Exactly one year ago—August 21, 2021 at 3pm—I cued up Solar Power and pressed send on the very first Substack edition of moon missives.
My decision to move to Substack was not exactly planned. I wasn’t sure where this was going to go. I just woke up one morning and thought “I’m ready to do this.” I knew it was time. Many had been asking me for a way to support my writing in a consistent way, and I was happy to respond to that need. I was also excited to take this project to the “next level” if you will.
Whether you’ve been here since the very first moon missives email in 2016, or you’ve just recently joined the party, thank you for being here! It means the world to me that we’re on this journey together. If you’re not yet a paid subscriber, but you are someone who gets a little thrill every time one of these emails hits your inbox (I prepare each one as a gift for you!), I’d love if you would consider becoming one. For the cost a dirty chai with oat milk at your favorite café ($7/month), you’re allowing me to devote more of my time to this project of tracking the planetary tides and offering insight on how to live life astrologically. The more paid subscribers there are, the more energy I can put into weekly writing here, and also on writing a book! Truly! The dream! We’re currently at 72 paid subscribers. Can you help me bring that number up to 100?
Here’s what I can promise you for that support. For the coming year of moon missives,
Paid subscribers will receive:
-Access to a discount code (refreshes quarterly) for full length astrology readings with me (first will be offered at the New Moon in Virgo on 8/27)
-Meditations & horoscopes for every New Moon; these dispatches will include a guide to the major transits of the upcoming lunar cycle so you can plan accordingly
-Detailed guides around planetary ingresses to help you look back & forward with greater perspective
All subscribers will receive:
-Meditations (& usually horoscopes) for every Full Moon
-weekly dispatches on Fridays with whatever I’m into sharing in that moment about my life lived astrologically
Finally, if you’re unable to support with $$ right now (trust me, I get it), I encourage you to share this email with your rich friend (jk but not) or just spread the word to friends. Honestly, what I’m most excited about is to keep growing!
OK now that we’ve gotten through the BIG PITCH & housekeeping, let’s talk about the astrology of moon missives on Substack, and some of my favorite pieces that came out of this last year!
One thing I know to be true is that everything has a birth chart. People. Countries. Art projects. The very first moon missives email was sent on June 4, 2016 (during a very chaotic mutable grand cross) and I do consider the chart of that moment to be the true “birth chart” of moon missives as a whole. But I also think the chart of the moon missives Substack launch speaks to how this project has evolved over the course of the last year. It’s the chart of the level up. It’s the chart of the moon missives Wedding Day.
The chart for the moon missives Substack launch is Sagittarius rising ruled by Jupiter (retrograde) in Aquarius in the 3rd house of regular communication and episodic structures. The moon is also in the 3rd house, waxing toward full in Aquarius, and applying to a conjunction with Jupiter—planet of luck, relief, and possibility. Moon-Jupiter is an aspect of pop stars and troubadours (as well as pop star troubadours like Bob Dylan and Jenny Lewis). Moon-Jupiter is about inspired belonging. Expansive familiarity. You go to the bar and everyone knows your name. The moon and Jupiter are also co-present with Saturn, planet of discipline, structure and responsibility.
I’m proud of the way moon missives has evolved over the past year to include more personal writing. More Moon-Jupiter writing. This project is much more sustainable when it’s less of a horoscope factory and more of a poetic record of a life lived astrologically. Though at first I was nervous I’d lose subscribers by starting to talk about my own experiences, I discovered that the opposite was true. This was especially evident in the fact that this year’s most popular post was “Venus Retrograde Cazimi” —a deep dive into my own Venus cycle stories.
Next up: the Sun. The Sun, of course, is in Leo. Showy. Bright. Proud. Maybe a little self obsessed. Leos lead with confidence. Love their special people fiercely. In some ways, Substack was a bold departure for moon missives. I was taking a chance that you wanted to see and hear more from me. It was a move a Leo would make.
The Sun is also in the 9th house in the chart—a place I associate with “legacy” and “the great work.” One of the larger projects I’m working on “behind the scenes” is about The Sopranos. In the coming year, I want to share more of that with you on this platform. The first taste of which came in horoscopes I wrote for January’s Full Moon in Cancer.
Another thing we must talk about when we talk about moon missives on Substack is Venus. Venus is in Libra and sits right on the Midheaven or the most public facing part of the chart. Many of the most popular posts—including “Exalted Venus Baby”— have been about Venus. I also enjoy sending updates on Fridays, or Venus Day.
The final (for now) thing I want to point about the chart of moon missives on Substack has the lunar nodes in Gemini and Sagittarius right on the ascendant/descendant axis — the part of the chart that most has to do with the “self” and the “other.”
The final standout of the year was “On Eclipse Season”—a piece I wrote about the “correction of fate” that is Bennifer (now! married! officially!) that was also a deep dive on previous Taurus/Scorpio eclipse cycles. This is an example of a piece that was “of the moment” but can be revisited again and again as the story of these eclipses expands, contracts, complicates, and bubbles to the surface.
I’m excited to see how moon missives continues to evolve and how that’s reflected in the chart in the coming year. The Midheaven—most public facing part of the chart—is in the 11th house of friends, dreams, networks, and audience. When I see this in a person’s birth chart, it usually correlates with the “career” or “vocation” being more about collaboration, teamwork, and working within a community. In the next year, I want to live that part of the chart more fully. Meaning I want to hear more from you.
I’ll be starting more threads on here to discuss events around certain transits and astrological ideas. Also if there’s something you’d love for me to write about (or write more about), don’t hesitate to reach out. I want to respond to your curiosities.
Until next time xoxo, Jaime