November 2008: Season of Sagittarius  (November 20 – December 21)

Of Change and Disruption

   How does one predict in unpredictable times? Current events underscore such a question, though sacred tradition points to some answers.

   Ancient Hellenic legends relate that Ouranos, primeval god of the sky and husband of the Earth goddess Gaia, exists in timeless time, a being independent of the elements and the constraints of natural law. But in seeking domination of the physical world, his son Kronos, primeval god of time, castrated Ouranos, rendering him powerless in the material realm.

   Though eventually attaining to master of human fate, Kronos was destined to be neutered by his own son Zeus, lord of limitless horizons. In this mythos, measured time overcomes timeless time, but is also subjected to the boundaries of time itself – birth, senescence, death. Thus, the unlimited power of the future (Ouranos) eventually imposes on the complacency of the past (Kronos), spontaneously and extraordinarily, particularly when the aggregate of power denies change.


   In the cosmic realm, such a confrontation now takes place. The two planets Saturn and Uranus have been transiting together in an opposition (180º distance from each other) on the Virgo-Pisces axis, bringing the influences of both change and resistance to the fore, in constructive and disruptive episodes. A forty-year occurrence, the first of five such events began this time around on November 4th, and will be repeated in 2009 on February 5th and September 15th, to take place again in 2010 on April 26th and concluding on July 26, 2010. The last episode occurs at the zero-point Aries-Libra, viewed by some as the world axis. Seen altogether, we realize a process of metamorphosis rather than an episode of change, a period of revision and mutation.

   It is a marvelous opportunity for each person to alter their view of both past and future, to expand those visions and employ the powers of change, now in ascendancy. Saturn, the past, calls for fear and retreat while Uranus, the future, calls for risk and forward motion.

   To encourage that prescription, Uranus turns to direct motion on November 27 (18 Pisces 44’) and Saturn turns to retrograde motion on December 18 (21 Virgo 36’). Here, the power of change moves ahead, while the effects of the past descend into darkness. This period (Nov. 27 – Dec. 18) may be a respite from worry and depression, but we should move methodically, as the exhilaration of breaking free from fear should not invite nonchalance. Start visioning now!

Goddess Times

The Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria, patroness of philosophers and preachers, is celebrated November 25th by both the Roman and Orthodox churches. In the latter tradition, her body was conveyed by two angels from Alexandria, Egypt to Mount Sinai, where it was discovered in the Fifth Century by an anchorite from a nearby community. It was later transferred to the monastery erected by Emperor Justinian in CE 527 (now known as the Monastery of St. Catherine), where countless miracles are attributed to it.    The unorthodox believe the legend of St. Catherine to be the transposed history of Hypatia (CE 370–415), known in the ancient world as the “Virgin Philosopher,” daughter of the mathematician Theon and an accomplished teacher in the Alexandrian Academy. As a Neoplatonist and pagan, Hypatia was demonized by Bishop Cyril for her academic achievements and influence, leading to her murder by a crowd of Christian fanatics.   This is a time to remember all who have sacrificed for philosophical freedom and especially for those women who have cultivated their gifts in the face of severe prejudice, for as it is said, “We stand on their shoulders.” Hypatia by Raphael

Cosmic Events

   The Sun enters Sagittarius on November 21 at 2:44 pm PST, bringing the last season of fire before the darkness of the Winter Solstice. The Moon opposes Uranus on this day, adding to the atmosphere of change already underway. The next thirty days will see shifts in many agendas, so be prepared to adjust, revise, and retool.

   The New Moon takes place on November 27 at 8:54 am PST (5 Sagittarius 49’), on the same day that Uranus turns direct in motion. What may have been undecided now becomes clear, and a course for the next two years will begin to take shape. Much relief will be felt – a day of days!

   The Full Moon takes place on December 12 at 8:37 am PST (21 Gemini 02’), a uniquely busy time with the most planetary contacts of any other day this year. Though a combination of worry and excitement takes place, the dust will settle and things will not appear as overwhelming as first thought.



October 2008: Season of Scorpio (October 21  – November 20)

   The end of October and the beginning of November mark the season of near-universal recognition of death and its mysteries. Many goddess images appear at this time, figures that can evoke fear and trepidation, as well as respect and mystic reveries.

Hecate is the personification of this period, goddess of the underworld and deity of the dark Moon. She represents the critical phases of the Lunar cycle with her three faces of maiden, mother, and crone. This triune nature gives her rulership over crossroads and all things with three corners. Kin to wild animals and the raw energy of nature in storms, her companions are the owl and dog, watchers of the necropolis. Hecate is associated with the dark phase of the Lunar cycle, the last seven days before the New Moon. This period of darkness, the “witching hour” of legend, is the time when initiates may see in the dark and commune with spirits no longer hidden. Hecate – William Blake, 1795
	In another realm we find the goddess Ceridwen of Welsh medieval legend, a magician and mother of Taliesin (king of bards) and Morfran (the dark lord). Ceridwen had a magical cauldron that she used to make the potion for “granting wisdom.” Three drops – another hint of the triune nature of the Divine Feminine – could bestow knowledge of past, present, and future. Ceridwen bestows intuition and poetic inspiration. Ceridwen – Christopher Williams, 1910
China brings us Meng-Po Niang Niang, the goddess who lives at the threshold of life and death. When those reincarnating depart from her realm, she administers a sacred potion to each person, causing them to forget previous lives. She governs rites of transition and far memory.    In India, it is Kali the Destroyer who represents this season, goddess of change and transition. She is depicted as a black figure, consuming the bodies of slain warriors. Yet she is revered as the ultimate mother goddess and the highest reality in the Tantric universe. To Kali we present our sorrows and errors, for purification in the divine fire she emanates as she performs her cosmic dance.    In ancient Egypt, it is Nepthys whom we encounter as keeper of the mysteries, nurse and caretaker of the dead. She is sister of Isis, the goddess who comes before her (September). Her faithful companion is the divine jackal Anubis, lord of the embalming chamber and watcher over the necropolis. Like Hecate and Ceridwen, Nepthys possesses a vessel of the sacred libation that restores life to the fallen and refreshment to the afflicted. Her crown is the offering bowl that brings this libation to the world of the living, a promise of eternal life through the gateway of the dead. Nepthys

Goddess Times

   Samhain (sa-win) on November 1st  is the traditional Celtic observance for the beginning of their New Year. Because it signals the old year coming to a close, they believed the veil between worlds – darkness and light, old and new – could be drawn. Using this “period of invisibility,” it is the day for scrying and foretelling, of seeing past and future. And in honor of those who have departed into the shadow worlds, we wear the garb of ancestors.

    The conquest of Britannia brought the fusion of the Roman Feralia (feast of the dead) with the Celtic New Year. The goddess Pomona, guardian of orchards, was also honored at this time, bringing the apple and cider harvests into the mix of these ancient Fall celebrations.

   Christianity changed these themes in the 9th century to Alholowmesse (All Saints' Day), which we know as All Hallows’ Day and the evening before as All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween).
In ancient Mexico, the Aztecs honored the goddess Mictlancihuatl and her consort Miclanteuctli, deities of the dead who marked the end of the agricultural calendar. Today, it is still observed as El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead), also on November 1st.

   The wonderful images of this season encourage us to fabricate an ancestral altar to honor the dead and remember the origin of things. Assemble photographs of your loved ones and surround them with dried flowers, branches, and the bones of birds (believed to represent the souls of the dead). Offer refreshment from your own sacred vessel and gratitude for their legacies.
This is also the time to light the sacred fire, whether it is a simple candle that penetrates the darkness of the dark Moon or a great bonfire that invites spirits into the fold. The season of Scorpio represents migration, the coming and going of nature and her children through the portals of life and death. At this time, the end is also the beginning.

   The “Night of Hecate” is traditionally celebrated on November 16th, when insights may be unleashed and all fortunes may be told. May your fires be bright and your visions bold.

Cosmic Events

   With the Full Moon of Aries-Libra completed on October 14th, Mercury offers respite from deadlines when he turns direct on October 15th at 1:05 pm PDT ((7 Libra 34’). Negotiations on all levels may proceed with less stress, as the past month has delayed conferences on serious matters, creating fear and misunderstanding. It is no surprise that business matters, especially those affecting global commerce, have met with conflicting resolutions. That time is now over, and cooperative efforts are favored.

   The Sun enters Scorpio on October 22 at 6:08 pm PDT, an appropriate time to welcome in the season of darkness as dusk settles on a day of welcoming old spirits back into the fold. This is a day for acknowledging and inclusion, remembering that death does not separate but only occludes our own vision of the inner worlds. Conditions now support insightful divinations – time to bring out the Tarot cards!

   The New Moon on October 28th (5 Scorpio 54’) takes place at 4:14 pm PDT with a friendly aspect from Pluto, lord of the underworld. Spooky times indeed, but the day also allows a “period of invisibility” and the best time to create your altar of the dead, a memoriam to ancestors, nature spirits, and your own past lives, resolved and respected for the wisdom acquired.

   The next Full Moon on November 12th at 10:17 pm PST (21 Taurus 15’) heralds a busy day of cosmic events. Venus enters the cold domain of Capricorn while the Moon contacts a number of planets that denote a roller-coaster of inspirations and defeats. Best to be the eye of the storm during this time, remembering that the swirl of events will settle into days of restraint and circumspection following.

September 2008: Season of Libra (September 22 – October 21)    September and October are deeply religious months, combining a series of ancient observances that evoke the season of preparation.  Perhaps the most significant is the approach of  the Autumnal Equinox, which brings us into anticipation of winter and the onset of the long descent of the Sun into the southern hemisphere of the sky.    The Sun enters Libra (Autumnal Equinox) on September 22 at 8: 44 am PDT. In ancient times, this was the start of the Mystery cycle, when darkness delays the daylight hours and the declining Sun was a metaphor of the dying god, as told in the legends of the gods Tammuz (Babylonia), Adonis (Syria), Dionysius (Greece), and Osiris (Egypt). As a result, his consort the mourning goddess heralds in the season and presides over the sacred rites that portray the winter vigil which promises to restore and revive the dormant gods in another cycle.    The supreme goddess of this cycle is Isis, whose search for her husband Osiris, her magical restoration of his form, and her participation in the cosmic struggle for balance and justice embody the Libran theme of the season. For thousands of years, the Isian legends, rites, and festivals repeated the timeless journey of Isis, whose wanderings, lamentations, and resolutions are a metaphor of our own spiritual quest and its realization. In this cycle we may balance our material and spiritual lives, since the Equinox (“equal night”) refers to the perfect balance of day and night hours that occurs at this time and symbolizes light and dark forces that comprise our existence.    According to to the Roman historian Plutarch, the temple of Isis at Sais was inscribed thus, “I am all that hath been, and is, and shall be; no mortal has ever raised my veil.” This is a mystery worthy of meditation, but we may understand it well if we enter “under the veil” by journeying with the goddess through the dark night of winter. Let us begin that pilgrimage. Goddess Times    Mabon is the Wiccan observance of the Autumnal Equinox, a festival of thanksgiving. It is a restatement of the agricultural harvest while honoring local nature spirits. Do you have a local nature deity, a fountain sprite or tree spirit? A simple offering to these beings invites harmony and promotes collaboration – such rituals reinforce our connection to nature and allows her to communicate to us.
In traditional religion, the Blessing of Animals has the same intention. The first two Sundays in October honor St. Francis of Assisi, patron of animals and environmentalists, whose feast day is October 4th. In the Celtic tradition. the woodlands goddess Flidais is protector of wild animals and Bridgid is patroness of domestic animals.    October 14 is also the celebration of Fontus (or Fons), son of the Roman deities Juturna and Janus. He is the god of wells and springs and his day also honors the freshwater goddesses – the Camenae – who are the oracular water-nymphs. Have you ever performed a water oracle (Lecanomancy: “divination from a bowl”)? Fresh water from a moving source, said to embody optimum life force, is contained in a clay vessel and censed. Under lunar light, one then makes an offering to the water deities and scrys over the surface for messages. If you choose to do so, meditate on the miracle of water, its healing and nourishing powers. Too many people in the world today do not have access to even a clear glass of water in their lifetime, let alone the abundance of fresh water that we have any moment we desire. Let us work toward a change in this circumstance and call upon the Camenae for their wisdom and assistance.    Sukkot (“Feast of Tabernacles”) October 14–20  is a Judeo-Christian festival of pilgrimage to the temple and a harvest feast, celebrated with a ritual of pouring water and waving the four “sacred species” of palm, willow, myrtle, and citron.	Flidais, Protectoress of Wildlife
Cosmic Events    Mercury turns retrograde on September 24 at 12:17 am PDT (22 Libra 50’), passing over Spica (“ear of wheat”), the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. This portends instability in the global food supply for the next six months, though more international attention will be given to solving the problem. Remember that Mercury’s reverse passage delays new enterprises and presents problems  in Virgo’s realm – late harvests, machinery breakdowns due to unseen flaws, public sanitation, and El Niño weather patterns.    The New Moon takes place on September 29 at 1:13 am PDT (6 Libra 33’), an appropriate time to go forward on resolving disputes and mediating conflicts. On the biophysical level, the Libra cycle assists in maintaining the vital balance of blood chemistry, which regulates the functioning of the major organs. Starting a regimen of the season’s yields (root vegetables, apples, peaches, barley, rye) is a good way to start the process.    In the Lunar calendar Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) begins at sundown on September 29 and ends at nightfall on October 1st. It is observed by “casting away one’s sins,” eschewing work, and attending holiday meals. It is followed eight days later by Yom Kippur (begins at sunset on October 8th and ends at nightfall on October 9th), a day of fasting and atonement, to prepare the way for the coming year.    The Full Moon takes place on October 14 at 1:02 pm PDT (21 Aries 50’), traditionally the start of the Greek Eleusinian Mysteries. These honored the archetypal journeys of the mother goddess Demeter and her daughter (Kore) Persephone. The descent of the daughter into the realm of Hades was enacted by initiates; four days later they emerged from caves beneath the mother temple endowed with oracular powers. Certainly a time to perform a water oracle!

August  2008: Season of  Virgo  ( August 21 – September 21)

   In this season, most think of the Virgo image in the form of Astraea (“star maiden”), the Greek virgin-goddess of justice. She was said to have lived with human beings during the Golden Age, but departed due to the lawlessness in the latter Bronze Age. Thus, she found her abode in the heavens as the constellation Virgo and portrays the remote, celestial goddess who never intervenes in the mundane affairs of mortals. It was left to Hermes (the Roman Mercury), lord of divine communication, to convey the wisdom of Astraea to the inhabitants of earth. But the season of Virgo better reflects other images of divinity expressed in the ancient world – virginal maiden and Earth mother, warrior daughter and wisdom healer. That is because the major asteroids, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, are now viewed as the governing influences of Virgo and embody this Sign’s multiplicity of talents and powers.

	Virgo is foremost the harvester, “she who reaps.” Here, she embodies Ceres (Greek: Demeter), the corn goddess and mother of fertile soil. She presides over agriculture and grain crops, instituting the mystic rituals of coming of age and initiation. Her festival of the Cerealia is a celebration of both the harvest and remembrance of the dead, whose substance nurtures the dormant seed into sprouting new life.
	Virgo is also the lawgiver Minerva (Greek: Pallas Athena), born of the brow of her father Zeus, wholly and perfectly formed as the “brain child”” of the divine patriarch. In this role, she is the wisdom keeper who brings poetry and music to society so that it may remember its past and become inspired of the future. She governs learning, memory and reason, but as the founder of institutional law, she is also a warrior and dispensator of justice. She taught medical science to the human race and is often accompanied by the serpent Erichthonius, her protector and icon who is found on the caduceus of healers.
	Virgo is the founder of civil society and culture in her role as Juno (Greek: Hera). In this role she is queen of the gods and protectoress of the state, guardian of property and the financial assets derived from it. In domestic life, Juno safeguards the marriage and maternity, instituting the culinary arts, weaving, midwifery and nursing. Wrongly portrayed as the jealous wife or short-tempered matron, Juno more accurately represents etiquette, diplomacy, mediation, and the value of polite discourse.
	Virgo is also the mirror of Vesta (Greek: Hestia), custodian of the sacred flame in the temple and keeper of the hearth fire in the home. She is steward of records, family genealogies and royal lineages, a vital role performed by her servants, the Vestals, in ancient times. These priestesses were also oracles, who maintained communication with the guardian spirits of the culture to provide guidance in times of crisis or confusion.    The fiery Virgo is associated with the male god Vulcan (Greek: Hephaestos), master of fire, blacksmiths and fabrication. In a forge beneath Mount Etna he fashions weapons for the gods and heroes. He is associated with Bona Dea (“good goddess”) with whom he shares the Volcanalia, a festival of fire and light. In this role, Virgo is the creative fire of artisans and inventors.
	In astrological practice, these goddesses, associated with the asteroids Ceres (the mother), Pallas (the daughter), Juno (the wife), and Vesta (the sister), appropriately represent the influences and experiences of the Virgo sphere. We can only marvel at how ubiquitous their images must have been in times past, and how eagerly their attentions were sought to everyday problems. We might also consider their legacy to the modern world, not forgotten but misplaced by other concerns.
Goddess Times    The Volcanalia is observed on August 23, a fire festival best celebrated with the lighting of candles for those departed. The flames represent the souls of ancestors who remain our inspirations and guides through difficult times. This parallels the Japanese Obon, a three-day celebration in mid-August that honors ancestors with the lighting of lanterns that are placed in rivers and streams to return their souls to heaven. This is followed by the Bon Odori, the dance of joy. The Cerealia (festival of Ceres) is celebrated on August 24, a prelude to upcoming harvest events throughout the Fall Equinox season. This is a time to honor accomplishments, no matter how small, and rest before the harvesting of summer’s bounty and preparation for winter’s long nights. This is also a time to remember those gone before us, and school those who will carry our harvest into the future.    Cosmic Events    The Sun enters Virgo on August 22 at 11:02 am PDT, bringing news of environmental breakthroughs derived from new energy sources and uses. A few medical innovations are also indicated, with technology as the usual harbinger of change. Saturn now moves through the Sign of Virgo, spreading pessimism that may rule the day but it will be short-lived and is providing the opportunity for serious reflection on long-range goals instead of short-term reactions.    The New Moon takes place on August 30 at 12:58 pm PDT (7 Virgo 48’), as Saturn’s influence draws close. This is the darkest hour before light appears, a temporary drop in vitality. The past provides solution to the present for the next two weeks, and energy builds to the Full Moon.    The Full Moon takes place on September 15 at 2:13 am PDT (22 Pisces 54’), heralding a week of catching up, new challenges, and some surprises. If change is on your agenda, this will be the time to inaugurate a new appearance, break some habits, or work at manifesting a new idea.

July  2008: Season of  Leo (July 22 – August 21)

The hottest time of the year in the northern hemisphere coincides with a forty-day period when Sirius – the alpha star in the constellation Canis Major (the “greater dog”) – rises with the Sun. Hence, this time is known as the “Dog Days” (July 4 – August 11). But throughout the ages, Sirius (Greek for “scorcher”) also represented the appearance of a foremost goddess – Sothis of the Greeks, Sopdet of the Egyptians, Rudra (Shiva) of the Vedas.    Goddess Appearing    Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky that rises after the constellation Orion. The forty days of her rising with the Sun were regarded as most sacred in the ancient cultures of the Levant – from Egypt to Babylonia, including Greece, India, and as far East as China. Near the end of the forty day Solar conjunction, the star appears on the horizon at dawn before the solar aura becomes visible (the heliacal rising). This was viewed by the ancients as “the herald of the Sun’s divine companion.”    The lore associated with this event has been passed down through the ages. A shade of the naturally blue-white star is significant – if it appears bright and clear, the ancients foretold an abundant harvest and a year without conflict. If it was dim or reddish, a poor harvest would be expected with hostilities from foreign lands. Standing alone in the heavens before the daylight illumines the sky, Sirius is indeed a marvelous sight. Greet the time-honored goddess rising in the East from your location:                  Latitude                        Date     Sirius Rising                  30º N (Los Angeles)       8/04      05:29 am PDT                  35º N (San Francisco)     8/08      05:55 am PDT                  40º N (Denver)               8/13      05:47 am MDT                  45º N (Portland)             8/18      05:40 am PDT    A remarkable theory of Sirius’ alignment in Egyptian sacred space was proposed by astronomer Virginia Trimble in the 1960’s. The southern shaft in the so-called Queen’s Chamber in the Great pyramid of Giza was apparently sited to the culmination of Sirius overhead. As this occurred, the star Al Nitak – the largest and key star in the constellation Orion – was sited to the southern shaft in the King’s Chamber above. It was Orion that the Egyptians regarded as the returned Osiris, in his incarnation as the royal Sun, Horus.    And so in the stellar landscape of Orion’s passage over the pyramid shaft, his companion/mother Isis stands watch overhead, to bring forth the a new cycle of divine light. Trimble’s theory is not far-fetched – a century before, Sir Norman Lockyer, Scotland’s royal astronomer, discovered that several of the temple Mammisi (birth houses) in Egypt were aligned to the heliacal rising of Sirius in ancient times.

    Goddess Times

   July 31 is Midsummer or Lammas Eve, with August 1 the midpoint between Summer Solstice and Autumnal Equinox. It opens the period of First Harvest and the festivals of thanksgiving to follow. We celebrate by offering the first fruits of our summer’s labors – if they are not grain or the yield of the soil, we should offer our inspirations and prayers for the sustenance of all in our circle. In the Celtic/Old Irish tradition, this day is known as Lughnasadh, a feast of the goddess Tailtiu and her consort Lugh (deities of Life and Light). It is also the initiation of harvest time, and a period of truces and peace.

    Cosmic Events - Eclipses and the Unexpected

   The Sun enters Leo on July 22 at 3:54 am PDT. The sign of royal houses and the appearance of divinity on Earth opens its season with news of remarkable breakthroughs in science and medicine. Some economic relief is anticipated for the next thirty days, but it is brief and inadequate to the task or restoring abundance. Yet this is a time to be grateful for the treasury we do possess in heart and mind.

   The New Moon takes place on August 1 at 3:13 am PDT (9 Leo 31’) followed by a total Solar Eclipse at 3:21 am PDT. The ancients saw the Solar Eclipse as a diminishment of vitality, the royal power in the grip of the serpent of darkness. Temples were closed and the priesthood went outside the sacred precinct to comfort the frightened. We should do likewise, for this is a time to remember the transitory nature of such events and that light eventually illuminates the darkness even in timeless time.

   A partial Lunar Eclipse occurs at 2:10 pm PDT on August 16, followed by the Full Moon at 2:17 pm PDT (24 Aquarius 21’). Lunar Eclipses bring the unexpected – bizarre and loony conditions. In some countries today, the gradually darkened face of the eclipsed Moon is greeted with drumming, clanging, and general abandon to ward off the spirits that will surely roam the darkness. Whatever is planned will probably go awry, so it is best to enjoy the sabbatical and get back to business after three days.


June  2008: Season of  Cancer (June 20 – July 21)

In honoring our fathers on June 15, we may quickly associate an unyielding, authoritarian nature with the paternal role of modern societies, overlooking that at other places and times the prototype of father is compassionate, protective, and generous.    The Native American spirit of all creation, Wakan Tonka, is the giver of life, healer of all spirits, and peacemaker in all accords. It is said  that at the moment of creation, Wakan Tonka gave an instruction that every tribe was to follow:                • Take care of Mother Earth and the other colors of man.                • Respect this Mother Earth and Creation.                • Honor all life, and support that honor.                • Be grateful from the heart for all life.                • Thank the Creator at all times for all life.                • Love, and express that love.                • Be humble.                • Be kind with one's self and with others.                • Share thoughts and obligations.                • Be honest with one's self and with others.                • Be responsible for these sacred instructions and share them with other nations.
In ancient Egypt, the roles are reversed – sky is mother, Earth is father. Geb is often depicted as a gander and called “the great cackler.” Since geese are known to have but one mate in life and fiercely protective of their their young, Geb represented to the ancient people the divine father as watcher and provider, the ideal of family life. The landscape of terrestrial existence is his domain, where the cosmic rhythms of his consort Nut engender the cycles of vegetation to feed the living, the dead, and divine beings.    Let us remember in this season that these qualities of compassion, generosity, fidelity, and protection are instilled in our brothers and sons by sisters and mothers who honor and value them, who ever remind and reward them in such efforts, and inspire those principles in everyday life.

   Goddess Times

   June 7 – 15  is the ancient Roman festival of Vestalia, when the storehouses of Vesta’s temple were opened annually. Only women were allowed in the temple, which was cleaned during this time and the refuse thrown in the Tiber. The festival also marked the beginning of a six-week period considered propitious for marrying, one of many June bridal traditions.

   June 18 commences the season of Ethiopian rains that bring the Nile floods. It was honored by the ancient Egyptians as Gerh-en-Matuiy (“Night of the Teardrop”), when the goddess Isis wept on learning the death of Osiris and commenced her journey down the Nile in search of his body. The Islamic and Coptic communities similarly celebrate it as Lailat al Nuktah.

    June 20 is another Egyptian festival celebrated in modern times, Lailat al Saratjan (“Night of the Crab”). This is when the Sun enters Cancer and charms are hung on walls to drive away insects. It also marks the Summer Solstice, longest day of the year.

   June 21 is Midsummer Day, when in Celtic communities bonfires on hilltops are lit to emulate the fiery Sun at its apex in the sky in this season. In Sweden, the third Saturday in June is celebrated as Midsummer, when its citizens eat herring, drink schnapps, and dance. Girls may put seven flowers under their pillows to dream of their future husbands.

   June 23 is Midsummer's Night's Eve, a night of magic and wonder. This is the Eve of St. John (the Baptist), which replaced the ancient celebrations of Summer Solstice. In medieval times, this marked the end of the planting season and a period of respite before the Fall harvests – certainly a time for vacation from work.

   Cosmic Events

   The Full Moon takes place on June 18 at 10:30 am PDT (27 Sagittarius 50’), drawing the influence of Pluto into the Solunar atmosphere. This adds tension and expectation in relationships, and some dramatic revelations to the public mind.

   Mercury moves into direct motion (after a month of retrograde delays) on June 19 at 7:30 am PDT (12 Gemini 59’), bringing some order to communications and mutual understandings. Travel and modes of transportation will also be more affordable and expeditious for the coming month.

   When the Sun begins to move northward in the sky at the Spring Equinox, the impulse of life is ascending. At the Summer Solstice, the life force is at its apex and the terrestrial flow is optimum. This is the season of investitures, the assignment of high office and the crowning of royal persons.

   The Summer Solstice takes place when the Sun enters Cancer on June 20 at 4:59 pm PDT. Venus precedes the Sun in the sky by close proximity, bringing us respite from many conflicts and concerns, perhaps ushering in a theme of tolerance and harmony in the coming season.

   The next New Moon takes place on July 2 at 7:19 pm PDT (11 Cancer 32’), also within proximity of Venus. The three life bringers herald a 28-day cycle of good feeling and progress, though optimism should not influence careless spending or abandonment of thrift. Rumors of conflict will continue, but they are restrained by the wise and we are preserved from pessimism.


May 2008: Season of Gemini (May 20 – June 19)

   Mother’s Day may be early in modern times for honoring those who bring life into the world. In the ancient world, the Roman Matralia – when mothers were honored by their children and husbands – took place on June 11th. In keeping with this, perhaps we could begin this observance on the modern date and be reminded of the gift of life we receive and are called to give from the Great Mother (Mater Matuta) throughout the month.

   May 19  brings another Celtic festival of Bridgid, when healing wells and sacred springs are adorned with flowers. Another floral tribute takes place on the 23rd, which marks the Roman festival of roses, the Rosalia – honoring the goddess Flora. Indeed, it is the season of growth and the time-honored choice for weddings and the union of spirits.

   May 31 heralds the feast of the Triple Goddess – maiden, mother, and crone – as symbolized in the waxing, full, and waning Moon. In the Roman Catholic calendar, this is the day commemorating the visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, when the child conceived at the Vernal Equinox “leaped in her womb.”

   June 1 we welcome the new month by honoring the first day, sacred to the Roman Juno (Greek: Hera). Known by innumerable names, her image portrays the many roles the goddess assumes in everyday and even extraordinary circumstances. She is Juno  Moneta (she who warns), appearing to inform of impending disasters and harmful events; as Juno Lucina she is goddess of light and bringer of children. In both domains, her adherents removed knots from their hair and clothing to symbolically banish hindrances. Wouldn’t this be a time to do likewise? Unbound your hair, put aside all restrictive dress and plan a sacrificial supper to the goddess – with first fruits, spelt and barley cakes, and plenty of wine.

   Cosmic Events

   There are two Full Moons in Scorpio-Taurus this year. The first took place on April 20 at 3:26 am PDT (00 Scorpio-Taurus 42’), the second takes place on May 19 at 7:12 pm PDT (29 Scorpio-Taurus 26’). The Full Moon in these Signs is regarded as Wesak, the Buddhist festival that marks the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. We should remember this great teacher as the one who taught absolute spiritual equality for all human beings, men and women. That we are now given two of these events is an invitation to express the compassion and mindfulness of the buddha-mind.

   The Sun enters Gemini on May 20 at 9:00 am PDT, and as we conclude the season of Taurus, the cycle of the Twins signals the engagement of mind, the descent of divine consciousness into the vessel of incarnation. From the fire of creation (Aries) to the soil of embodiment (Taurus) we now enter the stream of learning, observing, and communicating in Gemini. In ancient Egypt, this role was assumed by Seshat, lady of records and consort of Djehuti (Thoth), lord of writing.

   For those born under the Gemini Sun, truth seeking and the quest for knowledge is a recurring theme. Everyday life requires explanation and articulation, and in this there is strength. But seeing the big picture – or finding the ultimate truth – remains elusive. The mythology of the Twins explains this dilemma, as Castor and Pollux were born of Zeus and two mothers – one earthly, one heavenly. To be together, each had to relinquish either mortality or immortality, and that is the dilemma of all who are born of flesh and spirit. But there is no conflict when we understand these natures we possess and allow each their expression.

   Mercury – who governs the domain of Gemini – moves into retrograde motion on May 26 at 8:47 am PDT until June 19. This is one of the more pernicious cycles of “he who speeds forward and backward,” because all that pertains to learning, observing, and communicating is indeed delayed. This is a period for follow up, completion of past projects, remembering old friends, and solving puzzles. When Mercury is retrograde, we may turn inward to reflect, recall, and revise.

   A New Moon takes place on June 3rd at 12:23 pm PDT (13 Gemini 34’). This heralds a cycle of journeying – in the mind, the heart, and the environment. The influence of the Twins opens the doors to celestial and terrestrial excursions, where we may visit wondrous places of land and imagination. Bon voyage!


April 2008: Season of Taurus (April 19 – May 20)

   In the ancient Mysteries, the return of Spring was seen as the descent of fiery spirit (Aries) into the world of life once more. It is followed by the cycle of implantation (Taurus), which brings about the sowing of spiritual vitality into the soil of terra firma. This is a time that prompts us to think practically and engage in acts that affirm our connection to nature and her abundance.

   The Sun moves into earthy Taurus on April 19 at 9:50 pm PDT, a transition that brings us into the realm of Gaia, our foremost and eternal mother. How appropriate that Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, when the fertile flow of the season is upon us.

   It is hard to imagine that before the 1960’s, the concept of the Earth as a living organism integrated with all other living organisms was never officially considered in the western world. When Dr. James Lovelock published his Gaia Hypothesis, he was either ridiculed or ignored, especially when he proposed that creatures who improve their environment survive far better than those who damage it.

   Perhaps we have some satisfaction that our world view has changed since then, and because of this the theory has been accepted as reality. But in our individual lives, are we allowing this reality to shape our habits, expectations, and goals?

   The ancients interacted with their deities through propitiation and reciprocation, acts of true communion. In the Tellus Mater, a Roman festival celebrating the mother of earth, the very fruits of the harvest were offered to coax the goddess into replenishing the grain stores in the coming year. And on April 15, she was honored with the feasts of Fordicidia and Hordicidia, a sacrifice of cows and calves. Sacrifices were never wasted in those times; after partaking of the earthly oblation, the deity’s powers were endowed to the living through a shared exchange of food and drink.

   In this sense, we should revive our interaction with divinity through propitiation and reciprocation. Sharing food, drink, and the fruit of our  labors in some manner with others, while honoring the source of these things, is in keeping with this season of sowing. And it is not an effort that should be confined to this season – each day we can offer bread to birds or share a meal with a neighbor. A recognition that life and all of its assets are ultimately communal is vital to our determination that we can (and must) shape our future to sustain our foremost mother and her progeny in all dimensions.

   May is named for Maius on the ancient Roman calendar, honoring Maia Majesta, goddess of Spring. On the 1st of May, priests of Vulcan (god of fabrication) presidered over her festival.

   Cosmic Events

   The Full Moon takes place on April 20 at 3:26 am PDT (0 Scorpio-Taurus 42’), a time of great vitality since the Sun has just entered Taurus and the Full Moon occurs a few hours later. This Moon is honored in the Far East as Wesak, a traditional Buddhist festival that marks the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. Great optimism is indicated for the collectivity, and a sense of forward movement toward material stability will be planted in the public mood.

   The traditional Celtic-Welsh feast of Beltaine is celebrated on the 1st of May, commemorating in the pagan community the pastoral commencement of summer and the union of the Lord and Lady of the season. In keeping with this, a New Moon on May 5th at 5:19 am PDT in 15 Taurus 22’ brings creative influences to those who wish to inaugurate new ideas and projects, but time should not be wasted in putting these into material form since a slowdown is indicated in such matters for September. Make haste!

   Jupiter is retrograde on May 9 in 22 Capricorn 22’, a time for meditative work and reflection before taking big leaps (or spending big sums); restraint and self confidence should be cultivated. However, if one has worked diligently toward professional advancement, Saturn is direct on May 2nd at 01 Virgo 41’, which benefits efforts inaugurated on or about December 17 of last year.

   Altogether, early May brings some interesting changes in the financial worlds of the Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) – who are actually indicated to prosper in the coming months. For Taurus, creative endeavors bring results, while Virgo discovers the value of one’s talents and may be compensated for them, and Capricorn acquires more authority and control to grow in long-awaited directions.


March 2008: Season of Aries (March 19 – April 19)

   The Vernal (vernalis, “spring”) Equinox has been honored since ancient times as a transition from the hibernation of one season to the awakening of another. In the northern hemisphere, this event heralds the planting season; for skywatchers it is the astronomical beginning of a new year. Visually, the Spring Equinox (equi, “equal” and nox, “night”) marks the time when the Sun crosses the celestial equator and moves north; it will visually appear high on the horizons until its southerly descent begins in the Fall.

   Spring Equinox events include the festival of Ostara, a Neopagan celebration that combines a number of ancient traditions for the season. Among them, the Anglo-Saxon fertility goddess Eostre (whose name is the origin of estrogen) is honored for the return of the growing season.

   In ancient Greece, Spring marked the return of Persephone, who at this time departs from the realm of Hades and reenters the world of life. In joy at her return, her mother Demeter returns life to the fields after the barren period of winter brought by her grieving of the divine daughter’s absence.

   In Roman Catholic protocol, the criteria for determining Easter is the first Sunday following the Full Moon after the Equinox, which this year is March 23. It will also coincide with another celebration – the Feast of the Annunciation, set at March 25. This event commemorates the planting of a divine seed, albeit of a different order than the pagan traditions. Nevertheless, it is another observance that honors the promise of new life and the inception of a cycle for renewal.

   In ancient Egypt, Spring brought the return of the constellation Orion in the night sky, a representation of the reborn Osiris in the form of his son, Horus. One of the god’s names is Wennefer (“who springs forth”), which points to the power of this divinity to regenerate; the hieroglyphic sign of this name is the desert hare, over the ages it morphed into the Easter bunny. But Osiris, the archetypal slain god who cyclically returns, is only half of a spiritual saga that formed the foundation of the ancient Mysteries. The other dimension of his story is the cycle of wanderings and magical acts performed by his consort Isis, who diligently sought justice for her son’s usurped throne and restored the broken body of her husband so that it could be mystically renewed. It is she who gives life both to the father and the son in the repetition of seasons over time.

   Cosmic Events

   This year’s Spring Equinox on March 19 at 10:49 pm PDT is followed by a Full Moon on March 21 at 11:40 am PDT. Solar and Lunar phenomena that take place together presage unique events, and the period (March 18 – 30) should be considered advantageous for taking unorthodox action, even veering off into new directions rather than following the same pattern or habits. This becomes possible through the vitality offered by the Equinox and the revelations certain to be disclosed at the Full Moon.

   On April 5th a New Moon in Aries takes place at 8:55 pm PDT, the first lunation following the Spring Equinox. This is truly “the beginning of a beginning,” a time to move forward with ambitions that have been hibernating and preparing for the journey into a year of practical work and spiritual change. This New Moon ushers Venus into the passionate and spontaneous realm of Aries, something else to prepare for!


February 2008: Season of Pisces (February 18 – March 19)

   The Sun enters Pisces on February 18, 2008 at 10:50 pm PST, ushering in the cycle when we may encounter the water divinities and denizens of the celestial ocean, many of them the enigmatic goddesses honored from the commencement of time.

   In the beginning there is Tiamat, the Babylonian sea mother and primordial being who lives in the waters of the abyss before time became manifest. Through her we are connected to the ancient sea on which our hopes and aspirations sail – the collective unconscious. And so we may use this time to tap into our spiritual reservoir and draw on the strengths we often forget.

   In ancient Egypt, the water goddess initially takes form as the frog-headed Heqet, dweller in the primordial swamp. She is the source of cosmic proliferation, the bringer of births in all dimensions of celestial life. Heqet brings life to the barren, and in this cycle we can depend on her for inspiration and the visions of what is possible.

   In the physical universe, Nut is the mother of the cosmic ocean, the keeper of exalted spirits in the guise of celestial asterisms, mistress of enchantments in the incubation sleep of the temple. Through Nut we may remain connected to our ancestral heritage, both human and divine. She also takes us to the well of memory, past and future.

   The nature spirits of ancient Greece assume great number as water nymphs – Nereides (goddesses of the Sea), Naiads (beings of fresh water, brooks and foundation stones), and Oceanids (powerful children of Oceanus and Tethys). Each is a mirror of wisdom, enchantment, or inspiration, and each is a gift we may access in the cycle of Piscean contemplation.

   Appropriate rituals at this time include offering bowls of water at the family shrine to quench our thirst for security and solidarity among the shared blood, daily ablutions performed to remind us of  the coming Spring, and sacred baths for evoking dream and vision states.

   Pisces, last sign in the annual cycle of the Zodiac, marks a period of completion and preparation for a new journey. The twin fish, who represent Aphrodite and Eros in disguise, swim in the waters of baptism, where we are not cleansed of any mortal stain invented by false prophets, but returned to the amniotic waters of rejuvenation and made whole again.

   Cosmic Events

   Within the hour of the Sun’s ingress into Pisces on February 18, the planet Mercury turns direct in motion, after being retrograde since January 28. These two course changes will bring a short period of tension and uncertainty as conditions have been in stagnation for several weeks, but  breakthroughs can be achieved – the realms impacted are aviation & space travel, astronomy & physics, wireless communications, liberation movements & insurgencies, UFO sitings, and labor unions.

   A New Moon/ Solar Eclipse takes place February 20 at 7:30 pm PDT. Eclipses are cosmic wild cards, bringing unexpected conditions and often reversing what seems to be inevitable. Lunar eclipses bring out subliminal feelings, but they also provide opportunities for dispelling obstacles to practical goals and healing. This eclipse in early Virgo affects those with the Sun & Moon in this sign and their opposite kin, Pisces. It is a time for calm and reflection, as “much ado about nothing” prevails. Lunar eclipses can diminish vitality in the very young, the gestating, and the lactating. Lunar nourishment includes eggs, seafood, green leaf juices, and milk products.