The Last Quarter Moon in Cancer comes exact on October 15, 2014 at 3:12 PM EST
Click here to learn more about the Moon.
Well that was one crazy Full Moon Lunar Eclipse. I hope everyone stayed as centered and stress-free as possible. Now if we can just get through the last couple weeks of Mercury Retrograde!
On Wednesday we come to the Last Quarter, the halfway point between the Full and New Moon. This occurs when the Moon squares the Sun at a 90 degree angle. (Seen from above, the Moon is at a right angle in relation to an invisible line running from the Earth to the Sun. Here the Moon has completed 3/4 of her journey around the Earth.) In this particular phase, the Sun in cardinal air Libra will square the Moon in cardinal water sign Cancer. One half of the Moon reflects the Sun’s rays while the other remains obscured in darkness. From the Earth, we will perceive this brightness on the “left side” of the Moon.
The Moon will rise at midnight, peak at dawn and set at noon. If you view the Moon at midnight, the Sun will be positioned directly beneath your feet along another invisible line. Staring directly at the Moon during this time will align you so that you are looking out (approximately) along the forward path of Earth’s orbit around the Sun ^__^
This phase of the Moon is a checkpoint. The Full Moon provides illumination and revelations: total awareness of all that was hidden, lurking in the depths. Now we decide which information and new ideas serve us so that we may toss out the rest in preparation for the New Moon next week.
The waning light of the moon represents gradual motion towards total darkness, a return to the womb. It is wise to wait now before taking on new endeavors. Better to prepare yourself for what comes next rather than get bogged down with extra work. With every New Moon we launch the rhythm and flavor, so to speak, for the coming month. The week between the Last Quarter Moon and the New Moon is crunch time. It’s time now to wrap up any loose ends of that which was set in place with the New Moon in Libra three weeks ago.
Squares are change. We have come to a right angle, a corner, and now we choose a direction. The stress or anxiety you may feel during this phase is there to encourage decision-making. This is a time of letting go, release, forgiveness and destruction of useless internal edifices. The Moon is asking you to empty yourself. This phase falls in cardinal signs, meaning that the most attractive path will be one that initiates - indeed, your path may now be branching off in another direction. We are looking now to scrap the old and move forward with a new agenda. Thanks to the Moon in Cancer, our intuition runs at an all-time high.
The Last Quarter Moon falling in Cancer represents a conflict between our need for comfort and security and our need for compromise. Libra demands peace and harmony within the community; Cancer demands alone time and self-care. This is a dance between extroversion and introversion. The scale encourages us to be accommodating, to look out for others first. The crab would often rather retreat into its shell, tucked away safely from the external world. This is actually a very challenging square in our skies; we must honor both our heart and our voice at once. At this time our desire to curl up on the couch and ignore our surroundings speaks to the heart while the pull towards open communication and social engagements will feel more like a duty.
When the Moon transits a water sign, our energy lies in our emotional body. Expect others to be more sensitive than usual. Cancers are known for their wonderful nurturing abilities and deep love of art, music, science fiction, movies, cooking and cats. They are usually quite introverted, even if they do have a wide social circle. More so than other signs, Cancers must feel rooted in order to be happy. They enjoy reading, intimate conversations, lazy days, spending time near water, speaking from the heart, cultivating long-term relationships and taking care of everyone and anyone. Use this flowing energy to work on artistic endeavors, immerse yourself in a body of water, engage in some self-care, stay in and watch a movie, journal, catch up on sleep and practice yogic heart openers. The energy of this transit moves purposefully yet softly, like a heartbeat in the night.
If you are curious about how this transit affects you personally, please contact me for more insight. To ascertain your personal Moon sign, click here.
YOGA CHALLENGE
To connect to your inner divine femininity, try utkata konasana: goddess pose. With your feet wide on the mat, begin to bend your knees until they are roughly over your ankles. You will need to keep your feet at an angle, probably around 45 degrees, pointing toward the corners of your mat. Move the groins back, scoop the tailbone down and engage the mula bandha. Hands come up into “cactus arms” with the elbows bent at shoulder height, fingers spreading. Roll the shoulder blades down and back and press out through the outside corners of the elbows, away from the body. Root through the inner corners of your feet and even lift your toes. Namaste.
Mantra: I listen to my intuition