Thanksgiving Week

 

This week we have an interesting mix of energies confronting us. On Thursday the 22nd. many in the U.S. will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day. This day by most accounts started as a harvest festival. A time to gratefully celebrate our harvest bounty by joining together with family and friends and sharing a feast. While not so many will have literally reaped foodstuff from fields they planted this year, the idea of gratitude for what we have is still a valid theme for this time of year.

A Feast and a Full Moon

It is a good time to ponder exactly what you have put your time and energy into growing and bringing to fruition this year. It is also a good time to be grateful for surviving, and for all who helped you to do so.

The ideal to strive for is that of being able to count your blessings. For some this may be easier than for others. As it is also a time to gather with kith and kin, what for many is a joy-filled tradition, for some is a stress-filled, triggering event. With the Full Moon in Gemini the day after Thanksgiving Day, emotions might be a little rough around the edges for some folks now.  The Sun will be shifting from Scorpio into Sagittarius over the 22nd.-23rd, and it is conjunct Jupiter. This paired with  Venus in Libra in opposition to Uranus retrograde in Aries is a recipe for a stress inducing tightrope walk between wanting to keep the peace and sudden urges to tell your truth in a big way.

As long as you try to stay mindful of when your truths may be painful for others you can mitigate your response to these urges. Is now really the best time to tell Aunt Ruth loudly in front of everyone that you have always hated her cranberry sauce? Maybe you can find a way of politely passing on it instead, or getting too full to clean your plate of it?

This would be a good time to find a happy middle ground where you can be in your truth but still be polite. Being polite is not the same as doing things you don’t enjoy simply to please others, and now (or anytime) really isn’t best for that.

Full Moon In Gemini

A Full Moon in Gemini can be social and changeable energy, which the moon itself has a harder time expressing in. It is fine for light talk and new experiences, like mingling and small talking with a group of people. The Full Moon is a great time to release and let go of what is not working.

The sign of Gemini is a mutable, masculine, air sign that is ruled by the planet Mercury. It is a sign of duality. Key concepts for this sign are communication, and connecting lower and higher mind, siblings, neighbors, travel, transportation, and education. Physically it rules the arms, shoulders, hands, lungs, and nervous system. The symbol is the Divine Twins, Castor and Pollux. Geminis are quick witted, curious, and also changeable and prone to extremes.

Gemini Magic

This is a good time for magic related to anything you want to learn or are curious about. It is a good time for divination, and spells for writing, luck, success in education, and improving communication, especially in romantic relationships. Garden planning, harvesting, weeding, or mulching are best garden activities now as Gemini is said to be a dry, barren sign. Working magic with herbs or flowers for Gemini use orchid, gladioli, iris, snapdragons, parsley, and dill. The colors are white, yellow, and orange. Crystals like Icelandic spar, moss agate, Aquamarine, tourmaline, onyx, diamond, jade, and topaz. Oils and incense like jasmine, orchid, sandalwood, and wormwood.

Among the totem animals are many types of small birds. Birds in general are said to be messengers of spirit, and Mercury (Gemini’s ruling planet) as messenger of the Gods was also a messenger of spirit able to travel between the worlds. This is a wonderful example of connecting, or bridging the higher and lower minds as well.

Plan Ahead

This full moon on the heels of Thanksgiving Day should provide plenty of food for thought as to what you would like to release that has not borne fruit for you. Additionally it would also be a great time to plan what you would like to plant and grow in the coming year ahead so that by next Thanksgiving you could be grateful for that harvest.

New Moon

New Moon in Scorpio

The New Moon will be exact on this Wednesday, November 7th 2018, at 11:03 A.M. E.S.T. at 15 degrees Scorpio. Classically the sign of Scorpio was ruled by Mars, but once Pluto was discovered many gave over Scorpio’s rulership to it. Keywords from both planets such as action and transformation fit very nicely with this sign and it’s watery nature. In fact Scorpio’s element is water, it’s modality is fixed, and it’s polarity is feminine. Key concepts for this sign include experiencing deep, transformational emotional connections; death and rebirth. This sign is said to rule the reproductive organs and the bowels of the human body.

Totem Animals

The way I learned it, Scorpio has three totem animals, the Scorpion, the Eagle, and the Phoenix. These animals represent the different stages of Scorpionic evolution. The unevolved Scorpio would readily sting, the more evolved Scorpio could fly high and had the vision of the Eagle, and a highly evolved Scorpio had the magic and power to transform and rebirth themself, the power of alchemy like a Phoenix. In more recent times it seems Scorpio now has seven or eight stages represented by different totem animals, but the idea remains the same, this sign can become incredibly wise, compassionate, and powerful multidimensional beings. They do need to do the “work” of self- reflection and improvement to reach the higher evolutionary stages though, it is not just given to them.

Scorpio Magic

Magic, and alchemy are themselves very scorpionic. As is psychic ability, dreams, all kinds of secret or hidden things, hypnotism, mediumship, communing with Deity, reincarnation, and self-improvement. Scorpio colors are intense colors like black, and red. Crystals like Topaz, Aquamarine, Malachite, Obsidian, Tourmaline, and Opal resonate with Scorpio energy. Herbs like Holly, Yew, Wormwood, Vanilla, Tobacco, Patchouli, Nightshade, Morning glory, Hemlock, Datura, Foxglove, Bloodroot, Black and Blue Cohosh, Chrysanthemum, Blackthorn, Belladonna, Blackberry, Pomegranate, and Basil are Scorpio herbs and plants. Obviously some of these need to be handled with care.

New Moon

A new moon is the end of a cycle and the start of a new one. Releasing old patterns and habits, and starting new healthy ones would be ideal at this time. Planting seeds, both figuratively and literally is perfect for this phase of the moon. If literally planting seeds, consider things like leafy greens and cabbages(depending on your planting zone), and if you have a greenhouse or not you might be surprised by what you can plant now.  Magic for drawing, for growth, and increase, any new beginnings, or improvements are favored now. Cleaning and purification are also good things to undertake at this time, more so if you are washing away the old to allow space, or a clean slate for the new. Many rituals will begin in just this kind of way, with a bath so you are physically clean. These kinds of pre-ritual baths will often include herbs and salts to also clean your energetic body as well. This bath time is also used to release any emotions that might interfere with the magic you are about to perform. No need to wait for a ritual to take a healing or cleansing bath, anytime you feel that you might benefit from one is a perfect time. There are even some Spells that can be done in the bath if you feel called.

Money Bath Spell

A simple Spell to increase money calls for some coins (I like to use 9 silver coins, that have been cleaned first), 3 green or gold candles, and then your choice of honey or sugar. With the sugar I suggest mixing it with a small amount of castile soap to make a scrub beforehand. Clean your coins, smudge yourself, light candles, fill tub with warm water and coins. Then you get into the tub and either use the sugar scrub or honey, rubbing your skin with it to sweeten yourself to the money. For extra oomph you could float some cinnamon sticks in the tub too, or add a pouch filled with herbs like cinnamon, basil, and bay leaves. Take your time and visualize money and whatever else means wealth for you as being attracted to you, filling your tub, being drawn to you. A simple “money, money, money come to me, as I will so mote it be” could be chanted. Once you feel satisfied then empty the bath, put out the candles, and collect the coins to keep on your altar. Ideally this bath is repeated at least once a week through the full moon, three baths total. But even just one might be enough to do the trick you won’t know unless you try it out.

 

While we are in the bathroom there is a somewhat less glamorous spell that can be done if you are looking to get rid of or release something from your life at this time. This really couldn’t be simpler, you need a candle, something to write with and some toilet paper. Light the candle, write all the things you want to release down onto the toilet paper. State “I am flushing this away, right now, today!” Flush the toilet paper and extinguish the candle. If you have trouble writing on the paper, using symbols, or initials, whatever you can manage to represent what you want to release is fine. This might seem silly, but it is surprisingly effective.

Sowing the Seed

Once you have decided what you want, whether it is releasing something, or starting something new, then you have taken some action toward that, you are sowing the seed. These seeds often grow to fruition by the full moon. It might take more time if you are making big changes or have planted seeds for large dreams. But as long as you know what you want and take even small steps toward making it happen then before you know it your world will seem changed. Even something as small as making a vision board, or doing a simple spell will be a step in the right direction. Now of course you still have to do real world work for what you want too, you need to put in applications if looking for a new job, and telling others you are looking could be helpful as well. But the more steps you take, and seeds you plant the quicker and healthier your garden will grow.

 

Full Moon

The full moon on the 24th will be in the sign of Taurus. The moon in classical astrology is said to be the “Crescent of the Soul, the soul receives and holds the spirit”. It represents femininity, women, motherhood, the past, source, heredity, the subconscious, as well as intuition. It is where we feel and experience emotions. Memory, the past, habits and conditioning. It is responsible for actions that do not need conscious thought, like lighting yet another cigarette, or your nightly facial care regime.

Psychologically it is our unconscious nature, feminine archetypes, the anima. It urges us to seek emotional tranquility and a sense of belonging. There is a need to feel inner support and nurturing, to be comforted. There can also be a drive to comfort, support, nurture, or mother others. Physically the moon is said to rule the stomach, breasts, body fluids and their balance in the body, digestion, lymph nodes and glandular secretions. It rules all containers, including our bodies as containers of the soul.

The moon might also be seen as symbolic of women, the public, and change due to it cycling through its phases every month. The moon sign in your natal chart reveals your feminine side, for both females and males.

Moon, magic and manifesting

The full moon is often about realizing and manifesting the intentions you set at the new moon. Personal growth and spiritual development are common themes to work with when the moon is full. Spells to increase intuition, or magical skills, healing magic, and rituals to connect to deity.

If you are wanting to magically represent or work with the moon and it’s energies using crystals, then moonstone, clear quartz, Selenite, Labradorite, opal, and metals like silver are appropriate. Pearl, abalone, and white coral with their origin in the oceans have a lunar energy. You need to decide for yourself though if working with these once living substances is for you or not.

White, silver, and pale blue are among the best colors to use for any candles or cloths or other items you might decide to use. Almond, Clary sage, and Orris root are a few choices for fragrances, either fumigating by burning the plant material, as incense, or essential oils used in an oil diffuser.  

Some other lunar plants include flowers like moonflowers, night jasmine, lotus, iris, passionflower, poppy, evening primrose, mallow, mugwort, milkweed, also plants like aloe, wild yam, cucumber, and melons.

Moon in Taurus

This particular full moon will be in the sign Taurus. Taurus is a fixed earth sign, and as such is concerned with sustaining and maintaining. It is also concerned with issues of self-worth. As an earth sign Taurus likes to ground things in the physical, creating tangible representations of lasting beauty and value. It likes slow, steady, progressive growth. Planets in this sign become slower, more deliberate, grounded in the physical and desiring a more tangible means of expression than in many other signs.

This sign is ruled by the planet Venus, and the Moon is exalted here. Its symbol is the bull. It rules the neck, throat, and voice. Crafting and chanting could easily be used in magic work at this time to good effect. Sage and mint are two good herbs for Taurus. Oils, and incense like ylang ylang, cardamom, and cinnamon would be good choices.

Intentional healing

I will be focusing on healing work myself this full moon. I am planning to charge some crystal jewelry for myself and others with the intention of healing, as well as making a poppet or two. Writing the intention and placing the crystals on this list, stuffing the list into the poppet, along with appropriate herbs and chanting over them in the moonlight should be very powerful.

I think something similar for an intention like increasing creativity, or artistic productivity, or even drawing more money from such projects would be successful at this full moon.

Whatever intentions you set, spells or rituals you do make sure to have fun with it, and in the spirit of Taurus, enjoy it.