Hallo bb!
Welcome to the first edition of the balsamic moon bulletin: what’s intended to be both a wrap up of the previous lunar cycle and a preview of the next one. My intention is that this helps you both review where you’ve been and plan ahead for what’s to come.
I’m biased (was born during this phase) but the balsamic moon is my favorite part of the lunar cycle. Just before the new moon, it’s a time for reflection, wrapping up and integrating. It’s a few days where the best thing to do is creatively float and imagine while you also wash the floors, tidy the desk, do some laundry, and close out projects. But also: when all else fails, take a nap.
I have long had a practice of what I call “working naps” which is when, in the midst of working on a big project, I look over my notes and then close my eyes for 15-30 minutes with the intention that what I’m struggling to complete will work itself out in the unconscious realm. I think this idea originally came from my mom telling little kid me that the best time to study for a test was right before bed. Something about the information coalescing in your brain overnight. I actually feel most like myself when my life includes these working naps, knowing that things are both full and slow. The balsamic moon part of the cycle each month is for this kind of rest. And this month? Oh lorde do we need it.
Review of the Last Lunar Cycle
Do you remember the New Moon in Cancer on July 17th? It seems like a long time ago now. So much has happened since then. We had the nodes switch into Aries and Libra on the same day, followed by Mars opposing Saturn on the 20th, Venus stationing retrograde on the 22nd and Chiron stationing retrograde on the 23rd. All that before we even got to the first quarter moon phase on the 25th. Mercury entered Virgo (where they will remain until early October) on the 28th and with that, we finished setting the stage for the rest of the summer.
The New Moon in Cancer was a major catalyst, one that allowed us to switch gears and refocus priorities in a way that’s been craved for a long time now. But with all that change comes adjustments and the pain of letting go. The Full moon in Aquarius on August 1st was less of a show and more a chance to arrange and integrate (especially with Mercury and Mars in Virgo acting as a Producer and Project Manager on the scene). What assignments became clear around this time and have you started working on them?
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