Man does not weave this web of life he is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. Chief Seattle

Man does not weave this web of life he is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. Chief Seattle

All life is sacred, no matter how small. Positive inspirational quote on Gaia

All life is sacred, no matter how small. Every living thing has its place on this wonderful, diverse planet or ours that we call Gaia.

This little frog was from our pond this summer. I  never cease to be amazed by the transformation from frog spawn to tadpole and then to frog, it is truly a wonder to watch. These little frogs jumping around in the grass always remind me how special this planet it is and how lucky we are to be able to share it with such and amazing array of living beings. 

Gaia's blessings to you, Alison

Give thanks for life as it is, for it is beautiful. Positive inspirational quote on gratitude

Give thanks for life as it is, for it is beautiful. Show your gratitude for this moment, this day, this life, by fully accepting and embracing it all.

*´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸.

At the centre of all being you have the answer. Lao Tzu positive inspirational quote

At the centre of all being you have the answer. You know know who you are and you know what you want. Lao Tzu

When there is darkness dare to be the first to shine a light. Steve Maraboli. Positive inspirational quote

When there is darkness dare to be the first to shine a light. Steve Maraboli

Let your light shine, allow the rest of the world to catch a glimmer of your inner sparkly self. You are amazing and your light will shine in the darkness.

Love and light, Alison

*´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸.

My life isn't perfect but I'm grateful for all that I have. Positive inspirational quote

My life isn't perfect but I'm grateful for all that I have.

I was going to wait until it was winter again to post this as I took it last winter when it was all frosty and cold but something told me to post it today. It was a gorgeous frosty day when I took this, one of those days when you just feel happy and want to express gratitude for the little things in life. Hope you enjoy, blessings, Alison

*´¯`•.¸¸.☽◯☾ *´¯`•.¸¸. 

May the Goddess bless you and keep you safe throughout all your days and nights. Goddess inspirational blessing.

May the Goddess bless you and keep you safe throughout all your days and nights. May you be happy, secure and loved. Blessings to you. AstarteAlison

Are you becoming a better person, with a kinder hear? If so, you are successful. Brian Weiss. Positive Inspirational Quote

Success does not mean being rich, powerful or famous. Are you becoming a better person, with a kinder hear? If so, you are successful. Brian Weiss

"The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation. Steve Maraboli Inspirational quote

"The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realise that the situation is over, you cannot move forward." Steve Maraboli

Wise words from Steve Maraboli, we sometimes do indeed need to forgive ourselves and the situation before we can move forwards. The waning moon is the best time if you need to walk away from a situation you have realised is over and you need to move forward from. Doing so at the time of the waning moon will make a difficult situation easier as you will be working with nature on your side. These things are never easy but if at least we can involve the natural forces of nature that we have to hand we can make life easier for ourselves.

blessings to you, Alison

Gratefully embrace the boundless abundance of all that is. Ralph Marston. Positive Inspirational quote on abundance.

Gratefully embrace the boundless abundance of all that is. Here and now, great fulfilment is yours to create. Ralph Marston.

Happy Mabon to you all- One Lovely blog award.

Hi everyone hope you are enjoying our wonderful full moon and getting ready to celebrate a wonderful Mabon/Equinox weekend.

The lovely Kim at http://thewiccalife.blogspot.co.uk/ nominated me me for the One Lovely Blogger Award, thank-you so much!

The rules are I to say  tell you all seven things about myself that you don't already know and nominate seven blogs to receive the award. They should be seven blogs that haven't already received it which is hard  as many of my favs already have it (!)so I've tried to pick blogs that I don't think have received it!

So the seven things are:
My main job is a mum to 2 wonderful teenage girls.
I live in Buckingham- not the palace lol- in England
I've met Kit Berry author of the Stonewylde Series 
I have electrodes fitted in my head to try and help with migraine!
My fav place to visit is Glastonbury tor.
I've watched Gilmore girls end to end four times now!
I spend a lot of my free time making pentacle bracelets!

So here are my seven:

http://octobersnovember.blogspot.co.uk/
http://branawen.blogspot.com
http://cynthiasfairiesandme.blogspot.co.uk
http://stonehousecottage.blogspot.co.uk/
http://spellsofinfinity.blogspot.co.uk/
http://alloveday.blogspot.co.uk/
http://lightwalkersgathering.blogspot.co.uk/

blessings to you, Alison

Mabon/Autumn Equinox Home Balancing Blessing

Equinox Balancing Blessing

This is a wonderful balancing exercise that can be performed if you feel that your house, or a particular room in your home is feeling out of balance. If you feel that your family is out of kilter it may be worth performing this simple blessing as it may be the house itself or the rooms in it that are causing the imbalance.

Start off with a simple cleansing exercise. First clear away the clutter in your home as much as you are able. Smudge with white sage or incense in all the corners of your home.

When you feel you have sufficiently cleansed you home, take two red apples and slice them in half so that you can see the pentacle inside. The apple signifies new beginnings and is a perfect symbol to use with its natural pentagram. Place a half apple at each of the cardinal points of your home, north, south, east and west. If you are just working in one room then place them as needed in the room you have chosen.  Along with each half apple place a white candle in a holder.

This exercise may be performed at any time of the year but it is perfect completed at the time of the equinox when day and night are of equal length. This is an ideal time to bring your home and your family life into perfect balance too.

Starting in the east, light each candle in turn. As you do so, imagine a white balancing light pouring down into the rooms or room as you work.

When you have finished come into the centre of the room and light a fifth white candle. Imagine a set of old fashioned brass scales sitting in perfect balance in the centre of the room. Sit in front of the scales and watch them as they tip just slightly and then gently rest exactly horizontal. You feel the stillness descend on the room and the house as the exact point of balance is achieved. Sit there for a while enjoying the silence and balance.

When you are ready, snuff out your candles or if you are able, allow them to burn down completely.

Equinox blessings to you, Alison

How to make fragrant sparkly faerie dust to attract fairys to your garden.

Sparky Fairy Dust

Do you want to attract the faeries into your garden? The faeries love all things sparkly, they also like anything sweet so this is a perfect combination of sweet and sparkly! This is a very simple recipe that is guaranteed to bring the fairies into your home. The fae folk are always around us but sometimes they just need a little encouragement to draw them a little nearer.

This simple recipe is very easy to follow and children will enjoy making it with adult supervision.

Astarte Moon sparkly faerie dust.

Ingredients.

1 cup granulated sugar

Handful of and flower petals that you may have in your garden.

Hundreds and thousands, or other cake decorations of your choosing. I find those little silver balls are a big hit!

Lavender flowers.

First of all you need to go foraging for the petals that you are going to use. If you have flowers in your garden then that is great. Brightly coloured flowers are good to use but it’s not too important what variety you use. You can use dried petals if you have them. The lavender gives the fairie dust a lovely smell but again it is not essential. If you do not have a garden or do not have any flowers in bloom then take a walk down to your nearest park. Search out some lovely weeds that you can use, daisies and dandelions are good. Hedgerows are a good place to find wild flowers growing.

When you have found the flowers that you are going to use take your sugar and pour it into your mixing bowl. Next add your flower petals and lavender if you have any. Finally, add your hundreds and thousands or any variety of cake decorations that you choose. You may like to use a few different varieties; anything may be used as long as it is biodegradable. The more exciting and more sparkly, the more the fairies will love your faerie dust!

When you have finished making your fairy dust you can store it in a sealed container. Placed in a nice glass jar it will even make a lovely decoration. If you have used fresh flower petals then they will dry out over time but that is fine, the fairies will still think they are wonderful.

If you are ready to use the faerie dust straight away then it’s time to sprinkle some in your garden! Again this is an activity that children will love to do! Take your faerie dust and just take a minute to charge the dust with your intent. Hold your hands over the faerie dust and feel your energy going into the dust, focus on it attracting fairies into your life and the lives of the people around you. Next sprinkle the faerie dust where you would like the faeries to visit. You may already have a space in your garden dedicated to fairies, a faerie house maybe or a particular tree? If you don’t have a garden you could use a window box or sprinkle a little bit around a plant pot.

There are of course other ways that will attract fairies into your garden and thus enhance the power of the faerie dust. They love wind chimes and anything bright and shiny so you could try some brightly coloured plant pots or garden ornaments. Faeries and water sprites not surprisingly also adore water so if you have a pond in your garden that is wonderful. If not you might consider building a small water feature, the sight and sound of running water is very attractive to faeries. It is also and extremely relaxing thing to have in your garden and you will be amazed by how good it makes you feel. Meditating next to running water is extremely beneficial. If a water feature is out of the question then even something as small as a birdbath will suffice.

Flowers to plant in your garden to attract the faeries include: sunflowers, daisies, cosmos, rosemary, thyme, purple coneflower, pansies, and foxglove. Apple cherry and pear trees are firm favourites, as indeed are any tree or bush that bears fruit. Faeries also love wild flowers so if you can leave a patch of garden free for nature you will have a wonderful patch of nature for you and the fairies to enjoy. You will have the added bonus of having friends such as butterflies visit your garden more often too!

Faerie blessings to you, Alison 

Goddess Astarte Queen of the Heavens: History, Legends and how you can learn from her today.

History of Astarte

Astarte is one of the oldest goddesses in recorded history.  She was worshipped in many guises as a goddess of fertility, wisdom, love and war. She was also known as Astarat and Ashtart. She was worshipped throughout the Middle east and many worshipped her including the Phoenicians/Canaanites, Egyptians and Hebrews. Astarte also appears to have been worshiped in Syria as Atargatis and this worship covered a large area from Syria across the Mediterranean. This name seems to have come from a combining of the names Astarte and Anat. According to Patai, the "original meaning of the name Astarte was 'womb' or 'that which issues from the womb,' thus it can be easily seen her link as a fertility goddess (Patai 1990:57)

Among the Hebrews, Astarte was also known as Ashtoreth and they worshipped her alongside Ba’al. Once the rise of monotheism began and the popularity of Yahweh, people began to reject Goddesses such as Astarte/Ashtoreth and her popularity declined.

The prophet Jeremiah called her the Queen of Heaven during the 7th and early 6th centuries B.C.E and the people of Judah feared that abandoning the worship of the goddess would lead to problems:

“Ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.” (Jeremiah , 44:18)

To the Egyptians, Astarte was honoured as a Goddess of War and tenacity. In the Egyptian mythology she was thought of as the daughter of Ra the Sun god along with the Goddess Anat. The Romans also looked upon her as their Goddess of Hunting and War. Astarte would often join the hunt at the full moon and reward the hunters with special gifts.

To the Semites, she was a Goddess of Love and Fertility. Pregnant women would carry plaques and figurines of her wherever they went, and they would often burn incense in her honour as a way of ensuring that they would give birth to healthy children.

Legends of Astarte

In the Phoenician pantheon Astarte appears as a daughter of Epigeius (Greek: Uranus) and Ge (Earth), and sister of the god Elus. Elus ovethrows his father and as a trick  Epigeius sends Astarte along with her sisters to seduce Elus. The trick seemingly backfires as all three become wives to their brother and Astarte bears him seven daughters and two sons. Astarte becomes a great ruler and wears the horns of a bull to signify her power. Whilst wandering through her kingdom, Astarte takes up a star that has fallen from the sky and consecrates it at Tyre. Hence her title of Queen of the Stars

A story exists which is often associated with Astarte in her aspect as the Goddess of Fertility. Every Autumn, Astarte descended into the Underworld to search for her beloved Tammuz. When she left to go down into the Underworld, the Earth entered the cold barrenness of Winter, and it stayed that way until she returned, three months later, bringing with her the rebirth and growth that is associated with the season of Spring. This story has echoes of the story of Persephone going into the underworld to be with Hades only to return in the Spring when the world re-awakens.

Scholars who have studied Astarte see similarities between her story and that of the virgin Mary. In Syria and Egypt she was celebrated on 25th December with the dramatisation of the re-birth of the solar god from the celestial virgin. It is because of this legend that  of Astarte's holy days was associated with Yule, and it is believed that she created the Evergreen Tree out of her sorrow and love for Tammuz

 

Astarte http://maria-van-bruggen.deviantart.com

Another legend surrounding Astarte is that she was the mother of all souls: the moon surrounded by her star children to whom she gave their astral bodies.

Some say that the word Easter derives from the word Astarte although it is commonly thought that it derives from Oestara. 

Another story states that Astarte descended to earth as a fiery star, landing near Byblos in a lake at Alphaca, the site where the original Tammuz is said to have died.

Astarte’s oldest known temple was at Byblos. Byblos is a city, which lies on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the country that is now known as Lebanon. Byblos was a major trading city and Astarte was a key figure seen as a Goddess of learning and wisdom. The Phoenicians extended the worship of Astarte. From cities such as Byblos, Tyre, and Sidon, they set forth by sea on long trading expeditions, and, venturing far and wide, they even reached Cornwall in England!

The Greeks were the first people to call papyrus by the term “byblos,” and that term eventually evolved into meaning any holy book, including the Bible. Legend also tells us that this may be how and where the Bible got its name

Astarte has been associated with goddesses such as Artemis, Aphrodite and Inanna and indeed these goddesses could represent Astarte under a different name. She was known as Inanna to the Sumerians, and Ishtar to the Babylonians. The Greeks identified her with Aphrodite and the Romans with Venus, this could explain her being linked to the evening star.

Symbols for Astarte

Astarte on her many names and guises has had many symbols associated with her. She was known as the ‘Queen of the Stars’ . According to legends Astarte fell from the stars to the earth. One of her symbols is a star within a circle to represent her status as ‘Queen of the stars’ or the evening star for which she is also known. As the "Queen of the Stars," or the "Heavenly Virgin,” Astarte was believed to rule the "spirits who lived in heaven as light,"

The bull and the dove are especially sacred to Astarte and Astoreth. The Goddess is often pictured wearing horns. The horns could also be a crescent moon symbol, part of the triple goddess symbol. Astoreth is sometimes pictured wearing the head of a Bull

The egg is a sacred symbol of Astarte, representing fertility, new life and the powers of the Goddess. Also in her role as a fertility Goddess she is often depicted holding an ever flowing jug of water whilst surrounded by flowers and grain.

In her guise as a goddess of war Astarte is seen carrying a bow and arrow much like Artemis. She is depicted riding horses and banishing weapons in several pieces of art that have been discovered.

Her image is most frequently seen on ancient seals or reliefs holding the sacred lotus in one hand and two entwined serpents in the other. The Lotus is a flower which is considered to be a universal symbol, connected to the Great Mother Goddess. Known as the "flower of light," lotus petals were been believed to represent the sun’s rays, while its stem was believed to represent an umbilical cord. The belief that the Lotus’ stem might represent an umbilical cord is indicative of the fact that all life stems from, or is born from, the Great Mother. The lotus flower therefore is a symbol of all that out mother earth provides for us and is associated with creative power, fertility, life  and growth.

Another symbol that was unique to Astarte was papyrus, which the merchants of Byblos would sell to the Greeks, as well as to other traders from the entire Mediterranean region. As the Goddess of wisdom in Blybos, papyrus was very important as the foundation for the production of paper.

Astarte is also associated with several animals such as lions, horses and the sphinx. Birds, particularly the dove, are important symbols for this goddess since they are used as a means of reaching the underworld and/or heaven.

Drawing on Astarte Wisdom Today

You can draw upon the ancient goddess power of Astarte by visualizing the light of the stars pouring down through your crown chakra surrounding you with an iridescent aura and filling you with her bountiful energy and protection. Call upon Astarte the Queen of the Stars whenever you have need of this protection.

Just as Astarte drew upon her inner strength and wisdom to face what lay ahead of her, so can we embrace this power.  She is a symbol of the independence and spirit that gives birth to our creativity and encourages us with our successes. Astarte is both the maiden and mother goddess and personifies the passion of life, the beauty of our mother earth and the sacredness of all beings.

In her roll of fertility Goddess you can ask for her help in this area. If you are seeking to become pregnant you can ask for her guidance or if you are starting a new project that you wish to spring into being, she will be there for you.

Decide what Astarte really means for you. Because she is such an ancient Goddess she has had many names and forms and been worshipped by many different people. Thus she has different strengths as seen by various cultures. You can therefore pick what resonates best for you at this time in your life. Perhaps you need strength, or rather you, need nurturing.  Astarte is a strong yet gentle Goddess and can be adapted to a host of different situations.

Astarte Poems

"She was the Mother of the Moon, Daughter of the Sun, Ruler of the Stars and Keeper of the Earth. In the beginning, Astarte was the whole.” unknown

“Great Bountiful Goddess of Antiquity

Your sacred fires are again lighted

Your name is again spoken with reverent awe

The High Places are no longer abandoned

Your Sacred Altars are again tended

Earth is re-awakening to your voice.” Unknown

“Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna,” Wiccan energy chant

Picture credit shttp://lunalioness.wordpress.com/

Astarte blessings to you, Alison

References:

Patai, Raphael 1990 (1978). The Hebrew Goddess: Third Enlarged Edition. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University

Tubbs 1998:140-141

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000)

http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB04/spotlight.htm

http://www.thaliatook.com/OGOD/ashtart.html

http://www.angelfire.com/journal/ofapoet/astarte.html

Let your light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark. Positive Inspirational quote

Let your light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark.

Is Friday the thirteenth really unlucky? A look at the ancient Pagan standpoint.

Is Friday the thirteenth really unlucky? A look at the ancient Pagan standpoint.

We have been taught to believe that Friday 13^th is unlucky, more accidents and ill health happen on this day however psychologists believe that this is a result of heightened anxiety. This fear even has a name! Fear of Friday the 13th is known as triskaidekaphobes.

Friday 13^th was not always considered to be unlucky, and that some people even find it to be the luckiest day of the year? Many Pagans think that this day is especially magickal due to the fact that it is the Goddess’ sacred day and the fact that there are thirteen lunar months.

Friday comes from "Freya's Day" or "Frigg's Day. Freya was a Norse Goddess, the goddess of Love and Beauty, and also fertility, war, and wealth. She was the daughter of Njord, and the sister of Frey. Frigg or Freya corresponded to Venus, The goddess of love of the Romans, who named the sixth day of the week In her honor "dies Veneris. Freya was said to bring luck and Friday was considered to be a great day to get married due to her being seen as Goddess of Love.

With the advent of Christianity the myth began that Friday was unlucky. Freya was dismissed as so many Goddesses like her were. When Norse and Germanic tribes converted to Christianity, Freya was banished in shame to a mountaintop and labeled a witch. It was believed that every Friday, the spiteful goddess convened a meeting with eleven other witches, plus the devil – a gathering of thirteen – and plotted ill turns of fate for the coming week. For many centuries in Scandinavia, Friday was known as “Witches’ Sabbath.”

Many Christians believed that Friday was unlucky because it was the day of the week when Jesus was crucified.

The number 13 in Christianity was believed to bring bad luck because there were 13 people at The Last Supper. Cain slew Abel on a Friday the 13th.

In terms of Friday being unlucky. Eve tempted Adam with forbidden fruit on a Friday. The great flood began on a Friday. the Temple of Solomon was destroyed on a Friday. In the early days of Rome, Friday was execution day. In Britain, Friday became the Hangman’s Day. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s. So a lot of events happened to make people believe Friday the thirteenth was unlucky.

The ancient Egyptians associated the number thirteen with immortality -- there were twelve steps on the ladder to eternal life and knowledge; the thirteenth step meant going through death into everlasting life. In Rome, it was traditional to have thirteen guests to be present at weddings. In the Hebrew faith, age thirteen is when a young man or woman is finally considered an adult. Finally, thirteen has a strong association with the moon for many of us. There are thirteen lunar cycles each year, and many of us celebrate the full moons. Thirteen is the traditional number of witches in a coven. Also, in Goddess and pagan lore, the Number 19 represents the sacred number of the Goddess. Friday the 13th combines the individual sacred goddess numbers of "6" and "13" and when these two numbers are added, you get the Number 19. So we see in ancient Pagan religions Friday the thirteenth being actually a pretty lucky day. 

Thirteen, a goddess number, is one beyond beyond twelve, and, in the eyes of the new "solar" world order, symbolised a move away from harmony and completion into the "evil" of chaos. The church decided that the Goddess led number 13 should be deemed unlucky. There are 12 months in the solar-based Julian and the Church-created Gregorian calendars, a perfect, male number.

  

You can see therefore from all these reasons why it would seem that Friday 13^th would appear to be unlucky from a Christianity point of view.

As Pagans we can continue to believe that Friday, Freya’s day is a lucky day of the Goddess and this combined with the sacred number 13 makes it doubly auspicious, so enjoy this day! Celebrate Friday 13^th, may the luck of the Goddess be with you today and always!

Free positive inspirational quote e-card blessing for you to enjoy!

Trust that the universe will bring you the right things at the right moment and enjoy your journey! Blessings to you. AstarteAlison

Feel free to save this to your computer by right clicking on the image. You might want to send it to a friend or print it out as a reminder to yourself.

Mabon/Autumnal Equinox Meditation

Mabon/Autumn Equinox Mediation

The Autumnal Equinox is a time of balance. Day and night are of equal length. Use this Mabon meditation to bring about a sense of balance into your life.

You are walking down a bridal path that is leading to a wooded copse. Ahead of you there are beautiful trees in various shades of gold and orange. It is early morning and there is a gentle mist in the air. You climb over a style and then follow the path that leads into the wood. The path leads you between two tall oak trees, standing as sentinels at the entrance to the wood. You feel like they are guarding this sacred space. The two of them, separate yet part of the whole.

Once you pass by the oak trees it is as if the air changes. There is a complete sense of stillness here. The forest is alive yet calm. You hear the birds calling to each other high above in the branches and you see squirrels nimbly jumping from branch to branch. You feel at one with the wonder of this small wood. You realise that nature is in perfect balance here. It is undisturbed by outside influences and has it’s own perfect way of being.

You continue walking through the wood, marvelling at the rich autumn colours of the trees. Eventually you come to a small clearing. There is a fallen down log in the top right hand corner of the clearing. You walk over to the log and sit down and close you eyes. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth you sit a while and absorb the perfect harmony of this sacred space.

You can hear the chatter of the birds and animals in the wood. You may find that one of them comes over to be near you. If it does, then try and listen to what it may be saying to you.  Ask them if they have any particular message they would like to give to you.

When you feel it is time you are ready to leave the sacred area of the clearing and go back down along the path. You re-trace your steps back to the tall oak tress. On the way you spot a couple of acorns lying on the ground. You pick them up as a reminder of the wonderful experience that you have just had. You put them in your pocket so that every time you touch them you may be reminded and transported back to that feeling of complete calm and balance that you have just experienced.

As you pass by the oak trees you touch each of them and feel their incredible energy, energy that will sustain you throughout the winter months ahead of you. You say goodbye to the tress and the wood and continue on your journey home.

AstarteAlison September 2013

Business Planning in tune with the moon. Grow your business by following the cycles of the moon.

Business Planning in tune with the moon.

Have you ever thought about how you could make your business more efficient by following the moon’s phases? As our moon moves through her cycles of waxing and waning the changes in energy that we feel may be applied to all walks of life. We often read about how we should be starting new projects in the new moon and cleansing our lives of clutter during the waning moon. However applying these principles to the business world can be quite a challenge!

Running a business is often quite a tight operation. We often cannot decide that we would like to do filing one day just because the moon is right for us to do it on that day. However with a little forward thinking if we are able to manipulate schedules just a little you may be surprised at the results that you obtain. Most well run businesses have an annual and monthly business plan. We may then introduce within that monthly plan the times when it is best to surge ahead with growth, i.e. at the time of the waxing moon vs. the times when it is best to be getting on with the quieter parts of the business, i.e. at the time of the waning moon.

The new moon marks the beginning of the moon’s cycle. This should be the beginning of any new ideas for your business. This is the time to have strategy meetings, call together different departments to have brain storming ideas, you will find everyone is much more creative at this time of the new moon and fabulous ideas and visions for the future may be sown now. Any planning or visionary ideas should be undertaken at the new moon, including financial planning of any sort.

Ideas put forward during the new moon may then be expanded on during the phases of the waxing moon, particularly during the waxing crescent moon and the first quarter moon when the new moon energy is still recent.  Projects will gain momentum and gather speed until you see them reach fruition as we move from the waxing gibbous moon into the full moon. The waxing moon phase is all about action in the business world, it is about putting yourself out there, full throttle. Selling, putting together advertising campaigns, buying materials, recruiting new staff, holding conferences, finding new premises, writing new blog posts and articles, creating new programs, public relations, collaborations with other ventures, marketing strategies, all these activities should be done when the moon is waxing.

When the moon reaches her full moon phase she is at her peak. This phase only lasts three days but it is a very intense time that you should be prepared for. Things may be a bit fraught but also filled with a highly charged energy. Avoid making big or complicated decisions at this crucial time but instead use the charged energy to complete any tasks that need finishing.

The moon begins to wane after her big crescendo. This is the time to pull back a little and look to internal affairs of your business. Ensure that all your bookkeeping, tax and financial affairs are in order. If tax returns are due the waning moon is the time to complete them.  If any staff dismissals are to be made now is the best time to do it to avoid too much negativity. Maintenance of the building you are in should be looked at now and any jobs attended to. Send out invoices, file and organize, carry out market research, and clear your desk of clutter: you will feel much better for it and be much more productive during the new moon! Use the waning crescent moon phase to start to prepare for the new moon and the beginning of a new cycle, what will your intentions be for the coming month?

Of course this can only be a guideline. If you are in the business of selling cars you are going to be pushing hard to sell cars all month long. This just gives you a way of looking at your overall business, it is possible with a little forethought to change some of the ways in which you complete tasks. You will find that you achieve better results and experience less stress when you fine tune your daily routines and activities to the phases of the moon. Not only will your business run more efficiently and stress free but you will GROW your business by following this simple plan! Worth having a try then isn’t it?

Happy business planning, wishing you lots of success, Alison xxx

Further information can be found in:Llewellyn's 2014 Moon Sign Book: Conscious Living by the Cycles of the Moon (Llewellyn's Moon Sign Books)