Gibbous Moon in Pisces

"I'm one with the Goddess
and open to Her Wisdom."

12th Day of the 11th Lunar Cycle
Ruled by Hera
Lunar Tree Cycle of Gort/Ivy
19th Day of the Celtic Tree
Month of Gort/Ivy
Moon Phase: Gibbous
Moon sets: 3:20AM EDST
Moon rises: 4:20PM EDST
Moon in the Mutable Water
Sign of Pisces
Rhiannon's Cycle of the Moon
Lunar Meditation: The tides of
moon and sea.
Sun in Libra
Sunrise: 7:33AM EDST
Sunset: 6:27PM EDST
Solar Question for the Day: "What
joy do you miss most; where is joy
within you?"
Lughnasadh (Gwyl Awst) Quarter
of the Year
October 18th, 2010

Gibbous Moon - The Gibbous Moon rises midafternoon and sets before dawn. She is bulging Moon getting ready to be full, visible soon after she rises until she sets. The Gibbous Moon is the BUD of the plant, the pulse of life tightly wrapped, wanting to expand. Those of us who are born during the Gibbous Moon phase find their talents lie in the ability to refine, organize and purify. These are the seekers,  utilizing spiritual tools as guides on their path. The keywords for the Gibbous phase are: analyze, prepare and trust. It is the time in a lunar cycle to process the results of the actions taken during the First Quarter. During this phase you are gathering information. Give up making judgments, it will only lead to worry. Your knowledge is incomplete. Laugh. Analyze and filter. LOOK WITHIN.

Moon in Pisces - During Moon in Pisces emotional life is more introverted. Intuition is at its height and psychic energy is powerful. You are able to get in touch with your deepest self, but it can also be a time of vagueness, unclarity and uncertainty. Pisces is about endings as a result of internal processing.  This will be great transit to think about those questions I listed in yesterday's post about deciding what you will take with you into the New Year after Samhain and what you  leave behind. With Moon in Pisces we feel the world with compassion, heightened senses and strong imagination. We need quiet time in our temple or back under our covers to deal with sensory overload. This is a time to vision, listen to inner voices, allow creative juices to flow and touch each other with new awareness. Those who are born with a Pisces moon sign came here to feel everything; they may need to filter impressions and find their deep strength. They offer us insight, imagination and subtle, compassionate medicine while encouraging our visions.  Moon in Pisces is the best time to work magick involving dream work, clairvoyance, telepathy, music and the creative arts. Healing rituals for ailments of the feet or lymph glands are also done at this time.

This is Moon Day - the Day of Remembering and Feeling - Impression Day. There are Major magickal energies today for working with your Intuition.

Ancestral Altar

  This is time now to create your ancestral altar for Samhain where you can honor your beloved dead. This being Moon Day - a day of remembering and feeling and the Moon is in Pisces - a transit when we are more 'feeling' and psychic - we can intuit back to remembering what our ancestors gifted us with.  You may already have a space where this happening.  A collection of old family photos, perhaps sitting beside some collectibles of grandparents. If you don't see this in your living space, then begin assembling one for Samhain.  Choose a flat surface; a sideboard is nice and so is an end table as well as the top of a bookcase or dresser. If it can hold your altar items and is in a space you feel comfortable visiting then its a good spot.                                       Image © Patti Wigingon 2009


   To assemble your ancestral altar, collect old photos, small items that belong to ancestors (grandparents and/or parents) or items that remind you of what they liked and collected. Flowers, candles (one or two) and perhaps a book they liked.  If you have any linens or embroidered pieces that belonged to (or were made by) them would make a good altar cloth for this special altar. Remember if you are using a precious old cloth as the altar cloth, make sure your candles cannot drip on it. Jar candles would work nicely. A small spirit bell is a nice thing to add, when you attend the altar on Samhain, call their names and speak from your heart to them. Do not demand they come to you but, rather invite them to be present if they wish to.  At the end of your Samhain ritual, remember to formally bid them farewell if you have invited them into the ritual space. 
    Once you have assembled your ancestral altar, make a habit of visiting it often in the coming days that lead to Samhain. Perhaps you will the need to ask their advice or counsel. Sit quietly and think about your problem. The solution make come to you right away, but knowing that those who came before you and that they know about your problem can be a comfort too. Who knows the ancestors may be working on a solution for you.

Here is a link to a photo gallery of Ancestral Altars:  http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/samhainoctober31/ig/Samhain-Altar-Gallery/Shelley-s-Ancestor-Altar.htm

Idea for a ritual: http://www.brujonegrobrujeria.com/page/page/3602817.htm

A Voodoo Ancestral Altar:  http://planetvoodoo.com/voodoo-temple/ancestral-altar.htm