Crescent and First Quarter Moon

August 4 Monday
With this Virgo Moon we are prompted to initiate ritualistic preparations for an inward journey to take charge of how we rejuvenate ourselves. The stakes seem high, and any action is better than none. The Moon enters her crescent phase at 4:36 pm, MT, when much effort is needed to keep moving forward and not get stuck in the ruts of the past. If our expectations are based on what we have already experienced, then we should not be surprised if nothing new occurs. If we eliminate self-reinforcing and self-perpetuating assumptions of our familiar self, we just might stir up a new sense of who we are.

August 5 Tuesday
The Moon is in Libra presenting us with choices. We can share the plethora of masks we parade through life wearing, and we can create transparent ones that harness our aliveness in ways heretofore not displayed, an attempt to reveal a whole new self. We may need to draw on an accumulation of small changes made throughout this present year. Even though it may be a struggle to present such a new image, it is testimony to a resolve for progress. Compassion for one’s efforts can cheer one up in spite of any shortcomings or deficiencies that seem confining or restrictive.

August 6 Wednesday
With Wednesday’s Libra Moon we may feel compelled to find a balance between asserting our individuality and fitting into a group, between being practical an
d abandoning everything for an ideal, and/or between following our rational mind and our emotional gut. We are called to open to every possibility, to take it all in through our presence and participation. With a versatile stance, we can make adjustments that bring us into rapport with seemingly opposing forces in our lives. The crescent Moon represents our struggles to move beyond the familiarity of the past, and the Libra Moon offers a bridge to a novel future.

August 7 Thursday
The Moon is in Scorpio, and we may feel something deep inside us splitting open, letting some barely recognizable part of ourselves float up to the surface of our consciousness. It’s the part of us that sees change, renewal, as inevitable. Yet that part of us is at the mercy of what has come before it, of what has been desired and the kinds of boundaries carved out by the fulfillment of those desires. We have the chance to survey obstacles to our progress and uproot the life-restricting patterns that prevent exteriorizing the beautiful richness that lies in our hearts.

August 8 Friday
The Scorpio Moon links to the realities of cultural differences and assumptions today. We may feel captivated with the past and how it can be decomposed. To progress we need a clear decision to advance. The first quarter phase begins at 2:20 pm, MT. During this period we need to prove our adherence to whatever decisio
n has been made by taking the action demanded by it. The next few days may be driven by the wondrous world within us. Listen to MoonWise tomorrow on the worldwide web at ksfr.org from 2:00 to 2:30 pm, MT, for the weekend Moon Minute.

August 9 Saturday
With this Saturday’s Scorpio Moon there may be underlying messages in the ideas that our meandering minds gravitate to. Examine them for insights into the kind of renewal your soul is seeking. At 3:02 pm, MT, the Moon goes void of course, draining out the soul-cleansing waters of Scorpio. At 5:10 pm, she moves into ideal-seeking Sagittarius. Think carefully about what you want to attract. On Sunday we may feel a restlessness to grow in spite of any restraints. Time may seem to bind us and provoke us to flee into creative spaces in our psyches.

Balsamic and New Moon

July 28 Monday
Through the lens of Monday’s Gemini Moon, we may perceive the environment as chaotic and unpredictable. Agitation and defensiveness prevail as brutally frank comments erupt. Energy levels seem uneven. Connections appear to be tenuous as we leave the nest of our comfort zone or attempt to relieve ourselves of pent-up heavy emotions. Yet Gemini can be masterful at picking up on whatever is coming through intuitively and expressing what is, surprising us with some hidden truth that helps us laugh at our troubles. Then the internal pressure valve is loosened, releasing and revealing something else.

July 29 Tuesday
Last night at 9:05, MT, the Gemini Moon entered her balsamic phase, bringing up practically everything to brew up a new way. In this cycle, it’s time to find the optimal combination of caregiver and child within oneself so that one can move forward getting the desired results. There needs to be a clear shift from the immediate past to envisioning the immediate future. The Moon goes void of course at 9:25 am for almost two hours of inspirational free-association. At 11:12 am, she enters the waters of Cancer, awakening us to directions that can make our hearts sing.

July 30 Wednesday
The Cancer Moon gathers much awareness to the obligations of caretaking and compensating for inner or outer deficiencies. As a water sign Cancer follows the path of least resistan
ce. So it is best to fortify recent resolutions. Considering new habits or attitudes as working oneself out of the spell of repetitive behavior may help to break away old forms. As we are nearing a new Moon, a solar eclipse, we may feel that it is easier not to hold on to the same old patterns. There is openness to what is hidden, yet its darkness may be menacing. Accompanying this may be a fascination with what the next lesson presents.

July 31 Thursday
The Cancer Moon is void of course all morning, pouring out the comforting and uplifting waters of Cancer. This period often has a feeling of uncertainty afloat with unconscious intimations. This is not a good time to make decisions. There can be emotional confusion. Waiting until after 12:22 pm, MT, can be beneficial, as then the Moon moves into the impassioned world of Leo, creating an ambiance of excitement that feeds our imaginations. Our adeptness at fulfilling daily tasks may be energized, and we can complete the day with a sunny disposition.

August 1 Friday
The new Moon in Leo occurred at 4:13 am, MT. It was a solar eclipse awakening some deep, dark memories in our subconscious mind about how we coalesce the eternal spiritual forms of our inner life with our external reality. This eclipse season is about unveiling our personal wholeness and releasing whatever obstructs that process. We need to find ways to
express the essence of who we are and re-dedicate ourselves to letting that overflow into our ordinary lives.

August 2 Saturday
The Leo Moon is void of course until 2:59 pm, MT, when she moves into the richly ripe world of Virgo. The spirit of yesterday’s new Moon may begin to take some form, exteriorizing itself. While going about the pragmatic Saturday tasks, we may sense a shadow of some inner thoughts nudging at us. By hanging out with those thoughts, maybe even tossing them around with someone, we may find an opening to unmask more of who we are. This can bring much comfort and joy on Sunday. Especially if we allow ourselves not to lean back on our past but to springboard into renewing the gift of ourselves in service to others.