Full Moon in Libra
Friday, April 6, 12:19 pm PDT, 3:19 pm EDT
The Full Moon in accommodating Libra opposes the Sun in independent Aries. It’s a face-off between compromise and self-interest, coupling up or going it alone. This lunation arouses emotions about fairness and sharing that sharpen our understanding of relationships. Acknowledging personal desires is a good starting point for building healthy partnerships when it’s balanced with an equal concern for the needs of others.
Full Moon days don’t always require a slow-down, but with the Moon parallel Saturn (12:10AM PDT) and the Sun making a frictional, 45-degree link with dreamy and potentially obfuscating Neptune (8:46AM PDT), it is wise to heed some of the cosmic cautionary signals this morning. Once the exact time of the Full Moon (energizing 18 degrees of Aries and Libra) arrives – 12:20PM PDT – illuminating vibrations are at their peak. Individual and group meditations are advised. Send out your healing thoughts and prayers to humanity, and the kingdoms of nature. Think more about helping others and fulfilling your higher destiny on Spaceship Earth than on making things happen your way. In esoteric circles, this Full Moon is considered the first of three in a row that emphasize the will, love and intelligence of divinity – however we understand that sense of infinite and eternal wisdom, grace and peace. Stop worrying about trivial pursuits and the actions of dear ones that you cannot control. The continuing transit of the Moon in Libra places a distinct focus on improving the quality of your primary partnerships. Enjoy a night on the town or take a significant other to a movie, play or musical concert. Let the good times roll!
Calendar of the Moon
6 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Elaphebolia: Day of Artemis
Colors: Silver, white, and pale green
Element: Earth
Altar: On a white cloth place woodland vines and branches, a silver crescent moon, a bow and arrow, incense of cypress, a chalice of white wine, and the figures of many deer.
Offerings: Stag-shaped cakes of dough, honey, and sesame called “elaphoi”, placed on the altar. Make a promise and keep your word. Give something to women in need.
Daily Meal: Venison is best, or else rabbit or quail.
Invocation to Artemis
Hail, Lady of the deer hunt!
You who are both hunter and hunted,
You who wield the bow
And bring the prey to their knees,
You who are the doe
Who flees and eludes the pursuers,
Come to us and bless our hunt!
We too seek in the darkness,
We too flee through the darkness,
We too are both predator and prey.
Virgin of the crescent moon,
Implacable one with silver gaze
Who is called She Who Slays,
Fearless huntress, skilled tracker,
Shy deer who runs from our
Groping hands and clumsy feet,
Ray of moonlight that shows
Secrets beneath the forest leaves
That are glimpsed once and then
Never seen again in our lifetimes,
Archer with the fierce pack
Who hounds us through our weaknesses
And will not let us compromise,
Remind us that to shun compromise is to remain true
To something that we must keep alive or lose.
Chant:
New moon shining, Artemis, Artemis
(Pass around the chalice and pour out the rest as libation. Pass around the elaphoi and put the rest out for the woodland creatures as an offering.)
LUNAR ENERGIES & ESOTERICA: ALDERby Muirghein uí Dhún Aonghasa (Linda Kerr) & Epona
Alder is the time of birthing, after the inception in Birch, the quickening in Rowan, and the premature urgings of Ash. Alder is the beginning of a new cycle, just as the Spring Equinox brings forth new life on the earth. Also at the Equinox, the days and nights are of equal length, and an egg can be balanced on its end. Try it!
This balance is an important part of Alder, in more than physical terms. We also have the balance of yin and yang, male and female, fire and water. A symbol of this balance is the Alder King of Celtic legend, a man whose rule is based not on fear, but on sensitivity, understanding, and reverence. He works in harmony with his queen and the natural order of life to make sure he, and his people, are connected to, and in balance with, the earth (for more on the Alder King, see “Bran and the Sacred Kings of the Alder Moon,” pg. 28).
The glyph of this moon is “I am a shining tear of the sun,” from the ‘Song of Amergin,’ in The White Goddess. Take a moment to think on this, before you continue reading.
One meaning of this glyph is the dual nature of Alder: it is a tree of both water and fire. Alder grows in and around water, yet is known for its ability to make charcoal and gunpowder. Alder pilings lift buildings out of the water, and in the same way, Alder acts to lift our spirits out of the waters of the first three moons, and onto the dry land of the spring and summer months ahead. Alder also acts as a bridge between the two halves of the year, connecting and balancing the fire and water aspects, and the male and female sides of ourselves.
You can use the energies of this moon to reconnect with the earth, and bring your inner natures into balance. Now that the storms of Ash have passed, we can quit trying to attack each other, and learn to work together in harmony, especially with the opposite sex. A left-over effect of Ash is that the men are pretty fed up with the women. Be sensitive to each other now, act responsibly, and understand how your actions can affect others. This must be done now, when the balanced energies of nature are all around us, or things will get really out of skelter by Holly moon.
The hardest thing to overcome in this moon is self-doubt and doubts about other, but these are a natural consequence of new beginnings and birthings, when we look toward the year ahead. This is a good time to honestly examine these doubts, so you will know what you have to deal with in the future moons. The Alder can help you through this, and give you joy and hope for the future.
Patience is a cardinal virtue – so goes the ancient maxim. Put this theory into practice during the first part of the day while the Moon parallels Mercury (12:45AM PDT) and Chiron (5:50AM PDT), but remains void-of-course in Virgo until 8:33AM PDT. During any void lunar cycle, it is best to finish old business on a high note, but wait until inaugurating new, bold plans until the Moon enters the next sign of the zodiac. Once the clock strikes 8:33AM PDT, the Moon in Libra points you toward being more active in social affairs, creative artistic expression, and improving the quality of primary partnerships. A Moon-Venus flowing trine in air signs (11:42AM PDT) magnifies the potentials contained in the Moon’s presence in harmony-striving Libra. Topsy-turvy, unsettled conditions roll into town later on as the Moon opposes Uranus (4:55PM PDT) while Venus squares its higher-octave planet Neptune (6:50PM PDT). The Moon-Uranus polarity puts key relationships on edge while the Venus-Neptune face-off adds a strong note of confusion to affairs of the heart and delicate business negotiations. Psychic storm warnings are still reverberating later on due to a Moon-Pluto square (11:53PM PDT) and as the Moon approaches a parallel with taskmaster Saturn (forming exactly at 12:10AM PDT tomorrow). Get set for the powerful Full Moon – activating Aries Sun and Libra Moon – at 12:20PM PDT on Friday.
Calendar of the Moon
4 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Alder Tree Month
Color: Crimson
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon cloth of crimson set a flaming brazier filled with charcoal and incense.
Offerings: Purification. Write what has been dragging your down, and place it in the fire.
Daily Meal: Hot, nourishing food.
Fearn Invocation
Call: Now is the time of the warming of Earth.
Response: Now is the time of the Sun’s first warmth.
Call: Now is the time when the waters of Spring are banished.
Response: Now is the time when fire dries the flood.
Call: Now is the time when the heat rises within us.
Response: Now is the time when our tears are dried.
Call: Now is the time when our inner floods give way.
Response: Now is the time when our inner fields are greening.
Call: Like the birds who build their nests in the Spring….
Response: Like the creatures of the woods who brave the open fields…
Call: As they brave the world….
Response: So we now brave the world.
Call: As they seek sustenance of the body….
Response: So we seek sustenance of the soul.
Call: As they are driven forth by need and the cycle of life…..
Response: So we are driven forth by need and the cycle of life.
Call: No house can contain our souls….
Response: As no house contains the foundation on which it is built.
Call: We will be the piles that lift the house from the water….
Response: And we will lift our spirits from the winter’s flood.
Call: We will be the island in the river….
Response: The islands where the future is told…
Call: And we will see that future running like the current….
Response: Knowing not where it will lead….
Call: Save by the grace of the gods.
Response: Save by the grace of the Gods.
Chant:
We gather at the river
We bring fire to the water
Our fire burns within us
The river parts before us
Mercury Direct
Wednesday, April 4, 3:11 am PDT, 6:11 am EDT
Messenger Mercury shifts into forward gear to slowly start getting conversations back on track. Data will flow more freely, but facts may remain fuzzy and details elusive until April 16 when this cerebral planet leaves magical Pisces where dreams trump reality.
Uncertainty is definitely on the rise as Mercury shifts from retrograde to direct at 24 degrees of Pisces (3:12AM PDT). All Mercury themes – communication, reading and writing, classes and primary education, information exchange, transportation and travel plans, health and nutrition, sleight of hand, con artists, split-personality and theft – are energized throughout the day. [Mercury’s next retrograde cycle will begin on July 14 and last until August 7.] However, just because Mercury is no longer moving in reverse doesn’t mean it is racing forward. It will take several days before Mercury gathers any realistic momentum. Therefore, it is wise to still be cautious when it comes to signings, legal matters and making long-term agreements. Breakthroughs in consciousness and advances on the cutting edge of science and medicine are reinforced as the Moon trines Jupiter (6:36AM PDT) and the Moon parallels Uranus (7:20AM PDT). The Moon in Virgo always gives an emphasis to themes associated with health, diet and nutrition. Stock up on vitamins, supplements, herbs, tea, grains, cereals, nuts, seeds and seasonings. With the potent Full Moon only two days away – occurring on Friday April 6 – today and tomorrow constitute a 48-hour time-period of preparation for the enlightening vibes about to be released during the monthly solar-lunar high point. Business and communications are in the iffy category overnight as the Moon opposes Mercury (10:38PM PDT) – which starts a void lunar twilight zone that lasts until 8:33AM PDT tomorrow when the Moon enters Libra.
Calendar of the Moon
4 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Alder Tree Month
Color: Crimson
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon cloth of crimson set a flaming brazier filled with charcoal and incense.
Offerings: Purification. Write what has been dragging your down, and place it in the fire.
Daily Meal: Hot, nourishing food.
Fearn Invocation
Call: Now is the time of the warming of Earth.
Response: Now is the time of the Sun’s first warmth.
Call: Now is the time when the waters of Spring are banished.
Response: Now is the time when fire dries the flood.
Call: Now is the time when the heat rises within us.
Response: Now is the time when our tears are dried.
Call: Now is the time when our inner floods give way.
Response: Now is the time when our inner fields are greening.
Call: Like the birds who build their nests in the Spring….
Response: Like the creatures of the woods who brave the open fields…
Call: As they brave the world….
Response: So we now brave the world.
Call: As they seek sustenance of the body….
Response: So we seek sustenance of the soul.
Call: As they are driven forth by need and the cycle of life…..
Response: So we are driven forth by need and the cycle of life.
Call: No house can contain our souls….
Response: As no house contains the foundation on which it is built.
Call: We will be the piles that lift the house from the water….
Response: And we will lift our spirits from the winter’s flood.
Call: We will be the island in the river….
Response: The islands where the future is told…
Call: And we will see that future running like the current….
Response: Knowing not where it will lead….
Call: Save by the grace of the gods.
Response: Save by the grace of the Gods.
Chant:
We gather at the river
We bring fire to the water
Our fire burns within us
The river parts before us
Venus in Gemini
Tuesday, April 3, 8:18 am PDT, 11:18 am EDT
The love planet is chatty and flirtatious in adaptable Gemini. Words can be delightful but also deceiving because it might be tempting to say whatever is necessary to amuse someone or deflect serious issues. Yet Venus is retrograde from May 15 until June 27, prolonging her stay in this sign until August 7 to add depth and complications to relationships. Clever quips are cute, but serious re-evaluations may be needed to fulfill our desires.
Calendar of the Moon
3 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Day of Bran
Colors: Black and crimson
Element: Fire
Altar: On a cloth of crimson and green set a vase with alder twigs, and the figures of many crows and ravens, or at least black feathers, one black candle, incense of rue, and a black stone.
Offerings: On this day, divination shall be done by those with the skill for any who ask.
Daily Meal: Poultry.
Invocation to Bran
God of the Alder-Tree
Whose roots go deep underground,
Whose path goes deep underground,
We call upon you today.
Lord of the Western Ocean,
Lord of healing and curer of wounds,
Lord of the setting sun,
We call upon you today.
Crimson-stained hero,
Beheaded god who lived on
As the skull of oracles,
Lord of crows and ravens
That eat all that dies and rots,
Lord of the black-feathered wings
Of destiny and nemesis,
Show us our fate,
Or what fate you deem it wise to show us.
And if it is our fate
Not to know what that fate shall be,
Give us at least a signpost,
A light along the path,
That we may not stumble foolishly
And lose the last few crumbs
Of the wisdom you have gained
From the dark places where your roots entwine.
Chant:
As the crow flies, So the truth lies
As the flame burns, So our fate turns
(Let all sit in a circle, and let divination be done by one who has the skill, for any who ask. And let no one speak on the message given to anyone else. Put out the candle and leave the room.)
Calendar of the Moon
4 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Alder Tree Month
Color: Crimson
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon cloth of crimson set a flaming brazier filled with charcoal and incense.
Offerings: Purification. Write what has been dragging your down, and place it in the fire.
Daily Meal: Hot, nourishing food.
Fearn Invocation
Call: Now is the time of the warming of Earth.
Response: Now is the time of the Sun’s first warmth.
Call: Now is the time when the waters of Spring are banished.
Response: Now is the time when fire dries the flood.
Call: Now is the time when the heat rises within us.
Response: Now is the time when our tears are dried.
Call: Now is the time when our inner floods give way.
Response: Now is the time when our inner fields are greening.
Call: Like the birds who build their nests in the Spring….
Response: Like the creatures of the woods who brave the open fields…
Call: As they brave the world….
Response: So we now brave the world.
Call: As they seek sustenance of the body….
Response: So we seek sustenance of the soul.
Call: As they are driven forth by need and the cycle of life…..
Response: So we are driven forth by need and the cycle of life.
Call: No house can contain our souls….
Response: As no house contains the foundation on which it is built.
Call: We will be the piles that lift the house from the water….
Response: And we will lift our spirits from the winter’s flood.
Call: We will be the island in the river….
Response: The islands where the future is told…
Call: And we will see that future running like the current….
Response: Knowing not where it will lead….
Call: Save by the grace of the gods.
Response: Save by the grace of the Gods.
Chant:
We gather at the river
We bring fire to the water
Our fire burns within us
The river parts before us
Correspondences for Monday, April 2nd
Magickal Intentions: Psychic Sensitivity, Women’s Mysteries, Tides, Waters, Emotional Issues, Agriculture, Animals, Female Fertility, Messages, Theft, Reconcilliations, Voyages, Dreams and Merchandise
Incense: African Violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, Wormwood
Planet: Moon
Sign: Cancer
Angel: Gabriel
Colors: Silver, White and Gray
Herbs/Plants: Night Flowers, Willow Root, Orris Root, Birch, Motherwort, Vervain, White Rose and White Iris
Stones: Carnelian, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Flourite, Geodes
Oil: (Moon) Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood
Monday belongs to the Moon. Monday’s energy best aligns itself with efforts that deal with women, home and hearth, the family, the garden, travel, and medicine. It also boosts rituals involving psychic development and prophetic dreaming.
Calendar of the Sun
1 Eostremonath
Veneralia: Day of Venus
Color: Sea green, golden, and pink
Element: Water
Altar: Upon cloth of sea green, golden and pink, set many shells, flowers, beautiful ornaments, pink candles, hearts, doves, incense of rose and violets, and a great chalice of white wine.
Offerings: Hearts and flowers. Giving a gift of love to someone.
Daily Meal: Seafood. Angel hair pasta. Sweet breads, cakes, and desserts.
Invocation to Venus
Hail, Lady of the Morning Star!
You who rose form the sea foam,
Born of the impersonal severed phallus of the sky
Immersed in the impersonal womb of the sea,
You who rode to shore on a shell of pearl
And whose powers no one can resist
Save the virgin goddesses,
You who bring the glow of gold
Into the lives of all whom you touch,
Lady, we revere you as the avatar
Of the love between equals
Who look each other in the eye,
The attraction and pursuit
Between every particle in the universe.
Hail, Lady of the Evening Star!
You who rule the night
With its darker passions,
You who tempt the wistful heart,
You whose hands reach out
To all the world and more,
Lady, we revere you as a force of nature
Far greater than merely the human heart,
For you are the force that binds together
All that dances with another of its kind
In the endless dance of creation.
(The wine is passed around, and poured as a libation to Venus. Each takes a flower and wears it until Hesperis, in honor of Venus.)
Chant: Venus Veritas Amor Amor
Calendar of the Moon
Dark Moon Night
Color: Black
Element: Air
Altar: Upon a black cloth set a single black candle, incense, an iron sickle laid to mimic the direction of the waning moon, a cup of water, a lock of silver hair, and a white bone.
Offerings: Bones. Stones. Menstrual blood. Give something up.
Daily Meal: Soup of some sort, cooked in a cauldron, eaten in silence.
Dark Moon Invocation
At this time, in the dark of the moon,
When the Silver Lady ages
To an old woman in the dark,
Haunting crossroads, working magic,
Stirring her cauldron
Of poison that heals,
Grandmother Moon of sorcery
And wisdom, who sees all
And reveals little to our searching eyes.
Moon of Death, Moon of mystery,
Moon of silence who hides her face,
Let us learn silence from your averted gaze
Let us learn patience from your aging face
Let us feel for the dark places within us
And find our way down your path in the darkness
Which is utter and complete
But not impenetrable.
As darkness wraps us,
So silence heals us.
As darkness finds us,
So silence guides us.
As darkness speaks,
So silence falls.
(The candle is blown out, and all leave in silence. From the beginning of this rite at Hesperis until the dawn, silence will rule in the house. Talking must be done only in whispers, and between no more than two people, and only for that which is necessary. Long meditation is encouraged, and all work must be done quietly if possible. The evening meal should be eaten by candlelight, and only candles may light the house, except for the sake of certain important work.)
Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2012 March 28
Earthshine and Venus Over Sierra de Guadarrama
Image Credit: Daniel Fernández (DANIKXT)
Explanation: What just above that ridge? The Moon. Specifically, the Earth’s Moon was caught just above the horizon in a young crescent phase. The familiar Moon might look a bit odd as the exposure shows significant Earthshine — the illumination of the part of the Moon hidden from direct sunlight by the sun-reflecting Earth. Also captured in the image is the bright planet Venus on the right. Venus and Jupiter passed only three degrees from each other last week during a photogenic planetary conjunction. The above image was taken two days ago near Madrid, Spain. The foreground horizon silhouette includes some of the Seven Peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range. Just a few minutes after this picture was taken, the Moon set.
After two days more akin to happily-ever-after fairy tales than psychologically scary stories, the dark side of the universe begins to reveal itself again as Venus makes a tense, 135-degree link to underworld-ruling Pluto (1:52PM PDT) while one of two annual Sun-Pluto squares is waiting in the wings to pounce on humanity on Thursday. Today’s Venus-Pluto clash is a warning shot that romance, social affairs and the arts may be temporarily vulnerable to bickering and disagreements that could turn would-be harmony into bitter feelings. Thirty minutes earlier an inspirational, 72-degree link from Saturn to Pluto (1:22PM PDT) may have the gravitas to keep dear ones, friends and colleagues in a happy frame of mind. This Saturn-Pluto interaction is also a boon if you want to investigate esoteric philosophy in an in-depth manner. Feel free to change course this evening and enjoy lighthearted discussions with pals under airy Gemini Moon. Immerse yourself in a sci-fi classic, contemporary novel or biography. Try your hand at writing rhymed poetry, limericks or haiku.
Calendar of the Moon
4 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Alder Tree Month
Color: Crimson
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon cloth of crimson set a flaming brazier filled with charcoal and incense.
Offerings: Purification. Write what has been dragging your down, and place it in the fire.
Daily Meal: Hot, nourishing food.
Fearn Invocation
Call: Now is the time of the warming of Earth.
Response: Now is the time of the Sun’s first warmth.
Call: Now is the time when the waters of Spring are banished.
Response: Now is the time when fire dries the flood.
Call: Now is the time when the heat rises within us.
Response: Now is the time when our tears are dried.
Call: Now is the time when our inner floods give way.
Response: Now is the time when our inner fields are greening.
Call: Like the birds who build their nests in the Spring….
Response: Like the creatures of the woods who brave the open fields…
Call: As they brave the world….
Response: So we now brave the world.
Call: As they seek sustenance of the body….
Response: So we seek sustenance of the soul.
Call: As they are driven forth by need and the cycle of life…..
Response: So we are driven forth by need and the cycle of life.
Call: No house can contain our souls….
Response: As no house contains the foundation on which it is built.
Call: We will be the piles that lift the house from the water….
Response: And we will lift our spirits from the winter’s flood.
Call: We will be the island in the river….
Response: The islands where the future is told…
Call: And we will see that future running like the current….
Response: Knowing not where it will lead….
Call: Save by the grace of the gods.
Response: Save by the grace of the Gods.
Chant:
We gather at the river
We bring fire to the water
Our fire burns within us
The river parts before us
Calendar of the Moon
4 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Alder Tree Month
Color: Crimson
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon cloth of crimson set a flaming brazier filled with charcoal and incense.
Offerings: Purification. Write what has been dragging your down, and place it in the fire.
Daily Meal: Hot, nourishing food.
Fearn Invocation
Call: Now is the time of the warming of Earth.
Response: Now is the time of the Sun’s first warmth.
Call: Now is the time when the waters of Spring are banished.
Response: Now is the time when fire dries the flood.
Call: Now is the time when the heat rises within us.
Response: Now is the time when our tears are dried.
Call: Now is the time when our inner floods give way.
Response: Now is the time when our inner fields are greening.
Call: Like the birds who build their nests in the Spring….
Response: Like the creatures of the woods who brave the open fields…
Call: As they brave the world….
Response: So we now brave the world.
Call: As they seek sustenance of the body….
Response: So we seek sustenance of the soul.
Call: As they are driven forth by need and the cycle of life…..
Response: So we are driven forth by need and the cycle of life.
Call: No house can contain our souls….
Response: As no house contains the foundation on which it is built.
Call: We will be the piles that lift the house from the water….
Response: And we will lift our spirits from the winter’s flood.
Call: We will be the island in the river….
Response: The islands where the future is told…
Call: And we will see that future running like the current….
Response: Knowing not where it will lead….
Call: Save by the grace of the gods.
Response: Save by the grace of the Gods.
Chant:
We gather at the river
We bring fire to the water
Our fire burns within us
The river parts before us
For the next two days, the universe conceives of its version of Easy Street to give earth dwellers a chance to lick their wounds after many days and weeks of perpetual cosmic bombardment. New ideas are proliferating throughout human consciousness as Mercury parallels Uranus (5:06AM PDT). Even though Mercury is in retrograde motion, its fundamental affiliation with higher-guardian planet Uranus can open the gateway to revelations coming from the Great Beyond. The Moon in Taurus – an exalted placement all on its own – unites with Venus (12:27PM PDT) to promote a creative, magnetic and joyful energy-field. Treat a loved one to lunch at a trendy restaurant and visit a popular art gallery. Don’t stub your toe on the communication and business fronts as Mercury makes a frictional, 45-degree tie to Jupiter (2:35PM PDT). Keep in mind that these two planets are the traditional ruling bodies of the four mutable signs (Gemini; Virgo; Sagittarius; Pisces), and therefore have much to do with verbal exchanges and travel plans. Thus, when Mercury is in conflict with Jupiter, you should anticipate a variety of delays, frustrations or blocks that might upset previously established plans. Fortunately, as you approach tonight’s Moon-Mercury supportive, 60-degree liaison (9:36PM PDT), there can be a softening of any blows that may have occurred when Mercury and Jupiter were unhappy campers 7 hours earlier. On the other hand, the Moon-Mercury aspect also starts a void lunar uncertainty zone that lasts until 3:44AM PDT tomorrow (when the Moon enters airy Gemini).
Witches Of The Craft® 
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