Lammas, aka Lughanasadh in Gaelic, marks the beginning of the harvest season in Wiccan and Pagan traditions. It occurs August 1 as rough halfway point between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox for the Northern Hemisphere, though Old Lammas was said to occur when the Sun reached 15 degrees Leo. Whether you honor the mid-point or astrological date, this special holiday celebrates the mystery and magic of the spirit of the grain. The name Lammas comes from old English meaning “loaf mass,” as it originated from celebrations of harvest time. Historically in Pagan and Wiccan traditions there were three harvests each year with corresponding holidays honoring each. Lammas was the first harvest with grain, the second Mabon (September 21 through September 29 this year) was fruit, and then finally near Samhain (October 31-November 1 this year) was nuts and berries.
This eclipse may feel a bit like full moon on steroids…Mars steroids to be specific. It’s about everything that makes a full moon powerful, blood moon, total eclipse, super moon and it’s also the longest total lunar eclipse of the century at 1 hour and 43 minutes long. While visible mostly in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, parts South America…its energies will be felt worldwide, which is exactly what an Aquarius moon would want. Aquarius concerns us with the realm of humanity, community and collective inviting us into pondering our place within the whole. It highlights revolution and evolution, though the Aquarius shadow side can be an identify as an outsider or lone wolf, or feeling too special that one doesn’t belong.
This powerful partial eclipse and new moon in Cancer begins the next lunar cycle and prepares us for a full moon lunar eclipse later this month. Cancer energies connect us to our family, home, emotions, and needs. It asks us to pay more attention to our intuition as well as our conditioned feelings and receptivity. Though the detrimental side of Cancer may be overly protective or giving in hopes of getting its needs met in return. Perhaps the most important aspect of this new moon is the exact opposition to Pluto in Capricorn. This primordial planetary energy evokes upheaval for the purpose of regeneration and rebirth. It often asks us to dig deeper into...
Get ready and buckle up, because July is about to get real. With two Eclipses, a Mars retrograde, and a Mercury retrograde, this month may be one of THE most important months of all of 2018. The most important thing to remember is to be flexible and roll with the punches. When eclipse season is upon us, it’s like a karmic vortex opens up. Some people come, some people go. This is the universe’s way of cleaning house and keeping things moving. Endings and beginnings are expected, but it’s all apart of a grand plan. Let’s start off by marking these days on your calendar babe:
This summery full moon is often called the Rose Moon or Strawberry Moon because of the abundance of blooms and ripeness, though this full moon may not feel particularly up lifting. Capricorn can often be considered a Debbie Downer or put us in work mode, and can make us feel cold or unavailable. As an Earth sign, Capricorn is naturally heavier and asks us to be realistic, which may not feel so light. The elevated expression of this may be a desire to step more into our authority or becoming more
Known as Summer Solstice to most, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere has several names including Litha and Midsummer. It is a day of joy and merriment, as well as major witchiness. Litha comes from the old Anglo-Saxon name for June and July, given by an English monk named Bede. As the lustful and passionate energies of Beltane subside, they make way for the maturity and power of Litha. Spring was the phase of courtship and now summer has become the commitment to love as the...
As always, the new moon creates time to pause, reset, and slow down…all things Gemini doesn’t exactly enjoy doing. Instead the gregarious air sign leans more towards moving quickly, sometimes at the cost of being scattered. Pay attention to all the things that want your attention this new moon, how can you instead direct your thoughts and intentions more clearly. Gemini is great at communicating, chatting, and charming. Though it can certainly show up as two-sided or thinking in extremes. A healthy expression for this sign would be moving towards the ability to hold two things at once and integrating parts that may seem like opposites. This alchemical capacity could be...
Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius wants abundance: to go big or go home, have your cake and eat it too, as well as have plenty of time for fun. Sagittarius is the sign of optimism and also expands the realm of feelings. It rules the pointer finger and can be eager to place blame when it concerns itself with morality and ideals as well as philosophy. However, the shadow side of it can be arrogance, exaggeration, or superiority.
Watch out for overindulgence or being optimistic to a point that ignores the emotions. This full moon offers a wonderful time to examine our truth and tap into our adventurous side, as well as making
Collective energies:
The Taurus new moon on May 15 activates our desire for connection to ourselves, others, but also Earth itself. The Earthly, second sign of the zodiac reminds us to stop and smell the roses and appreciate the finer things in life while also honoring productivity. Taurus, like the Earth, continually leans into the creative process. The shadow side can be indulgence, materialistic, or bull-headedness. All things to notice during this new lunar phase. A key aspect of Taurus energies is understanding our relationship to intimacy itself and this new moon offers the perfect impetus to explore whether through tantric practices or a personal deep dive into the watery realms of our unconscious.
