The House of the Goddess
Musings about ritual, praxis, and the Libra full Moon
Today’s Libra full Moon opposite the exalted Sun conjunct Chiron in Aries tells a story. By bringing our awareness to the stories of the cosmos, magical revelations about our personal journeys reveal themselves. As above, so below. The more I study and practice astrology, the more I experience magic in the mundane. I experience magic in the little moments. The moments when my intuition speaks to me, and I pause to listen. The moments when I look at the night sky, see the Moon in her luminous glory, and my inner child lights up with wonder. The moments when I journal, and words flow freely revealing a deeper layer of self ready to be acknowledged. These mundane magical moments remind me to slow down, pay attention, and be present. I used to think magic was grandiose divine intervention, and the Moon is teaching me otherwise.
Since my Saturn return, I’ve felt the Moon calling to me to slow down and be present. For real this time. The full Moon in Libra is in my 3rd house, the house of the Goddess and the joy of the Moon. Each planet has a house of their joy where they are well resourced to manifest their intentions. Mercury joys in the 1st house, the Moon in the 3rd, Venus in the 5th, Mars in the 6th, the Sun in the 9th, Jupiter in the 11th, and Saturn in the 12th. To the ancients, the 3rd house was the temple of the Goddess, and it is here we find a sacred connection to the Moon.
The 3rd house is our immediate environment and how we relate to it. It’s our local community, our neighbors, and our family members who live nearby. It’s the local businesses we frequent, the relationship we have with our favorite barista, and the park we stroll through on a sunny day. The 3rd house is our rituals and practices. The candles we light, the altars we set, the cards we pull. Opposite the 3rd house we find the 9th house of beliefs and worldview. The 3rd house, the joy of the Moon, and the 9th house, the joy of the Sun, are deeply intertwined representing two polarities balancing one another. For me, the 9th house is the house of theory, and the 3rd house is the house of praxis. The Moon is calling me towards the latter.
I’ve been going through it the last week, feeling the numbness of a depressive episode wash over me. When Mars entered Cancer, my 12th house, I knew it would be a rough ride. 12th house transits can be some of the most difficult mirroring the cycles of anxiety and depression many of us struggle through. For the last week I’ve felt myself retreating, losing interest in the things I love, a void emerging where creative inspiration fizzled out. Writing has become a sacred outlet to explore my creativity and self-expression. It began with a journaling practice a year and a half ago and has evolved into this offering I hold so dear to my heart. Losing the inspiration to write hits me hard. I want to open up, be vulnerable, and express what’s in my heart. It’s healing for me. To lose that spark feels devastating. As the void of my numbness overwhelmed me, I allowed myself to surrender acknowledging I simply need to ride this out as best as I can.
Through accepting the reality of my depression, I began to pay attention to the little things lighting me up. While I didn’t feel inspired to write or energized enough to cook or shower, I felt a spark for ritual. Tending to my altar, pulling cards, and leaving offerings are new practices for me, and for the last several months I haven’t engaged with them as often as I would like. I began contemplating why and realized my altar is too static and one dimensional. I’ve been inspired by people like @rvewild who share glimpses of their rituals and altars. It’s helped me see how creative, dynamic, and playful ritual can be.
As I weaved these connections and tended the spark growing within, I felt the Moon beckoning from the place of her joy. As I shared, today’s Libra full Moon illuminates my 3rd house, the house of the Goddess, praxis, and ritual. Astrology can be very intellectual and 9th house heavy with many techniques, histories, and myths to study. I’ve entered a phase of my journey with astrology where I’m feeling called to go deeper. To ground my 9th house beliefs in the 3rd house world of ritual and praxis. This is the story emerging for me as the Libra full Moon illuminates my 3rd house opposite the exalted Aries Sun radiating from my 9th house.
While Mars in Cancer mirrors my depressive episode it is also reflected in the Sun’s conjunction with Chiron. Chiron, an asteroid discovered in 1977, was named for the mythic centaur who became known as the wounded healer. Chiron’s story is a story of abandonment, emotional and physical wounding, and healing. Chiron was born to Saturn and the nymph Philyra who abandoned him at birth for being a “beast”. Centaurs, half human half horse, lived on the margins and were outcasted by society. The Sun god, Apollo, fostered Chiron raising him as his own and teaching him divination, astrology, healing arts, and music. Chiron became a mentor to the greatest Greek heroes but was afflicted by a physical wound from a poison arrow. Although he could never fully heal himself, he made an impact teaching and mentoring others.
Our natal Chiron placement and transiting Chiron point us toward our physical and emotional wounds. With the Sun conjunct Chiron opposite the full Moon, powerful emotions may erupt. Be present with these feelings as they guide you towards something deeper. A wound perhaps you forgot existed or didn’t even know was there. Reflect on the story of the wounded healer and pay attention to the sensations and thoughts emerging from within. Follow these threads, be present with them, and perhaps you will find your way through. Happy full Moon.