The Realms of Truth and the Strawberry Full Moon in Sagittarius

By: Lisa Stardust

The Strawberry Full Moon, occurring June 17th, offers us a time to connect to our inner truths on a deep level. The past and upcoming week’s cosmic energy is intense. During this luminary, we will have a momentary reprieve from the confusion and power struggles that have been permeating our auric fields and allow ourselves to evolve our thoughts.

The Sagittarius Moon will align with the asteroid Ixion (who rules over futurity) and softly connects with passionate asteroid Eris. Fair minded Juno and lovelorn Sedna (two other asteroids) will both form a frustrating aspect with the Moon. All together,  this means that we will be cosmically tasked to assert our will and fight for our dreams—no matter what obstacles stand in our way. The only caveat, is that Neptune, who is extremely active in the sky, may create confusion around what our truest visions are. This also can mean self-deceit, which may create inner conflict, as we are not being honest with ourselves. However, there’s hope for us to reach our most idealized potential.

The degree of the Full Moon sits on the Galactic Center, which will help us understand and manifest our innermost desires. The Galactic Center falls in the middle of the entrance to the Milky Way. Sagittarius, who is the protector of our galaxy, stands on all fours at this celestial point with a bow and arrow ready to shoot at any given moment. As the defender of the galaxy, Sagittarius is touted as the high minded philosopher known to understand all worldly truths. This is because it’s important for the armed sign to know when and how to sling its arrows. The Galactic Center is a degree and place of insight. It’s the transmitter of “Divine Consciousness.” It’s a place of freedom. It’s where our hearts soar and where we can be the purest form of ourselves, with no restrictions and judgements.

Under the Strawberry Full Moon, in the sign of honorable Sagittarius, we will use smoke scrying to connect with the “other” world and find our inner truths. We will be able to decipher and clarify what we want as individuals. Only then, can we fight for our dreams.

*The Full Moon occurs June 17th at 1:30AM PST and 4:30AM EST.

Directions for Smoke Scrying

• Meditate on your goal or intention.

• Take a smudge stick and light it.

•  Place in a bowl or cauldron.

•  Let the smudge stick burn.

•  Follow the smoke with your eyes as it fills the air.

•  Watch the smoke dance in the air and its shadows on the wall.

•  Make note in a  journal about the messages are receiving messages from spirits.

•  Interpret the images once you receive them from the universe.

•  Use the images to help understand your truest intention and objectives to manifest under the Full Moon.

FULL MOON IN PISCES

"A promise to control the tide is always a lie. The resolute is more persistent than the best of intentions."

- Claudia Mauro

A Full Moon that occurs between August 24 and September 22 will be in Pisces. This moon is useful for magic pertaining to:

Expansion of Consciousness

Mysticism

Understanding and exploring dreams

Divination

Clairvoyance

Escapism "getting away from it all"

Relaxation

Healing the feet

Focusing on balancing bodily fluids.

The full moon in Pisces on August 26th  is a  powerful spiritual psychic moon and a great opportunity for divination work: reading tarot/ interpreting astrology. However, Pisces is an inner energy, so focusing on solitary rituals  would be appropriate, or a small, closely knit group of good friends, rather than a large gathering. During this moon's transit there is an awareness and appreciation of beauty and art, as well as strong, heightened creativity.

Intuition is at it's peak in this sign and realization of life's lesson's or truths sometimes are unveiled. It's easy to swim around lose yourself in emotions now, or to escape in books, or other entertainment of a fantastic nature. As the moon starts to float towards Aries, the mood lifts and becomes more cheerful and outward. 

 

RITUAL 

Crystal Bath Meditation for the Pisces Full Moon

 Written  by Lisa Stardust

The Pisces Full Moon, occurring August 26th at 4:56 AM PST and 7:56 AM EST, serves as a wonderfully mystical time to heal the self, as well as deepening our intuition and spirituality.   

Often, we forget to take care of ourselves—which is hard with our daily routines. This Full Moon in watery Pisces may leave us drained, unable to access our personal powers, if we do not take care of ourselves, leaving our batteries empty, in need of a recharge. The Pisces Full Moon serves as an ideal time clean your most important instrument—the body, through a magical and transformative crystal bath. 

Under the Pisces Full Moon, create a healing crystal bath, filled with essences of Pisces—dandelion and wild violet flowers to calm the body, Selenite crystal to replenish the mind, Amethyst crystal to dispel negativity, and Rose Quartz to recharge your spirit with positivity in healing salt water, focusing on both the crown and solar plexus chakras, thus opening up the gates of astral energy in the body, awakening psychic abilities and protection.

Attuning the mind, while connecting the body, mind, and spirit into one harmonious instrument through cleansing your personal energy and awakening your senses and intuition, allowing you to access your inner magic and power.

Ingredients

• 1 Selenite Crystal
• 1 Amethyst Crystal
• 1 Rose Quartz Crystal
• 1 Cup of Wild Violet Flowers
• 1 Cup of Dandelion Flowers or Herbs
• 1 Cup of Epson Salt, Pink Himalayan Salt, or Kosher Sea Salt

Directions

- In a big mixing bowl, blend the Wild Orchid and Dandelion Flowers and Herbs together, adding in the cup of Epson, Pink Himalayan, or Kosher Sea Salt. 

- Run bath water, adding the ingredients in the bathtub, as the water fills the tub. 

- Place the Selenite crystal in your hand, holding the crystal 5 inches away from your body, start scanning  your at your crown chakra, working your way down to the foot chakra, using the Selenite to pull the negativity out of your energy field, allowing the body to calm before entering the bath. Selenite dissolves in water, be cognizant not to do this step in the bath and leave the crystal away from water. 

- Enter the bath, as you lay down enjoy the warm water and absorb the flowers and herbs in your skin, while letting the essences calm your mind. 

-  Place the Rose Quartz crystal on your solar plexus chakra, located beneath your navel. Rose Quartz will clear out the chakra, unclogging poor self esteem, creativity issues, and anxieties—replacing with self-empowerment, personal innovation, and serenity. 

- Place the Amethyst crystal on your crown chakra, on the top of your head, for protection and relaxation, which will heighten your psychic frequency and intuition. 

- Close your eyes while soaking in the bath for 15-25 minutes, letting your body absorb positive vibrations and let go of negativity. When you leave the bath, you will feel revived and attuned to a higher energetic vibration. 

FULL MOON IN SAGITTARIUS 2018

" I SEE THE GOAL. I REACH THE GOAL AND SEE ANOTHER." - ALICE BAILEY

A Full Moon that occurs between May 22 and June 21 will be in Sagittarius. This moon has many names "Rose moon" "strawberry moon", and of course,  Honey moon. This Moon is helpful in matters of:

• Understanding
• Adventures; both mental and physical.
• Travel that broadens the mind.
• Expanding conceptual horizons.
• Long-term planning

The restless and enthusiastic energy of the Sagittarius moon pushes us in the direction of seeking adventure, change, and motion. The Full moon in this sign is a time for philosophy, metaphysics, traveling, studying, and freedom from responsibility. This moon's energy brings the need to feel free of restrictions, and to be spontaneous. The restless and independent nature of this astrological sign is to offer us the gift of exploration. Warm & friendly vibes can make this a good time for seeing new places, encountering different people and relating to a changing environment.

The Full Moon in Sagittarius is the best time  hold a group ritual. The spiritual and psychic forces are very evident now and the desire to connect with us is strong.

The Moon in Sagittarius tends to affect the extended vertebrae (sacrum and coccyx) as well as thighs. At this time massages are particularly beneficial and can loosen up sore or stiff muscles. Stiff thigh muscles and deep-seated contusions can be quickly cured with long soaks in Epsom salt and soothing herbal mixtures that smell great and relax the senses. You can even take this soak a step further by lighting a purple candle (the color associated with Sagittarius) and close your eyes for a healing moon meditation (see below)

MOON MEDITATION: 

Sitting comfortably in silence welcome the fiery, passionate, and expansive energies of Sagittarius in. Practice being mindful of the destructive potential of these energies by allowing thoughts of lower nature to come in, and release them out with each breath. At this time,  it is essential that we choose to fill our mental and emotional natures with temperance, silence, and mindfulness.  Only from this place can we find alignment and sense the vision of what is possible. Allow your body to relax completely and focus on using your energy to renounce all obstacles that might be hindering the union of achieving your highest spiritual goals. 

FULL MOON IN SAG JOURNAL FOCUS:

• Carrying inner silence, can I walk through this day as an observer? Mindful of my thoughts, words, deeds, and of the vision I hold within? 
• What is my highest aspiration? 

MOON MAGIC: 

June's Rose moon, strawberry moon, and mead moon is a time for casting spells offering protection, making decisions, personal strength, love and fertility.

RITUAL:

 Honoring the full moon can be integrated into parties/groups by meditating together with silent witness to the moon being our center. Ritualized touching/laying on of hands for healing. chant together using syllables or sounds of power.

MUSIC TO CAST LOVE SPELLS BY VOL.2

Music To Cast Love Spells By

A sensual and seductive playlist curated for The Hoodwitch by Alia Mohamed to get you in the mood for casting love spells, or to simply indulge yourself in a romantic evening of self-care rituals. Whatever your plans are this Valentine's Day, these tracks are sure to get you in the mood for some love and enchantment!  

TRACKLIST:

Nancy Holloway - Sand and Rain
Norman Connors - Butterfly Dreams
Patrice Rushen - Where There Is Love
Minnie Riperton - Every Time He Comes Around
Flowers - For Real
Intimate Strangers - Love Sounds
Dorothy Ashby - Alone Together
Gene Rains And His Group - Tangi Tahiti
Julie London with The Spencer-Hagen Orchestra - Dark
Sonny Lester - Jasmine
Dom Boga - Mattino de Fuoco
Googoosh - Gahi Khandeh Gahi Geryeh
Bhairvi - The Panthers
The Roger Webb Sound - Moon Bird
Bobby Bland - I'll Take Care of You
Vagif Mustafa Zadeh - Gelmedi
Sun Ra - Love Is For Always
Piero Umiliani - Approdo Lunare
Mica Levi - Love

FULL MOON in Sagittarius- June 9th 2017

A Full Moon that occurs between May 22 and June 21 will be in Sagittarius. This moon has many names "Rose moon" "strawberry moon", and of course,  Honey moon. This Moon is helpful in matters of:

• Understanding
• Adventures; both mental and physical.
• Travel that broadens the mind.
• Expanding conceptual horizons.
• Long-term planning

The restless and enthusiastic energy of the Sagittarius moon pushes us in the direction of seeking adventure, change, and motion. The Full moon in this sign is a time for philosophy, metaphysics, traveling, studying, and freedom from responsibility. This moon's energy brings the need to feel free of restrictions, and to be spontaneous. The restless and independentnature of this astrological sign is to offer us the gift of exploration. Warm & friendly vibes can make this a good time for seeing new places, encountering different people and relating to a changing environment.

The Full Moon in Sagittarius is the best time  hold agroup ritual. The spiritual and psychic forces are very evident now and the desire to connect with us is strong.

Moon Wellness (health): 

The Moon in Sagittarius tends to affect the extended vertebrae (sacrum and coccyx) as well as thighs. At this time massages are particularly beneficial and can loosen up sore or stiff muscles. Stiff thigh muscles and deep-seated contusions can be quickly cured with long soaks in Epsom salt and soothing herbal mixtures that smell great and relax the senses. You can even take this soak a step further by lighting a purple candle (the color associated with Sagittarius) and close your eyes for a healing moon meditation (see below)

Moon Meditation: 

Sitting comfortably in silence welcome the fiery, passionate, and expansive energies of Sagittarius in. Practice being mindful of the destructive potential of these energies by allowing thoughts of lower nature to come in, and release them out with each breath. At this time,  it is essential that we choose to fill our mental and emotional natures with temperance, silence, and mindfulness.  Only from this place can we find alignment and sense the vision of what is possible. Allow your body to relax completely and focus on using your energy to renounce all obstacles that might be hindering the union of achieving your highest spiritual goals. 

"I see the goal. I reach the goal and see another." -Alice Bailey

Full moon in Sag journal focus:

• Carrying inner silence, can I walk through this day as an observer? Mindful of my thoughts, words, deeds, and of the vision I hold within? 
• What is my highest aspiration? 

Moon Magic: 

June's Rose moon, strawberry moon, and mead moon is a time for casting spells offering protection, making decisions, personal strength, love and fertility.

Ritual:

 Honoring the full moon can be integrated into parties/groups by meditating together with silent witness to the moon being our center. Ritualized touching/laying on of hands for healing. chant together using syllables or sounds of power.

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Becoming the Earth: Contemplation, Visioning & Aesthesis.

Artist Paige Bradley

Written By Alicia Bello

I wanted to write an erotic love article to you. I wanted to write love to you by saying: May all kinds of milks, honeys, fragrant oils and flowers fill your home, altar, and bath. Let there be Eros possession in which every word rolled off the tongue is a spiced nectar. Let there be every lush nude sensation. Let every body in whatever sensual embrace undulate, hum, shudder and drunk on rhythm and ecstasy … whether crying out or soft sigh of respiration, mouth the genuine expression of ecstatic release (and please do always). Hopefully that article will want to be written soon because, well… what a sensation. Instead this article transformed from body in relationship to body into body in relationship to earth… a different kind of body, of intimacy.. the same and different.. but kind of the same. I have found myself outside significantly more than being inside anywhere. My hands and feet have been constantly investigating and trampling through the tropical landscape of Florida and so the intimacy running through me has been the aesthesis of shoots of new green covered in dew, balmy air scented with salty wet earth, and bees pressed deep into the center of flowers… and all of this is happening in the wide open, no shame, Nature needing no permission to burst with her blatant sensuality.

Connecting to the earth is not a new concept for those who practice the craft (to each and every guardian of the directions, the elementals, Hail and Welcome). It is a foundation of study and also a potent remembering. Within every natural witch lies dark earth, fertile, lush with the protected seedcrets of ancient ways, alive with mystery and kept sacred and untainted from the “normalization” of the status quo. No matter how we practice, each and every expression of the work that we do is beautiful to behold in its own right. Our earnest devotion to our practice is the catalyst to what peels away the layers so we begin to see the world completely differently. The earth is living, breathing, pulsing and we perceive it perhaps as our ancestors have, not in the grandiose Hollywood kind of way, but magic in the very real sense that begins to show itself when we learn(remember) how to look (be in relationship to it).

The Anima Mundi, the spirit of the world at this point is no longer a concept but so much more. It is perceived in the body and felt in the depths of individual experience. We, in turn, interact with our planet instinctually, in which in any given moment we turn on and tune in, and allow the power to course through our very body vessel. We can play the subtle vibrations like an instrument that opens the gates to other perceptions and other realities. The relationship that we cultivate with the spirits of the land is so very vital and just like any important relationship we’ve got to keep in touch, forget the small talk so to speak, and nurture it. We know the state of earth right now and quite obviously to say that it’s not healthy is a gross understatement. Just being with the understanding is like a glacial shower and it’s a beginning. We start right here, right now, with what is right in front of us. Without projecting rage or blame on anything, or fear, for the current state of the earth but to just be in a state of heightened mindfulness about say, the decline of bees or the poisoning of water… The Mother is where she’s at just as we are. Just to be in a heightened kind of mindfulness before any practice in which we evoke the elements, and contemplate their actual current state is incredibly important because we have to start where we are at. That being said, magic works non-linearly. No matter how we are working we can heal through coming into contact with root essence of the elements. What I am offering, however is to maybe initiate any ritual with that kind of present acknowledgment and then move into connection with the spiritus, gennii loci, and/ or Anima Mundi.

Visioning

I practice this visualization outside with meditation and contemplation either at sunrise or sunset, but as I usually instruct: if it feels right to practice it in ritual then do it. If you feel inspired to practice on the spot totally do it….except if your driving…listen to your intuition.

Demeter, just one name for Earth Mother is birthing and dying and birthing for us constantly...

Photo: Alicia Bello 

Vision your body/full self becoming Demeter by dissolving into the earth completely and merging with her creative chaos and order. Lie down on the earth while practicing. If you can, be completely naked or partially naked. See the shape of your body turn into dirt. Watch all of what you were dissolve into the earth completely. You are gone, but now you are also the whole of the earth. You are reborn in spring. See your blooms opening and the bees drinking your nectar. Smell sweetness of the season on the wind. Go through all the seasons of the earth in this way over and over. See the earth, which is you, floating in space. Place the periphery of your attention on the rhythm of the breath of your body. See the earth in your visioning breathing, the rhythms are in synch. Draw the scope of your vision to the place within the earth that you inhabit. See you where you are envisioning yourself as the earth while you are also the earth. Draw this harmonic image into the vision of your heart and let the vision pulse with your breath as you bring your attention back to your physical body. Enjoy your breathing still seeing the earth pulsing with your breath as your beating heart. Start all over again. Do it as many times as you can.

• Take notes on how this practice affects you after two weeks and a month.

 As you move through your day, contemplate aesthesis as drawing in the essence of the world, the Anima Mundi with robust sensory perception. Drink in everything.