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.

The Hoodwitch: Weekly Horoscopes 1/25-31-2017

Illustration by Molly Bounds

Horoscopes Written by Jessica Lanyadoo

Witch Tips:

Just when you thought things were ready to calm down: supriiiiise, they’re not! This week there’s a New Moon in heady Aquarius. New Moons are usually a wonderful time to open up to possibility and mark the start of a new cycle. This one, not so much. Tenderhearted Venus will take a swift kick in the gut from hardheaded Saturn, and it’s likely to make for some defensive and sad feels all around. This is a great time to get clear about what you are and what you ain’t, because gurl, if you’ve been letting someone else define you, it’s gonna hurt. By the time Mercury catches up with Pluto on the 28th, you’ll have plenty to obsess over, but whatever you do, don’t pick fights. The energy from the 27th-1st is going to be too wild to tame, so investigate, gestate, and meditate for best results. Ask yourself if the reason you’re pressing for answers is because you want to avoid the stress of sitting with things as they are rn or if you actually think you can change things up. When in doubt, wait 72hrs before saying your piece because this week, motive means everything. Keep yours squeaky clean, bbs.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

There’s no value in trying to push past obstacles this week, Aries. Allowing yourself to react on impulse is going to make you feel all kinds of ways, but none of them will be terribly comfortable. The forces in motion in your life are powerful, and the best approach is to cultivate a big-picture plan. Getting caught up in the details will be satisfying, like picking off a scab, but it won’t help you to heal. Pace yourself, and when you can’t do that, at least don’t let your fears guide you.

­TAURUS

April 20-May 20

This week’s New Moon is a solid time to up your professional game, Taurus. Carve out time to do the things that require either concentration or innovation, whichever feels more important for the tasks at hand. If you follow through with your goals, you can make meaningful headway that will breathe fresh life into your projects, so don’t waste this opportunity. If you are suffering from the doldrums, don’t worry about it too much; let work serve as a distraction for a few days, and your heartaches should ease.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

It’s easy to connect with people when your role is clear but what about in emotionally intimate situations or when you don’t know if the other person likes you? This is when you have a tendency to escape into the fun house of your head and stop actually connecting. Closeness and connection happen when you show up, Twin Star. The only way to get intimate this week is by stomaching the discomfort of the unknown. There’s nothing to figure out; just show up.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

This week may bring up some seriously obsessive thoughts and the bad vibes that come up with them. The truth is complicated and messy, but it’s still true. Don’t act like you are blameless when you know you had a role to play in your broken situations. Be humble and own your part, even if the other person is more wrong. There’s a serious risk of confrontation, especially later in the week, so be prepared to show up instead of just defend your position, Moonchild.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

What do you want for yourself, Leo? Do you want to be at the job you have? Do you want to keep spending time with your same group of people? You have choice, even though it’s easy to fall into a lifestyle that perpetuates itself. Use this New Moon energy to get clear about what partnerships and collaborations you’re aligning yourself with. If you don’t like your options, it’s time to seek out new ones. You can’t get what you want if you don’t make a beeline for it.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Love is so complicated; you think that things are going one way, and then people go and do something that take them in a whole different direction. The problem is that relationships involve people – pesky, unpredictable, nonsensical humans. Gah! They go left when you think they ought to go right, and it’s a huge mess. So let it be, Virgo. Accept what others are showing you of themselves because that’s the truth. If you can’t accept the truth, that might mean you’re the nonsensical one. It’s time to get real, my love.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

It’s hard to be direct about what you’re feeling all the time; sometimes you don’t know for sure what’s going on inside of you (indecision), and other times it feels too risky to rock the boat. This week brings with it some choppy waters, and trying avoid that will be ill-fated. Confront the uncomfortable, Libra. Go for authenticity over accommodation. When it’s tempting to be fake, you always have a choice to placate or show up. Choose wisely.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

When you're in a state of anxiety, you can’t hear the voice of your inner wisdom over all that mind chatter. Your top priority this week should be to get some calm. You’re unable to see all of your choices from a panicked place, so bring it down a notch, Scorpio. For support, lean on the people and resources that you have access to. How you take care of yourself is an important part of your long-term wellness; commit to the highest quality of life that you can create this week.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

You don’t need to convince anyone else of your perspective in order to substantiate it. It may feel that if you explain it correctly, people will have to see it your way and agree with you, but it’s not so, ‘Tarius. Your feels and perspective are valid because they’re yours – not because they’re ‘right’. Don’t get into power struggles as a result of not being able to accept the very real differences between yourself and others, no matter how tempting you may find it this week.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

You are likely too find yourself preoccupied by intense thoughts and ghosts from your past. The worst things you can do is to either indulge obsessive thinking or pretend it isn’t happening at all. Try and understand what’s going on for your heart underneath all that stressing, Cappy. It’s possible that someone will come your way with a truckload of drama, and there’s not much you can do about that beyond how you respond. Be the bigger person this week.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

It’s super vulnerable to not know where you’re at. This week you’re likely to feel all over the place and long for a clearer sense of purpose. Instead of forcing an answer that you just don’t have, be open to seeing new sides of your problems. The New Moon in your sign on the 27th may shed light on stuff, but it’s not likely to be a spotlight. Allow space for your instincts to fill in the blanks by creating downtime to retrospect in, Aquarius.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

It’s not mean to say no to someone, Pisces. You’re going through a crash course in boundaries, and you need to experiment with what your limits are and how to express them. Through this process you may step on toes or cross your boundaries, but don’t worry – it’s OK to make mistakes! If you allow your fear of being wrong to stop you from finding new and better ways to be right, you’re limiting yourself unnecessarily. Be brave in the name of self-love.

The Hoodwitch: Weekly Horoscopes For December 23, 2016

Moon Void of Course Times (Eastern Time Zone)

Friday, December 23, 9:32 am, Moon enters Scorpio

Sunday, December 25, 2:22 am, Moon void in Scorpio

Sunday, December 25, 10:19 pm, Moon enters Sagittarius

Tuesday, December 27, 8:45 pm, Moon void in Sagittarius

Wednesday, December 28, 10:12 am, Moon enters Capricorn

Written by Amelia Quint

Moon Phase: Waning to Dark

Under the waning moon, work magick to diminish that which you no longer desire, to conceal that which you wish to keep secret, or to wrap up loose ends. Banishing and binding rituals are powerful now, as are uncrossing and protection spells. Under the dark moon, divination is especially potent.

During these signs, work magick around the following:

Scorpio- privacy, boundaries, shielding

Sagittarius- speaking your mind, social justice

Capricorn- wealth, gift-giving, binding up old wounds

Aries

Saturn in Sagittarius (House 9) trine Uranus in Aries (House 12)

Jupiter in Libra (House 6) opposite Uranus in Aries (House 12)

Your restless spirit feels stifled by forced holiday socializing, but think of it this way: It’s an opportunity to meet and interact with people you may never get to know otherwise. You may feel profound insight around the Christmas dinner table. Unfortunately, your epiphany could cause tensions to run high. For best results, find a compromise between accommodating your loved one's needs and expressing your individuality. You can do both.

Taurus

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 8) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 12)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 6) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 12)

You're naturally rooted in the origins of the holiday season, but this year, you feel the blood of the winter festivals pumping in your veins. On Saturday Saturn and Uranus sync in your houses that are both connected to past lives, setting off bells that you may have heard before, long ago. You will feel at home with your past holiday traditions in a way you haven’t felt in a very long time. The season will be an island of soothing calm in the turbulent sea of international politics.

Gemini

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 7) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 11)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 5) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 11)

This week is about your wider social circle of acquaintances, old lovers, work friends, and the folks you sometimes overlook. You will find that you are forced to interact with these people in a new, more meaningful way. Though you’re often sociable, those interactions can be skin deep. But, those around you love you. They seek to look past your surface nature and see your second true self. You can often be a tourist in the lives of others, but you will likely be forced to feel more than curiosity this week.

Cancer

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 6) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 10)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 4) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 10)

You, the steady Cancer, have begun to surprise the people around you. Though you are always intuitive, your ability to understand others has been downright spooky this holiday season. The holidays are a rough time for many people, and the current political climate isn’t helping. But, your empathy and loving presence is a salve for your friends and loved ones. Do what you do best, and invite them into your warm home for a lovely holiday meal that they won’t soon forget.

Leo

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 5) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 9)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 3) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 9)

Depending on where you are in your life, you may find yourself divinely inspired, or in the midst of a creative or romantic conflict. Your peers may be jealous of your ability to relentlessly crank out good ideas as they are checking out for the holidays. Long-smoldering resentments may explode. Or, these new ideas might explode outward, paving the way for your successes in 2017. Either way, you’ll find delight in the pleasures of the season: good food, good drink, and nice things.

Virgo

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 4) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 8)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 2) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 8)

As you are surrounded by family and friends, something you have hidden will come to light. Though you might view this loss of personal control as negative, this revelation will lead to a positive end, regardless of the secret. You will feel free, and you, the ultimate spin master, will have a chance to bend this escaped information and its reception to your benefit.

Libra

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 3) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 7)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 1) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 7)

For all your diplomatic skills, you are struggling to communicate with your mate. Though things are going swimmingly in your professional life, you just can’t get through to your partner, or perhaps the two of you have a fundamental disagreement that can’t simply be negotiated away. Fear not, for these things, pass as suddenly as they arise, and such an incident will not overshadow your holiday revelry.

Scorpio

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 2) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 6)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 12) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 6)

You feel as though your pursuits lack meaning, or that perhaps your spirituality is languishing. You are in a difficult spot, with external factors such as your health contributing to this feeling of aimlessness. This is the ebb of your creative cycle, Scorpio. To feel creative meaning again, you must feel a lack of it. It is this restlessness that spurs you on. You long to feel that meaning, and so you drive yourself towards it.

Sagittarius

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 1) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 5)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 11) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 5)

The holidays pull you towards your social responsibilities. You love the bright lights, the sweet drinks, and the loud conversations, but you like your socializing like you like everything else: however the hell you want it. You feel a childish yet certainly not unfamiliar urge to rebel, to show up late, to open presents out of order, to drink too much, to dart out during dinner for a smoke. This might all seem trivial, but this is your annual struggle. Do what you always do -- ride it out as best you can. You’re going to have fun along the way, and it’ll be over before you know it.

Capricorn

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 12) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 4)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 10) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 4)

Your might lose a bit of hold over your tightly controlled image this week. It is likely that a mother figure will reveal a bit of embarrassing information at a holiday gathering, interrupting your all-important privacy. Resist the urge to make a scene, as this will only further chip away at your image and privacy. Remember that no one thinks about these things quite as much as you do, Capricorn

Aquarius

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 11) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 3)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 9) opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 3)

This is a good week to be you, Aquarius. You will meet new interesting people, and they will impact you in such a way that you let your guard down. You will experience a grand intellectual engagement that will stick with you for some time. The friendship might just stick too. This experience will help you mature your worldview, and you’ll feel the better for it.

Pisces

Saturn in Sagittarius, (House 10) trine Uranus in Aries, (House 2)

Jupiter in Libra, (House 8)  opposite Uranus in Aries, (House 2)

Over the holidays, your public image will feel at odds with your inner demons, specifically those from your past. This time of year, you find yourself in the company of family members and old friends -- the people who have seen you grow, and who have seen you at our worst and most vulnerable. You might find it hard to summon the strength that you showcase in your public self, but that strength is not just a facade you’ve constructed. It truly belongs to you.