Full Moon October 2014

October 8^th, 2014

Full Blood Moon in 20 degrees Sidereal Pisces

6:51am EDT

may the tide

that is entering even now

the lip of our understanding

carry you out

beyond the face of fear

may you kiss

the wind then turn from it

certain that it will

love your back    may you

open your eyes to water

water waving forever

and may you in your innocence

sail through this to that – Lucille Clifton

The shadow may very well be the symbol of this time, as the Autumnal period is the season of ancestors, going inward and thanksgiving for reaping the bounty of the seeds we harvested in Spring. We have several shadowy influences creating dynamic forces around us at current: an full lunar eclipse- indicating the moon’s passing through the umbral shadow of the earth, Mercury’s retrograde- where it appears to stand still, forces us to look back and examine our own shadows, and Mars in Ophiuchus- who recently returned to our psyches, our astrology and the reemergence of female power. This is the second in the tetrad of blood moons that began in April. For those who subscribe to the Abrahamic traditions, this tetrad may signify the end of times and refer to the prophecies of the four blood moons- for us who subscribe to the cyclical, never-ending nature of time, it represents the end of an age. We are now in the Age of Aquarius (again referencing that backward/forward movement, as we went from Pisces to Aquarius in terms of astronomical age), as the pit of emotions exemplary of the Piscean age has come to it finale. We move from the irrational ambiguity that comes with a surplus of feeling into the age of higher mind. This blood moon in Pisces is magnified by its involvement in a grand aspect- a Kite- making its influence all the more pronounced.

During the major shifts that we are currently experiencing and will continue to see through the end of the year, now is the optimal time to rethink our relationships to our bodies and how we care for ourselves. With the North Node in the second decanate of Virgo, we have seen disease and infection spread around the world (the blood moon in Pisces adds to the wide spread paranoia, as evidenced by the media’s handling of the Ebola “crisis”). In Virgo, we focus on diet, health, hygiene, healing, self-care and mind/body awareness. Focus on how you take care of yourself and family. Be careful of infections and hygiene, particularly things that are contagious. Raw, unfiltered, unprocessed coconut oil is a wonderful thing to have in the kitchen right now. Here is a little tip: to help prevent inhaled airborne pathogens from entering the body, rub a bit of coconut oil on the inside of your nostrils daily.

In the spirit of maintaining health, I am sharing my recipe for Fire Cider (a classic staple in the herbalist community). This can be used as a preventative by taking a teaspoon or two daily. Should you become ill, take 1-2 tablespoons ¾ times daily. This can be added to tea, soups, salads or whatever else if you would like to incorporate it into your cooking:

1 whole bulb garlic
1 large white onion
1 organic horseradish
1 whole ginger root
½ cup of astralagus root
2 tsp elecampagne (I use the powder)
¼ fresh scotch bonnet pepper
1 teaspoon raw, unfiltered pure honey
Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother (I use Bragg) to cover

*I use organic ingredients as much as possible. Also, I order from Mountain Rose Herbs for great prices.

Peel and mince the garlic, onion and ginger. Chop the horseradish and scotch bonnet pepper. Add all of them to a 1 qt mason jar along with the astralagus root and elecampagne. Cover the ingredients in Apple Cider Vinegar and add the honey. Close tightly and shake. For those who need a visual reference, check out Herbalist Goddess Rosemary Gladstar making her recipe here.

Shake daily for 2-4 weeks, then strain. Your tincture is ready! Some people prefer not to strain but that can get funky and your mix can start to get too thick. But hey, if you like it, run with it!

Now back to this moon

Lunar eclipses are known by many names within the astrological community. Personally, I like to call them the Revealers and End-bringers. Lunar eclipses tend to bring out all the stuff we’ve been hiding- collectively and individually- while simultaneously bringing about endings. Sometimes those endings are rough, sometimes bittersweet, but always necessary.

The energy of this moon is hyper-sensitive, psychic and erratic. Under stress this could manifest as paranoia, neurosis and drama. It is conjunct Uranus- the dynamic, unpredictable revolutionary- and the South Node, both retrograde in the sign of Pisces and in opposition to the North Node in retrograde, Mercury retrograde (which again, has been in effect since the 4^th and has been taking no prisoners) and Venus all in Virgo. Venus here is weakened in the sign of its fall, which could bring relationship issues to the fore and make for some dramatic exchanges in the midst of all this stuff happening. Uranus’ involvement could mean sudden surprises and revelations, or even the ending of relationships with women or female-figures in our lives (Moon). Uranus, the Moon and South Node are all opposite the Sun- meaning, it’s time to let go of what doesn’t work for US and our ultimate goals. Black Moon Lilith makes her way into this narrative as well, as she is in Leo and also trine the Moon in Pisces, adding the fiery, ego-focused sensitivity of that sign to this combustible mix. Things may seemingly happen out of nowhere causing distrust and confusion. With all these major shifts that sense of anxiety and discomfort is almost inescapable but this ultimately is a good thing. Within the next 30 days, life will completely transform.

Drawing down this energy 

There are many prophecies around this blood moon and it is not hard to see why many spiritual traditions choose to perform special ritual in honor of Her eclipse. Beaming bright with Her fiery red glow she bears the name “Ruler of the Stars”.  Stationed in the watery feminine of Pisces, her glow casts rays on all that we need to see.  The trine involving the Moon in Pisces, Mars in Ophiuchus and Jupiter in Cancer – brings ether/spirit and the power of water in harmonious rhythm, opening the gate to communications of a spiritual and philosophical, higher-minded nature- from the sacred feminine forces. If we can silence the noise in our heads and hearts long enough to listen very carefully and tune in, our spiritual instincts will be keen- albeit super emotional- and if we can direct these instincts through empowering and self-affirming methods, we can develop by leaps and bounds. Or, if we give into the negative shadowy side as represented by Mars in Ophiuchus, “The Warrior”, which gives her the powers of mind control, mesmerism and manipulation, we can engage in deceit, delusion and vibrations that rid us of our true power. As always, there is choice.

Black Moon Lilith, another vehicle of revelation and change agent, gives us the opportunity to grow. Here she challenges us to push our own boundaries and stop fighting for the wrong things. We cannot fight change but we can shape and direct it for our highest benefit. Adding to the feminine energetic influences around the Moon at 20 degrees of Pisces is the star Markab, located in the constellation of Pegasus. In Greek mythology Pegasus, is born of the blood of Medusa, after Perseus had cut off her head and was then  tamed and ridden by Bellerophon. Being weary of earthly affairs Bellerophon attempted to fly to heaven but fell off, and Pegasus continued his course, entered heaven and took his place among the stars. [Robson, p. 56.] This star is said to give an influence similar to Mars and Mercury, and the constellation helps us gain ambition, intuition, and sometimes, bad judgment. [Robson, p. 56.]

Now is the time to harness this energy through water. Pray over a bowl of water and set it out under this moon to catch the fullness of this energy. Add some of that water to a spiritual bath consisting of:

Sea water
Blue or white flowers
Jasmine or bergamot essential oil
Fresh basil

Scrub the basil leaves in the in the water/oil mixture well to extra the essence. As you prepare your sacred bath, pray for clarity, calm and peace. Pray to be assisted and uplifted by your guides and to be released from anything that no longer serves you. Allow the Ruler of the Stars to bring your true desires to the surface by removing the superficial blockages that cloud your vision.

When it is time to take your bath, be sure to smudge your space (advice on scents below) and create a sacred environment for your cleansing. This can be added to your bath water as you sit in, soak and pray.

Additional stats:

Herbs/Plants: basil, lemon balm, irish moss
Scents/Oils: bergamot, jasmine, ylang ylang
Stones: lodolite, moonstone
Tarot: 9 of Cups
Color: greens, browns, burnt orange

For additional information on how these things will directly affect you look to your first house and where the moon falls in your chart. Also look to where Pisces may fall in your chart. If you would like your 13 sign chart drafted just contact me.

As always, I leave you with a musical offering to mellow the vibe and ride this wave. Enjoy!

Until next time Beloveds.

-Ty Shaw

*Star info lovingly sourced from "The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology" by Vivian Robson
**These images are not mine and sourced from google.com. If you are the owner I would love to credit you. Just shoot me a message and I'll get that info up!

September New Harvest Moon

Your teachers

Are all around you.

All that you perceive,

All that you experience,

All that is given to you

or taken from you,

All that you love or hate,

need or fear

Will teach you---

If you will learn. -Octavia Butler

September 24^th, 2:14am EST

4* Sidereal Virgo in the third house

After a summer full of super-moons culminating in the intense and emotionally charged full moon in Sidereal Pisces (the same day Mercury was squaring Pluto) the fall equinox greets us with a new moon in Sidereal Virgo. Interestingly enough, my last post on this blog was on the new moon in Tropical Virgo of September 2013, and here I am coming back full circle, just in time for the new moon of Sidereal Virgo, 2014.  Can’t make this stuff up!

Heavy September

Since the onset of tumultuous energies that were activated by the Grand Cross back in April, this year has been no walk in the park. At that time the foundations were set when the Uranus- Pluto squares set off and now in September we are here again. And while I really wish I could deliver some light, happy news for the month, alas, such is not the case. These are the times we are living in folks: just look at the news or your Facebook feed. This month is no different, with its volatile energy ready to pop at any moment. There are some pockets of light though…let’s make the very best of them. Virgo season in the sidereal zodiac is upon us. As I said in last year’s post, the Earth signs are having heavy influence (Sun, Moon, Rahu all in earthy Virgo) and themes around practicality, perfectionism, and artistry abound. It’s a time when we are being pulled to hone the intellect and become more precise as we prepare to go back to school, back to work and into autumn. That summer feeling is gone and the seriousness of the earth signs ruling this period bear the weight of that energetic vibration. The Grand Cross that went into effect on September 5^th pushed into a cross roads and when everything is all said and done, it will all look vastly different.

There is an overall heaviness to the month of September. Mercury and Saturn give us a feeling of tension and urgency from the Grand Cross, and Mars transit through it will form a T-Square. While we can easily see this play out all over the world- from the Middle East to Ferguson- individually we could experience this as a feeling of being pushed to our limits, demanding to unravel us at the seams.  It’s an exhausting tension because this interesting cocktail of dynamic forces pull away at us and the only way out of it is through it. We have to stay focused and not get sucked into the whirlwind before us.

This new moon is in the third house which deals with communication, our immediate environment- siblings, peers, colleagues- primary and secondary education and apprenticeship. It beckons us to discuss our feelings and become aware in order to plant new seeds for what we’d like to see come to fruition by the next full moon and beyond. This new moon in Virgo rules our health and our analytical processes. Virgo wants to apply what it has learned- the information that it has acquired through practical means in a way that serves itself and the whole.

According to Kemetic astrology this time of year is ruled by Tehuti (Greek: Thoth). This Neter of wisdom brings us into alignment with our capacity for learning and retaining information, bring balance between the one and the many. This is a time to intuit the parts in order to truly see how they fit within the whole. This is a time for organization and making use of our practical skills. Do not give into rash decisions, impatience and hasty moves. At 4 degrees of Virgo, the moon is in the first decanate, ruled by Mercury. This is the most pronounced aspect of the sign as a whole and relates it to its Mercurial cousin, Gemini. All of this Mercury gives those born in this season a critical nature, making them able to separate and compartmentalize life’s experiences and information, and they attract practical tangible benefits from doing so. This gives this decanate the keyword “achievement”. Virgo checks all the details and nuances to anything to scope out the best possible outcomes. The issue is to not become obsessed with understanding these small parts and continuously apply them to the best resolution for the whole. Because the mind is so expansive in Virgo, each new insight leads to another, and another perspective…soon Virgo is lost in its own mental machinations. Virgo must learn not to get so hung up on each and every tree that it loses sight of the entire forest. The higher expression of Virgo energy brings high ideas down to earth and makes them accessible. It brings practicality to any situation. The lower vibratory expressions in Virgo see the negative in everything and critique it accordingly.

There is a bright side to all this heavy, earthy energy and that’s found in the presence of Venus and Jupiter. Jupiter is exalted in Cancer which is a very happy place. In this position Jupiter brings unification, understanding and a focus on home, marriage, humanity etc. Venus enters Virgo on the day of the new moon. When Venus is in Virgo it’s a time where we express our love through practicality. We take care of our responsibilities, run errands, handle the minutia or simply become present for our lovers. Here love needs to make sense in a grounded, accessible way. Venus in Virgo adds an element of desire and purification, softening the tension and giving us a way to find enjoyment through it all. Focus on your artistic and creative endeavors as means of self-expression. When things get tense, go inward and create. Come together in groups for philosophical discussions and share meals together. Create together. The mutual support will lift everyone’s spirits.

The Autumnal Equinox

The fall equinox is on September 22^nd at 10:29pm EDT here in the Northern Hemisphere. Understanding how time moves, there are two equinoxes a year that bring light and dark into balance and usher in a period of time where either light will begin to take over the dark- vernal equinox leading into the summer solstice- or the dark will begin to engulf the light- autumnal equinox leading us toward the winter solstice. The ancients celebrated these markers in numerous ways as each has its importance. The fall equinox begets a time of increased darkness as the Sun continues its descent (which it began at the summer solstice) bringing us into longer nights as we move towards the cold depths of winter. These times serve as markers that point towards the types of spiritual work we can do when we move with the seasons and the cosmos. The autumn equinox is a celebration of the harvest not that summer has finished bearing its fruit. The onset of fall’s darkness points us towards the work of spiritual transformation, the worship of the dark and aging Goddesses, death and rebirth along with the realms of the ancestors. Honoring the equinox helps us to understand that light and dark are inseparable and necessary for the existence of each other.

Sun Conjunct Moon; Mars Squares Neptune

During the time of this transit we can benefit from asserting ourselves in a more confident manner and be clear on our goals in life. Take time to dig into your roots- family, ancestry and you home. Doing spiritual cleanings with herbs for the season (see below) will ground us as well as smudging with fresh tobacco to bring in that earthy energy. Emotions will run high so try not to reach rashly or make any last minute decisions. Everything should come from a clear, peaceful, grounded place.

Our physical energy may seem low and our normal work may be hard to get through. We may become more irritated by small things than normal and there is a tendency to feel apathetic with this transit (Mars square Neptune). Be wary of deceiving or being deceived when Neptune is in this position. Use your intuition and trust yourself. Be as honest and transparent as possible. Do not get involved in business ventures that do not seem practical or have unrealistic goals.

Power Flow: Solving problems with facts, grounding routines, supporting individuals, paying attention to details, reading the fine print.

Meditation: During this year, what have I learned? How can I channel all that I have learned into a practical plan that will help me move to the next step? How have my family and my siblings/peers/colleagues influenced my perspective? What are my plans for the rest of the year? What seeds would I like to plant to see come to fruition by the full moon? The third house speaks to communications and siblings but also the goddess on a base level. The moon in the third house wants to express its feelings- namely around themes of what do I truly believe at my core? How do I express that? Is what the world sees in alignment with how I truly feel? With my family and siblings or even peers how do I express my feelings? These are great things to meditate on during the dark moon.

Additional stats:

Herbs/Plants: millet, corn, wheat, barley, oats, rye, skullcap (Virgo); benzoin, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, passion flower, tobacco, thistle (autumn equinox)

Scents/Oils: myrrh, sage, rose

Stones: jasper, agate (especially yellow), marble, topaz, aquamarine

Tarot: Eight of Coins

Color: Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.

In the meantime, here's a little FKA Twigs loveliness to help mellow out your vibe. I'm not sure why, but these Neptune transits always make sounds like hers much more attractive and healing to me. Perhaps it's the energy of surrendering into a dreamy abyss that Neptune brings...

On a final note, please be sure to check out my good friends over at Udja Temple Ministries! They are doing fabulous healing work and offering Oracle Readings that are wonderful. They can certainly help you navigate the energies of this September and beyond. Also, check out their radio show on Sundays for more information on African Matriarchy, Black Goddess Consciousness and Spirituality. Let's support our own!

Until next time Beloveds. 

- Ty Shaw

Transforming this Space

Changes.

The galaxies move through space.

The stars ignite,

burn,

age,

cool,

Evolving.

God is Change.

God prevails- Octavia Butler

It’s been a while but I am back and currently resurrecting this blog. I took some time off in order to reconcile some questions and concepts I had within my own mind and spirit. I was also busy riding the huge waves of this tumultuous year- Whew! So much has changed…and now here we are. This past Uranus retrograde has affected us all in profound ways whether we realize them or not. For me, it brought me to question and revolutionize the way I thought about everything, including this blog.  

Going forward I will be reporting to you using a 13-sign, sidereal zodiac. This was a monumental decision for me because astrology is an art and I needed to carve out my own unique genius; my own approach based on what makes sense to ME not the establishment or popular thought. Flow with me on this one.

My approach to spirituality in general has always been about acknowledging and respecting the traditional (no need to reinvent the wheel) while taking full advantage of our ability to evolve and transform. My astrology, in my mind, is where past and future meet. Time is a relative shape-shifter in my world, waiting for us to realize how malleable and subjective She is…which brings me to this change.

My approach weaves together traditional renaissance astrology (lunar mansions, astrological magic, fixed stars, decans and other fun stuff) with sidereal, constellational, 13-sign elements to create what I call WildSeed Astrology. All the magical, fused with the modern preoccupation with what we can see. They both have their value.

The case for the change- Sidereal vs. Tropical

Chris Warnoc (over at Renaissance Astrology, which is a fantastic site) divides the orientations in astrology into three approaches to the zodiac: tropical, sidereal and constellational. The Tropical system is derived from Ptolemy's ephemeris, which he wrote around 120 A.C.E. The problem here is that he didn’t factor in the progression of the equinoxes which would cause all his calculations to skip ahead about one degree every 75 years. Now, 1900+ years later, that’s created a difference of about 27 degrees which put the planet’s positions almost a complete sign back. To many, this is the main reason why the science of astrology is no longer respected because tropical astrology’s seasonal zodiac isn’t necessarily astronomically correct.

According to The Siderealist (another fantastic site), since the sidereal approach it is based on fixed stars and those stars are found in constellations (and are used as markers within the constellation), it would seem to me that sidereal and constellational astrology are one in the same. While a case can be made for either approach (and trust me, there are TONS of sites that elaborate on that debate…it’s a pretty old one)- seasonal or star-based (sidereal comes from the latin ‘sidus’ meaning star), in the end it’s about what beliefs you subscribe to and what works best for you. Since the tropical zodiac is measured by the position of the sun against the Earth’s horizon at whatever place in on the planet, it uses the seasons as its reference to track time. The sidereal zodiac is the position of the Sun as referenced against a stellar background. And while tropical astrology is a seasonal astrology, marking 0 degrees Aries at the Vernal Equinox, I still prefer to use astronomical calculations for my astrology because in my opinion the astronomical stellar background brings astronomy and astrology back together as one.

And then there’s Ophiuchus.

No need to reinvent the wheel so, take a look at what the great folks over at The Siderealist have written and why Ophiuchus needs to make Her way back into our minds and our astrology:

“The constellations and the houses, were truncated to a 12-sign and 12 house system. Thirteen is a number associated with women, witches and Shamans, and is part of a lunar matriarchal society that presaged the Roman empire, and was ruled by the Moon goddess. The Romans destroyed this legacy by fire and steel, and Ptolemy likewise enslaved her astrology in service of Roman aggression and bloody atrocities…

The true ecliptic includes the constellation Ophiuchus which really completes the 360 degree ecliptic. The Romans officiated a brutal, murderous backlash against women that included removing Ophiuchus from the eponymous Zodiac. Ophiuchus is the shaman, the snake-handler, possessing the secret female wisdom. Shamans were ALL females, until men started disguising themselves as women in order to secretly practice shamanic lore. The rejection of Ophiuchus from Zodiac calculations and the downfall of the lunar-based matriarchy occurred at the same time, and for the same reasons: men wanted to usurp the power of strong women…They wanted to change astrology to eliminate the 13-month, 28-day of the calendar, and replace it with a Solar, 12-month calendar... Female deities Aries, Leo and Taurus were changed to animals to further make women irrelevant. The powerful female Ophiuchus was completely eliminated from the Zodiac and the female symbol of the snake-handler was transmogrified into an old man, a dystopian opinion based on Roman efforts to destroy female power in the tribal areas.”

So there we have it folks. The Mama is back, with her medicine, visions, potions and cult. We welcome Her and her ancient teachings. I’ll still offer all the classic WildSeed goodies: deities, spirits, herbs, tarot correspondence, etc.- just with a different flava. Trust- I think it’ll be a good fit. And feel free to message me with your thoughts and comments! I’m always open to learning and exchanging.

Your new sign

Tropical astrologers have given you your sign based on their seasonal zodiac that doesn’t actually match what’s happening in the sky. Take a look up at the sky and see for yourself. The planets and luminaries aren’t where they say they are. Now that we are using 13-sign, sidereal zodiac you will notice that your sign may have changed depending on your birthday. Don’t panic. Here’s a list of dates that will help you find your correct sign. For your free13-sign chart drawing feel free to message me or order a reading.

13 Sign Dates

Aries: 4/19- 5/13

Taurus: 5/14- 6/19

Gemini: 6/20-7/20

Cancer: 7/21-8/9

Leo: 8/10-9/15

Virgo: 9/15- 10/30

Libra: 10/31- 11/22

Scorpio: 11/23- 11/29

Ophiuchus: 11/30- 12/17

Sagittarius: 12/18- 1/18

Capricorn: 1/19- 2/15

Aquarius: 2/16- 3/11

Pisces: 3/12- 4//18

My next moon report is coming soon…stay tuned!