Deaf Pagan Crossroads

I am a member of a group called Full Moon Musings, which was created by my friend Beverly Hof-Miller. Every month Beverly shares with us her insights on that month’s Full Moon, based upon astrological research and her own personal observations.

This month’s Full Moon takes place tonight, and I thought I would share with you Beverly’s musings on the moon.

Enjoy.

~ Ocean

July, 2009
Point of the Capricorn Moon Compass

The July full moon on Tuesday the 7th will be in the cardinal earth sign of Capricorn, as represented by the image of a half goat figure. Capricorn’s ruling planet of Saturn represents time, foundations, and authority – how we authorize and how we respond as and to authority.

Though it may seem at times that Capricorn is heavy, responsible, work driven; it is also about play time…how we play, finding our play. This balance of work and play, our feelings/intuition define the circle of experience that Capricorn represents.

In the Rider-Waite tarot deck The Devil (XV) card is an interesting contemplation of this balancing act that each of us must confront, define, decide, change and/or maintain.

To seep ourselves a little deeper into the Capricorn experience l turn to Lindsay River and Sally Gillespie’s THE KNOT OF TIME: ASTROLOGY AND THE FEMALE EXPERIENCE, 1987, pg 195.

The constellation of Capricorn was identified by the Babylonians, who saw it as the fish-goat. This image was associated with their God Ea – the antelope of the subterranean ocean – and myths tell of the heroine or hero who appears out of the waters of Ea and brings the arts of civilization to the shore. Early Babylonian images show the goat nibbling the leaves of the tree of life.

I really like this connection to wisdom. The authors go on to describe goat roles in many cultures’ myths and legends. One common story line is of a naked woman riding a goat which the authors believe refers to the innocence and freedom of the traditional role of young goat herders.

In this month’s chart I see the image of a compass with the Capricorn Moon pointing the way. The chart itself is the circle of the compass. The point of the compass – the Moon – is formed from an opposition to the Sun, representing what we beam outward; Mercury, indicating how we think and communicate; and the Goddess Asteroid Vesta of the heart/hearth fires. Vesta is linked to both Saturn (daughter) and Capricorn (rulership) by some. Maybe this is a good time to think about how our inner fires burn like the external sun and share some of those qualities of healing and nurturing when in balance; and of withering, dehydrating, and sapping when not.

Mercury, Vesta and the Sun are residing together in loose conjunction in the First House of Who am I? or Who do I think I am? (The tone of the question is important here.) Issues of self worth, self’s connection to Goddess and what we think/say about ourselves is reflected by the Moon.

The Moon and Black Moon Lilith, representing issues of sexuality, independence, and the feral mother, are in the opposite 7th House of intimate partners and open enemies. Being conjunct with the Black Moon Lilith is like a wolf baying at the moon. It is a call to elemental feminine sexuality; it is a call to bring back a sense of playfulness during our most intimate moments, into our closest relationships, into the arena of the open enemy.

Then from Moon/Lilith is a fertilizing trine to Saturn and the Goddess Asteroid Ceres, representing the realm of self worth and nurturance.  This trine is concerned with productivity and work within the 3rd House – how we think and communicate…how we structure our thinking and communicating, the foundations of thought and expression, as it relates to the need to nurture those thoughts and ways of communicating in support of the wild desires of the Capricornian Moon and Lilith.

Time weaves through the image as does the importance of self-esteem, and issues of nurturance become the food for the metaphors that we will use to navigate through the treacherous waters of these economic times. Our Capricorn selves contribute an earthy balance to work and play. Fertile soil, nurtured soil, enriched soil is where we want to plant our desires and watch them grow as we tend, feed, and protect the seed of our authentic selves. This fertile soil is made from our mistakes, our discarded ideas, what we need to leave behind. Taking that refuse, we compost it, let it break down and reform into a nutrient subsistence from which a healthier balance, a stronger foundation, a self assurance can grow and prosper.

On the community level, the image of the Capricorn Moon can be seen reflected in the actions of various politicians – local and national – all around the country (and perhaps even around the world)…despite criticism from their enemies, they steadily continue to try to climb the mountain of cities, states, and countries in crisis, almost oblivious to the actions around them. Are they role-modeling persistence or what not to do? Either way such individuals model the uphill quest of Capricorn.

We, on the other hand, can use our Capricorn Moon compass to guide us to finding our own pace, showing us where we can laugh at our own foibles (seeing the cosmic joke) and knowing when to buckle down and preserve.

So how/when do you work and how/when do you play. Are you serious? Too serious? Do you play enough? Does it satisfy? Can you work and play at the same time? Would that now become baying at the Moon like a Capricornian goat? One who has climbed the wrong mountain? Great view, but not the right one.

This full moon is also a Penumbral lunar eclipse. It will only be visible at setting in Western North America so some folks will miss the show, but it still provides an opportunity. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon. The Moon no longer reflects the light of the Sun and it becomes even darker, the shadows deeper. To eclipse can mean to outdo or surpass. Blocking that which does not nurture or support our desires, our talents, our service, we could outdo ourselves or we could surpass our past.

During the hot days of summers we toil under the light of the sun for long periods bringing to light that which is not always observable. Under the Capricorn Moon we can use the moonlight to guide us as we navigate though the house of intimate partners and open enemies with time and the food of spirit supporting our endeavors.

Respectfully submitted,
Beverly Hof-Miller

Portions of this musing taken from Demetra George’s ASTEROID GODDESSES: THE MYTHOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY AND ASTROLOGY OF THE REEMERGING FEMININE, 1986, pg47.