Seeing The Bigger Picture |
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From our inbox to you from: Patti Wigington & Making Magic in Your Garden
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| Making Magic in Your Garden | |
| By Patti Wigington | |
The garden can be one of the most magical places in your life. As spring approaches, let’s look at how to plan, create, and grow your magical garden, as well as ways to create specialty gardens, herb plots, and more! |
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| Garden Folklore and Magic | |||
The very act of planting, of beginning new life from seed, is a ritual and a magical act in itself. To cultivate something in the black soil, see it sprout and then bloom, is to watch a magical working unfold before our very eyes. The plant cycle is intrinsically tied to so many earth-based belief systems that it should come as no surprise that the magic of the garden is one well worth looking into. |
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| Plant a Magical Moon Garden | |||
A lot of people don’t realize you can grow plants and flowers that bloom at night. Cultivating a moon garden is a great way to get in touch with nature, and it provides a beautiful and fragrant backdrop for your moonlight rituals in the summer. If you plant these lovelies close to your house, you can open the windows and take advantage of their aromas as you sleep. |
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As spring arrives, our gardens begin to bud and eventually bloom. For hundreds of years, the plants that we grow have been used in magic. Flowers in particular are often connected with a variety of magical uses. Now that spring is here, keep an eye out for some of these flowers around you, and consider the different magical applications they might have.
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The Moon and Astrology: How it affects our daily life… April Full Moon & Transiting Moon in April 2017
Present Moon Sign/Phase/House:
- Date: April 9 2017
- Moon Sign: Libra
- Moon Phase: 2nd
- Void-of-Course: April 11 2:19 pm (ET) 11:19 am (PT) to Moon in Scorpio: Moon v/c in Libra is not one of the 4 void of course “good signs” Relationship issues may not go as planned, leave the planning until after the V.O.C moon… Venus is also in retrograde motion, adding stress and possible frustrations where relationships and money matters are concerned. Venus goes direct on April 14.
- House(s) using equal house method : 12th House of our dreams and wishes and perhaps our fears and phobias. She moves into the 1st house of self on April 10th
- Opportunity Period: None
Full Moon
- The moon becomes full on April 11 (ET) and on April 10 (PT).
- All of the following moon in Libra traits will be strengthened.
- Those with personal planets in Libra may wish to work on creating a balance in their lives.
- Taking time out and enjoying life’s luxuries may also be a good idea… Just watch your spending, as it’s probably easier to go over budget right now.
- Issues dealing with judgement, such as court cases, custody issue’s or landlord issue’s may be on the agenda for some, if they are, staying calm and acting rationally will bring about better results. Libra can become passionate about things that aren’t fair and during the full these may seem “bigger” or worse than usual…
- Because the moon moves into Scorpio on the evening of the day the moon becomes full, Scorpio traits will also also be present this full moon and likely the negative ones as opposed to the more positive ones. Negative behavior such as drinking too much, or over indulging in other substances can be easier to do under the full moon’s influence. Be aware and be responsible and if you can’t be responsible then be very careful and try not to hurt or upset anyone else (who doesn’t deserve it) around you .
- The Full Moon is traditionally thought of as being the perfect time to wrap things up, finish projects and put an end to relationships and jobs or to move away… It’s not written in stone, however, as the moon will become full while in the 2nd quarter.. As the moon relates to our instincts, reactions and emotions, being “in touch” with them during a full is the best way to figure out if it’s a good time for you to end, stop or leave… :)
What does it all mean?
- Libra has a need for balance, indicating this moon period may be an ideal time to implement some into our daily lives.
- A desire for justice may be present, dealing with issues that have upset our sense of justice may prove to be productive.
- Diplomacy is likely to be more apparent during the next few days, and may be a good time to bring up that topic you have been putting on the back burner.
- Hesitation is probably going to raise its head, we may see many sides of a story and find it difficult to make up our minds.
- Difficulty in making commitments or long-term decisions, because we can’t make up our minds. If this is the case perhaps wait a few days until the move has moved out of Libra.
- Libra is happiest when in a relationship or partnership. Indicating this may be a good time to begin one. :)
- Co-operation should be in the air, making this an ideal time to make plans with others.
- May be a good time to improve our appearance and surroundings.
- May be great time to go bargain hunting,
- In the 1st house: Our energy levels may be up and down, we can be more protective towards our loved ones, especially our children.. Relations with mother type personalities may be strained but they will remain strong. When it comes to allowing others to see our true self, we may find we aren’t as open to revealing as much as we had thought.
- In the 12th house: Some folks could be tempted to hide away from the world because it’s just so unfair and cruel… others may decide that numbing the unfairness with alcohol or other substances is for them… we can become “submerged” our spiritual world, we want to escape from the challenges of life and believe we are somewhere kinder and easier… As long as we come back to reality it’s a good way of refreshing ourselves and appreciating the good in our lives.
- This moon sign will affect us all but will have more of an effect on those who have the following in their charts.
- **Moon in Libra,
- **Sun in Libra,
- **Venus in Libra
- **Moon in 12th house
- **Moon in the 1st house
- **Moon in 7th house,
- **Any aspects to the Moon or Venus
- **Midheaven in Libra
- **Ascendant in Libra
Email us HERE with your questions and comments… :)
or Follow our blog to see where the transiting moon is each moon…
In astrology, the moon is connected to our emotions and reactions… how we are feeling on a given day may well be influenced by the sign that is visiting the moon… Each sign stays with the moon for up to 2.5 days…. :)
The Moon Void-of-Course:
There are times throughout the month when the moon isn’t fully immersed in any sign… this is when we say the moon is Void of Course… and when this occurs, we may feel “foggy” and “unfocused” … We may not be sure how we are truly feeling about a situation or a person…. Therefore it is not recommended that we make long-term commitments or important decision’s while the moon is Void of Course…. However there are 4 signs in the zodiac which may prove positive during the Void-of-Course moon…
Good for Void-Of-Course Moon: These v/c signs may prove to be quite productive times.
- Cancer
- Taurus
- Sagittarius
- Pisces…
Opportunity Periods (thanks to astrologer Jim Shawvan):
There are other periods throughout the month that are known as opportunity periods, when it can prove to be a positive time for most people, however if you have challenging aspects happening within your own chart you may not be able to make use of opportunity periods. astrologer and Llewellyn’s Daily Planetary Guide for opportunity periods.
Copyright: Greta McKenzie Astrology updated March 31 2017
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Astrology and how it affects our daily life: Mercury into Taurus March 2017
Astrological Event:
Mercury Moves into a new Sign
New Sign: Taurus
Date: March 31 2017
What does it all mean?
Mercury is all about the mind… how we think… he is also the messenger and therefore relates to how we communicate… He rules over transportation, technology and innovation… He is the ruler of the signs Virgo and Gemini and is associated with the 3rd and 6th houses.
Taurus is about security, feeling good and enjoying the pleasures of the senses. She is sensual and “demands” comfort and is the happiest when she has savings put away for a rainy day. Money is important because it brings about the lifestyle and comfort needed. Having a secure roof over one’s head is a must to reduce every day stress.
- We can be slower at coming up with solutions to our every day issues, but solutions will be found if we give ourselves time enough to find them.
- It is far better to put our minds to learning one thing well, then it is to trying to learn a little about a lot of things. Taurus doesn’t like being rushed, and she doesn’t learn well if she is.
- Our finances may be in focus, and we may feel the need to pull out our paper work, to talk to our bank managers or financial advisors. It’s not so much of a worry, but more of a nagging sense of getting such things in order, so we can get the most out of our budget.
- Shopping might be on the agenda for some, but it may not go as planned, finding that perfect outfit may be a challenge, but as with all things Taurus.. patience can win out in the end… :)
- We could find we are struggling a bit between wanting to feel fit and healthy and that pull towards doing just a little too much relaxing, especially those of us still the last grips of winter.. However, we are all encouraged to get up and move, who knows some of us may be introduced to an exercise regime we can handle.
- While Taurus loves her comfort foods, it is a good time to try and figure out a healthier diet, don’t go crazy though, as that may be a deterrent, start by cutting down on the “sin foods” a little bit at a time… add more greens and salads…
- Common Sense rules the day under this influence, indicating it can be a good time to get down to business… clean out the cupboards, get paperwork in order, go to bed at a decent time, stick to routines, and get the chores done…
- Watch out for being overly stubborn just for the sake of being stubborn… be aware of your motives and why you might be saying no… don’t miss out on great opportunities just because you are grumpy or feel better in your jammies then having to get dressed and go outside and mingle.
- For folks with personal fire signs in their charts, this might turn out to be a bit of a bumpy ride as you will have to refrain from being so impatient.. you won’t win against the strong Taurus influence… Give your slower thinking family, co-workers and friends a break for the next few weeks…Mercury goes Retrograde in April and will move back into the Fire sign of Aries…
copyright: Greta McKenzie Astrology March 14 2017
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SGC: From our inbox to you; “Creating Space in the Body by Madisyn Taylor”
Creating Space in the Body
by Madisyn Taylor
As we move deeper into meditation, the state of our mind expands thus allowing us to create more space within our body.
Our minds and bodies are interconnected, and the condition of one affects the condition of the other. This is why meditation is such a powerful tool for healing the body, as powerful as physical therapies. When our minds are cluttered with thoughts, information, and plans, our bodies respond by trying to take action. When the body has a clear directive from the mind, it knows what to do, but a cluttered, unfocused mind creates a confused, tense body. Our muscles tighten up, our breath shortens, and we find ourselves feeling constricted without necessarily knowing why.
When we sit down to meditate, we let our bodies know that it is okay to be still and rest. This is a clear directive from the mind, and the body knows exactly how to respond. Thus, at the very beginning, we have created a sense of clarity for the body and the mind. As we move deeper into meditation, the state of our mind reveals itself, and we have the opportunity to consciously decide to settle it. A meditation teacher pointed out that if you put a cow in a small pen, she acts up and pushes against the boundaries, whereas if you provide her with a large, open space, she will peacefully graze in one spot. In the same way, our thoughts settle down peacefully if we provide them with enough space, and our bodies follow suit.
When we settle down to examine and experience our consciousness, we discover that there are no hard, definable edges. It is a vast, open space in which our thoughts can come and go without making waves, as long as we let them by neither attaching to them nor repressing them. As we see our thoughts come and go, we begin to breathe deeper and more easily, finding that our body is more open to the breath as it relaxes along with the mind. In this way, the space we recognize through meditation creates space in our bodies, allowing for a feeling of lightness and rightness with the world.
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