Our Ancient Friend
Mooncast Week of December 4th, 2023
Welcome to Mooncast, a weekly forecast of the Moon’s journey through the cosmos. Why the Moon? She’s our closest and most influenceable celestial neighbor mirroring cycles of life-death-rebirth. Her phase, zodiac sign, and aspects are essential in electional astrology and planetary magic. Most of all, the lunar realm is nourishing and enchanting. Let’s wade in.
Mooncast Week of December 4th ☾
To be honest, the words did not want to come this week. My brain feels slow, and so in lieu of a personal essay, I’ll share a quote sent to me by a friend.
“There is a reason, after all, that some people wish to colonize the Moon, and others dance before it as an ancient friend.” - James Baldwin
May we all dance before the Moon as our ancient friend. Happy, Moon day.
Moon in Virgo
The Moon entered Virgo December 3rd 9:51 p.m. CST, makes aspects to Saturn, Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, and the Sun, and wanes to the last quarter phase.
The Moon in Virgo is critical, practical, and of service to others. Here, the Moon finds nourishment in organization and purification.
With the Moon waning to last quarter, energy slows and retreats inwards. This phase is for trimming, releasing, and integrating. If you’re into tarot, a three card spread could be: what has come to fruition, what needs releasing, and what needs integrating?
Monday, December 4th
12:27 a.m. CST Moon 1° Virgo opposite Saturn 1° Pisces
4:11 a.m. CST Moon 3° Virgo trine Mercury 3° Capricorn
11:32 a.m. CST Moon 6° Virgo trine Jupiter rx 6° Taurus
12:51 p.m. CST Moon 7° Virgo square Mars 7° Sagittarius
11:48 p.m. CST Last Quarter Moon & Moon 12° Virgo square Sun 12° Sagittarius
The Moon in Virgo can be hypercritical, and as she wanes, she makes five aspects in 12 hours. Collectively, we may experience this as our inner critic on blast, emotional overwhelm, or being pulled in many directions. When losing a sense of control, the Moon in Virgo finds peace in rituals, organizing, and tidying up.
One of my rituals is setting aside Monday for calming lunar activities. I never schedule astrology readings or make plans. Moon days are for me. I nourish my body with comfort food, baths, and walks. I journal, read, and reflect. I light a candle, say a prayer, and pull cards. May we all give ourselves grace this Moon day.
Moon in Libra
The Moon enters Libra December 6th 10:35 a.m. CST and makes aspects to Mercury, Mars, and the Sun.
The Moon in Libra finds comfort in beauty, harmony, and social justice. Here, the Moon is nourished by reciprocal relationships.
Wednesday, December 6th
10:00 p.m. CST Moon 5° Libra square Mercury 5° Capricorn
Mercury in Capricorn is methodical and forward thinking. Trekking through their pre-shadow (the degrees of the upcoming retrograde), Mercury signals it’s time to slow down and mull things over while the Moon in Libra thoughtfully weighs all decisions.
Thursday, December 7th
5:14 a.m. CST Moon 9° Libra sextile Mars 9° Sagittarius
5:35 p.m. CST Moon 15° Libra sextile the Sun 15° Sagittarius
The Moon in Libra sextile Mars and the Sun in Sagittarius is inspired collective action, art making, and speaking liberated worlds into being.
Moon in Scorpio
The Moon enters Scorpio December 8th 9:35 p.m. CST, wanes to maximum darkness in the balsamic phase, and makes aspects to Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury.
Scorpio is the place of the Moon’s fall. The Moon in Scorpio feels intensely and investigates the depths of the internal realm.
Saturday, December 9th
12:33 a.m. CST - Moon 1° Scorpio trine Saturn 1° Pisces
1:15 a.m. CST - Balsamic Moon
8:22 a.m. CST - Moon conjunct Venus 5° Scorpio
9:42 a.m. CST - Moon 6° Scorpio opposite Jupiter rx 6° Taurus
11:46 a.m. CST - Moon 7° Scorpio sextile Mercury 7° Capricorn
The cycle initiated on the November 13th Scorpio new Moon is coming to a close. The balsamic phase is a period of rest, reflection, and turning inwards. The dark Moon in the heavy waters of Scorpio is like sinking to the bottom of the sea.
Podcast - Tales From the Hearth
Part two of my conversation on Tales from the Hearth is live! In part one, I cover astrology basics, and in part two, we dive into fun questions such as what transit am I most excited about, and how do natal Moon phases show up in our lives? This interview was a dream come true! Thank you, Elair and Kristen! Listen to Astrology 2.0 with Emily here.
Astrology Readings
I have extended availability in December and have two offerings, Constellation of the Soul and Cycles & Seasons. Constellation of the Soul is an in-depth natal chart reading helping to answer questions such as, who am I? What is my calling? Cycles & Seasons is a celestial forecast of the themes, opportunities, and struggles of the year ahead, a review of the year behind, or a combination of past, present, and future. You determine the 12 months, and I find the celestial patterns with techniques like solar return, annual profections, progressions, and transits.
This is the final month to book a reading at my current rate of $75. My prices increase to $90 on January 1st. Reach out with any questions, and book a reading here. I also offer two no-cost readings for BIPOC, trans, and disabled folks per month. Here are some recent testimonies:
“Emily is such a warm and engaging presence! Her insights and explanations really deepened my understanding of my birth chart.” - Evelyn
“I really enjoyed how thoughtful and in depth this reading is. Everything Emily shared was detailed, easy to understand, and enlightening. I don't know anything about astrology, but this reading was super accessible and interesting. I'm excited to have it to reference as time passes to continue to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for myself.” - Fern