From the archives: Moon sign basics

Back in 2010 (umm, wow, time is flying), I wrote a little blurb about moon signs. I've been trying to get back to basics lately, so I'm reposting this (and I'm not really editing it much either, heh).

Your moon sign is determined by, you guessed it, the sign the moon was in at your time of birth. The moon changes signs about every 2.5 days- 28 1/4 days make up the lunar calendar. This is obviously a lot faster than sun signs, which change signs once every 30 days. But what does this mean? Your moon sign represents your emotional side, your inner nature- the part of yourself that is private, your driving force. Whereas your sun sign helps paint the picture of what you look like to others, your moon sign is usually a lot trickier to simply guess. Basically, your moon sign, like the tides it also influences, has a lot of pull over how you express yourself as a whole.

The rapidly changing moon is one reason why someone with the same Sun sign as you may seem completely different from you. 

Find out your moon sign on either astro or alabe. If you experience any difficulties at all with this,  just let me know and I will be happy to help. You can leave a comment or facebook/email me or whatever (see contact buttons up at the top!)

Onto the signs!

Aries. An Aries moon denotes a strong, driving force behind your personality and actions. This could occur in a multitude of ways- maybe you know exactly what you want out of a given situation (or life in general), perhaps you have the motivation to physically and mentally get the places you desire. Life may throw some tough challenges and lessons at you, but you're able to push through to the good parts. You're probably pretty affectionate with loved ones and are probably pretty honest and direct. You don't mess around!

Taurus. A Taurean moon bestows a kind of stability in a person- no matter how flighty they may seem otherwise, at their core they have a slowed down sort of calm. Even if their mind swirls with thoughts, they find themselves simply at the center of it all. They need to have some sense of security to feel comfortable in their own skin and confident. While they won't be tracking every penny like the Taurus sun sign, money will be something they worry about, because it seems to influence everything else, and is a piece of their perceived security- money is the means to attaining travel, a home, nice quality items, etc.- those with Taurus moon despise this fact but it can weigh heavily nonetheless. But on the bright side, this signs is affectionate with 

Gemini moon! This adds a bit of trickiness to a person, no matter what their sign. An element that can come through as others not quite knowing what you're thinking or up to. What's really going on in that head? With a Gemini moon, it can be practically impossible for others to figure this out. You may think about your feelings more than actually experiencing them. Not to say that you're not emotional- that depends on the rest of your chart. What it means is that you intellectualize and rationalize things, not to speak of your busy mind in general. There's a sharpness to you, but it can also go the other way, leading to not always paying attention to others because you're so wrapped up in your own thoughts.

Cancer moon. Cancer is in it's home "planet" here, so a Cancer moon is very powerful. It's one of only a few moons that shows itself- something about you may seem "watery" even if your Sun sign is something like Aquarius or Leo, for example. You feel your way through life, and have a very strong intuition. Sometimes you may do things you know you shouldn't because it feels right in some way. Others may make references to you being a "mom" (or dad? do people say stuff like that to guys?) because you always show a concern for others which can sometimes border worry. You're super compassionate and wear your heart on your sleeve, or, of course, it can go the opposite way and you keep it all bottled up, which is crazy bad for you. If this is the case, find a constructive way to get everything you're feeling out. 

Leo. In contrast to the Cancer moon, Leo is the sun being expressed through the moon. Say what? Leo is ruled by the Sun, and Leo is actually a favorable position for the moon to be in, as it represents the light of the moon (which, of course, comes from the sun)- you can always hang on to some semblance of the bright side, no matter how pessimistic (or you do you call it realistic?) you may be. Strong-willed and driven, your values are also very important to you, and help to guide your life. You can get obsessive about accomplishing goals (or whatever) because you get so focused. Try to remember to be here now and enjoy the present, you and the people who surround you will really appreciate it.

Virgo moon! Discriminating and calculating, methodical and detail-oriented. You thrive on some sort of routine, no matter how crazy your lifestyle may be. It could be something as small as having the same cocoa every morning, or you could have a much more elaborate repertoire. You are ambitious, and will work steadily toward your goals, which you are often able to clearly visualize. You can be rather solemn at times, partially because you're aware of the bad in the world and want to be able to change it. Remember that not everything is your responsibility, and allow yourself to lighten up and have fun. With all your hard work, you definitely deserve it.

Libra moon. Partnerships are very important to you. You feel at your best in a relationship, but be sure to have a good connection with yourself and do things that you like to do so that you don't completely lose yourself in someone else. Libran moon minds are pretty sharp and rational- you approach problem solving by some variance  of a "pros and cons" list. Balance is key for you to have a calm inner state, but by the same token, you can be thrown out of balance very easily. "All things in moderation" applies especially to lunar Librans, because overindulgance in any area results in a tipping of your scales. You have a knack for making your surroundings pleasing to your eyes, and have a cute way of styling yourself, as beauty in all its forms are very appealing to you.

Scorpio. This is an intense moon to have! And intense is not synonymous with "bad," don't worry. It just means that you feel every nuance that is possible to feel- a possible defense mechanism of this moon is an attempt to block out the bad feelings through repression or through heavy self medication. Try to limit this response and use your profoundness as a gift. You have the potential to be a very successful light worker of some sort, if you use your powers for good. Scorpio moons struggle between the light and dark sides of it, and may experience prolonged periods of time in the dark side before seeing and embracing the light. The moon imparts a fixed quality in you, and you do have a need for security. Unlike the Taurus moon though (Scorpio's polarity), this may be more of an emotional security rather than material.

Sagittarius. The moon placement imparts a truth-seeking, can't sit still for too long nature. These are the people who jump here and there throughout life (could be career-wise, living situation, or whatever- this will be specific to the individual person), looking to constantly improve upon what they already have. Not that they're necessarily critical, just eager to see their best possible life manifesting. These people can roll with the punches and bounce back quickly. They have sense of fun about them... A bit faery-like, almost. Sagittarius is the philosopher of the Zodiac, and having a Lunar Sag is no exception.

Capricorn. Like the Virgo moon placement, Capricorn is methodical in its own way. Those with Capricorn moons can be very expressive artistically, much more so than verbally. They can have a really hard time with words, and d  Pretty good with money, as having some in the bank makes you feel secure. You have a propensity to take life a bit seriously, and it's important for you to have solid human connections you can laugh with, as of course you must feel comfortable to let that side of you out. Having stability and a game plan are important to you, as it gives you a sense of control. Just remember to relax and let go sometimes, to enjoy all that you have cultivated in life.

Aquarius. Mentally active, always learning, never content to get stale in any way, shape, or form. A bit eclectic and bohemian in lifestyle, you create your own path in life and can usually shrug off criticism from those who want to give you a hard time about it. This is because deep down, you know what you're doing is right for you. Part of you can be very aloof, even in relationships. There's always a part of you that you keep just for yourself, and although you think a lot about things, you don't always have the easiest time saying what you feel. 

Pisces. You flow through life, transitioning from here to there (physically, mentally....) almost seamlessly. Tend to have a kind of funky, fun, crazy side to you, and you can be pretty selective about who gets to see it! (Or, depending on your chart, you could be less shy and way more open with your awesomeness). Others may not know what to think of you at first, but it's probably just because you're off in your own little world. Definitely an interesting lunar placement, you can have a hard time making decisions, but the less you think about it, the better, because you'll only make yourself more confused. Inner peace is important for you, but also easily attainable if you listen to your intuition.

new brunswick!

So this was an intense one! I'll try to make it a little lighter next time. Any questions or clarifying wanted, let me know.

Sun Sign Basics.

The sun sign is what western astrology is based on. It's the sign you reply with when someone asks you what your sign is. It's where the earth is, in relation to the sun, the day you were born. Every birthday marks your solar return. That's where the expression, "and many happy returns!" comes from.

I'm thinking I'll list the signs, ruling planet(s), and anything off the top of my head I can think of. 

Aries: Ruled by Mars, the red planet. This energy is independent, assertive, with a strong sense of self. Not afraid of, may even willingly hunt for and take on, challenges.

Taurus: Ruled by Venus. Taurus is characterized by love and beauty in nature, environment, in general. The definition of such, will of course vary. Security. Finances. Steadfastness. (Some may say stubborn... what?)

Gemini: Ruled by Mercury. Intelligent, a bit erratic, unique. That brain is always thinking, always going, sometimes multiple trains of thought at once!

Cancer: Ruled by the moon. The moon waxes and wanes, and especially influences the emotional states of those with Cancer prominent in their charts.  

Leo: Ruled by the sun. This energy is obviously warm and expansive, but wants/needs attention and recognition for all that they do. Also generally affectionate and generous.

Virgo: Ruled by Mercury, as well as Gemini. The energy is expressed differently in Virgo, though. Virgo is characterized by a strong work ethic and "purity of purpose" in their ideals (some may say "perfectionist"). Also loyal and truthful.

Libra: Ruled by Venus. This sign is all about relating, to themselves and to others. It also rules beauty and is intellectual in approach and nature. Balance is especially important for Libra types.

Scorpio: Ruled by Pluto, but before Pluto was discovered it was ruled by Mars. Scorpio's energy is deep and intense, and this power can be used for good or otherwise. They have potential to be great healers.

Sagittarius: Ruled by Jupiter. Expansion in all areas of life is a focus for Sadges. Travel, philosophy, education (formal or not), spirituality, art, and the like- these are all very important to this sign.

Capricorn: Ruled by Saturn. Very capable energy- they can do anything. May at times feel fearful of expanding, but this is the lower vibration. The sea-goat wants to keep ascending, and again- are EXTREMELY capable of doing so.

Aquarius: Ruled by Uranus, and was ruled by Saturn before Uranus was discovered. Aquarians are VERY independent, but in a different way than Aries. Aquarians just have to be, whoever they are. Period. To others this may seem rebellious, erratic, or weird, but Aquarians know that what others think doesn't really matter. ;)

Pisces: Ruled by Neptune, and was ruled by Jupiter before Neptune was discovered. Pisces energy is subtle but deep. Their lives may be lead more by intuition than they realize. Art, spirituality, and that which is unconscious, like dreams, interest them. Prone to confusion and escapism, however!

So there's my round up. What do you think?

From adventures in Eastport, Maine.

What's a transit?

Alternate title: Look at my new buttons! :) I love 'em. I'm thinking about adding an instagram one as well, but the problem is that I have to do a third-party thing (since instagram is mobile-only, officially), and I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with that yet. Anyway, you want these buttons for your website, I found them here.

So. What's a transit? It's something I've talked about before on here but today I realized that I never really defined it. You know how you have your birth, or natal, chart, right? Your birth chart captures the exact moment of time when and where you were born on this Earth. Transits refer to the planets' positions at any given time. To the right, you'll see a box under "Today's Solar System." This tells you all of the planets' current positions. 

Does that make sense? Next is the tricky part, but not really because astro makes it super simple. 

So you have your chart. Now, take those current planets and put them into your chart. Where the current planets fall tell you what houses in your chart- parts of your life- are being activated. Maybe there's a current planet or two in an empty house of yours; perhaps a planet is forming an aspect to a personal planet (fancy talk for a planet in your birth chart), and activating that planet in a different way.

That's it. To expedite finding yours, go here (astro.com's "extended chart selection" page), and select natal chart and transits* from the first drop down menu. After putting in your birth data, you will see your birth chart as usual, but with green symbols around the chart, which stand for various planets. This provides a visual to see where the current, transiting planets are falling in your chart.

example of the natal chart with transits*  selection on astro.com. note the green planets around the chart.

I've done blog posts on different house transits here and here, if you'd care to check them out.

Thanks for reading! xo

way down east, maine.

foggy drive. way down east. maine.

a taste of feng shui

Feng Shui is an interest of mine that, admittedly, I have not indulged as much as I'd like. However, there a few principles that spoke to me, and I thought that I would share them for anyone else who might be interested. :)

Feng Shui is, at it's core, pretty common sense stuff. For example, in the bedroom, the bed should be positioned so that when you're laying in bed, if someone were to enter your bedroom, you would see them before they're actually in the room. Which makes sense, because obviously it's nice to not be surprised by someone entering your room (gets rid of that stress), plus it's good for the flow of the room.

Again, I don't know a whole lot, but I do know that each house, room within the house, has a bagua, which serves as a map of what different areas of the room represent. The bedroom represents your relationship, and within that there are aspects of it represented as well. The one I know the most about is the relationship corner of your bedroom.

 It's easy to find; the farthest corner of the room from the bedroom door. In this corner you want to make sure it has minimal clutter, clean of dust and cobwebs, and have something that reminds you of love/your relationship if you are in one. Could be photos, or a little altar of sorts with things that represent what's important to you in love- stones, crystals, a card deck of some sort with a favorite card drawn, a quote written out- you get the point. ;) And I hope I don't sound tooo hippie-dippie with that last sentence! heh.

Other tips for the bedroom: having both sides of the bed be adequately lit with a lamp on a bedside table or dresser, with enough walking room on either side of the bed, so neither side is cramped or blocked off with obstacles. (See? Common sense.) Touches of red are nice, too. I read somewhere that red sheets are good, especially for king sized beds- since they are so big, and create distance (which personally I prefer, I really stretch out, ha), the color red symbolically unites both sides. Sounds good to me. ;)

What do you think? Have you applied any Feng Shui concepts to your home or workspace?

faery house in coastal new hampshire.
instagram  carolinedilz

the major angles.

(note: I wrote the bulk of this post back in july, i don't know why it's just been hanging out in drafts for so long!)

Birth charts are sectioned off into twelve houses. However, four of these houses represent the four major angles. They are: the Ascendant (aka Rising Sign, which you can see on the left of the chart). The next point is the IC (imum coeli), which is on the bottom. The third major angle is the Descendant, on the right. And, finally, on the top of the chart is the MC, or midheaven.

Ascendant: cusp (start of) the first house. The first sign/house in the zodiac is Aries, but your ascendant of course depends on all of your birth information, which you can figure out here. The ascendant represents how you react with people, your outward appearance. your automatic responses with dealing with others. For example, with Libra rising, your automatic response is likely to be polite and pleasant with others (unless they give you reason not to be, of course, and the rest of your chart supports this! ;) ), and also making sure that you look at least halfway decent before leaving your home will be important as well. Planets in any of the houses also influence how are automatically respond in those particular areas of life.

The IC is at the bottom of your chart, and marks the start of the fourth house. The fourth house in the zodiac on it's own is Cancer, and no matter what sign you have in your fourth house, it represents your home life, childhood, and is ruled by the moon. I view the IC also as the dream place in your chart- where a part of your subconscious lurks. (Okay, "lurks" sounds kind of dramatic, but you know what I mean).

The descendant marks the start of your seventh house, which is all about relationships, romantic and otherwise. Relating. In the zodiac, the seventh house is ruled by Libra, but whichever sign and planets you have here will give you clues about how you are in relationships, what's important to you, and any challenges you may face. I think it can also indicate how you communicate within relationships, and any tendencies.

And now, the MC, or midheaven. Right at the top of the chart. This is similar to the Ascendant, in that it portrays a bit of how others see you. The difference is that the MC represents your public persona- your reputation, how you are seen in your career and/or community. The MC also marks the start of your tenth house (see here for more info), which rules career, responsibility, and ambition. (You can read more of what I've written on the tenth house here.)

I'd like to write about the other eight houses at some point too, but thought this was a good starting point. I highly encourage looking up your chart, seeing what you have in these houses, and googling them (for ex., "first house gemini," "saturn in the seventh house"- I've gotten a ton of info that way), or of course you can look it up in a book if you have the access, or ask for input by leaving me a comment or emailing me at the.earth.and.stars@gmail.com

Thanks for reading. :)

old orchard beach, maine.

introverts and extroverts and the continuum

I'm reading this book, called Raising Your Spirited Child (by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka), which is a good read for me since not only do I have a spirited child, I am also a grown-up one, and although I'm only a couple chapters in I've been able to glean some insight into the psychology of young'ns, and some good strategies for dealing with some of the more *challenging* aspects. The reason I say all this is, there was a section on introverts vs. extroverts, and it got me thinking about the continuum I remember learning about back in my college days... how it's not really one vs. the other, but a line, and where you fall on it. And where you land on it can change with situation, etc. One major point in the book was how introverts draw their energy from spending time alone, while those more on the extrovert side draw their energy from spending time with other people- talking, whatever. What do you need to recharge?

I switch back and forth. I'm farther on the introverted side, for sure, but there are often times when I feel energized from hanging out with awesome people- although, I usually need  a break after, to relax. :) And how does this relate to astrology? Well, my chart has Libra rising, which is the sign of partnerships and relating in general,  so I do have a very social side to my personality. However, it is in the first house of the self (the first sign of the zodiac is Aries). Since I have Libra rising, I have Aries on the other side, the descendant, which rules the 7th house, relationships and partnerships (the seventh house of the zodiac is Libra). They are switched! So I think it makes sense why I vacillate between wanting to be around others frequently, to just wanting... to be alone. Quiet. Etc. It's a seesaw, back and forth, between Aries and Libra, and the balance, or perhaps the imbalance, between them.

What do you need to feel recharged?

This post may not be super relevant for many of you, but this was just on my mind and I decided to blog about it. ;)

close up shot of a hippie van i saw.