Full Moon Report: Barn Dance, Mary Magdalene's Day, Election Astrology & More!
Independence Day aligned with Dark Moon in Cancer, water sign of home and nurturing. Perfect time for solitary retreat to honor my own radical remission and independence from the medical merry-go-round. I reveled in a long overdue day of fasting and rest, embracing the power of sacred pauses to catalyze healing, transformation, and opportunity in myself and in the world. At New Moon in gregarious Leo I set intentions, though no plans, to celebrate Full Moon two weeks later, in Capricorn, an Earth sign relating to history and tradition, problem-solving and mountain climbing.
As it turned out, weekend celebrations manifested spontaneously and spectacularly, starting quietly Friday night with You Can Heal Your Life, the classic movie about Louise Hay’s healing journey and superlative success helping people heal and founding Hay House publishing. Now a beloved ancestor, she’s inspired me for decades. (Whisper: I may even aspire to be a Hay House author someday with my book on Reiki practice, or perhaps one on the Priestess Path…)
The Saturday night barbecue at our neighbors’ farm was initiated by the need for rennet, a bovine stomach enzyme that turns milk into cheese. As you may imagine, there’s one way to get it, so our neighborhood dairy cow’s calf offered the centerpiece for delicious potluck replete with garden veggies, berries and maple treats, gratefully shared by many families.
The historic barn is a rural cathedral where several homesteaders can store winter hay, as we did several years, and not even crowd the dance floor. The hay loft sound system carried faintly down the road to our house, but didn’t overpower pleasant conversation en plein air, a moment of heated political debate, and thrilled shrieks of trampolining children.
This was my second dance party of the summer, a month and a half after Holy Woman community’s New Moon ceremony exactly a year and a day since my hysterectomy. I bounced and twirled with deep gratitude for complete recovery from cervical cancer and increasing strength. Caring community continues to be powerful medicine on my healing journey.
It’s hard to choose one Sunday highlight. Proud mama confession says it could be gathering under a gorgeous weeping birch to share a delightful picnic from Burlington’s Henry Street Deli, owned and run by my son, Mojo, and his partner, Jordan.
It might be Flower Communion in friends’ glorious gardens. Our Spiritualist circle has adapted this Unitarian ritual celebrating the beauty of diversity in community, created by Norbert Capek, a Czech religious freedom martyr of World War II.
Any other day, the pinnacle might be a Lake Champlain swim in nearly bath warm green waves so clean we could see our feet wading almost to buoyed boats.
Driving home through South Barre, we even witnessed a young bear galloping across the highway in front of us - chased by a turkey!
But Luna truly amazed me with Her abundant blessings Sunday night, and Moonshine wasn’t the only reason I was up late, then almost too excited to sleep.
After dinner, a quick Facebook check showed Joe Biden’s ad announcing his endorsement of Kamala Harris for President. I almost consulted Snopes, but NPR convinced me it was real.
Our Vermont Representative Becca Balint heralded Vice President Harris as a “game changer” and nailed the race as now “a prosecutor running against a convicted felon.” As ironic as it is iconic.
It’s not “anointing” or “coronation” - words I’ve seen carelessly thrown around. Isn’t this just another tragic example of denying a woman credit where it’s due? Harris won her position as the first female, Black and Asian-American Vice President through the political process after years of hard work in the legal system. She wasn’t simply selected suddenly by party leaders: voters chose her as half the Biden-Harris 2020 ticket and again in the 2024 primaries - as his running mate and potential successor.
The worldwide women’s peaceful revolution is rising and this chapter begins here. They aren’t giving it to us, nor are we seizing power from men. We’re banishing this evil glass barrier together, for good. Joe Biden has helped to open the door for Kamala Harris, as for Barack Obama, to cross the threshold by their own strength and achievement.
Biden may not be the most brilliant or flashy politician, nor my favorite over his decades in office. Yet to be fair, he may well end up a historic hero, not by hoarding glory but by making room for others. Great leaders listen to capable, intelligent advisors who serve their oaths and the wider community, not just themselves. They don’t dominate or exploit, they empower - more like mothers and teachers, not megalomaniacs and tyrants.
It takes courage and wisdom to step aside and let someone else rise. Cowards cling to power at all costs, desperately dependent on oppression and manipulation. Conceding graciously doesn’t make one a loser. Refusing to do so does.
I’m hopeful despite the precarious situation that remains, regardless of the election outcome. I believe the danger of political violence is real, and will depend on the peaceful, powerful work to strengthen our communities and democratic processes now and for years to come.
The Harris Campaign raised almost $50 million overnight, including my tiny donation, creating the biggest day ever for ActBlue. By Monday night over $100 million smashed previous presidential fundraising records. I’m excited to campaign more vigorously than since Mondale & Ferraro ran, when I wasn’t old enough to vote but knew I wanted a woman elected!
Astrologer Steve Judd said months ago neither Biden nor Trump will be candidates in November. When I heard that, it felt right. As crazy as things are, I’m not worried. I feel she will prevail. We will prevail. Peace will prevail and democracy will mature through this struggle, though not quickly or easily. This is a very grave test of our commitment to justice, freedom, literal safety and survival for many. The stakes are that high, and if we lose this chance, it will be a long time coming again. We’ve played this movie for millennia.
Monday in Priestess Presence Temple, we honored the Feast Day of Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles and Jesus’ chosen successor, rejected by male disciples after his death. She was a powerful priestess, not a fallen woman. Church patriarchs conjured that lie in 591 BCE. The rest, as they say, is history.
Now it’s time to tell herstory, the truth about women’s leadership, value and contributions, to thwart the impending Inquisition. The alternative to President Harris is Project 2025, or as I call it, Project 1525 because that’s the historical era where it belongs, not in our future.
As August dawns, I intend to retreat again with the Dark Moon in Cancer, the sign that birthed this lunar cycle. Then both New Moon and Sun in Leo invite us to “let our light shine ... appreciate other's unique stories,” and to "Gather ... to celebrate and share bounty," just in time for Lughnassad, golden late summer Celtic harvest festival of competition and camaraderie.
Democrats convene a fortnight later, under the Full Moon in Aquarius, the sign that "calls us to the circle ... reminds us of the sacredness of collaboration and collectivity.”
May it be so. We have deep, profound healing work ahead of us and no time to lose. Blessed be.
Steve Judd:
We’Moon 2024: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn:
Comments