Thoughts On the Moon and Why We're So Damn Anxious

Photo: Nicole Mason, Unsplash

This post is inspired by the pre- Lunar Eclipse jitters that I've been working to keep at bay all week. 

Around eclipse season, especially at a Lunar Eclipse (which is technically a Full Moon), it's not uncommon to feel extra anxious (or extra tired) as anything having to do with the moon always keys right into our adrenals. Full Moons in general have a long history of charging the atmosphere, which is why there tends to be more accidents and heated encounters during one, and they always bring things that have been in the dark to light (like secrets) or a situation to a head. A Lunar Eclipse is a doubly potent Full Moon and the moon by astrology standards, has rulership over feelings. All of the feelings.

With this Lunar Eclipse in Pisces (September 16th) coming in with a square (hard aspect) to fiery Mars in Sagittarius, this energy is only amplified. Note that the Sun in Virgo is also apart of this Full Moon/Eclipse and Virgo energy, when blocked or misdirected, can manifest as anxiety and nervous stomach issues as Virgo is connected to Mercury, the planet that's associated with the brain and central nervous system; as well as the intestines.

As if that weren't enough stimulation, I've also been tracking the moon's movement in connection to Uranus, the planet of sudden developments, radical changes, breakthroughs, and mass communication. Uranus has been hanging out now at around 23 degrees of Aries, which currently makes it the last planet that the moon has to communicate with before the moon moves into the next sign. So for example, let's say the moon is at 23 degrees of Capricorn, the next aspect or connection it will make is when it immediately enters Aquarius and links up with Jupiter which is currently at 0 degrees of Libra. (You can kind of think as the moon as being like a hand on a clock as it moves around.) 

By astrology's standards when you take a "soft" planet/celestial body like the moon and brush it up against a more electric planet like Uranus, especially in an in-your-face kind of sign like Aries, overstimulation and anxiety can definitely be side effects.  While other planets like the Sun, Mercury, Mars, and Venus will eventually "pass" Uranus; because Uranus moves so slow, we'll still have those intermittently intense periods of activity, and more than likely lack of sleep.

By now, some of you may be wondering why all the torture?  What could the universe be thinking, putting all this pressure on us? Well, I can tell you that this energy is not meant to be a form of punishment. We are all at a pivotal time where there are great changes taking place across the globe; most notably those grassroots driven changes happening in the United States (a Cancer sun nation - influenced by the moon); and change is necessary to positive evolution and growth.

Though the moon can spark change (it changes signs every 2.5 days; Cancers are labeled as moody), it can sometimes be afraid of change, because change feels like a loss of security. However, I strongly believe that one of the biggest lessons/messages of the moment for us is learning how to better tap into the power of the moon. The moon provides us with feeling and intuition, and the time has long come that we begin listening to both. The moon as a divninely feminine energy demands it. We are watching the days disappear where we are expected to work through the pain, to grit and grin our teeth and bear it...to "man up". Our bodies, our feelings are asking that we listen to them, honor their value. We need to sleep when our body calls for it, eat what will make it feel good, take time to regularly unplug, seek out therapy and healing, give ourselves space to cry and get angry, and give ourselves space to love. This is how true change happens, when we find the right outlet to direct the energy, our energy. It's time to go with the flow.

New Moon in Taurus: Hold Your Ground

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Stability has never been my forte. Put another way: I have always lived my life in a state of crisis. One reason for this is because it's part of my Chironic story. Having natal Chiron (karmic subconscious wound) in Taurus has meant that one of my biggest challenges in this lifetime has been to overcome insecurity, as Taurus is a sign whose purpose is to experience all the luxury, resources, and self-worth life has to offer. Another reason why instability has been an issue for me is because it's also a part of my family legacy. In my birth chart, Uranus (instability) sits right on top of my 4th House (emotional conditioning, family history), plus I have my Moon (instinct, emotional style, the archetype of one's mother) in unpredictable Aquarius.

In plain terms, this means I grew up in a household with parents whose own childhood wounds resulted in drug addiction and for my mother especially, mental health issues. The result of which often meant eviction threats, utility shut offs (we went years without a phone in the house), second hand clothes, nearly empty refrigerator, and fights over money (mostly the lack of it) my family and I dealt with time and time again; year after year. And because I grew up in scarcity, it became all too easy for me to take on the same bad habits with money my parents had, along with the belief that I would never have enough because, I too, wasn't good enough to deserve it. I had came to believe that scarcity was my birthright. As a result, stability in all of it's Taurus essence --being well-fed, well-paid, well-dressed, well-lived--has always been something that has eluded me (actually, frustrated the fuck out of me); up until now.

Fast forward to today, under this New Moon in Taurus which falls directly on my Midheaven (10th House), a critical point in everyone's birth chart that connects each of us to the promise and manifestation of our personal legacy, and I find the power of this moon, of Taurus season resonating with me more than it ever has in a very long time. Perhaps this also because I've been on a fever hot mission (thank you Mars) to break the cycle of my familial legacy (thank you Saturn) so that I can build (and maintain) a solid foundation for myself and my daughter. Today this New Moon gives me the opportunity to plant the seeds to create this future. Today, this New Moon in Taurus gives us all the opportunity to lay the groundwork to create the kind of life we desire.

This is why for me the biggest question under this moon is not so much about the kind of seeds we're planting but more about what we do when we've planted them; when we've set the intentions, made the prayers, or created the vision board to make our dreams real. What do we do when it seems like it takes forever to make progress or as though we are making no progress at all? Through Taurus, we dig in. We work. We add 1 part determination and 2 parts resilience. We say fuck fear and fuck failure. We treat ourselves kind. We affirm that abundance and pleasure are our birth right. We have patience. We hold our ground.

The March 2016 Eclipses: Whatever You Do, Keep Moving

Ok, so the big news for this month are the eclipses. For those of you who may be unsure of what eclipses mean, think of them as really, really, really important (super, even) New and Full Moons. Except, the difference between an eclipse and a regular New or Full Moon is that eclipses tend to bring sharp and fast changes that can often feel like a crisis or emotional upheaval of sorts, and unlike a regular New or Full Moon, eclipse energy lasts for a full six months.

The eclipses of this month: one on March 8th in Pisces (Solar) and the other on March 23rd in Libra (Lunar) pick up where the Virgo and Aries eclipses of September 2015 left off. Eclipses come in pairs and wil set off a chain of events (or at the very least heighten our attention) in two very connected areas of our lives; for example: career and family. The purpose of eclipses is to keep us moving, keep us growing, and to help us with a shot of tough love to let go of anything holding us back.  People often report feeling the effects of an eclipse (myself included) up to a week or so before it actually happens. Since eclipses have to do with the very emotional energy of the Moon, I usually advise people to get all the rest, nourishment, and comfort they can get around this time. Eclipses can be tough on the body and spirit. But when that medicine they deliver kicks in, we become all the more better for it.

Eclipses in Pisces tend to highlight what we need to release and heal, when we need to listen to intuition, engage compassion, and dream big. Solar Eclipses spark beginnings and fresh starts. Those of us with planets or angles (look to your birth chart) near 18-22 degrees of Virgo, Sagittarius, Gemini, or Pisces will be most strongly affected.

Eclipses in Libra tend to highlight where we need to be more diplomatic, gracious, and balanced in our relationships. Lunar Eclipses signal endings and culminations. Those of us with planets or angles near 2-6 degrees of Aries, Libra, Cancer, or Capricorn will be most affected. Incidentally, this eclipse will be the final eclipse of the Aries-Libra pairing which began back in October 2013, and took place again in April 2014, October 2014, March 2015 and September 2015. Think back to see what epiphanies or actions may have been triggered at that time. This is eclipse will be the final chapter of the story.

Still, the eclipses won't be the only things happening this month. Read my March horoscopes (coming soon!) to find out what else to expect.

Full Moon in Aquarius: Keeping Your Head Above Water

"Keeping Your Head Above Water" by John Dinser

July 31st brings a full moon in Aquarius, the second full moon of this month; otherwise known as a Blue Moon. Symbolically, blue moons are considered to be auspicious since they rarely occur and therefore signify occasions that have a once in a lifetime kind of vibe. Truth be told, I've been aware for weeks that this full moon was coming but I didn't really get the chance to think about what this moon would mean until after a rather impromptu text exchange with a dear friend of mine. She wrote: "I feel challenged to think outside the box." And that's an Aquarian theme, right? Aquarius pushes us to think outside of the box. Aquarius pushes us to do things differently than we have ever done before. Through Aquarius we experience breakthrough, freedom. So why has breaking through been so hard?

To say that this last month has been emotional is an understatement. With 50-11 planets in Water signs, the past 30 days (and if you want to get technical: the last two years) have been downright distressing. From Saturn in Scorpio churning up our fears to Neptune in Pisces wearing down our walls to transit planets in Cancer poking hard at our soft spots, we have been living in a world under water. Having been given the cosmic push to plunge deep into this space, to experience the full spectrum of our emotions, for some of us this period has been cathartic--cleansing. For the rest of us, this period has been full of painful reminders; water does after all hold our memories, as does the moon. In too much water, we can feel stuck, drowned, and well in over our heads. Though this full moon in Aquarius provides a buoy. This moon in Aquarius offers up fresh air; a shot at freedom from the stagnant and murky entanglements that hold us back.

In astrology, Water signs usually get the credit for being the most intuitive, though Aquarius, an Air sign, is intuitive too. Co-ruled by the planets Saturn and Uranus (the mythological keepers of time), and represented by the symbols of electricity and water--Aquarius is a conduit. Picking up on trends and currents, Aquarius experiences this intuition by way of aha-moments, rationale, and flashes of insight. As full moons represent culminations and endings of a cycle, this moon represents a much needed goodbye. This is a moon of the future.

Looking back again at what my friend wrote to me, I am reminded that this moon is co-ruled by Uranus in Aries and Saturn in Scorpio. Whatever flashes of insight we receive, whatever decisions we make at this time has less to do with thinking outside of the box and more to do with finding the courage (Aries/Scorpio) to actually move beyond it. We already know what needs to be done, what changes need to be made for true progress. We just need to do it. This is our chance.