Art Journal with the Moon for January 30 – February 5, 2023

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 Few Thoughts Before We Get Started

In the Aquarius/Leo lunar cycle we are in, I’ve been contemplating what shining my light means and how shining my light serves my community. I’ve realized part of what shining my light means to me is allowing my true self to be the leader in my life.

I imagine my true self as the beautiful spirit within me that lives beyond my fears and limited thinking. It is the part of me that is constantly creating and recreating myself. It is the still voice within that knows what I truly want. It isn’t afraid of disappointing others or letting them down or putting their needs ahead of my own.

My true self stretches her hands toward the light and reaches for the highest version of myself. She is wild and free. She is unbound; my mistakes or my past or my current circumstances cannot tie her down. She sees beyond what was and what is and imagines what could be.

I connect to that divine spark within me when I let go of the expectations of others, the people pleasing, the desire for status or being well-liked, the conditioned thinking of my past, the dysfunction, delusions, suffering and dissatisfaction. I am truly myself when I break out of the boxes I put myself in and the ones others tried to fit me in.

My true self is a flower in full bloom. She wants to explode with color. She wants to run towards the things that make her feel alive. She wants to remove from her life that which is not ME. She wants to speak what is true even when others try to silence her and most especially when I try to silence myself.

My true self is the knower of things. She has an eternal connection to cosmic wisdom. She sees what I cannot possibly sees. She protects who I really am and forever keeps my true self safe. She knows I am good. She knows I am capable. She knows I have possibilities beyond my imagination. She is forever stretching herself across the cosmos collecting treasures of love and truth for me to discover.

She is the part of me that believes I can do great things and she is the part of me that knows I do not need to do great things to be loved. She is all the stories I have ever lived and all the versions of myself that ever existed and all the versions I have yet to become. She is the part of me that remembers how to play and gaze with wonder. She is the part of me that laughs from her belly and weeps when love seeps through the cracks of her pain.

I didn’t know how to connect to my true self until life broke me open. When I was younger, I was busy silencing the innermost part of my being. A desire would call me, a passion would beckon me but I didn’t know how to listen. I was too far removed from my own experience. I was too busy peering outward. I let other people tell me who I was or I tried to figure out who I needed to be to belong. I didn’t belong to myself.

How can you know your true self when you get don’t even know what you think or how you feel?

Once I started peering inward, my true self started to reveal herself. She no longer needed to hide behind the weight of who I was NOT. She felt safe to speak because I was committed to hearing what she had to say and I fought to live my life the way she wanted me to live it no matter what someone else thought. I was loyal to HER and in turn, her voice grew louder and stronger.

But knowing my true self doesn’t mean I always know how to let her be the leader in my life and so shining my light isn’t always simple or easy. I tend to see myself as an eternal being (my true self) with a multiplicity of parts (inner child parts, past life parts, ancestral parts etc.) but sometimes parts of me are stuck in a memory from the past. These parts that see the world from a memory feel differently about shining my light than my true self does. My true self isn’t afraid to shine her light but I have many parts who feel scared or threatened by the idea of being seen.

Being seen is vulnerable. Being seen opens me up to criticism. Being seen exposes me. Being seen is scary because people are unpredictable and not everyone is kind or considerate or gentle and really bad things happen to good people all the time. Really bad things happened to me and I’m pretty sure really bad things happened to you too.

It’s no wonder we carry parts within us who cry, “Danger! Danger!” when we want to show more of who we truly are to the world. 

During this Leo full moon, my intention is to invite a conversation with the parts of me who don’t know my true self or who are afraid of my true self. I know reconciling the relationship my parts have with my true self will help them trust my true self. When they trust my true self, they allow my true self to lead the way. They let down their guard. They give up control. They stop resisting and I can finally listen to the wisdom my true self whispers, “Shine on. You are enough.”

Monday

The moon is in a happy relationship with Mercury today.

Mercury is the messenger of the Gods. It is concerned with communication and connection. It influences transportation, commerce, language, writing, speaking and education. It also represents the mind. When it’s happy it is helpful to the mind and learning and inspires curiosity, ingenuity and business. In a happy state like it is today it brings helpful thoughts, good communication, ease with technology, curiosity and success in business.

It’s a day where your right and left brain are harmonious and respectful of each other. You’re more likely to trust your intuition or follow your creative impulses. Because the moon rules your emotions and dreams it’s also a day where you’re more likely to communicate how you feel in a way that others will respond to in a caring or helpful way.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image of what you imagine your left and right brain look like when they’re working harmoniously together.

Tuesday

The moon moves into the sign of Gemini today.

Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury so the moon is carrying a little of that planet’s energy as well.

Gemini energy is adaptable, flexible and brings swiftness and movement. It sometimes can bring energy that feels frantic or unstable as well as scattered, inconsistent, unreliable or unfocused but it is also dynamic, versatile, communicative, multifaceted, friendly and curious with the capacity to change and be interested in many different things which means it sees the good in people and the possibilities in experiences.

Try to think of something in your life you want to move more swiftly. Perhaps it’s a challenging experience you would like to process or move through more quickly. Perhaps it’s a dream you’d like to draw more closely to you.

With ease and grace, what is one thing in your life you hope shifts or changes quickly and easily?

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that celebrates the wind.

Wednesday

Today the moon is in the gibbous phase.

This moon phase is when the moon seems almost full. In the creation process, it’s a great time to clear any trapped emotions or energy so that all parts of you, even the hidden wounded subconscious parts, are on board with your goals. Some of those blocks include ancestral memories stored in your body, past life memories or energy and emotions you unconsciously absorbed from other people. You are most likely carrying subconscious beliefs or stories that are working against you so it is helpful to spend time in your art journal tending to those.

Themes you can explore in your art journal for the gibbous moon include, clearing ancestral memories, your family tree, past life memories, co-dependency, the heart chakra and daily habits and routines.

In my art rituals, this is the time when I’m thinking about whether or not my everyday life supports my New Moon intentions.

What about your everyday life can be shifted or changed to better support the direction you want to move forward in?

Are there routines or habits you can begin that will support your dreams and goals?

In your art journal, create an image that represents an action you are ready to take to support your dreams or goals.

Thursday

The moon is in the water sign of Cancer today.

Cancer is 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.

Think about where in your life you could use some nurturing and tender loving care.

How can you take care of your body today?

How can you take care of your emotional self today?

How can you take care of your spirit today?

In your art journal, create an image that represents your body, heart and spirit feeling cared for today.

Friday

The moon is in a happy relationship with Neptune today.

Neptune wants to help us connect to source energy and experience what its like to reach our divine potential, feel unconditionally loved and feel our interconnectedness. It also wants to open our psychic gifts, help us receive divine inspiration and dissolve barriers so we experience wholeness and unity. It also wants to help us expand and use our imagination and see the unseen or know the unknown.

It’s a planet of intuition, psychic abilities, imagination, spirituality and dreams but it can also represent our delusions or our desires to escape, including our desire to escape our uncomfortable feelings.

Because it’s in a happy relationship with the moon, the moon gets to reflect back to us all this goodness. It’s a good day for tuning into your emotions, tapping into your creativity, trusting your intuition and using the power of your imagination to create the changes you want to see in your life.

It’s an energy that helps us connect to one another on a deep soulful level and our ability to comfort, soothe and care for the people we love is enhanced.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that celebrates your intuition.

Sunday

In western astrology the February 5th full moon is considered to be in the sign of Leo.

Leo is a fixed fire sign that carries the same passion, creativity, warmth, extroversion and energy like all fire signs. Leo is ruled by the sun so the moon is bringing a little more of that light as well. The sun carries energy of growth, vitality, divine spark, success, taking action, sovereignty and illumination.

What outdated beliefs or expectations are you ready to release in order to shine your light more in this life? What does shining your light and sharing it with the world mean to you?

The sun and moon are having a tense relationship with Uranus during this full moon. This tension might help you to see what is holding you back or where you feel restricted. Are there areas in your life where you feel diminished or small? Where in your life is conflict showing up to help you stand in your power?

The full moon and Leo both carry energy of celebration. What can you celebrate about your unique qualities, interests, creative expressions and talents? What in your life is worth celebrating today?

To personalize this full moon even further, let’s get specific and see the area of YOUR life that this full moon energy is focused on. Once you know the area of your life the Leo full moon is affecting, you can consider what you want to celebrate from that area of you life to help you reach your goal. To figure out what area of your life the full 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.

If your rising sign is Aries, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with your children, hobbies, pleasures or creativity. At the new moon you set intentions around friendships, community or your hopes and wishes so bring those two areas of your life together during the full moon by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my unique light around my children, hobbies, pleasures or creativity in order to support the intentions I set at the new moon for my friendships, community or hopes and wishes?”

If your rising sign is Taurus, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with family, your ancestors or your home and living situation. At the new moon you set BIG dream intentions around career, reputation or ideas of success so bring those two areas of your life together by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my unique light around my family, ancestors, home or living situation in order to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my career, reputation or ideas of success?”

If your rising sign is Gemini, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with learning, communication, siblings, the goddess or earth-based rituals. At the new moon you set intentions around your faith, spiritual practices, long-distance travel or your future success so bring those two areas of your life together by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around learning, communication, my siblings, my relationship with the goddess or moon or earth-based rituals in order to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my faith, spiritual practices, long-distance travel or future success?”

If your rising sign is Cancer, is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with money, income or livelihood. At the new moon, you set intentions around your psyche, debt or taxes so bring those two areas of your life together by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around money, income or my livelihood in order to support my intentions around my psyche, debt or taxes?”

If your rising sign is Leo, is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with your identity, body, appearance or your spirit. At the new moon, you set intentions around your marriage or close intimate relationships or partnerships so bring those two areas of your life together by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around my identity, body, appearance or spirit in order to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my marriage, close intimate relationship or partnership?”

If your rising sign is Virgo, is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with your subconscious mind or deep inner shadow work. At the new moon, you set intentions around your routines, work, pets or wellness so bring those two areas of your life together at the full moon and ask yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around my subconscious mind or inner shadows in order to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my routines, work, pets or wellness?”

If your rising sign is Libra, is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with your friendships, community and your hopes and wishes. At the new moon, you set intentions around your children, hobbies, pleasure or creativity so bring those two areas of your life together with the full moon and ask yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around friendships, community or my hopes and wishes in order to support the intentions I set at the new moon around children, hobbies, pleasure or my creativity?”

If your rising sign is Scorpio, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with your career, reputation or ideas of success. At the new moon, you set intentions around your family, ancestors, home or living situation so bring those two areas of your life together during the full moon by asking yourself, ‘How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around my career, reputation or ideas of success in order to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my family, ancestors or home?”

If your rising sign is Sagittarius, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with in faith, spiritual practices, long-distance travel or future success. At the new moon, you set intentions around learning, communication, siblings, the goddess or earth-based rituals so bring those two areas of your life together during the full moon by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around my faith, spiritual practices, long-distance travel or future success to support the intentions I made around my learning, communication, or earth-based rituals?”

If your rising sign is Capricorn, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with your psyche or in the area of your life that has to do with debt, shared money or taxes. At the new moon, you set intentions around money, income or your livelihood so bring these two areas of your life together during the full moon by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around my psyche, shared money, debt or taxes to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my money, income or livelihood?”

If your rising sign is Aquarius, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with your close, intimate relationships or partnerships. At the new moon, you set intentions around your identity, body, appearance or your spirit so bring these two areas of your life together during the full moon by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around my marriage, intimate relationships or partnerships to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my body, spirit, appearance or identity?”

If your rising sign is Pisces, the full moon is inviting you to celebrate your unique light and how you naturally shine it in the area of your life that has to do with routines, work tasks, pets or wellness. At the new moon, you set intentions around your subconscious mind or shadow work so bring those two areas of your life together during the full moon by asking yourself, “How can I celebrate the way I shine my light around my routines, work, pets or wellness to support the intentions I made at the new moon for my subconscious mind or deep inner shadow work?”

with love,

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