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 Currents of Change
Rising Moon Healing Center
Newsletter - July 2016
Heather Ensworth, Ph.D.
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New Moon - July 4, 2016, 7:03 am EDT
Full Moon- July 19, 2016 6:59 pm EDT
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LUNAR CYCLE - JULY 2016
Transformation or Chaos?
On July 4th at 7:03am, we begin a new lunar cycle as the Sun and Moon come together in the stars of Gemini. Venus and Mercury are also in the stars of this constellation of the Twins. Since ancient times, the twins have been seen as holding the polarity of light and dark, of immortality and mortality and of good and evil. We see this tension in many stories of twins or siblings such as Cain and Abel in the Bible or Osiris and Set in Egyptian mythology. In the Greek story of Castor and Pollux, Castor represents the morning star and Pollux the evening star, representing the light and shadow sides of ourselves and of life.
At the time of the New Moon, the Moon is located in the side of the constellation that represents Pollux, while the Sun is in the side symbolizing Castor. This New Moon is asking us to hold the wholeness of who we are -- to honor both our light and our shadow. As it lies in the shadow side of the constellation, the Moon is calling us to face our shadows and to dive into the feelings and aspects of ourselves
that we may try to avoid or suppress. If we don't integrate these facets of ourselves, they are apt to be projected on to others who we see as wrong, bad or dangerous. We then react in anger or hatred in order to not face these parts of ourselves.
Venus and Mercury also hold this tension as they lie in each side of the Twins. The Moon is challenging us to face our deeper feelings and what is unconscious in ourselves, while Venus is challenging us to look at what we project on to others and how we may not be seeing others' clearly. Mercury is calling us to face our thoughts and the ways that we communicate to be more conscious and clear. Venus is part of a grand trine in the sky with Chiron and Mars. This configuration is about looking at how are we in relationship with this shadow side of ourselves. Are we allowing ourselves to move into wholeness and in this way to heal and integrate who we are? If so, then our actions will be healing to ourselves and to others. However, if we are caught in splitting and in suppressing some part of ourselves, then our actions are likely to be wounding and destructive.
The Sabian symbol of the degree of the New Moon means: "strong, active and self-certain will or persistent, yet blind, plunging ahead into reality." This echoes the dangers of acting from a place of polarization and denial of the shadow aspects of ourselves. Last month, the energy of the lunar cycle was calling us to look at our thoughts and beliefs. If we did not do that work and are caught in false beliefs, then we may act out on that in this lunar cycle and plunge ahead blindly thinking that we are clear when we really are operating in illusion and confusion.
It is an interesting synchronicity that this New Moon lands on July 4th, Independence Day for the United States. As we celebrate our nation and our freedom, are we doing it from a place of acceptance of the wholeness of who we are internally and of our diversity as a nation? Or are we projecting our own shadows on to others and reacting to them with fear and anger? Are we fostering unity or division? Love or hatred? If we are coming from a place of wholeness and willing to see all of the facets of ourselves, then we can move forward from a place of clarity and act with consciousness and compassion. If we are blind to our own shadows, then we will act from a place of polarization and create chaos and destruction. This pattern seems to be playing out writ large on the political scene in our country at this time.
The New Moon and Sun are opposite Pluto. This again is a call to honor the light and the dark and to open to seeing what is unconscious, what is hidden beneath the surface. When we are willing to do our inner work, then this can be a profound time of transformation. Pluto guides us to burn away illusions and to open to the truth of who we are. When we do this deep work, then Pluto empowers us to live and act with consciousness. If we resist the energy of Pluto, we are likely to get caught in power struggles, to see others as bad and wrong and to lash out in anger and reactivity. Pluto is also opposite Venus. Again, this is the energy of transformation or of chaos and how these may play out in our relationships. As we face the fullness of who we are, we can deepen in our acceptance of others and our relationships move into a deeper place of authenticity and depth. If we are not doing our inner work, then we may find during this lunar cycle that our relationships become more tumultuous and contentious and confusing. If we are experiencing that, it is a call to look more deeply into ourselves and to face the shadow within.
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| photo by Juan Jose Aza |
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As we move into the time of the Full Moon on July 19th, the Sun is moving out of the stars of Gemini towards Cancer, and the Full Moon is moving into the stars of Capricorn. Capricorn signifies how we give shape and form to our lives. How we do the inner work called for at the beginning of this lunar cycle will influence what we manifest as we move into the time of the Full Moon.
The Moon is now near Pluto, and the Sun and Moon are squaring Uranus. We are again in that powerful energy of the Pluto/Uranus square calling us into clarity and transformation. If we have not faced the truths of ourselves that we needed to earlier in this lunar cycle, Uranus may bring shattering experiences or insights to try to help us to see ourselves and life in a more clear way. Pluto may bring experiences of depression or stir up intense emotions to help us to finally face those aspects of ourselves that we have been resisting.
If you find yourself in turbulence during the month, it may be a message to you to look at the ways that you are out of balance, not seeing some aspect of yourself or out of alignment with your path and purpose. Honor the turbulence as a gift, as a wake up call, and take time to assess what you have been avoiding seeing in yourself or how you may be resisting doing what you know is being true to yourself and your purpose.
During this lunar cycle, Uranus is next to the dwarf planet Eris/Xena and the asteroid Ceres. Uranus is giving us clarity about the uniqueness of who we are and calling us to live out our own unique path and purpose (Eris/Xena). Uranus is also asking us to look at how we are in relationship with the Earth (Ceres) and how our connection with nature can be healing and nurturing for us in contrast to how our disconnection from the Earth leads to destruction (of ourselves and of the natural environment). The intensity of the weather patterns are a wake up call to us collectively to see how we as a species are out of balance and need to come back into right relationship with the Earth. Those who say that climate change is a "hoax" are operating in illusion and are "blinding plunging ahead" in a destructive manner.
Pay attention this month to the synchronicities in your life and to experiences that trigger intensity or agitation. These are the energies of Pluto and Uranus helping you to see what you need to see and to awaken and transform. As we take in the guidance of the energies of this lunar cycle, we can deepen, heal, move more into wholeness and act in ways that are healing to ourselves and to others. We are given a choice in this lunar cycle -- to deepen and transform or to fall into chaos, despair and reactivity. As is true with all of life, the choice is to walk the path of truth and love or to choose illusion, fear, hatred and despair. The message of the Twins is to hold the wholeness of who we are, to honor the light and the shadow and to find the peace and power that comes from that consciousness. We then have nothing to fear.
These newsletters are written from the perspective of visual astrology, looking at the actual placements of the Sun, Moon and planets in the sky and then also from the aspects between the planets as seen in the astrology chart (tropical zodiac).
SKY WATCH FOR THIS MONTH
Mercury- is visible in the western sky just after sunset later in July
Venus- will begin to emerge as an evening star in mid-July, low on the western horizon
Mars- is high in the sky during the night and is in the stars of Libra
Jupiter- is visible after sunset and is below the stars of Leo
Saturn- is visible for most of the night and is below the stars of Ophiuchus
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NEW ASTROLOGY CLASS
INTRODUCTION TO ASTROLOGY
with Heather Ensworth, Ph.D.
Astrology is an ancient art and science dating back thousands of years. It is based on the awareness that all of life is interconnected and that the patterns of life on Earth are mirrored in the movements of the planets and stars in the sky. Astrology is a profound tool to assist us in understanding personal life issues as well as larger global cycles.
In this class, we will work with our own birth charts in depth as well as with other charts (of famous individuals or charts brought by group members) to learn the basic meanings of the planets and signs as well as how to interpret charts. While modern Western astrology has been very influenced by Greek and Roman mythology, which has shaped our understanding of the archetypal meanings of the planets and signs of the zodiac, we will trace back to the earliest known myths and meanings to recover a deeper, less patriarchal understanding of these planets and signs.
The class will meet for 10 sessions (one Saturday each month from 10am-4pm) for $125/session.
Class Dates:
Sept 10, 2016
Oct 3, 2016
Nov 5, 2016
Dec 3, 2016
Jan 7, 2017
Feb 4, 2017
March 4, 2017
April 1, 2017
May 6, 2017
June 3, 2017
Class is limited to 10 - so please register as early as possible if interested
The topics covered will include:
- ancient archetypal meanings of the planets and signs of the zodiac
- learning how the planets speak to different facets of who we are
- meanings of the house placements in the chart and how these relate to aspects of our lives
- understanding the elements and modalities in the chart
- learning how to interpret planetary aspects and cycles
- exploring transits and how they relate to current life issues as well as developmental cycles
- how to find the primary themes and patterns in the chart and how they might manifest in the person's life in physical, emotional and spiritual ways
- evolutionary astrology -- how to see the soul's purpose and journey through the chart
- synastry and composite charts - how to understand core dynamics in relationships through the interaction of the charts
Instructor: Heather Ensworth, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and astrologer
Location: Rising Moon Healing Center, South Hamilton, MA
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Journey to the Self and Four Elements,
and the Shamanic Journey
Friday - Sunday, July 29-31, 2016
Weekend Retreat in Maine with Denise Koelsch, LISCW
Join us and learn new ways of being. Connect deeply with the
elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air through meditation. Experience a Shamanic Journey and tap into the intuitive wisdom that we all possess.
Program tuition: $400 (some discounts available)
For more information: contact Denise Koelsch, LICSW [email protected] or www.being-whole.com
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| Offerings at the Rising Moon Healing Center Ongoing:
Other ongoing offerings:
Astrology readings with Heather - individual readings, couples readings, event charts, transits, etc.
Ongoing astrology classes- offered by Heather
Insight-oriented therapy, spiritual consultation and/or shamanic healing sessions with Heather
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Thank you for reading our Newsletter!
Please watch for more news about upcoming events....
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