New Moon Journal

Join the fishes- a call for Pisces SoulCollages®

I jet off this week to San Francisco attending the SoulCollage® Facilitators Training with Seena Frost. Last two times I registered we had hurricanes and a family illness, so this is a long time in the making, and I am so excited! Monday I was busy making SoulCollage® cards (7) from collected images (posted throughout this article and on the Flickr badge below). I am sure I’ll have more to write about at the Full Moon when I return.

Up next the call goes out for collages representing Pisces….the Pisces SoulCollages are due March 2, 2007. “I am the One who weaves my dream with Spirit.” The Sun moved into Pisces on Sunday February 18th. Mercury is retrograding in Pisces to Aquarius until March 7th. So what’s Pisces all about:

Here is where total commitment must be made to proceed with what, until now, has been only a vision, but what could eventually become a reality. In Pisces, you are encouraged to walk into the unknown even though there is not proof that what you seek could or ever will exist.

The experiences met in the house of Pisces are often considered karmic in the sense that you are confronted with your past. Pisces represents the power of positive thinking, psychic abilities, unselfish love and a willingness to help when help is needed even if personal sacrifices must sometimes be made. Idealistic, spiritual, sensitive, giving and compassion are all attributes of the sign. Escapism, wishy-washy, fearful, and unrealistic tendencies should be avoided. Faith should not be confused with escapism. ~ Brenda Brush

Where is Pisces in your chart? How are you called to express this energy? Your birth chart shows your own biorhythm. Astrology is an ancient symbolic language- the planetary movements (archetypal forces) are the time keepers for your life's journey. Working earthy Virgo area of one's life allows us to expand outward, because we are grounded and rooted to the earth. Then we can reach out and touch the stars (Pisces). In Pisces we learn to walk the razor’s edge being both human and divine. Pisces represents:

• Imagination, Confusion and Chaos, unconscious fears
• Inner Happiness- Bliss, Ecstasy, Universal Love
• Psychic Sensitivity- Gentleness, Mystical States, escapism
• Trust- Surrender- Channeling of Spiritual Power
• Spiritual Healing-Meditation-Inner Peace, Angelic Assistance
• Compassion-Forgiveness, Understanding, Tolerance, Acceptance
• Releasing Helplessness- characterized by. . .
• Victim Mentality, Procrastination, Panic Attacks, Addiction
• The spinal column, nerve fibers, feet, pineal gland, telepathic functions, white corpuscles of the blood, kinesthetic functions.
• Pisces represents the flow of life, the living waters.  When I follow my own flow, I know what I know and there is no need to defend. My walls are dropped, I am at peace. I am

Since this is the month of my birth, it’ll be fun to see how each of us takes the Pisces Mysteries deeper into our lives through story and art.

I am discovering too that some women need to start their first few new moon SoulCollages closer to the New Moon date, because the energy is more present to them. Once they 'see' the wisdom after making a couple of cards around the New Moon, they relax into the process and it starts to unfold. Why is this?

It’s a new form of creating (astrology and/or SoulCollage®)…your rational self just doesn’t grok it, and/or doesn’t want to let go. And that’s okay. We all have a part of our psyche that just wants to stay in control, and over think things (anti-Pisces). There are those who like to be looky-loos (Marge Simpson), they keep on observing and hesitate diving in (I’m not artistic, I don’t know how). The voice you hear may be your own fear around revealing too much, it’s not safe or a voice that screams “I just don’t know what to do!!” Maybe collage the fear voice (Pisces rules unconscious fears). Here are some good Pisces journaling questions:

1. How am I  staying cloaked, afraid to come out and express my inner talent?
2. How am I trying to do too much too soon?
3. How am I not moving out on my path?
4. How am I locked into the paths of others, rather than pursuing my own dreams?
5. How am I ignoring my own illuminations?

As the New Moon approaches you may find all that stuck energy flies out the window and you just start creating. Suddenly your SoulCollage® image is right on the money for what the energy is all about. Has that happened to you?

I have witnessed many on the Kaleidoscope Yahoo group unconsciously create collages celebrating the new moon (chakra, color, images and stories) without even knowing about moon energies. These women don’t know about the Moon or her energies, but the colors, stories and art are definitely reflecting the astrology of the moment. And that to me is so awesome!

Astrology is a sacred language of symbols and metaphor with an inherent mystery. SoulCollage® speaks to your own mystery… we may not understand but intuitively fall into the tapestry of it all… for all of us are re-membering and expressing our story within, in a very sacred way... That is a profound journey. No judgments, no deadlines. The deadline is only for those who’d like to take the opportunity to have their cards showcased at the New Moon.

So whether you make the Pisces deadline or not, still cut, paste and create. Send me your SoulCollage® images and aha’s (now or six months from now); eventually you’ll establish your own rhythm to the New Moon SoulCollage® process. Because it is just that, you tapping into your own flow, creating healing stories that problem solve and empower you in your daily life. And that happens on nobody’s schedule but your own. ***smile***

Images in this post were created through the SoulCollage process by Michele Lessirard. Check out the rest of the images posted on Flickr.

www.flickr.com

When does Mercury retrograde in 2007?

Mark your 2007 calendars because here are the Mercury Retrograde Periods for 2007:

• February 13- March 7 2007 Mercury retrograde begins at 11 degrees of Pisces.
• June 15-July 9 2007 Mercury retrograde begins at 12 degrees of Cancer.
• October 11- November 1, 2007 Mercury retrograde begins at 10 degrees of Scorpio.

Notice that these retrograde periods in 2007 all occur in water signs. The element of water in astrology relates to emotions- the emotional body. Mercury is an air sign. Water and air. Mercury is the mediator. One good solution for a Mercury retrograde is to download and watch this video The Secred-to you. I wonder...

Part 3- SFC*- huff and puff and can't blow your house in

Michele’s To Do List:

• Garage Make-over like HGTV’s Garage Organization Tips
• Tackle project like pros on Mission Organization
• Get the house “Designed to Sell”
• Coordinate PGT Hurricane Window installation.
• Replace canvas window awnings destroyed by Hurricane Wilma.
• Clean and repair leaking roof.
• Select new color scheme for house exterior.
• Paint roof and house.

Read Part 1 *Michele's Summer Fun Camp here.
Read Part 2 here.

Some might be asking "why is she writing this when her blog is about the New Moon?" Well this New Moon in Virgo is about editing and sorting, organzing and getting day to day routines in place for work and health. And if I can tackle what seems to be an impossible project, maybe you too can break through the resistance and bust some clutter. Week Four: Wish I could've found my digital camera to take before pictures, but here’s a shot of one wall, the entrance everyone uses to go inside the house. Before paint-ugly isn’t it. First thing Monday morning I run back over to Plantation Building department to extend POD permit for another two weeks. Takes four hours, so many contractors and so few city employees- I count three working at various speeds. I notice many men send their wives with kids. Good news as I sit and wait I hear the city challenging contractors on their licenses and insurance. Good for us. Lines are not moving fast enough for me, it's a hurry up and wait....don't they know my puppy needs to be walked. No problem she didn’t soil crate. Roxy is settling in nicely. Now roof leaking in Family Room with all the rain, dripping down wood blinds on Dear Husband as he watches TV. Before roof can be repaired it needs to be cleaned. Arrange for Ultimate Power Wash to come and clean roof prior to roof repairs. Ultimate Wash guy wants tree branches off the roof. This guy shows up on time and I like his energy. (that’s how I know who to hire and who not too). I feel such gratitude now with people who do show up in these times of stress. Says he will be back Friday to do the work. I now have 24 hours to cut back 20 foot Crepe Myrtle tree hanging on roof. Dear Husband is out of town on a business trip. Standing on 8 foot ladder with pruning shears trimming the tree. Get most of it down and it looks pretty good. Call to tell Power Wash guy didn’t get all done, he’ll come back on Monday. Roofer called earlier in the week and promised to come by to look at problem. Painter calls and says he is coming next day to paint garage. I have less than 24 hours to get garage cleared of remaining items and ready. Still have to clean garage floors. Saturday Dear Husband and I finish trimming tree and DH spends day grinding up five foot pile of tree limbs. Roofer we love and trust (whose repaired and maintained our roof for over 14 years never shows up), doesn't call. Sad because I like the guy and trusted him. Now I need to find a new roofer. Call around town to find new roofer.

Woman asks “do you have your own roof tiles” “what???, No (what homeowner stocks their own roof tiles?? I silently think to myself.)” The woman replies “Roofers can’t get cement roof tiles and we are only taking jobs where homeowners already have their tile. I recommend that you call around and find a roofer who has cement tile.” There are no supplies of concrete roof tiles to be had in South Florida!! Didn’t know that. What’s a homeowner to do with a leaking white tile roof??? The traditional material of choice for tile roofs in South Florida. This is just crazy!! Dang. Can’t get building supplies or good workers. Painter’s man shows up to paint garage. Fails to prep certain areas. Spends a lot of time taking smoking break and talking to girlfriend on phone. Done by mid-afternoon. Notice next day he sprayed over area of peeling paint!! Painted cabinet doors closed so when I open them the door pulls paint off. I hate this, why can’t they do things right the first time. Now I have to call painter back to correct problems. Before I can make the call…Hurricane-a-coming. I wake up to find Hurricane Ernesto has changed course and is headed our way. Husband is both mad and disappointed because first college Gator game could be canceled due to Ernesto’s track through Gainesville. He heads out to fill up cars with gas and gas containers for generator. Proudly says my truck will get us out of the state if we need to leave and head back up to Kelly's. We are all remembering no water, no gas, no electric of last years storms (Katrina and Wilma). We just don’t know what is going to happen with the weather. Power washer guy calls to say he has to cancel Monday’s appointment due to hurricane Ernesto. He’s leaving for Europe on Wednesday. Roof cleaning pushed back two weeks. No problem. Washer guy will be back to do the work on September 11th. Schedule POD to be picked up. POD can’t be on site during Hurricane Watch. Advised by POD company it has to be emptied by 7 AM Monday morning. The woman on the phone tells me they’ll be here anytime after 7 AM and I better have it emptied and broom swept with no lock. Rich and I wait until dusk and start moving items from POD back into garage, we working into the night. Here’s a picture of the stuff in garage. 70% better than it was. I feel disappointed because everything in POD is put back into Garage wily nilly. Essential pain is I my critical inner voice always want to do things right, so right I end up beating myself up. Sometimes I end up not doing anything- dang you inner voice. Well that doesn't work either. Realize my initial sorting and labeling helps. I still have to go through stuff again to organize it. I envy people who have pristine garages, and wonder 'how' do they do that? My garage doesn't look like an episode of HGTV’s Mission Organization!!

Part 2 Michele's Summer Fun Camp-

Home repair backlog rises, and so do consumer complaints. Complaints about licensed and unlicensed contractors who don't show up or do shoddy work continue to pour into state and county agencies 10 months after Hurricane Wilma battered South Florida. The problem: Overwhelmed contractors who have taken on more work than they realistically complete, a shortage of construction labor and materials and vague state laws.- this mornings headlines by Robin Benedick South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted September 3 2006

Oh my! Week Two: Feels like I am finally getting nowhere. Why do I have such an aversion to making lists is the question of the week? Bought a calendar to schedule all of this and now can’t find where I put the calendar. Organizing makes me wishfully think of how to do things differently. As I clean out and sort the garage I realize I did not get everything out for bulk day. dang. Make new pile for September’s pick up. Now half way through with all that is in front of me I am wondering what I have gotten myself into. Inner voice says “Stay on track.” Sort through remaining garage items for loading into POD. Load POD in categories MG Car, Cleaning Supplies, Holiday, Tools...etc. Rich helps sort through his car gear. Progress is being made. Garage is finally clear! I can see the floor and I can see and walk to the back wall. Yeah!! Take down old storage racks, peg boards, remove nails from walls. Now need to scrub walls. Daughter starts school on Monday. Time to take care of last minute items for back to school. Back to Garage: Use floor stripper to chemically strip section of garage floor where old vinyl flooring was installed under washer and dryer. We pulled this up in 1992. Chemical starts to eat through black plastic catch basin under water heater. It's melting, it's melting. Oh well guess that goes too. Now have black goo on floor. It’s 95 degrees and humid, while wiping sweat off face I accidentally wipe toxic stripping chemical stuff on face and eyes with t-shirt. Know because face starts burning near my eyes. Oh my. Flood eyes and face with water. Thank god I am near the sink. Trip to emergency room averted!! Call several painters to get quote on painting garage. Hasn't been painted in 37 years. Hire Hart's Painting because he did such a good job painting the house. The man seems distracted when he shows up and a bit disappointed it is such a small job. He can’t stay to give me quote on house painting contract, has to go, it's Friday. At least he showed up. Tom says he can paint the garage in the next two weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed. Will he, won’t he, it’s a game South Florida Homeowners play.

Puppy Time: Ten hour car ride up to sister Kelly’s South Carolina 2 acre spread to puppy sit five adorable golden retriever pups and to pick up our 8.5 week old puppy named Roxy (named after Sting song Roxanne). I wanted to name her Trixie after "Trixie the whore" on HBO's Deadwood. Guess our family has a hooker theme going. Enjoy South Carolina's cool weather and nice people. Fun time with sister and parents. Daughter stops griping because it’s her last weekend before school starts and gets into whole scene. Ten hour car ride home. Fun family time. Puppy great in car. On return Roxy- proof family room to accommodate new dog. Everything is raised above four feet. Go to Vet’s for puppy shots. Start a new schedule -crate training and walking puppy every two hours. Many trips to pet store for chew toys. Playtime, work time. I am becoming more balanced. Letting dogs out can’t move sliding glass door in family room because sliding glass door track is shot. Each time I open it I am reminded to call the window company. Garage project temporarily put on hold for a week to take care of puppy. It’s like having a baby. I fall in love with new puppy named Roxy.

Part 1- Michele's Summer Fun Camp- Too Busy to Do What I Love

Michele's Fun Camp runs from August 1 through September ???. Wonder what it’s like to live in a Hurricane Alley? It means you have to put plans on hold and head in another direction at a moment’s notice. Many of you ask why I am not seeing clients at the present moment and the story that follows answers this question, it is a Virgo/Pisces experience. Pisces is the dream. Virgo gives one the structure and support to make the dream real. I dream of being organized and this is one story through the madness of clutter.

With Saturn in Leo (heart) opposition to Neptune in Aquarius this year we need to face our illusions, take ourselves out of the chaos we created, forge a new healthy structure to work within and from. They tell me the last time Saturn sat in opposition to Neptune was in 1971 (when I moved from New Jersey at 15 to sunny South Florida).

Astrologer Brenda Brush writes: “We need to face things and know the difference about what is real and what is not. Neptune dissolves walls, allowing you to see into your own life and deal with it. You will have to look at yourself and your life with a clear eye. Fix things in a healthy constructive way. With the coming eclipses you will be able to do so like never before.”

Home is a reflection of Self, I wrote my thesis on this for college in 2003. Our garage has not been painted since the house was built in 1969, the space is pretty bad and it’s bugged me for a very long time. Did I mention the Garage Karma…in September of 1992 when we moved into this house a week after Hurricane Andrew hit the garage is the place we forced the drug dealing tenant to move his stuff too as we closed on the house. The tenant was upset he was being forced to move from a house he hadn’t been paying rent on for the last six months, the property was about to go into fore closure!! A nasty scary man and a dishonest seller. The garage is where I stood my ground with the former tenant a month later when he failed to come back to move his furniture (after numerous phone calls and then giving him 24 hours to move his stuff or I’d call Faith Farm to haul junk away). Needless to say the Garage has not been cleared or cleaned properly since we moved in. Yet it’s the space family and guests walk through to enter the house. In Feng Shui our Garage is the area of Helpful People and after reading what I write, this story is about Helpful People or lack thereof. The Garage has been on my to-do list a very, very long time and this August I decided to tackle it. Let the organizing begin!

New Moon in Virgo~ common sense for chaotic times

“I am creatively expressing my soul’s purpose that benefits and serves others. Today I seek a clear understanding of my function and role in society.”- A Virgo affirmation from Alan Oken’s Soul Astrology

Worry-wart’s unite!!! Remember the year 1977!

As a Pisces I can’t say I am in love with this Virgo energy (although I do seem to come out of my shell at this time of year). I was a confirmed workaholic in my 20’s and 30’s. Virgo always seems like a critical voice saying ‘you should’ be doing this, you should be doing that! That leads to worry. Blah, blah, blah… I come from a long line of do-er’s . . Women who must stay working and busy to matter… who struggle with balance… and I admit I have not been “doing” much lately. On top of this my day-to-day routine (Virgo energy) has been whacked by our new lovable puppy (chaos). I am aware of what is and is not serving my highest good.

It’s a head and heart lunation. Head ~ thinking. Heart ~  joy. Work and health issues are kicked up a notch at this lunation…

Earthy Virgo of the New Moon
Wednesday August 23rd, 2006 at 3:10 PM
00 degrees Virgo 31 minutes

• Order, details, paperwork, punctuality
• Analysis, critical thinking, focus, discernment, workaholic, hysterical
• Well being, Health/diet/exercise, healers and healing
• Willingness to adapt, practical helpfulness, purity of intent
• Desire for perfection, processing, order out of chaos
• Worry, criticism, blame and judgment.
• Mentor-ship, Ancestors, Aunts and Uncles. Who are you mentoring?
• The Goddess Vesta and the house of ritual and magic.
• Health- bowels and intestines, constipation and diarrhea, digestion and assimilation, Solar plexus.

With the energy of Virgo at this new moon we are called to a common sense, practical approach to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This lunation is a turning point of sorts, at least for those of us who live in Florida. It is now the time of year when we see the energy of the wind takes on mystical proportions- Hurricane Andrew, Charley, Jeanne, Frances, Ivan, Katrina and Wilma in recent years. It is also the five year anniversary of 9/11/2001.

Every year since 1992, when Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida, I noticed people’s energy would ratchet up around August 25th, they were so traumatized by the Andrew, yet unconscious about how it was still effecting them. In shamanic terms this is soul loss, psychologists call it PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

The reason I am writing about this is energy? You may see, feel, hear or just know that these cellular memories are activated in yourself, your family and/or clients. Just be aware.

Virgo asks you to embrace a common sense practical approach to life, your day-to-day routines infused with Spirit. Spirit and matter working in union brings transfiguration. More light and life rather than more drama/trauma. It’s a choice. Virgo is earthy and grounded. This New Moon is at 1 degree of Virgo:

Where is Virgo in your chart? What sits at the 6th house doorway/cusp?

At the Full Moon:  Where is Pisces? What sits at the 12th house doorway? This is where the action is this month with a new moon in Virgo and a full moon in Pisces. Pisces represents:

• Imagination, Confusion and Chaos
• Inner Happiness- Bliss, Ecstasy, Universal Love
• Psychic Sensitivity- Gentleness, Mystical States, escapism
• Trust- Surrender- Channeling of Spiritual Power
• Spiritual Healing-Meditation-Inner Peace, Angelic Assistance
• Compassion-Forgiveness, Understanding, Tolerance, Acceptance
• Releasing Helplessness- characterized by
• Victim Mentality, Procrastination, Panic Attacks, Addiction
• The spinal column, nerve fibers, feet, pineal gland, telepathic functions, white corpuscles of the blood, kinesthetic functions.

Pisces and Virgo work together to balance the mystical side of Pisces and the mundane world of Virgo. Holding the tension of the opposites we walk the razors edge in life.

Pisces is ruled by Neptune, a water element, fluid and boundless. For a person to work the Pisces area of their life and forget Virgo’s energy can bring a mystical union with the divine yet leave the person unable to function in their day to day world (chaos).

A strong Pisces personality needs to be grounded- two feet planted on the ground.

A strong analytical Virgo personality needs to be lifted. Balance these too extremes and the person is highly intuitive and grounded; one who is able to manifest their dreams in the material world, face their challenges and still laugh like a child. There is faith and trust in their ability to be present in their own lives. This month become Soul infused. . .

At this lunation Mercury, the communicator and ruler of Virgo is sitting at 22 degrees of Leo. The Sun which rules Leo is sitting in Virgo. Leo and Virgo are working in harmony as one. Leo represents what has heart and meaning for you, and Virgo provides you the day-to-day routines to make your dreams come true.

Do you focus on the mundane reality or dream a new dream? We practical mystics are disciples woven from fine spiritual threads of a Divinity long forgotten. The signs Gemini and Virgo are ruled by Mercury. Mercury is the messenger. In the sign Gemini the personality is strong, ego driven, ruled by thought. Thinking, thinking, thinking. The lower mind. Mercury in Virgo represents the grounding of Mercury into tangible forms- editing and sorting Spirit’s chaos into concrete forms.

Thus it is time to recognize what is feeding you in good ways, what nurtures you that gives you life. This lunation brings the urge to ‘fix’ things that aren’t working. Better yet. . . trust yourself and let the ‘stuff’ go.  If you are a highly creative person you may start things that then lose speed. You lost interest. Time to shed those old projects and habits. Move On.

Can’t figure this process out, or how to move on then just witness how and what you are doing without your inner critic. Become an observer of your life.

• Write in your journal or better yet do a collage by cutting out pictures that represent the energies you can’t seem to name.
• Does it have a color? Does it have a symbol? Whose in charge? Who’s speaking?
• If you feel really stuck then get help, ask for support.

Saturn in Leo: Saturn is moving through Leo for the first time in 28 years (1977/78). Reflect back on those years, especially the year 1977- what was happening for you then? How are the current conditions related to that time? Saturn rules responsibility and timing. Ever get caught up in being responsible and lose sight of what gives you joy? Saturn’s been working us for over a year in Leo, and there is another year of “Saturn in Leo” to go.  Oh my. Saturn is highlighting these issues, bringing them out of the dark closet you stuffed them into- back into the light.

Lately I realized that I am in a place of shifting and it has been a struggle to be okay with the transition. I find myself in a state of not knowing…asking myself hard questions…taking a different direction because I gave myself permission to go ‘unscheduled’ in May. My day-to-day routines have become more precious and meaningful. I am more conscious.

In my chart Leo and Virgo sit at the 10th and 11th house doorway. 10th house is Career related to work, 11th house is Service to community, so of course my work life is shape-shifting. Jupiter and Pluto conjunction in Leo in this 10th house at 27 degrees. Pluto always demands us to let go, take out the garbage, reclaim lost power. Jupiter is the planetary energy of expansion, taking a risk. When Jupiter is activated we are called to move out beyond our comfort zone.

Almost daily I find myself moving through feelings of guilt (because I am not responding to others) and elated (taking care of myself in a good ways). My workaholic self shouts “why aren’t you ‘doing’ something?” Exactly what is that something? Whose voice is in my head? I am grateful for this awareness. It’s helping me refocus and regroup before Saturn moves over Jupiter/Pluto. I have gone through times like this before, when I did a 90 degree turn and headed in different directions.

My pattern is to get so busy I lose connection to my spiritual self, and that is not a good thing. The essential pain is I can’t do everything and still be grounded/ connected to Spirit. The earned reward of “not knowing” is seeing both the challenge and the sweetness. I am integrating a deeper balance and harmony. Giving myself permission to live an ‘unscheduled’ life (at this moment) is creating a deeper connection to myself, my home and my family. This life chapter I am currently working may sound chaotic to a practical person, but hey I am a practical Pisces.

So at this New Moon in Virgo do some deep listening to your heart of hearts. Be fearless in letting go and moving on by taking a common sense, practical approach to what you want to create now. Fix things. Get a routine that supports your dreams. Wake up if you are asleep. As astrologer Caroline Casey shares “How are you are laying the groundwork for the reality train to follow these next 28 years?”

Let those worries go! Joyfully yours at this New Moon in Virgo!