Taurus New Moon – BURROW

Change can be painful, and it is usually more so if we resist it. This new moon in fixed earth sign Taurus (Tuesday 11th May, 19:59 BST) is conjunct Uranus and squaring off against Jupiter and Saturn – expand, no contract, no expand. What are we supposed to do? The instinct of Taurus is to dig your heels in and stay as comfortable as possible.

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What I also notice though is that there is a strange kind of support offered by Pluto (via a trine) at this time.

The Pluto themes of death and rebirth, within earthy Capricorn, is something which I can see being understood by Taurus now: change is part of nature and can be accepted now as such (even when it seemed totally unacceptable before). This is when the big change can take place. It is time now.

Likely we may not be able to fully describe or articulate what that change is right now, maybe even to ourselves. It is the journey in to the labyrinth which we are on. Coming back to the light will come later. But it will come.

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

― Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Divination/ Journalling Prompts

*How can I let go of excess baggage?
*What do I need to carry with me now?
*What support do I have as a burrow inwards?
*What waits for me at the heart of the labyrinth?

Ritual/ Spellwork/ EveryDayMagic Suggestions

*Any kind of death/ rebirth ritual which appeals to you is appropriate now.
*If you have access to a physical labyrinth (or finger labyrinth) which you could walk that would be awesome
*Accessing ancestral wisdom can be really supportive now. There have been bigger changes than what we are going through now in the past, and our ancestors have knowledge which carried them through. Ask for their guidance and support.

Aries New Moon – REBIRTH

Over the course of a lifetime we gather many things. Some of these are good for us, others are not so good. Some were good for us at one point in our journey but now they hold us back. Sorting what is helpful and nourishing from what is stifling and painful is not always easy. Sometimes it is our most closely gathered treasures which weigh us down the most.

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It is a strange thing that we hold onto pain. But often it is because we do not know who or how we will be if we let it go. If you are brave enough, now, at this Aries new moon (April 12th, 3:21 GMT), is the time to find out.

“We stood there, looking at each other, saying nothing. But it was the kind of nothing that meant everything. In his eyes, there was no trace of what had happened between us earlier and I could feel something inside me break.

So that was that. We were finally, finally over.

I looked at him, and I felt so sad, because this thought occurred to me: ‘I will never look at you the same way again. I’ll never be that girl again. The girl who comes running back every time you push her away, the girl who loves you anyway.’

I couldn’t even be mad at him, because this was who he was. This was who he’d

always been. He’d never lied about that. He gave and then he took away. I felt it in the pit of my stomach, the familiar ache, that lost, regretful feeling only he could give me. I never wanted to feel it again. Never, ever.

Maybe this was why I came, so I could really know. So I could say good-bye.

I looked at him, and I thought, ‘If I was very brave or very honest, I would tell him.’

I would say it, so he would know it and I would know it, and I could never take it back. But I wasn’t that brave or honest, so all I did was look at him. And I think he knew anyway.

‘I release you. I evict you from my heart. Because if I don’t do it now, I never will.’

I was the one to look away first.”

― Jenny Han, It’s Not Summer Without You

Divination/ Journalling Prompts

*What am I clinging onto too tightly?
*How can I release?
*What labour pains am I experiencing?
*What am I birthing now?

Ritual/ Spellwork/ EveryDayMagic Suggestions

*Starting with smaller, less frightening changes/ sacrifices can be a way to ease into bigger changes. Perhaps it is time for a haircut, a change of wall colour, a different route to somewhere you go regularly.
*What we need surrounds us. What plants are growing around you now? Choose one that calls to you and get to know it. Nettle is a good teacher for this work of rebirth, if that is local to you.
*Nurturing practices like baths, naps, yin yoga – whatever makes you feel held and safe enough to release, let go, and be born anew.

Pisces New Moon – HIGH VIBES

I can be a bit suspicious when people say things like “high vibes only” and “love and light”. In my experience sometimes those phrases are used as a form of spiritual bypassing, of looking away from what is really happening and privileging one set of experiences and ways of being in the world over another. Not cool. Obviously. And yet, at this new moon (on March 13th 10:21 GMT) with the Sun, Moon, Venus and Neptune altogether in Pisces, it feels like the most tantalising possibilities can become manifest.

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And not only manifest, but easily and gracefully – perhaps even enjoyably? This moon is one of the most potent new moons of the year for setting intentions, so, even if you don’t do it usually, do it now.

“If you knock the right door, on the right time; you reach and meet the right person.”

― Ehsan Sehgal

Divination/ Journalling Prompts

*What are my wildest hopes and dreams?
*What is blocking me from living them?
*How can I release that block and move forward now?
*What is a loving thing I can do for myself or others at this time?

Ritual/ Spellwork/ EveryDayMagic Suggestions

*Sigil, sigil, sigil
*Simple new moon intention setting: write down what you want, ask your guides/ the moon/ your god/dess for assistance.
*Creative activities of all kinds are favoured now. But stay grounded in your body. Stay away from substances which can unground you, if you are prone to being swept away. You want to be aware and creative IN your body now.

Aquarius New Moon – RECALIBRATE

The New Moon falls on the 11th of February (19:06 GMT) with the moon joining the pile up of Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus AND Mercury retrograde in Aquarius (phew!). The Aquarius stellium is also squaring off against Mars and Uranus in Taurus.

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The change that we have been resisting, on both a whole world scale and in our individual lives, is coming. Time to recalibrate, shed the dead stuff, breathe in the new possibilities.

“Pain in this life is not avoidable, but the pain we create avoiding pain is avoidable.”

― R.D. Laing

Divination/ Journalling Prompts

*How do I currently approach change?
*How can I embrace change?
*What change do I need to welcome now? (don’t be freaked out of you get the death card here, 99.9% of the time it’s a metaphor – but heed that metaphor)
*How does a recalibrated me look/ think/ feel/ do? (you can take a card for each, or one card to represent the whole recalibrated you)

Ritual/ Spellwork/ EveryDayMagic Suggestions

*Purification ritual, a smoke bath using incense would be Aquarius appropriate
*Burn and release spell work (which is exactly what it sounds like, more info on how that might look here)
*Creating space for change, and new ways coming in, by doing the mundane time management type stuff

New Moon Eclipse in Sagittarius – RESPOND

On the 14th of December (16:16 GMT) we have the Sagittarius New Moon and Total Solar Eclipse (16:13 GMT). The eclipse isn’t visible in the UK as the sun has already set (you can see where the eclipse is visible on this map), but the energy will still be felt. It is extra dark.

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The moon in front of the sun creates a portal, and an invitation; Do you want things to stay how they are right now? Or do you want to step into a different but unknown future? How will you respond? It is time to choose your next adventure, and to work out why – and who – you are called to adventure for.

“I should like to save the Shire, if I could – though there have been times when I thought the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words, and have felt that an earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them. But I don’t feel like that now. I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind, safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable: I shall know that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand there again.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Divination/ Journalling Prompts

Ritual/ Spellwork/ EveryDayMagic Suggestions

*Solar eclipses are not easy times to do magic, you really need to know what you’re doing and be sure that the eclipse energy is compatible with what you hope to achieve, for this reason its simpler to avoid spellwork at this time.
*That said, simple rituals to help with moving forward/ crossing the portal would be effective and especially if combined with a cleansing – a ritual bath would be good.
*Sagittarius is about truth and big adventure so journaling/ pulling cards/ vision boarding etc what you would like your new quest/ adventure to be would be good, just wait until the eclipse is passed before taking action.

New Moon in Virgo – RESET

Can you smell it? The slightest whiff of something new is in the air. In a year filled with restriction and stasis this tiny undercurrent thrills me.

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The New Moon in Virgo falls at exactly midday BST (GMT +1) on Thursday 17th September. In theory, with Mars retrograde, this shouldn’t be a time for movement, and yet I can taste the promise of change, of chance, of a fresh start. That Virgo New Moon energy is pushing through, offering a reset point. I’m going to take it. Will you?

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

― Albert Einstein (maybe, or quite possibly someone else, no one really knows)

Divination/ Journalling Prompts

*What opportunities are ahead of me now?
*What is restricting me?
*How can I best move forward?
*How can I honour what I leave behind?

Ritual/ Spellwork/ EveryDayMagic Suggestions

*Do/ try something completely new. Be bold. This year we have all been heavily restricted so let your rebel out (as far as you can without getting yourself into trouble).
*Divination, use the prompts above, or ask whatever is in your heart. But try and make it future focused rather than asking questions about the past. This is your reset button, use it wisely.

Leo New Moon – I/ME/WE

With the inner planets moving forwards and the outer planets retrograde it suggests a conflict between the life and needs of the individual and the greater machinations of society.

The Leo New Moon (August 19th, 3:42 BST) is not just a moon/sun conjunction (like every new moon) but Mercury is also there in the mix, and all of them are trine Mars in its home sign of Aries. I’m taking this as a good indicator for the victory of personal power.

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It is in our hands what we choose to create or destroy at this time.

“Achievement doesn’t come from what we do, but from who we are.  Our worldly power results from our personal power.  Our career is an extension of our personality. People who profoundly achieve aren’t necessarily people who do so much, they’re people around whom things get done. Mahatma Gandhi and JFK were great examples of this.  Their great achievements lay in all the energy they stirred in other people, the invisible forces they unleashed around them.  By touching their own depths, they touched the depths within others.  That kind of charisma, the power to affect what happens on the earth, from an invisible realm within is the natural right and function of the son of god.  New frontiers are internal ones, the real stretch is always within us.  Instead of expanding our ability or willingness to go out and get anything, we expand our ability to receive what is already here for us.  Personal power emanates from someone who takes life seriously.  The universe takes us as seriously as we take it.  There is no greater seriousness than the full appreciation of the power and importance of love.  Miracles flow from the recognition that love is the purpose of our career.”

― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”

Divination/ Journalling Prompts

This month’s astrology twisted my arm to create a card layout…

Ritual/ Spellwork/ EveryDayMagic Suggestions

*The fire energy is strong, candle magic or other types of fire magic are go (but take care not to get burned, as sparks fly more with Mars in Aries).
*Spend time getting creative just for fun, no expectations on the outcome.
*Been thinking about making a change to your appearance? Now’s the time.

Cancer New Moon – LEAN IN

The new moon in Cancer (July 20th, 18:33 BST) is opposite Saturn in its home sign of Capricorn. It feels like the two grandparents, stern, but ultimately invested in our wellbeing, are watching over us. 

In a year already filled with weirdness, what happens next? Is it possible to bring elements from the past (ours, and from our ancestors) forward, in a healthy way, into the present? Not everything is obsolete, and equally, not everything traditional is useful. Lean in to what works, discriminate wisely. Ask the elders, incarnate or in spirit, for help. 

“The songs of our ancestors are also the songs of our children”
― Philip Carr-Gomm

 

Divination/ Journaling Prompts

*Whose child am I? 
*What are my ancestral blessings?
*What are my ancestral burdens?
*What is the song of my ancestors that I should sing today?

Ritual/ EveryDayMagic/ Spellwork Suggestions

*Spend time with your ancestors, whatever that looks like for you
*Spend time with your ancestors of place, the tree/ mountain/ city/ river spirits who you cohabit with
*Write your epitaph, what is your legacy? This doesn’t need to be morbid. I would love for mine to say “was kind”. 

Gemini New Moon – CROSSROADS

The big guns (Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto) are all retrograde, but I am hopeful that this Gemini New Moon (May 22nd, 18:39 BST) is the point where in-person communication and interactions become decriminalised. The road ahead is full of twists and turns, but then it always is, we just like to think it’s a linear path with clearly marked junctions where we make choices.

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What is your succour for the (necessarily unknown) path ahead? Gather your resources now.

“Everybody has that point in their life where you hit a crossroads and you’ve had a bunch of bad days and there’s different ways you can deal with it and the way I dealt with it was I just turned completely to music.”
― Taylor Swift

Divination/ Journaling Prompts

*What is behind me?
*What lies close ahead?
*Show me something helpful for the choices I will face

Ritual/ EveryDayMagic/ Spellwork Suggestions

*If you work with a crossroad deity like Hecate, or the devil, go HAM – road openers are also a good shout
*If you have a strong Venus connection you might want to join her on her underworld back and fore journey and find new and old ways to cast off all the trappings to get to the essence of who and what you are
*lean in to those hobbies and creative acts that reveal/ remind you that you have a bright and beautiful soul

 

Aries New Moon – FIRESTARTER

The balance has tipped. Whichever hemisphere you live in light and dark slip out of balanced stillness, and continue their dance of ebb and flow. The Aries New Moon falls a few days after the Equinox (March 24th, 9:28 GMT) and heralds a significant change in mood. The past is past, the future is not yet known or come, we look to the now – the gift that is the present.

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The energy feels clean and less complicated. What do you want to do/ be/ say/ achieve? You can do that now. And perhaps gather some co-conspirators along the way. Dance around the fire with your tribe.

“Each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can’t strike them all by ourselves”
― Laura Esquivel

Divination/ Journaling Prompts

The new moons closest to the equinoxes and solstices are a good time to check in with your goals/ dreams/ plans. Each is a new start point, even more so than a usual new moon. Use this time to see if your plans are still relevant. Make adjustments if necessary. Be bold.
*What spark glimmers in me now?
*How can I fan the flame?
*What guard rails need to be in place?

Ritual/ EveryDayMagic/ Spellwork Suggestions

*Good time for a knees up/ ritual with likeminded souls. Have a fire or a representation of.
*candle magic. Place the thing (in written/ sigil form) you are bringing into being under the candle, and/ or carve it into the wax. Light the way for it to come to you.