Living with the Stars

  Good morning y'all! Let's all bid welcome to the Virgo New Moon. New Moons are a time when we set our intentions for this lunar cycle, so be sure to have a think about what it is you want to manifest.  We have just left the zodiac sign of Leo, a time when the emphasis was on creativity and finding your inner king. But like all kings, they need their subjects who recognise them as king. The keyword here is recognition and therefore, in other words, the essence of Leo is about knowing who you are, what you're about and what you stand for. It is the myth of Parsifal.  After completing the journey through Leo, when we go in search of ourself, we move into the next sign, Virgo, where, knowing who we are and all that, we separate the wheat from the chaff; we evaluate and sift through our experiences. That is why Mercury rules this sign; this Mercury (as opposed to the curious, information-chasing Merc we associate with Gemini) has a more discriminating and discerning nature w...

  So the Mercury retrograde had me delay uploading this post until after yesterday's Full Moon in Aquarius, so I'll do my best to get this to you before the sun disappears over the western horizon today.  Let's start with the obvious. An Aquarian Full Moon occurs when there is a full moon when the Sun is transiting the zodiac sign of Leo. Full Moons reflect the light of the Sun and throw light on the intentions sown at the beginning of this lunar cycle, the New Moon. This Full Moon is an aquarian one, meaning there is a certain amount of emotional detachment (Moon in Aquarius), highlighting a need to let go, and this month it is particularly strong owing to the kite formation as shown in the chart. Let's unpack this.  You might notice that there are quite a few planets positioned over 1 degree of something; Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto (in fact, all the outer planets are at one degree of a sign, signifying they are transiting a new 'landscape'). The f...

  The Full Moon of the 31st August is the second full moon of the calendar month, making it what is commonly known as a blue moon. Apparently it can also appear to be blue-ish in colour. The exact time of this full moon is 03:35, as the Moon was about to set in the west. So those of you who were not in the land of Nod might have been able to see it early this morning.  This full moon occurs in the sign of the fish, Pisces, at around 7 degrees of that sign. The Sun, obviously, is in the sign of the maiden, Virgo. The Virgo/Pisces axis deals with the notion of service and sacrifice, as Virgo is all about that which enslaves us in mundane life (daily chores) and Pisces is where we transcend the ego and offer our services for the good of others. This is in a nutshell, of course, as Virgo is also about the state of our health and animals, amongst other things, but this is a subject which deserves closer study. That's for another day.  Let's look at the story the sky is offerin...

  The New Moon in Leo for 2023 occurs at 23*17' on the 16th  at 11:38am. This starts a new lunar cycle which will last until the Full Moon on the 31st of August (which, incidentally, is what is called a 'Blue Moon' - the second full moon in a calendar month). This is a time to set your new intentions for this cycle. First, let's have a look at what is going on in the zodiac chart for this new moon.  Leo is a sign associated with creativity as a means of expressing one's essence. Unlike the full moon, where emotions are at the forefront of this part of the lunar cycle, the New Moon chart is where the Moon is in the same position of the Sun, indicating a balance between the solar self and lunar intuitive part of our psyche. Leo is all about expressing one's ego. The lion is associated with kingship, where we become aware of our own creative prowess and our need to shine.  If we overdo the 'king thing' we become a tyrant, our egos get in the way, and our ...

  I realised this morning that this blog is actually one year old as of the 5th August 2021! In one year, I've posted a total of 41 articles, the most popular being my  post on the autumnal equinox of 2021. Just as we all have birth charts, so do 'things' and events. One thing astrologers like to do is to get the exact timing of events, for example, when a new government is sworn in, or when a child is born. My blog was born on the 5th August 2021 at 00:37, and its 'birth chart' is very revealing. Writing is usually ascribed to Mercury, as god of communication. According to the blog's birth chart, Mercury was in Leo, at the time, conjunct the Sun, and in the 4th house. Leo is a sign associated with creativity, and the 4th house has to do with the home; put it together, and you'd have the perfect description of expressing one's creative impulses from within the home, or, home would be the perfect environment to exchange ideas and information. Also, both V...

  A full moon will occur on the 22 nd August 2021 at 14:01 local Malta time. A full moon occurs when the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the Earth resulting in an illuminated moon. This is quite a special Full Moon as it is the second Full Moon during the zodiac month of Leo (23 rd July – 23 rd August), making it a ‘Blue Moon’ in Leo (though technically the Moon is passing through the sign of Aquarius). The first Full Moon occurred on the 24 th July at 1 ° Aquarius and was marked by a conjunction with Saturn (conjunction – when two planets line up in the zodiac) giving it a somewhat restrictive vibe. Traditionally, Saturn is known as the taskmaster, that which makes us take responsibility for what we engage in or with. In other words, you have to work hard to gain authority in that area. Saturn rules two zodiac signs, Capricorn and Aquarius, although Uranus, discovered in 1781, has been ascribed to Aquarius. The Full Moon on the 22 nd   has a totally different...

  A New Moon in Leo on the 8 th  August at 15:50 offers us the opportunity to put in an intention to be more creative – that is what Leo is about, after all – opening up the heart to new possibilities. The overall feel is one of positivity and the ability to imagine wonderful scenarios – a gateway, if you will. Gateways are always interesting as they offer us mortals the opportunity to envision something new. To the Ancient Egyptians, the moment the dog star Sirius rose with the Sun (heliacal rising) meant that the New Year commenced. Sirius is associated with Leo (although it is a star in the constellation Canis Major) as it always rose in the ‘hot days’ when the Nile flooded, bringing with it the promise of renewal. To the ancient Egyptians, this event was met with much trepidation as they would understand that the year ahead was guaranteed crops. Two important backdrops to be noted for this New Moon is the Lions Gate Portal and the ongoing Saturn/Uranus dance. The 8:8 (...