JUNE 5TH, 2020: THE ECLIPSED FULL STRAWBERRY MOON
Lose yourself, lose yourself. Escape from the black cloud that surrounds you. Then you will see your own light as radiant as the full moon. - Rumi
Friday June 5TH, just after sunset, we can look toward the southeast to watch the Full Moon, ascending large and golden hued above the horizon. The Full Moon this month reaches peak illumination at 3:12 P.M. EST. So it will actually be slightly on the wane by the time it is visible later in evening.
JUNE MOON LORE
June’s Full Moon, traditionally called the Strawberry Moon, is typically the last Full Moon of spring or the first Full Moon of summer, sometimes called the Hot Moon, as its arrival heralds the warmer summer months.
Strawberry Moon is a name originated in the Algonquin tribes, native to southern Quebec and eastern Ontario, who recognized it as a signal to gather ripened wild strawberries.
Some European names for this Moon include the Mead Moon, as June is traditionally a time when the meadows or meads were mowed.
Another Anglo-Saxon name for this moon is Honey Moon. The month of June, named after the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno, was traditionally the month of marriages, and is still the most popular for a wedding. After the marriage celebration comes the “honeymoon.”
Incidentally, the tradition of the “honeymoon” has origins in the 5th c. CE, when cultures gauged time using the lunar cycle. At that time, during their first moon of marriage, a newlywed couple would drink mead, which is a honey-based alcoholic drink believed to have aphrodisiac properties, to enhance their prospects of fertility.
It has also been called the Rose Moon, given that many roses bloom during the month of June, and are therefore very popular blooms to use in wedding bouquets! Check out the Rose Garden in Thornden Park, this month, if you live near Syracuse, NY! The buds are just starting to emerge.
THE ASTROLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOON AND SUN
Astrologically, the Moon represents the personality, and the subconscious, instinctive patterns it contains. The Moon is an expression of the Divine Feminine magnetic energy and rules form and all the functions of the body. She governs the rhythms of life, birth, growth, decay and death. She also holds sway over the oceanic tides. As our body is mostly water, the Moon, therefore, has great influence over its cycles, particularly the fluctuating nature of the emotions.
Not only does the Moon govern our personal emotions, it also rules mass consciousness, which rather than responding with reason, typically reacts emotionally to the unceasing changes in our life experience. (Consider how easily the stock market can be impacted by the “mood” of the public. Certainly, during this time of great uncertainty, which any change can elicit, many see what we are going though collectively as an opportunity for change, while others allow the uncertainty to give rise to fear.) The subconscious is also the dominion of the soul. It is through the subconscious that the soul communicates with us.
The Moon physically radiates no light of its own. It only shines the reflected light of the Sun. In this same way, we could say the personality emits no light of its own. We might described the personality as an unlit room. Only when the Light of the True Self (the Sun) shines through it is it illumined.
Every Full Moon is in Oppositional aspect or 180o from the Sun. Astrologically, the Sun signifies our Spirit. The beingness or “isness” of Life, the immortal aspect of the human complex. It rules our basic drive for significance, or highest expression, the will-to-be.
We might say the Sun, in each of us, is the source, the Divine Self, expressing through the ego, and the Moon is the reflection of the Self, manifesting as the soul. The solar is the immortal spark of our essential Self, while the lunar, soul aspect, is how the Self, reflects or manifests into the world, through the subconscious mind, and the outwardly expressed aspects of our physical body and appearance.
When we look at the brilliance and beauty of this Full Strawberry Moon tonight, we also must remember it is only visible because of its Source, the Sun. These two planets are expressions of the magnetic Divine Feminine and the energetic Divine Masculine Energies present in all of Creation and within each of us. They are the planetary expressions of Yin and Yang.
As I mentioned previously, the Full Moon is always in oppositional aspect to the Sun. Oppositions exist as opportunities for us to become fully conscious of and then activate the energies of both planets in our physical experience. They offer us the potential for deep insight into our essential self through the reflection of our emotional filter.
So, with the Sun now in Gemini, the Moon, in polar opposition, is currently in Sagittarius. Let’s imagine for a moment, we are standing between two friends, both of whom are trying to convey a story to us at the same time. This would likely create some internal tension, as we attempt to give each of them our attention. When two planets are in opposition, it creates an energetic tension within us. In this case, the tension is between the Sun, as the ego identity, or conscious mind, and the Moon, our soul or subconscious.
Is it possible to give equal attention or energy to both our friends at the same time? Do I have to choose one over the other? Is one’s story more important than the other? Is one friend more important than the other? What is the solution here?
If I move in the direction of one friend, the other is going to talk louder, maybe pulling on me to get me to pay more attention to them. If I turn back toward that friend, the one I was addressing will likely do the same. I might make myself very uncomfortable trying to please both.
Oppositions are energetic opposing forces that must be reconciled, but they call for cooperation. The forces acting on us may be coming from outside of us or from within us, or both. Regardless of where the force originates, an opposition require compromise. Awareness is key at this time of the Full Moon, when our consciousness is primed to expand and develop. In this case, we have the opportunity to look closely at how we are impacted by the ego mind, as well as the influence the soul presently has in our lives.
Without opposing forces, there would be no choice. The contrast we experience between the ego and the soul, affords us the potential for growth as we expand our awareness and powers of discernment. The Full Moon phase is a time when we must cultivate the tools of tact, diplomacy and strategy. Cooperation and compromise are critical tools for productive use of our energies.
A Closer Look at the Gemini/Sagittarius Opposition
Before we get to the Full Moon in Sagittarius, let’s first consider what energies are at play with the Sun currently in Gemini, a dual sign. Its symbol looks like the Roman numeral II, which represents the mythological Twins, Castor and Pollux, symbolizing both the human and divine aspects of our being. It is a mutable, air sign, considered masculine, and ruled by the planet Mercury.
Gemini governs the conscious ego mind, which is the generator of our dualistic thinking. Its key phrase is “I think.” It rules the intellect, logic, reason and communication of all kinds. Gemini is associated with close range travel, and it rules the lungs and the hands.
Gemini is also associated with the nervous system. Mercury, its ruler, was the messenger of the gods. The nervous system conveys messages from the brain to the body and vice versa. By late May, early June, the rising energy initiated by the Sun in Aries is amplifying. People, who have been cooped up all winter are ready to get outdoors and enjoy the bounties of late spring/early summer. June is busting out all over! Buds on trees and flowers are opening. Birds are hatching and many animal babies are born at this time of year. All of this occurs every year, cyclically. Yet, we are living in an extra-ordinary time. How might this all be viewed through the lens of Covid-19 and in the wake of upheaval since the multiple murders of black people at the hands of police?
With the Sun in Gemini the force of the conscious mind or ego, is saying, “Get me outside! Don’t fence me in!” People want to commune with each other, to communicate. They want to travel to their friend’s and relatives’ homes, make day trips to the beach, or meet others at local restaurants and bars, for dinner and drinks, to share their ideas and experiences, they want to grieve with others.
Many are using the Gemini gifts of logic and reason and honoring the recommendations of social distancing, wearing appropriate protective gear, while others are not. We are being advised to wash our hands and wear masks to protect our lungs. The impulsiveness of the Aries energy, in some cases, is overriding the logic and reason that Gemini might impart. We are seeing civil unrest, as this Aries energy is expressing as peaceful protest and exploding into property destruction and further escalation of violence.
So, we have all that energy operating right now, while at the same time, we have the pull from the Moon in Sagittarius, opposing the Sun in Gemini. The Full Moon, no less, which heightens the potency of the energetic forces at play, particularly where our emotions are concerned.
So let’s look at Sagittarius, for a moment. It’s also a masculine, mutable sign like Gemini, only its element is fire. Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter. Its symbol is the centaur, half man, half horse. This centaur is an archer, who shoots its arrow heavenward, without knowing where it will land. This is symbolic of our desire to liberate ourselves from our lower egoic self, so the nature of our True Self may emerge. Sagittarius’ key phrase is “I perceive,” which is related to intuition.
Sagittarian energy typically expresses as very gregarious, friendly, extroverted, and optimistic. Physical activity, sports, and gambling are all related to this sign. Jupiter, which rules Sagittarius, is the largest planet in our solar system. So it is related to expansion and may even express as extremes in behavior. We may be more prone to take risks and over-indulgence. Excess may manifest in many areas of our life, if we are not mindful.
Sagittarius, like Gemini, must feel free to roam, independent without restriction. Sagittarius wants to continually move forward into the future. This sign is also associated with expanding our horizons through both long- range travel, as well as through inner explorations of the higher planes of consciousness. As such, it is connected to philosophy, spirituality, religion, higher education, publishing, and the superconscious mind.
With the Full Moon in Sagittarius, we may be feeling restless, both physically and emotionally, with the desire to get out and be adventuresome, and we may have the tendency to overdo. Our restlessness can lead to risky behavior. If we choose to ignore our intuition, we may find ourselves making choices that down the road we wish we had thought better of.
Alternately, this may be a time to focus our energies on learning something new, educating ourselves to expand our consciousness and understanding in these same arenas of philosophy, spirituality and religion. If writing a book with the intention of publishing, this is a time when the project may come to completion.
With the Sun/Moon opposition we may be feeling the tension between our wants, driven by our will, which, again, is associated with the Sun, and our needs, related to the Moon. Our wants or desires are typically externally driven, while our needs arise from inner emotional states. We may also be energetically impacted by a similar internal struggle our loved ones and communities are dealing with at this time. We may find ourselves in the midst of a delicate dance in our relationships with our partner, our children, family, even friends, bosses and colleagues.
The Moon is also in opposition to Venus, which often brings challenges in relationships. We may have difficulty balancing our own needs with the needs of others. We also can find it challenging to be in social situations, which may be due to our prolonged period of social distancing or simply our own inner restlessness. We have the opportunity to use our intuition to discern when we need to create space to diffuse any overt our unexpressed tension.
We also find the Moon and Venus square Mars, during this Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, at a hard 90-degree angle with Mars, which means energy does not flow freely. When these planets, which are closer to the Sun are transiting, it affects our personal, everyday affairs. Mars is a planet of action. This energy must be used constructively or there may be strife and contention. Mars, in challenging aspect to the Moon and Venus, may bring feelings of agitation and aggression that have been festering beneath the surface, which may easily bubble to the surface and boil over.
Mars stirs up the emotions and can amplify our passions, which can express as ardor within love relationships, giving a boost to our sex life. It may also present as rash behavior, which can lead to arguments. It is also a time when we may be more prone to accidents.
Mars Square the Moon may greatly affect the Divine Feminine energy within each of us. We may feel unusually restless, and we may be more prone to emotional outbursts. This aspect may also have an impact on mass consciousness, which is governed by the Moon, giving rise to reckless behavior and harsh words. Our ability to listen to our inner guidance system may be temporarily disrupted, if we allow our emotions to escalate.
With Venus, which typically acts as a harmonizing force, one of diplomacy, tact and compromise, in hard angle to Mars, we may find we are driven more by lust than love. It may also give rise to feelings of greed, where we feel we need to take as much as we can get in our sexual life, relationships in general, and from our community at large.
A square is half the angle of the opposition. Traditionally, squares indicate where the powerful lessons are to be experienced. It can be difficult to “turn the corner” on a challenging issue. If we are walking down a corridor, we can see what’s ahead, and we know where we have just been, but when we get to the corner, we must pivot and reorient ourselves. Energy in a square can get hung up in corners. It can become more challenging to make right use of the energy each planet is emitting.
We have two planets, the Moon and Venus, associated with the Divine Feminine, square the planet Mars, representing aspects of the Divine Masculine. In this case Mars has its “back against the wall.” It feels “cornered.” What happens when someone feels cornered. They either submit or they lash out.
If emotions are high and there is no creative outlet offered for the productive release of the energy of frustration, and no willingness to explore diplomacy, seeking cooperative solutions, it can lead to an eruption of rage and even violence.
With the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, this disconnect is amplified further, as the Moon’s light is temporarily obscured by the Earth, casting a shadow on the Moon’s surface. That shadow creates a “blind spot,” within which we may not be able to see constructive solutions to our problems. We may fall back into unproductive patterns of behavior, feeling as though all other means are futile.
Eclipses also ultimately bring that which has been hidden to light. So things you have been denying or disowning, what we might call our “shadow,” will be brought to the surface. We are seeing this, for example, in the uprisings and demonstrations in the US and around the world regarding police brutality and institutionalized racism toward blacks and people of color in America. What might you be ignoring in your own life that needs to have light shed on it for your own transformation?
As mentioned previously, the Full Moon is a peak of energy that highlights polarities in our life. It is a time when our creative energy is at its zenith and deeply powerful intuitive breakthroughs are possible. We are given the opportunity to consciously embody the inner feeling that change is necessary. All that has arisen during the waxing phase from the last New Moon is amplified during the resolution of the Moon’s cyclic progression.
The Full Moon phase, in general, signifies the end of a cycle, and is an auspicious time to bring one or more things to conclusion, whether that is a project, a relationship, a way of thinking or being, even a long-held resentment. The recognition that a culmination is necessary is likely driven by a potent soul impulse, a subconscious awareness of an energetic tension, caused by two opposing forces, either internal or external.
If we truly want to create change, we must shift from a state of awareness into one of productive action. This is where the power of ritual can serve us well. Creating an intentional ceremony or symbolic act can transmute our desire from the vibration of thought into one of physical manifestation.
As the Full Moon waxes, create space to turn your awareness inward and be present to what has been arising in your life over the last month. You may become aware of a pattern, an ebb and flow of energy related to a particular issue or issues that continually present in your life. The soul gives us opportunity to harmonize our imbalances by resurfacing unresolved energies. These typically show up in our intimate, familial and platonic and work relationships.
We may employ four essential elements to support our transformational spiritual practice: willpower, imagination, word and focus. Any ritual is a practice that allows us to step into our personal power, as we plant a seed or intention in the subconscious mind to bring about the change we desire.
FULL MOON CLEANSING RITUAL OF COMPLETION
Read through the instructions before you explore the ritual, so you now the sequence, which will allow the experience to unfold more fluidly.
Necessary Ritual Elements:
· Candle
· Matches/lighter
· Glass of purified water
· Salt
· Paper
· Pen, pencil, etc.
· Fireproof vessel
· Altar space
Optional Ritual Elements
· Soft instrumental music
· Crystals (Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Moon Stone, Opal, Selenite,)
· Incense, essential oils
A Full Moon ritual is a time to cultivate space for inner reflection, and to acknowledge, bless and release that which once served us but now we have outgrown. The Full Moon represents the fruitfulness of our labors and the harvest or completion of a cycle and brings with it a potency of energy.
Ideally, this Full Moon Ritual is best performed outside, unless you have a fireplace or wood stove. You certainly may complete the steps up to #6 indoors and then move outside to complete the ritual.
1. Prepare a Peaceful Place
With the amplified energies of the Full Moon, it’s essential to cultivate a sacred space of calm, where you will not be disturbed for your Ritual. You may already have an altar in your home, or you might create one with a piece of decorative cloth draped over a small table or bench. This will become a focal point for your ritual and allow you to harness the amplified energy to your benefit.
2. Create Sacred Space
Play your favorite relaxing music. Light the candle and place it in the center of the altar. Place your crystals around the candle. You may choose to light some incense or diffuse an essential oil at this time or place a drop or two on the crown of the head and then breath in the essential oil from the bottle or pour a drop in your hand, rub them together and cup them over your nose.
3. Center Yourself in Breath
Come sitting in a comfortable seated position, perhaps on a cushion. Close the eyes and settle into the rhythm of the breath. Observe the inflow and the outgo. Allow the breath to slow down and deepen, bringing you into a greater state of relaxation.
4. Introspection and Contemplation
Allow a few moments to reflect on the past few weeks, since the New Moon phase. What has transpired? What feels in balance? What are you bumping up against or where are you sensing imbalance? What are you aware of that no longer serves you and needs releasing?
5. Offer up your Intentions.
Once you’ve clarified what has outlived its usefulness in your life, write down each outmoded thought, behavior, relationship, or pattern separately on a piece of paper. Write down everything that is inhibiting you manifesting the life you desire. Use the words “I release______________.”
6. Ritual Cleansing (Go outside for this portion unless you are using a fireplace)
You will need the matches/lighter, fireproof vessel, salt, glass of water and the intentions you have written to release. Both fire and salt are excellent purifiers. Pour a good deal of salt into the glass of water (enough so when you sip it you can easily taste the salt). Set the fire-safe vessel on the ground or on a table. With each separate intention you will repeat the following affirmation and then light a corner of the paper and place it in the fireproof vessel.
“I now realize I have outgrown the usefulness of ________________________ in my experience. I am grateful for all I have learned from having this energy in my life. I am willing to transmute this energy in the fire, so it may be liberated and returned to the Infinite Source from which it came. I am releasing the old to make space for new growth to enter.”
Once you have spoken the affirmation, take a sip of the saltwater, swish it in your mouth and swallow it. (You can spit it out, if you prefer.) Repeat this process with each piece of paper.
7. Bathe in Moonlight
If you are not already outside, get outdoors and let the moonlight touch your skin, even if it is not visible due to cloud cover. Just as our body needs Vitamin D from sunlight, we also benefit from moonlight. It’s said to help reduce inflammation and known to support a woman’s menstrual cycle.
8. Move in the Space of New Energy
As a way to release any residual stagnant energy, dance to your favorite music, to shift the energy in the body and amplify a lightness of being and sense of joy.
BLESSED BE.