Art Journal with the Moon: Themes and Prompts for July 28-August 3, 2025

In this post, I share a summary of the moon for the week of July 28-August 3, 2025 as it moves through the zodiac and interacts with the planets and I show you how to work with its energy in your art journal to grow yourself or your business. I also talk about the magic of the moon and Venus this week and how to work with it when self-doubt creeps in and how to keep going when you feel like giving up.

In this week’s blog, I share my thoughts about the moon, Venus, and how to keep going when you feel like giving up, especially when you’re following your dreams and growing your business. But there’s something else to celebrate this week: Lughnasadh (pronounced LOO-nah-sah).

Lughnasadh falls on Friday, August 1st, and it marks the first harvest festival in the Celtic wheel of the year. It’s a time to honor the fruits of your labor both literally and symbolically. It asks us to pause and celebrate what we’ve grown so far, even if we’re not yet at the full harvest. It’s also a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the seeds you planted earlier this year and the ways they’re beginning to take root in your life and business.

In The Creative Witch’s Monthly Guide to Growing Your Business with the Moon and Stars, I included a special section all about Lughnasadh, along with ideas for celebrating this seasonal turning point in your art journal. So if you’re subscribed to the guide, don’t forget to check that out and enjoy the ritual! It’s a tender, grounding way to honor your journey and reconnect to the cycles that hold us.

If you are not subscribed to the guidebook yet but you don’t want to miss future issues, subscribe here: The Creative Witch’s Monthly Guide to Growing Your Business with the Moon and Stars

Venus and the Moon – How to Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up

When I was sitting with the energy of the moon this week, what stood out to me was the relationship it was having with Venus because Venus is moving into the sign of Cancer and so I think the moon is asking us to take a closer look at the stories we tell ourselves about success and especially the stories that whisper, “You should be further ahead by now.”

If you’ve ever felt like you were running out of time, like your dream was moving too slowly, or like something was wrong with you because the results you wanted haven’t arrived yet, this week’s astrology brings a welcome perspective.

Here’s what’s happening:

As I mentioned, Venus moves into the sign of Cancer and this is a sign ruled by the moon so there’s this deeper relationship Venus is having with the moon. Venus in Cancer is tender and nurturing. She asks us to care for what we love with devotion, patience, and emotional honesty. She wants us to feel safe and rooted in our creations. But this week, Venus is also in a challenging conversation with Saturn and Neptune in Aries, and this tension can stir up old illusions and fears around how fast we should be growing, what success should look like, and what it means if our progress feels slow so when the moon has a relationship with Venus this week, it’s drawing down this bigger conversation.

Sometimes, Saturn in Aries brings that heavy voice of urgency. It’s the kind of tension that can feel like it’s saying, “Hurry up, you’re behind.” Neptune in Aries brings another layer. It is the dreamy visions of what could be, but also a tendency to slip into disappointment when reality doesn’t match what you dreamed it could be. Together, these two can pull us in different directions: Should I keep pushing or should I give up entirely?

The waxing crescent moon in Scorpio is having a happy relationship with Venus as she is navigating this stressful energy with Saturn and Neptune in Aries. The waxing crescent moon is the phase that comes just after the new moon. It’s a time of quiet growth, when the seed of your intention is still underground, unseen, but alive and reaching for the light. It’s a phase of faith and consistency, of showing up without proof. Scorpio adds depth and intensity, reminding you that what you are growing is precious and powerful, even if no one else can see it yet.

If you’re anything like me and like so many people I work with, you probably carry a big, bright light inside you. You know you’re here for a reason. You feel called to help, to create and to heal. But you’ve also had a life that taught you how to survive in ways that don’t always support thriving. Maybe you didn’t grow up with the safety, encouragement, or emotional support you needed. Maybe you had to fight hard just to feel okay in your own skin. Those early experiences leave imprints. For some of us, they make the path longer. They make the climb steeper. And yet, they also give you a depth and wisdom that no shortcut could ever provide.

So if success feels like it’s taking too long, please remember that there is nothing wrong with you. You’re not late. You’re not failing. You’re doing something extraordinary. You are building something with your spirit and your soul while also tending to old wounds and learning how to feel safe in your own power. That’s a lot. And it’s okay that it takes time.

This week, the moon and Venus invite us to reconsider what success “should” look like and when it “should” arrive. They remind us that growth is not a straight line; it’s a spiral. It moves in cycles. Just like the moon, your dream will have times of darkness and times of light, times of stillness and times of action. The waxing crescent moon says: Your job right now is to tend to your dreams and your goals, not to demand some sort of result. It’s time to nurture, not to measure.

Keep showing up with love, even when results are invisible.

When you ground yourself in this truth, something shifts. The pressure lifts. You remember that what you are building isn’t just a business or a body of work. What you are building is a life and a purpose and it takes time (sometimes a lot more time than you thought it would). I know that has always been the case for me.

When Doubt Creeps In

The waxing crescent moon is symbolic of a tender stage in the creation cycle. It comes just after the new moon, when we set our intentions and dreamed about what we want to create. During the new moon, there’s often this beautiful surge of hope or a sense that anything is possible. But now, just a few days later, we’re in the waxing crescent phase, and this is where the inner emotional work begins.

In the creation process, this phase is all about faith and patience. It symbolizes the time when your intention has been planted like a seed in the dark soil. The energy is growing, but you can’t see the results yet. On the outside, it looks like nothing is happening, but beneath the surface, roots are forming.

This is such an important part of the creation cycle because everything depends on those roots but it can also feel really vulnerable, especially for those of us who’ve lived through a lot and have big, tender hearts that are deeply invested in what we’re creating.

The waxing crescent moon is symbolic of the phase in the cycle of creation where the excitement starts to fade and doubt creeps in. You hear thoughts like:

“Why hasn’t anything happened yet?”
“Maybe I didn’t do it right.”
“What if I’m wasting my time?”

If you’re a healer, an artist, or someone who feels called to serve, those thoughts can feel so heavy because your work isn’t just work, it’s personal. It’s your heart, your soul and your purpose all wrapped into one. And when progress feels slow, it’s easy to start questioning yourself:

“Maybe I’m not good enough.”
“Other people seem to grow so much faster. What’s wrong with me?”
“If it was meant for me, wouldn’t it feel easier by now?”

For those of us who carry old wounds, this phase can touch something even deeper. It can echo those early experiences where love or safety felt conditional and where we had to prove ourselves to get attention or care. In business, that old pattern can sound like:

“If my post didn’t get enough likes, maybe I’m failing.”
“If no one buys right away, maybe my dream isn’t worth it.”

You might find yourself swinging between two extremes: pushing harder to make things happen or wanting to give up because it feels pointless. Neither of these responses means you’re broken. They just show how much you care and how deeply you want this dream to work.

What you’re feeling is completely normal for this phase of the creation process and, if you’re working towards a long-term vision that will take many years to achieve, you will pop in and out of this kind of thinking many times. There will be many times in the creation of your dream where results are not visible yet.

Nature doesn’t work instantly and neither does your deepest, most sacred calling.

When you plant a seed in the soil, you don’t dig it up every day to check if it’s sprouting. No. Instead, you water it, you tend to it, and you trust that it’s growing even if you can’t see it. The waxing crescent moon asks you to do the same with your most precious, sacred dreams.

When you honor this phase in the creation process instead of fighting it, something softens inside. You stop making the absence of visible results mean something about your worth. You stop telling yourself the story that you’re “behind” or “failing.” Instead, you root into devotion: showing up gently, day by day, trusting that the energy you’re putting in will bloom in its own time.

It doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means small, consistent actions every day fueled by love. It means remembering that what you’re building is not just a business, it’s a purpose and a mission that will unfold in the way it is meant to. You are in relationship with your soul and the dreams that live deep in your spirit and like all good relationships, this too needs care, patience, and time to grow strong.

My Year of Self-Doubt

In so many ways, I’ve had an amazing year and at the same time, this year has undone me in ways I didn’t expect. Not in a bad way, but in a way that strips you down to what’s real and leaves you standing there, shaky but more honest than ever.

I feel like I’m living in this strange space between who I was and who I’m becoming. And what I’ve learned about that space is it is both holy and hard. It’s where I tend to doubt myself most because when I’m changing and growing, things in my business slow down and the results I’m used to slow down. It’s easy to feel untethered and scared.

So much is shifting for me right now. My business is changing. My identity as an artist and healer is changing. My sense of purpose feels like it’s breaking open into something bigger than I imagined and honestly, that feels unsettling. I feel uprooted. Every time I grow into a bigger version of myself, it means leaving behind pieces of who I thought I was. It means letting go of old ways of working, old ways of coping, old ways of hiding and old ways of being and I change and grow a lot so I should be used to this phase of the creation process but I’m not. I still forget why I’m doing what I’m doing, the meaning it holds for me, the reasons I’m doing it in the first place and I fall into self-doubt.

In the middle of all this, the deepest layers of my childhood trauma have been surfacing. Layers I never had the capacity to face before. It feels like I’m walking back through rooms I locked shut decades ago, rooms full of memories no child should ever have had to live through. And yet, I’m here now, walking in with light in my hands, finally able to meet those parts of me with love. It’s devastating work. It’s exhausting work. But it’s also the most freeing thing I’ve ever done.

I feel this strange paradox where I’ve never felt so heavy and so liberated at the same time. So broken open and so whole. Maybe that’s what deep healing does. Maybe it cracks you and remakes you in the same breath.

And in the middle of all that, my soul is calling me forward. I feel it so clearly. I’m here to lead. To guide. To be a steady voice for others walking this path. And that call feels right but it also feels terrifying because it asks more of me than anything ever has and it forces me to face everything my inner child endured.

In the past, my business felt like play. I experimented. I tried things. I let myself explore. But now? Something in me feels older. Wiser. Ready to root. Ready to build something more mature. I want to take my work seriously in a way I never have before and not because I want to chase someone else’s definition of success, but because I finally believe in what I carry. I believe in my gifts. I believe in the healers and artists and entrepreneurs I serve. And that means showing up with consistency, with depth and with thoughtfulness.

But self-doubt gets loud here in that shift. Louder than ever. Because there’s no proof yet. No big results. No external validation. Just me and my vision and the terrifying question: “What if this never works?”

And oh, those voices. They sound like:

“You’re in over your head. You don’t know how to do this.”
“You’re wasting your time. It will never work.”
“You’re not cut out for this. Who do you think you are?”

“You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“What if this never works?”
“What if you’re wasting your time?”

When those voices hit, it feels tempting to lay it all down. To just stop trying because the waiting is so uncomfortable. But what I want to remember is this is what becoming looks like. This is what transformation feels like. It’s messy. It’s uncertain. It asks you to keep showing up when nothing around you says it’s working yet.

And you know what else? I suspect, this is where the roots grow deepest. In the unseen. In the dark. In the part of the story where no one is clapping for you and you’re learning to clap for yourself.

So if you’re here too and if you’re building something without proof yet, if your self-doubt feels unbearable sometimes or if you’re wondering if you should just give up, I want you to remember that you’re not failing. You’re not behind. You’re just becoming. And becoming takes time. It takes courage.

It takes more tenderness to bloom than the world ever told you was allowed.

When to Give Up and When to Keep Going

So I say this because I also need to hear it, when self-doubt creeps in, it can be difficult to know when to keep going and when to give up or let go.

I think the relationship Venus is having with Neptune this week can help us navigate this question of when to give up and when to keep going.

Neptune can be such a tricky teacher. On the one hand, it gives us these breathtaking visions. It helps us see the dream of what’s possible. It gives us the sense that we’re here for something magical and meaningful. If you’ve ever had a moment where your whole heart lit up and thought, “Yes, this is what I was made for,” you’ve felt Neptune’s influence. But Neptune also brings fog. It blurs the line between vision and reality. It can make you believe things should happen a certain way or within a certain time frame. And when they don’t, the disappointment can be crushing.

Neptune in Aries right now adds fire to those dreams. Aries energy is fast and impatient; it wants to see results yesterday. Combine that with Neptune’s idealism, and you might find yourself thinking things like:

“If this was really my purpose, it would have worked by now.”
“I’ve been at this for years so shouldn’t I be further ahead?”
“If it feels this hard, maybe I’m on the wrong path.”

For those of us who’ve spent a decade or two growing the same business or tending to the same vision or dream, this can be especially painful. You’ve poured your heart into this dream. You’ve sacrificed, learned, grown. And still, the success you imagined might feel like it’s always just around the corner but never here. That’s when Neptune’s illusions can hit the hardest. It can whisper: “Give up. You’re not meant for this. Other people are doing it faster and better.”

And if you grew up with trauma or emotional neglect, that voice can feel even louder because it echoes the messages you absorbed as a child:

“You’re only safe when you achieve.”
“You’re only lovable if you do what people want you to do.”
“You have to earn your worth.”

When your nervous system learned urgency early in life and when love, safety, or stability depended on proving yourself, you carry that urgency into your business. You start to measure your worth by your timelines. And when things take longer (as they often do for those of us healing deep wounds while building something), you might feel shame, doubt, or even despair. I know I fall into this trap every now and again.

But the truth is, some dreams take a long time. Sometimes ten, fifteen, even twenty years. I know how hard that is to hear because we live in a world that glorifies quick wins. But for those of us doing soul work and for those of us who are healing generations of trauma, building something rooted in integrity and love, and creating in ways that honor our sensitivity, fast isn’t always possible. And honestly, it isn’t always healthy.

The depth of what you’re building takes time because you are part of what’s being built.

Your dream can only grow as strong as the roots you grow inside yourself.

So, how do you navigate that reality? How do you keep going when the timeline feels endless? You keep asking yourself this:

Does this dream still feel alive in me?

Does it still feel like love, like truth, like something worth tending, even if no one else ever sees it?

If the answer is yes and if the dream itself gives you life, if working toward it makes you more of who you want to be, then it’s worth the time, even if you never fully “arrive.” Because sometimes, the dream isn’t just about the outcome.

Sometimes, it’s about who you become on the way there.

But what about the dreams we need to surrender? How do we know the difference? Here’s what I’ve learned: when a dream belongs to your soul, it feels like home in your body even when it’s hard. It doesn’t drain you to nothing. It doesn’t demand that you abandon yourself. It challenges you, yes but in a way that grows you, not destroys you. If a dream consistently feels heavy, forced, and disconnected from your deeper values, it might be time to loosen your grip. That doesn’t mean you failed. It just means you’ve outgrown that version of the dream, and there’s something truer waiting to take its place.

And is it worth striving for if you never arrive? I think so but only if striving for it feels like an act of love and growth and devotion. If it fills your days with meaning, beauty, and connection. If it brings out the most tender and courageous parts of you. We often think the destination is what matters most, but what if the real gift is the path? Every brushstroke, every page, every person touched by your work along the way. That counts. That matters.

So yes, Neptune can fill your head with illusions about success, and when those illusions crumble, it can feel like the end of the world. But this week, the moon and Venus invite us to see through that fog. They remind us that worth is not measured in speed, and magic isn’t measured in likes, followers, or dollar signs. Your dream is not a race. It’s a devotion. And devotion takes time. And devotion has a worth all on its own.

How to Move Through the Doubts and Fears

When Venus in Cancer squares Saturn in Aries like it’s doing this week, yes, it can also stir up that quiet, aching temptation to give up. You might think, “Maybe this is too hard. Maybe it’s never going to happen for me. Maybe I should just stop trying.”

If, like me, you’ve been walking this path for years and tending your dream, showing up again and again with your whole heart then you know how heavy those moments can feel. And if you carry a history of childhood trauma or emotional neglect, those whispering doubts don’t come from nowhere. They echo the old wounds of not feeling supported, not feeling safe, not feeling like what you wanted mattered.

Back then, giving up might have felt like the only way to survive the disappointment. So now, as you build your business or follow your soul’s calling, those old voices rise up again, trying to protect you from the pain of wanting something so deeply.

This is what makes the journey harder for us than for people who didn’t experience that kind of past. The self-doubt we face isn’t just about the present moment. The self-doubt can carry the weight of the past. So when you feel that urge to quit, please know that you are carrying a bigger load, and that takes incredible strength.

And this is where I like to imagine Saturn stepping in as the wise Crone. As the wise Crone, Saturn doesn’t dismiss your feelings or tell you to “just push through.” She sits with you in that dark, uncomfortable place and says, “I know this hurts. I know you’re scared. I know this is hard. I know this is taking longer than you thought it would. But you are stronger than you think, and you are becoming someone you’ve never been before.”

Saturn’s wisdom is about emotional maturity and that doesn’t mean silencing the scared parts of you. It means tending to them with deep compassion while letting your inner leader, the part of you connected to your soul, guide the way. It looks like this inside:

Your scared inner child whispers:
“What if this never works? What if I waste my life on this dream?”

And instead of believing those thoughts or shaming yourself for having them, you pause. You put a hand on your heart and answer gently:

“I hear you. It makes sense that you’re scared. You’ve been through so much. But you’re not alone anymore. I’m here now, and I will take care of us and it’s okay if you never arrive. You are loved no matter what. How can I help you have fun today so that where you arrive in the future is less important than the precious, sacred moments you create along the way.”

Then you invite your wise Crone voice forward or the inner leader who can hold both fear and truth at the same time. Let that part of you ask,

“What does my soul know? What would wisdom choose here?”

And from that place, you make your next decision. Not from panic. Not from despair. But from a calm, steady devotion to what matters most to you.

Leading yourself in this way doesn’t mean the doubt goes away. It means you learn to hold it without letting it take the wheel. It means you create inner boundaries and say to yourself:

“Doubt, you can have your say, but you don’t get to decide.”

This is emotional maturity. This is spiritual wisdom. It’s the quiet strength of listening inward, honoring your feelings, and still choosing to take the next loving step toward your dream. Sometimes that step is bold. Sometimes it’s tender and small. But each time you lead yourself like this, you grow roots that are deep and unshakable and that no storm can pull up.

That’s what Saturn in Aries is teaching us this week: true courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the ability to stay when everything in you wants to run. It’s learning to trust your soul more than you trust your doubts. And that trust and the devotion you keep showing up with, is what builds a life and a business that feels like home.

Trusting Where Your Path Takes You

As I contemplated the lunar energy we’re working with this week, I realized I also want to talk about something I don’t think we hear enough in the world of dreams and ambition. Not everyone is meant to be a New York Times bestseller. Not everyone is going to become a millionaire healer or an award-winning artist. Not everyone is going to have thousands of followers. And honestly, I think we need to start saying that out loud and not as a way to crush dreams, but as a way to set them free.

All my life, I’ve listened to conversations about striving. Striving to be like Margaret Atwood. But what if you never get picked up by a publisher? Striving to be as wealthy as Amy Porterfield. But what if your courses never reach that wide of an audience? Striving to be as wise and appreciated as Clarissa Pinkola Estes? But what if your words aren’t ready yet. 

And these are all names of people I myself aspire to. They are my mentors, my way-showers and the ones who remind me anything is possible and I need them and never want to stop loving what they do and aspiring to greatness like them but we also look at these names and think:
“Success looks like that.”
“I need a huge platform, thousands of followers, a book deal, a TED Talk, a million-dollar business.”

But here’s the thing: they are beautiful paths, but they’re not the only paths.

What about the everyday magic-makers? The quiet healer who helps a handful of people a week change their lives. The artist who creates a body of work that lights up her local community. The coach who builds a sustainable, soul-aligned business that supports her family and gives her time to rest.

These successes don’t always make headlines, but they matter. They change lives. They ripple outward in ways no metric can capture.

Striving doesn’t have to mean being the best, the biggest, the most successful or the famous author, the spiritual influencer, the speaker with a huge audience and endless income. And every time I hear success described in that way, something in me aches a little. Because the way those goals were talked about made it seem like those were the only dreams worth having. Like if you didn’t make it to that level, you’d somehow failed.

I think it’s important to have mentors and aspire to greatness and to hold those dreams when they feel real and true for you but just as important is the ability to hold the truth that your path will unveil itself and whatever it looks like does not define your worth or your impact.

You don’t fail if you don’t hit big, massive milestones that other people have achieved.

When you put a tiny percentage of people who achieve those kinds of results on a pedestal, you forget about everyone else. You overlook all the beauty, the magic, the meaning being poured into the world in quieter ways. You make it seem like unless you reach a certain milestone or you hit a certain number or level of visibility, your work doesn’t matter. And that is a lie.

There are artists whose work changes one person’s life and that is everything. There are healers who make a safe space for someone to feel seen for the first time and that is everything. There are writers who will never land on a bestseller list, but their words will carry someone through their darkest night and that is everything.

So, can we talk about being okay with being ordinary even as we stay open to the extraordinary?

Can we hold both truths at the same time?

Can you have big, wild dreams and still find peace if they don’t unfold the way you imagined or the way you saw it unfold for someone else?

I think you can. I think it’s not only possible but also necessary for your soul. Because otherwise, you live your whole life chasing someone else’s definition of success, and you miss the sacredness of your own path.

What if your calling isn’t about being known by millions, but about deeply touching the lives of a few? What if your success isn’t measured in followers or dollars, but in the love, healing, and beauty you bring to the world in ways only you can? Can that be enough? I believe it can. I believe it’s more than enough.

This doesn’t mean you stop dreaming big. Dream big. Take bold steps. Stay open to miracles. But don’t make your worth or your joy depend on hitting some external marker of greatness. Trust that your soul knows why you’re here. Trust that every quiet act of devotion including the painting you create, the words you write and the care you give, it all ripples out in ways you can’t even imagine. You may never see the full impact, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

So yes, it’s okay to want more. It’s okay to reach for something BIG and wild and fabulous. It’s important and meaningful to visualize your book as a bestseller or your novel being picked up to be a movie. Don’t stop adding those ideas to your vision board. Don’t stop aspiring to be like those who inspire and motivate you. But it’s also okay, and even more than okay to be who you are, living your purpose in ways that might look small to the world but feel huge in the heart. That’s not failure. That’s freedom.

Your Work is Sacred. Keep Going.

So here we are, you and me, sitting under a moon this week that is reflecting the tension of becoming, the longing for roots and the discomfort of not knowing when the bloom will come.

The waxing crescent moon teaches us that this part of the cycle and the in-between and the building always comes after the dreaming and before the flourishing. It’s the space where faith matters more than proof. The moon says: “Don’t give up now. Your seed is alive. Even if you can’t see it yet, growth is happening in the dark.”

Venus in Cancer asks us to tend to what we love with gentleness, to make it safe to keep showing up. And Saturn, our wise Crone, asks us to lead ourselves through the doubt with maturity. Not by pushing, not by forcing, but by choosing devotion over despair. By saying: “I will keep caring for this dream because it matters, and because becoming the person who can hold it is sacred work.”

I know the voices of self-doubt can feel loud. I know the urge to give up can feel heavy sometimes. But please remember this; growth that lasts takes time. Especially for those of us healing deep wounds while building something new.

So, this week, instead of measuring your worth by speed or results, measure it by devotion. By how gently and consistently you care for your dream, the way Venus in Cancer would and like something precious and alive. Measure it by the choices you make from your soul the way Saturn asks us to. And trust the moon when she whispers: “You’re not done yet. You’re just becoming more.”

Do You Want To Grow Your Business With the Moon and Me?

If you want to work with the moon and Venus energy together this week and you’re craving a space where you can tend to both your tender inner world and your big, beautiful business dreams, I’d love to invite you to join me in The Creative Witch’s Business Coven.

It’s where we gather in rhythm with the moon to do the inner healing work, hold space for each other, and grow our businesses in ways that feel nourishing, spiritually aligned, and rooted in who we truly are.

You don’t have to figure this all out alone. Inside the coven, we art journal together, connect with the moon and the stars, and support each other through the ups and downs of showing up as highly sensitive creatives and entrepreneurs. If your heart is calling for a safe, magical place to grow emotionally, spiritually, and professionally, come join us. I’d love to have you.

Learn More Here

The Moon This Week

Now let’s look at a more detailed summary of the moon’s energy this week, giving you an overview of what to expect as the moon moves through different signs and phases. If you want to HEAR these updates instead of, or in addition to, reading them, you can subscribe to my podcast GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE MOON AND YOUR ART JOURNAL here (or search for it by name on your favorite podcast app).

If you want to watch my reels where I talk about how to work with the moon in your art journal every day and share with you the journal pages I create in my own art journal, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok. You can also sign up here, to get weekly reminders delivered to your inbox of the moon’s energy for the upcoming week and how you can work with it in your art journal to practice folk magic, do your deep inner work or, if you’re a highly sensitive entrepreneur like me, grow and expand your business. 

Monday

The week kicks off with the waxing crescent moon in Virgo having a close relationship with Mars and a tense relationship with Venus on Monday.

The waxing crescent moon is cozying up to Mars, which adds some drive and determination, but it’s also in a tense relationship with Venus in Gemini. This kind of tense relationship between Venus and the moon can creates a bit of friction, and sometimes that’s uncomfortable, but friction can also spark clarity.

Here’s what this might feel like: part of you wants to move forward with purpose and focus. That’s Virgo and Mars teaming up because they want to organize, take action, refine, and make something happen. But Venus in Gemini wants connection, play, and freedom. She wants to talk things through, follow curiosity, and not feel boxed in. So if you’ve ever felt a little tug-of-war between the part of you that craves structure and the part of you that wants more creativity and flow, you understand the heart of this energy.

This is a good time to ask yourself:

Where am I trying to over-control something because it feels safer?

Where am I scattering my energy because I don’t want to feel restricted?

All of these experiences are valid. Both the Virgo energy and the Gemini energy want to help you. The Virgo part longs for order and progress so you can feel steady. The Gemini part wants joy and variety so you don’t lose your spark. Neither one is wrong. The magic happens when they learn to work together and when you create a plan that leaves space for play and a schedule that allows for exploration.

This is a good time to remember that your business isn’t just about productivity or pleasure. It’s about creating a rhythm that works for you and your body. Virgo and Mars can help you make clear steps toward what matters most, but Venus reminds you that beauty, connection, and creativity aren’t luxuries. They’re essential to your work and your well-being.

In your art journal today, try this: draw two circles that overlap slightly, like a Venn diagram. In one circle, write or illustrate what Mars in Virgo is asking for which are things like clarity, structure, action and refinement.

In the other circle, write or illustrate what Venus in Gemini is asking for which is things like connection, beauty, ideas and play. In the space where they overlap, explore what balance could look like for you.

How can you honor both?

Maybe that looks like batching your focused work so you can leave open time for creative wandering. Or adding more beauty and joy into the parts of your business that feel heavy.

This is the waxing crescent moon so energy is building. It’s a great time to get clear on what you want to grow and how you want to feel as you grow it. Your business is allowed to feel both steady and inspired. Both organized and alive. Use your page as a place to imagine what that could look like for you.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents honoring beauty, spontaneity, connection and play at the same time as honoring structure, routine and organization.

Tuesday

On Tuesday, the waxing crescent moon moves into Libra, and as soon as it does, it lights up that powerful triangle of energy that’s been shaping the skies for a while now.

The moon is interacting with big outer planets in the early degrees of Gemini, Aries, and Aquarius, and every time the moon moves through one of the signs that touches those degrees, it wakes up the conversation they’re having with each other which means the changes that they are instigating in your life, get activated too.

The moon in Libra brings themes of harmony, balance, beauty, and relationships both with others and with yourself. But as the moon in Libra reaches out in a happy relationship to Uranus in Gemini, there’s also a sense of change and innovation in the air. Uranus shakes things up. It wants freedom, it wants new ideas, and in Gemini, it brings curiosity and quick thinking. You might feel inspired to try something different in your business or change the way you connect with your audience.

At the same time, the moon is standing opposite Saturn and Neptune in Aries. This opposition can feel like a tug-of-war between responsibility and inspiration, between what you’re dreaming about and the structures you need to hold that dream. Saturn says, “Commit. Take responsibility.” Neptune says, “Trust the vision. Let your imagination lead.”

And the moon, holding all this Libra energy, is asking: How do I hold both? How do I stay in harmony with myself while navigating big changes and big dreams?

Then there’s Pluto in Aquarius, quietly forming a lovely relationship to the moon as well. Pluto reminds us of our inner power and the deeper layers of transformation we’re moving through and not just for ourselves, but for our communities. If you’ve felt that sense of “something big is changing” in your work, this energy confirms it. These outer planets are slow for a reason. They represent shifts that reshape entire chapters of your life. And the moon is giving you a moment to pause and reflect on how you want to meet those changes.

In your art journal, try creating a page that explores the question:

What does balance look like for me in this season of change?

You might draw a set of scales (Libra’s symbol) and on one side, write or draw the things that feel solid and structured (Saturn) and on the other side, the dreams and visions calling to you (Neptune). Around the page, add symbols or words for the breakthroughs or ideas you’re excited about (Uranus) and the deeper sense of purpose you’re stepping into (Pluto). Let the page become a visual conversation between all these energies.

As you create, notice what feels heavy and what feels light. Notice where you crave more freedom or more structure. Let this practice help you see what adjustments would help you move forward with more harmony and confidence. 

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage that represents the something big you that is changing in your life or business.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, the moon is void of course all day.

When the moon is void of course, it means she’s not making any new relationships with other planets before she changes signs. It’s like she’s between conversations and floating in a quiet space, in between what was and what’s next. Ancient astrologers often saw this as a time when things don’t stick or move forward easily. Plans made under a void moon can feel like they fizzle or drift. But that doesn’t mean this time isn’t useful. In fact, it’s sacred in its own way.

When the moon is void, the energy feels softer, more inward, and less structured. It’s not about pushing, planning, or forcing things to happen. It’s about pausing and listening. These stretches invite us to integrate, release, and reconnect with ourselves before we move into the next phase. In a world that constantly pressures you to keep producing and performing and especially if you’re building a business, this energy can feel uncomfortable. But there’s deep wisdom here: growth isn’t just about action. It’s about making space for alignment.

A void moon can feel like the universe dimming the lights so you can hear yourself think. It’s liminal space. It’s the “in-between” that’s so often missing in our fast-moving culture. If you’re a sensitive entrepreneur or healer with a history of trauma, this energy might feel oddly familiar. So much of your life may have been about waiting such as waiting for safety, waiting for permission, waiting for a time when it was okay to rest. A void moon gives you permission to honor that waiting, but this time, on your terms. You’re not waiting because of fear. You’re waiting as an act of power and an act of trust.

Instead of journaling about plans, strategies, or what to do next, create a page that honors stillness as part of your magic. Think of it as making an altar for the pause. Here’s a unique way to approach it:

1. Choose a color that feels like quiet to you. Maybe that is a soft gray, deep indigo, or the color of the night sky. Wash your page with that color. Let it feel like spaciousness.

2. Draw or collage a doorway or threshold. This represents the in-between space you’re in. Around the doorway, add sacred symbols, animal or plant magic that reminds you of the magic of stillness.

3. Inside the doorway, leave it open and uncluttered. This is where the next energy will flow in. Write the words: “I trust what’s coming.”

4. If you want to add magic, drip water across the page and let it run. Water always finds its way forward without force so let it remind you that you will too.

When you work like this, you’re aligning your nervous system with trust and spaciousness. You’re teaching yourself that not every moment needs to be productive to be meaningful. And that’s an act of radical healing for anyone who’s been taught they only matter when they’re doing or being what someone else wants them to do or be.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents the sacred magic of stillness.

Thursday

On Thursday, the waxing crescent moon in the early degrees of Scorpio is having a happy relationship with Venus who is in the early degrees of Cancer.

This is such a beautiful combination of energies because both Scorpio and Cancer are water signs, and water in ancient astrology is tied to depth, intuition, emotional honesty, and the sacred work of nourishing what matters most. When these two signs flow together like this, they invite us to go deep in a way that feels safe and loving.

The waxing crescent phase is about building momentum after the new moon. It’s when the first tender shoots of your intentions start to break through the soil. There’s vulnerability in that, but also excitement because things are starting to move. And Scorpio reminds us that this growth often begins underground, in the hidden places no one sees. It asks:

What do you need to tend in the dark so it can grow strong in the light?

Venus in Cancer adds an energy of sweetness and emotional nourishment. She whispers, Love what you’re building. Care for it as you would care for something precious and alive.

For those of us running soul-led businesses, this combination asks us to look at the emotional foundation of what we’re creating.

Are you growing your business from a place of fear, scarcity, urgency, or proving? Or are you growing it from a place of deep care for yourself, your clients, and an honoring and a respect for the work you’re offering to the world?

Scorpio will show you where old wounds, control patterns, or scarcity stories might still be shaping your actions. Venus reminds you that those places need tenderness, not judgment. This is about choosing business strategies and creative projects that feel nurturing and emotionally sustainable.

Today is perfect for creating a page that feels like a love letter to your work and to yourself as its caretaker.

Here’s one way to do it:

Start by painting or coloring your page in deep water tones like inky blues, greens, or even purples to honor Scorpio’s depth. Then, in the center, draw or collage a vessel like a bowl, a chalice, a shell or something that feels like it can hold and protect what you’re creating.

Inside that vessel, write or illustrate what feels most tender about your dream right now.

What part of your business or creative calling feels like it needs to be taken care of right now?

Around the outside, add words or symbols of the emotional support you need. Maybe that is boundaries, rest, beauty, connection, or maybe even specific names of people, ancestors, or guides you can lean on.

If you want to add magic, bless your page with water. Dip your fingers in water and let a few drops fall on the page like a sacred offering. As you do, say softly, “I tend to what I love. I am the soil where my success grows.”

This moon is teaching you that depth and devotion don’t slow your growth. Depth and devotion are what make your growth and your success real and lasting. And that, my friend, is the kind of abundance that feels good in your body and your soul.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents a love letter to your work and to yourself as its caretaker.

Friday

On Friday, the first quarter moon in Scorpio is having a happy relationship with Jupiter in Cancer.

This is such an encouraging energy because the first quarter moon is all about taking action and building on what you set in motion at the new moon. It’s the phase that says: Okay, you planted the seed, now how will you tend it so it grows?

When the moon is in Scorpio, that work isn’t just surface-level. It’s about going deeper, showing up for the hidden parts of yourself that influence how you take action.

Jupiter is the planet of expansion and wisdom. In the sign of Cancer, Jupiter expands through care, belonging, and nourishment and not through hustling or forcing. This is such a powerful reminder that growth happens when you feel safe, when your roots are strong, and when you allow yourself to receive support. So this combination says:

Take that brave step forward, but do it in a way that feels emotionally aligned.

It’s about asking yourself what would make the next step feel grounded and good for your nervous system.

Big dreams require both courage and care. Scorpio says, “Be brave enough to look at what you’ve been afraid of,” and Jupiter in Cancer adds, “And while you’re doing that, wrap yourself in so much love and gentleness.” Maybe the fear is around being seen, raising your prices, launching something new, or even admitting how much you want this dream. The moon and Jupiter together remind you that tending your inner world is not separate from growing your business. It’s part of it.

To work with this energy in your art journal, create a page that honors both your courage and your care.

Maybe divide your page into two sections. On one side, draw or paint an image that represents your next brave step in business. Maybe it’s a path, a door, a mountain, or a symbol of transformation like a snake shedding its skin (very Scorpio kind of symbolism!).

On the other side, create something that represents the love, softness, or support you need to take that step. It could be a warm color wash, a nest, a shell, or even words that feel nurturing and safe.

When you’re done, write across the bottom of the page:
“I grow with both courage and care.”

This isn’t about forcing yourself to be fearless. It’s about letting bravery and tenderness coexist so you can keep showing up for your dreams.

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents the courage and the care you need to follow your dreams.

Saturday

On Saturday, the first quarter moon in Scorpio is having a happy relationship with Mars in Virgo.

This is such a grounded and motivating energy because Mars is the planet of action, and in Virgo, it loves to take practical, detailed steps toward what matters most. Paired with the Scorpio moon, this energy says: If you want to see real transformation, don’t just dream about it. Break it down and take the next aligned step.

First quarter moons are about building momentum. They show up a week after the new moon, asking you to move from intention into action. It’s that moment where resistance often shows up with those inner voices that say, “This is too hard” or “What if I fail?” But the happy relationship the moon is having with Mars is like a gentle hand on your back saying, “You’ve got this. Start small. Start now.”

It’s not about giant leaps; it’s about progress through steady effort.

Scorpio digs deep. It doesn’t want surface-level change; it wants soul-level growth. And Mars in Virgo supports that by helping you find clarity in the practical details. So if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, today is a good day to focus on what’s right in front of you and the one small thing you can do to move your dream forward. Think of it as tiny actions that add up to something meaningful over time.

For highly sensitive entrepreneurs, this combination is a gift because it blends emotional depth with grounded practicality. It says, “You don’t have to do everything today. But if you choose one aligned step and do it with care and integrity, you’re on the right path.” This is the kind of energy that helps you clean up your systems, refine your offerings, or tend to the inner fears that keep you from acting. It’s about showing up in a way that feels both brave and doable.

Create a page in your art journal that symbolizes transformation through steady effort.

Maybe start by painting or drawing an image of something strong and enduring like a mountain, a tree with deep roots, or even a spiral showing growth from the center outward. Then, add visual symbols for the steps you want to take next in your business like tiny leaves, stepping stones, or little written notes of the practical actions that feel possible right now. Let the page remind you that big dreams are built one small, sacred step at a time.

At the bottom of the page, write:
“Each small step I take in my business is an act of magic.”

In your art journal, paint, draw or collage an image that represents how you are transforming yourself or your business through tiny actions that add up over time.

Sunday

On Sunday, the first quarter moon in Sagittarius has a lot of relationships with other planets.

The first quarter phase asks us to act on what we planted at the new moon, and Sagittarius brings the reminder that those actions should align with our bigger dreams, not just our to-do lists. This moon is reflecting down an energy that wants to pull you out of the small details and back into the big picture:

Why are you doing what you’re doing?

Where is all this leading?

What makes this moon so powerful is the way it connects with the outer planets. It has a happy relationship with Saturn and Neptune in Aries, a happy relationship with Pluto in Aquarius, and an opposing relationship with Uranus in Gemini.

That’s a lot of change-focused energy. The relationship the moon is having with Saturn and Neptune is a rare gift because it combines discipline with imagination and structure with soul. It’s like the universe is saying: “Don’t just dream. Don’t just work. Do both.”

The happy relationship the moon is having with Pluto adds depth and inner strength, supporting you to make changes that are real and lasting. And the opposition to Uranus? That’s the shake-up energy. It says: “If something in your life or business feels stale or too small for who you’re becoming, break out of it.”

This moo energy can feel like a mix of excitement and discomfort. There’s an inner pull toward freedom and authenticity but also the weight of responsibility whispering, “Be practical.” The message this moon is bringing is that both matter. True growth lives where boldness and groundedness meet.

In your art journal, think of your page as a bridge between vision and action. At the top of the page, write your big bold dream for your life or for your business. It’s the big, bold dream that feels expansive, even a little scary.

Below it, draw or collage a path toward that dream. Along the path, add symbols or words for the qualities and supports you’ll need (courage, trust, clarity, structure) and the small steps that will take you there. Let the colors you choose feel alive and full of movement because Sagittarius loves that sense of momentum and possibility.

As you work in your art journal, ask yourself: 

What bold but grounded action am I ready to take this week to honor my bigger vision?

In your art journal, draw, paint or collage an image that represents a big, bold dream you have for yourself or your business and the path you think will take you there and the supports you will need along the way.

with love,