As we close out the cosmic year, the 2 of Cups and the 9 of Swords ask us to come into deeper union with our disowned parts, and to love up on our whole selves without reservation, says Brandon Alter… Cast using The Wild Unknown and the Prisma Visions Tarot
Pisces Season
THE 2019 PISCES NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO FIND STABILITY IN SURRENDER
The 2019 Pisces New Moon invites us to find solid ground through sweet surrender, and to float towards our goals instead of forcing, says Sandy Sitron …
New Moon :: March 6th 2019 :: 11:05am EST :: 15 degrees Pisces
To understand yourself at this New Moon, get ready to become a subconscious spelunker, diving through underwater caves. Take a ride on the metaphor train.
The first stop on this dreamy adventure is a visit to the Moon. We need to know what the Moon has to say. This is a chance to open up the windows and doors of our subconscious and connect to our spiritual truth.
Pisces energy is nonverbal and communicates in the language of symbol. It will help us to learn metaphorically.
So today, the Moon is a mermaid. This mermaid is practical. She is all-business. She is matter-of-fact. A grounded and responsible mermaid? How could this be? How could she be grounded if she lives in the sea? She knows what she values and her intentions are steady. She is willing to work. But she’s also fluid. She doesn’t try to control her erratic environment.
This New Moon is teaching you how to pivot gracefully. Can you swim through your day? Not trying to control up or down? Not bucking against the current? Yet still feeling grounded, secure, and serene?
This New Moon is properly positioned to help you stabilize. But you must be willing to accept a kind of abnormal stability. You will naturally need to do things differently. Let your intuition guide you. Ask for signs and symbols.
To get something done, you will need to float toward it. Bump into it like a sailboat grazing against a dock. Let things drift into place. Notice what floating can do for you. Letting go of control is the ultimate win.
Be a sailboat, not a sailor. Be a mermaid who gets things done without a plan. Find your footing in water. The point is that you can’t plan, but you can still feel steady. Your steadiness must come from your connection to self and spirit.
Pisces is the vibration of universal truth. It is about transcending the Earth plane and moving into the realms of emotion, intuition, and compassion. To get to this other dimension, you need to creatively swim through your own physical boundaries. You have to change your perspective.
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Uranus moves into Taurus
Tsunami. Uranus’ ingress into Taurus is what adds the erratic quality to this moment. Visualize yourself as a dreamy fish-person. If you are deep down in the water, do you notice the tsunami? Meaning, if you are deeply connected to your inner wisdom, does the chaos in the world even phase you?
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New Moon sextile Saturn and Mars
The practical mermaid. Earthy and supportive aspects to Mars in Taurus and Saturn in Capricorn give this Pisces New Moon a surprisingly practical edge. That’s what makes this mermaid rather grounded. But with Mercury retrograde, if you try to give the mermaid too much to do, she’ll dry up. Let her drift into work and notice how much she gets accomplished.
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New Moon conjunct Neptune
Let the fish slip through your fingers. The Sun and Moon are joined by fishy Neptune in the sign of Pisces, making this New Moon a slippery friend. Don’t try to tighten your grip too much, you’ll lose your prize. Let go of control. Instead, loosen up and drift lightly into your own ocean of inner wisdom by trusting your process. You can’t plan it. But you can bump into it.
YOUR TOTAL GUIDE TO THE 2019 RETROGRADE CYCLES
As Mercury stations retro for the first time this year, savor the slow down with Rebecca Farrar‘s total guide to ALL the 2019 retrograde cycles …
Ever wish you could enter a time machine for a do-over?
Every planet in our solar system—except for the Sun and Moon—spends time “in retrograde.” These periods each bring powerful opportunities for collective and individual slow down and renewal, calling us to bring awareness to situations we may have glossed over or rushed past.
Mercury Retrograde has gotten a pretty bad name! But rather than harbingers of doom and gloom, all retrograde transits are opportunities to choose free will over fear.
When a planet is retrograde, it appears to move backwards in the sky, an illusion caused by the Earth passing by these slower moving planets. As these shifts occur, it’s up to us to decide how we’ll handle the themes they reveal.
With awareness of a planet’s areas of influence, we can notice how those energies move through us and can uncover new ways of relating to them. For example, if we tend to be non-committal, a Saturn retrograde transit may help us understand where more effort and hard work is needed. If we over-identify with our intellect, Mercury retrograde can reconnect us to our intuition.
Since January 6, 2019 all of the major planets have been in their forward motion. This ends on March 5, when Mercury stations in the last degree of Pisces before retrograding for most of March. As retrograde season 2019 begins, use the guide below to embrace these times of deep transformation, growth, and healing …
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Mercury // March 5—March 28 (retrograde in Pisces); July 7—July 31 (retrograde in Leo); October 31—November 20 (retrograde in Scorpio)
When the planet of communication and linear thinking moves backwards, our minds may feel a bit fuzzy, especially since this year’s first Mercury retro occurs in the imaginative and intuitive Pisces. Take this time to:
- Complete old writing projects, revise your resume, reignite a journaling practice.
- Edit and review emails more closely to make sure you are articulating what you want to say as clearly as possible.
- Reorganize closets, drawers, and cabinets, as Mercury likes to keep things in order.
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Ceres // April 9—July 17 (retrograde in Sagittarius)
When the largest asteroid in our solar system is in retrograde, we may become more familiar with all of the places we need to up our self-care regime. Ceres’ 2019 retrograde cycle helps us contact our inner nurturer and recover our self-parenting tools. Utilize this retrograde for revisiting what you need to feel your best, both emotionally and physically. Use Ceres retrograde to:
- Try out new recipes or new healthy eating habits and take care of your own needs before helping others.
- Focus on the many ways to practice self-care, from salt baths to voicing your emotions.
- Read books on attachment theory and emotional support such as Attached by Amir Levine, David Richo’s How to be An Adult, and the work of Rachel Heller.
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Jupiter // April 10—August 11 (retrograde in Sagittarius)
The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter’s slow down often reveals new visions. This year, Jupiter will be stationing in its own sign of Sagittarius, and this backward motion may evoke a sense of contraction or constriction. Use this time to:
- Plan a trip or mini-adventure somewhere you’ve never been or revisit a favorite place—Jupiter loves to travel.
- Notice places of over-indulgence and how you can cut back on waste, perhaps bring your reusable cup to the coffee shop or carry around bamboo silverware.
- Take an honest look at the vision for your life and values, and write it down this time to make it feel more real.
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Pluto // April 24—October 3 (retrograde in Capricorn)
Pluto brings us closer to the domain of shadow and the underworld, asking us to take a closer look at the “un-pretty” aspects of ourselves and to confront discomfort. When in retrograde, it helps us uncover places where we haven’t gone deep enough before. This year’s retrograde occurs as Pluto moves through Capricorn, along with Saturn, and asks important questions about power structures. Use Pluto retrograde to:
- Dive into shadow work with a therapist or guide, or take a long hard look at the things you are annoyed and angry about, as the shadow shows up the most in our projections.
- Get caught up on taxes or get your will in order; Pluto wants to prepare for the inevitabilities of taxes or death, as well as topics that may be uncomfortable to talk about.
- Read up on the occult and mystical traditions that intrigue you, or pull out the Tarot deck you haven’t used in a while.
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Saturn // April 29—September 18 (retrograde in Capricorn)
Similar to Jupiter, Saturn spends a third of the year in retrograde and offers clues about where we may need to re-commit or become more disciplined. In 2019, Saturn retrogrades in Capricorn, alongside Pluto, and can help us reclaim our sense of authority and responsibility where we may have avoided it in the past. Saturn represents the longer cycles of time and existence and when in retrograde, it can take us back in time to clean up old pain. Use this transit to:
- Look for places to slow down and practice more discipline, whether it be at work or in relationships.
- Rethink your long-term goals from the standpoint of the legacy you want to leave, write a 10-year plan, or even 40-year plan.
- Contemplate your priorities over the next several months and discern where and with whom to focus your energy.
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Neptune // June 21—November 27 (retrograde in Pisces)
When dreamy Neptune moves into retrograde, it brings a time to examine our illusions and fantasies. This planet connects us to our spiritual side and the myriad ways to feel in tune with the divine essence of who we are. The 2019 Neptune retrograde cycle occurs with Neptune in its favorite sign of Pisces, so projections may be at an all-time high. Use this cycle to balance fantasy with reality.
- Resume a creative project, especially if it is related to a flow state such as photography, film, or painting.
- Start up a meditation practice, or restart an old one, as Neptune desires a connection to the divine.
- Take a break from substances that contribute to altered states of consciousness or disassociation.
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Chiron // July 8—December 12 (retrograde in Aries)
Chiron is a bridge between different parts of ourselves, and helps us identify what still needs healing. During its retrograde phase, we can rely on this planetary body to help us rewire or release old painful patterns, as well as help us regain our sense of wholeness. Chiron’s 2019 retrograde moves through Aries, allowing for old confrontations to be addressed and an inner understanding of our anger. Use this transit to:
- Take a class or receive a session of reiki or massage therapy (Chiron comes from the word for “hand”) to understand the power of hands-on healing.
- Boost your self-esteem by making a list of your strengths and keeping them nearby.
- Reorient to yourself by making a list of situations where you put others first, or a list of your non-negotiable needs for relating.
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Uranus // August 11—January 10, 2020 (retrograde in Taurus)
This year’s Uranus retrograde transitions us from 2019 into 2020 with opportunities to rethink our creativity and uncover new ways of doing things. As Uranus re-enters Taurus on March 7, the retrograde occurs in the same sign and may revisit themes from things that occurred in May 2018. Use Uranus retrograde to:
- Join a new community (IRL preferably) or attend group events you may have thought were not for you, as Uranus encourages us to try new things and also meet new people.
- Activate your inner activist by recommitting to causes that mean something to you.
- Update your technology or reread your smart phone manual—Uranus loves the future and feels at home with technology.
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Vesta // September 23—December 29 (retrograde in Taurus)
Baby planet Vesta bridges heaven and Earth through ritual and devotion to personal ceremonies, and brings magic to the mundane through feeding our sacred flame. During its retrograde cycle, we may find ourselves pulled more deeply into our sacred practices, and during this year’s Vesta retro in Taurus, we’re asked to cultivate the sacredness of pleasure. Use this cycle to:
- Explore sacred sex rituals such as Tantra or Kama Sutra, or create your own sex magic ritual.
- Take a human sexuality class or write a sexual autobiography to understand more of how this sexual flame moves through you.
- Create a new ritual for the moon cycles or even in your own daily routine, as a reminder of the many ways to connect to the sacred in everyday life.
NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPES: MARCH 2019
Dive into this month’s medicine for your sign with our Numinous Tarotscopes for March 2019, cast by Bess Matassa. Artwork: Prince Láuder
MARCH READING FOR THE COLLECTIVE: The Hermit Rx
The magic of March comes from taking a powerful pause, and challenging our definitions of effort, movement, and speed. Hermit energy asks us to chooses its own pace without apology, and to design our own internal habitat according to highly personal spec. This month, commit to only stepping outside of your carefully-crafted cabin when motion is 100% aligned.
Ruled by Virgo, this settled and sovereign energy is a potent reminder that it’s our birthright to discern and sort, and that no one and nothing should force our hand, not even ourselves. Scented with the sweet solitude that comes just before Spring explodes into being, the month ahead invites us to find mini-retreats even as we’re moving forward, and to pen a personal love letter to all that we’re poised to grow …
Read on for the card, mantra, and cosmic audio reading for your sign!
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PISCES or PISCES RISING: The World Rx
March Mantra: Perceived limitations feed my liberation.
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ARIES OR ARIES RISING: Ace of Swords
March Mantra: New tales begin on consciously cleared ground.
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TAURUS OR TAURUS RISING: 4 of Wands Rx
March Mantra: I need no excuse to fully celebrate.
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GEMINI OR GEMINI RISING: Knight of Cups
March Mantra: Majestic movement is always an option.
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CANCER OR CANCER RISING: 4 of Pentacles
March Mantra: Shoring up my boundaries fortifies my inner channel.
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LEO OR LEO RISING: 8 of Swords
March Mantra: Shifting old storylines creates infinite space.
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VIRGO OR VIRGO RISING: Ace of Wands
March Mantra: I have every right to follow my own passionate heat.
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LIBRA OR LIBRA RISING: Hanged Man Rx
March Mantra: Letting myself be in process illuminates the destination.
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SCORPIO OR SCORPIO RISING: 5 of Cups Rx
March Mantra: Every feeling on the spectrum deserves to be felt.
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SAGITTARIUS OR SAGITTARIUS RISING: Queen of Cups
March Mantra: Exploring my sensitivities is a precious strength.
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CAPRICORN OR CAPRICORN RISING: The Sun
March Mantra: I come fully alive when I let my distinctive flavor come forward.
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AQUARIUS OR AQUARIUS RISING: 10 of Cups Rx
March Mantra: Softening towards what’s sweet releases what’s ready to go.
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Learn more about Bess and her work and check out all her personalized Astro + Tarot offerings HERE.
NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPE FEBRUARY 28 2019: KING OF WANDS RX AND QUEEN OF CUPS RX
As we prep for Mercury Retrograde in Pisces, the King of Wands Rx and the Queen of Cups Rx ask us to dive deeper into the dream without surrendering our personal power, says Brandon Alter … Cast using The Wild Unknown and the Prisma Visions Tarot
NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPE FEBRUARY 21 2019: 4 AND 8 OF PENTACLES
As we dive into Pisces Season’s profound depths, the 4 and 8 of Pentacles ask us to soften any scarcity mentality and place our energy where we want to see growth, says Brandon Alter … Cast using The Wild Unknown and the Prisma Visions Tarot
THE 2019 VIRGO FULL MOON WANTS YOU TO REFINE YOUR VIBRATION
The 2019 Virgo Full Moon is an opportunity to adjust our approach and refine our routines, so we can create everyday magic that heals both body and soul, says Sandy Sitron …
Full Moon :: February 19 2019 :: 10:53 am EST :: 0 degrees Virgo
Zoom way in and visualize the reverberation of a single harp string. Watch as it undulates, chaotic yet controlled. Science has discovered that the harp has healing qualities, bestowing upon the musician a healthier nervous system and curing countless mental and physical ailments. But no one knows why it works.
A Full Moon occurs when the Sun and the Moon are exactly opposite. This opposition forces new levels of awareness as we try to integrate two very different energies at once. It is explosive and expansive.
Themes of healing are highlighted at this Full Moon. Healing the physical realm by making adjustments to the functional systems (Virgo). And healing the spiritual body through an expansion of faith and compassion (Pisces).
There are theories that the harp’s tiny vibrations stimulate the lymph system. I like to imagine that these minute vibrations somehow tone and balance every cell in the body, like every cell getting a microscopic spa day.
A Virgo Full Moon is a time to tone physical systems through minor adjustments, while surrendering the big-picture “how” or “why” to the abyss of Piscean miracles.
Virgo teaches us how to refine and improve the components of our physical reality, so that we can maximize health and efficiency. Pisces instructs us to loosen our grip on reality and dissolve into the magical dream. To recede back into the world of spirit where all is love and connection.
What is your equivalent of the healing harp these days? What restores you so that you can function most efficiently? Is there an instrument, practice, or habit that helps you transcend?
Sometimes a Virgo Full Moon can bring a potential for overthinking and perfectionism. But with a graceful trine between the Moon, Uranus, and Mars, be open to surprising new ways of doing things. You could be just as likely to bust out and spontaneously take on a new approach.
This Virgo Full Moon occurs at the very beginning of Pisces Season, which is all about flowing with the feelings, and showing yourself deep empathy so that you have the reserves to understand the emotional side of the human experience. It’s Compassion 101.
This Full Moon is an island in the sea of Pisces-style emotions. This sliver of earth is where you’ll set sail from. And right now you are packing up your ship. If you prepare your craft now, you’ll be able to sail safely through emotional waters in the weeks ahead.
Pay attention to all the details as you pack and prepare. Get things organized. Practice good habits. How can you be more efficient? There are small things that you can do, physical practices that will support your health. Like the healing harp, the small vibrations that you create in your life might have seemingly miraculous results.
New discoveries are coming in rapidly with this Full Moon, so expect change to be easy. Be open to it as you continue to practice, refine, work, and stay busy. And remain very aware of your instrument – your body. What can you do to create vibrational alignment that results in apparent miracles?
Virgo is interested in the minutia, the tiny vibrations of the harp strings. Virgo is the musician who practices diligently, refining and improving every movement over time. Pisces offers a result that’s greater than the sum of its parts – miraculous alchemy. At this Full Moon, it’s time to have both.
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Moon trine Uranus
A puff mushroom explodes.
The puff mushroom is moon-like in shape and color. When it ripens just enough, it will spontaneously explode and release baby mushroom spores to the wind. It’s a surprise that’s expected. Just as natural as drinking a glass of water. But when it happens, there’s still a minor shock. Everything is different in a moment.
There are surprises coming that you may be expecting. They can help you move to the next phase in your development. Sometimes you just need an extra push to create change. This is it.
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Moon trine Mars
A horse and carriage.
Your ride is waiting. It’s obvious that it’s time to get moving. And it’s not difficult. All you have to do is get in and go. Yes, this is a horse and carriage, not a car or a jet plane. So we are taking into account that some extra preparations have been made. The horses are brushed and harnessed. You’ve had to pack for a difficult journey, there are no corner stores or debit cards on this ride. Instead, there are long winding roads and you must be prepared. But you also need to make your move now because the carriage is waiting. It should be easy at this point to get in and drive.
THE 2018 PISCES NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO DREAM ON
The 2018 Pisces New Moon asks us to drift way beyond the rational, surrender to the mystery, and savor the last bit of sleep before the Spring Equinox awakening, says Sandy Sitron …
New Moon :: March 17 2018 :: 9:14 am ET :: 26 degrees Pisces
It’s hard to put everything this New Moon has to say into words, because this moon has gone beyond verbal.
There are images that float by to describe what this New Moon is offering you…
Focus on your lungs. Focus on the beating of your heart. Imagine the blood moving through your veins. These movements of body are the basics. The basics of your life force are important to remember now.
Submerge your head underwater and watch the sea fronds wave gently. There’s another way of living than the way you are living now. Get yourself into a different headspace to feel it.
Constellations light up the night sky. You are connected and you are never alone. Sometimes it’s easiest to remember that through quiet mediation.
A baited hook tempts the hungry fish. Release old patterns of entrapment … what does it feel like to be ensnared in a pattern of passive aggressive behavior? How do you make yourself into a victim? What needs to be said out loud? Now is the time to let go of outdated patterns. The Pisces New Moon urges you to be more loving with yourself.
Pisces is the glittering fish that darts just out of sight. The fish is hard to grasp above the surface of the conscious mind. It’s easier to commune with Pisces energy just below consciousness— through emotions, intuition, creative expression and spiritual connection.
Set intentions that help you connect with your soul. This is the part of you that isn’t necessarily expressed through doing, striving or building. Rather, it’s the part of you that just is. Connect with who you are. Learn more about yourself by honoring the flow of your feelings and asking yourself deeper questions.
Over the past month we swam in a lot of Pisces energy. What is your take-away from the last month of emotional, intuitive, magical Pisces energy? What seed are you ready to plant?
This New Moon is the last dream before waking up. Soon, we are moving into more activated spring energy. Take some time this weekend to have a subtle experience. Listen. Grow quiet. Trust that you know more than you realize. Slow down. Open up space for yourself to just be. Be with yourself the way that you are now. Let yourself daydream and do nothing.
During this last moment of sleep, take note of what you learned from the dream.
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New Moon conjunct Chiron
Curled up in a ball with a lover.
Let yourself be quite vulnerable. Naked and exposed. And through this vulnerability there may be greater connection. That doesn’t mean that it’s always easy. The Pisces New Moon is dancing close to the wounded-healer asteroid Chiron, so we may be learning how to heal on deeper levels than we are used to. We have to make ourselves vulnerable in order to truly heal. We have walk toward the pain instead of away from it. This aspect is heightened by a nudge from change-agent Uranus and gently supported by expansive Jupiter.
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New Moon semi-sextile Uranus
The dog pulls on the leash.
We can’t try to control everything. There is surprising energy in the mix and it has the potential to help you connect with yourself in new ways. Look for the action that you can take to access deeper levels of emotional awareness. Look for a new place or experience that will shock you into becoming more comfortable with yourself. Don’t be afraid to follow the dog as it pulls on the leash. Let it show you something new.
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New Moon trine Jupiter
A new color is discovered.
Help yourself expand in some way that you didn’t know was possible. Once you encounter this new way of thinking about your world, it will seem crazy to imagine life without it. Follow the guidance of the Pisces New Moon: be quiet and inward. Listen to your heartbeat. Connect with your emotions, dream and recover. Through these quiet actions, something may heal. A new door may open. Supportive Jupiter can help you integrate it all in a way that may be familiar and exotic at the same time.
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The study questions below are to help you get deeper into what the 2018 Pisces New Moon means for you. Use them as journal prompts. For the most accurate reading, look to which house holds 26 degrees Pisces in your chart and use the question for that house.
New to your birth chart? Calculate your chart for free HERE
Aries or New Moon in the 12th house
What will you do to honor your emotions even more?
Taurus or New Moon in the 11th house
How can you feel supported by your friends?
Gemini or New Moon in the 10th house
What makes you feel successful?
Cancer or New Moon in the 9th house
How will you surprise yourself this week?
Leo or New Moon in the 8th house
What is your favorite method for letting go?
Virgo or New Moon in the 7th house
When do you feel most supported by another person?
Libra or New Moon in the 6th house
What will you do to take care of your body?
Scorpio or New Moon in the 5th house
When do you feel most creative?
Sagittarius or New Moon in the 4th house
What age is the inner child who wants your attention now?
Capricorn or New Moon in the 3rd house
What mindset shift are you ready for?
Aquarius or New Moon in the 2nd house
How do you trust that you are secure?
Pisces or New Moon in the 1st house
What helps you feel like yourself?
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandy here.
NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPE MARCH 15 2018: KING OF WANDS
The King of Wands wants us to take our passion and make it happen, without losing sight of what’s intuitively aligned, says Melinda Lee Holm …
THE GEMINI WAXING QUARTER MOON WANTS YOU TO LAY DOWN THE LAW
This week’s Gemini Waxing Quarter Moon reminds us to identify our needs, honor our boundaries, and use our voice to draw the line, says Jennifer Racioppi …
Waning Quarter Moon // February 23 2018 // 3:09am EST // 4 degrees Gemini
Pisces, a sign all about inclusivity, dreams, oneness, and transcendence, tends in the direction of empathy. At times, this can mean prioritizing the other at the expense of the self.
With the Sun, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, and Chiron all in the sign of the fish right now, the urge to step into another’s shoes and feel all their feelings may sweep over you like a giant wave.
But as this mystical Sun squares the Gemini Moon, now’s not the time to exclusively feel and take care of other’s needs.
As you find yourself surfing the sensitive Pisces waves, it’s essential to identify your needs, honor your boundaries, and use your voice to articulate them …
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// The Cycle //
Following the recent Solar Eclipse in Aquarius, the Moon’s opening square wants us to notice any unforeseen obstacles on the path to creating the intentions you set then.
Consider what’s coming up now that relates to intentions set a week ago. Where do you need to set a boundary to honor your desired intentions? Where are you being called to speak your truth in an even bigger way as it relates to creating what you say you want? Doing so now will support your desires coming to fruition.
Want to go even deeper? Think back to the New Moon in Gemini on May 25, 2017, that happened at the same degree as this Moon. What seeds did you plant then that are coming to fruition now? How can you further cultivate those opportunities as they arrive? Where do you need to set a boundary to honor your hard work?
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// The Transits //
With five planets in sensitive Pisces making a supportive angle to Saturn, you can make serious headway on your goals now. As Venus, Mercury and the Sun also partner with Jupiter over the next few weeks, your efforts become extra blessed, especially as the Moon waxes toward full.
At the same time, the Moon’s challenging angle to Saturn encourages us to eliminate what’s not working as we speak our boundaries into existence. While this may feel awkward, it’s all in service of a much bigger picture.
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// The Square //
With the Sun in Pisces, it’s imperative to notice where you jump in to rescue others at your own expense. Gemini energy reminds us to use our voice to draw a line, even if doing so feels weird or bitchy. Get in touch with, and seek to fully understand, anything that holds you back from trusting and integrating your own, intuitive voice.
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// The Opportunity //
How to balance your sensitivity with the need to establish clear boundaries? Stay on the lookout for these 3 patterns ….
Overdoing for others, to make you more lovable. You know, the voice that tells you, “If I give my all to others, I’ll finally be worthy to receive myself.” Ouch! Remember: we don’t earn our worth. It’s an inherent part of who we are.
Aligning with others to feel safe. Being agreeable to the point of dysfunction to stay loyal, friendly, keep up, and belong. This behavior is the kryptonite of authenticity and bravery in interpersonal relationships. And authenticity and bravery are actually key to intimacy and bonding—critical values of Pisces season!
The need to be liked. This stems from sourcing our worth from external validation rather than internal sources, and simultaneously avoiding conflict. Even with so much emphasis on oneness in the sky, fearing conflict may keep you from reaping the rewards available during this Gemini Waxing Quarter Moon.
Despite all the highly sensitive, empathetic vibes in the sky right now, identify your needs, articulate them, and risk drawing strong boundaries. Laying down your law will help you to stay true to your desires.
By working with this cycle, and leaning into conflict as a growth opportunity (rather than avoiding it out of fear), you stand to make incredible long-term gains.
For more Moon wisdom or to book a coaching session with Jennifer visit Jenniferracioppi.com. And to learn more about how to work with each Moon phase, check out Moon Club, our community of lunar-loving cosmic change makers!
WHAT CAN GODDESS APHRODITE TEACH YOU ABOUT LOVE?
As Pisces season brings on the deep emo vibes, George Lizos tells us how the Goddess Aphrodite can help us start calling in the flavor of love we need right now …
Meeting Aphrodite …
Growing up in Cyprus, the island where Aphrodite was reputedly born, my childhood was saturated with the art, stories, and myths surrounding the Goddess of Love. Everywhere you looked she was there, posing in her seductive nakedness in statues and paintings.
As an adult, dissatisfied with my love life and drained of feminine energy, I travelled back to my homeland with a single desire in mind: I wanted to know love more deeply, more fully.
I drove to Aphrodite’s Rock, the beach where, according to Hesiod’s myth, the Goddess was born of the sea foam and washed upon the shore. And as I walked into the calm, cool water of the Mediterranean Sea, I felt layers upon layers of sexual shame, limiting beliefs around love, past hurts and resentments, all washing off of my body.
Right then and there, I met Aphrodite. And love finally made sense, for the first time.
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What can the Goddess Aphrodite teach you right now?
Embodying Aphrodite invites us to accept and honor romantic love in all its meanings and layers. The four ancient epithets she’s been given mix the sea (sensual love), land (erotic love), and sky (spiritual love) energies. Read on to discover which of the four qualities of Goddess Aphrodite is currently missing from your life …
1// Ourania (Sky element; Spiritual love): This is the spiritual, romantic essence of love, that’s best experienced when a couple is “in love” with each other. The experience of falling in love transcends the ego’s perception of love, helping us realize that in spiritual truth, that all is love. Call upon Ourania Aphrodite if you’re having trouble committing to, or falling in love with, a partner.
*How to Call Her In: Mentally place a pink rose within your heart. Visualize the rose blooming slowly and radiating pink light, allowing the energy of Ourania Aphrodite to replace any blocks you have around being vulnerable and opening your heart.
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2// Chrusee (Sea element; Sensual love): This is the love towards oneself that’s fundamental for healthy romantic relationships. It also includes the act of adorning your body with beautiful clothes, jewelry, oils, and perfume. Call upon Chrusee Aphrodite if you’re struggling with low self-esteem, lack of self-love, and body confidence.
*How to Call Her In: An unorthodox yet powerful way to embody Chrusee Aphrodite is by taking away all external body adornment props (i.e. jewelry, clothes, perfume), and facing yourself naked in the mirror. Closing your eyes, visualize your body emanating a bright golden light that reflects its inner, perfect beauty. Open your eyes and accept this new perspective as your truth.
3// Peitho (Land element; Persuasive Love): Playfulness, flirting, teasing, and being able to seduce a partner into meaningful romantic and sexual experiences. Call upon Peitho Aphrodite to attract vitality if your love life is feeling dull and stagnant.
*How to Call Her In: Buy or create a blend of rose, frankincense and myrrh essential oils. Add three drops in your palms, rub them together, and then use your hands to clear and energize your aura. These three oils were traditionally used for seduction by Aphrodite’s priestesses; instilling your aura with them will give you the inspiration you need to spice up your love life.
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4// Philommeides (Land element; Erotic love): The love of bodily pleasures and intimate sexual connection between lovers. Call upon Philommeides Aphrodite if you have a low sexual drive, have trouble enjoying sex, or lack sexual chemistry with your partner/s.
*How to Call Her In: Just as the name suggests, to embody Philommeides Aphrodite you need to learn to love and accept your genitalia. Spend time observing, exploring, and pleasuring yourself. Educate yourself in your own sexual rhythms, needs, and desires. Make peace with them, accept them without judgment, and let them guide the way in your sexual encounters.
Once you’ve channeled your personal Aphrodite, amp up the vibes with a beach ritual to honor romantic love in all its expressions. **And you can download the Orphic Hymn to Aphrodite HERE to infuse your ritual with even more magic!
-Sit or stand on the shoreline, at the point where the waves crash on the sand, and close your eyes. If you don’t have access to the sea, just visualize yourself there and you’ll still benefit from the meditation.
-Breathing in and out, ground yourself and allow your body to adjust to the fluid energy of this in-between place. Reflect on what it means to be at the meeting point of sea, land, and sky, which captures Aphrodite’s multi-layered essence.
-Either mentally or verbally say, “I am Aphrodite,” over and over again. The ‘I am’ statement invites the essence of Aphrodite into your present moment.
-When you establish a connection with the goddess, spend some time reflecting on your willingness to honor both earthly and heavenly love. Do you reject one or the other? Do you feel guilty about either? Are you willing to accept both in your life?
-With eyes closed, open your arms wide and receive the Aphrodite qualities you need in your life right now. As the hymn ends, hug the energy into your heart by gradually bringing your arms and hands to your chest.
-End the meditation by thanking Aphrodite for her continued presence in your life, and ask her to keep guiding you in embodying romantic love to its fullness.
George Lizos is a spiritual teacher, author of Be The Guru, and the creator of the Mermaid Bootcamp. He works with the angelic and elemental realms helping lightworkers find, follow, and fulfill their life purpose. To learn more about George visit georgelizos.com, and follow him on Instagram.
THE MAGIC INGREDIENT: DREAMY VIBES WITH VELVET BEANS
In the first installment of her new column, Ysanne Spevack shares a creamy faux Cappuccino recipe for you to sample some dreamy velvet beans vibes…
Like Jack’s magic beans in the fairytale, velvet beans (Mucuna pruriens in Latin) truly deliver. They’re one of the strongest herbal ingredients I use, and a favorite for total vibe-change. Pods that grow on trees in India, and used as an Ayurvedic medicine, they’ve been tried and tested over millennia, and are now available as an extract in the US, sold as a brown powder that’s water-soluble.
The main active compounds in velvet bean extract fall into two groups: antioxidants, and amino acids, of which the main one is L-dopa, and another is called trypatmine, for obvious reasons. Together, these phytochemicals work synergistically for neural health, and specifically relieve stress and melt our sense of boundaries. Perfect for Pisces season—the archetypal symbol of ego loss and dreams. There’s some research that links velvet beans to sexual health too, but that’s likely to be a result of their relaxing effect.
L-dopa is a precursor to dopamine, norepinephrine and adrenaline, which means it has a profound psychoactive effect. You can feel it working, stimulating a sense of dreamy deliciousness and allowing you a peak behind the veil of consciousness. If you’ve ever wanted to feel the grandeur of the Universe while you melt into your pillow, velvet bean extract is the high vibe ingredient for you. I recommend using it sparingly—a little goes a long way. Also if you’re feeling unstable, or if you’re pregnant, it’s best if you pass on this for now, as with anything psychoactive.
Here’s my recipe for a delicious hot ‘faux cappuccino’ that won’t buzz you like caffeine, and will guide you to feel a subtle oneness with the cosmos. It’s not a bedtime drink— the velvet bean stimulates adrenaline production. But it’s a fantastic way to space out with some music on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and swim in cosmic waters of the Milky Way…
The drink is comfortingly sweet, while the bitterness of the velvet bean and umami of the reishi are similar to coffee, hence the name. Nettles soothe the nerves, and keeps the velvet bean from being jarring while it takes you up a notch.
Imbibe to enjoy about a one hour of day-dreams, in a suitably Piscean way…
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Pisces Velvet Bean Cappuccino Recipe
by The Conscious Cook
Makes one serving
Ingredients:
1 coffee mug filled with boiling water
1 nettle tea bag
*1/8 tsp velvet bean extract
*1 tsp powdered reishi mushroom
*1 tsp tocotrienols
1 tsp raw unfiltered honey
1 tbs raw coconut oil
* Denotes ingredients that are available online at Highvibe.com
Method:
Infuse the nettle tea bag in the boiling hot water in a large mug by pouring the hot water onto the tea bag as soon as it’s boiled.
Cover the mug with a saucer or plate, and set aside to infuse for 5 minutes.
Measure the other ingredients into a high-speed blender.
Remove the cover and tea bag, and add the nettle tea to the blender.
Blend on low, bringing the speed up to high, and then switching the blender to the maximum setting.
Blend on high for about 30 seconds, to create froth.
Pour into a large mug, spooning the creamy froth out with a spatula.
Hold the cup with both hands as you take sips, and finish it with a teaspoon to enjoy all of the frothy, creamy goodness.
Finally, relax and allow your dreams to unfold as you swim into the universal cosmos.
Discover more about Ysanne Spevack HERE.
READING FOR THE WANING QUARTER SAGITTARIUS MOON
The waning quarter Sagittarius Moon is an opportunity for inner exploration, says Jennifer Racioppi…Collage: Seana Gavin
Waning Quarter Moon :: February 18 2017 :: 2.33pm EST :: 0 degrees Sagittarius
This waning quarter Sagittarius Moon emphasizes the reconciliation of our tender intuition with our blunt need for freedom. Punctuating two eclipses, the February 10 Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Leo and the upcoming February 26 New Moon Solar Eclipse in Pisces, we are asked to shed what blocks us from fully hearing (and integrating) our intuition.
The Moon traveling through freedom seeking Sagittarius while squaring the sun in emotional Pisces assists the tectonic plates of our life to shift. Now’s the time to purge anything holding us back from our authentic truth, especially before the next New Moon Solar Eclipse.
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:: THE SUN ::
Are you ready to step through this cosmic transition led by your authentic guidance? With the Sun traveling through Pisces, the upcoming solar eclipse is poised to launch us into a new frontier. It also concludes the in-depth work begun in the sign of Pisces on March 20, 2015, when we had the first of four solar eclipses in the sign of the fish. Let the nostalgic qualities of the Sun in Pisces help you to reminisce and feel. Think back to March 25, 2015, and consider how your life has shifted since then? What has come to fruition since then? What do you still need to release?
:: THE MOON ::
Unlike the soft and gentle feel of Pisces, Sagittarius represents blunt fire and a deep need for expansive freedom. The Moon in mutable Sagittarius pushes back on the more subtle aspects of Pisces. Sagittarius loves fun and freedom, and when the moon travels through this sign, we may want a party more than quiet reflection. With the moon squaring not just the Sun, but the nodes of fate as well, it behooves us to refrain from any heedless, or even reckless, activity. If we can, instead, allow the adventure seeking aspects of Sagittarius to take us on an inner journey of self-evaluation—we can use the bold aspects of Sag to speak our spiritual truth in a way that helps us integrate the wisdom of the eclipses, so we embody our greatest authenticity.
:: THE SQUARE ::
With the Sun in Pisces squaring the Moon in Sagittarius, we may feel an intense desire to escape. Both Pisces and Sag have inclinations towards diversion and avoidance. With the moon squaring the sun, and the nodes of fate, we stand to make tremendous progress towards our desired outcome, assuming we stay with our process and allow lots of space for messiness.
:: THE MESSAGE ::
Both Pisces and Sagittarius represent the mutable energy of the zodiac—mutable meaning, liable to change. So, as the eclipses sweep through our lives, this waning quarter Sagittarius Moon serves as a broom, clearing out the debris. Allow room for change. Both Pisces and Sagittarius can lead us to want to escape, yet, due to the proximity to the eclipses (and the connection to the nodes of fate), it’s incredibly important to do the inner work of staying with what feels uncomfortable. As we consciously grapple with the intensity of our emotions, and the deep spiritual work associated with our conscious evolution, it may be tempting to check out. I highly recommend staying with the process. This waning quarter Sagittarius Moon indicates a release of something that is either blocking us or holding us back—and if we stick with the process, even the uncomfortable parts, we’ll shed what we must; prepping us exactly as needed for the upcoming new moon solar eclipse. Stay awake.
For more Moon wisdom or to book a coaching session with from Jennifer visit Jenniferracioppi.com. To learn more about how to work with each Moon phase, join our community of likeminded spiritual activists at Moon Club!
A SENSORY EXPLORATION OF PISCES SEASON
Pisces season 2017 invites in the energies of Universal love. Time for a group hug with the cosmos, say Cara George & Bess Matassa of Mojave Rising… Main Image: Sue Lyn Ting
Pisces season beckons to us from far beyond the edge of the infinite ocean. The zodiac’s ombréd siren expands the definition of “romance” by dissolving our heart’s boundaries completely, and initiating us into a radical form of love through total allowing.
As we surrender to our sparkling status as deliciously tiny specks amidst a vast carpet of stars, we cannot help but believe in the mysterious majesty that exists just beneath the seemingly mundane.
What would it mean to trust into the subtlest sensations of the unseen world? How can you render yourself fully permeable, and tenderized, and oh-so-soft without fearing the loss of your own story or ego? Melt. Dissolve. Drift away. Come undone completely. Because you already exist absolutely everywhere.
The keyword: Romance.
The song lyrics: “We’ll put out to sea and we’ll perfect our chemistry/And by and by we’ll defy a little bit of gravity/We’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow/Way down in Kokomo”—The Beach Boys, “Kokomo”
Check out our Pisces Season Playlist, complete with yacht rock, tropicalia, and expansive 80s dreaming.
The color palette: Iridescent, soft-focused, and translucently transcendent. Blush, violet, and turquoise ombré, white sparkles, and watercolor conch shell creams.
The style: The Little Mermaid in Malibu. Nude bodysuits, halter tops, raffia bags, balayage, dewy skin, beachcomber jeans, and waterproof plastic jellies.
The scents and flavors: Ephemeral, fusionary, and deeply mystical. Cucumber-infused water, foamy desserts, wet mossy “chypre” perfumes, patchouli, and the evanescence of incense.
The healing: Boundaryless and dazzlingly macrocosmic. Sound baths, sensory deprivation tanks, and wanders through crowded cities or at the foot of mountains where you can feel deliriously small.
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Work the Pisces season vibes in your life, with our Sensuous Invitation of the Month: Expansive Excursions
Aries
Pisces season invites you to let “allowing” become a new form of inspired action as you realign your willpower with the world as it is. Excursion: Intrepidly explore the icy wilds without having to steer the boat on an Alaskan cruise ship.
Taurus
Pisces season invites you to move beyond the material into the subtle sensations of the invisible realm. Excursion: Explore spiritual habitats with an epic buddhist temple pilgrimage on Japan’s Island of Shikoku.
Gemini
Pisces season invites you to delight in emotional possibilities as you tenderly expose your heart in one-million ways. Excursion: Celebrate the full-range of feeling on Rio De Janeiro’s smoking hot beaches and scintillating streets.
Cancer
Pisces season invites you to feel it ALL without taking anything too personally. Excursion: Channel the intense memories and history of the Southwest’s Four Corners Monument while letting the desert vistas give you a panned-out perspective.
Leo
Pisces season invites you to trust in your fullest glow, even when it’s not reflected by the world.
Excursion: Lose yourself to Tokyo’s mega-city crowds, and discover the shining expansion found in accepting your status as a speck.
Virgo
Pisces season invites you to let it loose and revel in the madness without imposing a method. Excursion: Come undone amidst the creative chaos, crumbling vitality, and raucous revelry of Naples.
Libra
Pisces season invites you to soften judgement and assessment, and simply let it all be. Excursion: Relax with salty waves and SoCal strangeness in Venice Beach.
Scorpio
Pisces season invites you to discover a lighter form of emotional fusion, where intimacy doesn’t always have to equal full-throttle intensity. Excursion: Delight in Paris’ classic romance, impressionist art, and pastel macaroons.
Sagittarius
Pisces season invites you to have complete faith in whatever feels right, right now, without having to seek and sift through alternative philosophies. Excursion: Trust into the solid religious and political foundations of Turkey, which still sits at the gateway between geographies and cultures.
Capricorn
Pisces season invites you to dissolve structures completely and toss out the notion that your worth must be laboriously built. Excursion: Sail away into Tahiti’s turquoise lagoons and shifting, black sand beaches.
Aquarius
Pisces season invites you to infuse your penchant for out-there thinking with a strong dose of “irrational” feeling. Excursion: Immerse yourself in New Orleans’ wickedly weird mashup of darkness, light, voodoo magic, haunting humidity, and overgrown swamps.
Pisces
Pisces season invites you to “check in” rather than check out, as you explore how to swap evasive escapism for emotional presence. Excursion: Ground down and sink your teeth in with flamenco stomping, meaty red wine, and dramatic acts of endurance in the autonomous region of Andalusia, Spain.
Want more juicy cosmic insights and sensory explorations? Arrange an astrology reading or private event with Mojave Rising here or follow them on Instagram.
REDEMPTION SONG: READING FOR THE PISCES NEW MOON SOLAR ECLIPSE
Use your imagination and go with the flow of the Universe – it is a Pisces New Moon, after all, says Hannah Ariel.
“You must conceive of possibilities beyond your present state if you are to be able to find the capacity to reach toward them” – Idries Shah
The Pisces New Moon of March 8 is not simply opening a door for our intentions – it will be a New Moon Solar Eclipse; a powerful moment of accelerated evolution. This one lands us in the deep deep sea of 19 degrees Pisces, just a few degrees away from the South Node at 21 degrees, also in Pisces. In Astrology, Eclipses always take place near the nodes of the moon – the elliptical plane where past and future storylines collide.
During a South Node Solar Eclipse, the moon meets up with the south node and experiences its lunar energy in reception to solar energy. From planet Earth, we experience this exchange as a powerful portal that transcends linear time, and orbits us right into our future potential – the story we long to step into.
A Solar eclipse is a magnificent and mysterious phenomenon that opens our psyche to a whole new paradigm. A solar eclipse in Pisces? This is an act of redemption.
Pisces is represented by two fish ever moving between worlds in an infinite conception of possibility. Yes, they go with the flow; yes, they fluidly embrace wherever the tide may take them. But the energy of Pisces can bring forth huge waves of creative potential from the depths of our unconscious experience.
Pisces season is always a time to take notice of what wordlessly surfaces from within you. What waves of consciousness are crashing now? What reality have you been subconsciously merged with for so long that you are finally swimming out of it? How are you becoming more aware of your own intuitive understanding of your life story, as if for the first time in ages?
Pisces is a compassionate ocean of deep revelation, and it is only by diving deep into its mysteries that we can know our own instinctual capacity to fully get in touch with the parts of us we long to know better.
During this Pisces New Moon Eclipse, we are karmically being called forth to release and work with what has been building up inside our psyche for goodness knows how long. It’s a portal for stepping boldly into the immensity of our imaginations; to see through the stories of the past that no longer feel right; to reflect, and then recreate our vision for the next six months. There will be a peculiar mysticism to the way this unfolds though, as Pisces ruling planet is Neptune.
It is Neptune’s job to reveal the reality behind the reality; it is dissolution; it is our own subjective processing of our experiences that is veiled even to ourselves. It is the experience we don’t realize we are experiencing until the curtain drops. For the next six months, life will have funny ways of revealing the waves we’ve been subconsciously riding, and how they are actually bringing us to where we need to be.
Jupiter, still in Virgo, will be opposite this moon reminding us that everything is manageable. We expand by taking things one day, one step at a time. The shadow side of Jupiter though can be blowing things out of proportion, so take care to cultivate compassion as you are finding your way. This is not the time to fall victim to circumstance or judge yourself or others for what they believe.
This IS a time to trust that there is a positive and practical way for you to take your experiences, and roll with their teachings in a way that makes sense to you. It may also be a time where we are tempted to self-sabotage – as the South Node can sometimes find us falling into old patterns. In Pisces, this would be old patterns of escaping reality – opposed to working with the deep swells of energy that are being subjectively experienced
Also on the south side of things, is Chiron. Astrologically, Chiron points to where we may feel like we don’t know what we’re doing. It is how we misjudge ourselves, believing we are in some way wounded – that we don’t have what it takes, or we don’t have “enough” in some areas of our lives. We believe – and fall victim to this belief – that we are at a disadvantage somehow.
In Pisces, this may lead us to feel that we are disconnected from the path of our spirit, due to a mistaken belief we are in the wrong place at the wrong time. The greatest shadow of this energy is thinking that we have no true purpose, are forever lost in an abyss of puzzling storylines we just can’t make sense of. So if you feel like you are just slipping through a foggy unreality, hold on!
For Chiron also shows us how we can effectively work to heal ourselves and others – by directly engaging with the very thing that we’re afraid will fail us in some way. So the more we work with what’s coming up, the more we take that positive and practical Jupiter energy and apply it, we have an opportunity to heal our lives beyond recognition. The reality of this Pisces New Moon Solar Eclipse is that we have so much divine experience, having swum through these waters for lifetimes, that we have all the information we need to imagine a way through.
And this Pisces New Moon Eclipse is just the beginning of learning how to use it. So, allow yourself to step into what is coming up at this time in your life, no matter how foreign it feels, no matter how confused you think you are – and use your imagination. Let go of your fear, and like a fish kept safe in water, feel your way into a future storyline with a deep rolling wave of universal trust. Step into this beginning with the sense that everything is unfolding with perfect timing.
To book a personal reading with Hannah contact: [email protected]
