What is it about the Moon that gives it such power and mystery? Perhaps it's the Moon's ability to guide the tides, to tap us into the emotional realm, or to sync up women's cycles. Perhaps it's the sheer beauty we experience when we gaze upon it in its crescent form, or when it's full and lighting up the night sky. Cultures have for thousands of years (and likely many more than that) written stories as to why the moon cycles in the way that it does, mesmerized by its mystery and magic. As a solar culture, one that reads horoscopes based on the position of the Sun in relationship to the zodiac signs, many have a soft spot for the Moon, what might be considered the Sun's "other half." The Yin to the Sun's Yang, the fluid and intuitive in relationship to the active and intellectual, the ever-changing against the backdrop of the Sun's constancy, the heart with regard to the mind, the Moon in astrology represents "the reigning need of the soul," and how the soul gives and receives nurturance, in reference both to oneself and to others. The Moon is inherently emotional and sensitive, its power one that we feel in the depths of our being. In evolutionary astrology, we feed our Moon the "diet" it needs, consisting of Sign and House information, for happiness and well-being. When it's not being fed as it needs to be, we feel the lack of these qualities in our lives, for our souls aren't getting what they need to be nourished. In fact, after 39 years of life in this body-mind-spirit, I'm just learning to take care of my moon in ways I haven't yet. This study and integration has brought what it promised -- happiness, a sense of true well-being, and deep nourishment. All because I opened to giving it the diet it needed!

When the New Moon takes place each month, it refers to a time when both the Sun and the Moon are at the same degree within a certain astrological sign. New Moons have often been associated with new beginnings and the as-of-yet untapped potential in a certain process. Because the Sun and the Moon are in the same sign, we get a real feeling of what the sign is about and have an opportunity to learn about what it can teach us in relationship to the rest of our charts. For example, when a New Moon takes place in Taurus, the first earth sign of the zodiac, it's a time of connecting with the body in healing ways, learning to trust our animal instincts, giving ourselves the opportunity to calm down, appreciating the simplicity of nature, music, quiet, and experiencing life through the senses rather than the mind. But when the New Moon in Gemini takes place, the first of the air signs, the energy is absolutely different! The need here is for opening to life and its inherent synchronicity, paying attention to its signs, symbols and omens, suspending one's disbelief, and expanding one's capacity to be curious about anything and everything, asking the right questions at the right time, and delighting in the myriad of possibilities that life offers in each moment. Where Gemini invites us to appreciate quickly moving scenarios, Taurus is about completely slowing down. And the journey through the zodiac continues in a similar way, providing a plethora of opportunities to experience the different energies of life through the lens of each sign. If someone is born with a Moon in Taurus, s/he will feel more "at home" during the New Moon in this sign, whereas with the New Moon in Gemini, she might feel a little ungrounded or out of sorts. This isn't always the case, but we do tend to feel more in sync with certain New Moons than others based on the information of the chart.

In Evolutionary Astrology we tend to place emphasis on the transits that take a longer time, sometimes years to copmlete. A transit takes place when a planet comes into an aspect with a natal (birth chart) planet or axis of importance. And the longer a planet takes to transit over an important part of our charts, the more it has time to transform us as we learn to integrate what the planet is attempting to teach us. Since the Moon moves rather quickly through the signs, it's considered a very fast transit, generally only spending 2-2.5 days in a sign. With this mentioned, I still find the movement of the Moon through the signs to be quite important, especially as it relates to the birth chart.

This month we have a couple eclipses on the Cancer-Capricorn axis, so people with this part of their natal charts emphasized will especially be feeling the power of these cosmic events! The New Moon eclipse in Cancer takes place on Tuesday, July 2 at 12:17pm Pacific time, highlighting Cancerian energy since both the Sun and Moon will be in this sign. Eclipses are times when things that have been brewing beneath the surface come to light. Cancer rules the watery inner landscape, inviting us to let our emotions serve us as guideposts, allowing us to open to their intuitive and fluid nature, learning about healing through feeling, and the art of self-care. Emotions tend to brew beneath the surface since that's where they live, until it's time to express them in ways that allow for a deeper healing. Opening to this kind of experience during an eclipse might be a cure for the soul that one may not have even thought necessary!

On Tuesday, July 16th at 2:39pm Pacific, another Lunar Eclipse takes place, this one at the Full Moon in Capricorn with the Sun still in the sign of Cancer. Capricorn energy is quite the opposite of Cancer's in many ways. Cancer is the Great Mother, and Capricorn the Father. Capricorn isn't led by emotions, but rather carries with it the need to cultivate solitude and integrity by designing a life that's completely consistent with her deep core values, and creating the self-discipline necessary to "climb the mountain" s/he chooses. This is an energy of inherent practicality, the "old goat" of the zodiac that knows life is a long climb to death. Excuse my blunt reality check, but this is Capricorn! In this case, it's the least emotional of all the signs, yet Full Moons still take place here at least once a year! So again, things that have been brewing beneath the surface being brought to life during this eclipse may yield clear visions for the future, strategies that help one move toward an important goal, or a deep knowing of what needs to be done in one's life even though the journey may be a long one. And while I'm not into the astrology of making predictions, I am into working with the energies at play in skillful ways that allow for transformation, alchemy and evolution. Which is exactly what eclipses, as well as the plethora of cosmic potentialities, are really about.

However these eclipses work within you and your life, may you open to them with a freedom that allows them to work their magic! May this special opportunity for tapping into the emotional realm allow for deep healing, as well as a clear path forward that this emotional releasing might evoke. Especially for those with natal planets on the Cancer-Capricorn axis, may this month bring some sweet experiences. And as always, the Force is with you!