Lucky Moons for 2001
By Waverly Fitzgerald
© 2001 Waverly Fitzgerald. Do not reproduce without permission.

An important part of doing magic is being in touch with the flow of energy as it expresses itself through the universe, especially through the cycles of the stars, the sun and the moon. Keeping track of these cycles is easy if you have any one of the popular calendars which list the moon sign like the WeMoon Almanac or the Lunar Calendar or the Pocket Astrologer or the Moon Phases card.

During every lunar cycle (or moonth, the term Donna Henes uses to remind us of the root of the word month), the moon passes through your astrological sun sign.This is often a time of personal power, when you feel truly in sync with your personality. Helen Farias noted that wishes (prayers, affirmations, spells) expressed on the day the moon was in her sun sign were usually granted. If you know your moon sign, you may also notice a shift of energy when the moon moves through this sign, which will also happen once every lunar cycle. Often this is a time when you are sensitive and aware of your feelings.

You also have several other moon power points during the year. The moon will be new in your sun sign once a year and full in your sun sign once a year. The New Moon, when the moon is dark or invisible is a seed point, a time for going deep within and attuning with spirit. Since it always happens near your birthday, you can use it as a time for setting an intention for the upcoming year. The full moon in your sign is more likely to be the time for a party (too bad it's half a year away from your birthday), a time for going out into the world, connecting with other people and expressing yourself creatively.

The moon will pass through all of its phases in your sign during the year. You might also want to note when it is in your sign in the first quarter and the last quarter. The first quarter moon in your sun sign would be a good time for initiating a project or casting a spell, planning or going on a vision quest. The last quarter moon is a time for reflecting on your achievements, evaluating your experiences and grieving your losses (perhaps with a ritual of letting go).

Now that you know the principles you can also pay attention to these power points when they fall in the same sign as your natal moon or the sign of your Ascendant. Each one can be occasion for a ritual.

Charting Your Moon Power Points

The chart below can help you identify your Moon Power Points for the coming year. Dates are taken from Jim Maynard's 2001 Pocket Astrologer for Pacific Time. It's a big year for Cancers with two full moons in the summer--one on Jun 21st, summer solstice, and one on Jul 20th--and two full moons, both coupled with eclipses, on either end of the year: Jan 9th and Dec 30th.

Moon Phase	New	Full	First Quarter	Last Quarter
	Seed point, make a wish, work magic	Celebrate	Initiate a project, state intentions	Reflect, evaluate, let go, banish
Aries	Mar 24	Oct 2	Jan 2 Dec 22	Jul 13
Taurus	Apr 23		Feb 1	Aug 12
Gemini	May 22	Nov 30	Mar 2	Sep 10
Cancer	Jun 21 Jul 20	Jan 9 Dec 30	Apr 1	Oct 9
Leo	Aug 18	Feb 7	Apr 30	Nov 8
Virgo	Sep 17	Mar 9	May 29	Dec 7
Libra	Oct 16	Apr 7	Jun 27	Jan 16
Scorpio	Nov 14	May 7	Jul 27	Feb 14
Sagittarius	Dec 14	Jun 5	Aug 25	Mar 16
Capricorn	Dec 25 2000	Jul 5	Sep 24	Apr 15
Aquarius	Jan 24	Aug 3	Oct 23	May 15
Pisces	Feb 23	Sep 2	Nov 22	Jun 13

References:

This article first appeared in the Winter 1998 issue of The Beltane Papers: A Journal of Womens Mysteries. For more information about The Beltane Papers, visit their website at http://www.thebeltanepapers.net

Farias, Helen was the founding mother of The Beltane Papers. Until her untimely death in 1994, her wisdom and scholarship could be found in every issue. She frequently wrote about calendar customs and working with lunar and solar energies.

Henes, Donna, Celestially Auspicious Occasions: Seasons, Cycles & Celebrations, Perigee/Berkley 1996

Ask about these calendars at your local bookstore. If you can't find them there, contact the publisher directly.

Lunar Calendar: This popular calendar, based on the Celtic tree months, is edited by Nancy Passmore. For more information contact her at Luna Press, (617) 427-9846.

Lunar Phases card: A simple tool for tracking the moon's cycles, a one page card on stiff paper which can be ordered from Susan Baylies at Snake and Snake Production, 511 Scott king Rd, Durham NC 27713. Telephone: 919-544-2028. Website: http://www.snakeandsnake.com.

Pocket Astrologer is a handy guide created by Jim Maynard containing detailed astrological information for the year. It is available in a wall calendar, an engagement calendar, or, my favorite, the little pocket-sized book, for either Eastern or Pacific time. Order it from Quicksilver Productions, P O Box 340, Ashland OR 97520. Telephone: 541-482-5343

WeMoon Almanac, a lovely engagement calendar, featuring original art, good writing and astrological lore, published by Mother Tongue Inc. Order by calling 503-630-7848 or email at wemoon@teleport.com or visit their web site at http://www.teleport.com/~wemoon

© 2001 Waverly Fitzgerald. Do not reproduce without permission.