What will help you harness your schedule?

Taurus // Taurus Rising // New Moon in the 5th house
How will you illuminate pleasure in your lfie?

Gemini // Gemini Rising // New Moon in the 4th house
What does your heart need?

Cancer // Cancer Rising // New Moon in the 3rd house 
Who thinks differently from you? What can you learn from them?

Leo // Leo Rising // New Moon in the 2nd house 
What makes you feel safe?

Virgo // Virgo Rising // New Moon in the 1st house 
What are you ready for now?

Libra // Libra Rising // New Moon in the 12th house
What do you want to feel hopeful about?

Scorpio // Scorpio Rising // New Moon in the 11th house 
What would you like to dream into reality?

Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising // New Moon in the 10th house 
How can you celebrate how far you’ve come?

Capricorn // Capricorn Rising // New Moon in the 9th house 
What would exploration offer you now?

Aquarius // Aquarius Rising // New Moon in the 8th house 
What will help you tune into your emotions?

Pisces // Pisces Rising // New Moon in the 7th house 
What needs to be said?

THE 2018 TAURUS WANING MOON WANTS YOU TO LUXURIATE

With the eclipse season crazies in full force, the 2018 Taurus Waning Moon offers a sweet opportunity to pave the road to the future with pure pleasure, says Jennifer Racioppi

jennifer racioppi ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world 2018 taurus waning moon
Photo: Caique Silva

Waning Quarter Moon / August 4 2018 / 2:17pm EST / 12 degrees Taurus 

With the crazy summer vibes in full swing, the Taurus Waning Quarter Moon in Taurus asks us to embrace a little luxury. Ruled by Venus, this Moon encourages a deep connection to embodied pleasure.

As we find ourselves at the halfway point between the last Total Lunar Blood Moon Eclipse, and the upcoming Solar Eclipse in Leo, the intense cosmic dance invites a moment of grounded respite. Take it.

Now’s the time to sink your feet into the earth, and get good and grounded, so you can make sense of the changes at play … 

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// The Cycle //
This ain’t no average Waning Quarter Moon. Given its eclipse season status, this waning moon cycle asks us to release that which we no longer need, and requires us to look back on our lives to really understand what that may be.

While this Taurus Waning Quarter Moon concludes a chapter that connects to May 2016’s Taurus New Moon, it also comes on the heels of an eclipse that closed a 19 year cycle. Pay attention to lessons, omens, and big changes happening in your life.

The upcoming New Moon Solar Eclipse in Leo happens on the North Node of destiny and fate, inviting a new beginning, and initiating a brand new cycle. Let this waning moon cycle support you to surrender, so you can reach out for something new.

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// The Transits //
Coming off the recent square between retrograde Mars and Uranus, the transits surrounding this Taurus Waning Quarter Moon bring intensity. With five planets retrograde, six including Chiron, and Uranus about to station retrograde, the cosmic slow down is real. And with Venus (the ruler of this particular Moon) in an applying square to Saturn, things likely feel hard.

Yet, there are many gifts this Taurus Waning Quarter Moon brings too. Jupiter and Neptune find themselves both in water signs, making a beautiful connection to magic. Neptune sextiles the Moon, while Jupiter opposes it, creating an auspicious opportunity. Meanwhile, Saturn and Uranus make a trine also, adding extra support to this fixed earth Waning Quarter Moon.

As the moon travels through feminine Taurus, focus on what feels good. Use this time to care for yourself and ready yourself for the upcoming solar eclipse (it’s a game-changer!)

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// The Square //
With the Sun in Leo, a fixed fire sign, making a square to the Moon in Taurus, a fixed earth sign, this transit highlights the need for grounded joy. Leo encourages playfulness, and Taurus encourages embodied pleasure. With the luminaries creating a a closing square in two of the most pleasure driven signs, use it to your advantage. Remember that your body is your vehicle for fun!

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// The Opportunity //
Get out of your own way. The past is over. There’s no going back. Instead, set your sights on where you wish to head from here. What do you need to let go of, release, or surrender? How can you get present with what is?

Given that this Waning Quarter Moon occurs in pleasure-driven Taurus, in the middle of Leo season, lead with fun and embodied pleasure. Doing so will open up new potential and support you to feel grounded (this is especially potent amidst all of the recent cosmic change).

Eat delicious food with mindful attention. Get outside and play. Spend time with those you love, and if you can, walk barefoot on the earth. Bonus points for hugging a tree.

Let Mother Earth nurture and soothe. Then get ready for the upcoming Solar Eclipse to blow open new doors of potential … 

For more Moon wisdom, or to book a coaching session with Jennifer, visit Jenniferracioppi.com.

THE 2018 CAPRICORN FULL MOON WANTS YOU TO BUILD BETTER BOUNDARIES

The 2018 Capricorn Full Moon wants us to examine the containers we’re creating, and question which boundaries liberate us and which merely lock us down, says Sandy Sitron …

sandy sitron sandra sitron ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world 2018 capricorn full moon
Photo: Ian Dooley

Full Moon :: June 28 2018 :: 12:54 am ET :: 6 degrees Capricorn

Turning a key in a well-oiled padlock. You push the metal bars of the gate open. You’ve got the key. You’re in control.

But what is this gate?

Are you keeping yourself locked away in your own cell? Or is this gate a boundary that makes life more manageable? 

On this Full Moon, be very aware of the structures and boundaries in your life. A boundary can be a friend that helps keep you safe and get you what you need. There is also the potential that you could lock yourself into a lonely cell of isolation. Don’t wall yourself off. Instead, choose gates and boundaries that support you. 

A well-placed boundary can help you conserve your energy. Makes it easy to be clear about each “yes” or “no.” A healthy boundary teaches other people how to treat you, so that you nurture your important relationships and help them become more functional.

An unconscious boundary can form a block that results in isolation or loneliness. 

The trick at this Full Moon is to build supportive structures that serve you, while being careful not to fall into despair. Honor yourself and your emotions. There is a strained energy to this Moon. Anything that comes up now is an opportunity to build a new plan. Create a better boundary or structure for the future.

The Moon is full and it lights up everything that needs to be seen. Choose to see yourself. Gaze objectively at the systems and patterns of your life. 

Capricorn energy lets you access a more objective viewpoint. At the same time, the Sun in Cancer opens your heart to nurturance and empathy. Don’t let your objectivity override empathy (or vice versa). Use the Capricorn gift of objectivity and the Cancer gift of empathy together. This will allow you to nurture yourself, your relationships, and your dreams.

In challenging moments, what practices and boundaries do you hope to remember? Maybe you’ve already found tools to work with your emotions. That could be as simple as taking a few deep breaths or stepping away for a moment.

Remind yourself that you have structure, a plan, and resources. Consider how you want to respond when your emotions run high. This is when you can be logical, but you needn’t be cold. Edge yourself toward objectivity.

Find the right balance between cool detachment and warm nurturance. Both are helpful in their own way.

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Moon conjunct Saturn 
Holding up a trophy.
Goals. Achievements. Get in touch with them. Where do you want to go? There’s some challenging energy to this Moon. It’s easy to look at the glass as half full. Turn it upside down and use this energy to plan out your win. Begin by giving yourself the structure you need to succeed.

What is your relationship with structure? Did you have too much structure in your life when you were a kid? Not enough? Just the right amount? Are you able to give yourself the structure that you need now to meet your goals and achieve? Envision and plan the life that you want to live.

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Moon trine Uranus
Dancing in the rainstorm. 
This aspect offers a glimmer of surprise. Maybe you’ll totally let loose and dance in the rain. Maybe you’ll discover a new way that you want to respond. Innovate. Shock yourself into a fresh pattern. There is so much creativity available to you now. Harness it. Innovation can set you free.

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The below journal prompts are designed to help you dive deeper into the energy of the Capricorn Full Moon. For the most accurate insight, find the reading for the House that holds 6 degrees Capricorn in your birth chart. Don’t have that info? Do you chart for free HERE.

Aries // 10th house
List your priorities when it come to your work or vocation. Be honest. What REALLY matters to you?

Taurus // 9th house
Pick a book at random from your shelf and journal on the title.

Gemini // 8th house
Write out 5 ways you have been leaking your power and how you can claim it back.

Cancer // 7th house
Write a letter to your dream partner thanking them for the ways they support you.

Leo // 6th house
List out all the things you need in place to be able to do your best work in the world.

Virgo // 5th house
In the voice of your inner child, write a list of the things that make you feel seen.

Libra // 4th house
Write an imaginary brief for the decorator creating your dream home.

Scorpio // 3rd house
List three things you are curious about and how you can learn more about them.

Sagittarius // 2nd house
Write down 10 things you value about yourself and your body.

Capricorn // 1st house
Write an imaginary news story about your biggest achievement.

Aquarius // 12th house
Journal about the last thing that made you cry, and all the reasons why.

Pisces // 11th house
List the people you would have working on your dream team—dead or alive!

THE 2018 VIRGO WAXING MOON WANTS YOU TO KEEP THE FAITH

As we honor the Summer Solstice, the 2018 Virgo Waxing Moon is a powerful pivot point for checking in with your intentions, and recommitting to your true desires, says  Jennifer Racioppi

2018 virgo waxing moon jennifer racioppi ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world
Photo: Eloise Ambursley

Waxing Quarter Moon :: June 20 2018 :: 6:50am EST :: 29 Degrees of Virgo 

Just one day before the Solstice, (Summer for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, Winter for those below the Equator), the Sun wraps up its stay in Gemini with a 90-degree square to the Moon at the last degree of Virgo.

Virgo, a sign that relates to purity and precision, commands attention to detail. This is the second Waxing Quarter Moon in Virgo in a row—we also had one on May 21st at 1 degree Virgo.

With two consecutive Waxing Quarter Moons in the same sign, the cosmic forces are highlighting a need to integrate lessons of purity and humility. With the Sun about to enter into Cancer, the archetypal mother, this sentiment becomes even more pronounced.

The Sun will reach the very top of its annual cycle with the Solstice on June 21 at 6:09am EST, elongating day or night depending on your location in the world. Regardless of the season in which it occurs, this transition has paramount importance globally.

We have reached the halfway mark of 2018. What has this year brought up for you in the area of integrity and service, and in your daily work? Use this moment to review your course, recommit to your intentions, and devote yourself to the journey ahead …

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//The Cycle//
With the Moon at its midway point between the recent Gemini New Moon and the upcoming Capricorn Full Moon, now’s the time to examine your most recent New Moon intentions.

Are your actions in sync with your desires? Are you staying faithful to your dreams? These Waxing Quarter Moons in Virgo ask you to self-adjust on behalf of your devoted intentions. What are you humbly manifesting? Examine at unexpected curveballs with curiosity, and lean into challenges as an opportunity to grow.

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//The Aspects// 
With Chiron, the wounded healer, opposing the Moon and squaring the Sun, this Virgo Waxing Quarter Moon emphasizes deep soul healing.

And with Mars about to go retrograde (from June 26—August 27), it also emphasizes the need to prepare. The next couple of months bring intense astrological configurations; in addition to this long Mars retro, we have three eclipses and an upcoming Mercury retrograde. Thankfully, at the time of the Virgo Waxing Quarter Moon, there will be a grand trine in water between Mercury, Neptune, and Jupiter. This auspicious alignment offers an emotional gift. So tune into your feelings and choose to fully honor them.

With Mercury perfecting his angle to good luck Jupiter this week, we can expect good news. Venus also conjoins the North Node of fate and destiny at the time of the Virgo Waxing Quarter Moon, indicating that the goddess of love supports you in reaching your highest fate and calling.

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//The Square// 
With the Sun exiting Gemini and about to enter Cancer, and the Moon leaving Virgo for Libra, this mutable square indicates the need for agility and preparation for change. The seasonal shift coincides with the Sun’s entry into the sign of the crab, after all. Look at this waxing moon as a moment to ready yourself for change. Dig deep and decide what you wish to remain devoted to.

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//The Opportunity//
With Mars about to begin his retrograde journey, a transit that will define the upcoming season, take a hard look at your actions. Are they aligned with what you say you want?

Given that the planet of ambition’s retrograde journey happens just a few short days after the solstice, you may notice a lack of drive or commitment to what you say you want. Observe your proclivities. Intervene where necessary. Stay faithful regardless. Make changes that align with your emerging truth. With a Grand Trine in Water helping you, and Venus, the planet of love and beauty, aligned with the North Node of fate and destiny, honor what feels auspicious. Now’s the time to integrate humility and embrace kindness.

Above all, stay true to yourself. Get organized and remain devoted to your intentions, despite any obstacles in your path. Practice gratitude. Be tenacious. Trust that you have got what it takes.

For more Moon wisdom, or to book a coaching session with Jennifer, visit Jenniferracioppi.com.

THE 2018 GEMINI NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO FREE YOUR MIND

The 2018 Gemini New Moon asks us to leave old mental patterns in the dust, and open wide to adventurous new connections and conclusions, says Sandy Sitron …

sandy sitron ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world 2018 gemini new moon sandra sitron hybrid
Photo: Hybrid

New Moon :: June 13 2018 :: 3:45 pm EST :: 22 degrees Gemini

Two strange visions. A small dusty switchboard is one option. The panel can make a finite number of connections. It looks outdated.

The other option is a vast field that stretches out to the horizon. Running across the field are a herd of horses. They spread out across the field. There is so much space to run. They are connected as a herd and they move in unison, but they do so instinctively.

The New Moon is the dark of the moon. A moment to embrace the unknown and open to entirely new potential. We can harness this energy by setting intentions. This New Moon presents some dramatic options. Will you stay in the old mental patterns like the circuits on the dusty switchboard? Or will you free yourself like the horses on the field?

Gemini is your mindset. The New Moon gives you the chance to come up with new additions and developments to your mental framework. If your brain is like a switchboard, the tendency is to run the same old connections. Right now the opportunity is to rewrite some of the code.

The message of this New Moon in Gemini is “strive to understand.”

When you strive to understand, you push yourself, you ask questions, you think about things from new perspectives. Maybe you find a teacher or a friend who can help you reframe a situation. You open yourself up curiously and you let go of an ego need to be right. Seeking understanding that roots down deeper than surface-level will help you break out of the old switchboard and create healthier new habits. This is the time.

Set intentions about how you want to think, communicate, listen and learn. This will help you experience mental freedom.

Put yourself on that vast field, no boundaries, thinking outside of the box. Come to adventurous new conclusions.

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Moon inconjunct Pluto
An elephant in an English garden.

The New Moon its making an uncomfortable contact with the planet of transformation— Pluto. Think about which old program is ready for transformation. It could be quite obvious. Because the connection between the Sun-Moon conjunction and Pluto is a frustrating inconjunct aspect, it would be naive to expect the transformation to be simple or complete. At this time, the solution might not be forthcoming. Lean into the frustration of not being in control. It’s okay.

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Moon square Neptune
Trying to siphon the ocean with a straw.

This symbol suggests that there is nowhere to put all of the emotion. You need time and patience. You may want a new perspective that offers emotional respite, but it has to sink in gradually.

With this New Moon square Neptune, your mental framework is shifting on conscious and subconscious levels. Give it time to happen.

Neptunian influence can be tiring. Remember that the message of this New Moon is to strive for understanding. The intentions are to find new ways of thinking. Let yourself be restful and not frantic in the process so that the transformation can sink in on all levels of mind. You don’t have to be in control, but you don’t have to swept away by your emotions either. Envision yourself in a state of spacious mental freedom. Connected with others like the herd of horses on the field, with room to move and exercise your mind.

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The below journal prompts are designed to help you dive deeper into the energy of the Gemini New Moon. For the most accurate insight, find the reading for the House that holds 22 degrees Gemini in your birth chart. Don’t have that info? Do you chart for free HERE.

Aries // 3rd house
Start a text chat with somebody who always sparks new ideas in you.

Taurus // 2nd house
Make a self-worth shopping list of luxurious, free experiences you can gift yourself each day for a week.

Gemini // 1st house
Write an imaginary bio for your dream career collab.

Cancer // 12th house
Free write about something you’re in a healing process with …

Leo // 11th house
Write down the names of five people you would like to meet in the coming year and why.

Virgo // 10th house
The only thing standing in the way of my success is …

Libra // 9th house
Write a review of a book you plan to recommend to a friend.

Scorpio // 8th house
Write down a secret you have never told anyone, read it out loud, and burn it.

Sagittarius // 7th house
List all the qualities of your dream life partner, and why these things matter to you.

Capricorn // 6th house
Create a to-do list of all the unfinished tasks in your life and commit to doing them this month!

Aquarius // 5th house
Write a letter to your childhood best friend and tell them about your life.

Pisces // 4th house
Write a brief to an imaginary interior designer describing your ideal home.