☾✩☽ Guest Luminaries ☾✩☽
Dolores Whelan is an educator, author and spiritual guide who has been involved with education all her adult life. In her work as an educator and spiritual guide in human and spiritual development for the past 30 years, Dolores has drawn on wisdom and insights from many spiritual traditions and modern psychology especially on the evolution of consciousness . She understands how important it is for us humans to recover lost wisdom in order that we can evolve towards more wholeness. Therefore the recovery of the wisdom within the spiritual and mythological traditions of Ireland and the wisdom held within this ancient tradition are at the heart of all her teachings She is passionate about the protection of sacred landscapes and the celebration of ancient Celtic traditions especially the seasonal rituals. She is author Ever Ancient, Ever New - Celtic Spirituality for the 21st Century (second edition 2011). She co-created the perpetual Celtic Calendar with the American artist the late Cynthia Matyi.
Laura Murphy is a poet, activist, healer and communications strategist. Her recent work includes advocacy for Mother and Baby Homes survivors and the campaign to make Brigid’s Day a national holiday. Her work is centred around ‘Imbas Forosnai’, a practice used by the ancient poets of Ireland to bring healing to society and truth to power. She is Herstory’s inaugural Poet in Residence. IG ☞ @everose
Robyn ‘Roo Elizabeth’ is an Irish artist, songwriter and producer based in Berlin. Her music is an exploration of melodic hooks and emotive expression. She is hugely inspired by the melancholy of 90's soft rock and the freedom of modern technical production. She connects to her roots in Éire by writing music inspired by Irish folk and lore. Her first single 'My Everything Great' is soon to be released. IG ☞ @_rooelizabeth
☾✩☽ Astrological Resources ☾✩☽
Here is a selection of some of our favourite Astrologers you can tune into across 2022.
↠ Blue Rose School https://www.andrewsmith.ie/introduction/
↠ Mystic Mamma https://www.mysticmamma.com/astral-insights/
↠ Chani Nicholas https://chaninicholas.com/about-chani-nicholas/
↠ Virginia Rosenberg https://virginiarosenberg.com/about-virginia
↠ Lorna Bevan https://www.hareinthemoonastrology.co.uk/lorna-bevan
↠ Paramatma Siri Sadhana https://spaceweathertransmissions.com/paramatma
↠ Matthew Stelzner https://www.youtube.com/channel/
↠ Jennifer Racioppi https://jenniferracioppi.com/
☾✩☽ Other Recommended Resources ☾✩☽
↠ Find out more about Dolores Whelan on her website
↠ Check out Robyn ‘Roo Elizabeth’ on her website
↠ Laura Murphy’s website is here
☾✩☽ Cosmic Intel + Teachings ☾✩☽
Full moons are a time to look at everything in full light and make changes as needed. They can represent endings, completions or something coming to a ‘peak moment,’ The lunar qualities of emotions and instincts reach their peak at a full moon. The energy of a situation is at its fullest potency and potential. We fluctuate with the moons energy and the Full Moon is time of release. La Luna affects the gravitational pull of tides, birth rates, can regulate menstrual cycle, sleep, moods, plant growth, Emergency Room, Crime Rates. Every 29.5 days the Moon reaches its full phase and so do we…..
The Moon in astrology is associated with the feminine and in particular the Mother archetype. She rules the emotional body connecting us to our instinctive wisdom and our most basic needs. She helps protect and guide us by gifting us with information about our feelings and about the wellbeing of our nature. She enables us to penetrate our deepest recesses in the personal and collective unconscious and our roots in the past, our ancestral inheritance.
We are in a time of collective and personal awakening to what has been in the shadows, oppressive and imbalanced across our implemented systems as well as our personal realities. The process of awakening can be painful, because new realities precipitate trajectory shifts. In the process of things dismantling, disassembling, and crumbling, we can feel unstable and this is why change is often so dreaded. But we are the change makers of this time, and we are here at this time for a reason. We each carry our own truth, but a universal truth is that we’re all here ultimately to learn to love and be loved.
Full Moon in Virgo
Full Moons illuminate. They illuminate so that we can see the wholeness of ourselves and our lives.
Full Moon in Virgo is the last full moon of the astrological year, just before spring arrives.This moon helps you analyzing your organizing and operational systems. Virgo is an analytic sign and represents the refinement of details, structure and well thought organizing principles. This earth sign shouts a wake-up call for living consciously and in harmony with planet earth.
Full Moon in Virgo on the Pisces axis calls us to ground our roots deep into Mother Earth to anchor ourselves through the emotional seas that have been surging. The more we open up, the more we feel, and the more attuned we become to the suffering of others and our dear planet Earth. Pisces is a sign of the Shaman, bridging worlds between the seen and unseen; Virgo is the priestess, her body a channel for Spirit to enter the physical world. Both doors are open and there’s a cosmic dance happening, allowing soul whispers to be heard and grounded in the physical world.
Opposition
With Full Moons, we are working with a Sun/Moon opposition. Oppositions mean duality, opposing values, habits, perspectives, and needs. Oppositions help us recognize the delicate balance that's needed in our lives and in our relationships in particular. They show us where we are lacking as well as what our strengths are. The sun in astrology acts like a spotlight, roaming through the terrain of each zodiacal sign. The monthly full moon acts like a counter or balancing light.
About Virgo
Virgo is the healer within, reminding us to embody our Spirit so we can bring about forth real change in our lives for the benefit of all. Her medicine is love in service, and her practical magic helps us streamline our directive so we can focus on how best to be in service of our collective healing
Virgo is not the patriarchal narrative of a ‘chaste’ maiden, but the Priestess. The woman who is whole unto herself. Needing nothing, tending nothing, but herself and her relationship with spirit. This Moon holds the medicine of the sacred and the profane. The intertwining of the two create communion; a spiritual exchange.
Virgo is the understanding that the most ordinary things are holy. That the mundane contains the spark of the Divine. That the most simple acts - breathing, washing dishes, tying shoes, serving others, tending the natural - are the ways we become more godlike. Each moment a portal. Each minute a capsule for presence, for gratitude, and for essence.
In Greek mythology, Virgo is aligned to Demeter, the goddess of the harvest and the fruits of the earth, so we may be reaping the bounty now of all of the hard work and effort we have sown.
Virgo’s shadow can distort our need to know ourselves into the need to control things to attain the ideal of perfection—someone else’s idea of perfection! Virgo’s real purpose is to help us know and accept who we really are.
Virgo’s Light: Virgo’s magic understands how everything fits together to make it work.
Virgo’s greatest gift is discernment, knowing this from that.
This helps us master a talent, and understand how it can be of service to others
Axis (The Dance of the Opposites) Virgo + Pisces
With Full Moons, we are working with a Sun/Moon opposition. Oppositions mean duality, opposing values, habits, perspectives, and needs. Oppositions help us recognize the delicate balance that's needed in our lives and in our relationships in particular. They show us where we are lacking as well as what our strengths are.
The sun in astrology acts like a spotlight, roaming through the terrain of each zodiacal sign. The monthly full moon acts like a counter or balancing light. The full moon offers this balance by occupying the opposite sign to that of the sun. In this case the sun is in Pisces and the full moon will be in Virgo
The moon comes into polarity with the sun in Pisces today, forming the Virgo full moon. This is the culmination and peak of the lunar season, when the moon’s magnetism illuminates the sign of nature, healing, order, and analysis.
With the Virgo/Pisces axis, we are looking at:
order vs. chaos,
perfection vs. absent-mindedness,
details vs. bigger picture.
Poultice. These two achieve balance when they can pull from the creative inspiration that Pisces offer, and allow it to be moulded and made manifest by the focus and organization that Virgo delivers.
Virgo and Pisces represent certain types of knowing and intellect: Virgo’s knowing is grounded in details you can see and measure, whereas Pisces’ knowing is based on feelings and intuition. Virgo uses facts and linear thinking (e.g. logic) to solve problems, while Pisces relies on parallel processing (e.g. visualization) and leaps of intuition. Virgo excels in a field where correct answer is already available, while Pisces tends to do better in a field with no clear-cut definitions of right or wrong. In terms of problem solving, Virgo is interested in improving the current situation – no improvement is too small. Pisces is more interested in a universal solution that resolves big problems.
Virgo’s eyes search only for perfection, or what is in the way of perfection.
Pisces sees everything as already perfect. Pisces falls in love with potential. Pisces perceives promise.
Virgo sees only what needs to get done. Virgo laments over the teensiest flaw.
Left alone, Virgo’s focus tends to become too narrow and rigid, whereas Pisces’ focus tends to become too broad and impractical.
The axis is learning how to balance the mind, body and spirit.
We need to ebb and flow like the ocean and trust that we can adjust to whatever life bring
AS ABOVE
“Virgo is the sign of the Virgin, the one who knows seeks self-knowledge, to know oneself, both light and shadows. Our Christian era has re-defined Virgin to only mean its physical sexual aspect; in ancient times, a virgin was a woman who belonged to no man, who was a woman in her own right. She belonged to herself! On this Virgo Full Moon night, we can see who we’re meant to be if we’re willing to acknowledge who we really are.” Mystic Mamma
SO BELOW (EARTH MEDICINE)
Snakes
The Goddess is considered to be an embodiment of the active power of Supreme Consciousness, who manifests Herself through the symbol of the serpent and is known as Shakti. In all of the archetypes, Shakti remains as the root energy in each of these expressions. She merely changes form. The archetypes contained within the Triple Goddess are a helpful starting point in understanding the most basic and well-known differentiations of the Goddess:
“The Triple Goddess, the original trinity, symbolizes the three faces of the Great Goddess and is the earliest representation of her division into multiplicity. The Goddess with three faces is a universal motif, found worldwide. The Triple Goddess is intimately associated with the changing phases of the moon; just as the moon transforms from one phase to another, the Great Goddess moves among her many roles. Her three faces are usually virgin, mother and crone: virgin representing the strong, self-defined goddess; mother representing the nurturing goddess as source of all nourishment; and crone representing the goddess of death and transformation. This symbolism embraces the role of goddess in all phases of existence, from birth through death to rebirth. The Triple Goddess reminds us of our sacredness regardless of our age or function in life. She reminds us that despite her many forms there is one goddess, always present and always sacred.”
- From Michael Babcock: 'The Goddess Paintings' by Susan Boulet
These three figures are often described as the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, each of which symbolizes both a separate stage in the female life cycle and a phase of the Moon, and often rules one of the realms of heavens, earth, and underworld.
☾✩☽ Moon Medicine Rituals ☾✩☽
Create an altar. Create a sacred space in your home - see our guide in aftercare.
Connect with the Moon. Whether or not you subscribe to astrology, the moon is always in the sky, and attuning yourself to the moon's cycle can guide self-care.
New moon: At the beginning of the lunar month, the moon is a new moon. Metaphorically, it's a time to plant the new seeds of goals, intentions, and actions.
Waxing phase: Her growth from new moon to full moon is the waxing phase. This the Warrior Phase—where we gain momentum in our actions.
Waning phase: The Sage Phase happens as she wanes from full, —where we gradually power down, restore ourselves, and integrate lessons learned.
Dark moon: The last few days before the new moon is called the dark moon. Here's when we retreat to our proverbial caves to rest and reflect, preparing for a new cycle ahead
Cleanse. Sage your Home, Bedroom, Chariot & Office. Energetically cleanse the energetic wombs of your life, where you find yourself “creating”.
Observe. Select a journal, and record your dreams, thoughts, insights, experiences and observations.
Collect items: pen, paper, tarot cards, candles, incense, herbs, symbols to represent Luna: mirror, mother, water, seashells, etc.
Have Patience. Have patience with yourself and the journey you’re embarking. Allow yourself the emotional space to process, release, learn, develop and heal.
Lavender Oil. Have lavender in your home, bed or altar. Lavender can bring stillness, and calm an overactive mind.
I Feel. Acknowledge your emotions and journal with what emerges.
Breathe Deeply. The pull of The Moon can bring up strong sensations and emotions – and sometimes this is uncomfortable. However it’s a prime opportunity to feel more and allow the emotion to unfurl. A very practical and grounded way to do so is to focus on the breath and breathe a little deeper than you would normally. Place your hands on your Womb and Heart and take a few deep breaths and feel.
Go For A Moon Walk. Walking in the lunar light in nature can be particularly magical.Watch how the trees move and interact; with The Moon, the wind, with you, and listen, really listen in to the sounds of nature. Moon Bathing can be a truly magical and intimate experience.
Take A Loooong Luxurious Bath. The Moon affects the tides, the Oceans, the water in our body.
To get in touch with this aspect of nature within and around us – take a long bath.Add in Epson Salts, your favourite essential oil, play some soothing music, light candles and relax.
Tending to your Temple: BodyLiving consciously starts with taking care of your body; the temple that houses you, here on this planet. So, scan yourself from head to toe. How does your body feel? Give yourself all the O2 and H2O your body needs.. Your body will thank you for that.
Ground, Ground, and Ground
The magnetic pull of The Moon is strong so Grounding is super important. If you do nothing else at The Full Moon – ground. It’s especially helpful just before bed as being rooted in the body aids a better sleep.
Beannachtaí 💚
from Kathy and all at The Trailblazery xo