Tuesday, March 17th, 2015

Good Morning Readers;

Happy St. Patricks day to one and all! Today we inch ever closer to the Spring Equinox on Ostara, leaving behind the 3 moons of winter. This is one of my favorite times of the year as I watch closely as the Mother awakes from her long slumber. Day by day, it seems as if life itself is languidly and slowly doing a cat-like stretch and yawn. Small green shoots begin to emerge and each day the trees have more buds if we're lucky we may even see the first tulips beginning to emerge waiting to open their brilliant displays. As we have been talking about the March moon has many names depending upon the culture and region of the area reflecting the important tasks of the tribe or clan, whether it be the Native American Crow or Worm Moon, commemorating the return of morning birds, or the Sap Moon, in honor of the bountiful and sweet treat provided by the Maple trees  of the Vermont areas, all of life is focused on the coming bounty. In this same spirit of expectant anticipation the moon phase is slowly finishing its cycle as we move into a Waning Crescent this is a time to let go, making ready for the goals and intentions of the New Moon on the 20th. The moon will enter void-of-course at 2:18pm today until Wednesday at 6:58 am when it will ease into Pisces. Love and Light readers and until tomorrow, Blessed Be!

Crow Moon or Worm Moon:

Some Native American tribes consider the March moon.People are born in this sign often convey themselves and their ideas easily because of and innate ability to be extremely flexible and adaptable.Native Americans attributed this to the tempestuous transition in which you were born. This gives you a unique alacrity, a moveable mind. This specialized mental condition allows you to communicate with other realms of life - you will be particularly drawn to fire animals and birds because these creatures are fast thinkers. Your lifes' skill is in the realm of helping  others through transition just as the March moon transitions our planet from Winter to Spring. 

Waning Crescent:

Because the moon is nearly on a line with the Earth and sun again, the day hemisphere of the moon is facing mostly away from us once more. We see only a slender fraction of the moon’s day side: a crescent moon.

Each morning before dawn, because the moon is moving eastward in orbit around Earth, the moon appears closer to the sunrise glare. We see less and less of the moon’s day side, and thus the crescent in the east before dawn appears thinner each day.

The moon, as always, is rising in the east day after day. But most people won’t see this moon phase unless they get up early. When the sun comes up, and the sky grows brighter, the waning crescent moon fades. Now the moon is so near the Earth/sun line that the sun’s glare is drowning this slim moon from view.

Still, the waning crescent is up there, nearly all day long, moving ahead of the sun across the sky’s dome. It sets in the west several hours or less before sunset.

Void-of-Course: 

VOC* (void of course) or v/c refers to the period of time between the final aspect that the Moon makes while in one sign until she enters the next sign. This can consist of several minutes or many hours. These periods are best handled with little expectation of accomplishment; times ideally suited for rest and contemplation.
Block off these times in your schedule and avoid making significant decisions or working on important projects during these times. During VOC* Moon, focus on routine tasks. You will be surprised at how this one change will smooth the edges of your life!

Do you have questions about what is appropriate to do or not do during the VOC* moon? A simple way to think about it is to ask a simple question: Do I hope that this activity will amount to something? If the activity does not need to amount to anything go ahead with it! If you have an expectation or desire that this action is going to amount to something, do not do it while the Moon is VOC*. Think about the time you bought a book you were certain you were going to love and you never could finish it! Think about the time you bought the perfect article of clothing that you ended up never wearing; that is the Moon VOC*!

Thursday, March 12th, 2015

Good Morning Readers: 

Another beautiful morning in the Midwest, The Worm Moon is upon us here as I sit in my backyard listening to the birds singing as they search for their morning meal. The Snow has almost completely melted and the ground has begun to thaw bringing the  anticipation and the promise of abundance to avid gardeners. the Waxing Gibbous Moon gently reminds us to release that which we do not need in order to make space in our lives for the bounty to come. It is time to plan Spring Cleaning projects or to ready our tools for the gardening to come. Today the moon remains in Sagittarius, our energetic athletic sign of the zodiac, making it a perfect time to stroll the neighborhood  dream of our plans for Spring. Today is also a harvest day, so it may be a good day to trim back those kitchen herbs that have gotten a little straggly.

March: The Worm Moon
Snow slowly begins to melt, the ground softens, and earthworms show their heads again and their castings or fecal matter can be found. Other signs of spring gave rise to other variations: the cawing of crows (the Crow Moon); the formation of crusts on the snow from repeated thawing and freezing (the Crust Moon); and the time for tapping maple trees (the Sap Moon). Christian settlers also called this the Lenten Moon and considered it the last moon of winter.

Waxing Gibbous Moon:

The illustration may look a little complex at first, but it’s easy to explain.

Sunlight is shown coming in from the right. The earth, of course, is at the center of the diagram. The moon is shown at 8 key stages during its revolution around the earth. The moon phase name is shown alongside the image. The dotted line from the earth to the moon represents  the line of sight when looking at the moon. The large moon image shows what you would see at that point in the cycle. For the waning gibbous, third quarter and waning crescent phases you must mentally turn yourself upside down when imagining the line of sight. When you do this, you’ll “see” that the illuminated portion is on your left, just as you see in the large image.

One important thing to notice is that exactly one-half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun. Of course, that is perfectly logical, but you need to visualize it in order to understand the phases. At certain times, we see both the sunlit portion and the shadowed portion — and that creates the various moon phase shapes we are all familiar with. Also, note that the shadowed part of the moon is invisible to the naked eye; in the diagram above, it is only shown for clarification purposes. Finally, please realize this diagram is only meant to demonstrate how the phases work; the small inner moons in the diagram do not show the fact that the  same side of the moon always faces Earth.

So the basic explanation is that the lunar phases are created by changing angles (relative positions) of the earth, the moon, and the sun, as the moon orbits the earth.

Moon in Sagittarius:

When the moon resides in the sign of Sagittarius, we all subconsciously become Sagittarius. Optimism, vitality, generosity, good intention, striving for protection intensify, as well as a desire for philosophy, expansion of  our horizons or just a desire for a walk somewhere.

These days are favorable for studying, work, teaching, and also expansion of the area of interest,

Sunday,March 1st,2015

Good Morning Readers;

The Moon is an important heavenly body. It controls the tides and many other natural systems on our planet.Since the beginning of time, the ancients recognized the moon as a symbol of the changing seasons, and farmers have long since used the moon to guide the cycles of planting and harvest.This months' moon goes by many names, the chaste moon  in honor of the maiden, the time of anticipation and making ready for the Spring  and the fullness and productivity of the Mother.The Worm Moon speaking of the coming spring and the return of the birds. Women, in particular, are often drawn to the moon as we match the 28 day cycle of the moon to our menstrual cycles Additionally, the moons aspects match the cycles of our life as we phase through the Maiden  the Mother and the Crone. This evenings moon is the Waxing Gibbous, it is the maiden phase of the moon  She inspires and illuminates us matching the natural.Witches and pagans draw on her power for lunar magic. We cast our spells in accord with her cycles. She inspires and illuminates us.  She mirrors the stages of our lives: "Maiden", "Mother" and "Crone". She is an ever evolving and changing entity as are we. .As the Wheel of the Moon continues on its never ending course, the moon also travels through the different astrological signs, just as the sun does, only more rapidly. When the moon sides within the various signs, that sign influences the magical aspect of the moon.Our current moon is void-of-course until 6:45 this evening when we will enter Leo.Keep reading for a more detailed explanation of the moon cycles below and till tomorrow ligh and love dear readers and blessed be.  

Chaste Moon: 

Like the Goddess of the Moon Diana, nature is poised - potential about to burst into life all around us. Just as the Goddess has many faces and forms, so can we. The circle dance never ends, only revolves again and again. Thus as the Goddess ever renews her aspect, so can Her children.

This new journey began with the Storm Moon in February by firming our foundations to prepare for change, and now is the time to discover our potential. On the Esbat of the Chaste Moon, we look deep within ourselves to strengthen our foundations ready to plant the seeds of our new lives, and discover what lies there waiting, like the Maiden, to be fulfilled.

Waxing Gibbous:

The waxing gibbous moon happens when the moon is between a 45 and 90 degree angle with respect to the Earth and Sun. So we are seeing more than half of the moon illuminated and less than half in shadow. The word gibbous refers to phases where the moon is more than half illuminated. “Waxing” essentially means growing or increasing in illumination. Each evening, as the moon’s orbital motion, carries it towards the Earth-sun line, we see more of the moon’s day side.Witches find this a time for spells of growing or changing. 

Moon in Leo 

Leo is a complicated sign with many good traits it can be

Generous and warmheartedCreative and enthusiastic

Creative and enthusiastic

Broad-minded and expansive
Faithful and loving

 However, there is a dark side of Leo as well  it can also be ..

Pompous and patronizing
Bossy and interfering
Dogmatic and intolera

Friday, February 27th 2015

Good Morning Readers:

In some traditions, the March moon is the Chaste Moon in honor of the  Maiden, a time of expectant wonder. The 1st quarter moon mirrors this as it prepares for the coming full moon. This is a time to prepare, to plan, and to dream. We make ready for what is to come. If matters of home and hearth are your concern this morning the moon enters Cancer at 7:50 am. The Moon in Cancer will help to encourage communication in relation to domestic matters.

Chaste Moon:

The Chaste Moon of March (also known as the Lenten, Seed, Sap, Worm and Hare Moon) truly marks the celebration of Spring. It is the observance of the return of the Goddess in all her Maiden glory. At this time of the year we prepare for planting the fields and gardens, blessing the seeds for the crops in the hope that the year’s harvest will be plentiful.

Like the Goddess of the Moon Diana, nature is poised - potential about to burst into life all around us. Just as the Goddess has many faces and forms, so can we. The circle dance never ends, only revolves again and again. Thus as the Goddess ever renews her aspect, so can Her children.

This new journey began with the Storm Moon in February by firming our foundations to prepare for change, and now is the time to discover our potential. On the Esbat of the Chaste Moon, we look deep within ourselves to strengthen our foundations ready to plant the seeds of our new lives, and discover what lies there waiting, like the Maiden, to be fulfilled.

On the 20th of March , the Sabbat of Ostara will be celebrated. The stirrings of Mother Earth are now apparent, with the first spring flowers began to emerge from the earth, the woodlands begin to bristle and rustle with new life and the birds begin to return and serenade us once again – the song of the Robin is now not the only song to be heard. Her Consort now seeks out the Maiden Goddess, and their liaison grows in power and intensity. As this bond develops, so too can we develop and cultivate new strengths to reach our own dizzy heights.

“I am the moon that rises from the twilight sea,
I bring men dreams that rule their destiny,
Bring the dream tides to the souls of men, The tides that ebb and flow and ebb again…

The tides that ebb and flow and ebb again…

These are the moon tides, these belong to me,

Hera in Heaven, in earth, Persephone,
Levannah of the tides, and Hecate,
Diana of the Moon, Star of the Sea.
These are my secrets, these belong to me…”
Dion Fortune, The Sea Priestess.

1st quarter Moon:

If you want to gain something (friendship, money, job, intelligence) do your magic during the WAXING MOON (when the moon is getting full)

The time between the waxing and Full Moon is the ideal time to do magic to draw things to you.

Cancer:

The moon in cancer stimulates emotional rapport between people. Cancer supports growth and nurturing making this a great time to attend to domestic concerns, and create harmony at home. 

Thursday, February 26th, 2015

Good Morning Readers:

This evening we remain in the 1st quarter of the waxing moon. Allowing us  to continue the growth of our intentions for the month as we continue to the Full Moon on the 5th of March.  The moon will also enter a void-of-course at 3:43 am. until Friday at 7:50 am when the moon enters Cancer.

Storm Moon

Like most of our moons, the one in March is called a number of names,  depending upon the tradition. You could call it the Sap Moon, the Crust Moon, the Crow Moon, even the Maple Sugar Moon or the Worm Moon.According to lore, the full moon was named for the time of year when robins start to reemerge from where they spent the cold season, tugging at worms in the thawing ground.Though it’s true worms would be more accessible to birds when spring hits, robins actually never leave most places, unlike many birds that do migrate elsewhere for  the winter. The American Robin spends the whole winter in their breeding range,” according to Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology. But because they spend more time roosting in trees and less time in your yard, you’re much less likely to see them.”Much like the robin The Sap Moon and Maple Sugar Moon is so named for the sap for the sap oozing from maple trees  long  considered a sign that spring is about to arrive. 

Of course, the truest mark of spring doesn’t happen until, March 20 at the vernal equinox

Though there’s always a chance for a late season snow storms  (like the ones that could hit parts of the Midwest and Northeast Sunday into Monday), spring is literally right around the corner.

1st Quarter moon:

The First Quarter Moon appears approximately a week after the New Moon.  We might call the First
Quarter Moon, as well as the Last Quarter Moon, “the half Moon,” because the Moon appears cut in half.  It
is not a quarter of a Moon at all in appearance.Every night the Moon rises in the East a little later and the thickness of the Waxing Crescent gets fatter until the shape of the Moon is half a circle. This is the First Quarter, also called by some people the Waxing Half Moon. It is dark on the left and bright on the right.The Waxing First Quarter Moon rises about at noon and sets about at midnight.After that, the Moon kind of starts to look like it is pregnant. It is perfectly round on the right side, but bulged out past half-way on the left. This is the Waxing Gibbous Moon. You can continue to do waxing, drawing, increasing, or growth spells.

Void-of-course: 

Void-of-course motion is the Moon reaches near the end degrees of the zodiac sign that it has been traveling through. From the time, it makes its last aspect or energy connection with another planet is when the void-of-course motion begins. This period of time, today is when you may feel confused or not sure of what direction to go. This void-of-course period can create unexpected results. You may experience delays and frustrations. During this period of time, it is best to avoid making decisions. It will be much easier to just go with the flow of what is around you. If you can avoid shopping, signing contracts or making important decisions during this time, you will avoid difficulties later on. You will save yourself wasted time, money and effort by paying attention to the do's and don'ts of this period of time. Try looking at the list below and experiment for yourself. You will discover that this time period is best for subjective, non-materialistic avenues of involvement and you may feel much more at ease after having this time to ponder and reflect on important decisions that you may need to make.

Monday, February 23rd, 2015

Good Morning Readers;

This evening the Storm Moon of March is in the Waxing Phase. This months moon reminds of the coming Spring while the Waxing Phase of the Moon urges us to start  again. It is a time for beginnings, a time to let our magic sprout and grow just as the early spring flowers will soon do. For most of the day our moon remains in Taurus giving energy and strength to projects you wish to be resistant to change. Just make sure it is done by 9:57 pm when the moon will be void-of-course to insure success,

Storm Moon:

Celtic ~ Moon of Ice
English Medieval ~ Storm Moon
Neo Pagan ~ Snow Moon

This month  brings with her Moon a time to begin your Spring Cleaning.  It is a time to welcome change, as light once again begins to take hold of the world, and darkness recedes. We need to start making plans for the future, accept responsibility for past discretions; a time for purifying your thoughts and self- forgiveness.  It is a time of rebirth of self, and self- purification.

Waxing Moon:

The Moon today is in a Waxing Crescent Phase. A Waxing Crescent is the first Phase after the New Moon and is a great time to see the features of the moon's surface. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the wester sky after the sun dips below the horizon at sunset. The moon is close to the sun in the sky and mostly dark except for the right edge of the moon which becomes brighter as the days get closer to the next phase which is a First Quarter with a 50% illumination.

Taurus:

Taurus knows how to savor the good things in life, but also excels at taking care of business. They’re blessed with an emotional stability that gives them focus when all others are lost in confusion. They have a take-charge nature, but everything is done with a deliberate style so that each step is on solid ground.

Void-of-course:

The Moon has the fastest orbit, and as it cycles around the Earth, it makes aspects to other planets, and moves through all 12 Zodiac signs. It makes contact with all the wanderers (planets), in what are called aspects. These are the angles formed by the relationship, known as squares, oppositions, trines, sextiles and conjunctions.

When the Moon is Void-of-Course, often written as VOC or v/c on your calendar, it's left the last aspect it'll make before going into the next Zodiac sign. The echo of that last planetary transit can color the emotional atmosphere since the Moon is like our mood lighting.

Sunday, February 22nd, 2015

Good Morning Readers! 

This evening’s Storm Moon remains in the Waxing Phase. It is the to allow the magic to grow as we wait (more or less) patiently for the coming Spring. This morning the moon is void-of-course until 7:28 pm this evening when we will enter Taurus.Taurus brings with it an appreciation for beauty, a Sunday stroll may be just the thing for you.

Storm Moon, aka. Worm Moon, Sap Moon, Lenten Moon 

The Farmer’s Almanac tells us that March’s full moon is known as the Worm Moon amongst the Native Americans – As the temperature begins to warm and the ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts appear, heralding the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this Moon as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. To the settlers, it was also known as the Lenten Moon, and was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.

According to the Wise Witches Society, this moon is known as the Seed Moon; sowing season and symbol of the start of the new year.

The Waxing Moon

Waxing Moon means the moon is getting larger in the sky, moving from the New Moon towards the Full Moon. This is a time for spells that attract, that bring positive change, spells for love, good luck, growth. This is a time for new beginnings, to conceptualize ideas, to invoke. At this time the moon represents the Goddess in her Maiden aspect, give praise to Epona, Artemis or one of the other Maiden Goddesses. The period of the waxing moon lasts about 14 days.

‘…as the moon waxes and wanes,
and walks three nights in darkness,
so the Goddess once spent three nights
in the kingdom of Death.’

Void-of-Course:

he Moon rules our subconscious, emotions and feelings. When she goes “void” this is experienced on a mass global level. People are not tuned into reality 100%. Often they are prone to be detached from reality, spacey, and feel unanchored.

Taurus :

Taurus’ element is Earth, and just like the other Earth  signs  it is noted for its  practicality, This sign is  extremely down to earth practical and reliable. The Spirit of Taurus will lend power to endeavors you want to be stable and hard to change.Projects started at this time also tend to increase in value.

Good Morning Readers! 

Hopefully you all slept well under the light of the New Moon. The Storm Moon today  reminds us that Spring is on the way with it's spring storms to nurture the spring plantings. This New Moon is also a Super Moon being quite close to the Earth in it's orbit even if we were unable to see it so close to the Sun's orbit. The New Moon urges us to make plans and set intentions for the coming month. Today the moon will be void-of-course from 6:02pm to 7:11 pm when the moon enters Aries. The Moon in
Aries makes this a great time to start projects, things will seem to move quickly. Beware of Aries argumentative nature thought in order to make them run smoothly

Storm Moon:

The Storm Moon of late February is so named for the Spring storms. As the old saying goes March comes in like a lion and leaves like the lamb. 

New Moon:

New Moon workings can be done from the day of the new moon to three-and-a-half days after. The new moon is for starting new ventures, new beginnings. Also love and romance, health or job hunting.

Super Moon 

Last night we experienced a rare event, a Dark Super Moon during this time, the moon is at the closest to the Earth than at any other time making it appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons.

Scientists call this phenomenon a “perigee moon.” The moon is usually about 238,000 miles from our planet, but because of the elliptical shape of the moon’s orbit, the distance varies throughout the year. At perigee, the moon is about 12,000 miles closer to the Earth.

You won’t be able to see Wednesday’s unique supermoon due to the sun’s glaring rays concealing it during day hours. But with minimal light pollution from the moon, it’ll be a prime time to dig out those astronomical binoculars and go searching for faint objects in the galaxy.

As Universe Today puts it, a black moon is the simply a new moon version of a blue moon — which is an extra full more in a season having nothing to do with color — and is either:

1. A month missing a Full or New Moon… this can only occur in February, as the lunar synodic period from like phase to phase is 29.5 days long. This last occurred in 2014 and will next occur in 2018.
2. The second New Moon in a month with two. This can happen in any calendar month except February.
3. And now for the most convoluted definition: the third New Moon in an astronomical season with four.
   The black moon  intensifies  ocean waters to create surging tides, known as a perigean spring tide. In some countries, like the United States, the phenomenon is known as the King Tide. As a result, a coastal flood alert is in effect until late Thursday.
   The black supermoon won’t be back until Oct. 30th, 2016, however, a spectacular blue moon is expected on July 31 this year.

Moon in Aries 

Great time for starting projects. Things may occur rapidly, but quickly pass. People may also become more assertive or even argumentative during this time.

Good Morning Readers:

Our moon is void-of-course until 6:47pm today when it officially enters the New Moon phase and enters Pisces. For those of you seeking to align your life with the natural cycles of the moon, this evening will be a perfect time to renew intentions and goals for the coming month. This month's  Storm Moon will bring with it the warmth of spring and the life-giving summer storms that nourish the earth. It is a time of beginning, a time of action. The Pisces moon reminds us to dream, and trust our intuition as we move forward to the next season. It is a great time for spiritual activities. 

Storm Moon

March rolls in like the proverbial lion, and if we're really lucky, it might go out like a lamb. It's the time of the Storm Moon, the month when Spring finally arrives.Heavy rains and gray skies abound as the earth is  showered with the life-giving water it needs to have a fertile and healthy growing season. This is also a time of equal parts light and darkness, and so a time of balance.

New Moon: 

A storm is said to rage most fiercely just before it ends, and the year usually follows suit.

The Moon following the Wolf Moon is the Storm Moon. Whether you meet with a coven on the night of the Full Moon, salute Her in a solitary ritual, or simply blow Her a kiss, bear in mind the magic of this night and the nature of the storms of February. Unlike the boisterous storms of the light half of the year, which are accompanied by the clashing of thunder and the flinging of lightning bolts, the storms of February come in silence. They blanket the world in coldness in keeping with the nature of the dark half of the Wheel of the Year. But beneath the blanket of cold and silent snow, Nature rests, as we do when in the realm of the Spirit that is called death; and like those in the world of Spirit, Nature prepares for life anew.New  Moon workings can be done from the day of the new moon to three-and-a-half days after. The new moon is for starting new ventures, new beginnings. Also love and romance, health or job hunting.

Pisces:  Pisces Moon will often have strong psychic abilities. They find it easy to walk a mile in someone else's shoes and are amazingly compassionate and full of love. Unfortunately, this capacity also makes it easy for them to lose themselves in others' problems.During the Pisces Moon, you  will often have strong psychic abilities. Finding  it easy to walk a mile in someone else's shoes and are amazingly compassionate and full of love. Unfortunately, this capacity also makes it easy for them to lose themselves in others' problems. During the Pisces Moon, you can become overwhelmed with reality or  become despondent by those around you if you are not careful, so be careful the next few days of your company. 

Good Morning Readers!

Today, tomorrow and the next day are the cycles of the New Moon.The February 18 the moon qualifies as a supermoon if you accept the definition by Richard Nolle that started the whole supermoon craze a few years ago. Nolle, who is credited for coining the term, defines a supermoon as:

… a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.

This Months moon is considered the Storm Moon or Worm Moon for the Spring weather we will start to see. Additionally the moon remains in Capricorn today, urging us to focus on tradition and responsibilities

Storm Moon:

In this month, the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation.

New Moon 

Officially the dark moon can be  time for ridding oneself of bad habits, Binding spells, for exploring our darkest recesses and understanding our angers and passions. Also bringing justice to bear.The New Moon can also be a time to set intentions and goals for the coming month.

Dark Moon:

The new moon comes on February 18, 2015, and then reaches perigee less than one-third day later. It’s the closest new moon of the year, which qualifies it as a new moon supermoon. It’s also a seasonal Black Moon; that is, it’s the third of four new moons in the current season (December solstice to March equinox). The moon reaches lunar perigee – the moon’s closest point to Earth for the month – some 7.6 hours after the moon turns new at 23:47 UTC (6:47 p.m. CDT) on February 18. Don’t expect to see anything special, not even a little crescent like that in the photo above. A  full supermoon is out all night – brighter than your average full moon. But a NewMoon supermoon is only out during the daytime hours, hidden in the sun’s glare.

 Cappricorn 

Capricorn’s influence helps to build strong structure in our lives. Capricorn uges us to focus on traditions, responsibilities and obligations making this a great time to set boundaries and rules