posted October 27, 2005 07:00 PM            

New Moon in Scorpio
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
5:24pm PST
9º 43'

Last year at this time, I wrote these words just after the 2004 election, "We cannot know the why of what is now, yet we must trust that all is as it should be: Even if it brings the eventual destruction of all that we hold dear and sacred. None of us can know the totality of causation. The larger WHY remains a mystery even while working with every last breath to end the dark, systemic ignorance that plagues our nation. Though saddened and tired, I remain committed to this work."

One year later, this may still seem like wishful thinking, but the New Moon in Scorpio is the perfect a time to put muscle behind an intention to break systemic delusions that exist in our personal, as well as our national lives. More and more, it seems America is starting to open its eyes to the painful truth about our country's negative and ineffectual response to global terrorism. So too shall we greet this New Moon in Scorpio with the intention to open our eyes to our own failures, negativities and self-delusions.

Sometimes referred to as Lunar Samhain, the New Moon in Scorpio is a night when the veil is thin between the living and the spirit world. This year we are lucky enough to have the New Moon in Scorpio fall on the Day of the Dead. Great insights can be gained on this night through contact with spirit teachers: be they animal, mineral, angelic, or ancestral. Open your mind to the wisdom that flows from the other side. You may even find you have a new set of cosmic helpers after this New Moon ritual! Scorpio is the sign that seeks deep truth in all things. The New Moon in Scorpio is the night to acknowledge the ways this questioning process manifests in your life.

This is the most serious New Moon of the year. This is the night of truth and dare. Dare to be truthful with yourself and the rewards of this ritual will come back tenfold. The grand square between Saturn in Leo, Neptune in Aquarius, Mars in Taurus, and the Sun/Moon in Scorpio will definitely heighten the intensity of your ritual, as well as actions taken in support of your intentions during the two week waxing phase of the Moon. This is an intense grand square, so it is worth spending some time on it.

Since this is the New Moon to honestly reflect upon the self and its action in the world, this fixed grand square will call up all the self's multifarious forms of resistance to changing our relationship to power, manipulation, and control. Saturn in Leo represents consolidation of power and the fixed egoic constructions we create to describe who we are. Saturn also refers to the fear of releasing constricting concepts of self. Neptune in Aquarius opposes Saturn, challenging us to transcend and revision preset self-definitions. Mars in Taurus represents the instinctual or impulsive actions we take to ensure our survival. The Sun/Moon in Scorpio symbolizes our egoic and emotional needs to be in control and maintain a position of power. However, the opposition of Mars to the Sun and Moon highlights how destructive these needs can be and urges us to strip away the layers of lies we tell ourselves in order to protect our own selfish interests. All of these planets sit 90º from each other and create a grand square, heightening the discomfort and stress of truthfully seeing ourselves and our internal motivations. Truth-telling will be quite a task on this New Moon in Scorpio.

However, this is night to commit to truth-telling with compassion and love. Use a mirror in your ritual. Take a long look at yourself; go all the way inside your skin, inside your mind, inside your heart. Are you doing and saying things that create fear, alienation, dissatisfaction, and despair in others? What thoughts and actions have you put energy into that are now coming back to haunt you? Are you supporting people that create pain and suffering for you and for others? Are you too afraid to deal with them properly or let them go all together? Look at your fear, where it comes from, what makes it worse and what eases it. This is the optimal night to face your fear head on and make a commitment to letting go of unhealthy and tortuous relationships, jobs, behavior, and habits. A New Moon in Scorpio shows you the truth, shows you your vulnerabilities, and your powerlessness. But it also gives you the strength to let go of destructive behavior patterns, make changes, and learn to be powerful in a positive life-supporting way.

Use your ritual to journey to the depths of your soul. And don't think this will be some kind of new-agey joyride! If you are real with yourself and dive deep into the core of your unconscious, this will be challenging and scary. If you brave the murky depths you will arrive at that sacred place beyond fear, pain and illusion. There are many ways to do this, but on a New Moon in Scorpio it is best to work in the dark. Indigenous people use drums and ritual dance to induce a transpersonal state of consciousness. You can try this with a partner who drums while you journey, or use recorded shamanic drumming. Some people gaze into a scrying mirror or a bowl of water to induce a trancelike state. For some visualization or meditation is enough. There are many plants that can alter or heighten your awareness. Use them with knowledge and respect. This is not recreation. More than ever, it is all about intention on this New Moon.

The Scorpio New Moon is a night to strip yourself bare and release your pretensions. Relinquish all you are, all you have, and all you wish to be. Let go of your attachment to suffering: pain, violence, resentment, hatred, judgments, and indecisiveness. This is the night to fearlessly take responsibility for your own condition and the condition of your loved ones. When it comes down to it we always have some modicum of control over our circumstances. Even in our darkest hour, it is up to us to make change where we can, and where we can't, rise to the occasion and make the best of a bad situation. Scorpio forces us to recognize our relative insignificance in the big scheme of things, but it demands that we take responsibility for the tremendous impact we have on what happens in the world. This is the true meaning of power.

Scorpio knows it has the power to change, though it is the improper use of this power that often becomes problematic. There are many great teachers of power to be found in the plant, animal, and spirit worlds. Seek their wisdom and their healing energy in your ritual. They will be your guides as you peel back the layers of fear and false pretense to arrive at the stark naked truths of your life.

But please don't leave yourself hanging in the dark depths! Scorpio rules death and rebirth and New Moons are always a time of new beginnings. Active rebirth from the womb of wisdom is a pivotal part of this ritual; you are not done until this has been completed. It is important to rest after your journey within. Calm and soothe yourself with a hot bath, sit in front of a fire and have a light snack. Use this time to reflect on the truths and the lessons you were shown. When you are rested, go back to your ritual area and give yourself time to document your journey.

If you need to, call back your spirit guides to help you in this process. Write down or create a visual representation of the wisdom you received and clearly delineate newly conceived goals or action plans. Scorpio empowers projects and goals that require real commitment to your truth, and as you well know these are the hardest to achieve.

Here's to your New Moon in Scorpio journey into the Plutonic underworld, and your successful rebirth into wholeness, transformation and greater wisdom.

©2005 Lisa Dale Miller http://www.astrowisdom.com/thisnewmoon.htm

posted December 30, 2005 09:33 PM            

New Moon Reminder
NEW MOON REMINDER... Friday, December 30, 10:13 pm EST, is the second New Moon Power Day in December! Don’t miss this opportunity to make wishes for experiences you’d like to have.

Because this New Moon is in the sign of CAPRICORN, it’s a potent time for new beginnings in your business or profession; increasing your status; becoming aware of and using existing opportunities to advance; goal accomplishment. This is the time especially favorable for exhibiting the self-control to master any self-defeating habit. It is also auspicious for taking on the role of the person in charge, thereby accepting the responsibility that leads to success and personal empowerment.

Things you may have wanted to happen in your life for a long time can begin easily manifesting through using the boost of this commanding, “take charge” New Moon!

For success, your wishes must be handwritten on paper and ten wishes maximum are allowed on each power day. The most potent time is the first 8 hours AFTER the exact time of the New Moon; within the first 48 hours will still work. The potency continues to exist for another twelve hours, but is weaker. For clear success, its best to avoid wishing during those hours when the Moon is Void of Course.

Therefore in DECEMBER 2005, your most potent times for wishing are: Friday, December 30, 10:13 pm - 12:00 midnight; Saturday, December 31, 12:01 am - 4:08 am; and Sunday, January 1, 7:14am - 12 midnight. These times are in Eastern Standard Time and need to be converted to your local time zone.

Because the potent New Moon cycle coincides this year with the traditional time for making New Years Resolutions, this could well be a year when there is a general happy feeling in the atmosphere as peoples dreams begin magically manifesting. When people begin seeing their dreams come true, the happiness that emits from them sweetens up the atmosphere for everyone.

Even without the astrological knowledge of why this is coming about (the potency of the New Moon power period that coincides with the social norm of New Years resolutions), the power necessary for manifestation will give a boost to the lives of those who write down their New Years Resolutions.

For more New Moon tips for December and suggested wishes for the New Moon in Capricorn, click here.

For the complete “Rules of the Road” for wishing under the New Moon, as well as sample wishes demonstrating the most potent way of wording your wishes, consult Jan Spiller’s book- New Moon Astrology -at your local bookstore.

posted December 30, 2005 11:24 PM            

Here's another great article on this New Moon tonite: http://www.astrowisdom.com/thisnewmoon.htm