Living with the Stars

  The Full Aries Moon at 14 degrees occurs tomorrow morning at 05:47, after which it sets in the western horizon. In Asian cultures, this is known as the Autumn Moon. The Autumn Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is celebrated across many Asian countries including China, Vietnam, Korea and Malaysia. Held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, it honours the full moon and the harvest season. Families gather to share mooncakes - round pastries symbolising unity - and admire the moon's brilliance. Lanterns light up streets and homes. In Vietnam, it is a joyful children's celebration, while in Korea, Chuseok blends ancestral rituals with feasting.   The New Moon two weeks ago had quite a different vibe - yet this Full Moon is still under the influence of that moon as it is part of the cycle which began two weeks ago on the 21st September which was also a solar eclipse. So let's look at the story the sky is offering us.  An Aries Moon is all about initia...

  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...

  For some odd reason (which in my sphere is not odd at all), the importance of the Leo season has been somewhat brought to my attention in a number of ways. Walking past a jewellery shop, there was a display of 'the age of Leo' range of rings and more. Switch on the TV, and the Lionesses chase a ball. That and other small but significant signs. And I'm a Leo native. It's Leo season. The month of July brings with it what is known as the 'dog days' - the intense heat associated with the 'dog star' Sirius, whose heliacal rising occurs this year on the 29th July (but I bet you can feel the fire too - temperatures here in the Med are crazy hot). Sopdet Taken from Wikipedia This fixed star, known as Sopdet to the ancient Egyptians, was a celestial herald of renewal, appearing just before sunrise at the time of the flooding of the River Nile. In this respect Sirius - associated with the goddess Isis, signified a life-giving event that marked the beginning of t...

As the sun sets on the western horizon this evening, the Full Moon rises in the East, reaching culmination at around 10:30pm. This is a Full Moon in the earth sign of Capricorn.  Full Moons are rather like a pause button, a time for reflection. What started as a New Moon on the 25th June (in Cancer) now asks us to take stock of our thoughts and actions since that time. What plans did you want to implement concerning hearth and home (Cancer)? Those plans may have been 'OTT' given that Jupiter, the planet which encourages expansion, was one degree away. Now that we have a Full Moon in the more practical sign of Capricorn, ask yourself the same question through a more practical lens. How much of your plans were you able to implement? Because the Moon reflects the light of the Sun at the full moon, it throws light on what was inspired at the new moon. Let's have a look at what the sky story is. Patterns in the sky. The chart here shows a triangle formation which pulls in all th...

If you've been feeling something is in the air tonight (with apologies to Phil Collins), you are probably right. Over the past two weeks, we have had very significant changes in our sky stories. This, coupled with the Full Moon on the 11th June, made it all very interesting and it all has to do with Jupiter and Saturn. Firstly, gone are the days of Saturn (discipline) in Pisces (spirituality). On the 24/25th May, Saturn changed sign and moved into Aries from the watery sign of the fish. Now, that energy will want to be expressed differently. No more building of inner boundaries.  In astrology, Saturn represents discipline, structure, responsibility, and karmic lessons. It governs time, maturity, and the development of wisdom through challenges. Aries, on the other hand, is the fiery, impulsive warrior of the zodiac—bold, independent, and quick to act. When Saturn finds itself in Aries, we encounter a paradox: the planet of patience and caution colliding with the sign of raw energy ...

  So yes, this is quite late....but I'll get this information out there nonetheless.  On the 12th May, just after sunset, a Full Moon rose in the East. This is the Full Moon in Scorpio, where we found ourselves drawn into the depths of transformation, mystery and intense emotions. Scorpio is the sign associated with the 8th House, the house of hidden truths and secrets. It's also associated with what lies beneath the surface, and as the light of the Full Moon illuminates what lies in the shadows, we could discover hidden treasure in all forms.  Looking at the chart for the Full Moon, Mars, the natural ruler of Scorpio, lay at the highest point in the chart at 11 degrees of Leo. Mars represents the warrior energy in a chart, what motivates you to get out of bed in the morning, and in this Full Moon chart it may well symbolise the gift of the skies this lunar cycle - the energy to pursue what we need to be our authentic selves with others.  So what was the sky story on...

  Welcome to the New Moon in Taurus, happening on the 27th April at 21:31. In astrology, a new moon symbolizes fresh beginnings and opportunities. It marks the start of the lunar cycle, occurring when the moon aligns with the sun in the same zodiac sign. This phase is associated with setting intentions, planting seeds for future growth, and embracing change. The energy of a new moon encourages introspection, helping individuals connect with their inner selves and clarify their goals. It’s a powerful time for manifestation and renewal. It's a good time for planting new seeds not only in terms of setting a new pattern, but also a time for sowers to plant seeds (just in case you like gardening!).  At the time of writing, a pope is being given a send-off. Pope Francis' funeral will be the main focus of attention this weekend, with many dignitaries flooding the Vatican Square, many of whom are controversial figures in their own right. Twelve reigning monarchs will be attending (sur...

  First of all, I'd like to present my apologia for not posting my solar eclipse report for the 29th March. The truth is my workload needed my total attention and priorities are what they are.  So, I aim to present all the information here, starting with the 29th March New Moon and also the Full Moon of the 13th April.  Also important is the number of planets that have gone direct or changed sign. I hope you will find this all very interesting.  The New Moon chart of the 29th March had a number of interesting placements. First of all, an Aries new moon is a fire moon, with its ruler Mars very prominently placed on the ascendant at 22 degrees of Cancer. We must remember that Mars had been backtracking through Cancer it its retrograde period and is now moving forwards. At 22 degrees it is conjunct the fixed star Pollux. This solar eclipse is only a partial one, which means it is not as powerful as a total eclipse. Still, eclipses in any form are not considered fortunat...

  As promised, we'll take a look at the chart of the Lunar Eclipse on the 14th March 2025 and what story the sky was offering at that point in time. Lunar eclipses are said to bring closures, revelations, and transformative shifts. This particular eclipse in Virgo encourages the letting go of perfectionism and outdated systems that no longer serve you. It’s a moment to declutter both mentally and physically, creating space for sustainable growth and harmony. The Virgo-Pisces axis, activated during this eclipse, highlights the need to balance practicality (Virgo) with intuition and spirituality (Pisces). That's the gist of it. But wait, there's more.  One of the first things one notices about this lunar eclipse is that many of the planets seem to be on one side of the chart, and indeed they are splayed between Pisces and Aries. If you think of it as a bus, with the front wheels and the back wheels, it looks like (with the exception of the Moon) Mars the warrior is leading, p...

  This Leo Full Moon certainly packs a punch!  Hello everyone! Welcome to the Leo Full Moon on the 12th February 2025 at 14:53. In astrology, the full moon symbolizes a time of culmination, illumination, and heightened emotions.    The full moon's energy amplifies intuition, making it a powerful moment for introspection and spiritual growth.  It's also a period when the intentions set during the new moon come to fruition. The energy of the full moon encourages reflection, completion of projects, and release of what no longer serves us. Emotions run high, and hidden truths often come to light, providing clarity and insight. It is therefore an ideal time for rituals focused on letting go, forgiveness, and gratitude. Full moons in the sign of Leo focus on  self-expression, creativity, and confidence. Leo, a fire sign ruled by the Sun, is associated with passion, leadership, and a desire to shine. During this time, the energy encourages individuals to embr...

  On the 30th December 2024, at 23:26, the second New Moon in December marks the end of the calendar year. Although it marks the end of 2024, it also heralds the beginning of the new. And what a year it has been. It's also poignant that we have a new moon very close to the new year. Let's have a look at the story the sky is offering us.  The fascinating thing about this New Moon chart is that almost all the planets and lights (the Sun and Moon are called lights, in spite of the fact that the Moon reflects the Sun's light) aspect each other in some way.  The idea of a new moon is that it is the beginning of a lunar cycle which lasts 29.5 days. That is why we are asked to set our intentions at the new moon, which then reaches its peak at the full moon where we reflect (just as the Moon reflects the Sun's light) on what we have manifested in our lives. This New Moon is not only out-of-bounds (something of a wild card vibe) but is also is ruled over by Saturn -  by virtu...

  This Sunday, the 15th December, we will be seeing a big, bright moon in the sky. On the eve of that day, the Moon will be setting in the west, and as the Sun sets, it will be rising in the east. The Moon will be at 23 degrees of Gemini (whilst the Sun is at 23 Sagittarius). But before we get into the Full Moon chart, there are a couple of interesting things that caught our attention last week and the story the sky offered was in no way uninteresting. So I'll start with that first.  Story 1 : The Re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. When heads of state get together under one roof, you just have to sit up and take notice. What's going on? What's the symbolism?  Consecration of Notre Dame Altar 19/5/1182 The history of Notre Dame Cathedral goes back to the 12th century when the altar was consecrated on the 19th May 1182. The cathedral, according to historians, was built on the site of a temple to Jupiter. I mention this because this is a significant detail as w...