Tag Archives: Moon

Sep 17 2024

Surrender to the Beauty of the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Pisces – Sept. 17, 2024

I’m having so many feelings about this Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Pisces tonight at 10:34 PM Eastern. I suppose that’s very appropriate for a lunation that’s super infused with the energy of Neptune.

Many are talking of the dramatic transformative energies of this Eclipse. Some see it as a portal. Others mention a paradigm shift. And while all of that is quite true, I’m feeling this energy as something shimmering and intangible that allows us a glimpse of the Sublime. A glimpse of something that is so filled with beauty that it inspires Awe. This is the highest possible vibration of both Pisces and Neptune, the planet that rules Pisces. This Eclipse can offer, if we open ourselves to it, at least a fleeting recognition of Self and Other as perfectly Divine.

Eclipses accelerate and intensify the energy that we occupy; the goals and achievements we’re working toward or longing for; the changes we want to make. I want to suggest that, if only for one night, we fully step into the dream and flesh it out to such tangible reality in our minds that it feels real. Because, as some of us have been taught, and others of us have certainly heard, that what we focus on becomes our reality.

If that is true, then this balancing act between the Sun in Virgo and the Moon in Pisces at this Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, is all about bringing whatever is in your imagination, as a dream, or as a longing (Pisces & Neptune), into the tangible, earthy realm that is our everyday, practical lives (Virgo).

Virgo, where the Sun is now, is about analysis, compartmentalizing, and perfecting, and it is grounded earthy energy that functions best in the reality of the material world. Pisces, where the Moon is now, is about everything that is opposite to that – it is the urge to blend and merge into One with no distinctions. It is beauty, compassion, empathy, and spirituality. It doesn’t exist to make sense of the tangible; it exists to transcend the tangible and enter a state of Bliss. And this Pisces Moon has Neptune sitting right beside it, in Communion with our feeling natures, deepening us, opening us, priming us for Beauty.

Remember, where we put our focus grows and becomes our reality. If, during this Eclipse tonight, and hopefully during the next two weeks until the second Eclipse on Oct. 2, you focus on what is loving, what is beautiful, and what inspires Awe within you, you may get more of that as your reality going forward. It will perhaps require letting go of personal doubts and fears, or seeing the path around obstacles, rather than simply seeing the obstacles themselves. And that is so very doable.

So, to answer the call of this very Neptunian Lunar Eclipse, I suggest that you surrender to your Spiritual Nature and engage in your Spiritual Practice, whatever that is. Surrender to the call to love, to beauty, to your Infinite Self. Meditate. Pray. Be willing to be porous! Go outside and commune with the natural world. Paint. Dance. Sing. Do that thing that always makes you feel closest to Source. If you don’t know what that is, this is an ideal time to find it. Open your heart to wonder. Let yourself feel the Awe of what it means to be Human. Let yourself be inspired to see life with open, compassionate, and loving eyes… even yourself.

Thank you so much for joining me for this Eclipse energy. And as always, may you bloom into the fullness of your cosmic promise. May the kindness that you give always be returned, and may you find peace and joy in the eternal dance of the Universe.

With love, Michelle

P.S. Think about what was going on in March/April and September of 2015. That year we had Eclipses in almost exactly the same place as these Eclipses tonight and on Oct. 2. See if you can find a thread or a narrative that ties then with now. Is there something that began then that it’s time to release? Time to let go of? Is there a way in which you’ve grown beyond whatever that was, and are now ready to embrace something new in its place? Give yourself the time and space to ponder this during this Eclipse Season.

Sep 4 2024

Mars in Cancer: Embracing Intuitive Action for Emotional Fulfillment

You may be feeling a shift in the energy around how we go about taking action in our lives. Mars is leaving the sign of Gemini, and moving into Cancer for the next nearly seven months. Anytime a planet shifts from one sign into the next, our focus around what that planet symbolizes shifts as well. And it’s especially true this time, as Mars goes Retrograde in this sensitive, indirect, and deeply loving sign.

Mars represents how we connect with our own will and how we go about taking action to achieve our will and to get our desires met. In Gemini, the focus was on gathering information and acting on the information we learned and collected. Now however, the emphasis for taking action shifts to being emotionally motivated, rather than mentally motivated, as was true while Mars was in Gemini for the past two months.

For the next several months we’re meant to take action more intuitively, from a feeling place. The sign Cancer is ruled by the lovely Moon, and she is all about our emotional responses to what’s happening in our lives. Cancer encompasses all things home and family and focuses our energy on what nurtures and nourishes us, and how we can nurture and nourish those we love. Cancer energy is also very connected to the past, so it’s appropriate to look to the past to see how it might inform what we’re doing now. 

The crab (Cancer’s familiar) scuttles about on the beach in circles, rather than in a direct line, in order to protect itself from seagulls. In a similar way, when Mars is in Cancer it’s good to find a circuitous route to follow, and to let our emotions rise to each occasion. Mars in Cancer is about taking indirect action… which doesn’t mean never making a decision, or never taking any action at all. Rather, it means a slower approach that is safety oriented, and that doesn’t go directly toward a goal, but circles it to understand the many ways in which something can be accomplished. It may be best to observe and hold back to see how things will naturally evolve, rather than pushing for an ego driven end. 

For those who have Mars or other personal planets in Water Signs natally (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) this shift of Mars into Cancer can feel very comfortable, like coming home. For those with Mars or other personal planets in Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), Mars moving into Cancer can feel quite nourishing and supportive. If you have a dominant theme in your natal chart of either Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) or Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) this shift might feel a bit more challenging for you. Think of it as learning a lesson around patience and care. Also, the Cardinal Signs other than Cancer (Aries, Libra, Capricorn) may also feel out-of-sorts with this shift, and again, learning patience and redirecting the will may help to navigate this energy.

Enjoy Mars in Cancer! Because it asks for higher sensitivity, we can be more imaginative and creative in the way we pursue our goals. We can feel our way into what we want, and take more time. We want to feel safe with Mars in this position, and we want to take actions to protect our families and loved ones. If you can, spend more time with them. Show them how much you love them in all the myriad little ways that make home and friendship beautiful. 

There are downsides to Mars in Cancer (passive aggression comes to mind), just like there are for every astrological energy… but recognize that we can choose, and that there’s always a higher vibration that we can reach for. Afterall, that’s how we learn, grow, and evolve.

As always, may you bloom into the fullness of your cosmic promise. May the kindness that you give always be returned, and may you find peace and joy in the eternal dance of the Universe.

With love, Michelle

Sep 20 2017

The Virgo New Moon – A Calling – September 20, 2017

pottery-cracks-filled-with-gold-text

This early morning New Moon feels like a calling to me.

At 1:30 AM Eastern today, September 20, 2017, the Sun and Moon conjoined in one of the most astute signs of the Zodiac: Virgo. And, the degree of this New Moon set off the degree of the Solar Eclipse just past – so there’s an intensity, and a force behind this moment.

The combination of this intelligent Virgo New Moon with the Autumn Equinox in two days, on Friday, Sept. 22, is asking us to work on something that is bigger than we are, even if it requires personal adjustment, and long-term effort. We can begin anew for our families, communities, and our country – and the goal is to serve the greater good with our intellect, with our genius, with our actions, with the certainty that the future will be better than our now. And we can begin anew with our vulnerable, wounded hearts on our sleeves – the same sleeves that we must roll up so that we can get to work.

The business at hand in this new beginning is action in service toward healing each other.

Let me just say that again. The business at hand is action in service toward healing each other. Healing you and me. Healing them. Healing us. And that means letting others in to help you heal you – while you’re doing all you can to help heal others. Another way to put it is reciprocity in love, service, and compassion.

The tools at our disposal are both practical and spiritual in nature. Call on your ability to discern what is useful and what is pointless – what is healthy and what is sick. Call on your ability to ground and stabilize whatever is necessary to create new structures, structures that are built with compassion and acceptance for everyone. Call on pragmatism. Call on determination. Call on commitment. And do the details… while keeping a broad view.

Show your broken heart – the heart that is full for those who have lost everything, for those who now live in fear, for those who are maligned and beaten and murdered – and know that in showing the cracks, you become stronger by the loving compassion of others that fill them in. Accept the love and compassion with gratitude and give it back in full. This is the most powerful tool possible.

Will you accept the call?

Aspects in the New Moon chart referred to in this article:
Sun conjunct Moon in Virgo
Sun/Moon in Virgo in opposition to Chiron in Pisces
Saturn in Sagittarius square to Sun/Moon in Virgo and Chiron in Pisces
Mars/Mercury in Virgo in Opposition to Neptune in Pisces
New Moon at 28 Virgo (Sun/Moon) semi-sextile to Aug. 21 New Moon Solar Eclipse at 29 Leo.
Sun/Moon in Virgo quincunx to Uranus in Aries (also eclipse degree)
Sun/Moon in Virgo semi-sextile Jupiter in Libra (eclipse degree and in opposition to Uranus)
Jupiter in Libra opposite Uranus in Aries

New-Moon-Virgo-Sept-20-2017

Chart for the New Moon in Virgo, Sept. 20, 2017, 1:30 AM Eastern, from Atlanta, GA

Jan 1 2017
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Happy 2017!

happy-new-year-from-michelle-gregg-sun-moon-stars

Aug 29 2016

Mercury Retrograde – August 30, 2016 – Heart before Head

Mercury-detail-of-Jupiter-Mercury-and-Virtue-by-Dosso-Dossi-painting-1524

Yes my friends, it’s that time again! Mercury has stationed (the appearance of standing still) and will turn Retrograde in Virgo tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016. I’d love for you to read my now classic article called “Mercury Retrograde – The Unlikely Healing Gift” here. I think you’ll find it very helpful in navigating this sometimes tricky time.

This Retrograde coincides with the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Virgo on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at 5:03 am. That’s a lot of energy! What I want to impress on you about this Retrograde and Eclipse is to let your heart come before your head… allow Luna (your emotions and the expression of those emotions) to feel her way into where you are; and let Mercury (your mental processes) take a back seat. He is going backwards after-all. 🙂

Trusting your intuition and making space for emotional connectedness is a great way to make new beginnings at the New Moon. Go into the dark of the moon and let yourself explore emotionally while letting your mind’s whirling have a rest – internalizing thoughts and reevaluating how your process is appropriate – just please be sure that you’re also tuning in to the feeling aspect of who you are.

Both of these events, Mercury Retrograde and the New Moon Solar Eclipse, activate Virgo and Pisces – so bring balance between analyzing and blurring the details, between discernment and “it’s all good,” between feeling in-control and out-of-control – and most of all, between being a martyr and being a victim. Both the darkness at a New Moon and Mercury Retrograde ask us to introspect and to restore – not to push forward hastily without feeling or thought.

Here are a few specifics to know about this Mercury Retrograde: Mercury will travel backwards from 29 degrees of Virgo to 14 degrees of Virgo… so that Virgo/Pisces axis is being strongly impacted, as is the Gemini/Sagittarius axis. If you have have planets in any of these 4 signs, this Retrograde is very much yours. 🙂 Especially if your planets are between 12 and 30 degrees of those mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, & Pisces).

Mercury-Retrograde-Virgo-Aug-30-2016

This is the chart for the beginning of Mercury Retrograde in Atlanta, GA – Aug. 30, 2016  -8:59 AM Eastern

Jun 9 2016

Astrology for Thursday, June 9, 2016: Cosmic Life Ops

The-Birth-of-Venus-Botticelli

During the morning hours, due to an uncomfortable angle between the Moon and Pluto (quincunx), there could be some adjustments that must be made in an emotional situation… the need to control something could be pretty strong, but look deeply at your motivations and see where you can shift a little to create a more comfortable atmosphere. As we move into the afternoon there are some super pleasant energies available today via Venus and the Sun in Gemini being intimately close (conjunction – we can see this as the beginning of the birth of Venus as she transitions into her new phase as the evening star), and the Moon reaching out to both of them (sextile) from Leo for possible social time with an intellectual bent – or maybe just a gossipy one. 🙂 These combinations create an emphasis on our vitality being impacted by beauty and relationship, our values coming to the fore in a prominent role, and connecting with others emotionally for companionable or even playful gatherings. There could be some creative tension possible with Mercury (the way we communicate) in Taurus moving into opposition with Mars (the way we take action to get what we want) in Scorpio, but the key is to be willing to go deeply into an issue without manipulating your opponent or refusing to budge in an opinion. Allow your peers and companions time to process rather than pushing for resolution. During the evening things may get a little more exciting – and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing will mostly depend on how willing you are to let go and flow. The Moon will contact Uranus (trine), with Venus heading toward a connection with him as well (sextile), so be prepared to step outside the norm so that you can move with this often unusual and fluctuating energy. And make it fun! If your schedule unexpectedly shifts outside your comfort zone, move with the current and see where you land. It could be eye opening!

Interested in a session with Michelle Gregg? Click here for info. & Click here to set up your appointment. 

Jan 17 2016

Change one small habit… Change your life.

We-are-what-we-repeatedly-do-ARISTOTLE

Change one small habit… change your life.

With Saturn and Uranus dancing together in the sky, that’s something to think about – and make a plan for. Why? SATURN is connecting to URANUS via a trine, a connection that doesn’t compel but rather flows, for quite a long time.

Saturn touches Uranus during the Spring of 2016, the Winter of 2016, and pretty much all of 2017.

Changing an ingrained habit (change is the domain of Uranus) requires a plan enacted in a practical, orderly, patient, and pragmatic manner (the domain of Saturn). And fortunately, this is just what the Saturn connection to Uranus offers.  So, get clarity about what you want to change, commit to it, and use the long-term Saturn trine to Uranus to carry out your intention of breaking an old habit and creating a new one. 🙂 Feel free to let me know how it goes… and if you want to know where the Saturn/Uranus connection will be impacting you via your birthchart, I’m happy to help. astrology@michellegregg.com 

Nov 27 2014

Astrological Transits – The Intuition of the Soul

 

What I love about Astrology is that it shows you your intentions and potentials… and it maps the energy of the moment – any moment, whether a birth, or right now, or a particular time on a day 200 years ago. And that energy can be compared to the unique energy you were born with – which in Astrology is represented by your birth chart. When you make that comparison, between the “now” energy and the “birth” energy, you get what astrologers call “transits.”

Incredibly, using that comparison – those transits – gives you scads of rich information about where you’re up for evolutionary change and transformation. If you know your birth chart and your current transits (comparing the current energy to the energy with which you were born) – you have a remarkable tool for navigating life and for bringing your potentials into reality. I love this stuff!

I like to say to my clients, “Live your transits – listen to them – because they are the intuition of your Soul.” Your Soul, or Fate, or your God Self, or Core Self – whatever you want call that guiding direction – can be seen and understood through your birth chart and the transits that are impacting it, meaning you, in any given moment. Listen deeply and respond intuitively – and fearlessly!

Here’s just a little example:

woman-of-light

A woman we will call Adara experienced the orbiting planet Uranus making a challenging transit to her birth Moon in the 4th house. During this time (about a two year period) she lost her job and subsequently her home and was forced to move to a new state to live with relatives.

This certainly brought new challenges into her life and created much anxiety for her emotionally, to put it mildly.

However, the transiting planet Uranus was also connecting with her birth Jupiter/Sun combination in her first house and with her Midheaven (the portal into the house of career.) This meant that while her life was certainly being shaken up, Adara was also being supported and could experience great benefit and find tremendous meaning through the experience. 

Shortly after she made the necessary move, which initially felt incredibly unfair and difficult, Adara unexpectedly met someone who propelled her toward an entirely new career where she soon felt both excited and fulfilled. She was finally doing her life’s work!

Without the unfortunate loss of her previous job and all that resulted from that, Adara wouldn’t have had the opportunity that ended up unlocking her heart and bringing her happiness.

The beauty of this story is that not only was someone propelled toward a more joyful existence, but that Adara, through astrology, was able to understand, sometime during the midst of these events, that some sort of upheaval and life changes were necessary to her evolution – to becoming who she was meant to become. She was then able to prepare to expect the unexpected.

After Adara began making discoveries about herself and what was impacting her via several astrology sessions, she no longer felt that something sinister was being done TO her – but instead understood that theses changes were her Self – her Soul – speaking directly to her to help her change what needed to be changed in order to move her toward the state of fulfillment. She decided to remain positive and to look at her challenges as opportunities for growth and possibility – and therefore she was rewarded with exactly that. And she was also able to understand the time frame during which all of this would happen, because transits, the impact of orbiting planets to your birth chart, are very easily timed.

What a great story, yes?

I’d love to hear your comments!

And if you’re interested in discovering your own “intuition of the Soul” via astrology, please be in touch! Email astrology@michellegregg.com or click here to get started. 

Mar 11 2013

Lovliness – The New Moon in Pisces – March 11, 2013

Leda by Gustave Moreau

Leda by Gustave Moreau

 

“The term hieros gamos is used generally to refer to the sacred marriage between two divinities, or between a human being and Mother/Father God, or between two human beings (under certain special conditions); the ultimate alchemy of forces which harmonize polar opposites.”

Enjoy today’s New Moon in Pisces at 3:51 PM Eastern… what a lovely energy! Sun, Moon, Venus and Mars all conjoined in the sign of spiritual union and loving transcendence… use this energy at the highest vibration, connecting to the Divine via art, romance, alleviating suffering, and inspired creativity. This is the energy of the Sacred Marriage. Stay out of the shadow… disillusion, deception and escape. Have a gorgeous New Moon all!

Jan 26 2013

January 26, 2013 – Full Moon today in Leo – Remember what you began 6 months ago…

White-Lion

Happy Full Moon everyone!! Today is the Full Moon in Leo (Moon entered Leo at 9:20 AM and will be full at 11:38 PM Eastern Time). Below is a beautiful meditation from the August 17 New Moon in Leo that you can do to connect you with Leo energy. Whatever you began then, 6 months ago, should either be coming to fulfillment, or have reached a denouement. And today, also look at what you started 2 weeks ago at the New Moon in Capricorn (it just missed being in Aquarius). Think about what is coming to fruition now that you began at those 2 times and really connect with the cycles of creation that you initiate. Everything happens in cycles – so it only makes sense to be aware of and to connect with them!

This meditation was created at the New Moon – so it is geared toward new beginnings – not what the Full Moon is for. As you read it, do so with eyes and heart toward fulfillment rather than initiation. Maybe this will jog your memory around whatever you began then – in Aug. 2012. 

New Moon in Leo Meditation from August 17, 2012