Lunar Cycles and Personal Transformation in 2016

Every month we see the moon grow full in the sky, illuminating the landscape in its silvery glow, and then wane into the dark.  As the moon moves through the sky and through its various phases, it also is moving through the astrological signs.  

In astrology, the moon is associated with the subconscious and emotions.  The sun, what gives it light, is associated with the conscious mind and will.  As the moon waxes and wanes then, we have an interplay between the subconscious and conscious parts of ourselves.  

The full moon is illumination.  This can show up in our lives as a form of realization or some type of completion or graduation.  The new moon represents new beginnings.

At the full moon, the sun and moon are in opposition, which means they are in opposite astrological signs.  The two opposite energies need to be integrated in our lives.  At the new moon, the sun and moon are in conjunction, together in the same astrological sign, so that the subconscious is in alignment with the conscious will, and this is when we set our seeds of intention.

Each month we have a new moon we can set intentions with and a full moon that comes with an illumination or realization.  The astrological sign(s) in play speak to the energies that are being worked with during that moon phase.  

From the new moon to full moon, the moon is considered to be waxing, which is a building energy that supports action.  From the full moon to the new moon, the moon is waning, and that is a releasing energy.  During the waning moon, we are supported to consider what has been illuminated at the full moon and look within ourselves to see what requires releasing.  Then at the new moon we can set intentions again with more clarity.

Not only are there monthly lunar cycles, but there are also six month cycles.  If there is a new moon in Gemini (sun and moon together in Gemini), then about six  months later there will be a full moon in Gemini (moon in Gemini illuminated by sun in Sagittarius), completing that cycle.

Every spring and fall there are eclipses.  Eclipses bring powerful change. When a series of eclipses works a particular astrological axis then it brings attention to the two areas of your life represented by the opposing astrological signs, speeding transformation.   

The lunar cycles do not operate in a void, and the moon in its transit of the zodiac is always being affected by the energies of other planets as they move and shift in the sky.  In 2016, two major over-arching astrological themes (which you can find out more about by following the links) are  Mars transiting Scorpio and Saturn in Sagittarius squaring Neptune in Pisces.  Mars is the God of War, demanding action.  Scorpio many time is boiled down to sex, money and power, but Scorpio is a water sign and water is the element of the emotions and subconscious.  If we think about what our deepest fears or desires are, or what triggers our biggest emotional reactions, then we get to sex, money and power.  Scorpio in a larger perspective, is deep psychological transformation.  It is death and rebirth.  The reason that astrologically this is a big deal is that Mars typically doesn't spend as long in one sign as he will in Scorpio this year AND he is following the exact same path as Saturn did when he transited Scorpio from late 2012 to late 2015.  Saturn showed us the lessons, now Mars asks for action on what we've learned.  The Saturn-Neptune square is guiding you to making your dreams reality, but that could show up as a reality check, maybe bursting a fantasy bubble as you land squarely on hard reality.  

Those are two big energies we will work with all year.  Then there are the eclipses.  Three eclipses this year fall on the Virgo-Pisces axis.  Virgo is about the routines that make life work.  Its about logic and organization, health and admin routines, and discipline.  Virgo is about what  you do every day.  Pisces is about dreams and visions, and the spiritual.  The eclipses will be asking us how to integrate these two parts of life.  How do we balance the other-worldly with the day-to-day?  More importantly, with the Saturn-Neptune square working in the background, what do we do in our daily lives to bring our dreams and visions into being?  Saturn in Scorpio was the realization, and now the action is being aided by Mars, the Saturn-Neptune square and these eclipses.  

This is amazing energy at your disposal for consciously creating the life of your dreams.  You can follow the lunar cycle each month and let it be an energetic guide as you work toward your larger goals.  

Happy Creating!