Venus Retrograde 2018 - Know Yourself

Venus, the planet of the Goddess of Love, stations retrograde in the sign of Scorpio on Friday, October 5. Since this planet goes retrograde only every 19 months, the least of any planet, and this makes a very big deal. On top of that, there's Venus' challenging squares to Pluto and Mars, which will put your close interpersonal relationships in the spotlight. It might also make you angry.

We're entering a period of approximately 40 days of Venus Retrograde, and that seems like a long time, doesn't it? While it seems like it is, it's really just a quick moment in time, which will pass before you know it. Let's take a closer look into what Venus Retrograde actually means, and what actions you can take to lessen its impact.

According to astrologist Jim Sher, "Venus represents the processes by which we discover our deepest values, our priorities and what is most important to us." In this period of retrograde action (the process of standing still, then moving backward) allows us the chance to reflect on our life and relationships. The symbol of Venus is the mirror, and this mirror may now show our shadow, self-sabotaging self. You now have the opportunity to correct any misguided attempts you may have been making to open a blocked heart.

With the square to Pluto, the focus is on death, and death equals rebirth. In this particular time, you may experience the death of old relationships anew. This give you the chance to finally put them out of your mind altogether, and go forward with your life. It also is an ideal time for creative pursuits, and you can channel any Pluto or Mars driven anger/anxiety into art, gardening, or some other physical act of creation.

A word of caution for our friends with empathetic abilities - be cautious. If you find yourself constantly drained by the energy of others, it may be time for you to check in and see how much of your energy you are allowing to be sucked away. Again, keep your mind busy and be selective about who you and what you give your power to.

This 40 day period sounds ominous, but in reality, this is a gift that allows us to know who we really are. Venus retrograde runs deep and we may see all of this energy manifesting in our relationships, in our creative projects, in our work, and with how we choose to love ourselves.

The New Moon in Libra comes on October 8. Until then, blessed be.

Full Moon August 2018 - Practical Magic

Can we all hear a collective sigh of relief? Yes, we can - the Eclipse season is over, and things are starting to look a bit less threatening. This Sunday's early morning Full Moon in Pisces is like a soothing balm spread lovingly over a raw wound, and we all will feel its effects.

The Full Moon is the ideal time to purge that which no longer serves you, and to sow the seeds you planted at the New Moon. Since we have no strong negative aspects to this lunation, we can expect that the mystical waters of Pisces will wash us all in its peace. It's interesting to look at the astrological chart for this, so I've posted it below. You'll see that there is a triangle shape formed between the Sun, Saturn, and Uranus. Sextile aspects turn this triangle (Grand Trine) into a Kite. This is most favorable.

The Sun is trine Saturn, which speaks of achievement and recognition. Things will seem well-balanced, and this is a good time to listen to the wisdom of the elders. The Sun is also trine Uranus, which increases intuition and insight. Coupled with the Moon rising in Pisces, this makes a perfect time to work on your psychic and occult abilities. Moon is conjunct the fixed star Sadalmelik, which also bodes well for adding to your psychic toolkit. Saturn is trine Uranus, as well, and that's good for career prospects, increased self-confidence, and learning technical subjects. Perhaps now's the time to study astrology?

We mentioned the star Sadalmelik, one of the more important stars in the galaxy. Arabic for "Luck of the King", it's an indicator of success and favor for those in authority. The Moon is also conjunct a second star, Fomalhaut, another important star. Known as one of the four royal stars of ancient Persia, or as one of the Archangel Stars of the Abrahamic religions, Fomalhaut represents the Archangel Gabriel. It is said that this star can cause malevolence and havoc, and can either be good or bad depending on the aspects. Luckily, the influence of the planets aspecting this moon, it bends toward benevolence.

All in all, this is an auspicious Full Moon that highlights a need for security, which will manifest as motivation and inspiration to develop skills and abilities. Rely on your inner strength and curiosity about the mysteries of life to understand belief systems that may be different than yours. This will help bring about healing, which we all need so much. In addition, you'll be happy to know that Mercury stationed direct on August 18, and Mars will station direct on August 28.

The Tarot card that resonates with this lunation is Eight of Cups. The stone or crystal that will help you is Blue Lace Agate, for it's tranquil effect. Also, you may find Rainbow Moonstone beneficial, as well as Labadorite, for their moon related and magical qualities. It's always a good idea to perform a ritual cleansing on the Full Moon with either sage or Palo Santo. We have both at Hoopla! Emporium, in addition to incense, essential oils, and candles. Come see us! Until the New Moon, blessed be.

Full Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse July 2018 - Goat's Head Soup

This should be an exciting occurrence for our moon watchers - a Full Blood Moon and a total Lunar Eclipse all in one! This particular Moon is rising tomorrow in the astrological sign of Aquarius, but when viewed, is actually smack on the head of Capricorn the Goat. And just to shake things up a bit more, it has a conjunction (planets and points that form a conjunction are energies that are united - they are blended; therefore, they act together) to Mars; a T-square (aspect pattern is formed when points in opposition also form a square with another point. The pattern resembles the letter T when viewed in the chart) with Mars that's square Uranus (figure that one out!); and a trine (a term for when the powers involved are in harmony, so that they stimulate one another to increased activity and success) to Saturn.

What all this means is that there will be some crazy Mars energy flying around, with some help from the Uranus square that will be hard to rein in without the influence of steadying Saturn. We also have the influence of the stars in the head of the Goat - fixed star Gahib and the two stars in its horns, called Giedi. Ancient astrologers gave meaning to these stars. Gahib portends “success in business but retires under a cloud, favorable for wealth, influential position but scarcely realizes ambitions, trouble through opposite sex, deserved criticism and censure.” The Giedi portend “peculiar events, unexpected losses and gains, sometimes great good fortune.”*

It looks like a mixed bag this lunation, with heavy emphasis on the Mars/Uranus square. There may be some emotional fireworks for those susceptible to Mars energy (those born in the sign, and those whose moon, ascendant, or significant houses are in Mars). The lunar eclipse makes this stronger, and, because of the extraordinary length of this eclipse (1 hour 23 minutes), the effects will last longer than others. This will be an emotional time, with many feeling short of patience and prone to outbursts of anger. It will require Herculean feats of energy to calm down, and even when out of direct conflict. 

Keep in mind, however, that Mars is still in retrograde. So, while this Moon and eclipse brings upheaval and emotional stress, the palliative backwards motion of Mars, along with the help of Saturn, the promise of purging our unwanted negative energies and resolution of issues brought forward will be realized. As our friends at Darkstar Astrology explain, "trust, composure and persistence are needed and inner demons will have to be faced. As with all T-squares, once worked through, the rewards from this lunar eclipse July 2018 will be well worth the effort." As an added bonus, Mercury goes retrograde today, July 26. Go out, have fun, be cautious, guard your words, and be aware that impetuous actions might bring unintended consequences. We'll see you next month, and until then, blessed be.



*Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923. p.168. and p.157





















 

Full Moon June 2018 - Bite The Bullet

The June moon becomes full at 9:52 pm on June 28 at 9:52 pm, in the sign of Capricorn, and, boy, will this have an impact on just about everyone. There are a few things going on, astrologically speaking, but the four most important (and germane to this projection) are Saturn in retrograde, Mars in retrograde, and the very close aspects of the stars Kaus Borealis, found in the Archer's bow, and Facies, found in the Archer's stare.

Saturn has been in retrograde since mid-April, and our astrology is dominated by this Moon's powerful conjunction to it. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the Lord of Karma, and with its being retrograde, it's like a double Karma whammy. Retrograde Karma, where all is sorted out and past, present, and future blur into one. If you have been bad in the past, then at a certain predestined time, an event will occur to teach you a lesson. If you been good in the past, then at a predestined time, an event will occur to reward you for your good deeds. With Saturn in retrograde motion, the karma will relate to how responsible you have been in the past.

Mars retrograde began yesterday, June 26, and makes challenging aspects to Venus and Jupiter to create an excessive amount of sexual tension. A restricting Saturn influence turns sexual tension into sexual frustration. It is possible that people have struggled with naughty Mars behaviors like anger, rage, violence or sexual abuse. If so, the retrograde phase will bring fated events that force them to admit they have some anger management issues. This could be a very painful experience for many.

The sun opposite Saturn blocks self-expression which turns the sexual tension into sexual frustration. Other limiting conditions and restrictions can seem more difficult to surmount because of the difficulty people have in expressing themselves. Distance or separation between them and others can lead to a sense of rejection or isolation. Their need for companionship is at odds with other people’s need for distance, or it may be that they simply want a break from the extra burdens and responsibilities. The buildup up of frustration is best addressed by plodding along by themselves on some personal goal where they don’t need help from others.

The star Kaus Borealis (Lambda Sagittarii) is reputed to be “Promoter of idealistic and humane ideas, promoters of mental stimuli, enterprise and a sense of justice". It also "Conveys a sense of strength and flexibility combined and this often shows up in the chart of people who can put force behind their reasoning, yet be flexible.” This star is a counter-balance to the more negative associations of Facies.

The star Facies (M22 Sagittarius) has a formidable reputation - “Experiencing violence or turmoil. The sadist, or the humanitarian who wants to help children or minority groups in need. To learn of wounded people, people who have been harshly treated.” As our friends at Darkstar Astrology note, "The similarity with the name Facies and Fascist is too uncanny to ignore when you have some prime fascistic types born within this decan, Moon in Capricorn 1 natives include; Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, Marine Le Pen, Ayaan Hirsi Ali (who has had death threats), Melania Trump, Mark Chapman (John Lennon’s killer), plus the actual Death Of John Lennon. Indeed the values of Capricorn 1 are actually pretty similar to a fascist mindset, whether you like it or not." It's a good thing that there's also a humanitarian aspect to this star, in that there is a sense of working together to reach a common goal, and to depend on the cooperation of others to succeed.

All this seems ominous, but there are several aspects this Moon that will help us see the pathways we need to take in order to move forward. Ones that will allow us to be patient, yet persistent in reaching our goals. Remember, this is an end to a cycle, and as such, we use it to review our accomplishments and setbacks. After this Full Moon phase is over, we move onto eclipse season, and the start of a new cycle of energies. Use this time to journal thoughts as we look into the past and determine how our actions, beliefs, and attitudes are manifesting in our lives. Blessed be!

 

Blue Moon Magic!

Today, March 31, is a Blue Full Moon, rising in the sign of Libra. A Blue Moon is what the second Full Moon in a month. There are a couple of things making this one very special. March is the 3rd month and the number 3 relates to the Divine Trinity. This is all about bringing balance to your mind, body, and spirit. In astrology, the number 3 is also the number of divine communication, and represents the harmony that is achieved when you are in communication with all aspects of your mind, body, and soul. Libra is the sign that radiates calm in chaotic situations. This actually bodes well for this lunation that has some challenging aspects. It's fortuitous because having two Full Moons in the same calendar month signifies an opportunity to really release and the Divine Trinity can help you do that. The good thing about challenging aspects is that they force you work hard and improve yourself. The one positive aspect in the full moon chart is helping you positively transform your life in powerful ways. This is a full moon to work with your fears and release them from your subconscious.

A huge challenge with this Full Moon is the fact that we're smack dab in the middle of Mercury Retrograde. This makes communication difficult, but with this particular Moon, it will make it hard to understand our own feelings and even harder to share them. Try to fully understand a subject before trying to discuss it, or you might find yourself embarrassed by a lack of understanding. Not to make a political point, but keep a watch on the White House for the next two weeks, you might see this very scenario play out in real time.

Compounding the trouble caused by Mercury Retrograde, we have the Full Moon square to Saturn and Mercury. You needed more trouble, right? This particular combination tends to bring negative emotions to the forefront, along with sadness and loneliness. The way to combat this is to ground yourself and release those feelings and fears, either ritually or otherwise. Delving into a project, whether cerebral (like writing or creating) or physical (exercise, gardening) is helpful to deflect such feelings.

We also have Mars conjunct Saturn, and Moon square Mars, which can cause much friction if not handled correctly. Both aspects bring out long buried angry, resentful, and/or revengeful feelings. It also causes us to rush into things without thinking due to impatience. The easiest way to get around this is to first be aware of everything that comes out of your mouth, and second, don't take any risks during this period. Don't make any uninformed decisions, jump to conclusions, and most importantly, take responsibility for your own emotional reactions.

There are good things about this Full Moon, as we mentioned above. You will become aware of how your words affect others, and you'll be able to see it in others. The sign of Libra is ruled by Venus, the Goddess of Love. The planet Venus enters into the sign of Taurus at the same time as the Full Moon enters into the sign of Libra. This signifies an activation of the Divine Feminine through beauty and grace. Make sure to set aside some time to glorify that with some music, communing with nature, and meditation. All will be good if you keep true to your core values.

Until next month, and may you all be blessed!

Highly Strung

October's Full Moon is called the Harvest Moon due to the fact that this is the first Full Moon since the Fall Equinox on September 22. Did you know that we haven't had a Harvest Moon since 2009? It's true! The October Full Moon is also called the Hunter's Moon. Whatever you call it, be prepared, because this one's real interesting.

We suppose we can call this Full Moon the most aspected this year - here's a list of what's impacting this lunation:

Moon opposite Mercury
Mercury and Sun Quincux Neptune
Sun square Pluto
Moon square Pluto
Venus conjunct Mars
Venus square Saturn
Mars square Saturn
Venus trine Pluto
Mars trine Pluto
Jupiter opposite Uranus
The Full Moon falls on the fixed star Alderamin in Cepheus the King

That's quite a list, and it would take forever to run down each aspect with you. Leave it to say that due to all these conflicting influences, we should all pay attention to how we communicate. There's a huge push of Mercury energy coming with this Moon and Mercury is the communicator of the Zodiac. Because of the negative influence of Neptune, we may become susceptible to (I hate to say this) fake news. Possible scenarios include self-deception, paranoia, lies, manipulations, and lack of understanding. Try your best to avoid negative people and negative influence. Only trust people you really know so you do not fall victim to lies, deception, fraud or gossip. It is important to keep up positive self-esteem but there is always a balancing act with these quincunx aspects. Too much pride would lead to a fall, just as too much self-pity will lead to failure.

Sun square Pluto and Moon square Pluto make this a very intense Full Moon. Their square to Pluto can involve compulsive and destructive behaviors. Just remember, whether you are the instigator or the victim of jealousy, manipulation, bullying, or abuse, challenges can be turned into an opportunity to transform and evolve. Transformation and evolving, then, are the crux of this lunation, particularly for your close relationships. A carrot to get you through all this is the Venus/Mars conjunction, which will increase your charisma and popularity, and make socializing more enjoyable and exciting. This is also a great time for creativity, so feel free to start that next art project.

Our best advice is to take advantage of your opportunities and avoid the potential pitfalls, so you can enjoy the next two weeks and use the intense passion of this full moon to get motivated and work hard on your goals. We'll check in next month to see how you did!

Full Moon, Blue Moon, Retrogrades, And Fairies!

Lots of things swirling about these past few weeks, what with the five planet retrograde going on, and now we've got what we like to call a "situation". Saturday's full moon, in Sagittarius this month, is directly conjunct with Mars. Add the fact that this is a "blue moon" (the third of four full moons in a season, or the time between an equinox and a solstice), and that Mars is going "red", and you've got a big situation!

Luckily, Mercury will station direct on the 22nd, so communication, at least, will free up a bit. That doesn't help a whole lot when you've still got Mars in retrograde until the end of June. The interaction between Mars and Sagittarius this month is troubling, and the key words for this time should be "be watchful, be aware, be cautious". All the bottled up frustration of normally forthright, assertive Sagittarius may manifest inward, since outlet is thwarted by the retrograde motion. This may cause a blowup of uncomfortable proportions - the Full Moon in Sagittarius conjunct Mars Retrograde heightens our awareness of this frustration and provides a channel through which we can express our rightful, righteous anger. Unfortunately, Sagittarius is not a sign known for great tact or diplomacy, so anger here may not serve any healthy purposes and instead just add to the tension. As with our keywords for this full moon, it's a good idea to be circumspect now. Remember that with Mars retrograde, this energy is high but not well aimed and can misfire.

With all this rather unsettled energy in the air, it's time for Hoopla! Emporium's semi-regular Full Moon Celebration. Come by the store at 6:00 pm on Monday, May 23, for a short cleansing and blessing by Shaman Carol Woodliff, and a wine tasting with our friends at OddBallGrape.com! We'll have a discussion on the meaning of the 5 planet retrograde, how retrogrades affect you, and what you can do to protect yourself. Our friend Sonia Chernobieff will be here reading Tarot cards for the occasion. She's also taking appointments for Tarot readings at the store, too, so you can call and make an appointment with her!

 

 

On Saturday, May 21, Hoopla! Emporium is hosting "The Enchanted Forest - Fairy Garden 101", which features local garden designer Stephanie Clements. For only $25.00, you and one child can learn how to build a water-wise fairy garden using succulents from local company, Dominus Plantarum, and fairy garden elements provided by Hoopla. Fairy Lydee will provide entertainment, Maureen Koran is providing fairy cupcakes, and Doreen Virtue certified fairy oracle reader Alyse Korn will be here, too! Be sure to register quickly, as space is limited to 20 paid adults, and it's filling quickly! There will be plants available for purchase from Dominus Plantarum, and a special pop-up appearance by Athene Raphael, who makes the most adorable floral crowns and headwear for babies. The fun starts at 3:00, and goes until 6:00 pm. We hope to see you at any (or all) of these events!