This New Moon brings with it a double dose of warm Leo energy. A Fire sign, Leo is all about being seen. It’s a time to focus on your creative expression and initiate projects that will bring you acclaim and attention. Fire is a masculine element, one of it’s characteristics being a dynamic and outwardly radiating energy. This is not the moon for withdrawing and hiding at home. You will likely feel a need to be out in front of people, sharing your talents and energy in some way.

With the partial solar eclipse, the masculine (sun) energy is partially being influenced (covered) by the feminine (moon) energy. This may help us look within enough to realize that although we want attention for ourselves, one of the best ways to achieve that is to give it to others. As Ego-centric as Leo energy is, generosity is also a trait of this sign, so focus on radiating your light outwards in a warm and friendly way, to uplift and inspire others to shine their light as well. This is a spontaneous and fun moon, so try to stay away from set agendas. Stay in the moment and follow your passion. Spend time doing what makes you feel joyful, free, and expressive.

Read previous New Moon in Leo entries : August 9th, 2007

There were three men came out of the west,
their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn must die
They’ve plowed, they’ve sown, they’ve harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead
They’ve let him lie for a very long time,
’til the rains from heaven did fall
And little Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed them all
They’ve let him stand ’til Midsummer’s Day
’til he looked both pale and wan
And little Sir John’s grown a long long beard
and so become a man

They’ve hired men with their scythes so sharp
to cut him off at the knee
They’ve rolled him and tied him by the waist
serving him most barbarously
They’ve hired men with their sharp pitchforks
who’ve pricked him to the heart
And the loader he has served him worse than that
For he’s bound him to the cart
They’ve wheeled him around and around a field
’til they came unto a barn

And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
and his brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
proved the strongest man at last
The huntsman he can’t hunt the fox
nor so loudly to blow his horn
And the tinker he can’t mend kettle or pots
without a little barleycorn

Lugh is the patron God of bards and musicians, so this is a good time to focus on learning a new craft or further developing an old one. Just as the crops are now bearing fruit, this is the time to share the fruit of your labors from the year that is passing. What new skills, talents, knowledge, and wisdom have you learned this year that you can now pass onto others in your community?

Lughnasad occurs about August 1st, when the Sun reaches 15 degrees in the sign of Leo, the Lion. I personally celebrate this Sabbat each year by attending the Faerie Festival in Veneta, OR with my coven sisters. The slogan of this festival is “Live Your Legend” and this is very much in line with the Leo drive for dynamic creative expression. For three days I will be celebrating, dancing, and playing, surrounded by joyful folk dressed as faeries, elves, gnomes, and other Otherworld creatures.

Blessed Be & Happy Lughnasad!

To Celebrate Lughnasad:

• Make a corn dolly using stalks of wheat or corn husks.

• Bake a loaf of bread in the shape of a man and sacrifice him in your ritual. Make him a part of your feast but save a piece to offer the gods.

• Take time to harvest fruits and vegetables from your garden with your family. If you don’t have a garden, visit one of the pick-your-own farms in your area.

• Gather the tools of your trade and bless them in order to bring a richer harvest next year.

• Decorate with sickles, scythes, fresh vegetables & fruits, grains, berries, corn dollies, bread. Colors are orange, gold, yellow, red and bronze.

• Host a field day! Set up obstacle courses, water balloon tossing, 3 legged race and other fun competitions.

• This is also a good time for making preserves, either literally or symbolically. As you turn the summer’s fruit into jams, jellies and chutneys for winter, think about the fruits that you have gathered this year and how you can hold onto them.

This Full Moon presents us with a combination of the Feminine elements of Earth (Capricorn) and Water (Cancer). Capricorn is the sign of hard work, responsibility, and achievement. It is symbolized by the Goat making slow and steady progress as it climbs ever upwards against seemingly impossible odds. The Goat shows us that with patience and perseverance, ultimate success is possible. Capricorn energy is goal-oriented and concerned with status and reputation, especially in the area of your work in the world. This Moon is focused on the practical every day steps that are needed to take a goal and make it a reality.

Cancer is the sign of home, family, and comfort. Cancer energy is nurturing and concerned with emotional security, protection, and the refuge found within our closest relationships. So when these two signs meet, the underlying question is : how do we find the balance between our work/career responsibilities, and our need for emotional comfort and security? This is the question to ponder and receive guidance on between now and the next New Moon.

We all need a safe space where we can retreat from the pressure of responsibility, and our home needs to be that sanctuary. Only when we nurture our emotional needs can we relax enough for the creative energy to flow. And it is only by drawing from this deep well of inspiration that we can do our most authentic work in the world.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of tough lessons. So this is also a perfect time to honor the teachers and people who have influenced your life in a positive way. We often experience deep soul growth from painful and negative situations also, so be sure to honor your Shadow teachers as well. In my personal ritual for this moon, I will be celebrating the hard work I’ve done to get myself to this point, and then making my commitment to a new course of study. I have been intrigued by  Shamanic practices for some time now, and experienced an “initiatory crisis” that left no doubt in my mind that I have been called to this path, but it isn’t until recently that I have felt ready to make an authentic commitment to embarking on this journey.

As I prepare to take the first steps on this new path,  I am guided to follow my own heart, trust my inner voice, flow with the feelings of the moment, and take action that feels natural and appropriate for me, even if that differs from conventional methods. Yet, I am also guided to hold a deep respect and reverence for the structure, discipline, and tradition that has been laid down by others before me, putting myself in the humbling role of the “Initiate of the Mystery.” This will take commitment, discipline, effort, patience and perseverance, but like the Goat, if I just focus on one step at a time, I will ultimately reach my goal, and having experienced much growth in the process.

July 2, 2008 – 6:19 PM Pacific

Cancer is all about the home, family, and close relationships. Symbolized by the crab, with it’s hard outer shell protecting the soft body within, Cancer is strong but sensitive. With both moon and sun in this sign, this would be the ideal time to focus attention on nurturing the relationships that mean the most to you, including your relationship with yourself. Ask yourself – when do you feel most safe? Where do you feel most at home? With who do you feel most able to let your guard down? This is the moon to discover the answers to those questions and commit to bringing more of that into your life.

Read previous New Moon in Cancer entries : July 1st, 2007

Summer Solstice is usually celebrated June 21st, but the exact timing of the Solstice varies between the 20th and the 23rd, and occurs when the Sun enters the sign of Cancer. With the Sun at it’s peak, it is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. (in the Northern Hemisphere).

According to Celtic folklore, Summer begins on Beltane (May 1st) and ends on Lughnassad (August 1st), with the Summer Solstice midway between the two. For this reason, Summer Solstice is often referred to as “Midsummer”. On Midsummer Night, the thin veil allows elves, faeries, and sprites to gather in great numbers and frolic freely, making this a great time to commune with them and with Nature.

In June, the Full Moon is called the Honey Moon, because this is the time to collect the honey from the beehives. This is also the traditional month for marriages and handfastings. It was considered taboo to get married during May because that month was set aside for celebrating the union of the Goddess and God. But after the May Day celebrations, many couples were expecting and so June became the opportune time for weddings. This is why, to this day, we call the period immediately after a wedding the “Honey Moon”.

The Goddess manifests at this time as Mother Earth, in advanced pregnancy, preparing for the first harvest. The God manifests as the Sun King, at the prime of his life and about to enter into fatherhood. Cancer, the Crab, is a watery sign that rules home, family, and close relationships. This is the best time for ceremonies relating to prosperity, peace, and good fortune for the family and community. Each year in my tribe, we honor the Goddess and God at Solstice with a community camping trip in which we all come together to commune with Nature and each other in a sacred and beautiful space.

This is a time of bonfires and trips to the beach, of staying up late and looking at the stars, of gardens overflowing with colorful blooms. It’s a time for reconnecting with family and friends and celebrating the sweetness of life.

Activities for Midsummer

• Create a Midsummer Altar : Images of the pregnant Mother Goddess and the Sun God. Some sort of fire on your altar is important, use candles or votives. Use fresh fruits as a reminder of the earth’s bounty. Use flowers of gold, orange and yellow, roses are traditional also. Use gold or yellow cloth, oak leaves, acorns, stones, and herbs.

• Stay up from sunset on Midsummers Eve to sunrise on Midsummers Day.

• Herbs harvested during Midsummer were believed to have healing properties, and the healers would gather the herbs they needed to heal throughout the year.

• Bonfires are also burned during the night on Midsummer. On this fire, traditionally, nine herbs are thrown on the fire St. John’s Wort, Rue, Vervain, Mistletoe, Lavender, Feverfew, Meadowsweet, Heartsease, and Trefoil or Clover. Even if you do not burn an actual fire for this Sabbat, you can blend these herbs and burn as incense at your altar or sacred space.

• Light fireworks to celebrate the sun.

• Watch Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

• Sit around a bonfire and play drums and other instruments, sing songs, and tell stories of the sun, the Gods, and heroes.

• Find a U-pick farm and spend the day picking berries to make a fruit pie.

• Leave an offering of seeds or nuts drizzled with honey for the faeries.

• Woman should adorn their hair with flower wreaths.

• Gather wildflowers and display in your home.

Read previous Summer Solstice entries : June 21st, 2007 

With Sagittarius and Gemini together, there comes a strong desire to understand the deeper meaning of life and communicate it within our circle of friends, family, and community.  These signs have different, but complimentary ways of exploring their world. Gemini is always gathering information, but usually at a superficial level, focusing on many ideas at once but rarely going in depth on any one of them. Sagittarius is on a constant search for the deeper truth that underlies every situation and interaction ; the constant philosopher, who can always talk the talk, but doesn’t always walk the walk. These signs are both mutable, meaning they are open to and embrace change – so this moon may be about changing how we discover our personal truth and what we do with it once we do. Instead of collecting and adapting other people’s thoughts, views, and perspectives on the meaning of life and our role in it, it’s time to open ourselves to a direct personal experience of the mystery and discover this for ourselves.  I imagine what we’ll find is a truth that fits us so well, and feels so natural, it requires no effort at all – it simply is who we are and have always been. From there we can allow an expression emerge from within us that is unmistakably unique and as each of us do this within the circle, the fabric of the whole is enriched and expanded.

With a double dose of Gemini energy, be prepared if your plans don’t go exactly as you imagined. You could approach the situation as if you know it all and are in control, insisting that things happen a certain way and then get angry and upset when they don’t. Or you could approach things with a curious, open mind, allowing yourself to not know, and exist in a state of awe and wonder, allowing for the magic of the Universe to surprise you. Gemini is a mutable Air sign, so it’s all about change, especially in regards to the mental arena of thoughts and communication. Gemini is a gatherer of information, so this is a good time to observe our thoughts in a curious, non-judgemental way. Notice what is getting your attention, and therefore, your energy. Express your thoughts freely through writing, journaling, or by talking to friends. Notice how the act of expressing your thoughts immediately changes the dynamic. Things that have been unexpressed sometimes take on a life of their own and grow bigger and more complicated. When we allow it out into the open, and clear the air, we often see that things are much more simple and easily resolved than we thought.

This is the second Scorpio Full Moon in a row, so if you missed out on the powerfully transformative energy of the last one, you get another chance. Scorpio is about going deep, very deep. It gives us the opportunity to face our deepest fears about ourselves and love ourselves through it. It comes around again to give us another shot at releasing any attachments we have to old pain, regrets, limiting stories we have about ourselves, or identities that we no longer feel we can cling to. With the Sun in Gemini, the sign of the communicator, it is the best time to heal any rifts that have occurred with family or friends. The energy is supporting a long deep chat to heal issues of secrecy or distrust. Scorpio is also the sign of change and we are reminded that change is essential for transformation to occur. We need to be open to change, even when we are unsure how that change will look. It’s a leap of faith, but it is worth it when the layers are peeled away and we are shown a more truthful version of who we really are and what we really want.

Read previous Full Moon in Scorpio entries : March 31, 2008

With a double dose of Taurus energy, this the New Moon to be thinking about abundance. True abundance isn’t just about having a lot of money. It can also be about using whatever resources you do have wisely and trusting that you will be able to attract what you need from unexpected sources. Part of that is being conscious of your spending habits and making a commitment to be more choosy with your purchases. Often times, if you are patient, you can find what you need and want for much less than if you were to go out and buy it right away. And don’t overlook things you already have. With a little imagination and some creative elbow grease, you may be able to give old items a new life. All it takes is a willingness to look at things a little differently and be open for guidance. Abundance is also about how you feel. If you approach every task, no matter what it is, grand or small, with all your heart and are fully present with it, you will attract everything you need and more. Be honest with yourself about what really matters. It helps if you keep your mind and heart clear and flowing, so don’t let things build up. Procrastination only adds to the clutter, so be sure to take care of things as they come up. You will feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that the energy is flowing strongly, bringing to you all the abundance you desire.

Beltane is a fertility rite that represents the union of the Goddess and the God. It occurs when the Sun is at 15 degrees in the sign of Taurus. Taurus is the earthiest of earth signs, and is associated with fertility, growth, lust, and pleasure. The Beltane celebration is all about good food, good company, and good sex. In ancient times, all rules of fidelity between married couples was suspended for the eve of Beltane, and any child born from a Beltane eve union was considered to be especially blessed. Ancient kings required Hieros Gamos, (also called The Great Rite) which was a union with a Priestess representing the Goddess, in order to rule. Although in some circles the Great Rite may still consist of an actual physical union, nowadays it is often performed symbolically using a chalice (as the womb) and a blade (as a phallic symbol).

Beltane celebrations also include a Maypole dance. This is also a symbol of the Divine Union, using a tall pole (as the phallic symbol representing the God) and colored ribbons (as a symbol of the Goddess). The ribbons are attached to the top of the pole and each participant holds a ribbon and circles around each other. As the ribbons weave together covering the pole, it symbolizes the union, and also symbolizes weaving together the intentions of the community. Bonfires, music, and feasting are also prominent components of a Beltane celebration.

As the weather warms up and the flowers are in bloom, this is a time of great joy, renewed energy and passion. It’s a time of tremendous growth as everything is coming alive again. You may be feeling the urge to sing and dance, to begin tending your garden, going for long walks in Nature, or spending time laughing and playing with the ones you love. It’s time to dust off the last remnants of winter’s sleep, get outside, and enjoy the sunshine. The good life starts now……

Read previous Beltane entires : May 1st, 2007