The planets continue on their courses. The Sun and Moon dance to the rhythms of life. We here on Earth are part of that dance, whether we want to believe it or not. A revolution is building around the world, a revolution of peace and greater self-awareness and responsibility. We are in labor with the future. Let's not lose hope just because things are painful. Our hope is that we all go through this necessary transformation.

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Once in a Blue Moon

Our collective culture states that a Blue Moon occurs when there are two full moons in a calendar month.   This makes no sense since all our original calendars are based on celestial events.   What does make sense is that a Blue Moon occurs when there are two full moons in an astrological sign .   That event changes the energy of how we experience the Moon's cycle.   Once in a blue Moon then makes sense, since this change in the lunar cycle happens about every 33 months.   Once in a Blue Moon indeed!

This week's full Moon is the second full Moon to take place in Leo/Aquarius--the first one occurred on July 22, 2013.   Having two new or full moons occur in an astrological sign signifies a change in how we experience the lunar cycle.   In May-June 2012, there were two new moons in the sign of Gemini--these switched the lunar cycle so that the full Moon in a sign has been coming before the new Moon in that sign.   This creates a dis-connect in the lunar cycle so that we have to deal with two different energies at once.   Now the Moon's cycle is coming back to its original cycle of new then full Moon.   See if you start to feel more emotionally balanced as this new Blue Moon cycle takes hold.

The Leo-Aquarius Full Moon

At Full Moon, we get to see the light of the Sun fully reflected on the face of the Moon.   In fully embracing the Light, our lunar nature becomes conscious--we understand something about our emotional nature that we didn't know before.   Each full Moon takes in the light of the Sun as it moves through a sign and shows us how we are experiencing that cosmic energy through its opposite sign.   So with the Sun in Leo, we get a full Moon in the opposite sign of Aquarius.

The energy of Leo is heart-centered and heart-felt.   Leo's confidence comes from knowing what lies at the heart of life--creativity, love, generosity to others and a deep sense of Self.   The royal nature of Leo stems from this self-confidence in Life--when we realize that we are responsible for the choices we make in our lives.   We are not powerless, even in the face of oppression.   We'll need this Leo energy in the years ahead, as we take back our culture from the mechanistic, patriarchal, corporate culture that now rules our world.

Leo is one of four power signs--Taurus, Leo, Scorpio & Aquarius--that concentrate the energies of the activating cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.    Leo is the power of fire, of spirit, of creativity.   Fire consumes, warms, and illuminates; fire symbolizes purification and transformation.   The alchemical fires transform our consciousness, opening us to deeper insights and wider understanding.   In ancient Egypt, there was a lioness goddess who exemplified this creative/destructive fire of Leo--Sekhmet, the Eye of the Sun, Lady of the Sacred Flame. 

This 2^nd Leo/Aquarius Full Moon activates the energy of one of the four ancient Persian Royal Stars, considered to be sentinels of humanity's evolution.   The Leo Sun this full Moon is on the royal star, Regulus, located at the Lion's Heart.    When the Sun is on Regulus, it bestows power, authority and honor to those worthy of them.   So let us be worthy to take on our own authority in the world.   Let us own our inner Queen and inner King.

The Moon is in the airy power sign of Aquarius, symbolizing the Cosmic Mind.   Just as the archetypes reflect the basic principles of the Divine Order, the Aquarian Mind reflects that higher order of thinking.   Aquarius offers us freedom at the same time as it demands that we find ways to work together for the benefit of all humanity.   We need that larger vision if we want to evolve humanity beyond our culture of violence, self-centeredness and domination into one of peace, partnership and creativity.

The fact that this full Moon falls on the 29^th degrees of both Leo and Aquarius indicates that we must work out these energies within us.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun at 29* Leo is: A mermaid emerges from the ocean waves ready for rebirth in human form.   In one sense, a mermaid symbolizes a new feeling arising from the collective unconscious.   Part woman, part fish, the mermaid brings us news of what is going on in the creative depths of the ocean which gave us all birth.   A new manifestation of the Anima Mundi or World Soul yearns to be reborn as Lady Wisdom. 

The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 29* Aquarius is: A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis.   This emergence speaks of a complete metamorphosis, a structural renewal of the patterns of life and relationship.   We have to let go of the old structures that emerged from the archetypes long ago, structures which built patriarchy when we needed that form.   But now those forms are dead and deadening.   When archetypal patterns lose the feeling depths, they become stereotypes.   We live in a culture of stereotypes which urgently needs renewal.   Let the archetypal energies of life renew themselves in new patterns and forms, reshaping humanity to a larger consciousness and beauty.  

Both symbols suggest that a new feeling is arising in people, a feeling that wants to break down old collective belief systems that no longer serve life.   The gift is that these new beliefs--about equality, about humanity's connection to our environment, about justice, about fairness, about the really important things in life--are as beautiful and yet delicate as a butterfly.    

Other Energies at Play

Mercury and the asteroids Vesta and Ceres join the Leo Sun at the full Moon.   This adds a sharp, creative mind, a sense of self-empowerment and real nurturing to the Sun's power.   Vesta gives us the focus and passion to pursue your goals; Ceres wants us to look at how we use food and nurturing and fertility; Mercury shows how we use our minds to process and perceive life.   In Leo, they want us to show the world who we really are.

In the hours and days following this Blue Moon , Jupiter and Venus will align with the Pluto/Uranus square, bringing the revolution into our homes and relationships.

Venus enters the sign of Libra on August 16^th, bringing harmony and balance to our relationships--hopefully because we've been doing our Saturn in Scorpio work of re-structuring our emotional body and owning our Shadow.  

A few hours after the full Moon, Jupiter in Cancer squares Uranus in Aries, calling us to stand up for our homes and families, our needs and our feelings.   Jupiter gives us the gifts of curiosity, expansiveness and faith; Uranus promotes freedom, originality and a cosmic mind.   A square signals a turning point, where we have to break free from the past.   We have to learn to think outside the box to discover solutions to our personal and cultural problems.   That means, using our Imaginations!  

Jupiter will be part of a series of five cardinal grand crosses (a planet in each cardinal sign) through next spring.   A grand cross involves two oppositions (180*) and four squares (90*).   In cardinal signs, these grand crosses will constellate major changes in all areas of life: self-identity (Uranus in Aries), home, family & emotional body issues (Jupiter in Cancer), partnerships and justice (Venus, Sun and Mars in Libra), and social and political institutions (Pluto in Capricorn).  

August 24-27: Venus in Libra joins Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto to clarify our values around relationships, peace and social justice.

September 14-19: Mercury in Libra joins Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto to bring clear insight to our minds about the issues facing us.

October 1-12: Sun in Libra brings a personal need to incarnate these news values and insights into our life.

December 25 -- January 8, 2014: Mars in Libra brings the passion and will to do something to bring about change.

April 21-24, 2014 :   On April 21, 2014, the 4^th of 7 squares between Uranus at 14* Aries and Pluto at 14* Capricorn takes place, along with Jupiter at 14* Cancer and Mars retrograde at 14* Libra, forming another cardinal grand cross.  

As you can see, we are fully into labor--the rhythmic labor of a new birth.   

That grand cross will fall on America's Sun in our 4^th of July birth chart.   Our very identity will be challenged and I believe that Americans will finally rise up and become the new patriots who will form a more perfect union.

Until then, work on emerging from your chrysalis and spreading your wings!

Blessed Be!

Cathy

Authors Website: http://www.cathypagano.com

Authors Bio:

Cathy Pagano is a spiritual advisor and Jungian psychotherapist, storyteller, author and teacher.

She is the author of a book on the return of the Goddess, "Wisdom's Daughters: How Women Can Change the World".

Cathy trained at the C. G. Jung Institut-Zurich in dream interpretation, has an M.A. in Counseling Psychology in Feminine Spirituality, and is a certified Life Coach.

As an astrologer and storyteller, she weaves the Cosmic Stories written in the stars. From The Bard's Grove, she writes about emerging archetypal themes in movies and books.

Cathy works with the tools of the imagination - dreams, alchemy, myths, astrology, symbolic language, storytelling, ritual - to awaken the Soul's wisdom.



I believe that Americans are called to a higher consciousness at this point in our history. We are called on to live up to our ideals and create the country our forefathers imagined. Inner consciousness needs to be acted upon for social justice.



Cathy believes that our writers and artists must take up our responsibility to create art that inspires, teaches and heals our humanity.



Cathy writes about political, psychological/spiritual, and cultural issues.