Fall Equinox and New Moon in Libra - Monday, September 22nd, 2014 and Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

The Fall Equinox, also known as Mabon, will herald the first day of Fall on Monday, September 22nd, 2014 at about 7:29 PM PST. In some earth-centered spiritual traditions, Mabon is referred to as the Second Harvest honoring the sun's last bounty. The sun, represented as the waning power of the masculine aspect of the divine or God, is preparing for his eventual "death" or loss of power (represented by the loss of the growing season due to the decreasing amount of light) at Samhain (October 31st) and rebirth at Yule/Winter Solstice (when the light begins to increase once more).

I believe the equinoxes are a time of reflection of our internal and external balance of light and dark. Now, the balance point of light and dark differs from person to person, but we all have to find where that point is. One of the most dangerous beliefs a person can have is that he or she is immune to, incapable of, or completely devoid of any shadow. We all have thoughts and behaviors that can become destructive. I find the thought liberating because I do not have to adhere to an impossible standard of existence, but at the same time, I can learn about my shadow and how to avoid manifesting as much harm as possible. We tend to focus easily on the negative behaviors of others without seeing how our own thoughts and behaviors are making our experiences better or worse. Here is one of my favorite quotes from Lao Tzu that reminds me of this truth.

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. 

Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. 

If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.” 



The reason I am focusing on the shadow is Pluto will be returning to direction motion on the equinox after being in retrograde since April. Pluto has been doing a lot of work forcing us to examine our thoughts and behaviors and providing intense learning experiences in order to become better human beings. We have an opportunity to integrate what we have learned, which can alleviate the tension we feel in our lives.

Interestingly, the sun and moon will be in the astrological sign of Libra during the New Moon--emphasizing the need for balance. The New Moon will occur at 11:14 PM PST, and we have opportunity to examine our lives to determine what  we can do to create more harmony in our internal and external worlds. Libra initially focuses on finding balance with others, but needs to find balance within the self in order to create an authentic harmony. During this New Moon, remember to come to a place of peace and acceptance with your life, and you might find your relationships transform accordingly.

Tarot Thoughts for Mabon

The tarot message for the autumnal equinox is to connect with your own internal sense of power and vitality in order to move past the old wounds and losses and become productive. Combined with the message of the stones I threw, our emotional power can be unleashed by integrating the painful lessons of the past to overcome the problems of the present.

Concise Considerations

1. Consider what you could be thinking or doing that could create greater harmony in your life. 
2. Consider what aspects of your life you are neglecting that could create greater balance in your life. 
3. Intentions focused on increasing personal power are strengthened. 
4. Intentions focused on creating healthier relationships with others are strengthened. 
5. Intentions focused on ending unhealthy behaviors, thoughts, relationships, jobs, etc. are strengthened. 
6. Intentions focused on clearing out old emotional hurts will be strengthened. 
7. Intentions focused on psychological, energetic, and/or spiritual healing will be strengthened. The shamanic practice of soul retrieval as well as other forms of energy integration are especially potent. 
8. Equinox Ideas: gather and dry herbs, bake bread, share a bountiful meal with others, engage in "fall cleaning" as a counterpart to spring cleaning, contemplate what you are willing to let go of, and give thanks for abundance. 

Supermoons, Asteroids, and Cards

Full Moon in Pisces (Final Supermoon) - Monday, September 8th, 2014 at 6:38 PM

This will be the third and last consecutive supermoon in 2014, so I am anticipating a culmination of the preceding lunar energy. In addition, the Full Moon will reside in the sign of Pisces, which is the final sign of the zodiac. The theme will be completion. A lot of energetic work has been done during the past three months, and, for some, the work was challenging and painful at times. My hope is the moon will herald a time of calming winds and allow us to follow our path with fewer obstacles. If you have spent time evaluating your life's current path and have made choices that are in alignment with your deepest values, then you will likely notice a greater change in how your life will unfold during the next month. 

On Sunday, September 7th, 2014 at about 11:18 AM PST, the asteroid 2014 RC was about 25,000 miles away from Earth before continuing onward into space. The asteroid was reportedly about the size of a house, and the distance was great enough that no interference with satellites occurred. The asteroid was classified as "Apollo class" because it spent the majority of its time outside of Earth's orbit (unlike "Aten class," which spends most of its time within Earth's orbit). 

The energetic effects of asteroids are a newer concept in astrology. There are asteroids in the outer solar system that are said to have an effect on the denizens of our planet, but they are located at a astronomical (please forgive the pun) distance away from Earth.  For example, Chiron's orbit can get as close as 8.5 AUs to the sun, or about 7.5 AUs to the Earth. The conversion to miles would be about 697,168,554.75 miles from Chiron to the Earth, which is a bit further than asteroid 2014 RC's distance to Earth of 25,000 miles. 

Therefore, if asteroids have an energetic effect on our energy fields, then I would assume the closer the asteroid, the more intense the influence. Of course, Chiron's mass is definitely larger than 2014 RC's mass, but Chiron is also significantly further away. However, let's assume the asteroid has some sort of impact. 

The appearance of comets are often viewed as harbingers of something to come, and asteroids could be viewed the same way. The timing of the asteroid beautifully coincides with the upcoming final Supermoon tonight. If we think of asteroids as agents of transformation, then perhaps the asteroid is signaling completion of all the hard work we have been doing in our lives. Now is a time of integration of the energies within us, so do not feel guilty if you are inclined to take a break and rest. Head the wisdom of Pisces by allowing the changes within you affect the world outside of you. 

I wanted to add another aspect to the astrological elements of this blog by using Tarot to help distill the important information. This week, I drew the Ace of Stones/Pentacles when asking about how we can best utilize this final Supermoon. 

The card's theme is Abundance. Traditionally, the abundance has to do with money and wealth. However, your abundance can be physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual. Look at the card and see what jumps out at you with your intuitive sense, and use that information to help guide your intentions tonight.  

Concise Considerations

1. This full moon is about allowing change to flow without forcing or controlling. Focus on what you want like you would hold a figurine made of glass. Be what you want, and then you can get what you want. 
2. Intentions focused on rest, rejuvenation, or vacations will be strengthened. 
3. Intentions focused on spiritual goals will be strengthened. 
4. Clearing out old and/or unnecessary objects in your life will be beneficial. 
5. Connect with inner abundance to manifest outer abundance.