Harvest Full Moon in Pisces

We are spiritual beings living in a physical body. Our existence is linked to our spiritual form, which lives within and beyond the physical world. This material world is the laboratory where we experiment and learn how to live an integrated life of body and spirit. But our material world is very concrete. It is all around us in a very obvious ways, demanding our attention with our five senses of taste, touch, hearing, smell, and sight. This intensity of our physical senses makes our relationship with the physical world dominant and we forget about the more subtle spiritual energy, the sixth sense, that also exists within this earthly life. The quieter, softer callings of our Soul and Spirit often go unheard. Just like the Sun is more forceful and demands our attention more than the fleeting and reflective Moon, so do the demands of our physical existence outweigh the needs of our spiritual essence. This Full Moon is asking us to find a balance between the physical world, represented by Sun in Virgo, and the spiritual world, represented by Moon in Pisces.

I must admit that I found it unlikely that Katy Perry would represent the pivot between the very physical Sun in Virgo and the very spiritual Moon in Pisces, but when a friend sent me this video that she had watched dozens of times with her 9 year old daughter, I had to take a look. And as amazing as it seems, this very fun video and powerful song is a great example of the balance we seek at this Full Moon. Now, I admit that I have always loved the archetype of Tarzan, and that might have a bit to do with my joy in watching it. I hope you take a moment to view it by clicking the link under the picture. The song refers to gaining personal strength after a set back, and that could be the set back of a relationship, job, or even life itself.  Watch for the archetypal theme of finding strength through connecting to your inner spirit, symbolized by the sparks of light that manifest as the Tiger. And that once that inner spirit is fully owned and integrated the world shifts from being a dangerous place where we feel uncomfortable and lost, into a place of magnificent abundance where we are surrounded by allies and everything we need is available.

For you: Take some time this Full Moon and put your attention to sensing your subtle spiritual energy. Do a bit of Moon bathing if you can, or just imagine your spiritual energy as pulses of light that sparkle and flow. See this spiritual energy as fully integrated into your body and surrounding you in life. Let go of the old ways you have defined yourself in the past. Give yourself permission to be strong. Walk through life as if you are a spiritual being having a physical existence. Notice how what you used to think of as challenging and scary becomes part of the adventure of life. Feel the inner calm, balance, and joy as you become the pivot that links together your physical and spiritual existence.

Seven planets in Pisces: A Journey to the Underworld

When the New Moon goes into Pisces on March 10th to March 12th to we will have seven of the stellar wanderers in Pisces: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Neptune, Moon, and Chiron.  This is a tremendous amount of Piscean energy. Pisces has access to the unconscious and I usually write about the mystical, creative, and spiritual essence of Pisces, and that is still true. But the unconscious is also the realm of the Shadow, and with this many planets in Pisces, the door to the unconscious just became thrown open.

The Shadow is made up of the dark and unwanted parts of ourselves that we refuse to acknowledge. In order to not deal with these undesirable parts we reject them by pushing them out of the light of our consciousness and keep them buried in the basement of our unconscious. The Shadow is the reservoir for human darkness that lies deep within ourselves.

The Shadow is scary since it is the part that we don’t want to accept as true. But an awareness of the Shadow is necessary. If we don’t get to know it and understand the weakness it holds, then we project these weaknesses outward and spread our fears into the world instead of dealing with them ourselves. And we can end up making decisions and taking actions based not on our greater vision and higher purpose, but from the Shadow’s unacknowledged influences.

Everyone has a Shadow and discovering, acknowledging, defeating, and integrating the Shadow is an important part of our growth and transformation. The Shadow is found in myths, fairy tales, and religion. We have the Wicked Queen, Evil Witch, Beast, and Big Bad Wolf. Tolkien gives us Sauron the Deceiver, and J.K. Rowling has He Who Must Not be Named. Facing the Shadow becomes a central part of the story, which is why it is so important to see it clearly. The Shadow is the flip side of God. Every light has a shadow, and if there were no light within us, there would also be no shadow. So every encounter with your own Shadow is an opportunity to know God.

For You: This visible presence of the Shadow is actually a real opportunity. Normally the Shadow is down in the dark and hard to see clearly. But now the Shadow, both personal and collective, is up in the light of consciousness and easier to identify. Normally our Shadow is influencing us from down in our unconscious, but now our fears are out in the world in the light of day, and that gives us a chance to examine them and notice their causes and their consequences.  Be willing to face your fears, look at them clearly and they will loosen their hold on you.  This is not the time to be afraid of your own Shadow; this is a time to see it clearly. Take some time to consider: What is my Shadow? What are the qualities that I don’t like about myself? What part of myself have I buried and don’t want to acknowledge? What is it that I fear? What qualities in others most irritate me that might be a projection of myself? Create your own mythic story and have your Shadow be the nemesis. Tell the tale of how you overcome and integrated the Shadow, accepting both dark and light. Since the Shadow lives in the underworld of the unconscious you can learn about it by going down into the underworld through your dreams. One reason working with dreams is so powerful is because it gives you a doorway to explore the unconscious .

Susan Seddon Boulet

Into the Mystic: Neptune will stay in Pisces for another 10 years, so we will have plenty of time to get to know the Piscean energy much better. And Pisces is the sign that connects us to the mystical and spiritual aspects of ourselves. Mercury, the messenger between heaven and earth, is diving into the mystical realms of Pisces from February 5th to April 13th. This gives us nine weeks to deepen our connection to the divine and open up the portals of our imagination. This will be a particularly potent time since Neptune is also in Pisces and will give extra depth to our insights and help us with integrating these mystical connections into our daily lives. Pay attention to synchronicity and signs. There will be longing for mystical, intuitive, and spiritual experiences during this period. It will be a wonderful opportunity to begin the meditation practice you’ve been thinking about, or deepen the one you already have. Go back to church, or spend time in nature, especially near water. And since your creative juices will be flowing, make a special effort to set aside time for creative endeavors. Be sure to pay attention to your dreams over this period since you are especially open to receiving messages from the unconscious.

Full Blue Moon in Pisces on Friday Aug 31

Waite-Smith Tarot with art by Pamela Colman Smith

If you want to read more and get info on the Blue Moon click MOONLETTER.  The Star illustrates the harmony that can be achieved within us between watery mystical Pisces and earthy practical Virgo. It is even more necessary that we find this balance now, during the transformative time of 2012, referred to as The Shift, since it promises a shift in consciousness from greed to compassion, from separation to unity. Spiritually inclined people are often more interior, and keep their visions for a new world to themselves. It is time for dreamers to make their dreams known, and to find practical methods to engage in the world in order to make a difference, while still holding on to their spiritual values. This Moon in Pisces is a very strong one, since it combines with Neptune in Pisces, exponentially deepening the potential of our connection to Spirit. This Full Moon is a time to tap into your internal spiritual longings and find a way to bring them to manifestation through practical action in the external world.

For you: Imagine that you are this woman, one leg kneeling on the earth, and the other leg resting on the water in the pond. You could even physically take the position, to feel the balance in your body. You are comfortable both on land and water. You have a pitcher in each hand, filled with water, which contains the longings of your Soul. Pause and ask yourself, “What are the longings of my Soul? What is my intuition prompting me to do?” Once you know, you pour one pitcher into the pond to keep your intuition flowing. You feel gratitude for the solid contact of this relationship. You pour the other pitcher onto the ground, and it makes five streams, each representing one of your senses – sight, taste, hearing, touch, and smell. You relish in your connection to the earth. Above you is a brilliant yellow star, which is your Spirit and the source of your radiance. Next to it are seven white stars, representing your chakras which align your Spirit to your body. Take another deep breath, and ask that you be open to your Spirit, and that your body is in alignment with each chakra.. The purple mountains in the distance indicate the long journey you are on, but the bird in the tree nearby promises that if you listen to your still sweet voice within, that you will always be guided in the right direction. Take some deep breaths, allow your spiritual essence to expand within you, let it radiate through you until you see it move into the world where you will take clear practical actions, large or small, to let your light be seen.

Full Moon in Virgo

Rachel Carson

March 8th, 2012. Full Moon in Virgo on Thursday at 4:39 am. est. Virgo, the virgin, is an Earth sign, and a practical steward of the natural world in which we live. Virgo applies her skills of observation and deliberation to the real world, right here and right now. I wanted a real woman to represent Virgo, a woman who was natural, earthy, and epitomized a life of service. This image of Rachel Carson called to me. Scientist and author of Silent Spring, she documented the effects of industrial pollution on the natural world. Her words initiated the environmental movement and guided us all in a new direction. She believed that the natural world was a necessary part of humanity’s spiritual growth. She said: “There would be no peace for me if I kept silent.”

Her eyes are piercing. They demand that I wake up, that I look clearly at what is around me, that I don’t space out and pretend it will all go away. She is serious, concerned, taking action. She carries the tools of her trade and has grounded her love and compassion in her engagement with the natural world.

To Do: Look Rachel Carson in the eyes. What is she asking of you? Demanding of you? Have a conversation with her. Ask her why she cares, how she got started, what meaning did her service bring to her life? Tell her about what your neighborhood and community needs. Tell her the ways you think you can contribute.

Neptune enters Pisces

April 4, 2011. Welcome Neptune! This morning the planet Neptune moved into the zodiac sign of Pisces. I breathe a deep sigh of relief as Neptune leaves the intellectual and impersonal sign of Aquarius, and moves into the intuitive and mystical sign of Pisces, where it belongs. I’ve been contemplating what Neptune in Pisces can mean for me personally, my clients, and for the world.  Though Neptune will be in Pisces until 2026 (about 15 years) it is right now just making a courtesy call, a quick visit till early August to let us know that it will be back for good starting February 2012.

As a Pisces Sun, with Mercury, Jupiter and the North Node in Pisces,  I have a special connection to Neptune, which is the ruling planet of Pisces. To me it feel like coming home, or a visit from a very old and wise teacher, an honored guest. In keeping with this feeling I set up an altar not only to honor Neptune, but also to set my intention of what I wanted Neptune to represent for me. I’ve posted a picture of my altar here. I will be sharing more what I sense about Neptune in upcoming posts, but for now, I’ll wanted to share my altar with you.

Neptune represents the mystical and spiritual aspects of life and is associated with unity consciousness, the belief that we are all connected at some deep level. Like the ocean, Neptune links us all together and is the source from which we came. I think that Neptune represents a cool drink of water to balance the fiery nature of Uranus in Aries. The problems in our world right now need the qualities that Neptune can bring. We need to have compassion, understanding, love, hope, spiritual awakenings, and the firm knowledge that we are held safely in the arms of spirit. My altar represents my hopes for the changes that Neptune can bring and got me in touch with the depth of my spiritual longings. May the oneness begin….

Ask and you shall recieve, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open.

Well I ask, I seek, I knock, knowing I will find.

And I ask that my body and my mind,

Be open to receive the energy You’re sending me

And that I have the will and wisdom to use it properly.

Knock and you shall receive…

Full Moon/SuperMoon

Saturday, March 19th at 2:10 pm

Be sure to watch this Full Moon rise tonight, since it will be spectacular! This month the Moon is orbiting at its closest point to the earth in nearly 20 years. Called a Supermoon, this closeness will increase the gravitational pull between the Earth and Moon, making the connection between them even stronger. It will mean, among other things, a spectacular Full Moon. It will be 14% larger and 30% brighter than a normal Full Moon. There is debate whether the greater gravitational pull of a Supermoon is linked to an increase of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. You can check out the time of the Moon rise in your area by going to the great Farmer’s Almanac website.

To read more about this Full Moon, go to my monthly Moon Letter. In it I discuss the relationship of this Full Moon to the goddess of compassion, Kuan Yin, and the crisis in Japan.

New Moon in Pisces

Pisces by Eric Williams

March 4th 2011 begins the warm-up to a wonderfully, long and luxurious soak in the ocean of love that is Pisces. A New Moon occurs monthly when the Sun and Moon are in the same zodiac sign, doubling up the energy of that sign, in this case, Pisces. It is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. This New Moon is an opportunity to direct your attention to Piscean energies and set your intentions to increase the energies of Pisces in your life. This would be an increase in love, compassion, oneness, mysticism, spirituality, service, prayer,  meditation, unity, and the connection to the essence of all beings. Now, in case you didn’t notice, that’s a pretty hefty list, and a bit out of the reach of most of us mere mortals. Pisces is ruled by the planet Neptune, which as you remember from your mythology, is the God of the Oceans. So when you think of Pisces, you tend to think of Neptune at the same time. Soft, dreamy, yummy, going with the flow, sensitivity, the birthplace and inter connection of all beings. Ooops. there we go again, off into the special fantasy land reserved for Pisces and Neptune. Where all things are as they “should” be, and anything that doesn’t measure up seems somehow harsh and crass. That is why the dark side of Pisces is escapism and fantasy. Anything that will soften the harsh glow of reality. That would include an all time favorite strategy of denial, followed by alcohol, drugs, and video games.

Now I speak from experience here, since I am a Pisces. And my experience as a Pisces is getting ready to go on steroids! This is because Neptune, the ruler of Pisces, goes into Pisces in a month, on April 4th, and will stay there until 2025! That’s another 14 years. So all of us, Pisces or not, will have the opportunity to experience Pisces energy at its highest and best manifestation. Or, we will move into Neptune’s dark side, go into denial, put our head in the sand, put on the video game, pour the drinks, and wait it out.

In some ways, our response to Neptune, in other words, our response to our spiritual longings, compassion, and sense of the unity of all beings, is what 2012 is all about. Will be go into our highest nature, or will be be tempted by the dark side?

This New Moon is just the beginning, the first dive into the water. And just to be sure that we get a sense of what is to come, we also currently have Chiron, Mars, Mercury, and Uranus joining the Sun and Moon in Pisces. Actually, there is a bit of the dark side coming out in me as I secretly anticipate the foggy minds that will likely accompany this shift. People will no doubt complain of lack of memory, forgetfulness, and finding it hard to tell reality from fantasy. Ha! Welcome to my life! So, Pisces and Neptunians unite! Our time has finally come! Let’s just remember to show up.

Full Moon at 1:05 pm EDT Tuesday Aug 24

by Robert Place

The Full Moon is when the Moon is exactly opposite the Sun, reflecting the Sun’s light like a huge mirror in the sky. Since the Sun is in Virgo, the Full Moon will be in the opposite sign of Pisces.

Virgo and Pisces are two energies that have the same goal, but just use different means to get there. Their goal is to bring compassion and healing to the world through service. Virgo, an earth sign, does it though very practical and physical ways, like healthy eating and a daily routine that is structured around healing. Pisces is a water sign, and so the way it goes about bringing compassion and healing to the world is through spirituality and intuitive action. While Virgo embraces a daily routine, Pisces seeks to dissolve all barriers and move into a place of unity and oneness with all things. The sign of the mystic, Pisces can tune into the deeper mysteries of the universe and seek guidance through interior meditation and prayer. While you might find Virgo in a hospital, Pisces is likely to be found in a monastery, hence this lovely picture of Buddha in meditation under the Full Moon.

Pisces, of course, has a dark side. It is often hard to find inner peace and spiritual connection while living in a world of stress, conflict, and fear. So Pisces can take the easier path that includes abusing drugs, alcohol, or fantasy and spend a fair amount of time just spacing out! The rich inner life of a Pisces can seem much more attractive than a world hungering for help. But there are many fun and productive ways for Pisces to tune into the inner world and find a connection to Spirit that can guide and sustain. Art, music, meditation, yoga, prayer, ritual, devotional reading, trance, writing, and moon-bathing are just a few.

To bring balance between your Pisces and Virgo selves use the ability of Virgo to provide you with the structure and routine you need to connect to your divine source in whatever way that most resonates to your Soul. Perhaps this will be starting (or re-committing) to a daily practice of meditation or yoga, attending your house of worship on a weekly basis, taking a long walk in nature each Sunday, or starting a nightly dream journal. Use Virgo’s organizational ability to create the time to raise your own level of spiritual consciousness,  which will help you discover how to bring your unique gifts into service for the world.