Art Journal with the Moon for February 19-25, 2024

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.

The Moon This Week

This week we greet a full moon in Virgo. Although the moon will be in the sign of Virgo, the sun is in the sign of Pisces so we are working with the Virgo/Pisces polarity. This is one of my favorite polarities.

Virgo, an earth sign, grounds us with small details, the everyday moments, what is practical and a focus on improvement and service. It teaches the importance of organizing, sorting and attending to the details of your daily life, health, and work. It also helps you to cultivate discipline and efficiency.

Pisces, a water sign, invites us into the depths of our spirituality and intuition, encouraging us to embrace empathy, compassion, and a connection to all that is. This sign beckons you to dissolve boundaries, to dream, and to tap into the vast wisdom and infinite supply of Source.

The Virgo/Pisces Polarity

The Virgo-Pisces polarity balances the practical needs of your daily life with the spiritual yearnings of your soul.

How can you blend the two? Can you find harmony between doing and being?

Can you focus on the details and be open to the boundless infinite at the same time?

Can you honor the limits of your body while honoring the boundless nature of your spirit?

This axis also encourages you to recognize the sacred in the mundane, to see your routines and chores as rituals, and to understand that your spiritual growth is deeply connected to how you live your everyday life.

This polarity also dances between giving and receiving. Can you be of service to others while also allowing yourself to be vulnerable and receive help and healing?

The Virgo-Pisces polarity also wants to remind you that your well-being is intertwined with the collective. You can focus on healing your body, but it won’t matter as much if the environment you live in is full of toxins. You can meditate but if you live with a tremendous amount of stress daily because of an unhealthy relationship, you won’t experience the same results as you would if you didn’t have to constantly contend with that tension and strain.

Perfection is Not The Goal

As you can see, Virgo loves to focus on health and wellness, but it can get a little fixated on problems or all the things that are going wrong. This is especially true if, as Renee Sills of Embodied Astrology reminded me, you’ve been influenced by the western wellness industry which sells this idea that your body and your mind is a project and it will be perfect one day if you do all the right things. This, of course, is a lie. Bettering yourself to achieve some state of perfection or purity is exhausting and futile.

While striving for health and wellness is positive, this approach can lead you to focus excessively on your “flaws” and problems and make you believe that you must control every aspect of your life, including your thoughts, feelings, and actions. It also judges any deviation from this ideal to be a failure. As a result, you become hypercritical of yourself, scrutinizing every decision related to food, exercise, and mental health. This self-criticism can erode your self-esteem and create a cycle of guilt and dissatisfaction. Instead of empowering you, this quest for control can make you feel inadequate and constantly anxious about not doing enough or being enough. It can also keep you in a constant state of striving.

The focus on perfection or some ideal overlooks the natural diversity of human bodies and the complexity of health, which is influenced by genetics, environment, and socio-economic factors beyond personal control. It also ignores the fact that health and wellness are multi-dimensional, encompassing emotional, mental, and social well-being, not just physical appearance or fitness. This extends to the alternative wellness industry and the emphasis on an ideal state of mind or state of being that will lead to constant happiness and an ability to manifest everything you desire.

It’s Virgo’s archetype of purity gone mad.

Your body, your mind and your life will never be pure and perfect but maybe there is beauty in that?

Surrender Your Healing

Let’s use this Virgo full moon to release any goals tied to an unhealthy or unhelpful idea of perfection and instead, surrender and invite healing by opening to an intelligence that is greater than your own.

One of my favorite things about working with moon art rituals and the MAP Method is how they both invite me to relinquish my sense of control and instead tune into something that is greater than myself. That might mean surrendering my healing and manifesting to my creativity or inviting my spirit allies to guide my journey or relaxing or allowing my subconscious mind to do my inner work for me. Whatever it looks like, the ability to let go and allow life to support me always leads to magic.

The truth is, you and I are part of a beautiful, brilliant, intelligent system that encompasses everything and everyone. It is wise and loving. It wants to collaborate with us. It wants to support us. It is inclusive. Nothing and no one is turned away. You belong exactly as you are right now. And this intelligent love knows how to help your body heal and it knows how to help you manifest the changes you want to see in your life.

We are not isolated beings navigating the world in solitude, but rather, we are all threads woven into the vast tapestry of life, interconnected through this universal love. Within the grand scheme of things, there is an inherent wholeness, a kind of cosmic intelligence that understands and embraces the full complexity of our lives, our joys, struggles, strengths, and vulnerabilities.

When you attune to this love, when you allow yourself to surrender to it, you find that you are supported by something far greater than your individual self. This isn’t about giving up your personal power or responsibility but recognizing that you are part of a larger, intelligent flow of life that knows how to heal, mend, and restore. It’s a reminder that healing isn’t all on you. You are not burdened with the task of fixing yourself piece by piece. Instead, your healing is a collaborative process with the universe, where you contribute your efforts but also lean into the vast, nurturing intelligence of creation.

Pursuing healing in this way brings a sense of relief and liberation. It reassures me that while I play an active role in my own healing, I am not alone in it. I don’t have to bear the full weight of healing my body and mind by myself. There’s a cosmic support system, guided by love, ready to hold me and guide me towards wholeness – not necessarily perfection as I might have been taught to define it but definitely towards unity.

Release Perfection 

During the full moon in Virgo, I encourage you to release ideas of perfection. Virgo’s energy is meticulous and discerning, often driving us to aim for the highest standards in everything we do. However, this same energy can lead us to be overly critical of ourselves, focusing too much on flaws and areas where we feel we don’t measure up. The full moon can be a powerful moment for reflection and release, and when it occurs in Virgo, it offers the opportunity to let go of these harsh judgments and the unrealistic pursuit of perfection.

You can use this time to consciously acknowledge the ways in which striving for perfection has held you back or caused unnecessary stress and self-doubt. While striving for improvement is valuable, it should not come at the cost of your well-being or sense of self-worth.

This is an ideal time to set intentions to release patterns of self-criticism and to embrace a more compassionate and accepting approach to yourself and your imperfections.

You might find it helpful to write down the specific areas where you’ve been too hard on yourself or where you’ve been clinging to ideals of perfection that are not serving you. By acknowledging these thoughts and behaviors under the light of the full moon, you can symbolically and literally release them, perhaps by burning the paper you’ve written them on (safely) or by drawing them in your art journal and imagining them being washed away by the moon’s energy.

After you’ve released, embrace self-acceptance. Honor the journey you’re on. Recognize that growth and improvement are an ongoing, never-ending processes.

Acknowledge and celebrate your humanity, your efforts, and the beauty of your mistakes and wounds and flaws and problems.

Release and Surrender

I’ll be working with this energy of release and surrender in the next Held by the Moon gathering which will be held on Saturday from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm MT. Our theme is Release Perfection and Surrender Your Healing with the Full Moon in Virgo.

In this Held by the Moon online creative gathering, we will perform a full moon art ritual and work with the MAP Method to release the judgments, criticisms and unrealistic expectations you place on yourself as we invite a more compassionate and understanding approach. We’ll explore the specific areas where you’ve been too hard on yourself or where you’ve been clinging to ideals of perfection that are not serving you. Next, we’ll focus on embracing self-acceptance. We’ll honor the journey you’re on and recognize that your growth and improvement are an ongoing, never-ending process.

We will also practice letting go of control and surrendering your healing to a creative intelligence that is greater than your own. 

If you feel like nothing you do lately is quite good enough or you find yourself procrastinating or you undervalue your time and your work or you tend to feel inadequate or you feel exhausted and overwhelmed from trying to control it all, and you like the idea of letting go of control and surrendering your healing to a power greater than yourself or you just love to hang out in sacred space with your art journal and the moon, I’d love for you to join me.

These classes are held in my online Zoom meeting room and they will be recorded.  A recording will be emailed to you later in the week if you cannot attend live.

Don’t worry. You don’t need an art journal or art experience to enjoy these online gatherings. The exercises are simple and more about the process than the end result. Pencil crayons or markers on whatever paper you can find are perfectly fine.

Learn More or Register Here

Monday

The first quarter moon is in the sign of Cancer. It is also having a happy relationship with the planets Jupiter and Saturn.

The moon is in a happy relationship with Saturn today.

The moon wants to illuminate the darkness, bring about change, be a mirror to reflect us back to ourselves and awaken our receptive and intuitive powers. She represents your body and emotions and reminds you that life is an ever-changing cycle of birth, death, decay and rebirth. She wants to bring kindness, nurturing, novelty and adaptability.

Saturn is associated with the earth element and it wants to bring responsibility, seriousness, deep thought, reflection, wisdom, strategy, maturity, structure, sensibility, frugality, discipline, routine and actions that inspire order in your life.

Saturn brings this stability to your emotions and intuition today. I think of it as emotional maturity. You can feel confident trusting what you feel, including your gut feelings. You’re more likely to respond when you feel emotionally triggered versus reacting. Saturn and the moon being in this kind of happy relationship also helps you to see your dreams and your future with clarity and have realistic expectations of what it will take to become who you are working on becoming.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents what emotional or intuitive maturity means to you.

Tuesday

Today the gibbous moon is in the sign of Cancer. It is also having a happy relationship with Uranus and Neptune.

Cancer is a cardinal water sign ruled by the moon so the moon is in a sign it feels most at home in.

Cancer energy is nocturnal in nature. It is sensitive, sentimental and carries the wisdom of cycles. It is connected to your ancestors, your roots and your feelings of home. It walks alongside your subconscious realm.  

It is the wise and whole mother within who knows how to wrap and protect and care for all your inner parts.  It is calm, compassionate and nurturing but it is also emotions that move up and down and all around. It wants to help you meet your emotional needs and teach you have to feel emotionally safe. It can help you change and transform your inner landscape but it can also amplify your defensiveness or resistance.

Spiritually, Cancer invites you to dive into your own psyche, to explore the depths of your emotions, and to connect with your intuition. It also encourages you to seek solace within yourself and to create a safe inner haven.

Emotionally, it’s like a warm blanket that wraps around you, offering a sense of security in an uncertain world.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents what a warm, comforting safety blanket would look like to you.

Wednesday

Today the gibbous moon moves into the sign of Leo. It is also having a happing relationship with Neptune and an opposing relationship with Pluto, Venus and Mars.

Leo, a fixed fire sign, is ruled by the sun. When the moon enters Leo, it highlights a bit more of the sun’s radiant energy. Imagine the moon, our celestial reflector of emotions, soaking in the sun’s undying luminosity and bringing forth feelings of loyalty, warmth, optimism, and solid power. This is the core of Leo energy. It beckons you to shine your light unapologetically, to bask in the warmth of your inner worth, and to confidently project your unique essence into the world.

Let’s channel this Leo moon energy into our art journals. Begin by thinking of your inner light – that undying spark within you that remains radiant regardless of life’s ups and downs. This is your core, forever glowing, forever worthy of love, respect, and all things good.

On a blank page, start by drawing or painting a representation of this light. It could be a simple flame, a radiant sun, a luminous gem, or anything that symbolizes your inner brilliance. As you create this representation, visualize your light growing brighter and more powerful, pulling in positivity, opportunities, and goodness.

As Leo’s energy encourages expressiveness and childlike playfulness, let your journaling be fun and judgment free. Use bold colors and vivid imagery. You might even want to incorporate glitter or gold foil to represent the shimmering confidence of Leo. Or maybe include affirmations that resonate with Leo’s warmth and power, such as:

“I am radiant and worthy.”

“My light attracts goodness.”

“I shine brightly, unapologetically.”

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents your inner light.

Thursday

The gibbous moon is in the sign of Leo. It is also having a tense relationship with Jupiter and Uranus. 

Imagine you’re a writer or an artist. The gibbous moon is that moment just before your project is completed. You’ve laid down the foundation, worked through the initial drafts or sketches, and now you’re refining and perfecting. It’s the editing phase for a writer, where the story is clear, but you’re adjusting language, deepening characters, and ensuring the flow is just right. For an artist, it’s the moment when the overall image is clear, but you’re adding details, adjusting colors, and ensuring the composition is balanced.

Emotionally, it’s a time of anticipation. You can see the end is near; it’s almost tangible. There might be moments of doubt, wondering if you’ve made the right choices or if it will be received well. But it’s also a time of trust in your own abilities and vision.

Spiritually, it’s about introspection, diving deep into your work, and ensuring it aligns with your inner truth. You’re connecting with the deeper layers of your creation, making sure it’s a genuine reflection of your intent because soon it will be time to share it with the rest of the world.

In essence, the gibbous moon is that profound and intense stage where you’re so close to presenting your work to the world but before you do it’s time to polish, refine, and ensure every detail speaks to your vision before unveiling your creation in its full glory.

This phase encourages introspection, asking yourself if there’s anything you need to adjust or perfect in your life. It’s a time to be honest with yourself about where you’re at, what you’re feeling, and what final touches might help you truly shine when the full moon arrives.

You might not actually be at that phase with a creative project but that’s the energy and symbolism the gibbous moon holds so it’s a good reminder to revisit your new moon intentions or your big goals and dreams and make sure they are still fully aligned with what you want and what truly matters to you.

In your art journal, revisit your new moon intentions. Create a page that represents any adjustments or edits you want to make to the intentions you set at the new moon in Aquarius.

Friday

The gibbous moon is void of course for most of the day then it moves into the sign of Virgo where it will be for the full moon tomorrow. It is also having an opposing relationship with Mercury.

A void of course moon sometimes happens when the moon is moving from one zodiac sign to another or when it’s not making any aspects with other planets – I think of it as though the moon is just hanging around alone and in the in-between space – no longer where it was but not yet where it will be. The moon likes reflecting energy down to us but when it’s void of course there’s nothing substantial for it to reflect so its reflecting that emptiness back to us.

It’s as if it takes a brief pause, suspending its influence and opening a window of stillness and introspection.

Embrace this pause, take a step back, and reflect. This period is not about making significant decisions or initiating new projects; rather, it’s a time for taking stock, for going inward, and for focusing on self-care and inner peace.

When the moon is void of course, it is a good time to engage in activities that nurture your emotional well-being. This is also an opportune time for self-reflection and introspection, allowing you to connect more deeply with your inner self.

On the flip side, it’s best to avoid initiating new projects, making important decisions, or embarking on significant endeavors during this period. The energy of the void of course moon is not conducive to starting new things; rather, it supports wrapping up loose ends and investing in self-care.

Consider reflecting on these questions during a Void of Course Moon:

What areas of my life require my attention, but I’ve been neglecting?

How can I better care for my emotional well-being?

What loose ends do I need to tie up before moving forward?

The void of course moon invites you to embrace the pause, to indulge in introspection, and to nurture your emotional health. It’s a gentle reminder from the cosmos that in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, taking time for yourself, for stillness and self-care, is not only beneficial—it’s essential.

In your art journal, create an image that represents an area of your life you’ve been neglecting but that is now in need of attention.

Saturday

Happy full moon in Virgo.

Virgo is a mutable earth sign ruled by Mercury so the full moon is carrying a little of that planet’s energy as well.

Virgo 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 also cause you to get lost in the details or be self-critical.

The Virgo full moon is a perfect opportunity to let go of these tendencies towards harsh self-judgment and the unrealistic pursuit of perfection.

This release is deeply supported by Virgo’s polarity with Pisces, a sign associated with surrender, spirituality, and connection to something greater than yourself. Pisces invites you to dissolve boundaries, including those you place on yourself, and to trust in the flow of life and the wisdom of the universe.

During the Virgo full moon, this dance between Virgo’s detail-focused energy and Pisces’ expansive, forgiving nature makes it a good time to recognize where you’ve been too hard on yourself, to release the grip of perfectionism, and to instead surrender your efforts towards growth, healing and self-improvement to the care of a higher power. You are part of a larger, interconnected whole, and your healing is supported by forces beyond your immediate control. Practice trust and surrender with this full moon.

To personalize this moon even further, let’s get specific and see the area of YOUR life that this moon energy is focused on.

To figure out what area of your life this moon wants you to focus on, you simply need to know your rising sign.

If you don’t know your rising sign (it’s different than your sun or moon sign), then you can read more about it here and you can calculate what it is here. I also show you how to calculate your birth chart using the whole sign house system here. When you create your birth chart in this way, you will see your rising sign is the zodiac sign that occupies the first house in your birth chart.

If your rising sign is Aries, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with your health and wellness, that which depletes your vitality and your daily routines and work tasks or your relationship to your pets. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Taurus, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with your children, your parenting, your hobbies, pleasures or creativity and creative projects. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Gemini, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with family, your relationship with your parents, your ancestors or your home and living situation. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Cancer, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with learning, teaching, the way you communicate, your relationship with your siblings, the goddess or earth-based rituals. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Leo, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with money, income, livelihood or your feelings of self-worth. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Virgo, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with your identity, your body, your appearance, your sense of vitality and energy or your spirit. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Libra, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with your subconscious mind, the things you keep hidden from yourself or others, secrets or your deep inner shadow work. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Scorpio, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with friendships, community, groups and your hopes and wishes. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Sagittarius, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with your career, reputation or ideas of success. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Capricorn, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with your faith, your spiritual practices, long-distance travel, publishing or your future success. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Aquarius, the full moon is inviting you release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with debt, shared money, taxes, your psyche or emotional and mental well-being or your relationship with death. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

If your rising sign is Pisces, the full moon is inviting you to release perfection and surrender your healing to a greater power in the areas of your life that have to do with your marriage or your close, intimate relationships or your partnerships. In these areas of your life, where are you hard on yourself? What would you like to heal when you consider these areas of your life? Choose the topics that matter most to you right now and explore what kind of self-critical habits or judgments you can release under the magic of this full moon and consider what you would like to heal in these areas of your life and how you can surrender that healing to a power greater than yourself.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents what you want to release and let go during this full moon or the healing you want to surrender to a power greater than yourself. 

Sunday

The moon is still full and in the sign of Virgo. It is also having a happy relationship with Uranus and an opposing relationship with Neptune. 

A full moon, with its brilliant and complete illumination, symbolizes a peak in energy, clarity, and realization. It’s a time when emotions can run high, and your innermost feelings and desires come to the forefront. Spiritually, the full moon represents a powerful moment for introspection and acknowledging your personal power. It’s as if the full moon’s bright light is shining directly into the depths of your soul, revealing your true essence and the inner strength you possess.

This phase of the moon invites you to stand firmly in your power. It’s about recognizing your abilities, your resilience, and the unique qualities that make you who you are. The full moon encourages you to embrace these aspects of yourself and to let them shine brightly. Just as the moon doesn’t shy away from lighting up the night sky, you too are encouraged to illuminate the world with your true spirit.

In your art journal, represent your inner strength and power. You could depict yourself standing tall and radiant, perhaps surrounded by symbols of the moon or other personal symbols of strength and resilience. Think about colors that represent power and confidence to you and incorporate them into your artwork.

Alternatively, you could focus on the idea of illumination and how you light up the world around you. This could be represented by drawing or painting a scene where you are the source of light in a dark space, symbolizing the impact of your actions, words, and presence on others.

Just like the moon, you have phases and cycles but your power is undeniable and your light is an inspiration to those around you. Celebrate and honor it.

In your art journal, create a page that represents what it means to you to stand in your power.

Have fun with your art journal and the moon this week.

with love,

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