Say hello to your inner perfectionist or peacock this Moon cycle. They show up so you can free yourself from their petty tyrannies. Mars trine Uranus helps us break the shackles. There is a caution label with that Mars, though. Aggressive over reaction carries a cost. Towards that goal, Mars opposite Neptune invites a more intuitive and organic path to the freedom that awaits. Venus is still retrograde square to Uranus, so you may be a bit shocked to discover sudden changes in your feelings. They show up in waves. So rather than racing in fueled by self righteousness, try a little body surfing instead.
Now here is the next bit. Pride can be ‘an important satisfaction taken from ones accomplishments’. It feeds and nourishes us when we dare to do hard things. We feel good about ourselves on the other side of the challenge and know more about who we are. The shadow side comes out when we haven’t challenged ourselves so we instead puff up around an accumulation of things or stories to feed our insecurities.
The trick is to not stay stuck in preening over the past. At some point a risk is required in present time. Perfectionism can also be a good side step from risk and creativity. A healthy dose helps to craft a life we feel proud of, while an unhealthy dose keeps us from trying to reach it. Or keeps us fixated on details, endlessly preparing but not doing. It’s one way to ensure we don’t grow or risk. There is an old saying ‘perfection is the enemy of good’.
Trying for the unattainable distracts and keeps us future focused. Where does perfection need a redefinition in your world? Where pride shows up is another good place to check in and redefine. Take an ego reading. Add kindness and honesty. Do you have a good mix of things to give your confidence to move forward, knowing that you can make mistakes and learn from them. The better you are at self validation on legitimate effort, the less likely you are to get caught in loops that keep you from taking the risks worthy of the life you want.
The second half of August has a sprinkling of volatile emotional storms (and some physical ones). Where do you house those big feelings in your life? And, how much story do you attach to them when they show up? Big stories can hide the subtler cues the body gives you. Because emotions are like a dashboard. They give you good information to navigate life.
So as emotions are dialed up this month, especially check in on where pride and perfection are in the mix. Sometimes all the feelings need is acknowledgement and curiosity to help calm storms rather than avoiding or feeding them. When you make healthier space for them within yourself, you are less likely to find yourself at their mercy. The Cards and Stars will help and your community will thank you. I know I do…
Thank you,
Lisa Greenfield
8/16 Leo New Moon ace of cups
This Ace reminds us to have a sense of our own worth. Now, that seems like it is a no brainer, right? But imbalance comes about from lack of self esteem. That lack then prompts us to accumulate what we think is missing. When we get stuck on that track, we can over-correct and stockpile. It feels like life can be a teeter totter of too much and too little. So rather than getting stuck on accumulation or scarcity, why not reposition the gaze on flow. The definition of flow is ‘a steady or continuous stream or current’. Well, we have lots of current to work with this Moon cycle. In fact, it’s hard to miss the deluge of feelings.
Rather than a feeling of overwhelm, find your particular currents and ride them. Don’t worry if those pesky little distractors of pride and perfectionism try to stop you. There is no ‘getting it right’ right now. With Mars opposing Neptune, there is no clarity to be found. In fact, Mars is invisible in the night sky until next May. So the sum total of your actions will be largely out of view until then. But when they do come into view, it’s with a much bigger picture than you could ever achieve trying to map the perfect path to get there.
Yes, for right now, confusion is your friend. It’s the hallmark of being in unfamiliar territory. Which means YOU ARE GROWING. When you don’t try to think your way there, the body, heart and intuition can inform more of your choices. Remember, the Moon and then Sun square Uranus. That combination is like a chick pecking your way out of the shell that kept you safe so long. It’s a work in progress. One choice at a time the barriers between you and a new world fall. This ace says success and abundance come through intuitive creativity bit by bit. Plus, you are going to make mistakes. At the end, the mistakes will be the price you pay for learning new things. And those things will be worth the risk.
8/17 the devil
The Moon in Virgo opposes Saturn as the main aspect today. It carries a ruthless efficiency that values less emotion and more precision. Except there may be a backlash from this kind of behavior. Feelings don’t bend to the will of the mind. The will is definitely helpful when it comes to mastering our unchecked outbursts. So this card reminds us that some of the greatest blow ups happened because things built to an unsustainable level before they go sky high. So the big storms this cycle is a chance to both let off some internal steam carefully and keep things from going kablooey.
This means get acquainted with tension operating behind the emotional wave. The Devil can mean things are hidden from view. Dark smoldering thoughts we don’t want to own, let alone admit to having, are there out of easy view. Why not ask your higher mind to show you what you don’t see. You can add direction. I insist my mind pace what it shows me, so I don’t wind up swamped. Then I can sit with those pesky little envies, self pity or judgements and put a little sunlight on them to banish the rot. They are acknowledged so they don’t fester and leak in around a nice facade. Be kind to yourself, please. I’ve found the best people have a few rotten spots. The very best know it, own it and help you navigate around theirs. What a worthy goal, right?
8/18 three of swords
What I love about this three is that is follows the Devil card. This combination says when you confront your demons you right size them in your life. They no longer have you stuck in addictions, sorrow and loss. The shadow side of this combination says, prepare to lose what you fixate on because it’s keeping you from flourishing. So, you can lose the things that keep you stuck OR what keeps you stuck will make sure you lose what matters. It’s your choice. Hint, find a comfy safe space, take some times and name your demons. Then mentally park them in a chair at the edge of the room. They get to be present but they aren’t your decision makers. Don’t give them the wheel, give them a chair. Good job…
8/19 ace of pentacles
Wow, the second Ace in the Moon cycle appears. Two Aces are union. Guess what? Integration comes when you recognize and acknowledge all the different bits of you. And a whole you is capable of so much life it’s hard to describe and do it justice. This Ace means take it a step at a time. It’s literally the image of an acorn and mighty oak in some Tarot decks. Out of little steps come big results. So trust you are on a rich and rewarding path, no matter what it looks like at the moment. If you need support, find a picture of acorns and oaks (or a real acorn) and keep it handy. Nothing like touching a very real example of what can come with patient nurturing over time.
8/20 the emperor
We need a little help from this Emperor today. He announces we can set a confused life in order successfully. To do that we have to look at where our wounded self (Chiron) is opposite Ceres. This means we feed ourselves stories of disempowerment instead or calling on the courage or strength we needed to get through our history. With Venus and the Moon in cozy conversation, it may help to call on a friend. Retell your sore point with kind eyes there to support you. Use them to help reframe the story and see you in it from a better point of view.
You can call on that reframe tonight and do it for yourself when the Moon opposes Chiron and reminds you how much the old hurts fed our stories. But then the Moon meets up with Ceres after Sundown to help us nourish ourselves with our new view of history and a much better way of seeing ourselves. When you do it again for yourself, you are making it part of a new habit. Now when the sore point aches, you know just the thing to do to tend it. Practice makes progress, because we don’t need perfection bogging us down, right…
8/21 five of swords
Hello self doubt. This pesky five carries a reminder that creativity scars are there inside each one of us. The phrase to keep handy is that the mistake is far less important than what you do after you make it. Pay attention to what your coping mechanism is around perceived ‘failures’. Do you over or under function when you feel you fall short? There is an internal power struggle taking place today.
We have the Moon opposite Eris (Chaos) and square to Pluto. If you can and do confront your doubts with a firm and loving approach, the Moon trine Saturn promises you get results that last. So what will it matter what your mistake is, when you use it to build resilience and your courage. Most of our oops moments will matter about as much as how old you were when you were potty trained. Rarely has that had a lasting place of importance in anyone’s life. What matters more is what you do next. So doubt your doubts and know you can create out of chaos. In fact, it’s a rich bed of opportunity to head in a new direction.
8/22 five of pentacles
Hmmm, two fives together signals personal uncertainty. What’s fascinating is we have a whole host of aspects that can create the opportunity to over indulge, over spend, and basically over compensate. Watch out for the dopamine rush of a purchase. It can fuel a buying frenzy in search of that natural high. The challenge is we use a cheap fix to side step dealing with our uncertainty. This five says that fix is going to cost you much more than it gives you. This is a great time to clean out. It’s easy to underestimated how important it is to start with a clean slate.
Why not take a good look at what substitutes you use to feel better about yourself. We all have them somewhere in our coping mechanisms. I inevitably go learn something new to get my ‘fix’ when I feel low self esteem flooding. It’s been a great way to expand my skill set but it’s gone beyond being helpful and is now more expensive because I can’t always retrieve what I want from an overstocked mind. I’ve paid for knowledge with time and money that sits idly in some remote wrinkle in my brain. So it is time to rework my approach. You are welcome to join me in your version of this. No quick fixes will do…
8/23 Lovers – Mercury retrograde
The Sun moves into Virgo just a couple hours into the day while Mercury in Virgo goes retrograde. While plans and projects may hit snags or a pause, it provides a wonderful opportunity for internal reflection. Remember this Moon cycle is square Uranus and some surprises come out of the closet. Some of the surprises can be when we claim more of those disowned shadow bits. Or, some of them can be fresh and exciting new desires unleashed.
Because Venus Retrograde began at the degree of the King Star, Rigel, we can elevate what we want. What that means is their is a noble expression for each and every desire we have. That’s noble in the sense of excellent or fine quality. Which begs the question, why do we settle for less than fine quality? This Mercury Retrograde gives you a chance to explore where and why you settle for less than the highest expression of what you desire? The Lovers, when it’s with the Ace of Cups from the New Moon, means true love. (Caution, the King Star also brings Justice to those who misuse power, so keep it clean as you go after the dream.)
True love encompasses the whole of both parties. When added together, it exceeds the simple addition of one plus one. It heralds the beginning of a whole new life as the third entity. So one plus one can equal three, which is the magic of true love. Which includes your relationship with yourself. When you examine, know and own all the bits of you, then true love ennobles whatever comes through you. And since we know love is transformative, what a marvelous promise from this Mercury Retrograde. So have patience with delays and pauses. You can use them to put yourself in the best possible internal space for whatever you create.
8/24 prince of cups
We have a powerful line up today to help us make progress in what we love. Which is what this Prince carries – advances in love. So whether it’s the new relationship unfolding within you or it includes those outside of you, transformation is at hand. The Moon in Sagittarius brings higher wisdom to the Sun in Virgo and Saturn in Pisces. That T-square of a configuration means that change is unavoidable. Watch for the perfectionism of Virgo and ego/pride of Sagittarius. Because Saturn in Pisces says all feelings matter. What you do with them reveals you to yourself and the world. You can’t get this wrong… feel it, shape it, live it.
8/25 king of swords
This King is the wise counselor and one of those could come in handy today. The aspects require the big picture view this King excels at bringing. It’s just too easy to slip back into familiar patters of might is right instead of might makes right. Mars trine Pluto helps us see where the power struggle is just a teeter totter. We can be up one minute and down the next but we never get anywhere battling for supremacy. We just go up and down, over and over. What a colossal waste of time, when history proves that ‘power over’ never lasts.
Being yourself, authentically, mistakes and all, is power. Not being at the mercy of another and also not putting them at the mercy of you, that is freedom. The very definition of this New Moon Cycle is to free us up. From what may vary, but free you can be with a little applied effort. Dig in on where you feel stuck. Be willing to do things even just a little different and see how it lands. Course correct as you go because you get feedback from how it feels. Follow what feels ennobled, of high quality. Hip check any story that has you trade immediate results because you’ll settle for a little something now instead of risking for more later. Keep that big picture in mind. It offers an expansive vista with options that can delight you.
8/26 three of cups
This three coming close to the Prince and Lovers reminds us to beware of gossip. An early Moon square Mars can have us pay a hefty price for rash words. Brene Brown says we judge what we ourselves struggle with, but we are doing better in the moment. When you gossip, often we are working out our issues but at the expense of someone else. Like toothpaste in a tube, once you put the words out there, it’s very hard to get them back.
If you feel the need, or start to do it, try this. What’s behind the need to speak less than kindly about someone else? Where do you feel less than and want to verbally stand on top of someone else to feel bigger? When you see gossip as a cry for your own attention to a sore spot, you can help alleviate your pain and save someone else their’s from our words. The aspects today can have us judging ourselves harshly, which doesn’t help. Kiss your own booboo, so you don’t inflict one on someone else. Forgive yourself if you slip and make amends and/or do better. You’ll feel safer in a world where this kind of respect is present.
8/27 chariot
We get a mixed bag of aspects today that have us expand then contract, expand then contract. The Chariot says don’t decide things too soon, because you are on track for the big win! Whether the inner critic shows up to try to muscle us back into safe space, or someone around us felt the need to improve their self image at our expense, you can move through it and claim the high ground for yourself. The sweet spot is when you move deliberately through the day.
Check in with what works and what doesn’t. Be willing to adjust what you do as you fine tune directions through your body’s feedback. This is why rushing works against you. You race past on ramps and off ramps only to double back once you realize it. Why make things harder or take longer because you hurried when you didn’t need to do it. Rushing is self limiting. Notice if it comes up and talk yourself down. If you are a night owl, watch out for over reach around midnight. Enthusiasm is good, just don’t pair it with action in the wee hours unless you can face the clean up that follows.
8/28 The star
As we edge up on the Pisces Blue Moon at the end of this month, we have six planets in retrograde. This includes the three outer planets along with Saturn, Mercury and Venus. The Star card is the promise of dreams come true. But they happen because of your efforts. With so much retrograde motion, introspection is pretty much mandatory for progress. At the heart of what makes you life worthwhile there is more of you to excavate. Venus Retrograde says get clear on what you really desire and what delights you. Mercury retrograde points out where your interpretation of the world and how you communicate that colors everything. Saturn retrograde reminds us that boundaries and limitations reveal what is worth working for and where our edges meet the world.
Then the three outer planets retrograde (Uranus starts it’s backwards trek today) means you have global company as you walk through these foundational, epic changes to the very structure of your world. When you walk through your chapter in history deliberately, carefully, and kindly you really do contribute to a better Earth. Each thoughtful decision and action contribute a rich thread to the fabric of time and place. The Star is a good reminder that we are made up of much the same stuff as what we wish on at night. What a good thought to go to sleep on, right? Not only do you wish on a star, you are the very thing that makes the wish come true. So wish, act, dream, do and rest while you contemplate all the stardust that is you…
8/29 six of pentacles
What I love about this wrap up of the current Moon cycle is a theme of flow. What you give out determines the quality of what you receive back. The Moon opposite Venus can actually make it easier to receive now with fewer walls up. It can also reveal patterns where we’ve been passive about speaking up for where we feel things are unevenly distributed. How well do you give, how well do you receive. Think of compliments as an easy example. What resistance do you have to giving or getting them? Time to shake it up.
I know, status quo can be so seductive. The Moon makes hard contact with Jupiter and Uranus to shake us out of old habits. But watch for repressed feelings that need a big story to justify finally speaking up. Can you leave the story behind and look for a vulnerable ask instead? Check for anything that stands between you and knowing what you want, but don’t overcorrect today! Better to clean up what blocked the ask first! Find the pressure point and work backwards until you reach that request that couldn’t be voiced and then ensure those reasons go away. The story is likely a holdover from days past. See that and you’ve just snaked the drain on receiving and giving from easy flow.
