Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts - Astrology & Healing Arts Blog

Mercury Retrograde Womanrunes Reading for March - April, 2018

3/22/2018

Mercury stations retrograde tonight at 8:19 PM EST at 16 degrees Aries, and goes direct at 4 degrees Aries on April 15. I wanted to share some wisdom for this cycle from a more intuitive perspective with a Womanrunes reading, to draw us more deeply into ourselves and our inner knowing.

I cover some points about this Mercury Rx that weren't covered in the Weekly Horoscope videos, hence a bit longer video than other times. I hope this reading gives you insights and perspectives that help you navigate this cycle with more grace and ease as you move through clearing, healing, and reorienting/revising processes about to be set in motion!

Many blessings,

Jen

Mercury Rx Womanrunes Spread

Spring Equinox 2018 - Astrological Report, and Ideas for Ritual and Celebration

3/20/2018

Original artwork by Amanda Clark

At 12:15 PM EST, the Sun moves into Aries, and we officially reach the Spring Equinox! Known as Alban Eilir in the Druid tradition, it's the time of equal light and darkness in the waxing half of the year as we move toward the full bloom of light and lush abundance at the Summer Solstice, and the beginning of another astrological new year. Though those "new year" energies won't be entirely ripe for the most potent planting until the Aries New Moon on April 15, we'll certainly be feeling the impulse to get things moving in the direction of our dreams.

This year's spring equinox is a good time to pause before the challenges of Mercury Rx from March 22 - April 15. With the Moon in earthy Taurus forming a trine to Saturn in Capricorn today, we're more supported in achieving a greater sense of balance as we move through the equinox energy gateway - a wonderful energetic support, as fire energies become dominant and earthy energies will bring steadfastness, resolve, and more peace to the mix. It's a good day to set intentions for physical abundance, to get back to the body, to put our efforts into building something strong and solid out of our ambitions.

And there's no shortage of passion to help us plow forward, despite the Mercury station energies at present. MERCURY meets with VENUS in a conjunction today, and a new annual cycle begins. We might feel that we've reached a standstill in relationship circumstances and desires that leave us feeling angry; frustrations with having what we want in terms of physical abundance, in having the physique we wish to have; or even in feelings of jealousy springing up that spill out in more toxic ways that unusual. That's not surprisingly, with these two planets squaring PLUTO for this conjunction, and Mercury turning retrograde on the 22nd.

Though Alban Eilir spurs us into action as the fiery Aries Sun impels us to set things off with a bang, Mercury's station shows that we may be revising that which is set into motion now through its station direct on April 15. This is a natural part of an unfolding process, and points to aspects of our soul's growth when this energy is woven into new beginnings as it is this week.

Questions for Contemplation & Celebration Ideas

Key questions for contemplation at this year's equinox might be:

What dreams am I carrying that are ready to spring into life within me? And what inner/outer impediments are keeping me from fulfilling their manifestation? Issues that might present themselves in the collective are impulsivity, anger triggers, jealousy, karmic issues related to love, money, self-worth, and pleasure.
What old themes are emerging in my life for reassessment around these issues, or my perceptions of Self and life in general? (Make time to meditate on these from March 22 - April 15 especially). Am I willing to welcome these experiences as teachers on the path? Am I willing to revisit old daunting issues with courage, knowing that greater strength and expression of I AM consciousness await as I move through challenges to my autonomy?
Can I feel gratitude for that which is already growing or fully bloomed as I work toward new goals? Gratitude and honoring our accomplishments so far is powerful medicine for moving forward with greater trust in the process of life, and thanksgiving for gifts already received.
Am I willing to be flexible enough to sow new seeds and flow with the need to make changes to what's set in motion now, carrying this awareness through the season?
How can I release patterns of impatience, impulsivity, and toxic anger in ways that block my progress?

Celebrating the Spring Equinox

Create an Alban Eilir Altar

Create an altar space, simple or elaborate, that symbolizes what spring means and feels like to you - a space that captures the essence of new life springing forward. Traditional decorations are eggs (colored beeswax egg candles are lovely!), pastel-colored flowers such as tulips, daffodils, or spring wildflowers that are blooming in your area. Pastel candlesticks in purple, green, pink, and white are beautiful additions. Rabbits are also associated with Alban Eilir, as they are connected with fertility, new life, leaps forward, and overcoming fears to experience success. Use this space for meditation, journaling, contemplation, or ritual throughout the season.

Commune With Nature

Make time for connecting with Earth Mother by spending time outside. Enjoy time in a garden, earthing in your backyard, putting food out for animal visitors, or finding a space for simple outdoor ritual and meditation. I often brew ceremonial cacao for spiritual sojourns into the wild, allowing her medicine to open new realms of awareness, experience, and healing while communing with the natural world (and the Elementals that thrive there!). Consider taking a small Crane Bag or pocket altar, filled with sacred objects, to consecrate your chosen destination and connect more deeply with the spirits of the land.
Have a bonfire, celebrating the returning of the Sun's light and vitality to brighten our days, and the infusion of Aries Sun energy filling us with the passion and drive to act with courage on new beginnings. Call in the fire spirits for support; sing and drum to move energy and experience healing. Scry with fire as you would with water or mirrors, asking messages and next steps to become clear. Envision this fire burning away the last of winter and stagnant energies that might have accompanied it, clearing the space on your land and in your being for new beginnings to emerge.

Make a Spell Bottle or Sachet

Fill the vessel of your choosing with dried herbs that have associations with the equinox. Some traditional associations include thyme, marjoram, vervain, lemon balm, sunflower seeds, and rosehips. Upon completion, connect with the spirit of these substances, asking them in to support you in your purpose and extending love and gratitude to them for their support. Bless with Jasmine or oils made for consecration, and place in a sacred space.

Spring Cleaning and Home Blessing

It's a powerful time to freshen up the energies in your home! Even a quick round of cleaning does wonders to clear energies in a space. Envision negativity being swept or washed away and transmuted as you go, running an essential oils diffuser or spritzing the air with earth-friendly natural scents (be mindful of using oils that are harmful to pets).
Create a spring wreath or bundle of herbs and flowers to hang on your door, blessing it with moon water, singing, or energetic healing work to call energies of protection, harmony, and happiness into your home. Lavender is a beautiful multipurpose intentional herb that calls in gentle yet powerful energies, as one suggestion. Sprinkle blessed water around your home inside or out, or other animal-safe herbs as you feel called.

How will you be celebrating the Spring Equinox? Feel free to comment with your ideas for celebration, and may your spring be blessed!

© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2018. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this writer with appropriate and specific direction to the document containing the original content.

Womanrunes Reading for the Virgo Full Moon - March 1, 2018

3/1/2018

I hope this post finds you well, and feeling more grounded, nourished, and even slightly more stabilized as the Virgo Full Moon reaches exactitude tonight at 7:52 PM EST at 11 degrees.

Here's a Womanrunes reading for the full moon - wisdom shared from a symbolic, intuitive perspective to help us navigate the immensely watery Piscean energies at present with greater mindfulness and self-love.

To learn more about how this week's full moon is bringing change for your Sun and Rising Sign, watch Bright Star's weekly horoscope videos here.

Much love and many blessings,

Jen

Weeky Womanrunes Card Reading for February 4 - 10, 2018

2/5/2018

Greetings, everyone! Here's your weekly Womanrunes card reading, a new video offering from Bright Star. More written content is coming to the Bright Star blog soon.

In the meantime, explore this week's themes from a more intuitive perspective with a four-card spread: current influences, helpful points to remember, what to avoid, and next steps (and bonus outcome) cards.

If you're looking for weekly horoscope videos, click on the Weekly Horoscopes tab in the Astrology drop-down menu.

Many blessings,

Jen

Womanrunes Reading for January 21 - 27, 2018

1/22/2018

Greetings, everyone!

If you've been wondering about the less frequent updates to this blog lately, I've been busy with weekly horoscope videos that can be found under the Weekly Horoscopes tab, along with other new projects and even getting up to speed with our sister business Stellar Weddings as the winter goes on!

A couple new posts are in the works, but for now, I felt the nudge to do a Womarunes card reading for the week ahead. I've drawn one card for themes at the beginning, middle, and end of the week, along with an action card (and a clarification card that jumped from the deck!). You can look forward to more mixed media posts on the Bright Star blog in the future.

Enjoy, and feel free to share with those you know who might gain some insights from it, too!

Many blessings,

Jen

Interested in getting a Womanrunes reading for yourself? Click here to contact me.

Cancer Full Moon Supermoon - January 1, 2018

12/30/2017

Monday's CANCER FULL MOON SUPERMOON at 11 degrees brings a powerful, emotionally-charged start to the year. As Uranus stations direct on the 2nd and MARS moves toward an exact conjunction with JUPITER in Scorpio on the 6th, major change is brewing that can help us awaken, heal, and flow in matters of the heart.

Major change, fruition, and culmination points are brewing. Can you feel it?

You'll find Parts 1 and 2 of the full moon forecast below. Part 1 contains the astrological breakdown of the full moon, while Part 2 is the Womanrunes Card Reading for the full moon (and what a reading it is!).

Honor what's in your heart. Take time out to feel, release, and heal. Get clear on what your greatest passions are and what's ready to be acknowledged, and then share it with those who need to hear it most.

*~Many blessings for a powerfully transformation full moon, and a very happy new year!~*

Cancer Full Moon Supermoon Forecast - Part 1

Part 2 - Full Moon Womanrunes Card Reading

© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2017. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this writer with appropriate and specific direction to the document containing the original content.

New Video - Winter Solstice Themes and Womanrunes Card Reading

12/21/2017

Greetings, everyone! Today marks the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The Sun moved into Capricorn today, marking a profound turning points as we embody greater stability, resolve, and maturity.

The Sun also joins with SATURN today, marking the beginning of a new yearly cycle of career efforts, building our dreams, and finding more of our inner authority. These themes also carry through the next few years, as this conjunction sets the tone for Saturn's journey through Capricorn until December 2020.

As a solstice birthday girl, this day has always been deeply special and magical to me. To celebrate, I've published a YouTube video with my thoughts and experiences of the power of this time, plus a WOMANRUNES CARD READING with insights for those watching. (It's a bit on the lengthy side, but I didn't have it in me to skimp on such an important topic and day!)
Many Solstice blessings and warm wishes to you! May magic find you as we rest in the belly of midwinter.

© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2017. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this writer with appropriate and specific direction to the document containing the original content.

Saturn Moves Into Capricorn

12/20/2017

Solid. Sturdy. Steady. Grounded.

This is how I found myself feeling after Saturn moved into Capricorn late last night. As I took a few quiet moments out to meditate before bed, I felt the shift immediately...and boy, did it feel good!

Part of this heightened sense of connection to Saturn's big move is because Saturn is still conjunct my Sagittarius Sun, giving me a sense of confidence, surety, and "calm, cool, and collected" that I can't say I've ever felt before. I sense the tangible physical blessings of this transit already on their way, feeling more connected to and at home in the physical world than before (and believe me when I say that grounding is not my strong point!).

Sagittarians, it's time to pat yourselves on the back - you made it. You faced the hard lessons, you grew, you got real about who you were and what you came here to do. Now you can carry the gifts of those lessons forward as you work toward manifesting the potentials of your deep digging as Saturn enters the sign of manifestation for the next three years.

Capricorns, you're up - it's your time to be reborn again, stronger and more confident and wise and resolute than ever before. Nobody can handle Saturn's lessons better than you, as Saturn is your ruling planet and are wholly attuned to its energies. You'll emerge from this transit a different person, more aligned with truth and values and a sense of purpose than ever before.

Regardless of whether Saturn is contacting personal planets in your birth chart now or not, we're all about to benefit immensely from this shift. Saturn is now in its home sign for the first time in about 30 years, bringing us back to lessons in maturity, physical manifestation, and acting as a catalyst for everyone to reap exactly what they've sown during the time between. And that's only bad news for those who have abused power or acted unjustly - the consequences of those actions will be stark wake-up calls, indeed.

It's said that the first 24-hours of a planet's shift into a sign is the most powerful time to set the tone for how the rest of the cycle unfolds in our lives. With Saturn in my 3rd House, I've been multi-tasking like a pro today, making business plans for the coming year, and my natural procrastination instincts are already fading away. Hallelujah!

Tune in to where you feel called to put your focus, time, and energy today. As the moon waxes in Capricorn, the light of Monday's new moon is carried on as the earliest potentials of those "new beginning seeds" begin to crack open slowly. It's a powerful time to begin formulating plans and taking action, no matter how small.

Saturn remains in Capricorn through December 17, 2020, except for its first dip into Aquarius from late March through mid-June 2020.

It's time to get real about our greatest aspirations and make them come to life; to build the most solid life foundations that we can; to connect to the gifts and wonder of the physical world in ways that benefit the all, perhaps even regaining lost connections to what we might call "old wisdom" - the wisdom in the rocks, trees, soil, waterways, all the ancient pillars of life and structures that support us throughout all time.

It's also the perfect opportunity to honor that which provides the foundation in our lives, and to create our own to make our dreams a reality. Look to the house that contains Capricorn in your birth chart to see where potential is about to come to live in the next three years (generate a free chart at www.astro.com, or book a reading with a qualified astrologer to take it even deeper).

Where are you feeling the shift?

© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2017. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this writer with appropriate and specific direction to the document containing the original content.

Full Moon in Taurus - Reclaiming Peace and Stability

11/3/2017

Are you feeling the call back toward calm? To peaceable sanctuary? To simplicity, self-care, and nourishment on many levels? That's the call of Saturday's TAURUS FULL MOON supermoon, which reaches exactitude at 1:23 AM EDT at 11 degrees, 59 minutes. Though Taurus as a pure archetype really is about tranquility and physical solidity, there's been a deeper call to slay the proverbial dragons that are rising up, threatening to steal our peace unless we seek resolution.

The Gifts of Taurus

Psychological intensity aside, this is a full moon of celebrating the abundance that's already manifested - gifts of financial wealth, a safe and happy home, the blessings brought by the third and final harvest season of the year as we move closer to astrological Samhain on November 7. It's a full moon of firming, solidification, and resolve; of putting down more stable foundations upon which our lives and sense of personal worth and purpose can be built up higher and more indestructible than before.

A Rumbling Down Below

As JUPITER opposes this full moon from Scorpio's depths, it's an all-out tale of mythic proportions for some as emotions are dually heightened, and we're faced with healing issues that are emerging from our subconscious and unconscious realms. Monsters emerge from the closet; issues with those closest to us we thought had long since passed might be coming to the surface in what could be a tipping point in a significantly powerful healing crisis. Dealing with the darkness and Shadow within and without comes to the forefront, impelling us to deal with issues at hand, lest things spiral farther out of control.

Jupiter's influence might also lead some to feel a deep hunger and yearning for wealth and peace - something that might be sought externally, but a quest in which the first steps to experiencing greater abundance lies within.

Big blessings are available now for those who rise to the occasion and meet challenges eye-to-eye, knowing that as we peel back the layers of our own fears, anxieties, and wounds, we can release and transmute the energies at their core to live a much happier, more blissful life.

The Element of Surprise and Revelation

This full moon has been bringing shocks aplenty in the days leading up to its exactitude. With Taurus's ruling planet VENUS in an opposition to URANUS Rx between Libra and Aries, aspects of the week's vibe have been confrontational, rattling, and dishing out plenty of "wake up calls" for us to process. Flaring tempers followed by moments of clarity bring powerful realizations; we discover what we do, hopefully using logic and rational intellect to sort through what we've discovered. Lessons of balance, respect for other's differences, and knowing when it's time to throw off the chains of the past and go our own way are the way of the day.

Points for Contemplation

How are you feeling called to revolutionize relationships, love, or money matters to enjoy greater peace and tranquility at home? Are you ready to shed the layers that hold you back so you can ground, pad your nest egg, and restore peace to frazzled senses? Do you know your worth? Are you ready to shed the weight of other's expectations, or efforts to dull your shine, so you can root into your identity and purpose in an ever-deepening, flourishing way?

More surprises are surely in store as the year comes to a close, and this weekend brings a beautiful chance to do one crucial layer of inner work to clear the way for the manifestation of our desires more fully.

May you clear the way for peace, harmony, and self-care this weekend. Enjoy a nourishing meal with those you love; pamper your body with a massage, soothing bath, with warm blankets and hot tea; take a walk in the woods, adopting a pace that allows your senses to bathe in the autumn goodness and rich wonders of the wild world. You just might find that a renewed sense of inspiration, gratitude, and awe in the magic of life awakens as you do.

Many blessings to you and yours!

© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2017. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this writer with appropriate and specific direction to the document containing the original content.

Virgo New Moon - September 20, 2017

9/17/2017

Are you ready for an ultra-productive, satisfyingly challenging Virgo New Moon this week?

La Luna joins with the Sun at 27 degrees of Virgo on the 20th at 1:30 AM EDT, along with a host of other planets in Virgo: Mercury, Mars, and Venus. If you've been feeling the tug and pull of responsibilities - and have been in total "go mode" lately - you've been tuning into the celestial vibes of not only the planets currently transiting the sign of The Virgin, but also the building energies of this lunation.

It's a busy time of juggling upkeep in pertinent parts of life - putting in the effort to take our talents to the next level, staying on top of daily responsibilities, and finding the pockets of time that allow for recharge and rejuvenation.

Each new moon kicks off a new 2.5-year cycle in all things related to that sign, and to the life themes and issues it activates within our personal birth charts. If you're familiar with your chart, look to see the house that contains 27 degrees of Virgo. This is where new beginnings are about to be set in motion in your life.

The Virgo Archetype

No other sign holds all the details of life together quite as well as Virgo. This is the part of the Zodiac where talents undergo intense scrutiny and honing; where we examine what is in need of a practical overhaul to streamline processes; where we examine what's no longer needed, toss it out, and put the relevant pieces back together so our processes can run like clockwork.

Themes of health and wellness and being of practical service to others are also strong Virgo themes. It's a wonderful time to reflect on what's been tugging at you in these parts of life, and to make a plan as to how you can align with goals such as these.

The Saturn-Chiron Plug 'n Play: Heal Those Wounds, Ground Those Visions

With this new moon in a T-square configuration with SATURN in Sagittarius and CHIRON in Pisces, we'll be experiencing a fair amount of stress around how to reconcile seemingly incompatible facets of our personality, desires, or life circumstances. The Virgo-Pisces opposition is one of working with different kinds of focus and service. Virgo is oriented toward the practical "here and now" bits of life, while Pisces is far more dreamy, emotional, and prone to offer love or potentially imbalanced forms of help that might be expressed as unhealthy sacrifice.

With Chiron opposite this new moon, it's a lovely chance to take action toward healing any aspects of our lives through whole-self care (bonus points if you seek the deeper emotional root to what has manifested as imbalances in the body, as this is where many healers believe that dis-ease begins). Integrating even the smallest changes in routine, whether it's adding an important nutritional supplement to your diet, deep breathing, or using essential oils to heal a health condition every day, can truly make a difference over time.

As this opposition forms a square to Saturn, the crux of the thing lies in continuously zooming out from the minute details to grasp the bigger picture of what we're working for. What is our ultimate goal? Can we learn to balance the realms of body, mind, and spirit to live a life that flows more smoothly and efficiently? Can we toggle between the realms of self - the mental, emotional, soul plane? Between the old stories of limitations and outworn beliefs of where we once were, of healing issues that have held us back as we're able to now, and keeping one eye on the future?

An Upgrade for the Mind & Relationships

Though the ultra-ambitious Mercury-Mars conjunction in Virgo is beginning to separate, this influence is still quite strong, and we may have a more solid idea as to how we can integrate what we've learned since Mercury went retrograde on August 12.

Mercury will have just moved out of its Retrograde Shadow period for the new moon, allowing for greater clarity and forward movement, but there's a catch - Mercury and Mars stand opposite NEPTUNE in Pisces. On one hand, frustrations around health and wellness, or control over the flow of daily life and schedules, may emerge. But on the other hand, this aspect presents wonderful opportunities to balance over-attachment to analytical thinking and hard and fast plans with the need to allow a situation to take its course. Trusting our gut and the unfolding process of life as we navigate confusing terrain can teach powerful lessons in balancing intuition with logic, and allowing for greater Divine inspiration to flow through.

Venus lends a supportive hand to the new moon. As she sits at 0 degrees of Virgo, she forms an exciting trine to URANUS Rx in Aries. This is dynamic energy for seeing where we've been stuck in money or relationship ruts - or perhaps not using our resources effectively - and plugging into a whole new paradigm for balance and success. We'll also get a big jolt toward healthy lifestyle changes, perhaps finding it within ourselves to make that change we've been struggling to make to support our wellness. It's time to break out of the norm and use the revolutionary insights of Uranus to lead the charge as it dances with a "misses no detail" energy of Venus as she travels through fastidious Virgo.

Explore these ideas for connecting with this new moon more fully:

Sweep floors while visualizing stagnant energy being cleared from your space. Know that as the old is swept away, a space for new beginnings is created. This can be followed with a smoke, sound, or other energy clearing.
Choose a food that is a staple in your diet and approach it with prayerful gratitude. Take extra time before a meal or set aside ritual time to give thanks for this gift from the earth, perhaps connecting with the spirit of that food on a deeper level. Feel the oneness between you and it, allowing gratitude to fill you as you eat.
Tidy up your workspace in a way that feels good to you. This could include not only the usual straightening and organizing, but making changes to freshen up the flow of energy in the room. Place crystals such as clear quartz on your desk to improve concentration; add hanging plants or desk plants to add life and vitality; use an essential oil diffuser with oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus, citruses, pine, or juniper to boost mental clarity and memory (add frankincense or patchouli for grounding). Or drink mint tea or chew on a fresh mint spring for a quick boost!
Gather herbs associated with Virgo - parsley, mint, dill, endive, or fennel - and integrate them into healthy meals that satisfies the senses. You can also integrate these herbs into fire rituals, tossing a handful onto a fire while setting intentions. Or purchase dried herbs to make an intentional apothecary bottle that carries new moon intentions. Place on a windowsill during the new moon, allowing the moon to infuse them with her blessings.
Take a walk in nature, allowing her grounding, restorative energies to bring peace and rejuvenation.
Call on the overlighting energies of Mercury, and of the goddess asteroids Ceres and Vesta to guide you in your new beginnings. These heavenly bodies are coruling planets of Virgo (some astrologers connect the healing asteroid CHIRON to Virgo themes, too). Mercury rules the mind, communication, planning, and learning; Ceres is associated with the land and grain, physical nurturance, mother-child relationships, and themes of environmental stewardship and protection; Vesta is associated with high priestess energies of multi-level purification, sacred sexual expression, and creating a space within which healing can occur.
Light a candle, asking God/Goddess/the Universe for assistance with fulfilling your desires, or create a more elaborate ritual. Let go of aspects of your wishes you cannot control, and take action toward your goals as you feel called as the moon begins to wax in light.

What magic are you making at this Virgo New Moon? Love, light, and blessings to you on your journey!

© Jen Howell, Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2017. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this writer with appropriate and specific direction to the document containing the original content.