Homecoming : The New Moon in Capricorn

Dismount!
Drop back and watch
constant thoughts galloping past

Watch the riderless horses,
thick as a running forest
streaming by.

Witness!
Rising from the forest,
a still and silent moon.

- Susa Silvermarie - 

The New Moon in Capricorn is a beast between. Born of water and earth, they are half goat, half fish. Caught up in the slow energy of late winter and not yet seeing the light of early, the New Moon in Capricorn can reveal to us what is happening behind the scenes. We have come to the valley of the overlooked. 

The recklessly bold energy of the New Moon in Sagittarius gives way to the landing place of Capricorn. We have come home. We are tackling the tasks that need doing. We may even be growing roots - for new beginnings of the New Moon is not just about movement and going elsewhere but also about choosing to stay still and stand steady. Discoveries that we make about ourselves and our world can’t take root unless we give these seeds of wisdom space, time, and nourishment - three key qualities of Capricorn. 

image source

It’s really important to know how to work with Capricorn energy in our age of hyper-connectivity and deep fears of missing out which has led to all sorts of social and spiritual FOMO. Here’s, too, where the trickster energy of the goatfish shows up - we think that we just need to take a bit of time off and relax when often there are some buried narratives about ourselves and our self-worth that we need to unpack. As healers it’s important for us to help those we serve to engage with tricky energy in their lives by starting to ask “Why?” in a non-judgmental, observational fashion.

Why don’t I take time off?

Why don’t I eat the foods that make me feel good about myself?

Why don’t I have a spiritual practice that reflects my values?

Asking why rarely leads us on a journey that is a straight line from point A to point B. Through asking why we find ourselves between the worlds, back and forth along the tracks of memory and projection. The inherently grounding, yet liminal goatfish serves as an important guide to the work of why. When we remain curious about our lives and the work we do it’s harder for us to feel left behind - because we’re always exploring and participating in our existence no matter where or who we are.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Plant Ally for the New Moon in Capricorn

Mullein is described by Nicholas Culpeper as being under the guardianship of Saturn. The herb is a great ally during the winter months, helping to clear phlegm from the system, reduce inflammation, and protect against infection. It’s excellent for clearing out chronic, long-standing coughs, especially dry and spasmodic coughs, and can help with a number of respiratory complaints including bronchitis, asthma, and general lung weakness.

Add the herb to your cold and flu blends with Elder (Sambucus nigra) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita) for a lung-opening, immunomodulating blend. Mullein is useful, too, for Capricorn folk who tend towards stagnant cold states which lead to swellings and cysts as the herb helps to dissolve such manifestations of buildup. As a decongestant, Mullein is good for allergies such as hay fever, helping to clear phlegm and relieve pain. In her Physica, Hildegard von Bingen recommended Mullein for “one who is hoarse or has a pain in his chest” recommending that they combine the herb with Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) in a medicinal wine. As a moistening diuretic, Mullein helps to soothe an inflamed urinary system and help with the release of urine. The herb also helps to remove toxins from the body because of its ability to move water out of the body. Mullein can be used for nerve pain and combines well with other nervines such as Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) and St. Joan’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum).

Topically, the mucilaginous Mullein is excellent for dry skin conditions but also as a healing compress or salve for boils, bruises, inflammation, hemorrhoids, eczema, sciatica, and joint pain. Mullein is useful in cases of bulging discs and bone setting. The herb helps the skin repair after a wound, burn, sore, and ulcer and can be used for skin infections, too. The long thick stems are sometimes referred to as Hag’s Tapers (the dried stalks dipped in wax will burn as a somewhat messy candle) as they are associated with the magickal workings of Witchfolk.

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon of Capricorn : Birch (Betula alba), Elm (Ulmus Procera), Larch (Larix decidua), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Rock Water (Aqua petra), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Agate, Amethyst, Flourite, Garnet, Tourmaline.

Essential Oils of Capricorn : Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), Melissa (Melissa officinalis), Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora). 

image source

Ritual

Taurus is an Earth sign that teaches us about our physical form and Virgo as an Earth sign which highlights our experience of our physicalness and our physical needs. Capricorn is an Earth sign that signifies the vibrations that underly all forms - it's the moment of something becoming. The following ritual helps us to tap into the power of sound to connect to vibration and all of its magick (whether through sound, sex toys, ocean waves or through the hum of singing bowls).

Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). Hold an intention in your mind that answers one of your questions of “Why?” For example, you might have asked “Why do I struggle to drink enough water everyday?” and your answer may have been “Because I haven’t quite made the connection between the sacredness of water and the sacredness of my body and its needs.” Your intention might be “To create a sacred connection between the water of my body and the waters of the world in order to nourish my body everyday.” With that intention held in your heart (and maybe even written down and placed on an altar before you) begin making a low hum. Notice how the hum feels in your body. Follow the sound. You might go up or down an octave. Open your mouth and hold a single note. The main purpose is to follow sounds that feel good and powerful to you. It’s not about sounding “good” but about sounding like you to you.

You are, by holding your intention, and making a vibrating sound, relaxing your cells, nourishing your nervous system, and making change all the more possible for you. 

When you are done toning, place your forehead on the ground if you are able or raise your hands to your face or some other way of returning to yourself and grounding.

Cards are from The World Spirit Tarot

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journaling.

Why am I here?

Additional queries to consider:

How grounded am I?
How comfortable with change am I?

Tarot Cards of Capricorn

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Capricorn magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Capricorn.

• Tarot Card of Capricorn: The Devil
• The Earth Signs of Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn : Ace of Pentacles
• Jupiter in Capricorn : Two of Pentacle
• Mars in Capricorn : Three of Pentacles
• Sun in Capricorn : Four of Pentacles

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Capricorn by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. Check out the magick of each phase of the Moon. For those of you ready to learn how to live your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join the The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!

Reckless Abandon : The New Moon in Sagittarius

Restore us to memory
As the new ones begin to stir
We continue to kindle the hearth
To preserve the flame
For we are forged from stardust
The light of the heavens - 
We are filled by ancient cultures
Who lifted their eyes beyond.
We are the constellations.
The Cosmic Sea

- Karin A. Larsen -

The New Moon in Sagittarius is a bow pulled taut, it’s arrow not seen, but its point aimed at the distant horizon. For some the October New Moon in Libra marked Lunar Samhain while for others (like myself) it’s the New Moon in Scorpio which is Samhain’s Moon. For me, tonight marks the end of the lingering season of Samhain as Sagittarian energy pulls us towards the dark of winter with an archer’s precision and focus.

New Moon Sagittarian energy is recklessly bold. It’s not necessarily the best time to try and make big commitments, but to experiment with and try new things while the night holds sway over the year. Witches and other magickal beings have long understood the power of the dark. We can change forms more readily, move unwatched, and pull away from the glare of the scrutiny of our day lives. We have the opportunity to become more ourselves without the expectations of others cutting up our flow (work started at the New Moon in Libra).

Photo by Raul Petri

There’s a real optimistic streak to the New Moon in Sagittarius. We’re reminded to be playful and flexible in our mindsets in order to bring about healing. A healer’s purpose is to not only to help provide physical relief to their clients, but to help those they serve ask the question, “What if?”

What if I put my healing first?

What if I said no to people who are emotionally draining?

What if I said yes more?

What if I allowed myself to imagine a life that I love?

What if? What if?

I’ve experienced it again and again in my practice where I ask, “But what if…” and there’s a sudden - sometimes dramatic, sometimes subtle - shift in the person to whom I’m asking the question. And that’s when the adventure of healing really begins.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Plant Ally of the New Moon in Sagittarius

One of the greatest gifts of Dandelion to heal is through its ability to help vitality move freely through the body. The primary way that the herb accomplishes this is by clearing the blood of toxins and waste material. Dandelion has a tonic effect on the blood, lymph system, and liver, helping to detoxify all three and improve the eliminatory qualities of the liver and gallbladder. Part of its blood purifying qualities comes from its high nutritive salt contents which cleans the blood and clears excess acid. Nicholas Culpeper writes in his Herbal that Dandelion “is under the dominion of Jupiter. It is of an opening and cleansing quality, and therefore very effectual for the obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen, and the diseases that arise from them, as the jaundice, and hypochondriac.”

One of the indications that Dandelion might be useful for a client (and one of the ways that it shows its Sagittarian connections) is that symptoms improve with movement - such as through massage or gentle exercise. I love Dandelion’s ability to help us rewire us from a state of survival (where we rarely ask a what if question that is for our benefit) to one of thriving (where we’re always curious about what the future might hold). Magickally, Dandelion has become a modern symbol of revolution, resistance, and transformation (how very Sagittarian!). Incorporate it into your protest and march magick as well as other activism related pursuits.

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon of Sagittarius: Peach (Prunus persica), Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Yellow Flag Flower (Patersonia xanthina), Zinnia (Zinnia elegan), Chrysocolla, Moonstone, Peacock Ore.

Essential Oils of Sagittarius: Black Pepper (Piper nigrum), Marjoram (Origanum majorana), Nutmeg, Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Pine (Pinus sylvestris).

Photo by Andrew Robinson

The Ritual of Dangerous Questions

As healers and magick makers we not only provide relief and refuge to our communities, but we ask dangerous questions that challenge cultural norms. We ask what would happen if Black lives mattered. What would change if womxn’s stories of sexual harassment and abuse were taken seriously from the start. What would happen if the rights of the environment were considered along with the rights of people and creatures. To be able to ask dangerous questions on a cultural level, which change minds and shift narratives, we also need to know how to ask them on a personal level.

For this ritual you will need a candle as well as a pen and paper. Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). Place the candle before you and before you light it say:

Questions hidden
Wisdom hidden

Then light the candle and say:

Questions asked
Wisdom known

 Bring yourself to a meditative state where your mind is soft, your body comfortable, and your heart curious. Ask yourself, “What if?” Observe what follows. It might be a flurry of questions. It might be silence with a very tentative voice asking something in the background. After a few moments choose a few what if questions that came up for you - especially the ones that feel a mix of scary and exciting - and write them down. You can then free write under each question, continue to meditate with them, get up and dance with your question or whatever else feels good to you. Indulge your curiosity and the healing power it possesses.

When done with your ritual either let your candle burn out (if there is any left) or blow it out with the intention of lighting it again when you’re feeling resistance to asking “What if?” again in your life.

The World Spirit Tarot

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journaling.

What if I acted with reckless abandon?

Additional queries to consider:

• What problems have I been running from?
• Where am I most distracted in my life?

Tarot Cards of Sagittarius

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Sagittarius magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Sagittarius).

• The Sign of Sagittarius: Temperance
• Mercury in Sagittarius: Eight of Wands
• Moon in Sagittarius: Nine of Wands
• Saturn in Sagittarius: Ten of Wands
• The Fire Signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius: Ace of Wands

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Sagittarius by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. Check out the magick of each phase of the Moon. For those of you ready to learn how to live your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join the The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!

Depth of Power : The New Moon in Scorpio

It’s the journey that steels us.
The stumbling and
picking yourself back up,
the seeking, that staves off fear
and fills us with hope.

- Dr. Karen Tate -

The secret grin of the New Moon in Scorpio marks the end of the season of Samhain. Now we tumble headfirst into the dark. If Libra is about weighing our options, than Scorpio is about measuring our depths. A Scorpio Moon can bring heightened sensitivity to many of us and the New Moon is especially activating to our psychic centers. We find ourselves wanting to howl at the Moon, run our fingers through the starlight, and dissolve back into the earth from whence we came. The ecstatic, the erotic, the enchanted all become elevated during a Scorpio New Moon.

Even if folks don’t know much about western astrology they’ll know that Scorpio is supposed to be the sign of sex. I’m don't know the story of where Scorpio got that reputation from but it might be from the intense nature that this sign can bring out in folks. Perhaps it’s the intensity of exploration Scorpios tend to take and the resulting deaths (of ego, of expectation, of past selves) both big and little (and the subsequent rebirths). What I do know is that Scorpio is a sign of shadow work and transformation. At the New Moon in Libra we were asked to cut away the expectations of others and to choose to live our lives as we want to. Then the New Moon in Scorpio arrives and asks us, “Yes, that’s fine, but what lies beneath?”

Photo by Lyndsey Marie

Scorpio is a fixed water sign which means that it’s an ocean with no sea floor. In the mutable water sign of Pisces we are asked to feel while in the cardinal water sign of Cancer we are asked to shelter. In Scorpio we are asked to know. The depths that Scorpio takes us to aren’t always comfortable. They can feel be pressurized, yet endlessly vast, and what we thought was up is really down, what we thought was truth was really just assumption. But the mystery unfolds when it is sought and so it is the calling of Scorpio to seek. Who of us as healers has not met someone and marveled at the vastness of both their pain as well as their remarkable resilience? That is the power of Scorpio. 

Blessed Thistle (Cnicus bendictus)
The New Moon in Scorpio Plant Ally

Spiky and unexpectedly useful, Blessed Thistle is already distinguished as a Scorpio herb by the doctrine of signatures. Blessed Thistle has recorded use since ancient Greece and is a powerful bitter herb that awakens a damp and weak digestion (listen for sounds of gurgling, poor digestion of fats, as well as feelings of distention and flatulence). 

As an alterative, Blessed Thistle’s eliminatory powers are applied to the blood and acting as a purifier. In combination with its skin-opening diaphoretic properties, Blessed Thistle helps to re-establish balance or homeostasis in the body. The herb is also a nervine and can be used to relieve spastic pain and headaches, especially when brought on by nervous tension. Blessed Thistle relieves brain fog and has a markedly uplifting effect.

Blessed Thistle is a very protective herb and can be used in all sorts of charms and rituals for boundary-setting, warding, and making safe people and places. It’s an herb that helps keep us safe as we journey into our depths. Blessed Thistle also has a resonance with students, both for its medicinal use for clearing brain fog and its magickal properties in awakening the inner spark of inspiration.

Flower + Gems Essences for the New Moon in Scorpio: Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Tiger’s Eye.

Essential Oils of Scorpio: Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Black Pepper (Piper nigrum), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium).

Photo by Falco Negenman

Scrying the Depths

What better way to dive into the depths than through the ancient art of water scrying? The key to successful scrying is learning how to relax your gaze which means being able to look at a fixed point and allow your vision to grow soft and blurry around the edges. For our rite, you can focus on a specific issue that you want revelation around (such as a path of healing for a particular ailment) or simply ask to have it be revealed something that you need to know as part of your personal development as a healer.

You will need a bowl of water and candle. Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). Place the bowl of water in front of you and the candle in a place where it illuminates the water, but you cannot sees its reflection. With you intention in mind, touch your third eye and say:

Vision beyond vision,
open to me.

Touch the right side of the bowl and say:

The depths are known…

Touch the left side of the bowl and say:

And revealed to me.

Repeat this ritual sequence twice more. Press your palms together and hold them over the bowl. Open them slowly, visualizing the veil between the known and unknown parting, and the bowl acting as a portal for you to gaze through. Relax your gaze and let the images arise. 

After a period has passed and your scrying is complete, hold your hands over the bowl and slowly bring them together, visualizing the veil between the known and unknown coming back together. Touch your third eye and say:

I have seen what has been shown.

Touch the left side of the bowl and say:

The depths have revealed…

Touch the right side of the bowl and say:

What is to be known.

Ground and center, ending the right by blowing out the candle and pouring out the water (preferably outside) and saying, “Blessed be!”

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journaling.

When I gaze into my depths what is gazing back at me?

Additional queries to consider:

What emotions have I repressed that need to be honored and expressed?
How does resentment or jealously prevent me from living my dreams?

Tarot Cards of Scorpio

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Libra magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Scorpio).

• The Sign of Scorpio: Death
• The Water Signs of Cancer, Scorpio, + Pisces: Ace of Cups
• Mars in Scorpio: Five of Cups
• Sun in Scorpio: Six of Cups
• Venus in Scorpio: Seven of Cups

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Scorpio by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. Check out the magick of each phase of the Moon. For those of you ready to learn how to live your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join the The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!

Radical Harmony : The New Moon in Libra

Take a sledgehammer
to the statue
they have erected of you
fashioned by their own fancies
of how you should look,
who you should be.
Do not
ask for permission.

Smash it
into a thousand shoulds
you sweep into the dustpan.
Then stand naked
in front of your own mirror
and dress
in your softest words
of wisdom
whispering
from within.

- Kaveria Patel -

The New Moon in Libra takes to the night sky like a scythe. It is the season of Samhain (and by some calculations, Lunar Samhain) and Libra’s guardian planet of Venus arises in their form as Crone. We need the slow rumination and depth work of the Crone now more than ever in our time of quick clicks, soundbites, and the constant fear that you might not be keeping up, doing enough, being aware enough.

Libra is a sign of harmony and it’s symbol the scales of justice. The voice of Libra this season moves away from the common Libran question of “Is it fair?” to a Libra which shouts, “No justice! No peace!” For justice should be a tool of harmony and from the harmonization of conflict we hopefully arrive at the Libran vision of peace. This is the Crone’s path of unbridled, shape-shifting, core-changing harmony. As it is the season of Samhain, we must remember that it is a traditional time of reconciliation at the Witch’s New Year approaches. And what is harmony but a radical reconciliation of all our parts into an whole?

Image by Ryan Holloway

At the New Moon in Libra we have an opportunity to change that which needs changing in order to align our inner values with our outer actions. Libra is an cardinal air sign which means that it brings an energy of new starts and momentum to our lives. In pursuit of a life that feels just, that works for peace, and that feels like there is harmony between all parts of who you are,  you are being asked to not depend on what others say or think you should be doing but to instead listen deeply and unflinchingly within for that which you know needs changing. Because the Crone doesn’t do what she does because she’s worried about getting dragged on twitter. The Crone builds mountains and tears down walls because they are connected to the certainty of who they are and their purpose. Are you?

Elder (Sambucus nigra)
The New Moon in Libra Plant Ally

I’ve written about Elder many a time on this blog and it’s one of the herbs I recommend working with during for Samhain. And I just used it in my most recent tea recipe. So, I’m going to depart from the norm in this part of the New Moon Healer’s Project and focus solely on the magickal and spiritual gifts of Elder. 

Elder is traditionally classified as an herb of Venus. I see it specifically as an herb of Venus in Crone form. If you have worked with Elder, you’ve most likely met the fierce guardian spirit of the plant. As humxns we have been cultivating and using Elder since the stone age. She has raised us, kept us well, set boundaries to help keep us safe. The Elder has a decidedly take-no-fools attitude combined with a generosity of healing that is immeasurable. To sit with Elder is to say, “Ok, I don’t just want to get rid of this head cold - I want to learn about the coldness that haunts me in my heart.” And off you’ll go between the worlds (for Elder is a guardian of the gates between the worlds) and between your words and between the places you thought forgotten. 

If you’re ready to take up the scythe of the Crone in your life and cut away that which no longer serves you, add a jar of Elder berries to your altar. Sit with the Elder tree if you have one growing near you. Know that the Elder one will protect you on your journeying, but once you start down the path you must see it through to the end. For that is the promise of the Elder Mother - they’ll never abandon you, but they also won’t allow you to abandon yourself. 

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon of Libra : Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Rabbit Orchid (Thelymitra antennifera), Vervain (Verbena officinalis), Yarrow (Alchillea millefolium), Agate, Peridot, Smokey Quartz, Rose Quartz.

Essential Oils of Libra : Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum),Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii).

Photo by Oscar Keys

Cutting Cords Ritual

Whether on the New Moon or at Samhain, perform this ritual to cut away that which no longer serves you. Be the Crone in your own life and stand on the foundation of who you want to be, not who you’re expected to be.

If you have a sacred blade, scissors (silver is best) or athame, you may use those in this ritual, but they are not necessary. Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). Once grounded and centered within yourself, start to whisper:

Crone, Wise Elder,
Reveal to me
Those things which I carry
unnecessarily.

Continuing to whisper the chant, hold your hands a few inches above your body, start to move them in slow sweeping motions over all of your parts. You are feeling for the knots of energy that you carry which mark a burden that you carry that you can now release. When you find one of these knots of energy, pause from saying the chant and if you have it, take up your athame, scissors or blade. Or extend your pointer and middle finger out from your hand like a blade. Imagine slicing through the knot while saying:

I cut away that
which is no longer needed
Your presence in my life
has been completed

Repeat this charm two more times and end with a “So Mote It Be.” You can continue to say the first chant and scan your body for more knots, cutting cords as many times as is necessary. Once the rite is done, thank the Crone in your way and be sure to spend time doing gentle self-care or going to bed for the night. 

The World Spirit Tarot

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journaling.

How do I give my self-worth away?

Additional queries to consider:

• Where in my life to I bow to public pressure?
• What do I need to give up in order to be more me?

Tarot Cards of Libra

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Libra magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Libra).

• The Sign of Libra: Justice
• Moon in Libra: Two of Swords
• Saturn in Libra: Three of Swords
• Jupiter in Libra: Four of Swords
• The Air Signs of Gemini, Libra, + Aquarius: Ace of Swords

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Libra by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. Check out the magick of each phase of the Moon. For those of you ready to learn how to live your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join the The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!

Seeking Healing : The New Moon in Virgo

To the One Who Opens the door

The Door

And the Gate Keeper

And, to the One
who walks
through

- Sulis Sarasvati -

The New Moon in Virgo is the hinge of the doorway for the new season to come through. In the northern hemisphere it is time to pause and notice the leaves beginning to fall from the trees and in the southern hemisphere we listen to the seeds unfurling up towards sky. We’re not fully embedded in the new season yet, but when the Moon is born again in the sign of Virgo we find ourselves moving away from what was and the next step finding us entering into what might be. 

Image by Nibras al-Riyami

Virgo’s symbol is the Virgin (though it was almost the Donkey, which seems fitting given the signs stubborn tendency). While our modern sensibilities place the idea of the Virgin within something that is all-together willowy and damsel-in-distress-y, the original concept of Virgin was someone who was wholly unto themselves and bound to no other mortal in a relationship. The relationships of Virgins were often divine in nature, such as the Vestal Virgins who kept the fires of the Vesta burning (and were a later incarnation of Priestesses of the Greek Hestia). These sacred Virgins, however, were not just invested in keeping holy fires burning in temples and homes, but the right ordering of things in general so that the sacred fires might not only burn, but burn well so that all exposed to their light may enjoy good health (again, a nod to Virgo's need for orderliness in their environment).

The New Moon in Virgo is a time to visit your sacred temple of healing and make sure that your hearth fire is well tended (remember all that heart work you did with Leo?). Now is a time to tend lovingly to the home that you live in, both your surroundings and your body. Fill your days with nutritive herbs, digestive bitters, and kitchen spice magick. Ask yourself what it is you do to ground, center, and recuperate? Not what you plan on doing or aspire to do, but what you are actually doing in your life right now. As an earth sign, Virgo asks us what is it that you’re not getting enough of physically in order to thrive? It might be sleep, wholesome food or time away from your computer (and if that means you stop reading this right now and take a break, I support that 1000%).

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
New Moon in Virgo Plant Ally

I recommend Fennel a lot as a Virgo herb and for good reason. The plant is a great addition to teas, cooking, and even aromatherapy sprays, as a season-changing ally. Fennel helps to dissolve stagnant energy and fluids in the body which helps our inner fire move throughout our being with ease. It not only helps with digestive complaints, such as gas and poor metabolism, but the herb helps to alleviating the tension of a busy mind, relaxing tense shoulders, and having an overall softening effect on the body.

Fennel is a plant that helps us to be grounded in the pleasure of our body, especially when we feel overwhelmed. The flower essence of Fennel is one that brings happiness. More specifically it brings happiness because it offers relief from the idea of having to hold up the world with our efforts. If you’re having trouble even considering that you need to take time off and go easy during this Virgo New Moon, try some Fennel flower essence. 

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon of Virgo: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Water Violet (Hottonia palustris), Fig (Ficus carica), Vervain (Verbena officinalis), Centaury (Centaurium umbellatum), Lavender (Lavandula officinalis), Rock Water, Carnelian, Blue Aventurine.

Essential Oils of Virgo: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Caraway (Carum carvi).

Photo by Aperture Vintage

Temple Stone Ritual

The following ritual will help you create an astral healing temple that you can bring with you wherever you go. Once charged, the stone has many uses - you can bring this stone into your consultation room to help establish a healing space, evoke its energies before your daily meditation, and more.

For this ritual you will need one stone. It could be a rock from your garden or a beautiful crystal. Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). Turn to the West (or East if you’re in the southern hemisphere) and place your stone before you on the ground. Visualize healing energies of the West coming towards you, breathing them in and letting them swirl around you. When you’re ready, touch your stone, creating a link between the healing energies of the West and your rock. Turn to the North, and do the same as in the West. Continue to the East, the South, and then the Center. 

Hold your stone again. Around you is a temple of healing energy, mapped by your stone. Say:

New Moon blessing
Swing open the door
I step into healing
and love ever more.

Taking a deep breath in, visualize the energies of your healing temple being drawn completely into your stone. Seal the spell by tapping your stone on the ground in the Center, South, East, North, and finally the West.

The World Spirit Tarot

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journaling.

Where do I need healing most in my life?

Additional queries to consider:

• How do I honor the need for feeling pleasure in my body?
• What part of my life do I need to think less and do more?

Tarot Cards of Virgo

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Cancer magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Cancer).

• The Sign of Virgo: The Hermit
• Sun in Virgo: Eight of Pentacles
• Venus in Virgo: Nine of Pentacles
• Mercury in Virgo: Ten of Pentacles
• The Earth Signs of Taurus, Virgo, + Capricorn: Ace of Pentacles

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Virgo by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. Check out the magick of each phase of the Moon. For those of you ready to learn how to live your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join the The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!