This Pisces Full Moon is another super Moon--closest to the Earth, bigger than usual, more energizing. If you live by the ocean, the tides will be higher, bringing the magic of the ocean closer to our consciousness. This is as it should be when the Moon is in Pisces, which symbolizes the subtle realms beyond our sensual knowledge.
This Pisces Full Moon is also the Harvest Moon, the full Moon that falls closest to the Autumn Equinox, September 22nd. Because of the Moon's relationship with the Earth there is more light available, for more days, during this Full Moon to aid in the harvest. For more information about the Harvest Moon, see what the Farmer's Almanac has to say about it.
While the Sun is in Virgo, our ego consciousness is led to take stock of our lives, seeing what needs to be perfected and organized as the year begins to wind down. Having spent the summer relaxing in the sun and waters, forests and mountains, it's time to prepare for the chill of autumn, the harvest and the darkness. Virgo's skill is to integrate our newest experiences into our characters--how have we lived our values and our passions this year? What needs honing? How balanced and aligned with our goals are we?
The magic of Virgo is a ritual magic of the Mind, the ability to shape the correct form for the energies we're working with. That's why we need to ground ourselves in our bodies. Most of us don't pay attention to what our guts are telling us. Being in our bodies is not about being 'in shape'--it's about being present in the body so we can understand what our instincts tell us is true. So Breathe! Center yourself in your body. And listen. We need to be in our bodies to know our hearts.
The Moon comes full in the sign opposite to where the Sun is. Virgo, the Virgin and Mother, is fulfilled in Pisces, the realm of the Collective Unconscious and the source of the Unity of Life. Just as we dissolve in the cosmic ocean and become one with all of creation, we are rebirth there as well--rebirthed in the spirit.
So the Virgo Sun shines in the mirror of the Pisces Moon and we look to find the answers to our question at harvest time--will what we harvest feed our souls? We need Pisces to show us her magic.
The magic of Pisces is the magic of the Heart. The Sufis believe that the Heart is an ocean and the body is its beach. Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Wisdom, arose from the ocean waters and came to shore as Love, which is our blessing and our heritage. Pisces is the World's Heart and Aphrodite's love arises from the Source of Life, flowing through the body, engaging the heart and mind and filling us with spirit.
When we actually sense what our hearts are feeling, we understand the quality of the moment. Russ Hudson, co-author of The Wisdom of the Enneagram1, says that the 'heart tastes what the moment is all about'. The heart brings us the quality and texture of the moment. The heart is the knower of truth, not the mind. The mind presents us with possibilities and choices, but the heart knows the truth. Being in touch with our heart tells us the quality of our existence, the truth of who we really are.
The heart brings us a sense of the preciousness of life and the present moment. The heart feeds the soul, and truth is the heart-food we most need. What is your truth? Who are you really? What are you being called to be and do? Each year we get to harvest our experiences, so we can continue to weave the tapestry of our lives. Virgo brings it all together and makes it coherent.
As I mentioned in the Virgo New Moon newsletter, the Blessed Virgin Mary is a good example of a Virgo/Pisces goddess figure. As virgin, she alone gave birth to the savior. As Great Mother of all, she is the source of compassion for all our suffering. Pisces is a symbol of the collective unconscious, the world heart where the unlived, rejected parts of the culture hang out. These rejected parts include women's need for equality, the suffering of victims of war, the victimization of children, the pollution of the Earth, the extinction of species--the butterfly and the bee--and all our hopes for a peaceful and prosperous future.
Mary also has a sacred heart--a heart full of love and compassion. The ancient Mother is calling to us, wanting to lead us home to that place of calm and peace that we all long for. The way there is through the heart.
Pisces Full Moon 2014
The Pisces Full Moon occurs on September 8, 2014 at 6:38pm
PDT/ 9:38pm EDT and at 1:38am GMT on September 9th.
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