IN CRAFTING THIS COLUMN, I was guided by the following words from Lori Reid: “…through her different phases, the Moon’s rhythmic movement sets up a kind of ‘beat’ – a dynamic and constantly changing energy … Learning to work in tune with the rhythm means we can capitalize on the energy of the moment. … we can harmonize our efforts with the prevailing forces of Nature.”

I wish to honour the Moon’s magick and beauty with selected stories and give her the opportunity to find her highest expression in our lives. The Moon represents our instinct to have a home and be understood, and raises the questions: What kinds of experiences are most essential to my happiness? When moodiness and irrationality overtake me, how are they expressed? And, What unconscious emotional needs motivate my behavior? The Moon is the key to our emotional security and the intent of this column is to provide you with some entertaining and practical information that can be applied in your daily life.

Each month, I will focus on the lunar rhythm in the intricate, elegant and well choreographed cosmic dance that we each embody and express in our own unique fashion. I will explore the four major moon phases: New, First Quarter, Full and Third (Last) Quarter, as well as the signs each occurs in.

THIS MONTH there are going to be two eclipses - a partial solar on the 13th October and a total lunar on the 27th October. Eclipses, which occur at New and Full Moons, are unusual events. This month's pair are only two of four in 2004. They are said to trigger change and foretell a critical turning point or challenges ahead. Many believe they tie in with changes that are reflected on both a personal and political level.

THIRD (LAST) QUARTER MOON
The Third Quarter Moon occurring October 6 at 4:13 pm MDT in Cancer is an active and often tense time. Considered a power time for healings and a favourable time to gain new insights, this is an auspicious time to put aside the past and concentrate on the future.

Home & Garden - The week following the third quarter moon is an ideal time to tackle any major cleaning jobs. The 8th-10th is a good time to paint the house, while if you have weeding, pruning and garden pests to deal with, the best time to carry out these chores is between the 8th-12th, until the New Moon.

Mind, Body & Health –This is an optimal time to get rid of clutter and to treat yourself to some well-deserved rest and recuperation.

Business/Financial – If you have been thinking about changing your job, this would be the best time to resign.

MOON IN CANCER
The Moon rules Cancer, thus it finds easy and powerful expression here. A Cancer Moon invites us to ponder: How have I made my home and my food vitally important components of my happiness? Moon in Cancer each month offers us an opportunity to reflect on our security needs and to evaluate if we are meeting these effectively.

A Cancer Moon is a good time to spend with family, to help others, and to avoid depressing situations. The Cancer Moon’s instinctive response is emotional and sensitive. Its best characteristics are good intentions and a nurturing instinct, whereas its lower expressions are a tendency toward defensiveness and a severe sense of insecurity. Cancer Moon needs humour, nurturing, intimacy, and protection. It feels cared for when fed the food it loves, babied, made to feel safe, and is most comfortable in cozy, quiet environments that feel secure with familiar things around.

Moon in Cancer’s Spiritual tradition considers the home to be sacred. It is completely devoted to protecting all growing things, and it fosters the arts of domesticity, especially the culinary arts.

Associated with the Cancer Moon are the moonstone, the water lily, and the crab. The Cancer Moon Affirmation: ‘I am not afraid of change. New situations bring experiences that will enrich my life.’

Home & Garden – The Cancer Moon is very fruitful and has a moist fertile nature. It supports planting, sowing and cultivating.

Mind, Body & Health – This is a good time to take a walk, go swimming, rearrange your furniture, and/or take a trip down memory lane. Avoid any tendency to meddle in other people’s affairs. The Cancer Moon brings an increased susceptibility to worry; moodiness, stomach upsets and skin problems.

Business/Financial – The Cancer Moon is conducive to signing documents and ending any unsatisfactory conditions. Now is an excellent time to shop for monthly essentials, food, kitchen equipment, gifts and greeting cards, china, linen and lace, antiques, and anything white or silver. Avoid beingover-sensitive to criticism, and shopping near your place of work. Beware people who think the world owes them a living. This is an excellent time
to look for/or buy a house.

NEW MOON
The New Moon occurring October 13th at 8:49 pm MDT in Libra is the time to invite new opportunities into our lives. Anything started between now and the Full Moon will develop and prosper. Eleven minutes later there is a partial solar eclipse, increasing the potency of this New Moon. Between two and five solar eclipses can occur in any one year, most of which are likely to be partial eclipses.

Home & Garden –If you are planning to move house, try to do so before October 26th. The best days would be the 15th to 18th, and 21st to 23rd. Sowing seeds or transplanting growing things are not recommended on the 13th. The best days for planting, particularly plants that crop above ground, (i.e., flowers, fruit, etc.,) are the 15th to the 18th.

Mind, Body & Health – Illnesses contracted between now and the Full Moon are typically more severe and of longer duration than those contracted at other phases of the moon.

Business/Financial – If you are thinking of making a change, this is the best time to seek a new job and interview or hire new staff.

MOON IN LIBRA
A Libra Moon is a good time to focus upon harmony within relationships, though not a good time to make any serious decisions. The Libra Moon invites us to consider how we nurture ourselves through intimacy with equals, as well as who we contact when we need a mirror of our own beauty and grace. Its instinctive response is subtle and charming and its best characteristics are tact and a strong sense of fair play. The lower expressions of a Libra Moon are indecision and a tendency to pass the buck. Libra Moon needs harmony, intellectuality and art. It feels cared for when appreciated for its social diplomacy, respected for its judgment, and given focused attention. It is most comfortable in environments where there is graciousness and well-being, and a sense of balance.

Moon in Libra’s spiritual tradition understands the interrelatedness of all things and plays an active role in consciously introducing disparate elements to each other, creating new art forms and constantly seeking to forge new alliances … and seeks to make everything more harmonious and beautiful.

Libra Moon associations are: the opal, violet and the hare. Libra Moon Affirmation: ‘I feel safe in giving the gift of my love and joy to another who shares his/her gift with me.’

New Moon Visualizations: I want to develop a relationship in which I feel I am an equal partner in every sense of the word. I want to make friends that encompass a wider section of society. I want to become more tactful in my dealings with my colleagues. I want to engender beauty, peace and harmony around me at home and at work.

Home & Garden –Interior design activities are favoured, except for painting. The Libra Moon’s semi-fertile nature supports planting vines, climbers and flowers for fragrance and colour. Vegetable planting is not recommended.

Mind, Body & Health - This is a wonderful time to book a table for a romantic dinner. This Libra Moon encourages seeing friends, going to a concert, buying a new CD, and sending your partner roses. Avoid indulging feelings of loneliness, stress and of being unloved. The Libra Moon increases susceptibility to kidney ailments and biochemical imbalances.

Business/Financial – The Libra Moon is conducive to refurbishing business premises, disclosing information, signing new contracts, negotiations, settling disputes, and office parties. Take a friend along if you go shopping and buy anything beautiful, expensive or elegant, house decorations, concert tickets, perfume, flower arrangements, and party food. Avoid sitting on the fence, any hint of underhandedness, making open enemies and shopping in down-market or run-down areas. And beware other people’s indecisiveness.

FIRST QUARTER MOON
The First Quarter Moon occurring October 20 at 4pm MDT in Capricorn is both mentally and physically active. Characterized by expansion, development and growth, this is the optimal time to set projects in motion.

Home & Garden - A great time for starting those DIY projects you’ve been avoiding all month.

Body, Mind & Health – Have you been searching for a lost phone number or mislaid address? If you look for them now you’re more likely to have success.

Business/Finance – This is an auspicious time to launch advertising ventures.

MOON IN CAPRICORN
Moon in Capricorn is a good time to work on your finances, and for attending to practical matters. The Capricorn Moon encourages us to ask: How can I produce a pearl – beautiful and solid – from solitude that others will recognize as my emotional autonomy, my completeness within myself? Capricorn Moon’s instinctive response is cautious and reserved. Its best characteristics are industriousness and a strong sense of responsibility, while its lower expressions are a certain snobbishness and emotional detachment. The Capricorn Moon needs to be spartan, ambitious, hardworking, organized, down-to-earth, disciplined and controlled. It feels cared for when appreciated and praised for accomplishments, when feelings are catered to in a practical manner, and when it is given clearly defined rules to obey. It is most comfortable in environments in which things are stable and it can be effective and productive.

Moon in Capricorn’s spiritual tradition can downsize other’s tradition as the administrator who manages and runs the community according to larger principles. It knows that gurus stop evolving when surrounded by sycophants, rather than by colleagues who give them a playful hard time.

Associated with the Capricorn Moon are: the onyx, the pansy and the goat. The Capricorn Moon Affirmation: ‘With confidence, discipline and dedication I can achieve my ambitions and fulfill my destiny.’

Home & Garden – The Capricorn Moon’s semi-fertile nature is very beneficial for producing hardiness, which particularly desirable for plants that crop underground. This moon does not support weeding.

Body, Mind & Health - This is an excellent time to join the local political party, to invite your boss to lunch, to start a business, and also to spring-clean. Try to avoid worrying about money, position or status. This moon can increase our susceptibility to toothache, skin abrasions and problems of the joints – especially the knees.

Business/Financial – The Capricorn Moon is conducive to working overtime, to high finances, administration, and to asking for a promotion. This is not the best time to shop, but if you do decide to go ahead anyway, try to buy practical household items, i.e., - good quality clothes, professional tools, items for elderly relatives, and/or DIY materials. Avoid
inflexibility, over-working, depression, and a displaying lack of compassion towards your colleagues. Beware other people’s ruthlessness. Buy a burglar alarm now.

FULL MOON
The Full Moon occurring October 27th at 9:08 pm MDT in Taurus brings illumination as events come to a head or fruition. At 9:05 pm MDT there is a total eclipse of the Moon, increasing the power of this Full Moon and bringing Scorpio Sun people new experiences and Taurus Moon people emotional events.

The Full Moon phase is often known as the time of lunacy, so try to avoid making decisions and being swamped by emotions now. This Moon can be best managed if we approach both sides of any situation that arises. The Full Moon is the time of ovulation in the female reproductive cycle.

Home & Garden – If you are building a house, this is an ideal time to lay the foundation.

Mind, Body & Health – Surgery is not recommended during the Full Moon phase. If you want your hair to grow back thicker and more luxurious, now is the best to have it cut.

Business/Financial – Now is a good time to assess progress, to eliminate all unproductive procedures, prepare budgets and review company policies.

MOON IN TAURUS
Moon in Taurus is a good time to take care of personal finances and other practical matters. The Taurus Moon invites us to ponder: What are the rhythms of my day that make me happy? Its instinctive response is cautious and pragmatic; its best characteristics are charm and a tenacity of purpose, while its lower expressions are stubbornness and self-indulgence. The Taurus Moon needs stability, food, comfort, financial security, touching, relaxing, and peacefulness. It feels cared for when given practical help, is dealt with honestly, is hugged and petted, made physically comfortable, and given ample food, and it is most at ease in environments that are secure, sensuous, physically comfortable, and convenient.

Moon in Taurus’ spiritual tradition belongs to the ancient spiritual lineage of the stewards for life, who possess the agrarian magic used to cultivate plants and to protect the resources and wealth of the community.

A Taurus Moon cautions us to be careful with our possessions, and to ensure our home is secure if we need to go away.

Associated with the Taurus Moon are emeralds, roses, and the bull. The Taurus Full Moon Focus: An object that has been long sought after now comes to light. Beware a crisis concerning your income and finances. The Taurus Moon Affirmation: ‘I know I can let go. By cutting the ties that bind, I will be rewarded with greater loyalty, love and respect.’

Home & Garden – Taurus Moon’s semi-fertile nature does not support the planting of vines.

Mind, Body & Health – During a Taurus Moon, try to avoid yearning for things you do not have and being over-possessive. Our susceptibility to sore throats and laryngitis also increases now.

Business/Financial – This is a good time to open an investment account, to lease or rent property, and to show empathy to colleagues. If you go shopping, buy anything practical, consumer durables, chocolates, flowers and luxury goods. Avoid digging your heels in over things, and missing good opportunities or buying gimmicky goods. Also beware other people’s inflexibility.

As October’s Moon phases occur in initiating and concentrating signs the energy creates an atmosphere where we may be quite aware of things beginning and building toward a concrete or tangible result near and particularly after the Full Moon at the end of the month. I feel that the cosmic conditions support change in the United States election on November 2nd, whether it occurs is a matter of free will of the voters.

© Yvonne Hanson, 2004

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yvonne Hanson is a freelance writer from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. In creating this column, Yvonne draws on fifteen years of astrological study and a desire to empower people. If you would like to sign up for Yvonne’s free newsletter, which details the movement of the moon more closely, please contact her by email at starfire777_7@hotmail.com.