IN CRAFTING this month's column I was inspired by Elizabeth Rose Campbell’s words: “The Moon reflects your heartbeat of happiness – where you are most likely to enjoy emotional richness... your optimal path of self-nourishment... your approach to mothering yourself... and forming emotional bonds. The Moon steers you toward experiences that give you easy access to happiness.”

I have an affinity for the Moon. A Full Moon lit the snow banks the night my mother traveled from our farm to the hospital to birth me. During my youth I watched the Moon wax and wane across the prairie sky, and my Gemini Moon’s spiritual tradition - from Caroline W. Casey’s Making the Gods Work For You - is as a storyteller.

I wish to honour the Moon and give her the opportunity to find her highest expression in our lives. The Moon represents our instinct to understand and be understood, and raises the questions: what kinds of experiences are most essential to my happiness? And, what unconscious emotional needs motivate my behavior?

With this column it is my intent to provide some entertaining and practical information that can be applied in your everyday life. To this end, I will explore the four major moon phases; New, First Quarter, Full and Third (Last) Quarter, as well as the signs each phase occurs in.

November’s first three phases occur in a focusing energy, thus continuing the theme from October’s Full Moon, and then build toward this month’s Full Moon in a disseminating energy. .

THIRD (LAST) QUARTER MOON
The Third Quarter Moon occurring November 4 at 10:54 pm MST in Leo provides the opportunity to gain understanding of the meaning of projects and their contribution to our growth and developing consciousness. This phase emphasizes a need for quiet reflection, encouraging us to take some time for a little solitude and contemplate the overall picture of our life.

Home & Garden - This phase favours thorough clear-outs. From the 5th-8th is an excellent time to harvest garden produce as well as weed, prune and destroy pests.

Mind, Body & Health – This is the optimal time for self-analysis and letting go of anything you no longer want or need in your life.

Business/Financial – Downsizing and bringing matters to a close are Third Quarter themes, thereby favouring such activities as publishing poor performance figures, and informing workforce of pay-cuts or downsizing operations.

MOON IN LEO
Leo tends to stabilize the Moon, giving persistence and perseverance. The Leo Moon’s childlike quality and strong need for self-expression and admiration brings an intense need for personal recognition. It encourages us to ponder the question: Can I see my need for affirmation and applause as healthy when it alerts me to where I am appreciated?

During the Leo Moon, guard against being self-centred, over-opinionated or pushy. The Leo Moon’s instinctive response is dramatic and enthusiastic. Its best characteristics are warmth and generosity, whereas its least attractive face reveals egotism and a tendency to boast. Leo Moon needs nobility, loyalty, respect, and affection. It feels cared for when given special attention and feedback, appreciated for creative efforts, and played with. The Leo Moon is most comfortable in elegant, grand, and personally self-expressive environments.

Moon in Leo’s Spiritual tradition presides over all expressive performing arts, dance, theatre and the circus. It enlivens the community through dramatic and ritualistic celebrations that bring a culture’s mythology to life and revitalizes its connection to the cosmos.

Associated with the Leo Moon are the ruby, the sunflower and the lion. The Leo Moon’s Affirmation: ‘My accomplishments fill me with pride and satisfaction. I recognize my own achievements and I do not require praise form any other source.’

Home & Garden – The Leo Moon’s barren nature does not support planting or transplanting, making this is a great time to focus your creativity on the home. Buying your house while the Moon is in Leo is thought to bring love and laughter to your home. Flex your interior decorating skills with Leo Moon inspiration.

Mind, Body & Health – This Moon favours playing and recreation, making this a good time to sunbathe, watch a funny TV program, take the children to the movies, and tell those you love that you love them. Avoid any tendency to indulge feelings of resentment and/or insignificance, and imagining that no one appreciates you. The Leo Moon brings an increased susceptibility to backache and circulatory problems.

Business/Financial – The Leo Moon is conducive to taking control of situations, money deals, and eliciting support and lucky breaks. Now is a wonderful time to shop for hobby items, jewelry, silk lingerie, champagne, caviar, and theatre tickets. Avoid overspending, a domineering attitude, and/ or buying non-essential groceries. Beware other people’s indiscretions. This is an excellent time to place a bet or buy a lottery ticket.

NEW MOON
The New Moon occurring in Scorpio on November 12th at 6:28am MST is a seed time for new ideas and projects. Look for personal morality, doing what your conscience dictates, and the courage to define this phase. You may find yourself in a situation where what you are expected to do goes against your inner values and conscience.

New Moon Affirmations: 'I want to transform my life in a positive and uplifting way. I want to find time to enjoy my discoveries. I want to take a more balanced approach to my work and relationships. I want to experience true inner peace. I want to put my trust in a Higher Consciousness.

Home & Garden – If you are planning to move house, try to do so before November 25th. The best days would be the 12th and 13th and 17th and 18th. The best days for planting annuals are the 15th and 16th.

Mind, Body & Health – Health and personal growth efforts are most likely to bring excellent results.

Business/Financial – This is a good time to enter into partnerships and publish favourable performance figures.


MOON IN SCORPIO
Scorpio symbolizes the process of transformation. It is concerned with the process of destruction and renewal, and is the most powerful sign. With intensity as its most evident characteristic, Scorpio tends to increase both emotionality and inflexibility.

Bringing intensity, power and transformation issues to our life, the Scorpio Moon invites us to consider: How we trust our limited capacity to repress emotions, creating an emotional life that is a rich roller coaster ride? And, how we build powerful emotional bonds. Its instinctive response is penetrating and intense, and its best characteristics are shrewdness and an ability to focus. The lower expressions of the Scorpio Moon are jealousy and irritability. Scorpio Moon needs commitment, emotions, depth, safety, and intimacy. It feels cared for when it is appreciated for its intense perception, is allowed to take time trusting, is seen as deeply fascinating, and is not forced to communicate verbally until ready to speak. The most comfortable environments for the Scorpio Moon are ones in which its intensity do not bother others, and feelings are respected, even if they are not understood, and it is allowed to have its emotions.

Moon in Scorpio’s spiritual tradition studies and teaches the ceremonies and music which facilitate change, and it is responsible for mediating between the visible and invisible worlds. It speaks for the invisible force field around all things and, as the voice for the ancestors and the cultural midwife, is as comfortable with death as with birth.

Scorpio Moon associations are: the topaz, the chrysanthemum and the eagle. Scorpio Moon Affirmation: ‘By looking inwards, I can discover the true richness of my talents and abilities.’

Home & Garden – The Scorpio Moon’s fertile nature produces healthy and robust plants, favouring sowing, planting and transplanting, including vines and climbers, plants that crop above ground.

Mind, Body & Health - While the Moon is in Scorpio, get a massage, take a boat ride, call up a debt, and/or visit an astrologer. Avoid jealousy, spite, brooding, and wanting to take control of people and situations. Susceptibility to reproductive organ problems and haemorrhoids increases during the Scorpio Moon.

Business/Financial – The Scorpio Moon is conducive to signing documents, leasing or renting property, making discreet inquiries, making major deals, and solving problems. You are sharp and shrewd when shopping so if you go, buy crime novels, rich wines, exotic spices, photographic equipment, perfumes, sexy underwear, red roses for your lover, kitchen knives, tarot cards, and a last will and testament. Avoid becoming too intense, operating a secret agenda, a reluctance to disclose all the facts and deviating from your shopping list. Beware people’s resentment.

FIRST QUARTER MOON
The First Quarter Moon occurring in Aquarius on November 18 at 9:51pm MST emphasizes purity of motive and setting standards for society. As you manifest new projects, a fresh and simple approach is the easiest way to solve any complications that arise.

Home & Garden - Planting is favoured, with the 19th & 20th the best days for low growing plants, the 23rd best for planting pungent vegetables, and the 24th & 25th for supporting planting annuals, leafy vegetables and pastel-coloured flowers.

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

Business/Finance – This is an auspicious time to seek legal or financial advice.

MOON IN AQUARIUS
Aquarius gives stability and stamina to the Moon and it brings an increase in creative and metaphysical ideas. Moon in Aquarius is a good time to celebrate life, to have a party with your friends and to perform charitable acts. The Aquarius Moon encourages us to ask ourselves: How am I guided toward nourishing relationships with authentic people with whom I also can be free? Its instinctive response is cool but friendly. Its best characteristics are sincerity and humanitarian zeal, while its least attractive face displays eccentricity and a tendency to deny feelings. The Aquarius Moon needs uniqueness, objectivity, open-mindedness, and knowledge. It feels cared for when appreciated for intellect, acknowledged for being unique, and is respected for unconventionality. The Aquarius Moon is most at ease in environments where it can be as unusual as it likes, it is not criticized for its tastes and everyone is friendly.

Moon in Aquarius’s spiritual tradition uses advanced telepathic techniques and technologies to constellate community. It relates to everything as friends; builds teams and community projects; and likes diversity, knowing that contrast provides electrical sparks.

Associated with the Aquarius Moon are: jet, the pansy and the swallow. The Aquarius Moon Affirmation: ‘My horizons are boundless and my experiences enrich my being.’

Home & Garden – The Aquarius Moon’s barren nature is suitable for cultivating the land and does not support weeding. If you desire a home filled with friends, this is the time and the sign in which to purchase. Other home projects favoured now are interior decorating and fixing broken electrical equipment.

Body, Mind & Health – This is a superb time to join a club, learn a new dance and organize a surprise party. Avoid all impulses to break the rules, rebel just for the hell of it, or hand in your notice at your job. Susceptibility to ankle sprains and circulatory disorders increase during the Aquarius Moon.

Business/Financial – The Aquarius Moon is conducive to leasing or renting property, to improving working conditions, to money transfers, and to eliciting support from colleagues. If you go shopping, allow yourself time to browse and don’t be surprised if you find yourself drawn to shop in unusual places. The best things to buy now are: a new computer, electrical appliances, scientific instruments, a meditation book, kitchen gadgets, gifts for your friends, aromatherapy oils, a chandelier, and anything electric blue. Avoid favouring the group at the expense of the individual, taking an overly detached point of view, and going off on a tangent. Beware interruptions.

FULL MOON
The Full Moon occurring November 26th at 12:08 pm MST in Gemini encourages looking within for the change in direction you need. It indicates a need for reform and a time to break out of constraints.

During the Full Moon phase, the Sun and the Moon are opposing one another on either side of the Earth – a kind of cosmic tug of war. This is a time of completion and fulfillment and favours sharing with others.

Full Moon Focus: Expected news arrives. Beware as sibling rivalries reach a crescendo.

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

Mind, Body & Health –At the Full Moon, feelings are heightened and matters can seem overwhelming. If you want to lose weight, quit smoking, etc, December 1st to 3rd is an excellent time to begin a health regime that emphasizes shedding. Surgery is not recommended during the Full Moon phase.

Business/Financial – This is a good time to concentrate on bringing existing products to fruition, to do useful research, to draw up new agendas and to embark on study courses.

MOON IN GEMINI
Gemini energy is fast and variable so at this time it is important to ensure everything is based on fact, to not get carried away, and to guard against being flippant about responsibilities. The Gemini Moon invites us to ponder: Who nourishes me when I talk to them, and who do I enjoy nourishing through images or words? Its instinctive response is flexible and sociable. Its best characteristics are wit and a youthful outlook on life, while its lower expressions are superficiality and craftiness. The Gemini Moon needs intellectual activity, interactive relationships, versatility, lightness, and information. It feels cared for when appreciated for its wit and intelligence, freed from routine, and communicated with verbally. Mentally stimulating and highly sociable environments where there is more than one thing going on are most comfortable for the Gemini Moon.

Moon in Gemini’s spiritual tradition is as the first bard, storyteller or singer to offer the human voice as an expression for others. It gives voice to the understanding of interrelatedness by maintaining a garrulous intimacy with the mundane, perceiving everything to be animated and speaking to everything in its own language.

A Gemini Moon cautions us to remain aware that stress will be an issue during this time, increasing the possibility of nervous tension and exhaustion. Associated with the Gemini Moon are: agate, lavender and the monkey. The Gemini Moon Affirmation: ‘Conducting all my dealings with truth and honesty brings me satisfaction and peace of mind ‘

Home & Garden – Gemini Moon’s barren nature does not support planting or transplanting.

Mind, Body & Health – During a Gemini Moon, go to the library and/or buy books and writing materials. Other good ways to relax are going for a drive or putting your feet up. Avoid being too easily distracted and beginning one job before finishing another. Susceptibility to nervous tension, agitation and restlessness increases now.

Business/Financial – A Gemini Moon is a good time to make business trips, to give presentations, to reorganize/refurbish, and tomanage crises. If you go shopping, computers, gadgets, writing materials, books, telephones, toys, dictionaries, gimmicky goods and a car, are good buys. Avoid distractions from the issue, a shallow appreciation of the situation, being underhand and long or far-flung expeditions. Beware con-men.

© 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.