“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” Jack Kerouac, On the Road

The New Moon this month occurs in the sign of Sagittarius (0°) on Saturday November 22nd, at 4:32 am (PST).  Sagittarius is a Mutable Fire sign, meaning that it is a threshold sign, bridging one season into the next, and resonating with the visionary element of Fire.  Sagittarius is the hero/ine searching for the Quest that will bring not only individuation, but ultimate meaning.  Sag embodies enthusiastic, looking-to-the-future, outward moving energy after the inward directed flow of Scorpio.  The mood is now noticeably lighter, and we are compelled to make sense of the truths that were unearthed while the Sun transited Scorpio.  

I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my brand new weekly Sun-Sign column, that will be posted to this blog - beginning this weekend, on the New Moon!

The New Moon this month occurs in the sign of Leo (3’ 52) on Saturday, July 26th, at 2:41 pm (PDT).  Leo is the archetype of the Queen/King and embodies the principle of Sovereignty – the entitlement to freely express one’s unique personality with radiant confidence and self-possession.  Leo has faith in the abundance of life, and is associated with the heart center, echoing themes of love, courage, affection, and luminous warmth.  Leo is also associated with the pleasure principle: living with intent, and luxuriating in the fruits of life with unshakable joie de vivre.  The Arts, entertainment, recreation, creative expression and romance all fall under the sign of the Lion.  Creativity in all its forms, including our children, is also Leo terrain.  Leo is radical self-expression, and delights in dramatic displays of personal adornment.  Leo loves to play dress up, and is usually not shy about flaunting their personal style, whatever his or her personal tastes.  This doesn’t mean that every Leo is a fashionista; you’re just as apt to see the characteristic Leo flair for costuming fun at Burning Man as on the catwalk.  It’s all about playing with possibilities.

We make our destinies by our choice of gods. -- Virgil

In my last post, I wrote about the danger of trivializing the gods.  In this post, I want to discuss the danger of trusting them.

I am a Jungian Neo-Pagan, which means that, theologically speaking, I fall somewhere between atheist Pagans and devotional polytheists regarding the existence of the gods.  By placing my beliefs in the "middle" here I do not mean to privilege my beliefs, only to make the point that I both agree and disagree with both groups about different things.  One thing I agree with devotional polytheists about is that the gods should be taken seriously. 

I worry sometimes that we Neo-Pagans don't take our own gods seriously enough.  I disagree with devotional polytheists about the metaphysical nature of the gods, whether they are "real, independent, sentient beings" or real, independent semi-conscious archetypes. (Carl Jung called the archetypes "gods" and compared the psyche to an “Olympus full of deities who want to be propitiated, served, feared and worshipped”.)  But one thing I admire about them is the seriousness (the "piety" if you will) with which they approach the gods.  

The New Moon occurs in its own sign – Cancer - at 1:08 am (PDT) on Friday June 27.  Cancer is the archetype of the Great Mother, and shelters within its embrace comfort, sustenance, security, family, empathy, and tradition.  Cancer energy prompts us to explore our roots, unearthing cues and clues to our own emotional nature and psychic foundation.  Where do we come from? What is our inheritance from our family, the lost homeland, the tribe?  The closest aspect to this New Moon is an ethereal Trine to mystical Neptune in Pisces at 4:53 am.  Here we have both the Moon in its own sign, and Neptune in its own sign, underlining the intuitive, romantic, and yes, otherworldly pull of the subjective.  This is a wildly potent and fertile combination of energies; a deep meeting of body, spirit and extra sensory perception.  Whether you are a writer, artist, lover, or magic-maker, this is the current you want to dive into to bathe in divine inspiration.

Cancer is a Cardinal Water sign, meaning that it is a sign that begins a season, and resonates with the emotionally receptive element of Water.  Cancer is the only sign associated with the Moon.  It is changeable, and like the tides, moves in and out of waxing and waning cycles from receptivity and emotional fullness to introspective retreat.  Cancer is a sign of intuition, empathy, and inner knowing. It resonates with ancestral memory, shifting internal currents, and the unfathomable depths of the psyche.  When Cancer is out of balance or acting from its shadow, it can become entangled in subtle emotional undercurrents, arising in deep melancholic un-nameable longings, strange compulsions and inward vision, which has come to be known as infamous Cancerian “moodiness”.

This morning, May 28^th at 11:40 am (PDT) the New Moon in Gemini occurs, hovering for less than a moment in that space between breaths, and begins waxing even before she is visible in the heavens.  Gemini energy encourages us toward radical experimentation and wild imaginings.   We have the urge to get up and go, and explore new ideas, terrains, and paradigms.

Gemini is a mutable air sign, and as such is connected to the realm of the mind.  Gemini is associated with imagination, communication, language, culture, the Internet, and study. Because it is a mutable sign, it bridges one season into the next, and connects ideas, people, and things.

The New Moon in Taurus, which just happens to coincide with the annular Solar Eclipse occurs at 8 degrees Taurus at 11:14 pm PDT on April 28^th.

Many of us feel exhausted from the Astrological events that have unfolded since the Full Moon in Libra/Lunar Eclipse on April 15^th.  The days following that catalyst were a game changer for many, with one door closing, and another door opening, but many of us can’t quite see where that other door is leading us to just yet.  We only know something integral has shifted, and some of us are likely feeling a bit fragile, blinking at the light of the new day. Then, on the heels of the eclipse came the Cardinal Grand Cross, which exacted between Sunday the 20^th and Wednesday the 23^rd.  No one could blame you if you feel depleted, shaken, and wanting to hide beneath the covers.