Dark of the Moon
New beginnings
Dark of the Moon
Plant a seed tonight
Dark of the Moon
What we envision
Will come to be
By the Full Moon’s light.
Blessings of the Leo New Moon! We prepare now to cross the threshold into the time of the first harvest – Lughnasadh.
Astrologer Lynn Hayes writes of this magical time, “The New Moon marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle – the time when the Sun and the Moon are aligned at the exact degree. It would be more accurately called the ‘Dark Moon,’ since this alignment occurs before the Moon shows the first glimpse of herself in the early crescent phase. But in any case the New Moon marks the letting go of one area of life and the beginning of a new cycle.
“As we move into the realm of Leo, we become more naturally oriented towards an awareness of our true Self and how we want it to be expressed in the outer world. Leo is the sign of nobility, and it represents the Noble Self as well as the Divine Child. Under the influence of Leo, we seek to become the best specimen of humanity that we can possibly be.”
And if you’ve been a regular visitor here for a while, you will remember that during our year of working through The Artist’s Way, I shared with you a powerful video from Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, about working with our creative daimon. Astrologer Simone Butler incorporates this wonderful presentation with the message of today’s New Moon! I hope you’ll be inspired by what she has to say.
Leo New Moon: Chasing the Daimon
by Simone Butler
In a fascinating talk on creativity, author Elizabeth Gilbert relates a story about American poet Ruth Stone. Working in the fields near her home, Stone would sometimes feel the thunderous approach of a poem— shaking the ground as it careened toward her. She’d dash for the house, says Gilbert, and hope she got to pen and paper quickly enough to write the poem down— or else it would blow by and be lost.
This notion of a creative wind that sweeps in out of the blue has ancient origins. The Greeks called it a daimon — a capricious spirit which provokes creative acts in human beings. The Romans called it genius— a spiritual possession that lights our inner fire, inspiring great works of art and acts of courage and devotion.
Yet the daimon can also be dangerous. Early Judeo-Christians were so threatened by this energy that they renamed it “demonic.” If your ego identifies with this uncanny power, you may come to believe you’re above reproach— and suffer a painful crash. (think: Anthony Weiner, Rupert Murdoch).
The daimon is associated with the sign of Leo. Fiery and willful, the Lion represents the fierce drive to express yourself. It’s the unstoppable urge to procreate, to tear your prey limb from limb, to paint a masterpiece or party till dawn despite exhaustion. Yet when balanced with Aquarius, its altruistic opposite sign, Leo transcends egotism to contribute to the collective good.
At the upcoming Leo New Moon (July 30, 11:40 a.m. PDT), the daimon will be out in force. The Sun and Moon are conjunct Venus (beauty and love), trine Uranus (genius) and square Jupiter (exuberance). And, Mercury will oppose imaginative Neptune, lending a magical, otherworldly vibe that reoccurs twice over the next month due to Mercury’s impending retrograde. It’s time to share our talents, express our love and let the daimon guide us to our heart’s desire.
Yet the daimon’s dark side may also rear its head in August. Mercury turns retrograde on Tuesday, August 2 (through the 26th) during a long void-of-course-moon that stretches from Monday evening the 1st through Wednesday morning the 3rd. Hold off on starting important projects, making purchases or decisions during this critical window of time, or you’re apt to spend the entire month of August trying to undo what you’ve done.
Mercury begins its retrograde in detail-oriented Virgo, helping you craft a creative plan at the July 30 New Moon. Mercury’s imaginative opposition to slippery Neptune, however, can also be confounding. Believe nothing and make no assumptions in early August. And, double-check all facts and details throughout the month.
Mercury moves back into Leo on Aug. 8 (where it remains until Sept. 9), amplifying the daimon’s siren call to create and express. Still, be careful not to overdo it, especially from Aug. 8 through 10, when feisty Mars squares Uranus and opposes Pluto, sparking tension or unexpected changes.
Uranus and Pluto will be one degree away from their exact square at this time; this call to revolution, which becomes exact next year and continues through 2014, hasn’t been seen since the mid-to-late Sixties, when Uranus and Pluto were conjunct. At that time, people were throwing off shackles left and right: civil rights, women’s lib, back-to-the-land, gay pride. Now we’re gearing up for the next level of liberation— and it all starts within.
Let the Leo New Moon and Mercury retrograde period reconnect you with passions and talents that may have been gathering dust. Rather than succumbing to frustration as Mercury travels backward, allow beauty and love to come to you. Welcome the restless, creative force of the daimon. You never know what might want to come through you!
~ Simone Butler © August, 2011