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Art Journal with the Moon August 22-28, 2022
This is a summary of the moon’s energy for the upcoming week and the inner work and magic you can do in your art journal to make the most of the opportunities the cosmos is gifting us with.
Every week the emotional and magical opportunities the moon is sending you are different because the energy she is drawing down from the planets and stars changes moment to moment. Planets and stars and moon phases and moon signs each carry their own unique energy .This is my weekly update (Mon-Fri) of the moon’s comings and goings to support you in aligning with her energy.
Get your art journal or a scrap of paper you see lying around, your art supplies or those pencil crayons you have hidden away somewhere and have fun. Spend 10 – 20 minutes focusing on the themes the moon is supporting you to explore that day while you play with colors and shapes and watch what happens over time.
It’s amazing what a little consistent creative time can do.
A Summary
I’m writing this overlooking a bay in the pacific ocean as I sip on my morning coffee in the seaside cabin my husband and I rented for our 25th wedding anniversary and it occurs to me that there is a lot about this life I now live that I created with my moon magic.
It wasn’t always this way. I consider myself a late bloomer. My twenties were lost in a haze of trauma-induced fog. I didn’t know who I really was or what was truly important to me. I started to heal and thaw my frozen identity when the angels started talking to me which led to my thirties being a series of grueling spiritual lessons. I was learning so I still didn’t know how to do things differently yet which led to experiencing the consequences of my unhealed trauma in my body during most of my forties.
I’m at the tail end of my forties now. In traditional astrology, my annual profection year also happens to be in my first house. If you’re not familiar with your astrological houses, you can take a look at the chart below.
Think of your astrological houses as a map of the sky that captures the moment you were born. Each house is a section of the sky and each house represents different topics in your life. This particular chart doesn’t demonstrate this but each house belongs to a particular zodiac sign. Your birth chart will show which zodiac sign belongs to which house (in the whole sign house system each sign belongs to one house only).
The first house is your rising sign—the zodiac sign that was on the horizon at the moment you were born, also called your Ascendant.
There are twelve houses and each house will be occupied by a different zodiac sign depending on which zodiac sign is in your first house.
A technique in Hellenistic astrology is to imagine that each year of your life you are advancing through a different house and while your annual profection is in that house, your life is being influenced by the zodiac sign of that house (among other things).
In your first year of life you are experiencing the energy of the first house. When you turn one years old, you start experiencing the energy of the second house and so on and so on until you turn 12 years old which is when you start the cycle all over again.
It’s a technique that has you looking at your life in 12 year cycles. When you are 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96, you start the cycle all over again.
I’m 48 so I’m currently in a year where the cycle starts all over again and it occurs to me how fitting this is. I feel like I’ve manifested everything I was working to manifest for the last twelve years and I’m now in this place where I’m thinking, “Okay, now what?” I’m starting my dreaming all over again with a clean slate.
I don’t recall ever having felt this way before but I also never worked so clearly, stubbornly and with so much magic on my goals. Apparently, moon magic works!
It’s not a perfect science and I can’t control everything obviously but after years of art journaling with the moon, the two areas of my life I was deeply committed to changing became what I wanted them to be and now, as I sip my coffee and watch the sun make the ocean twinkle like fairy dust, I’m celebrating the fact I did it! I made some of my most precious dreams come true!
We’re experiencing a new moon in Virgo this week. It’s the perfect time for review and adjustments.
Do you like what you’ve been creating lately? If you don’t, what adjustments can you make? If you’re facing a bit of a clean slate like I am, what does your spirit want to express and experience next?
During this new moon you can take out your art journal and focus on what you want to manifest or create during the next lunar cycle but you can also think about your long-term goals and your dreams for the future.
Personally, I just kept creating pages in my art journal around the same two goals over and over again every new and full moon for years. I loved revisiting my goals from different perspectives and infusing different lunar energy into them every moon cycle. Plus it allowed me to deepen my vision, gain more clarity and visualize them with a lot more detail. It also helped me to tend to my inner parts that were afraid of my goals because part of my process was to check in and ask Spirit to help me tend to what needed to be tended to to ensure my entire being was aligned with what I wanted to manifest.
This particular new moon is also going to affect the area of your life where the sign of Virgo lives on your birth chart. For me, that is in the area of house, home, ancestors, parents and childhood so I plan on thinking about my long term goals and the direction I next want to go in my life. Then, because it’s a Virgo new moon, I’ll also consider the seeds of intention I can plant around my house, home and my ancestors and parents and/or my childhood that support those intentions in manifesting.
You can read more about the new moon when you scroll down to Saturday but enjoy the magic the rest of the week has to offer as well.
Monday
Today the moon is in the last quarter phase. This phase is when the moon is once again half in light and half in shadow. To me, this symbolizes choices and decisions. Take time to consider the choices you make in your everyday life and how they impact you and your community.
It also symbolizes seeing both sides of a story so finding ways to put yourself in the shoes of someone you disagree with at this time can help you gain wisdom or a perspective you had not considered before. It also a time to celebrate how far you’ve come, how much you do and how much you’ve grown.
Bring to mind a decision you want to make in the near future or a decision you think you might have to face sometime in the future that feels daunting or challenging.
What do you notice in your body when you think about making this decision?
How would you like to feel about making important decisions like this in your life?
In your art journal, explore how you would ideally like to feel when it is time to make important decisions in your life.
For those of you who have joined the Moon Mapping Year and receive the MAP Your Mornings podcast, on Monday morning we work with the last quarter moon phase and the energy of the moon in the sign of Cancer as well as the intense relationship the moon is having with Jupiter.
The other energy from the cosmos we use to help your subconscious mind tend to your lost or young parts is the opposing relationship Mercury is having with Neptune. We also treat the energy of Mars moving into Gemini. Finally, we end our journey by magnetizing the support that comes with the happy relationship Mercury is having with Pluto and with the Sun moving into the sign of Virgo.
Tuesday
Today the moon is in the balsamic phase. This phase is when the moon is once again a silver sliver in the sky. She is retreating and preparing to hide away in the darkness of the New Moon. This is a time to move inward; to grow still and quiet and change the direction of your looking and to look within and trust your own wisdom and truth. Communing with Spirit and your deepest self is helpful during this phase.
I use this phase to make time to communicate with the angels and my Highest Self. I try to tune into the wisdom and support I carry within me. The veil between Spirit and my conscious mind is thinner at this time of the moon cycle so it eases communication and intuition. It’s also when I’m focusing on my intuition, paying attention to Spirit Signs, making notes of my sleeping dreams and communicating with Spirit.
It is a good time to address the shadow aspects of your personality and to get curious about what I have buried in my subconscious. Sometimes, when life is busy, we don’t have time to process the emotions and triggers that arise in our everyday life and in our relationships. This phase of the Moon is a good time to deal with whatever you didn’t have time to deal with earlier on in the moon cycle. Taking this time to make friends with your shadow before a new moon cycle begins will help you to be clearer and less influenced by your wounded parts as you make your New Moon intentions.
You can’t always see what needs to be tended to. Ask your subconscious mind to show you what you most need to see today.
Is it something from your past?
Is there a belief or a memory that has been holding you back?
Trust whatever surfaces.
In your art journal, work with the balsamic moon energy by drawing or painting what your subconscious mind wanted you to see today.
If you have joined the Moon Mapping Year and receive the MAP Your Mornings podcast, on Tuesday morning we work with the energy of the moon in the balsamic moon phase and in the sign of Cancer. We tend to that moon phase and sign energy as well as the opposing relationship the moon is having with Pluto and the happy relationship it’s having with Neptune.
The other energy from the cosmos we use to help your subconscious mind tend to your lost or young parts is the happy relationship Mercury is having with Pluto. We also magnetize the energy of Mars moving into the sign of Gemini.
Finally, we end our journey by magnetizing the support that comes with the Sun moving into the sign of Virgo.
Wednesday
Today the moon is still in the balsamic phase but it moves into the sign of Leo.
Leo is ruled by the sun so the moon is carrying a little of that energy as well today.
Leo energy wants to bring loyalty, dependability, power, radiance, generosity, warmth, optimism and solidity. It wants to help you shine your light in the world, believe in your worth and boost your confidence. It is warm and expressive but sometimes can bring energy that influences you to be abrupt or impulsive.
Imagine your inner light – the part of you that shines bright no matter what has happened to you or how you are feeling – the part of you that is forever radiant and worthy of goodness.
Now imagine that light grows a little brighter. As it grows brighter, it attracts more goodness to you today.
Imagine your light attracting goodness to you all day long.
What might that look and feel like in your everyday life?
In your art journal, explore what it looks like to you to become a magnet of goodness.
If you have joined the Moon Mapping Yearand receive the MAP Your Mornings podcast, on Wednesday morning the moon is in the balsamic moon phase and in the sign of Cancer in the very early morning. The moon is then void of course until later in the morning after which it moves into the sign of Leo. We tend to that moon phase and sign energy as well as the happy relationship it is having with Jupiter.
The other energy from the cosmos we use to help your subconscious mind tend to your lost or young parts is the energy Uranus retrograding in Taurus has along with the happy relationship Venus is having with Chiron. We also treat how the energy of Uranus moving retrograde in the sign of Taurus is affecting you and your inner parts and we magnetize the energy of Mars moving into the sign of Gemini for one last time.
Finally, we end our journey by magnetizing for one last time as well the support that comes with the Sun moving into the sign of Virgo.
Thursday
The moon is in an intense relationship with Venus today. I call it intense because astrologically speaking they are close together and this amplifies and intensifies the energy the moon is reflecting down to us from this relationship with Venus.
Venus wants to bring fertility and growth. Venus loves the idea of reigning more beauty, grace, softness, love, friendship, harmony, passion, sensuality, intimacy and happiness into your life and relationships. The energy of Venus also brings playfulness, pleasure and joy. Venus wants to help you enjoy your life. Venus isn’t great at making you get your work done or motivating you to put effort into something but Venus does love to help you express yourself artistically and with love.
The moon is intensifying all this goodness so it’s a great day to focus on love, affection and pleasure. Venus wants us to see what its like to thrive not just survive. It’s a lot of good feeling energy to soak in so let’s magnetize all that goodness and anchor it into your body and spread it throughout your entire day.
In your art journal, draw, paint or collage what all the goodness of Venus looks and feels like to you.
If you have joined the Moon Mapping Year and receive the MAP Your Mornings podcast, on Thursday morning we work with the MAP Method and ask your subconscious mind to invite all your inner parts to do the emotional and spiritual work they need to clear anything you need tended to around the moon being in the balsamic phase and the sign of Leo.
We tend to that moon phase and sign energy as well as the tense relationship it is having with Uranus, the intense relationship it is having with Venus and the opposing relationship it is having with Saturn.
The other energy from the cosmos we use to help your subconscious mind tend to your lost or young parts is the energy Uranus going retrograde in the sign of Taurus is bringing along with the energy of Mercury moving into the sign of Libra and being in a shadow period brings.
Friday
The moon moves into the sign of Virgo today. Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury so it’s carrying a little of that planet’s energy as well.
Virgo energy is nocturnal and of the earth. It is mutable and versatile. It supports you in being efficient and organized. It wants to help you find the most effective way of doing things. It brings practicality, attention to detail, a love of quality and precision but it can cause you to get lost in the details.
When the moon is in Virgo, it’s the perfect time for review and adjustments.
Do you like what you’ve been creating in your life lately?
You’re not in control of creating everything you experience in your life but of the things you do have control over, which situations and experiences that you’ve been creating do you enjoy and which situations and experiences have you not been enjoying?
If you don’t like what you’re creating, what adjustments can you make?
In your art journal, celebrate the sign of Virgo.
If you have joined the Moon Mapping Year and receive the MAP Your Mornings podcast, on Friday morning, the moon is in the balsamic phase and in the sign of Leo for the first hour of the day in the mountain time zone then it moves to be void of course after which it moves into the sign of Virgo where it will be for tomorrow’s new moon. We tend to that moon phase and sign energy.
The other energy from the cosmos we use to help your subconscious mind tend to your lost or young parts is the tense relationship Venus is having with Uranus, the energy Uranus going retrograde in the sign of Taurus is bringing along with the energy of Mercury moving into the sign of Libra brings.
Saturday
Today we honor the new moon.
This particular new moon is in the earth sign of Virgo.
Virgo likes to bring us back to routines. It’s a grounding energy that wants to help us feel calm and in touch with our bodies. It’s also great energy for assessing what needs changing in your life so you can live with more efficiency and ease.
In the northern hemisphere, it brings the last lazy days of summer where the smell of schedules and routines is just around the corner. Regardless of which end of the globe you call home, Virgo energy wants to help you organize your life, adjust your goals and priorities and figure out where you need to make improvements or where you need to throw out the old plan altogether and start fresh.
A new season is around the corner and with it, perhaps a new focus or goal or just a refinement because you now understand yourself better or maybe you find your values have changed and you want your new moon goals to reflect that.
The sun and moon are in a tense relationship with Mars today as well which lends a little of an edge to the new moon. I suspect it might be helpful though if you’re in a space of putting up with some behavior or circumstance that you don’t actually want. The tense energy might agitate you enough to make the necessary adjustments in your life. For this reason, I say trust what frustrates you this weekend. Instead of reacting, get curious. What is the tension that is revealing itself wanting you to see about your life or the direction you’re currently moving in?
To personalize this new moon even further, let’s get specific and see the area of YOUR life this new moon energy is focused on. Once you know the area of life the Virgo new moon is in, you can consider what adjustments or improvements you want to make in that area of your life.
To figure out what area of your life the Virgo new moon wants you to focus on, you simply need to know your rising sign. If you don’t know your rising sign (its different than your sun or moon sign), then you can read more about it here and you can calculate what it is here.
If your rising sign is in the sign of Aries, the new moon is inviting you to tune into and trust your inner wisdom when it comes to your routines, work, pets or wellness. Think about these areas of your life and consider what intentions you want to make during the new moon in order to support healthy routines, your working life, your pets or your overall well-being.
If your rising sign is in the sign of Taurus, then the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to your children, hobbies, pleasure or your creativity. Think about these areas of your life and consider what intentions you want to make during the new moon in order to support your parenting life, a creative project that’s dear to your heart or those activities in your life that bring you joy.
For Gemini people like me, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to your family, your ancestors, your childhood or your home and living situation. Think about these areas of your life and consider what intentions you want to make in order to support your family life, ancestors, healing your childhood or your home becoming more of what you want it to be.
If your rising sign is in the sign of Cancer, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to learning, communication, siblings, or the goddess and earth-based rituals. Which one of these topics feel most important for you to focus on during this new moon? Choose one of them and consider what intentions you want to make in order to support that area of your life becoming more of what you want it to be.
For Leo people, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to money, income and your livelihood. Think about these areas of your life and consider what intentions you want to make during the new moon in order to support your possessions, finances or livelihood.
For Virgo people, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to your identity, body, appearance or your spirit. Think about these areas of your life and consider what intentions you want to make during the new moon in order to support your health, personal expression, identity or your relationship with your body.
If your rising sign is in the sign of Libra, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to your subconscious mind and those things you hide from others but most importantly those things you hide from yourself. During this new moon set intentions around the kind of shadow work or brain rewiring you’d like to do and the results you’d like to experience from that deep inner work.
For Scorpio people, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to friendships, community and your hopes and wishes. Think about these areas of your life and consider what intentions you want to make during the new moon in order to support and care for your friendships or community or your hopes and wishes.
For Sagittarius people, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to your career, reputation or ideas of success. During this new moon set intentions around the kind of career or success you want to experience or the kind of reputation you want to nurture.
If your rising sign is in the sign of Capricorn, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to your faith, spiritual practices, travel or future success. Think about these areas of your life and consider what intentions you want to make during the new moon in order to support your spirituality or your travel dreams or your goals for the future.
For Aquarius people, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to feelings and thoughts around death, your psyche or any debt you have accumulated. What intentions can you set to support your emotional or mental well-being? What kind of intentions can you set to tend to or care for any energetic, emotional or physical debt you may be carrying (your own or your ancestors’)?
Finally, for Pisces people, the new moon is inviting you to set intentions for the changes you’d like to see in the future when it comes to your close, intimate relationships or partnerships. Think about your marriage or partnership or best friend and consider what changes you’d like to experience in those relationships.
Join Me
If you are ready to enhance your alignment with the moon and rewire your brain at the same time, check out the Moon Mapping Year. When you subscribe, you now receive the MAP Your Mornings private podcast as a BONUS. MAP Your Mornings is where I align with the moon’s energy for the day and use the MAP Method to teach your subconscious mind how to rewire your brain. Every morning (Mon-Fri), we work with the MAP Method AND the emotional and spiritual themes the moon and the planets and stars are supporting us with to rewire your brain and help you manifest the changes you most want to see in your life.
with love,
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hi i'm dana...
This is a space where art and spirit come together. On the blog, I share art rituals for working with the magic of the moon. I also work with the subconscious mind to lighten your emotional load and follow your creative dreams.
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