Blue Moon this month 31st July 2015

We have a blue moon this month. A blue moon occurs when two full moon occur in one calendar month. This July we had a full moon on 2nd July and are due another on 31st July 2015. This is a very rare event as we haven't had one since August 2012 and the next one is not due until 2018. We will actually have two blue moons in 2018, in January and March but this is obviously a very rare occurrence. The next year of double blue moons is not until 1937!

Beautiful pic is from earth sky.org, check out their website for lots of amazing astronomical facts!

Obviously as our calendar is a man made way of measuring the days in the month, there isn't really any spiritual significance of us having two blue moons in one month. However I still think it is an interesting fact to note and cool for you if July is of significance to you to have two full moons this month! I think we can all agree that the full moon is always something to offer gratitude for and if we get two moons in one month then by my book that's cause for extra gratitude!

Blue moon blessings to you, AstarteAlison xxxxx

Moon times, phases and names for June 2015

I am looking forward to the power of the full moon shortly, can you feel the energy increasing? Here are the moon phases for June 2015 for you so that you can plan your month accordingly. Living life within the phases of the moon allows your life to flow with much greater eases. As the moon wanes during the first week in June try to spend the time withdrawing a little, contemplating more and perhaps de cluttering your life a little. At the new moon on the 18th June this is a perfect time to start new projects and as the moon waxes during the second half of June you may find you have more energy so use that energy to push projects forward, connect with friends and family and be creative. 

This moon in June was popularly called the Strawberry Moon or Rose Moon because of the time of the year. This full moon was seen as very spiritual by Buddhists as it was the full moon when Buddha died and received enlightenment. Bright Moon,  Seed Moon and Planting Moon are other popular names. Our ancestors lived their lives a lot more in tune with the moon and we have much to learn from their cultures. 

Here are the full moon times for different time zones:
Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 06:19:02 pm
Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Moon sign: Sagittarius 11° 49'

In other time zones:
WELLINGTON = Wednesday * 3rd June 2015 * 04:19:02 am (NZST)
SYDNEY = Wednesday * 3rd June 2015 * 02:19:02 am (AEST)
TOKYO = Wednesday * 3rd June 2015 * 01:19:02 am (JST)
BEIJING = Wednesday * 3rd June 2015 * 12:19:02 am (CST)
BANGKOK = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 11:19:02 pm (ICT)
DELHI = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 09:49:02 pm (IST)
DUBAI = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 08:19:02 pm (GST)
MOSCOW = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 07:19:02 pm (MSK)
BERLIN = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 06:19:02 pm (CEST)
LAGOS = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 05:19:02 pm (WAT)
LONDON = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 05:19:02 pm (BST)
RIO = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 01:19:02 pm (BRT)
SANTIAGO = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 01:19:02 pm (CLT)
NEW YORK = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 12:19:02 pm (EDT)
MEXICO CITY = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 11:19:02 am (CDT)
CALGARY = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 10:19:02 am (MDT)
LOS ANGELES = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 09:19:02 am (PDT)
ANCHORAGE = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 08:19:02 am (AKDT)
HONOLULU = Tuesday * 2nd June 2015 * 06:19:02 am (HAST)

Crystal Charms and Goddesses for Healing which are you drawn to ?

Emerging as I often do like a sleepy kitten from a long sleep when I have had these long stretches of migraines I feel drawn to sit and create so that is what I am going to do today, catch up on orders that need posting and make some new pieces. I would like to make some new healing charms I think so if anyone has any needs then please let me know, I love doing special pieces. Each crystal and charm has its own story to tell and put together may be just the right combination for you to begin your own healing and transformation. First thing I am going to make this afternoon is a good luck charm for my daughter who has been studying so hard for her A levels.

Moon Goddess Healing Angelite Pendant www.astarte-moon.co.uk

New Moon Jade Charm for luck and positivitywww.astarte-moon.co.uk

Aceso was the main Greek Goddess for healing. Indeed her name is said to mean curing. She was known for tackling the healing process, the root cause not just the problem itself, thus can be seen as the root of holistic medicine. We of course have a lot to learn from our ancestors in terms of the way we approach modern healing methods. She shared an altar with Aphrodite and Athena and was the daughter of Epipione and and Asclepius. Aceso also spelt Akeso knew the importance of maintaining good health as well as good hygiene in order to stay fit and well, something that was often neglected when looking to cure a specific disease or illness. 

Amethyst Pentacle Charm may help pain relief www.astarte-moon.co.uk

Many of the well known Moon Goddesses such as Aine, Brigid and Isis were known to be powerful healers. Brigid or Brigit was also said to be responsible for fertility and Aine was known for breathing life force into being. Aine is connected with lakes and healing wells. Water is extremely important as a healing aid and I cleanse all my crystals with water from the red spring at Chalice Well gardens in Glastonbury. I bless them all before they are sent out to you so that you may receive the full force of the healing power.

If you are interested in the ancient Celtic ways you might like to take a look at this course that caught my attention. Cat Curacelo's Celtic mysteries course invites you to look at the background that shaped your own life journey and the shapes and symbols that occurred along the way. Cat says

" Whether you are new to 'the journey' or returning to this tribe, this will be a wonderful opportunity to explore and extend your travelling, using visual narrative as a form in this brand new Celtic Mysteries journey that celebrates ancestral remembering and our deep myths."Once Upon a Mythos Cat Caracelo

The important thing to note when looking for healing is to find the right mix of things that are right for you and to remember that your biggest help is Mother Earth. If you are drawn to a particular crystal, goddess, pentacle, stone, herb then there is often a reason for that. Modern medicine can often be used alongside traditional remedies and there is often no reason you cannot take both as long as you check with your healthcare provider. Our earth is a powerful healer and she has much to offer us as long as we give back in return.

Celebrating the earth at Glastonbury White Spring Beltane 2014

In the words of the wonderful Glennie Kindred
"Experiencing deep heartfelt connections to the Earth will bring us closer to understanding ourselves and trusting out intuition. It will help us foster a sense of belonging and love for the Earth and all peoples of the Earth.  To live in harmony with the earth, we need to remember our connection to her."
Glennie Kindred Earth Wisdom

So do you have a favourite healing goddess, a favourite crystal or a favourite icon? Strong symbols can often make us feel powerful and obviously colour makes a difference in the choice of crystal we go for. A carnelian stone with an owl and wolf charm might be my choice for my exam charm.......

Goddess blessings to you, may you be abundant and blessed in all you do this month, AstarteAlison XXXXX

Waxing New Moon Energy

As our new moon begins to wax the world is your oyster.Enjoy the increasing energy our earth is giving you right now, start each day smiling!

Each new moon we have brings with it an air of hope I find, there is something about our Mother Earth at this time of the month that is like no other. We are now in the time of the Waxing Crescent moon, a time of incredible energy and growth. Somehow the grass verges look greener, the sky looks brighter, nature is vibrant with hope and we are too. Embrace the feeling and use this energy to pour into whatever projects you have on the go right now. Wake each day with a smile on your face and a determination that today is going to be a good one.

Enjoy the spring like feeling, Waxing moon blessings to you all, AstarteAlison

New Moon Affirmation. On accepting the challenges ahead of us in life and practicing Gratitude

We have a new moon today and with it comes an apology from me for not posting in ages. Too much going on I won't bore you with but hopefully life will get on bit more of an even keel now.

So we have a new moon and with it always the hope of new beginnings, fresh eyes on the world, new ways of thinking, amazing opportunities and challenges to be faced. It is an exciting time in the lunar month I always find, as well as sometimes for some an unsettling on, coupled with the time of the full moon I often think this is the most turbulent time, it is how we use this time to our advantage that is the key here really. I have to admit I often do struggle at these times as I do suffer from migraines at the time of the new moon and full moon but try to push through. This is a time of challenge, we all have our challenges to face, the key is how we deal with these. Practicing mindfulness and gratitude are great ways of doing this. Concentrating on the here and now and being grateful for what you have right now, the little things, is a great way to take your mind away from the worry of any larger issues that may be causing you pain. 

What plans do you have for this new moon, do you have any projects you would like to get started on? I plan to book my craft fairs and festivals for the summer over the next few days so that is something to look forward to.

New moon blessings to you,

Alison

Chinese New Year of the Sheep and Goat 2015 and New Moon

Happy Chinese New Year of the Goat/Sheep/Ram to you all and Blessed New Moon to you. 

There is a bit of confusion this year over which animal the year represents as the Chinese symbol Yang covers three animals the sheep, goat and the ram! 

This period is also known as the Spring festival and many families take part in traditional family festivities in order to bring good fortune to the coming new year. The dragon dance is a traditional and well known part of the festivals that take place around the world over this period of time.

I hope that this new moon brings you lots of good luck and fruitfulness as the year of the sheep/goat begins. This is a perfect time for commencing any new activity you might like to look in to. Some things may have come to an end in order to allow new and exciting events in your life to enter.

My fortune cookie this year read:

"Sometimes when you think it is the end, it is really a new beginning."

I thought that was very appropriate for the new year and the new moon. Often we mourn over a loss but sometimes we have to look beyond that and see that sometimes we have to lose in order to gain and that is part of the shift in our lives.

I send to you many new year, new moon blessings, AstarteAlison ☽✪☾

Super New Moons in January February and March. Can you feel the increase in energy?

How has this moon phase been for you? I've taken full advantage of the New Moon this January and gone full on into creating my new website, it is something I have been meaning to do for a long time and have been putting off. As many of you know I suffer from migraines and this puts me off starting big jobs like this knowing that it may be hard to finish them but I decided that I just had to go for it. Our waxing moon has really been in my favour these past few days and I have been able to work really well and have got so much done. I'm very chuffed with myself!! I am also feeling a great deal of gratitude for the wonders of the universe that we inhabit and it's ever changing nature. 

Even my daughter who is not particularly into this sort of thing commented that the moon must be giving her energy as she was feeling it too! She is busy with a heavy work load from school at the moment and so it really helped that the waxing moon was giving her the energy to get through it.

It was a super new moon this January so that may have something to do with it. This means that our new moon was closer to the earth than she normally is. A super moon has to be within 361,836 kilometres or 224,834 miles to be defined as a Supermoon.  At the time of the super moon the effects that we normally feel at the new moon will be accentuated. This super new moon also brings wider ranging tides than normal. The tide rises higher, which is called a Perigean spring tide and also plunges much lower.

  
More information can be found on super moons here: What is a Supermoon?

Our February new moon will also be a super new moon as will be the new moon in March of this year. February's new moon occurring on the 18th will be the most 'super' of the three as it is closest to the lunar perigree. Perigree means near our earth. The new moon on February 18th 2015 occurs at 23.47 UTC and the lunar perigree occurs eight hours later. Our moon in March will arrive on the 20th, approximately fourteen hours after pedigree. 

We will therefore be in for a real treat in February. I'm looking forward to making even more progress on my blog and website then!

If you would like to take a peek at my website it is http://www.astarte-moon.co.uk or you can click on the shop button at the top of the page here. I would love to know what you think, any improvements I could make etc. I'm still learning my way around the new programme. Steep learning curve but I'm getting there!!

New Moon Blessings to you xxx

New Moon blessings to you all.Now is a great time to get stuck into a new project.Mine is working on my new website-slow but getting there! Astarte-Moon.co.uk will soon have a new look so keep an eye out! I hope it will be worth it, it's a steep learning curve but luckily the moon is in my favour, the waxing moon phase we will be in now will hopefully help me on my way!
New Moon blessings to you,
Alison xxx

Moon Phases for January 2015. Full Moon in Cancer

2015 hopefully will bring a year full of possibilities and happiness for us all. Below are the moon phases for you to help you work with those to help you enable those dreams to come true. Working within the phases of the moon helps you to use the natural forces of the universe work to your advantage: building towards things you wish to grow within your life during a waxing moon for example and looking at things you might want to let go from your life during a waning moon, for example. As we are in the time of a waxing moon on first January this is actually an excellent time for creating those New Year's resolutions or plans that you will actually stick to, their strength encouraged by the growing strength of our wonderful waxing moon. 

Our Next Full Moon is Monday 5th January 2015 * 05:53:18 am
Central European Time (CET)
Moon sign: Cancer 14° 30'

In other time zones:
WELLINGTON = Monday * 5th Jan 2015 * 05:53:18 pm (NZDT)
SYDNEY = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 03:53:18 pm (AEDT)
TOKYO = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 01:53:18 pm (JST)
BEIJING = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 12:53:18 pm (CST)
BANGKOK = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 11:53:18 am (ICT)
DELHI = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 10:53:18 am (IST)
DUBAI = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 08:53:18 am (GST)
MOSCOW = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 07:53:18 am (MSK)
BERLIN = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 05:53:18 am (CET)
LAGOS = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 05:53:18 am (WAT)
LONDON = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 04:53:18 am (GMT)
RIO = Monday * 5th January 2015 * 02:53:18 am (BRST)
SANTIAGO = Monday * 5th Jan 2015 * 01:53:18 am (CLST)
NEW YORK = Sunday * 4th Jan 2015 * 11:53:18 pm (EST)
MEXICO CITY = Sunday * 4th Jan 2015 * 10:53:18 pm (CST)
CALGARY = Sunday * 4th January 2015 * 09:53:18 pm (MST)
LOS ANGELES = Sunday * 4th Jan 2015 * 08:53:18 pm (PST)
ANCHORAGE = Sunday * 4th Jan 2015 * 07:53:18 pm (AKST)
HONOLULU = Sunday * 4th Jan 2015 * 06:53:18 pm (HAST)


This full moon is in Cancer encouraging us to be very honest about our feelings as we go into 2015. Look deep into your heart and examine all your personal relationships to make sure you are on the right track. Keep all that is good in your life and let go of anything that is not.  Venus is in retrograde encouraging us to examine past relationships, heal them and thus strengthen current ones. Full Moon Blessings for January 2015 to you all, may the moon in Cancer bring you all that your heart desires, feel the bliss, blessings, Alison

On Combining Christmas and Yule, Winter Solstice

How do you combine Christmas and Yule in your family traditions? Do you celebrate both traditions?

In our family I have only been a Pagan for approximately four years. My teenage daughters therefore in regards to Paganism, how can I put it; 'gently support' what they term their Mum's 'hippy ways'! They love what I do and I know a lot of it is rubbing off on them but they in in no way put them selves in my camp it just wouldn't be cool! Perhaps if I had become a Pagan whilst they were toddlers it might have been different. I look wistfully every year at the mothers and their very young children all dressed up with flowers in

their hair at the maypole in Glastonbury for Beltane!

Christmas is therefore a very big event in our house. Although adults really now my girls adore Christmas and get really excited which I love. I have no problem with celebrating Christian holidays alongside Pagan ones and have not let go of a lot of my Catholic upbringing. I believe in religious tolerance for all religions, every religion has something to offer and we can never say one is better than another. Personally I like to draw from many different religions in my personal beliefs. For me Paganism is about worshipping our Mother Earth not about whose religion is the better one.

My Yule Altar

So to celebrate Yule at the Winter Solstice this year I will be lighting candles and having a private mediation, welcoming the return of the sun. I struggle with the long dark days so will be very glad that our sun is returning to light our earth. For that I give gratitude to our wonderful Mother Earth Gaia. I like to bring the outside into the house at this time of year so have made our mantlepiece into an altar to honour our Mother Earth, the Goddess Gaia. This is following ancient Pagan customs of bringing greenery such as holly ivy and mistletoe into homes for good luck, more on ancient customs can be found here

Our Pagan Christmas tree

Although our Christmas tree is festooned with baubles and memories of holidays past I also like to Paganise it a little with ornaments I have made and pentacle charms. Perhaps you can have a go at making your own pentacle charm to go on your Christmas tree this year? Pentacle charms like the one depicted here are still available in the Astarte Moon Shop  as well. 

Yule Pentacle charm-Astarte-Moon Shop

Blessings of love and light for the return of the sun at Yule to you, AstarteAlison

Cold Yule Moon Saturday 6th December 2014. Moon phases December

We are coming up to our beautiful Yule Cold Moon on Saturday 6th December. We haven't seen any snow here but the other side of the Atlantic have had more than enough already! This December Full moon was often called the Snow Moon, Cold Moon or frost Moon for obvious reasons! More background on Full Moon names can be found here: Dec Moon names

This Full Moon is our Christmas moon, our Yule moon. It is often thus named as 'The Long Nights Moon' or 'The Moon Before Yule' as the Solstice occurs usually around the 21st December when we have the longest night and the shortest day. More information on the Pagan celebration of Yule may be found here. Yule Celebrations

Below are details of Full Moon times wherever you might be.

Setting moon earth sky.org

Saturday 6th December 2014 01:26:48 pm Central European Time (CET)
Moon sign: Gemini 14° 17'

WELLINGTON = Sunday * 7th Dec 2014 * 01:26:48 am (NZDT)
SYDNEY = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 11:26:48 pm (AEDT)
TOKYO = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 09:26:48 pm (JST)
BEIJING = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 08:26:48 pm (CST)
BANGKOK = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 07:26:48 pm (ICT)
DELHI = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 05:56:48 pm (IST)
MOSCOW = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 03:26:48 pm (MSK)
RIYADH = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 03:26:48 pm (AST)
BERLIN = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 01:26:48 pm (CET)
LAGOS = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 01:26:48 pm (WAT)
LONDON = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 12:26:48 pm (GMT)
RIO = Saturday * 6th December 2014 * 10:26:48 am (BRST)
NEW YORK = Saturday * 6th Dec 2014 * 07:26:48 am (EST)
MEXICO CITY = Saturday * 6th Dec 2014 * 06:26:48 am (CST)
LOS ANGELES = Saturday * 6th Dec 2014 * 04:26:48 am (PST)
HONOLULU = Saturday * 6th Dec 2014 * 02:26:48 am (HAST)

And here are the moon phases for December 2014, sorry I am a bit late in updating this post for you.

Full Yule Moon Blessings to you, Alison

New Moon in Sagittarius Saturday 22nd November 12.32 UTC.

We have a new moon in Sagittarius coming up this Saturday 22nd November 12.32 UTC.

This is a perfect time to plan for new beginnings. You don't have to wait until January to start new resolutions! The Sagittarian energy that is around at the moment will lend an extra boost of fire and optimism to the building new moon energy. This means this is a perfect time to harness that fire , take control and step towards your goals. Allow that wonderful new moon in Sagittarius to power you towards all that you desire.

It may help to try out some new moon affirmations such as the following: new moon affirmation. 

New Moon blessings of new beginnings to you, soar high, reach towards your dreams, Alison xxx

Practising mindfulness during the Leonids meteor shower

Tonight I will be practising mindfulness watching the Leonids meteor shower in my back garden under a warm blanket!

The Leonids meteors can be seen at their peak around the 16^th to the 18^th November. They are one of the most impressive showers to observe, with around 40 meteors per hour at their peak.  This year only a modest 10-15 have been predicted however. The shower itself has a cyclical peak year every 33 years where hundreds of meteors can be seen each year, the last of these was in 2001, lets look forward to 2034 then! Our crescent waning moon is at 25% of her brightness at the moment so that should make for fairly good viewing of this impressive meteor shower.

In order to locate the Leonids, look in the direction of the constellation Leo, the best time is just after midnight. The brightest object in the sky right now, the planet Jupiter is also near the radiant point which should make it easier to locate where the meteors will be originating.

 

earthsky.org

Here are some viewing tips from earthsky.org

“Here’s another tip regarding the radiant point. As darkness falls in mid-November, the radiant point of the shower is below your horizon, as seen from all parts of Earth. As the Earth turns, the constellation Leo the Lion – carrying the meteor shower radiant point – will rise over your eastern horizon. Expect to see the constellation Leo in the east around midnight. That’s why the Leonids begin to pick up steam after the midnight hour!

Just remember, you don’t have to locate a meteor shower radiant to watch the meteor shower.

But if the radiant isn’t in the sky, you won’t see as many meteors. That means you should watch the Leonid shower tonight, from late evening (November 17) until dawn (November 18).

As a general rule, the higher the meteor shower radiant climbs in your sky, the more meteors that you’re likely to see. The radiant for the Leonids is highest up during the dark hour before dawn, offering, perhaps, 10-15 meteors per hour. The moon may marginally interfere with the show, but not enough to worry about. You should see at least a sprinkling meteors, if you watch for an hour or so.

What else can you see on the night of the 2014 Leonids peak? The radiant for the Leonids is near the star Algieba in Leo. This is not Leo the Lion’s brightest star. That distinction goes to Leo’s star Regulus. Watch for both of these stars.

accuweather.com

Both Algieba and Regulus belong to a noticeable pattern on the sky’s dome, in the shape of a backwards question mark. This pattern is called “the Sickle.” The paths of Leonid meteors can be traced backwards to the Sickle pattern, which is a famous asterism – or noticeable star pattern – within the constellation Leo.”

Watching meteors fly through our night sky can be an intensely spiritual experience. The wonder of a shooting star is something that stirs a deep emotion within us. Spending an hour or two watching a shower is a wonderful way of really practicing a meditative mindfulness, try to really concentrate on the night sky and empty your mind of all other thoughts. Become completely absorbed in what is happening in the heavens above you and allow yourself to be almost transported to that other plane as if you yourself were in amongst the shooting stars. As you still your mind you will feel it is just you and the night sky and it is a wonderful feeling. Make sure you wrap up warm though and enjoy your wonderful mindful meteors!

Wishing on a shooting star! Blessings, Alison xxx

November Full Frost Snow Beaver Moon. Which name is your favourite?

On Thursday 6th November we will have the beauty of a wonderful full moon gracing our skies once again.

As we consistently see, a lot of our ancient ancestors named our moons depending on what Mother Nature was doing at that particular time of year. November is unsurprisingly no different. Thus we see names such as Snow Moon and Frost Moon for the cold weather we will experience in November. One descriptive one I like is the Dakotah Sioux Moon when Horns are broken off. This refers to the rutting season of the deer. Their neighbours the Lakota referred to the November full moon as ‘the Moon of the falling leaves’. Meanwhile the Ojibwe name was ‘the freezing moon’ and the Osage called it ‘the Coon breeding Moon’

The time of the November full moon was often a traditional time for trading amongst the traditional native American Indians. It was the traditional time for the friendship festival called ‘Adohuna’. Adohuna was a day for atonement for the Cherokee and ritual fasting was observed on the day itself. It was a time for charity and the needy in all the local area were looked out for.

Other popular names for the November name are Hunter's moon and Beaver Moon. More information can information can be found here

In Japan the Goddess Kami was honoured as the Goddess of the kitchen. She is responsible for the food that comes into our kitchens and its preparation into the food that we eat.

Enjoy the cold crispy days of November, as the last of the Autumn leaves fall we see our mother earth gently settling down into the winter slumber. We can look forward to cozy nights in front of the fire or tucked up in bed with a good book(that’s me!) Look out for our wonderful November Frost Moon in the night sky, perhaps you would like to give her your own personal name?

Below are the full moon times in different time zones around the world.

Moon sign: Taurus 14° 25'

Thursday 6th November 2014 11:22:54 pm(CET)
WELLINGTON = Friday * 7th Nov 2014 * 11:22:54 am (NZDT)
SYDNEY = Friday * 7th November 2014 * 09:22:54 am (AEDT)
TOKYO = Friday * 7th November 2014 * 07:22:54 am (JST)
BEIJING = Friday * 7th November 2014 * 06:22:54 am (CST)
BANGKOK = Friday * 7th November 2014 * 05:22:54 am (ICT)
DELHI = Friday * 7th November 2014 * 03:52:54 am (IST)
MOSCOW = Friday * 7th November 2014 * 02:22:54 am (MSK)
RIYADH = Friday * 7th November 2014 * 01:22:54 am (AST)
BERLIN = Thursday * 6th November 2014 * 11:22:54 pm (CET)
LAGOS = Thursday * 6th November 2014 * 11:22:54 pm (WAT)
LONDON = Thursday * 6th November 2014 * 10:22:54 pm (GMT)
RIO = Thursday * 6th November 2014 * 08:22:54 pm (BRST)
NEW YORK = Thursday * 6th Nov 2014 * 05:22:54 pm (EST)
MEXICO CITY = Thursday * 6th Nov 2014 * 04:22:54 pm (CST)
LOS ANGELES = Thursday * 6th Nov 2014 * 02:22:54 pm (PST)
HONOLULU = Thursday * 6th Nov 2014 * 12:22:54 pm (HAST)

Full November moon blessings to you, AstarteAlison xxx

Full Super Moon Harvest September 2014 a cause for Gratitude and why is it Orange?!

Well our moon for September 2014 is currently waxing at 83% of her fullness at the time I write this and I can feel her energy ever building. I haven't been lucky enough to see her on the last few nights as it has been cloudy here in England so I'm hoping for a few clear nights as we reach the nights of her fullness. 

This September moon is the moon closest to the Pagan festival of Mabon. Therefore a lot of the names that have been given over time to this full moon are to do with the harvest that takes place around this time of year. Mabon is the second harvest in the Pagan wheel of the Year, we shall see the last one being the traditional one of Samhain or Halloween. Common names for the September moon therefore included Harvest Moon, Barley Moon and Corn Moon.

It is often thought that this harvest moon is a particularly orange colour, is there any truth or science behind this fact? When we see the moon rising it looks much larger to our eyes as we are seeing it against the background of other objects. Due to the fact that we are looking at the moon through a greater amount of atmospheric particles including pollution the moon will take on an orange or reddish tint. The atmosphere will scatter the blue particles but allow the red component of light to travel direct to our eyes. Thus we see a larger looking red/orange Harvest Moon rising in our skies on the evening of the September Full Moon. 

This September Harvest Moon is of course the third in the trio of Super moons that we will have seen in 2014, therefore it's orange glow will look even more spectacular as it will appear slightly larger.  It will not be as large as the Supermoon that occurred in August. That super moon was the largest of the year because the moon was the closest to us. Supermoon's can appear up to 14% brighter and 30% bigger. Supermoons occur because our moon does not follow a circular path around our earth, it follows an elliptical one. Therefore at its furthest away it is 405,000 km away, this is called an apogee, and at its nearest it is 363,000, this is called a perigree. When the time of the perigree aligns with a full or new moon it is called a super moon. Much more information on why Supermoon's occur and how they might affect us can be found here:What is a Supermoon 

Other names for the September Full Supermoon include Mulberry Moon, Leaf Fall Moon, Kindly Moon and Little Chestnut Moon.

The September Mabon moon is all about achieving balance in our lives. We are nearing the Autumn equinox. Look to any areas of your lives that feel our of kilter right now, what do you need to do to bring that balance back? This is also a time of Gratitude. It is a time when we say thank you to our Mother Earth. She has provided us with a lot over this past year asking for nothing in return, the least we can do is offer her our gratitude. It is up to you how you do this, you may like to get together with family and friends or simply spend some time in nature offering up your silent thanks to the Mother Earth that feeds us and keeps us alive.

Do you have a favourite for the September Mabon Moon? I'm going to go with Blackberry Moon this year as the blackberries are early and there are already so many of them in my garden..delicious!

Full Mabon Supermoon Harvest Moon blessings to you,

AstarteAlison

Moon phases for September and full moon times Tuesday 9th September 2014

Below are the moon phases for September 2014 for you. We are currently in a waxing moon phase, you have maybe felt the energy building, perhaps you are working towards a major project? Mine is getting my eldest daughter sorted and off to university! 

Our Moon will be full on 9th September. It's not a Supermoon this month but I'm sure we will all feel her affecting us in some way! As this moon is around the time of the gathering of crops it is often known as the Harvest moon. I shall be writing another post very soon on the common names for the September full moon. Our moon then begins to wane and we shall experience a new moon on 25th September 2014. Enjoy each phase of our wonderful moon throughout September 2014, may each phase bring with it the unique emotion that is our moon and may you experience each phase with joy and wonder in your heart. Blessings, Alison

Full Moon Times for Time Zones around the world The next full moon will be:Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 03:38:12 am
Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Moon sign: Pisces 16° 19'

In other time zones:
WELLINGTON = Tuesday * 9th Sep 2014 * 01:28:12 pm (NZST)
SYDNEY = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 11:28:12 am (AEST)
TOKYO = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 10:28:12 am (JST)
BEIJING = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 09:28:12 am (CST)
BANGKOK = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 08:28:12 am (ICT)
DELHI = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 06:58:12 am (IST)
MOSCOW = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 05:28:12 am (MSK)
RIYADH = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 04:28:12 am (AST)
BERLIN = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 03:28:12 am (CEST)
LONDON = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 02:28:12 am (BST)
LAGOS = Tuesday * 9th September 2014 * 02:28:12 am (WAT)
RIO = Monday * 8th September 2014 * 10:28:12 pm (BRT)
NEW YORK = Monday * 8th September 2014 * 09:28:12 pm (EDT)
MEXICO CITY = Monday * 8th Sep 2014 * 08:28:12 pm (CDT)
LOS ANGELES = Monday * 8th Sep 2014 * 06:28:12 pm (PDT)
HONOLULU = Monday * 8th Sep 2014 * 03:28:12 pm (HAST)
http://www.fullmoon.info/

Supermoon Saturday 12th July 2014. Why does a super moon occur and how will it affect me?

The first super full moon for 2014 happens on Saturday 12^th July 2014.

What is a Supermoon?

These ‘supermoons’ were originally termed Perigree moons until they were given the catchier title of Supermoon by astrologer Richard Nolle, he  defined a supermoon as:

“… a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.”

A supermoon may make the moon appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than usual.

Due to the given Richard Nolle definition we have approximately 4-6 supermoons on average in any given year, this includes full and new moons. In 2014 we will have three full super full moons occurring on July 12^th, August 10^th and September 9^th.

More information on the super moons we had last year can be found here together with some useful diagrams: supermoons 2013 explanations

Why do Supermoons Occur?

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Supermoons occur because our moon does not follow a circular path around our earth, it follows an elliptical one. Therefore at its furthest away it is 405,000 km away, this is called an apogee, and at its nearest it is 363,000, this is called a perigree. When the time of the perigree aligns with a full or new moon it is called a supermoon.

How close is the July Super Moon?

Our closest Supermoon this year will be the supermoon in August 2014. On that date the moon is 356,896 kilometres away from our earth. The supermoon on July 12^th 2014 will be 358,285 km away from us.

Demonstration of super moon from NASA

Does the Supermoon really look bigger?

The good thing about having the supermoon during the summer months is that it appears low on the horizon. This means that with the trees and buildings as reference it actually looks bigger to our eyes. The moon is the same size on the horizon as it is in the sky it just looks bigger to us when it is on the horizon so it really does look like a supermoon! We will have therefore three really super summer moons to enjoy this year therefore, make sure you see them rising, our beautiful super moon rises shortly after sunset.

Why does the supermoon affect me?

We don't really know why the full moon affects some people. However one explanation may be to do with the way the moon affects the water on our planet. All full moons bring higher-than-usual tides, and perigee full moons bring the highest (and lowest) tides of all. These are called Perigean Spring Tides.  Similarly these supermoons have an increased affect on the cells in our bodies. At the full moon all water on our planet is pulled towards the moon. Therefore if the moon is closer there is a greater pull and the affects will be felt more strongly. You may feel the usual affects of the full moon are accentuated during the time of the supermoon therefore. The full moon affects different people in different ways and thus the same applies to the supermoon. 

How will the supermoon affect me?

You may find you are more restless than usual or you may have more energy. We may often experience much more turbulent emotions than we are used to and it is important to recognize that when we are decision making.

If you are able to then try and plan ahead as to how you may use any excess energy you may have and plan your supermoon nights! Prepare for the increased emotion and use it as an opportunity for growth, however do not make any rash decisions that you may later regret. It is important to recognize in yourself any emotional changes that may be due to the effect that the moon is having on you that may be making you not act like your normal self!

Perhaps meditate on where your life is now, where your priorities lie and where you would like them to be heading. Channel this wonderful energy into growing your life, do not be fearful of the energy but use it to your advantage, the world is your oyster and this supermoon could be your key to unlocking as yet untapped potential.

July Capricorn Supermoon

This July supermoon is in Capricorn. This particular sign tells us to pay attention to balancing our own needs. We should look at what is needed in areas of our lives such as home, work and children and see what should be done to address any areas that might be out of kilter. Demands that are put upon us might need to be changed slightly so that we can accommodate more pressing issues. Prioritising issues is key right now, you are only one person and you cannot be stretched to breaking point! One of the names given to the full moon for July is the Buck Moon which is a perfect symbol for the Capricorn Moon. Other names for the July supermoon are Hay Moon and Blessing Moon. Check out the post on July moon names for further info! July Moon Names. I like Blessing Moon. This Super Moon is closest to the Pagan feast of Lammas or Lughnassad which is a particular time for giving gratitude and blessings. I send out blessings to you all! More information on Lammas may be found here  Lammas History and Traditions

So get ready for the three supermoons in a row July August September 2014. Buckle your seat belts it is sure to be a bumpy roller coaster of a ride but enjoy that roller coaster, raise your hands in the air and embrace that wonderful energy! Lean into the corners and scream if you need to but above all enjoy it and send out joy and love into the universe.

Supermoon blessings to you, Alison

Full moon July 2014. Blessing Moon. Hay moon

Our Moon is full this month on the 12th July.  For the full list of times for the full moon in your particular time zone please see the post I wrote a couple of days ago. Here in England we seem to be having a few dry days so hopefully that will make for some good full moon viewing!

As usual I have written a few words about the full moon names. I will try not to repeat my previous posts!  Most to the names follow what is happening in the weather at this time of year. The native american names for the full moon are often the most descriptive giving us an idea of what was happening in their lives at the time of the July full moon. 

Here is a list of the Native American full moon names for the various tribes:
Abenaki –Grass Cutter Moon
Algonquin –Squash Are Ripe Moon
Cherokee –Ripe Corn Moon
Choctaw –Little Harvest Moon, Crane Moon
Comanche –Hot Moon
Cree –Moon When Ducks Begin to Molt
Dakota Sioux –Moon of the Middle Summer
Haida –Salmon Moon
Hopi –Moon of the Homedance
Kalapuya –Camas Ripe (the bulb of the camas lily was a staple food to the Kalapuya)
Lakota –Moon When The Chokecherries Are Black
Mohawk –Time of Much Ripening
Ponca –Middle of Summer Moon
Potawatomi –Moon of the Young Corn
Shoshone –Summer Moon http://paradelle.wordpress.com

You can see from this list how important a crop corn was to the Native American tribes. This was also seen in other cultures, although now we have a variety of other crops available to us. Colonists to  America called the full moon in July the Corn Tassel Moon. 

The full moon in July is the closest moon to the Pagan feast of Lammas or Lughnasadh. This marks the festival of the first harvest. Lammas or Lughnasadh (Loo-nahs-ah) falls on the 1st August. It is a cross-quarter holiday festival which lies between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon).  Traditionally it was a time for giving thanks for all that our Mother Earth, Gaia has provided; with a particular focus for the grain that has been grown that would sustain people during the long cold winter months. When you look upon the full moon therefore try and offer gratitude for all that our mother earth has provided for us. Lammas or Lughnasadh is also seen as a fertility festival as the earth is ripe with her fertility at this time of year, this is an excellent time for attracting luck and fertility in all areas of your life. Why not have a go at writing your own blessing to read out, either aloud or just to yourself at the time of the full moon? If you would like to share I would love to hear from you.

Full blessing moon love to you, AstarteAlison xxx