I hope you have had a wonderful holiday season. There’s so much magic available to us at this time. This is the liminal space of the 8th gate. Past the complete release of the 7th gate where we are judged by our own heart, body, and soul. This judgement is an assessment. It is a an unfiltered look at our actions, words, thoughts, and desires. We are always found guilty. Guilty of living, loving, and being fully present in the 3D. The outcome releases us from that density where now we can be free to design our next steps.
Create: paint, draw, write, read, cook
Rest: sleep in, take a walk, visit friends, take a trip
Cleanse: the body through food, the mind through meditation, the soul through gratitude, your space through decluttering/donations
Most importantly take that leap of faith into the 8th gate to release your dreams and highest aspirations.
It’s the most magical time of the year…well one of them at least. This full moon in Cancer coincides with the Winter Solstice. We have passed the 7th gate into the Underworld, leaving behind our connections to this material world to move deeper into the spiritual. A full moon in the darkest night illustrates the absorb nature of duality. There is never darkness without light or light without darkness. I was reminded of Genesis 1:1-3
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”
There was never a time without darkness. The notion that we come from the light is a limited notion. Light comes from darkness. The energy of a cancer full moon brings us back to the waters of life that existed in the darkness. Think of all that is waiting for you in the shadows. More than you could ever imagine. We haven’t even explored most of the waters of this planet and are always finding new forms of life. New ways to love, exist and be. What exists in the dark waters of the primordial mother for you?
This new moon allow yourself to become Enchanted. To fall in love with the magic of the season. The way the light shines through the trees. The glisten on frost, ice,or snow in the morning light. The flicker of the firelight against the cold dark of the night. Everything holds a bit of magic within it if you’re willing to see it. There’s a magic practice that calls for you to “soften your gaze”,letting your eyes slowly lose focus so that the world is a little hazy. It removes the harsh filter of reality that binds us to this world. Move into the world of dreams an imagination of the 8th gate. This space that allows for anything to be possible. Unicorns, mermaids, fairies, elves, wands,and magic rings are the norm here. Need something? Say the words with the right materials and it is yours. If you’ve been following along I’ve been working my way through the underworld with some of the Goddesses of Life and Death. Checkout the Enchanted series to begin your exploration of this liminal space. It’s never too late to enter the land of Enchantment.
This full moon brings us healing and wisdom. When you entered the 7th Gate to the Underworld what did you release? What did you have to let go of? There is healing that can be found from finding your connection to these items, beliefs,experiences, roles, or relationships. There is something that holds you the reconnected to them and thus to your current state. If you want to change that through Shadow Alchemy, allow yourself to find the joy in not having them. The brilliance of letting Spirit carry the load for a moment. Does this make you feel anxious,scared, relieved? Sit with those feelings. Breath through them. Light some incense to your favorite guide, fix them a meal, and let yourself feel that release. In Enchantment we will explore the ways to utilize the art of beauty, glamour, visualization, breath work, and movement to perform Shadow Alchemy. The stronger the feeling the more powerful the reaction. Think of a chemical reaction, some are small and unnoticeable others can level a nation. Think of the change you can bring to your life with that kind of energy.
As you sit and take this energy in what messages have you received? Watch your dream sand look for other reoccurring signs in your life such as numbers (3, 6, 8), animals,or themes in your conversations will all be clues to what areas you need to work on or will assist you in your work. Oh and if you need some support Isis is the perfect Goddess to work with.
Welcome to the 7th Gate.
On this day we enter into death releasing all that holds us to who we think we
are and who we want to be. We are only spirit here. Even those who you care for
or are responsible for are no longer under your care. The Anuna, the 7judges,
have case their verdict. The judgement: death. Death of the beliefs, relationships,
and self that binds us to the needs, desires, and rules of the world. Here, order
is derived from Universal Law. “The ways of the underworld are perfect”. “Be
satisfied, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. You must not
open your mouth against the rites of the underworld.”
What do you feel when you release all
your ties to this life? Are you free? Fearful? Open and ready to see what is
next? Everyone has a different moment each time they enter death. It is exactly
what one needs at that time. Perhaps you are in rest mode or perhaps you are
feeling called to action. To move, to work, to heal, to breath, to be. In
death, what actions are you called to? Love
Universal Love: Relationships will
feel full of love. A divine love. The love that is shared directly from Source.
This shifts the duality of love throughout shadow and light. Source holds all
emotional states. For some, that love is is clear but in others it is
refracted. When we release ourselves in the underworld we experience the
unhindered love of completion. Embrace that this winter and DO NOT SETTLE FOR LESS
from anyone or anything thing.
Now that you are released from your binds, what do you need to get done? Where do you need to put your energy or build your power? Review, review, review! Do you need to correct some relationships? If someone has been treating you crazy or taking advantage of you this year let them know that time is over. Develop your boundaries, state them, and enforce them. This may mean that you lose some things along the way. Stepping into your power can come at a price. What are you willing to release to be free?In Winter, it is your life. To return to the land of the living, someone must take your place. What will that sacrifice be? What are you willing to let die? Views,behaviors, habits, relationships, items, places that drain you? Let it go.
It’s our full moon in Aries! Whoo we are feeling the movement and letting it guide us towards our biggest desires. When we begin to expand this can cause us to meet resistance in the form of hostility from others around us. Sometimes when we grow and change it makes others uncomfortable because they are not used to us behaving in this way. We might also begin to self-sabotage. Finding ways to keep ourselves from reaching our full potentials because it’s safer to stay small. If you find yourself feeling jealous of others, frustrated with yourself, or having lots of people be hard on you or difficult this is the time to harness the energy of Aries. Face your fears and stand up for yourself. It’s time to be true to who you are. If you are behaving in a way that harms others take that step back and access what you can do to improve how you treat yourself/others.
This fire will be burning through you bringing you experiences of heightened love, creativity, and self-expression. Find the things that bring you joy and make you smile. Staying true to yourself is the key to manifestation as represented by the tale of Coatlicue the Aztec Goddess of Life and Death. Coatlicue birthed the sun, moon, stars and hundreds of other children. After becoming pregnant from a ball of feathers with the God of war, sacrifice, and the sun Huitzilopochtli, her daughter Coyolxauhqui decapated Coatlicue to save them from Huitzilopchtli. Yet, upon her death Huitzilopchtli emerged prepared to serve his purpose. This story illustrates how we have multiple opportunities to follow our calling. That even when it might seem that the world is working against you, it might be just what you need to be free.
You too can harness this energy of transforming the negative into the positive energy as well. There are several ways to accomplish this. One thing you can try is focusing on finding neutral ground in the situation (all things are energy). This will make it so you leverage every action into a form of support for your desires. A second tactic is to appreciate everything that happens to you good and bad. This feeds your shadow giving it the acknowledgment that it seeks so that you are less likely to self-sabotage or become subject to others influence.
Coatlicue lived her life according as she pleased knowing that there must be balance. So as there will be times when you are receiving everything you have ever wanted there will be times when it seems that everything is going wrong. This is the time of greatest power. Keep your head (lol) and use this to your advantage.
In case you missed it here’s the breakdown for July 6th and 7th astrology.
Aug 6 Venus enters Libra
Venus returns home to the sign of Libra in the 7th house today until September 9th (the new moon in Virgo). This is a significant event as 6 is the number associated with Venus and Libra. I have two recommendations for today depending on where you are in your path. One way to take advantage of this energy is to practice a very nourishing form of self-care. By this I mean what is your secret guilty pleasure? Binge watching The Barefoot Contessa? Calling in sick to work to sleep in? Whatever you do that brings you the greatest pleasure, do that today with an energy of appreciation and thanks. This will greatly begin the shift of your energy over the next three days. If you have been focusing on manifesting your purpose,
Aug 7 Uranus in Taurus in Retrograde (Mercury in Leo, Pluto/ Saturn in Capricorn, Neptune in Pisces, Mars in Aquarius, and Chiron in Aries are in retrograde).
Our 7th planet has entered into retrograde today. Uranus in Taurus in the 12th house is now in retrograde signaling the beginning of a revolution of perspective. Think Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat “Can you stand on your head?”. How open are you to change? Today is a beautiful day to break from convention and take that chance that you’ve been working towards. As this is a time of retrograde, if the pieces aren’t already in place then today is the day to write the plan, do the research, and receive insight from the Universe so you can follow your dreams. Be open. The world is waiting for you.
After that we have the Lion’s Gate on Thursday, August 8th. At that time we have an opportunity to take advantage of a portal that allows us to access the unfiltered energy of Leo. Correlated with the infinity symbol, the number 8 symbolizes our strength to achieve our desires through a can do attitude and will alone. It is the Strength card in Tarot, a steadfast woman holding open the mouth of the lion, confident in her ability to handle the powerful animal (her internal and external desires).
When we align with the energy of the Lion’s Gate, we open ourselves to our true self. We remove the masks of our consciousness and dive directly into our spirit. Over the past few months you have cleanses, cleared, and refined your life, goals, and purpose. Although there is still work to be done you have the opportunity to use your will to move your desires from the astral to the material realms. The unending figure 8 symbolizes the connection between all realms and the flow of spirit/energy. Above all else we are timeless and our souls exist in eternity.
So how do we tap into this energy? If we look at Leo the Lion, the 8, and the energy of Summer we are called to the light. Spend time outside in the sun, meditate with a candle, use warming essential oils such as cardamon, clove, and ginger, eat foods that are light and full of water. Keep your heart light so that your spirit is able to soar unburdened into the space of creation. For what we enter during the Lion’s Gate is the 8th Gate. I have spoken of the 8th Gate often. Within that 8th gate, we are in a space of pure creation and freedom. True Sovereignty. This time correlates with the winter’s energy of reflection and shadow work through the underworld where we enter the 8th gate. Our divine masculine is now within the underworld entering the 8th gate through the light. During this Lion’s Gate we release our hold to attachments so that we are able to dream. So this is a powerful time for dream work, shaman journey’s and sound healing.
Dream wildly my loves. Leave what you do not need behind so that you can be the ruler of your being.
All things are in balance and with the feminine Gods of Life and Death, we have the masculine Gods of Life and Death. These Gods have been brought into our world to provide the masculine energetic journey from birth, life, and death to resurrection.
We start with Osiris, the brother and husband of Auset (Isis). He is the ruler of the underworld, death, and completion. From death comes life and the return of balance through their son Horus.
Here are links to learn more about this powerful masculine God of Life and Death.
Overall this spring, a time of rebirth is upon us. We are rising from the underworld and the feminine is in her prime having integrated her shadow over the winter. Although the astrological new year is upon us this does not mean that we have cut ourselves off from the wisdom of our intuition. That is the importance of bringing our polar energy into. In April, we will return to the wisdom of the waters through conchomancy. To read more about this form of divination with seashells check out this post here. If you are not near a body of water where you can find shells you can buy seashells from local craft stores. May suggests that we will need our knowledge of divination systems because things are not what they seem. We may feel stagnant or confused but if we are willing to be open to ways of knowing beyond traditional means we can gain some insight into what is going on. Gather more information and be patient. Sometimes it is best to be in he dark so that you do not interfere with the divine order. Lastly, June strengthens our connection with the feminine through the energy of Aphrodite. Find symbols such as the shells used in your conchomancy, pearls, roses, water, and items that are light pink and blue. If you do not have an area of your home devoted to Venus, Aphrodite, Oschun, or your preferred Goddess of love or sweetness then this would be a great time to do this. You may want to research creating ritual around Goddesses of love and sexuality. What connects or creates a barrier to your connection to this energy? Explore it because June brings us to a time of Venusian power. If you do not know how to best interact with this energy you will be swept away by it. Finding yourself possibly in the company of those who have mastered this energy. They will be charming, delicious, practically irresistible, self-centered, self-righteous, obsessive and jealous. Venus is the both the shadow and light side of all types of partnership whether romantic, platonic, business, or otherwise.
Masculine
Our masculine energy is experiencing a time of continued self-reflection. In Inanna’s journey through the underworld, she must find a replacement for her in the underworld to maintain her freedom. She first meets her handmaiden Ninshubur who she spares as she faithfully assisted Inanna in being rebirthed. Inanna then comes across her two sons who are both in deep mourning of their lost mother. Lastly, she comes comes upon her husband Dumuzi who has taken on the role of King with a gusto, seemingly not expressing despair for the loss of his queen. Inanna, then lets the Galla demons take him as her replacement. There is more to the story but you can read about that here. From this perspective, the masculine’s time in the underworld is during the spring and summer. In Persephone’s tale she leaves Hades, God of the Underworld, every spring to bring life back to the world. Osiris experiences a convoluted journey before taking his place as the Ruler of the Underworld indicating that his time in the conscious realm is limited as it is not his space of power. The masculine finds it’s power in spaces of reflection. As the masculine moves into the underworld let that energy find it’s peace. In April, there will be many signs which will guide you to the right path. The month of May continues to support us as we look to fulfill our life purpose. Lastly, as we are moving towards the steamy energy of spring’s fire as it meets summer’s water, what are you willing to sacrifice to move beyond your current state? As the feminine finds herself hung upon the meat hook in the underworld, the masculine is sacrificed to be reborn anew in the primordial waters of the divine mother come summer.
Here’s a revised version of the energy of Winter. Enjoy!
Winter – A time of rest where we set our intentions, hopes, and goals for the upcoming time of movement during the spring. A time for personal development, to heal, do shadow work, and get in touch with your emotions through physical movement and the body. Winter gives us a chance to create plans, gather information, and design an action plan.
According to the Chinese five elements system, winter is associated with the element of water. Water is a conduit of energy associated with adaptability and fluidity due to its ability to shift it’s form depending on the environment in which it finds itself. Water is an abundant element within our world. In fact, our physical bodies and the Earth are composed mostly of water. How well do you understand yourself in relationship to the water of this world as well as your body? Winter provides the perfect opportunity for you meditate on these questions and study the element of water.
Spending time in nature also provides many lessons about the process of creating life. During the winter, the Earth in that hemisphere is in hibernation. It appears to be inactive and still. The stillness draws us in, encouraging us to want to better understand ourselves as well as the world around us. Although it seems that the world is still during this time, it is actively growing within its womb the manifestations of life to come forth in the spring. Do you remember how a seed grows? The warm earth combined with the moisture of the soil interacts with the needs of the seed to slowly pull the life from within it’s shell. The Earth nurtures that life until the world above it has shifted to provide an environment through which the plant can thrive. Over the years we have shifted our attention and respect away from the Earth and its feminine energy to the Sun as the masculine. We shy away from the Earth’s time, just as we shy away from the power of the Divine Feminine’s shadow side. Learning to love the Earth, particularly during the colder months, is one way to access the feminine and to understand how she functions, loves, manifests, and creates change.
New Years-Winter Solstice
Those who follow a Wiccan or Celtic path may honor the new year during Samhain as that is when the veils between the worlds are thinnest. As a Priestess of the Dark Goddess though, winter solstice is the perfect time to commune with the Divine while you are within the underworld. This is also a great time to design your intentions, goals, and plans for the next year. As the longest night of the year, the extended period of darkness corresponds with the depths of our subconscious. Our subconscious holds our deepest desires and unconscious drives. Through exploration of these aspects of ourselves we can determine the path through which we can heal and grow to achieve our dreams.
Here’s an example of how I prepare for the upcoming year using ritual and tarot/oracle cards. During my Winter Solstice ritual I enjoy using a tarot deck in a Celtic cross spread to understand the main focus of the upcoming year. Then I use an oracle deck for a seasonal spread to get an idea of what my main focus for each season will be. I pull 5 cards, the first card representing the general energy of the next year, then a card for each season. For example, in 2017 my general energy was Hekate and Illumination through a journey in the Underworld. Then as every season changes during the upcoming year I pull new cards. One new general energy reading and three more for each month in that season. This system allows for me to remain engaged in my spiritual practice throughout the year without getting overwhelmed with a large ritual every time the season changes.
How do you flow with the season during the winter? What are you rituals for Winter Solstice?
Today we will discuss seven easy ways to connect to the Divine Feminine during the Winter.
Winter solstice is the perfect time to commune with the spirits while you are within their realm-the underworld. As the longest night of the year, this is the time when you are in the depths of the underworld are easiest to access.
According to the Chinese five elements system winter is associated with the element of water. During the winter months it’s recommended that you study the element of water.
Connect to the Earth- We’ll cover this more later in the season.
Create nurturing rituals which draw on the element of earth, water, and warmth. This could include warming drinks, hot meals, snuggling under throws, lighting a fire, or taking a hot shower or bath.
Dress in coats, wraps, and accessories in deep earth tones, cool blues, white, green, red or any color that reminds you of winter.
Meditate on the energy of winter and personal development. What areas of your life are calling for your attention? Where do you need to nurture yourself?
Set aside time each day to rest. During the winter, although externally the world may be resting, internally we are healing and growing. In the Winter, we are encouraged to go within and rest just as the feminine does through various myths of the underworld.
Let me know how you connect with the Divine Feminine during the Winter!
Greetings beloveds,
