Full Moon in Scorpio & Total Lunar Eclipse

I honor my feelings and responses to the situations and people around me

I express my inner creative self with joy and total self-acceptance

I listen to my body and the messages it is communicating

I greet my infinite, ever-changing, and ever-evolving spirit with kindness and compassion

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Full Moon in Scorpio, Total Lunar Eclipse Sun 5/15 at 9:14 pm PT

"When the lunar eclipse meets Scorpio, magic is in the air. Scorpio is one of the most transformative signs of the zodiac. Paired with a lunar eclipse, this becomes a potent time for revelation, change, and immense psychological breakthroughs. The energy of the eclipse will affect everyone, and its energy will be intense. There will be no hiding from the vibrations this eclipse will bring everyone in the world. Through its intensity, this eclipse has the power to create any transformation you need in your life right now. It may not feel particularly good at the time it is occurring, but the change it creates ultimately opens the door for your highest energetic potential.

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Ruled by water and the planet Pluto, Scorpio asks us to confront our deepest emotions. In doing so, Scorpio reminds us that we are magicians and healers. We can transform any energy, emotion, or behavior. We can turn darkness into light, and tension into relaxation. We can heal from the most painful wounds, turning them into wisdom, and we can navigate any storm with ease. The key in working with this energy is to be willing to feel. This eclipse asks us to put our logical mind at bay. It reminds us that when we analyze our feelings, we only prolong them. We need to feel to transform, and that means slowing down, courageously looking inward, crying, and holding space for any energy to rise from our subconscious."

~Spirit Daughter

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This event is almost perfectly timed for most of the Americas. The Moon will become totally eclipsed near or just after moonrise along the Pacific Coast, and so will be visible to us here in California. For Santa Barbara specifically, the eclipse will be visible starting on Sunday May 15th at 7:47 pm, and will reach its maximum at 9:11 pm. The celestial show ends at 11:50pm. Total length: 4 hours, 4 minutes.

~Farmer's Almanac, TimeAndDate.com

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"During a lunar eclipse, the moon emanates the Earth's shadow (known as the umbra). With Earth perfectly wedged between the sun and moon, the moon exudes a tawny-red tone — this distinctive hue is why it is often referred to as a "Blood Moon."

Just as new moons are linked to beginnings and full moons are tied to culminations, eclipses serve as celestial checkpoints. An eclipse is a high-octane lunation that helps illuminate our karmic path, but just as these cosmic events can be visually striking, eclipses can also be a bit dramatic. Astrologically speaking, they speed up time: They open new doors by slamming others shut, so we often find abrupt and sudden shifts occurring during eclipses. Though the changes can be jarring, they can help us by speeding up the inevitable.

So, if you've been dragging your feet, an eclipse will be sure to give you that extra push (or shove) needed to take action. While the results can be shocking, remember that these lunations simply expedite the inevitable — these events were going to happen eventually. Remember that endings are hard, but everything is cyclical: A culmination always occurs on the edge of a beginning."

~Aliza Kelly and Sophie Saint Thomas for Allure.com

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Eclipse Energy Crystal Grid

Scorpio is the sign of transformation, magnetism, and dynamic, emotional reactions. This energy is magnified by the effects of a lunar eclipse--Essentially, prepare for your thoughts to get deep. Just about everything will feel urgent, suddenly. As we ride the waves of lunar eclipse energy, look for grounding crystals, and crystals that can represent the balance of light and darkness. Some good grounding crystals include Hematite, Smoky Quartz, Shungite, and Red Jasper.

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We created a crystal grid with Onyx and Citrine to represent the balance of dark and light--The ideal balance that we want to manifest by safely navigating the current dramatic lunation. Like the stones mentioned above, Onyx brings all that glorious grounding energy to keep you connected to the earth beneath your feet. This stone soothes heightened emotions around the eclipse, and strengthen your sense of self, leading to wise decision-making and authentic living. It can be particularly useful for those moving through the patterns of grief, as well as releasing patterns that no longer serve...

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For our light stone we chose Citrine because of its sunny, optimistic energy that calls forth our inner radiance, and clears fundamental fears. Sunny Citrine inspires feeling comfortable with yourself and your place in the world, and is a powerful helper in manifesting your deepest wishes and dreams. Citrine vibrates to the frequency of abundance and prosperity, and is a bright ray of sunshine to balance out and illuminate the depths of Scorpio.

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We anchored our grid with a Clear Quartz tower at the center, to amplify the energy of all the surrounding crystals. Light Embodied, Clear Quartz conducts and transmits energy, and stores information like a natural computer, making it an efficient receptor for programming. It clarifies and amplifies physical and mental energies while harmonizing the individual with the energy of the universe. Clear Quartz also supports a clear mind and clarity of vision, which will help you set your course as we travel through this eclipse season.

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Raise your vibrations and power your rituals with sacred stones from around the world. Bring the earth’s beauty and energetic strength into your practice with an inspired collection of crystals and gemstones.

Shadow Work | Learning to Love your Subtle Darkness

"It is through love, compassion, and acceptance that our shadows come out of the darkness and meet us in the light"

~Spirit Daughter

What is the shadow?

Psychologist Carl Jung used the term shadow to describe that part of ourselves that we don't like to face, so we tend to avoid or hide it in some way. These are the unacknowledged, unloved, and unhealed parts--We bury these (supposedly) unacceptable parts of ourselves, when in reality the shadow longs to be acknowledged."

In their book, Tarot for Troubled Times, Shaheen Miro and Theresa Reed offer a beautiful description of the shadow: "Everyone has a subtle darkness that wraps around them like a soft, velvet cloak. This is your shadow, the part of you that is dark, rich, and fertile…

There is a symbolic parallel between a lunar eclipse (the astrological time when the sun's light is obscured by earth and a shadow falls over the moon), and the revealing of our own shadow selves. This clarity and closeness of our secret, subtle darkness is a blessing, because it gives us the opportunity to lean in, feel, and gradually over time, to heal and unify ourselves and reclaim our inner power.

Where does the shadow come from?

"The shadow is born from a lack of love and welcoming for all of your parts: the perceived good and bad. Perhaps when you were young, you were punished for "being bad." Maybe you hit your sibling in a fit of anger. Or maybe you didn't do your homework because it was boring. In these situations, your parents or teacher might have criticized you, labeled you a brat, or called you lazy. In some cases, you may have received punishment.

Other times, when you "behaved"--for example, by being quiet--you were rewarded and labelled "good". This disapproval/approval cycle, combined with our need to feel secure and loved, is what creates the shadow. All of the "good" parts become the mask we show to the world, while the other "bad" parts get packed away in an internal closet and are rarely revealed outside."

How do I begin to heal?

"Start an inner dialogue with your shadow--Really reach out to your shadow with bravery and curiosity. Accept that she is here reminding you to go deeper, love harder, and flow more gracefully. Gently ask her: Why are you here? Listen for her answer. Take some time and meditate around these questions:

Can you remember a time when you acted out and were punished?

How were feelings handled in your family?

Were you encouraged to express them freely or were you told that certain emotions were not "nice"?

Can you recall a time when you were shut down for expressing your needs?

How did that feel?

What did it feel like when you experienced disapproval from an authority figure? How about when you experienced approval?

Which emotions were considered "bad" in your family? Which emotions were considered "good"?

How do you express anger, fear, depression, or other so-called negative emotions today?

What does your shadow tell you?

Why have you been afraid? Or angry? Or lonely?

Ask your shadow how she has grown so big.

Ask your shadow how you can help her heal.

Journal your answers and notice what you feel. Be gentle with yourself...It is all part of the excavation process to uncover your inner magic. When you allow yourself to feel what is happening down below in the spaces that you've locked away from the rest of the world, if you can be with yourself in these uncomfortable places, you can untangle the knots, release the resistance, and move into the sacred communion with your light and your shadow."

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Practice loving words of affirmation toward yourself (including your shadow). "I trust in you. I believe in you. You are worthy of love. You are enough."

Keep a shadow journal. "I have a safe and practical way to express all sides of myself. I can let out my thoughts, both light and dark, using the written word. I am holding space for my shadow to speak and be expressive, without judgement."

Express your inner shadow artistically. "I allow myself to feel all of my emotions, even if they’re dark. I am not afraid to be spontaneous. I create what my inner self wants to create, no matter what it looks like."

~Adapted from exercises by Maggie Wool, BetterUp.com

"Be bold, be brave, and step out there and walk the middle ground. Let your darkness show you something you never knew before. By listening to your shadow, you discover that there is a whole other side of you: the bigger, brighter, and more luminous self, hidden right there in the dark. Act from your center, where light and shadow come together like two great streams flowing into a river."

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"Slip into the dance. Take your shadow by the hand. Let the story unravel. You are the creator of your story, not just the character.

If you can be present and honest with yourself, the song will change, the story will shift, and the magic will begin."

~Shaheen Miro and Theresa Reed

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Information about shadow work was excerpted and adapted from Tarot for Troubled Times. In this book, Shaheen Miro and Theresa Reed show us how working with the shadow--facing it directly, leaning into it rather than away--releases power that can free ourselves from negative mental habits and destructive emotions to find healing ourselves and others. Tarot, as the authors show, offers a rich and subtle path for this profound transformation.

Through this book, you will discover a different approach to tarot, life, and self-empowerment. The authors provide specialty readings and suggested practices for issues such as grief, addiction, depression, fear, anger, divorce, illness, abuse, and oppression, and provide practical suggestions for stepping up as an ally or leader so that you can shape social policies. With a selection of mindful, introspective tarot spreads, you'll learn how the Tarot can help you rewrite your healing story and change your life, and help transform the world.