Booo!

According to the Celtic Lunar Calendar, this is the Full Moon of Ivy..Gort!  Ivy winds around trees and posts and walls in a double helix pattern, which says: creation does not follow a straight line.  

photo: Robert Fuhro   Bowl and Doily Spider Web

To Celebrate Hallowe’en, we will have the full Moon in Taurus, security, the gifts of the Earth, ruled by the lovely lady, Venus, with deep desire to hold and enjoy life. But the Sun is in Scorpio and says: Transformation! It’s time to jettison what is no longer vital, and death is a balance to the life force of Taurus. The planet Mars is in charge of Scorpio, Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, as well.  They love excitement, action, the darkest of bright truth and change. 

             photo: Robert Fuhro     Full Moon in branches 

With each full Moon, we begin to leave behind what we don’t need any more.  This full Moon takes place on Halloween, when we take leave of the usual rules of living and contemplate the rules of death. We embrace what frightens us and acknowledge our past and future in order to live more fully in the present. 

photo: Bruce Lhuillier Salem Cemetery

One day my grandson asked me if there are more dead people or alive people in the world. We were driving past a large cemetery, and I felt his deep understanding and connection to the dead. This is the season we set aside our natural embrace of life and value death as a way to clear away and store what is no longer vital. This Moon with its promise of life (Taurus) in the season of death (Scorpio Sun) is perfectly situated on a holiday to honor Death and the Ancestors. Scorpio’s Palace is a crowded place.

Photo: Bruce Lhuillier       

But this won’t be just another Halloween, or even just another full Moon in Scorpio.   Death is stalking us with a pandemic, which won’t go away.  Halloween, Samhain begins a traditional round of holidays which lead up to the return of the Sun at the Winter Solstice.   But we must now weigh the pleasure of family and friends gathered around the table with the threat of illness.  Add to this, for the United States, a contentious election which seems to ask: ‘which way are you going?’ over and over and over…

But this chart has some extra information about the moment.  The Taurus Moon is in the company of the planet Uranus.  He is the ‘Booo’ of this Halloween, the surprise we cannot prepare for, the shock, which will offer a chance to delve into our store of creative resilience.  A shock in the Earth sign of Taurus might mean an upheaval like an earthquake or a shock to our sense of security.    

photo: Bruce Lhuillier  

But this moment holds so much more!  Venus, the planet of Taurus is in Libra, where she is also queen, but with a very different kingdom! Her Sabian Symbol might be the clue to this chart:   ‘A man revealing to his students the foundation of an inner knowledge upon which a ‘new world’ could be built.’*  This potent Venus has an opposition with Chiron, the healer. Together they challenge our view of healing, of what is possible.   But surely it must begin with love, for Venus is all over this chart.  With the help of a candle, we light the way of connection between love and healing.   

photo: Sarah Fuhro  

Taurus is the Sign of the Moon and here is the illustration from Amelia Leonards which will become a set of astrological Oracle cards.

Taurus painting: Amelia Leonards

When the Moon is in Taurus, she is in her exaltation.  This is a mirror to the last sign, Aries, when the Sun was in his exaltation in Aries.  The Bull is chosen as a sacred symbol of the Moon because his horns are the crescents which mark waxing and waning.  Moon is joyful in a sign ruled by Venus, and loves the mystery of fertility which this symbol honors.  For the Druids Taurus was a sacred time, and the bull was a sacred animal. It’s interesting that Saturn, the great teacher is powerful when located in the two signs, ruled by Venus, Taurus and Libra.  There is some sweet connection between this feared and ancient magician, and the power of the Queen of Love.  The illustration is also connected to the Three of Cups Tarot card. Celebration and gratitude are part of the season. The constellation is connected to the labyrinth of Crete and the sacrifice of a white bull each spring in the Celtic lands. Taurus is one of three Earth signs in the zodiac, and Beltane, the Fire Festival of this element falls on the fifth day of May.   Taurus is ‘fixed’ upon the unfolding of each blossom and the opening of the season of Green.

*Sabian Symbols are verbal images for each degree of the Zodiac channeled by the psychic Laura Wheeler and transcribed by the astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, revised by Dane Rudhyar.   http://www.mindfire.ca/.

 Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards. 

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

During this time of great uncertainty and revealed world patterns, astrology is a powerful tool for guidance, healing and courage.  As a professional astrologer, I want to offer my services to any one who feels they would be helpful.  Please feel that you can ask for astrological guidance at whatever price is right for you now.

   

The Cave of the Heart

As the Dark of the Moon arrives each lunar month, people and animals seek out dark and still places. There is a sense of isolation, the need to find a quiet and secluded sanctuary. Something new is coming, but is not accessible yet. This is a very powerful new Moon, with huge potential for change in the way you and I respond to challenge. The pandemic and the pandemonium continue, and a tremendous divide shakes not just my country but many.

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

There is a cave shaped design to the astrology chart for the New Moon on Friday. Sun and Moon, cosy as always at the start a new Lunar cycle are in Libra, ruled by Venus the goddess of love. The heart of Sun and Moon beat together in the same degree, yet are directly across the circle from Mars in Aries, the warrior activator. Sun and Moon in Libra, the sign of the Scales provide a gentle balance to the anger and chaos which we may all feel stirring in our perception of the world, and reflected in our bodies and minds. Aries can be Life Force or vengeful destroyer.

photo: Bruce Lhuilier

A third side of the triangle in the chart connects the Libra Sun and Moon to three planets who have been symbolic of the current predicament of a world pandemic and instability in the social contract. They are also the potential architects of a new form of social contract between humans and between humans and the rest of the environment. Saturn, Pluto and jupiter have been conjunct in Capricorn since January. Capricorn is about organization and responsibility. When responsibility is missing from organization, it begins to collapse.

The theme of the ‘Cave of the Heart’ gives us a chance to look closely at our ways of relating to each other. By withdrawing into our own seclusion we can imagine a better way to interact.

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

Our ancestors did not live in caves, but they used them for ritual and incubation. A cave may be where we need to go to relate with the equality Libra years for.

photo: Robert Fuhro

The Sabian Symbol for the degree of the new Moon is ‘A Butterfly with a third wing on its left side. The ability to develop, new modes of response to basic life situations. ‘ And here is where the ‘cave of the heart’ might be a symbol we can use over the next few days as we pass into a new Moon cycle. To survive in peace with each other and the environment, we may need to go into the cave, or, like the butterfly, acknowledge that the time spent in the chrysalis is growing time.

Libra

painting: Amelia Leonards

Libra has an interesting relationship with both Venus and Saturn. Venus is considered the ruler of Venus, but she is a subdued autumnal Venus, more involved in the beauty of refinement and tenderness than the wild springtime Venus of Taurus. She is an older and wiser Venus with a deep commitment to social arts, partnerships–relationships built on equality. Libra is considered the sign of Karma, or the notion that ‘as you sow, so shall you reap.’ Justice is a theme for Libra illustrated in the Tarot deck as her card. Libra wants to be known as fair and impartial. A lot of Libra in a chart can mean it takes a long time to make decisions. All sides must be considered and balanced. Fairness is essential. The Air element of the sign means there is further reason to be indecisive, but because Libra is Cardinal, there is a little more form to the decision process. The desire for balance can bring about new forms of relationship. Libra is the master/mistree of relationship, and does not want to let go of an old friend in exchange for a new one. Libra Venus takes form in tasteful decoration, a sense of good design, and the ability to make simple forms into elegant artworks.

Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards. 

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

A Blue Moon at a Change of Mind

All Summer, Jupiter and Saturn have been very bright in the Eastern sky. Both are teachers, but with very different styles. On December 21, they will meet at the moment of the Winter Solstice. Jupiter and Saturn come together every twenty years, and when they do, they are seen as the beginning of a new twenty year cycle.

The Wheel of Fortune/Jupiter The World/ Saturn

The last meeting of Jupiter and Saturn was May, 2000. Soon after, the attack on the World Trade Center shifted American attention and led to ten years of United State combat in the Middle East. On a personal note, it marked the month and year I began my study of Flower Essence Therapy at a professional level and could then incorporate a healing modality with the pattern of plants into my astrology practice. The conjunction took place in Taurus, a sign of powerful Earth energy.

The conjunction this December will be the closest since 1623. This is a date which marks the beginning of European settlement of North America. We are now at a point of environmental crisis, which is worldwide, but has many roots in this date. The values and relationship of indigenous human beings to the Earth was lost during this colonial period. I don’t mean that this all started in 1623, but it was certainly a turning point on this continent.

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

I mention the long anticipated Jupiter-Saturn meeting because this full Blue Moon is preparing us for the change ahead. The Aries Moon, who rises as the Libra Sun sets carries an interesting message in the Sabian Symbol for the moment of fullness: ‘A TEACHER GIVES NEW SYMBOLIC FORMS TO TRADITIONAL IMAGES. Revision of attitude at the beginning of a new cycle of experience.‘ Dane Rudhyar, An Astrological Mandala.

photo: Sarah Fuhro

Part of the ‘revision of attitude’ is carried by the presence of Chiron close to the Moon. Chiron represents the power of healing. In this case the healing may have to do with waiting. There is a great deal of Aries (Fiery) energy at this time. Aries is the warrior, ready to do battle, but a masterful Aries is willing to wait until the perfect moment to strike. This full Moon has the potential to turn anger into well focused life force. The Libra energy of the Sun, and Chiron’s healing power may be able to channel the Aries impulsive fire of the Moon and Mars to relief and stability.

photo: Sarah Fuhro

The fiery Aries energy of Moon, Mars, Chiron is linked to the earthy manifesting Capricorn energy of Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter and Pallas Athena. I wonder if Uranus in Taurus, close to the fiery Aries planets is expressed in the fires of the West Coast. They are the unheard voice of the Earth out of balance, suffering from drought and exploitation, but still capable of fighting back, even while ignored. For the warrior in each of us, may this full Moon bring patience and focus. Since there are two full Moons in the month of October, we have twice the fun….thank you, Blue Moon!

A closer look at Aries. This is the continuation of the series of illustrations by Amelia Leonards for an Astrology Oracle Deck we hope to finish next year.

painting: Amelia Leonards

Aries is the energy of the Spring Fire we can feel in our feet in March and April if we live in the Northern Hemisphere.  When it shows up in Autumn at the time the Harvest Moon…the biggest, most energized Moon of the year, we cannot ignore it.  This Moon is large and intrusive, yet because of the Libra energy pouring in from the Sun’s position, this is not about impulse, but more about gathering and refinement.   Mars rules Aries, and Mars is presently in the sign of Aries, moving in reverse, retrograde.  A time to rethink and reimagine.  

Aries is Cardinal and Fiery in every possible way.   The Spring equinox takes place at 0º Aries and marks the beginning of the astrological year.  The head is where Aries is especially powerful, that includes teeth and eyes.   People with a lot of Aries energy tend to go ‘head first’ into whatever they do. Aries is the ram, the male sheep who uses his head to battle his way to leadership of the flock.  

The Life Force of Aries is developed and refined by his opposite, Libra, ruled by Venus at the time of the full Moon in Aries.    With each choice we make in life we channel our life force towards construction and destruction.  Embrace the Aries in your chart, notice if there are planets in that sign, and which house carries that energy of Fire and of new beginnings.    

Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards. 

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

Censer

photo: Sarah Fuhro

Today is a new Moon in Virgo, which appears after the full Moon in Virgo on September 2nd. That’s confusing, but not uncommon. The sequence feels out of order.  It’s natural to think of the new Moon as the seed or the egg form of the full Moon.   But that is just to let us know that sequence and time are at the will and the whim of the Moon and her relationship to the Sun.  The Sun sets the entry into each sign on or about a certain date on our solar calendar. But the Moon begins her own cycle with her arrival at the Sun’s degree.  She is the calendar in the sky which predates solar reckoning and is still retained as the marker of time by Jews, Muslims and all who feel the pulse of her journey.  

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

The light has shifted since we moved into Virgo. Long shadows walk in earlier each day, and fall upon the quiet fields in strange patterns. The Sabian Symbol for this this new Moon, A BOY WITH A CENSER SERVES THE PRIEST NEAR THE ALTAR, suggests that we are in the presence of a great mystery. Twice a year dark and light come into balance over all the Earth, and celebration is natural to any who feel the living pulse of the planet, our body. Earth energy is abundant at this moment so it’s easier to create a tangible expression of how you feel….. like the altar in the picture above.   

The Luminaries (Sun and Moon) are in close contact with many other planets at this moment. When the Moon joins the Sun to begin a new Lunar cycle, she is hidden from sight. But the power of the moment is felt through out the Earth and is reflected in human affairs. Over the next few days, we can feel the tide ready to carry us into new waters. Saturn is ready to help with any form of material creation. Pluto promises to make it last and carry weight. Mars and Black Lilith and Eris buzz around like bees on the last blossoms of the year. And since this is a world wide event, feel the spring energy of the Southern Hemisphere, awakening to fire and the advancing light of the Sun’s return.

photo: Robert Fuhro

Yes, we are in Virgo, the season of Harvest in the Northern Hemisphere, the season of Spring awakening in the Southern Hemisphere.  Mercury is the planetary ruler, and he sets the pace of this sign.  Mercury/Hermes, always close to the Sun is associated with message and movement.  Messenger, magician, healer is Hermes.  He comes and goes with no fixed residence, quicksilver. The element Mercury it does not hold a shape, but is always breaking apart or coming together, interacting with whatever is near.  In Virgo, Mercury acts to diagnose and analyze.  The sign is dedicated to the element of Earth, and like Mercury, mutable, ever shifting like this season of change.  Because Virgo falls at the time of the harvest, that ability to mentally sort and choose is useful to determine which seeds will be food during the winter months and which will be stored for  new plants in the spring.

Virgo: painting by Amelia Royce Leonards

This beautiful image of Virgo by Amelia Leonards expresses the special light of the season and contains many clues about the nature of this sign of the Zodiac. The painting ispart of a series to become an astrological oracle deck over the next year. I dedicate the fertile energy of this new Moon to that project, which began last January!

The wren is a tiny bird with a loud song. She is sacred to many stories and songs in the Celtic and other traditions. She builds her nest in cavities: holes in trees and walls and between stones. Her size does nothing to diminish her presence because her singing is her real nature. In the same way, Virgo is often an artist/crafter, making beautiful objects for use and pleasure. Virgo enjoys the whole process of work in many forms. She is the busy bee of the Zodiac.

Virgo is the physician with an excellent ability to diagnose what is needed and apply it. Herbs and diet are a specialty. Mercury, the ruler of the sign is often pictured with the double serpent wand which we call the cadeusus, the symbol of medicine. The serpent connection is important, because like the snake, Virgo has the ability to renew herself, she is always ‘virgin.’ That may account for her ability as physician as well. She knows the body is not fixed but her like her sign, is mutable, available to healing from wounds and sickness. Virgo is ever young because of the quicksilver nature of Mercury. He is never pictured with a beard, neither is he a boy, but a manly youth, with a quiver full of skills.

Foxes are Virgo because they are secretive, but curious. They are dedicated to their family, yet do not live in packs like wolves and coyotes. Virgo renews herself by solitude, even in small doses, yet with a deep commitment to community and her service to whatever group she joins. Like the ‘boy with the censer’ in the Sabian Symbol for this degree of the Virgo Moon, the nature of this sign is is to serve, and to serve wholeheartedly.

Sabian Symbols are the verbal images which were first notated by the astrology Marc Edmund Jones through the psychic channel, Elsie Wheeler. These were then notated and edited by Dane Ruhyar and can be found in the form I use in his book An Astrological Mandala.

Today’s new Moon in Virgo is associated with this symbol: A BOY WITH A CENSER SERVES THE PRIEST NEAR THE ALTAR.KEYNOTE: The first stage of actual participation in the great ritual of planetary evolution.

Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards. 

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

Walk On

Full Moon on 2 September 2020 at 1:22 AM EDT

photo: Sarah Fuhro

Wednesday’s full Moon will be in Pisces, the exact placement an invitation: ‘to seek at whatever cost entrance to a transcendent realm of reality.‘ Hmmm, how do we seek a ‘transcendent realm of reality’? In America and Europe during the 60’s and 70’s it was through experimentation with drugs, and a deep exploration of meditation techniques; for the Sufis, it is dancing in circles and spirals; for some of us, it is walking in nature, walking, and walking, and walking.

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

Dancing under the rising full Moon, offers the possibility to open a gate to transcendent reality at each Lunar cycle. ‘The Path is always open to the pure in heart, the mentally aware, the conqueror of emotions and the spiritually self-mobilized.’* With this full Moon, if we find the path to mystical unity, we encounter the challenges of the Pisces Moon, perhaps a wordless experience which cannot be shared, while Virgo Sun may want to categorize and analyze it into tiny pieces. When they are working at their most evolved level Virgo is the physician and magician side of Mercury, Hermes. Pisces is the the sublime love of Neptune and Jupiter.

As always, the full Moon is situated exactly opposite the position of the Sun. Full Moons are in signs with contrary characteristics, and impulses. This is what makes the energy around the time of the Full Moon so exciting. We can feel the vibratory conflict between the nature and the impulses of the two signs and we want to dance with them both, dance until they are one! If the tides in the earth’s oceans are affected by the Moon, why would we, watery creatures, be exempt from her influence? In late summer, the insects raise their voices in a chorus of praise as the Moon ascends, and wolves and coyotes join their song.

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

This monthly excitement is compounded at this full Moon by the planet Uranus in Taurus. He pours his vibrational and irratic energy into the mix. In a natal chart connections between Uranus and the Moon often indicate a deliberate name change. Uranus aspect to the Sun also hint at the possibility of a very strong shift in identity. Here we have both. Uranus is at the same degree (10) as Sun and Moon, and makes a sextile to the Moon and a trine to the Sun. These are harmonious connections, a reminder of what is demanded by the Sabian Symbol for human evolution ‘purity of heart, mental awareness, conquest of emotions and spiritually self-mobilization.’ Easier said than done, but let the journey begin…Walk On!

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

*Sabian Symbols are a visual image for each degree of the zodiac. They were gathered by astrologer Marc Edmund Jones through the imagery of the psychic, Elsie Wheeler in 1925. Dane Rudhyar, a French astrologer and composer then rewrote them as: An Astrological Mandala in 1973.

And now to honor the full Moon in Pisces. Here is the painting of the artist/illustrator, Amelia Leonards. This will be part of the a set of oracle astrology cards we hope to produce over the next year!

painting: Amelia Leonards

Pisces is about the connection between two fish swimming in opposite directions. A wet and watery sign, Pisces is ruled by Jupiter, and possibly by Neptune as well, since that planet was discovered in a very Piscean age, 1846. Romantic poets, strange religious sects, experiments with opium were all prominent at the time, and they are all very much part of Pisces, and Neptune. Pisces is the very last sign of the zodiac, and so is a place of release, of endings, of surrender. Jupiter also seems right as ruler, as he is the ‘big’ god of Olympus. Pisces is often connected to religious communities and to Christianity and to surrender, and to sublime love. Where Pisces dwells in your chart is where you give way to the inevitable.

Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards. 

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

Lux

A powerful new Moon is born on the degree of my Leo Ascendant, so I had better pay attention! The fiery aspect of the array of planets, reflects the heat of the  moment where I live and the political passions in the culture.   Here is the Sabian Symbol* for that degree where Sun and Moon have their rendezvous.

‘THE LUMINESCENCE OF DAWN IN THE EASTERN SKY.’

                                        photo: Sarah Fuhro

Is it really possible  humanity has entered a period of dawn?  This is a conversation I hear around me from many friends in many quarters.   Are we indeed at ‘The exalting challenge of new opportunities at the threshold of a new cycle.’   What do we make of a promise held at this degree:

While the rainbow marks the end of the crisis, early dawn indicates the real beginning of the new period of activity… After the “peak experience” in which we touch our “divine” potentialities comes the struggle with everyday problems. But at first the state of deep inner exultation remains within us. We are aglow with its promise.

The crisis and the blessings it has brought to us are relatively unusual events; every day has its dawn, which we should meet with a pure heart and a clear mind. Alpha (dawn) and omega (the concluding peak experience) are opposites, yet the same. The Keyword here is ILLUMINATION.      Dane Rudhyar  The Astrology of Personality.  

                                             photo: Sarah Fuhro

But something about this time looks more like this to me:   steps leading to… the sea.  A mask dropped too early at the base of the stairs.  Are we about to go back to our marine roots? I saw a seal last night in this place.  I have been here hundreds of times, but have never seen a sea mammal.   The waves pound on the shore and make it dangerous for all but sea birds and fish.  I have trouble envisioning the radical change promised in this moment.

This is a fiery chart at a very fiery season.  The explosion in Lebanon might be the best illustration. A huge stockpile of chemicals used to force fertilization in the soil, or make bombs blew apart the port, the place of entry and exit for the country.    It took place the day after the full Moon,  quickly followed by Mars and the planetoid Eris making contact in the fiery sign of Aries, very close to my own Aries Mars, to make this very personal. Until I understood my Aries Mars, and the powerful role it plays in my chart, I could not use the abundance of energy I received and must channel into useful energy.

It would be easy for any of us to become a torch and go up in flames with the energies of the present moment.   But the same energy can turn to appreciation and creation.  With a crisis comes a reconsideration of everything that was held in place with string and spit.

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

Saturn, our planet’s  teacher pushes us to ‘witness the rise of the human consciousness…It is man’s supreme task to rise like fire, impelled by a vision they share with their companions.’  (Sabian Symbol for this Saturn) .    I would like to think our ‘companions’ are not only human  beings, but every form of animal, plant and mineral.   But maybe the way forward, must be exactly that.  If we look back we will be turned to salt as in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, or we will lose our beloved as did Orpheus when he turned to see Eurydice.  We can’t go back, we can only move into new territory as in the sea side stairs I climbed yesterday.  This is all about light, visible day/night light and light of the inner wisdom and where they meet in the middle.

                                 painting: Amelia Leonards

This is the illustration for the constellation Leo as designed by Amelia Leonards for our projected deck of Astrology Oracle cards..

Leo

Almost everybody imagines it would be wonderful to be born a Leo!   Here it is: The Sun’s very own sign, filled with light and life.    The lion is this sign’s symbol,  King of the Beasts, a noble and beautiful monarch!   Fiery, Fixed and Sun kissed, Leo is known for theatrical gestures, for lare acts of generosity, for forgiveness (after a few roars).   Leo has a mane and a mighty and expressive tail, claws to tear you apart,  and a nobility which lets you know who is the boss.  Leo often has a wonderful way with children and adolescents because Leo has no desire to ‘grow up.’   Yet Leo has a task assigned only to those with a huge heart, Leo rules the heart.  Leo also is the sign of rulership for the spine.   The heart plus sign the spine add up to Courage!   Leo has chosen a very particular and difficult soul assignment: to crack the ego, while retaining all the gifts which go with Leonic ego.  How do you release the false shell of ego, when you need to be constantly noticed and appreciated?   How can you be free of pride, when you have the fiery vitality of the Sun?  Yet after awhile the requirements of the ego becomes burdensome, and a crafty Leo will gently leave ego behind, while still shining a bright light in the world.

*Sabian Symbols are verbal images for each degree of the Zodiac channeled by the psychic Laura Wheeler and transcribed by the astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, revised by Dane Rudhyar.   http://www.mindfire.ca/.

 Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards.

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gardens, and Lanterns

                                             photo: Bruce Lhuillier

Aquarius, always connected to group activity,  creates new forms of connection in a time of pandemic.  Last night I sat with a few friends in a garden, while the Moon shone her light on our laughter and words.  Fullness happens on Monday in the season of Lughnasadh, a celebration of harvest, bread, weddings and processions to remember the passing of the old nomadic way of life.   I wonder if adjustment to the necessity of  quarantine will also create a new way of life which we cannot fully imagine yet.  This is always a tricky time of the wheel’s turn. Lughnasadh is both celebration yet has an element of mourning.

                                              photo: Bruce Lhuillier

And then, there is the element of Uranus.  While Saturn is the traditional  ‘ruler’ of Aquarius, Uranus, when he was discovered became a co-ruler.   The sign is quirky, and full of surprises, maybe even full of demands for change, revolutionary  change.   No surprise that at this full Moon in Aquarius, Uranus makes a square to the Sun and Moon and demands: well, what next?   Uranus is often a challenge to a delicately balanced ego, and that may be where his reputation as a troublemaker lies.

If you sit in a Moonlit garden with a few friends, you are combining the Sabian Symbols* for the Sun, and Uranus at this moment of the full Moon.   The Sun symbol is an ‘evening party, illuminated by fancy lanterns’… and Uranus shows us ‘a woman watering flowers in her garden’.  There is a warning in the garden imagery that it could become ‘my’ garden, ‘The consciousness  lavishes its attention upon it, its love — alas, usually a possessive kind of love.  The ego, the notion of separateness developed around the time Uranus was discovered.   It was the period of the French and American revolutions, when tradition, and class, and family were abandoned for individual consciousness.

Quirky

Let us honor the quirky;

the Moon half eaten

by ragged cloud  mouths,

the child thrown from home,

by chaos and ashes.

 

Who would remember

Hansel and Gretel had

the step mother been kind,

or the witch less hungry.

 

And who is not Hansel,

not Gretel, cruel mother,

cowardly father, ravenous witch,

All singer of songs!

Sarah Fuhro

                                   photo: Sarah Fuhro

There is a healer here as well.  Chiron, the physician,  lurks in range of Sun and Moon and offers us the possibility to make a healing potion from the fiery and unpredictable electrical energy of Leo, Aquarius and Uranus.   The excitement will continue during August as Mars bumps into Black Moon Lilith and Eris, both of whom deal with the anger of the feminine.  Uranus will turn retrograde in the middle of the month, and become even more deeply involved in affairs here on Earth.   Where can healing take place in the middle of the dynamic energy?   Maybe like being born, you can’t stop half way through to attend to wounds.  You have to keep moving into the next stage of the birth process, the next turn in the birth canal.

                                           painting: Amelia Leonards

Here in an unfinished but powerful watercolor by Amelia Leonards, we see the owl of new wisdom arising from the chaos of  old forms.  This is the what the next next few weeks will feel like.

*Sabian Symbols are verbal images for each degree of the Zodiac channeled by the psychic Laura Wheeler and transcribed by the astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, revised by Dane Rudhyar.   http://www.mindfire.ca/.

 Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards.

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

 

Weighing the Alternatives

 

                                             Mixed Media: Bruce Lhuillier

This is the second New Moon in the sign of Cancer.  The first fell almost exactly at the  Summer Solstice and was a solar eclipse.  It was a highly energized start to a frenetic period culminating in a lunar eclipse on July 4th.      This new Moon cycle begins at the very end of the Sun’s journey through Cancer (28 degrees).   A new Moon is at the apparent ‘meeting’ of Sun and Moon, the two luminaries join to share experience and birth a new cycle of activity.  The energy at the beginning of the Sun’s cycle is very different than it is at the end.  The Moon has to do a lot of work here, because the Moon ‘rules’ the sign of Cancer.   What is left of the Sun’s energy in this sign is like a guttering candle, yet we begin a new cycle which will very quickly transform into  the fiery energy of Leo.

                                 photo: Bruce Lhuillier

The picture above is St. John’s Wort, a wildflower which blooms at the time of the Summer Solstice, named after John the Baptist.  His day is June 24th when John observed the Holy Spirit in his cousin Jesus.   Over the last week I have seen an unusual number of these flowers still in bloom.   Are they celebrating a second Solstice, a second lunation in the sign of the Solstice, Cancer?

                                          photo: Bruce Lhuillier

But Ghost Pipe seems more the light of this new Moon in Cancer.  Instead of full Solar light, we may be adjusting to Lunar light, which these flowers represent.  They have no chlorophyl, no receptors specific to the Sun.   The light is shifting in the Northern Hemisphere.  At the full Moon on Monday,  we will celebrate the holiday of  Lughnasadh, a ‘fire’ festival to mark the shift from nomadic to agricultural life, a celebration of harvest, of  marriage, of bread.  All involve the transformative process.

                                        photo: Bruce Lhuillier

Watching from across the chart are Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn, a powerful mix of planets in the organizational sign of Capricorn, who have been mixing it up together since January, when the crisis of the pandemic became visible.  At the moment of the new Moon, Saturn is in exact opposition to the to the new Moon.   There is an alchemical process going on here.  We could say these three powerful planets, all in retrograde, are the bellows to the fire which will bring transformation during the next twenty eight days of the Moon’s cycle.   The little newt is the ‘salamander’ who who emerges unscathed from the alchemical flames.

The Sabian Symbol* for this lunation is:  ‘A Greek Muse weighing new-born twins in golden scales.   The intuitive weighing of alternatives.’   It does seem as if human society is weighing alternatives.  Everywhere I turn,  people see this as a point of no return…. The pandemic, which could be represented by the confluence of Saturn,  Pluto, Jupiter and Pallas Athena in Capricorn is not  ready to disappear.  The retrograde planets are going back for more work.  But worldwide we have developed new skills.  our crisis has closed doors (literally) and opened new perceptions.    We know that at any moment, we will have to be resourceful about another challenge.   It will be the light of the Moon which will open our imagination to new directions.

                                      Cancer                                             painting by Amelia Leonards

The figure in this painting is pregnant with the fecundity of the sea.  Like the jellyfish who are her companions, she moves by way of an inner propulsion in rhythm with the sea.  Please enjoy new forms of motion over the next few weeks!

*Sabian Symbols are verbal images for each degree of the Zodiac channeled by the psychic Laura Wheeler and transcribed by the astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, revised by Dane Rudhyar.   http://www.mindfire.ca/.

 Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards.

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

 

 

 

 

DARK SPACE TO THE NORTHEAST

‘A VERY OLD MAN FACING A VAST DARK SPACE TO THE NORTHEAST.’

the Sabian Symbol* for the Sun in Cancer, July 4/5

                                             photo: Bruce Lhuillier

Fulfillment in transcending and changeless wisdom.    

This beautiful picture  of a sunset looks toward the Northwest, but if you turn from that setting Sun, and face the darkness of the Northeast on this day, you will look into the ‘transcendent and changeless wisdom’ of the moment.  ‘The Wise Old Man faces the great Void, that apparent Darkness which is an intense Light invisible to our senses.’  This is the Sabian Symbol for the Sun as he faces the Moon in eclipse.  How do we find the inner light, unless we are brave enough to go into the dark?

Cancer, The sign of the Sun, celebrates home and family, Capricorn, the sign of the Moon is about order and structure.  This might  be a reflection of the political dynamic  in America as the country ricochets between forces of repression and the long overdue cry for justice and compassion.  A vision of a better way to structure our society and a long hard look at our country’s history of terrorism is finally being heard.   The powerful combination of Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter and Pallas Athena, all in Capricorn, the builder,  and all in retrograde screams for reparation.  Some say a deep and irreversible change is in process.  Clearly nothing works any more under the old system.  And it will take the powerful dreams of everyone to find the new way, which allows our species to survive our own destruction.

                              photo: Sarah Fuhro

This combination of retrograde planets is not going away any time soon.  I haven’t even mentioned Eris, Queen of Chaos, who is in square to all this slow moving  heavies in Capricorn.  This time of deep transformation will continue with new twists and turns form a long time yet. A new vision must look back to what has been, and understand: a choice between money and human life; the ‘bottom line’ and the Earth is not a choice.

https://www.rappler.com/world/regions/us-canada/262979-virus-doctors-nurses-march-black-lives-matter-rally

Mars and Chiron have combined in Aries….the new warrior is the healer, the doctor, nurse, the epidemiologist.  How did it happen that a pandemic which takes our breath away coincided with the strangulation of a man by the authorities supposed to protect human life?   And since black life has been strangled and repressed in every way  since America was founded, why was this outrage finally seen and notated and resisted, at this time?    The warrior healer combination of Mars and Chiron are tightly connected to Mercury, communication.   The voice of pain and outrage will be heard.   The light cannot be extinguished.

                          photo: Bruce Lhuillier

This full Moon in eclipse takes place on our country’s birthday, July 4.  Seems like the right mix of old reckoning and new vision is the gift.  The weather may be unkind, but I plan to climb a hill not far from my house in Natick to watch this Capricorn Moon rise and then have a bite taken out of her.  The hill is where a ‘praying Indian village’ was located in 1630.  Indians were ‘allowed’ to farm here, if they acknowledged Christianity.  How quickly the native people, who were first decimated by a plague brought by white explorers and then overrun by colonials, were swallowed into this strange vision of a New World. If we don’t learn the ways of this land, we will destroy the only home we have.

Yet the road has taken a turn.   

                                     photo: Bruce Lhuillier

The outer structure may look the same, but nothing is the same anywhere.  And here we might want to take a close look at Capricorn, the sign of the Moon and her ominous companions, Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter and Pallas Athena…the retrograde quartet of movers and shakers.  Strangely, the symbol for this very solid, earthy, cardinal sign is a fish goat.   Or is it a goat fish?   How did water get into this mix? Here is the illustration for Capricorn from Amelia Leonards.  It’s part of the astrology oracle cards we are hoping to finish this year of wonders!

                                        painting: Amelia Leonards

Capricorn is the capitalist system, which could not, or would not take care of the American people during an epidemic. We’re just not the priority of those who have the power to make deep change for all.  By refusing to create a health system which includes everyone, the most vulnerable sicken and die in greater numbers than any other country.  The dark water,  full of piranas, represents the underside of an economy built on greed.  Every sign has a place of blindness, but the shadow side of Capricorn often affects a great many people.  The injustice of racism creates a  huge burden of sickness and death for black citizens, devalued old people, prisoners, and those institutionalized for mental illness.  The pathetic response to the virus, which includes confusing messages, corruption around masks and protective equipment  has shut down the economy, which was supposed to be invincible.  How quickly we got out of our cars, which seemed so indispensable.  The streets were empty for several months  and foxes roam suburban neighborhoods.  In a very short time, we have discovered how we kneel before necessity.   And, since Capricorn rules the knees, we can feel the Capricorn energy, which is one of blunt reality.   When things get rough,  a Capricorn Moon does not waste much time with tears , but rather, will say: What are we going to do about this?

*Sabian Symbols are verbal images for each degree of the Zodiac channeled by the psychic Laura Wheeler and transcribed by the astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, revised by Dane Rudhyar.   http://www.mindfire.ca/.

 Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards.

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The New Moon with Everything

photo: Anna Oakflower

Cancer is the sign (constellation)  where the Moon is ruler…interesting because it is also the  place where the Sun is at his height just before he stands still (Solstice) and heads South to warm other lands. This new Moon falls within minutes of the Summer Solstice, which is at the first degree of Cancer, and if that is not enough, the Sun will go into a partial eclipse. All this feels like a powerful combination of cosmic events!  Will you feel it?   How will you feel it?   I love this picture of a baby skunk, because her little white cap is like the eclipsed Sun and the dark of the Moon in Cancer.  Cancer is the sign of children, all children.   Little skunk looks curious, but tentative about  this new and strange place where s/he has emerged.  This is our opportunity at this powerful new Moon to see new possibilities around us.

The verbal (Sabian Symbol)  for this this the first degree of Cancer, the Summer Solstice is: on a ship the sailors lower an old flag and raise a new one.  A radical change of allegiance exteriorized in a symbolical act: a point of no return.   Reorientation*

                                      Confederate flag lowered in South Carolina    

The change of season that takes place at the Solstice is not immediately felt.  A new Moon does not appear in the sky for three days.  An eclipse can often be felt in months not moments.  The changes so long overdue in our country, in our culture are held in the imagery of this Solstice/New Moon/ Eclipse which happens on Sunday.   But only we as human beings can make justice happen.

photo: Sarah Fuhro

It’s interesting to notice that on May 5 the Lunar nodes changed from the Cancer/Capricorn axis to  Gemini/Sagittarius.  During the Cancer/Capricorn node period we made decisions about the structure (Capricorn) of our health (Cancer)  system as we faced a world wide epidemic.  We heard arguments over the importance of care for the well-being of our population (Cancer) vs the importance of our financial structures  (Capricorn).  It is clear that the people who care for the sick and dying are getting sick and dying in greater numbers.  People with no health insurance and no ‘work at home’ jobs were sacrificed to drive buses and clean grocery stores. As the nodes shifted into Gemini/Sagittarius,  which is about communication and courts, whites  finally noticed the huge and history long injustice in the story of how black people might feel about life in America.   Unfortunately it will take more than astrological shifts to turn this racist ship around.  But the astrological energy is there to help.

photo: Bruce Lhuillier

Today (18 June) Mercury joined Venus, Saturn, Pallas Athena (asteroid), Jupiter, Pluto in retrograde motion. Time to look at what we have been through as a species since the winter Solstice.  Retrograde is the opportunity to check where we are and remember where we want to go.  It’s the quiet moment of stillness at twilight, when the day’s heat and passion settle, and many animals feel free to pick up where they left off at dawn.   Since Mercury is in Cancer, we might wonder about the concerns of Cancer.

painting: Amelia Leonards

Cancer

Here is the illustration by Amelia Leonards for the sign of Cancer.  We continue our series which we hope will soon become a set of astrological oracle cards, to illustrate the signs and planets and houses which make up the basis of this ancient art and science.

Cancer is the reminder that we have a home.   The home was once the sea, and most of our planet is still an ocean filled with plants and animals who move through the water as we move under the sky.  The Moon is the ruler of Cancer.  She watches over our planet like a loving mother, sister, aunt.  She pulls the tides of the ocean and the blood in our veins.  Cancer is a Water sign, and Cardinal because she marks the turning point of the season from spring to summer.  At the first degree of Cancer, the Sun appears to turn from his Northern journey to begin his apparent journey South.  The lengthening days of Summer slow and begin to shorten.

Cancer represents a crab.   The arms of the crab are the symbol of the sign   . They are the arms of the Mother around her child.   Cancer is the reminder that we are loved by an eternal presence, which does not care about our accomplishments or our treasure or our power.  The Moon rises and sets to shine and diminish in light. She lends fertility to our planet through her connection to water.  Cancer delights in food and children, the family and friends.  Her house in the astrology chart is at the base of the wheel.  Here the ancestors feed us information and we enter the world as children who find a home in a new body and then create and inhabit homes over our lifetime.

*Sabian Symbols are verbal images for each degree of the Zodiac channeled by the psychic Laura Wheeler and transcribed by the astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, revised by Dane Rudhyar.   http://www.mindfire.ca/.

 Sarah Fuhro      The Wisdom Tradition evolved over the centuries to address our deepest human needs. Sarah Fuhro is a practitioner of its many forms; including Astrology, Tarot, Flower Essences and Druidry. In addition to personal consultations, Sarah teaches workshops and private classes, offering both clients and students knowledge powerfully rooted in the past, presented in the language of the present.   For an appointment or to be notified of classes call 508 740 7039 or email her at sarahfuhro@gmail.com.

Amelia Leonards works with watercolor and graphite to create fantastical imagery.  She draws upon world folklore, mythology and her imagination  to create pieces imbued with sensitive and emotive storytelling. Throughout her work you will find an emphasis on feminine and natural elements, along with a hefty dose of humor and antlers. https://www.amelialeonards.com  and https://www.etsy.com/shop/amelialeonards.

Bruce Lhuillier Is a French artist and photographer currently living near Boston.   His ability to capture spirit in his photos and paintings is both unique and  visionary.  You can find his work on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Barknstone.

Anna Oakflower is a German Druid who is visiting in the United States.  Her photography of wildlife is stunning!