Moon Cycle: From October 8th – November 6th 

Full Moon: October 24th 

Keywords: Partnerships, Relationships, Justice, Trust, Faith, Health 

The moon indeed never lies. It’s no surprise that during a particularly disappointing time in the world from a judiciary perspective, we are entering a new moon in Libra, a sign that is represented by the scales of justice. Lady Libra is feeling a little winded at the moment. As with all moon cycles, we are more attuned to the energies of the sign the moon is in and Libras strongly value balance, fairness and justice, compassion and grace. Therefore, if you find yourself feeling  unbalanced, extra-charged, angry and triggered over current particular world (ahem, US-based) events that seem unjust and just appalling, understand that your sense of justice is working in overdrive. Honour your anger but do not let it consume you. Change comes from clarity of vision.

What Do You Believe? 

This new moon in Libra is inviting us to look inside and try to understand where our own moral checks and balances come into play. How strongly do you believe in what you say and how far are you willing to go to stand up for what is right? Be wary, as we are all feeling protective of our beliefs and bodies at the moment. With the new moon square Pluto and Venus in Retrograde, we may find ourselves in situations where we go too far to protect our beliefs, causing unnecessary issues and conflicts. By all means, protect your values, but ensure your approach is graceful, leaving you in the best light.

Women Are Centre

Interestingly enough, this new moon will highlight the rights of women as it is conjunct Ceres and quincunx Neptune. While typically this alignment brings up issues surrounding the rights of women; particularly single parents, it seems as though the rights of women in other matters are highlighted at the moment. Honour that. Take time this moon cycle to extend love, light and positive energy to the women around us; those who raised us, those who comfort us and those who stand up for us.

This is a beautiful moon cycle to circle and connect with your female allies, even if you are male. The energy of the female is strong at the moment and bonding together is a great way to soothe our souls.

A Highlight On Health 

This new moon also puts a spotlight on our health and the concept of detoxification. Whether you need a good cleanse in diet or in your life, we are called to cut everything that stands in our way of being our best selves, including bad habits and toxic people. Any moves we make this new moon to better our health and relationships will go a long way. A large transformation may be on the horizon in terms of our health or relationships, so be proactive and stand up for what’s best for you. Cut out negativity in all its forms and embrace self-love.

The full moon will be in Pisces this Sunday, and we’re so ready to hand ourselves over to this ever-dreamy but determined and driven sign. It is no surprise that some of us are feeling a little spun out and weak at the knees after this summer’s whirlwind of retrograde activity, eclipses and super moons and blood moons, oh my. This summer, the cosmos called us to reflect and face ourselves directly, to go deep inside and allow whatever comes up to be acknowledged and recognized. We were given support from the universe to let go of everything that doesn’t serve us, as well as insight (if we were listening) to determine what we truly want in life, what our goals are and what needs to be done to achieve them.

The new moon in Leo brought on August 11th brought us the courageous and fierce energy of the lion, guiding us in setting our new lunar cycle intentions with precision and confidence. You may have felt a bit like a live wire over the past week or so, ready to jump in defence of yourself, fiercely protective of your beliefs, your morals and what you believe is true and right.

We can thank the Lion for helping us set our intentions during the new moon phase with clarity and pure strength in vision, while recognizing a need to take a break from being overt with our ideals and positions. The universe has heard your roar and now it’s time to give into the softer side of the Pisces.

Full Moon in Pisces August 26th: Surrender

With the full moon in Pisces, we are called to surrender our need to know all the answers about the future and take things as they come, giving into our capacity for trust; trust in ourselves, trust in others and trust in the universe. We may find ourselves to be grappling with issues or conflicts around how our quest for spirituality can live in harmony with our need for material items. This is represented in the sign for Pisces; two fish tied together but swimming opposite directions. One fish represents our spiritual side, the other represents our material side. When we find a way to let our two sides compliment each other, we can navigate the waters of life with greater ease.

Although we are reminded to find balance between our two sides, Pisces is a dreamy sign and one that tends to connect with the more spiritual aspects of life. This is why during a full moon in Pisces, we are invited to leverage this ability and go deep, to find connectivity with ourselves and others, as well as the divine. If you are interested in astrology, tarot or meditation, this full moon is an excellent time to put your interests into action.

It’s Time to Clean Your Closet

That said, a full moon in Pisces can bring up our emotions in a less than productive way. Make sure that you are not avoiding reality, overstepping boundaries or giving into self-indulgent behaviours. While Pisces is dreamy and content to swim along in a sea of dreams and emotions, this full moon will be opposite the sun in practical Virgo, bringing clarity to the situation. The sun in Virgo will help us sift through these emotions that come up during the full moon in Pisces and put them to practical use. Think of her like a practical and wise mother or grandmother who knows what you need in your messy closet and knows what you don’t. She’ll help you eliminate the clutter; in work, in relationships and inside your own mind.

The sun in Virgo also will remind our Pisces selves to take care of the trivia, the minutiae at home, at work and for our bodies. This full moon, make sure that your temples are in order; your living space and your beautiful, serving body. Put aside a day to clean out your apartment and book that doctor’s appointment you have been putting off.

Why?

The full moon in Pisces is opening the pathway to our next chapter. Like for real, if you have been putting in the work, it will start to pay off and you can’t have extra baggage holding you back as you embark on this next exciting chapter. You will be called to give into the unknown and trust the natural transitions. Don’t be afraid to say goodbye to things or people that have been dragging you down.

Listen

The most important part of a full moon in Pisces is to listen. Your capacity to connect to Spirit and the Divine will be running high this full moon so listen to what is coming through during moments of solitude and meditation. Set aside time to embrace the messages that are trying to come in as we head into what has the potential to be a very successful fall. This really is your time, you just need to believe it.

Mercury Retrograde Started July 26th, 2018 Ending August 18th, 2018

It’s no coincidence that the final days of Mercury Retrograde (ending on August 18th) coincide with a yin moon phase, and a Crescent Moon phase at that. Yin moon phases indicate that the energy offered from the moon serves us in a receptive manner, as opposed to a  yang phase which serves us in a active manner.

So what does this have to do with the current Mercury Retrograde we are presently experiencing? First thing’s first:

What Is Mercury Retrograde?

Four times a year, the planet Mercury is said to go into Retrograde, meaning that it appears to be moving in an opposite direction from the Earth. Simply put, planets move from east to west around the sun. Mercury in Retrograde refers to the four times a year when the planet moves from west to east around the sun, giving us on Earth the optical illusion that it is moving backwards.

Think about when you are driving on a highway and pass a car. The other car appears to be moving backwards, but it really is just moving slower than you. That other car is Mercury in this analogy.

What’s All The Hype About? 

Mercury is recognized as the messenger of the Gods and the planet of communication and logistics. On a modern-day level, this means that we can expect interference in our daily conversations, emails, travels or when we are making plans. It may feel as though we are talking to loved ones and co-workers through a thick static, where messages are getting caught or missed.

Technology and travel can be highly effected during this time. Think back to the start of this Mercury Retrograde (July 26th). Did you experience any issues with your travel and technology? Did your TV stop working for no reason? Did you pop a tire?

This, of course, can be frustrating and is why Mercury Retrograde gets a bad rap.

What’s Good, Though?

On a woo-woo level, it is said that when Mercury goes into retrograde, he travels deep into the underground of our psyches, opening up the pathway to our base-level human consciousness, offering insight into past experiences and helping us gather information for the next phase in our journeys. Because we move so fast, we rarely have a chance to stop and reflect on how our past stories are shaping our present lives and future experiences.

When Mercury goes into retrograde, we are forced to slow down. Technology and travel will push back, forcing us to go inwards for insight. Your phone’s not working? Take five to meditate and download information from your higher self. Bus is late? Embrace the opportunity for a long, head clearing walk.

Patience is a virtue during this time and one that will be greatly rewarded. When Mercury goes into retrograde, its a time for data-collecting and reflection. Time alone is essential during Mercury Retrograde. You may have tapped into to some key insights about your life direction or relationships during this time. Mercury has a lot to reveal to us, and when it goes into retrograde, we have a greater opportunity to listen.

Making the Most of these Last Few Days

It’s no secret that this has been a super charged summer, one that was extremely transformative, whether you realized it or not. Shifts happened this summer and we are all susceptible to them. We absolutely LOVE the fact that the last few days of the Mercury Retrograde fall in a receptive yin moon phase, the Crescent Moon phase, when are called to stop and breathe into our final intentions of the summer, allowing them to permeate our bodies and minds.

We are invited to take advantage over the next few days of the final insights Mercury can offer us in its last days in Retrograde. Because the planet is retrograding through the fire sign of Leo, we may feel an opposing pull to rush into action. But remember, even Lions know when to lay low and observe, calculating the jungle before making their next move. Lay low over the next few days. Meditate and reflect. And most importantly, listen. The universe has messages for you and Mercury wants to help you receive them.