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Balsamic Moon in Scorpio—from Endings to New Beginnings
On  November 18, within the lunar phase called Balsamic, or within Goddess spirituality, Crone's Moon, Moon joined Sun, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio for a five-planet stellium in this intense and complex sign. It was the day of my Solar Return, and from the chart configurations, I anticipated the potential of a epecially intense time of passages. So it has been, and two aspects of that are still so much on my mind this morning that I feel compelled to write about them.
First of all, in the hour that the Moon passed into Scorpio I received the call that a dear friend, the woman I call "Connie" within the "Lunar Life Stories" chapter in Moon Tides, Soul Passages, had passed into Spirit. She was 93, a Taurus Sun with Moon in Scorpio, and she was a great lady and role model, I am sure, for many women besides me. In recent years, Connie often engaged me in probing talks about spirituality. She had turned away from religion, and often marked an article in her subscription of Skeptical Inquirer for me to read. Still, she was intrigued with my my astrology and my spiritual practice. When she was still physically able to do so, she often came to my Circle's open rituals and the pot-luck suppers following, "holding court" at the head of my dining room table. Everyone liked to talk with "Connie." Over the years it became clear to me that despite her skepticism, she wanted to believe that some essence of soul transcended death, and she found some comfort within my talk of energy, the cycles of Nature and with my Goddess spirituality. I remember saying to her on a few occasions, "Well, if you get to the other side before I do, give me a sign." And she said she would. In her last days, I went to see her, as did others who loved her. It was clear that she was struggling to breathe and to respond but couldn't quite force her eyes open. Then, I went in to see her briefly just after she passed, and I will never forget the incredibly profound look of complete peace and beauty on her face. Her trancendant passage was, for me, the promised sign.
Yesterday, November 19, was another passage, a hiving from my circle of a woman who's been part of it for five years, through Dedication and three degrees. Zita also shares my birthday (though she's quite a few years younger than I). We first met on a November 18 when I came as a speaker to a local organization where she was a member, Astrological Society of Connecticut. Since it was my birthday, the group surprised me with a cake and sang Happy Birthday to me and also to Zita. Over the year following, she sought me out, at first tentatively, and then after visiting my Circle and subsequently joining it with a true commitment that has blossomed into striking creativity and presence as priestess. (We also share writing in common—see her, too, as Zelena Winters on Witches in Print.) So, it was a passage not without a few tears but also of great happiness and pride, the naming of Lady Saga as High Priestess of the newly formed Circle of the Ancient Grove.
New Moon, November 20, 28° Scorpio 27, 5:18 pm EST
Mercury turned Direct the evening of November 17. Uranus, retrograde since June 19, turned direct not long after midnight (1:08 am) on this morning of November 20. Matters that may have seemed to be "on hold" are now poised for movement. Within the inevitablity of change, we might expect—and precipitate—an especially active cycle beginning with this New Moon.
Ritual of Rebirth and Renewal for New Moon in Scorpio
Let's start by using this day until late this afternoon on theng  renewal of a matter or a project that that's been "on hold" in your life, be it physical, mental, emotional, spiritual or any combination of these. First, let go of what hasn't worked: clean it up, trash it, wash it out, let it go. If you need a symbol release or something intangible, will your intent into a token from Nature, such as a small stone. Meditate on the release and then send it into any natural body of water: stream, river, sea or puddle, and then walk away from it. No looking back! Then, make time between 5:18 pm today and the onset of Crescent Moon, which begins at 11:51 am November 24 to meditate on one of the several symbols that have been associated with the complexities of Scorpio, the Phoenix.
This mythical bird that rises from the ashes to live and soar again is but one of many reminders of rebirth and renewal—that Wheel of Life is ever-turning. This is a day to be charged with change, to take charge of it, move with it, anticipate it and lead it. Before this day is over, Moon will move into the fiery and idealistic sign of Sagittarius, followed by Sun on the 22nd and Jupiter on the 23rd. Find a symbol of whatever in your life is significant to you, but has been not progressing as much as you'd hoped lately. Resolve that on this day you'll recharge it and begin anew with a new energy toward completion. Holding an image of the Phoenix in your thoughts, play some lively music that you like, then light incense and waft your symbol through its smoke, charging your chosen course of action and yourself:
Phoenix rise and be my guide
Spirit strong and free
Recharged am I to this my quest!
This is my will, so mote it be!
Chant and move with the music and your symbol and you focus your intent, and then place the symbol where you can see it while you gather what you need and begin the work on your chose project. Resolve that on this day you are beginning again and this time you will persist until it is completed. Most of all do it! Begin again, with resolution that this time you will not stop until you've come to a successful and satisifying conclusion to your goal.
And now, I have things that must be handled, but were put on hold within the intensity of the past few days. This column will be continued and completed within the New Moon phase...
Sun enters Sagittarius, 6:02 am EST November 22
Jupiter enters Sagittarius 11:44 pm EST on Thanksgiving Day
First Quarter Moon, November 28, 1:29 am EST, 5 Pisces 53
The "crisis of action" quarter begins in watery Pisces, a sign more noted for passive flow than ACTION. Communication could be a little nebulous that day, too, with Mercury square Neptune. Mars square Saturn isn't exactly an impetus to eneretic action, either. So, if you're still recovering from Thanksgiving and not quite ready to charge ahead today, remember that First Quarter phase lasts about three days, and the Moon is waxing until she is Full. Once Moon passes into fiery Aries (6:30 pm EST November 29) she makes a nice series of sextiles and trines, ending with trine Pluto at 1:40 pm EST on Friday, just shortly after she enters Gibbous Phase.
A Water-Fire Divination for First Quarter Moon
Here's a dreamy intuitive water/fire preliminary you might try on the 28th, as you gear up for a more decisive getting-into-gear mode as Moon waxes to Aries. Prepare a bowl of water and a candle in a holder, preferably metal. The candle need not be large, as you want it to burn down fairly quickly. Beeswax is a good choice, or you could use a small candle of the kind used on birthday cakes. You'll want to place the candle in the water deep enough to cover the holder, but not the candle.
Create sacred space in your preferred manner. Call on Moon Goddess to flow within and inspire your intution. Then light the candle as you say:
From water to fire, Spirit flow
Reveal to me what I must know
From fire to water, let me see
The shape of what can come to be
Watch the candle meditatively as it burns down and drips into the water. Let your imagination and intuition play on the shapes it forms for a message that may direct your action in the days ahead.
And what if all the drippings are in the water, and try as you might, you are not getting a clear message? Well, then, take action! Fish them out of the water and lay them out on a paper or plate in a shape that is meaningful to you. If you have to re-melt them a litte to get them into the shape you want, do it. There's an old saying my parents often spoke to me: Where there's a will, there's a way! So, complete the rite, one way or the other, thank the Goddess and then move on to carry out the message you received...or shaped!
Full Moon, December 4, 7:25 pm EST, 12 Gemini 43
By now our former 5-planet Scorpio stellium is well on its way to becoming an even bigger Sagittarius stellium. Sun, Venus, Jupiter and Pluto are in Sag, Mars will enter Sag on December 5, just after Saturn turns retrograde, and Mercury enters Sag on the 8th. This Full Moon is a good time to circulate, communicate and fire up your enthusiasm for the holidays ahead.
Ritual Plan for Full Moon: A Party to Create Yule Logs
Full Moon comes the day after Advent this year, a better time, in my opinion, to begin the Yuletide season than the over-commericalized "Black Friday" of post "turkey day." How about gathering some friends for a Full Moon party to make Yule Logs for Winter Solstice? It's fun and the annual burning of a Yule Log is a great tradition to begin, if you haven't already. It's an old folk tradition that my Circle of the Cosmic Muse follows each year. We burn the Yule Log at the close of our Solstice celebration by first igniting a small piece saved from last year's log and then using it to ignite the new log. The ash from the burning of a Yule Log is said to have magical properties, so save that, too. You can use it in amulets, or to nourish growing plants in the spring.
Dry birch logs are great, if you can find them, though any logs will do. If you or a friend who's joining your party can provide a power drill with a thick bit, you can drill holes in the log for candles. Gather bits of evergreen, holly with berries, pinecones and ribbon to decorate the logs, and have glue or a staple gun available to secure the decorations in place. Spray floral glitter is fun for a finishing touch. Yule Logs are wonderful decorations for your home until it's time to burn them in Yuletide rite. (If you can't actually burn the log, due to lack of a safe fireplace or, then you can make a rite out of burning the candles you've placed on the log.)
My article on Yule includes more about the Yule Log. When you ignite your Yule Log, you might say, As the Yule log burns, so the old year passes away. In this magical hour, may all good enter here for peace and joy in the year to come.
Then, everyone sing a sing a rousing chorus of "Deck the Halls," which includes words relating to this tradition: "see the blazing Yule before us!"
Winter Solstice, Yule 2006, will be December 21, 11:05 am EST.
Sun will come to 0° Capricorn, Winter Solstice, on the day following the New Moon in Sagittarius on December 20. Prepare for New Moon and the onset of waxing light of the new solar year in a rite to banish any bad feelings, pain, attitudes, or anything else that you know you should release from your life. Mediate to a place of true forgiveness of yourself and others. Then when you are ready, let go of the old and be renewed and ready for new light within that can expand outward to your world.
Banishing Rite for the final Balsamic Moon of 2006
Choose a time after December 16, 12:47 pm EST and prior to Dec. 20 at 9:01 am EST. Release to Water while Moon is in Scorpio on the 16th or 17th, and to Fire after Moon enters Sagittarius at 4:10 am on Dec. 18th. In the time of water, meditate as you bathe or shower, and wash away what is past. Then, in the time of fire, write what you would release on small slips of paper or wood chips and then release them to flames. This could be done as simply as with paper and a candle placed safely within in a metal bowl, or with woodchips fed into the fire in a fireplace. As you feed each symbol of that which you are releasing into the fire, chant:
By spirit flames I now release
Forever be this gone form me
Transformed, renewed in Spirit's light
By waning Moon I am set free.
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