Art Journal with the Moon for June 17-23, 2024

In this post, I talk about how being in your power allows more good things to grow in your life. I also share a summary of the moon’s energy from Monday – Sunday with daily prompts you can explore in your art journal so your deep inner work and magic is in alignment with the moon.

Step Into Your Power with the Sun

The sun moves into the sign of Cancer this week and marks the summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere) and the next day we greet a full moon in Capricorn. Both the sun and the moon are building in energy and reaching their peak this week. I think this is amazing energy to define what stepping into your power means to you and explore how being in your power allows you to be a nourishing force in the world and how it also allows all kinds of goodness to grow in your life.

In this blog post, I share more about the peak of the sun’s power and how it helps you step into your power and grow more good things in your life. As always, when you scroll past all that goodness, you’ll see I describe the comings and goings of the moon this week as well as the daily prompts you can use to art journal with the moon and align your emotional healing with lunar magic.

Before I talk about all this though, don’t forget, if you want to stay updated on how to work with the magic of the moon in your art journal, sign up to my mailing list. Every Monday, you’ll get reminders of the moon’s energy for the upcoming week and how you can work with it in your art journal to practice magic, tend to your soul or do your deep inner work. You can sign up here.

Personally, stepping into my power feels like doing more of what I’m doing now. I’ve almost completed my 30-Day sun art challenge. It went a little longer than I planned since I wasn’t able to focus on it while I was away visiting my childhood friend in Minnesota but I experienced so much magic there, I wasn’t sorry for the pause. And by magic, I mean we actually practiced some intention setting magic and I had a magic moment with the wind which meant a lot to me since we’ve been in all this Gemini energy and I experienced deep healings that led to BIG internal shifts. I feel stronger and more energized than I have since my twenties.

This all feels very new and wonderful and yes, more of the same please. I have definitely entered a lighter, more vibrant phase in my life. I don’t mean to suggest I think only good things will happen to me. I’m 50 now. I know better. I mean that I feel lighter and more vibrant – more resilient, stronger, more capable and more optimistic and playful.

Sun magic is truly blowing me away and I have 30 more days of it with the SHINE YOUR LIGHT SUMMER program I’m leading but I’m definitely feeling ready to dive into my art journaling with the moon and weave that back in. I need the balance and coolness of the intuitive, introspective moon again. And it will be nice to get a feel for doing both the sun and moon magic for 30 days. I’ll let you know how it goes.

For now, let’s talk about YOU stepping into YOUR POWER and what that means to you and what becoming a nourishing force in the world means to you and most fun of all, what growing more goodness in your life means to you.

The Sun’s Journey

In ancient astrology, the sun’s journey across the sky also depicted the cycle of life – birth, growth, death, transformation and rebirth. The peak of this journey, when the Sun was highest in the sky, was seen as a moment of maximum potency and a time when the earth was blessed with the sun’s most life-giving energies.

This symbolism speaks to the idea of the Sun as a life-giver and a vital force that both physically and spiritually nourishes us and the earth. It emphasizes the Sun’s role in ensuring growth, health, and prosperity. When the Sun is at its highest, it’s a great time for focused energy work, setting intentions, or performing rituals that require clear vision and strong energy. The Sun’s power at this time encourages alignment with your core purpose and can help in manifesting your deepest desires by harnessing this potent energy – which, by the way, is exactly what we’ll be doing in the SHINE YOUR LIGHT SUMMER program.

Look how many good things grow in the summer. Fruits, vegetables, and flowers come into season. It’s the time of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries and stone fruits—peaches, plums, nectarines, and cherries—all reach their sweet peak. Tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers, leafy greens such as spinach and kale and herbs like basil, cilantro, and mint all grow with the summer sun. As do the violets, roses, sunflowers, dandelions and marigolds.

Believe in Yourself

In summer, everything in nature grows and thrives because the sun provides lots of light and warmth. When you step into your power, you’re doing something similar for yourself. You start doing things that really matter to you, and you make choices that help you grow and be happy. You start making good choices and doing things you love which helps more good things grow in your life, like happiness and success. You say yes to opportunities that excite you and no to things that don’t feel right. It’s about knowing you can do great things and not being afraid to try. Just like a garden needs sun, you need to believe in yourself to flourish.

When you embrace your personal power, you create conditions that encourage your own growth and development. This means making choices that align with your true self and doing things that you love to do and spending your sacred time and energy on things that matter most to you – not on trying to solve everyone else’s problems.

You start surrounding yourself with people who support you instead of people you must constantly care for because they’re not doing the work to care for themselves. You stop making other people’s problems your problems. You care and you love but you stop giving all of YOU away.

Instead, you engage in activities that nurture your soul, and make decisions that reflect your deepest desires and values. When you act in ways that resonate with your authentic self – not in obligations, expectations or perceived responsibilities – you provide your soul the ‘sunlight’ necessary to thrive, helping good things like happiness, creativity, and personal fulfillment to ‘grow’ in your life.

You Deserve It

Stepping into your power is about taking charge of your life in a way that promotes your well-being and growth. Can you imagine that – focusing your precious, sacred time and energy on YOU and YOUR DREAMS? I think you deserve it.

If you know it’s time for more of that, I invite you to join me in the SHINE YOUR LIGHT SUMMER program which is a 30-day activation to empower your inner witch, unleash your authentic art and manifest your creative dream.

We begin at the height of the sun’s energy to help you step into your power while you play with sun magic in your art journal. It’s already feeling like a high energy group of people who are serious and ready to work their magic and clear what needs to be cleared to create a better, lighter, higher vibe experience for themselves in their own lives – just like I am. YAY! (she says as she does a little happy dance – but like Elaine on Seinfeld because her moves are a little awkward and she’s good with that)

Yes. I’m Ready to Shine My Light This Summer

The Moon This Week

If you want to work with the moon to manifest, do your emotional work or deepen your creativity, here’s a summary of the moon’s energy from Monday – Sunday with daily prompts you can explore in your art journal.

Monday

Today the first quarter moon is in the sign of Scorpio. It is also having a tense relationship with Pluto and an opposing relationship with Mars.

When I look at this moon day, this is what comes to mind – I see the tension of the first quarter moon which is like arriving at a crossroads and having to make a decision or moving towards your dreams but coming up against some internal resistance. Then I notice the moon is in a deep and intense sign. Then I see it’s having a tense relationship with Pluto which brings up hidden tension from our subconscious realm then I see it’s also having an opposing relationship with Mars who, let’s face it, can bring an intense and aggressive energy into the mix. Anyone see a theme here?

The moon is in a relationship with Mars where its like they’re coming from opposite sides which can feel polarizing. It brings energy that is confrontational and intense which produces discomfort and sometimes even blocks and barriers.

When Mars and the moon are in opposition like they are today your emotions can be unpredictable, easily triggered and more volatile than you want them to be. It feels a little like aggravated energy and instead of allowing that energy to build up in your body and affect your mood or the way you perceive the people you interact with today, you might consider moving that energy through your body in more productive ways like drawing wildly and finger painting with chaotic movements or moving your body until you work up and sweat. That way you can show up in your relationships with more composure and less tendency to become annoyed or agitated.

Sometimes I think of this energy as your emotions (the moon) opposing the actions you want to take or the boundaries you want to set (Mars) or wanting to feel motivated and inspired (Mars) but having something in your body or your subconscious realm (the moon) prevent you from feeling that. Because the moon is in a sign ruled by Mars in ancient astrology (Scorpio), it might amplify this opposing energy. Either way, it’s a good day to slow down, check in and make sure your inner world is tended to and aligned before you move forward.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents releasing intense energy or emotions.

Tuesday

Today the gibbous moon is in the sign of Scorpio. It is also having a happy relationship with the planet Saturn. 

Scorpio is known for being deep and intense. This sign is all about big changes, understanding deep feelings, and really getting to the heart of things.

When the moon is in Scorpio, it’s a good time to think deeply about our lives. Scorpio’s energy helps us look at things we usually don’t. It asks us to be honest with our feelings and to explore the parts of ourselves that we often keep hidden. This is a time for self-discovery and emotional truth.

What parts of yourself do you want to understand better or change?

Where in your life do you want more real, deep connections?

Scorpio’s energy is powerful for making personal changes and healing.

During this time, you might feel more sensitive, intuitive, and connected to the unseen realms of your psyche. It’s an excellent opportunity for any work that involves diving deep into your emotions, such as therapy, meditation, or reflective journaling like we do when we art journal with the moon. while the Scorpio energy might urge you to hide and protect, it also provides you with a powerful catalyst to face, heal, and transform your deepest emotions.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents some of your deepest, most uncomfortable emotions being transformed.

Wednesday

The gibbous moon moves into the sign of Sagittarius. It is also having a happy relationship with Neptune and Pluto and an opposing relationship with Jupiter. 

The gibbous moon phase is a time of refinement. This phase, occurring just before the full moon, is symbolic of that sense of readiness you feel when you’re close to seeing your dreams or goals realized. It’s also symbolic of the stage in the creation process where you’re editing, revising, fine-tuning, and making the final adjustments before realizing your goals or the intentions you set during the new moon.

Fine-tuning your intentions to ensure they align with your deeper self is about making sure that your goals and aspirations truly resonate with your innermost values, desires, and essence. This process involves a deep self-reflection where you examine not just what you want to achieve, but why you want to achieve it and how it fits with your true self.

It’s about connecting with your core – the part of you that holds your true passions, values, and beliefs. It’s asking yourself whether your intentions bring you genuine joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose, or if they’re simply ticking boxes set by others.

Fine-tuning also involves being honest about whether your goals are realistic and attainable, and if they contribute positively to your overall well-being and personal growth. It’s about adjusting your intentions so they not only bring success or achievement in the conventional sense but also nurture your soul, enhance your emotional and spiritual well-being, and help you grow as a person.

Some questions you might want to reflect on include:

What are my core values and how do my current intentions align with these values?

How do these intentions contribute to my personal growth and well-being?

Think about whether your goals help you grow as a person, enhance your well-being, or contribute to your overall happiness and fulfillment.

Do these intentions reflect my true desires or are they influenced by external expectations?

Question if your goals are genuinely yours, or if they are shaped by societal norms, family expectations, or peer pressure.

What emotions do I feel when I think about these intentions?

How will achieving these intentions impact my life and the lives of others around me?

This art journaling exercise can be a powerful way to connect emotionally and spiritually with the energy of the gibbous moon. It helps to focus your mind and spirit on fine-tuning your path, ensuring that what you are about to bring to fruition is truly in alignment with your authentic self and spiritual journey.

In your art journal, draw, paint or create a collage that represents your new moon intentions being in perfect alignment with your soul.

Thursday

The gibbous moon is in the sign of Sagittarius. It is also having a tense relationship with the planet Saturn.

We’re in the waxing moon right now and this signifies growth, expansion, and forward momentum. It’s a time of increasing light, both literally and metaphorically, symbolizing the growth of our intentions and the progression of our goals. There’s an active, building energy during this phase as we move toward the culmination of the full moon.

Sagittarius, a mutable fire sign, is characterized by its thirst for knowledge, adventure, and the broader horizons of life. Ruled by Jupiter, the planet of expansion, luck, and higher learning, Sagittarius seeks truth, understanding, and the larger meaning in everything. This sign is driven by an innate optimism and a desire to explore.

The growing energy of the moon meshes well with Sagittarius’s expansive and adventurous spirit. It reminds you to broaden your perspectives, dream big, and set intentions that stretch beyond your usual boundaries. Be bold with our aspirations.

What can you learn to support your new moon intentions?

Where can personal growth support your new moon intentions?

Above all, consider how the intentions you set at the new moon fit into the broader narrative of your life.

What larger truths or understandings about yourself or this world are you aiming to uncover when your intentions are realized?

Why are the changes you want to see in yourself, your life or the world so deeply meaningful to you?

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage a page that represents why the intentions you set at the new moon are meaningful to you.

Friday

Happy full moon in Capricorn. The moon is also having a tense relationship with Neptune today.

When the full moon shines in Capricorn, it invites you to reflect on the balance between your ambitions and your emotional needs. Capricorn, a sign associated with discipline, responsibility, and long-term planning, focuses on your goals and the practical steps you need to achieve them. This full moon illuminates the path to success but also asks you to consider if your drive for achievement is in harmony with your inner emotional world.

Emotionally, this full moon can highlight the pressures you place on yourself and bring up feelings related to duty and accomplishment. It’s a powerful time to acknowledge where you might be too hard on yourself and to practice self-compassion. Spiritually, the Capricorn full moon encourages you to align your higher goals with your deeper values, ensuring that your efforts lead not only to external success but also to personal fulfillment.

Use this time to examine your commitments and responsibilities: Are they aligned with what truly matters to you? The Capricorn full moon is a moment to reassess and possibly reset your goals, making sure they reflect your true self. It’s also an excellent opportunity to release what no longer serves your highest ambitions, enabling you to focus on what truly helps you grow and mature in every aspect of your life. 

The full moon is having a tense relationship with Neptune which creates a dynamic tension between the grounded, practical energy of Capricorn and the dreamy, elusive qualities of Neptune. This aspect challenges you to balance reality with your big goals and dreams. Capricorn drives you to achieve tangible results and to take responsibility for practical things, while Neptune pulls your attention towards dreams, illusions, and spiritual pursuits. You can see how Capricorn and Neptune might not always agree on how you should move forward.

Emotionally, this full moon might stir feelings of confusion or disillusionment, especially if your dreams seem at odds with your current responsibilities or if you feel unsure about how to integrate your spirituality (Neptune) into your everyday life (Capricorn). You might experience a push-pull effect between wanting to escape into your inner world (Neptune) and needing to address concrete challenges that are coming up in the outer world (Capricorn).

Spiritually, this is a good moon for growth, as it urges you to find a way to anchor your big dreams into the reality of your everyday life. It asks you to scrutinize whether your dreams are grounded in reality and whether your practical goals are infused with your spiritual values. How can your big dreams be both practical and spiritual? 

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 in Aries, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your career, reputation or ideas of success.

If your rising sign is in Taurus, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your faith, spiritual practices, long-distance travel or future success. 

For Gemini rising sign people, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your psyche, your relationship with death or any debt you’ve accumulated (emotional, financial or spiritual) or taxes.

If your rising sign is in the sign of Cancer, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your close, intimate relationships or partnerships. 

For Leo rising sign people, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your daily routines, work, pets or wellness. 

For Virgo people, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your children, hobbies, pleasures or creativity. 

If you rising sign is in the sign of Libra, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your family, your ancestors or your home and living situation. 

For Scorpio people, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around learning, communication, siblings, the goddess or earth-based rituals. 

For Sagittarius people, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around money, income or your livelihood. 

If your rising sign is in the sign of Capricorn, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your identity, body, appearance or your spirit. 

For Aquarius rising sign people, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your subconscious mind or deep inner shadow work. 

Finally, for those of you with Pisces as your rising sign, the full moon is inviting you to honor your emotional needs while you amplify your ambitions around your friendships, community and your hopes and wishes. 

In your art journal, draw, collage or paint an image that represents your full moon intentions.

Saturday

The full moon is in the sign of Capricorn. It is also having a happy relationship with Mars and an opposing relationship with Mercury and Venus. 

When Mars is in a happy relationship with the Moon, it supports us to take action on our creative dreams. Mars, symbolizing our drive, ambition, and the way we assert ourselves, harmoniously interacts with the Moon, which represents our emotions, intuition, and inner world.

This happy relationship between the moon and Mars can be particularly empowering for those who are highly sensitive and creative, as it combines the Moon’s deep emotional sensitivity with Mars’s action-oriented energy.

For highly sensitive people, taking action on creative dreams can sometimes be hindered by emotional overwhelm or sensitivity. However, today Mars and the Moon offer a gentle nudge, encouraging action that is in harmony with your feelings and sensitivities. It’s like having a supportive coach who understands your emotional landscape and still motivates you to pursue your passions and projects. This energy can help in channeling emotional energy into constructive action, making it easier to bring creative visions into reality.

This Mars-Moon relationship asks you to consider how you can align your actions with your emotional needs and creative dreams. It’s about finding a balance between doing and feeling, ensuring that your actions reflect your true inner self. For those who often find themselves stuck due to fear or emotional blocks, this can be a good time to tend to the inner parts of you who need compassion, support and care to finally get on board with your creative dreams or it can be a good time to find the courage to act in spite of your fears or doubts, using your sensitivity as a strength rather than seeing it as a hindrance.

Ultimately, it’s helping you use your deep feelings as a catalyst for taking action towards your dreams.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents meeting your emotional needs first then taking action on your creative dreams second.

Sunday

The full moon moves into the sign of Aquarius. It is also having a happy relationship with Neptune, Uranus and Saturn and an opposing relationship with Pluto.

The moon is in the air sign of Aquarius today. Aquarius is ruled by the planet Saturn so the moon is carrying a little of that planet’s energy as well today.

Aquarius is fixed air sign so it brings that energy of fluidity and the ability to change but it couples it with being constant, dependable and able to persevere. Aquarius energy likes to act its own way and distance itself from groups. It is air energy so it concentrates its focus on the intellect and the mind but it can be stubborn but if you’re having a hard time being your own person, the moon in Aquarius can help you love and accept the quirky, different and unique things about yourself.

Imagine you loved every bit of yourself and knew that everything that made you different was deeply on purpose and ultimately helpful to everyone you are connect with today.

Imagine you are perfect just as you are – exactly where you are right now in your life with the exact perfect personality, habits and ways of being. Imagine nothing about you has to change for you to reach your goals.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents loving and accepting a part of yourself you normally struggle to love and accept.

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

with love,

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