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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn - July 4, 2020

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On July 4th, 2020 at 9:44 PM PDT and on July 5that 12:44 AM EDT, the moon glows in the earthy and practical sign of Capricorn. The sign that is wired for hard work, understands the need for discipline, feels joy in productivity and is inspired by accomplishment. I’ll also add that she’s not easily distracted, craves solitude like no other, values integrity above all else and when she’s functioning at her highest- she carries the archetype of the wise elder. At her worst, she becomes rigid, demanding, and controlling. If she looks to approval from others, it’s likely that she’ll begin to lose clarity about herself and there’s a good chance that she’ll end up a prisoner even in her success. If this happens, then no matter what she does, nothing will ever quite seem like it’s enough.

So what does this mean for this Full Moon? 

This Full Moon also happens to be a lunar eclipse, the last of a series of three for this eclipse season, and also marks the end of the Capricorn/Cancer series of eclipses that began back in July of 2018. The emphasis on money, power, and structure in the Cancer/Capricorn axis is shifting to the Sagittarius/Gemini axis that will place more of an emphasis on finding truth and seeking justice. We saw the beginning to this new axis kick off back on June 5th.

In case you’re wondering, a lunar eclipse only occurs during a Full Moon. It happens when the moon passes entirely behind the Earth and into its shadow. This eclipse will be visible over South America and partially visible in South/West Europe, parts of Africa, and most of North America.However,don’t expect to see anything too dramatic because it is only passing through the lightest part of the earth’s shadow called the penumbra, and it will only pass through a third of the way. The eclipse begins on July 4that 11:08pm EDT/8:08pm PDT and will last a little under three hours. So while the display of this eclipse is not that impressive, do keep in mind that psychologically speaking, eclipses tend to represent breakthroughs, critical points of change, or some type of resolution regarding an issue or event that’s been lingering in the background for a little while now. 

I’ll also add that since an eclipse is a time when the moon goes into the shadows, we might find that our hidden emotions and rejected aspects of our self become more known at this time. This can be an uncomfortable process as shadow material (Think: everything in your psyche that you want to hide from others including yourself) has the potential to become more potent during an eclipse. Or maybe something from your past that’s been hidden from you is moving into visibility. Or maybe something that has plagued you for quite a while is finally reaching a breaking point. Whatever it might be eclipses tend to accelerate the possibility for change and will move you closer to that much needed resolution. On a collective level we’re likely to see even more of the shadow emerge around issues of injustice and inequality. 

This Full Moon is hanging out just close enough to be impacted by Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn in Capricorn. These three planets are certainly making an impact this year and forcing us to look at how we take personal and collective responsibility for power, transformation, authority, fear, limitations, and past inequalities. This Full Moon is likely to highlight some of these issues and we need to be careful that we don’t let the heaviness of what we’re facing in the world start to take too much of a toll on us. It’s certainly easy to fall prey to the weight of everything and feel fear or uncertainty due to everything that we are facing in our external world from pandemic to unemployment to civil unrest to seeing our systems and structures that are no longer able to hold us, and yet we must stay the course. Try not to settle for anything less than the truth. Of course this type of truth doesn’t happen overnight and so we must prepare for the long haul. It takes time to dig up all the places where the truth has been hidden. Since this particular Full Moon places a heavy emphasis on Capricorn energy this time can also feel withholding and isolating.

I’d like to add that Mercury Retrograde is also involved in this mix with it cozied up close to the Sun in Cancer so this energy is prompting us to reflect on the past. It’s also likely asking us to consider the things that we need to change and to look over what needs a second revision or maybe even a third or a fourth. Don’t be afraid to see things differently than how things are - after all revisions are simply a way for you to arrive at the best possible outcome. 

Then there’s Mars, the planet associated with passion, intensity, conflict, and battles, and it’s making a challenging aspect to this Full Moon. It moved into Aries at the end of June, so don’t be surprised if anger and rage feel a little more accessible now. The good news is that Mars in Aries has the energy to go after what it wants and will give you the push you need to make things happen. While this can feel good be careful about using too much force to try to get your way because Mars in Aries likes to move forward no matter the cost or the causalities involved.

Lastly, Uranus, the planet of unpredictability and breakthroughs is making a helpful aspect to this Full Moon. Be ready for some big revelations to happen both personally and collectively. In other words, what has been hidden is ready to come out into the open. 

While we all might feel the heaviness from the past come into the present, we will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Capricorn is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Capricorn. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Cancer/Solstice Eclipse - June 20th/21st, 2020

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On June 20, 2020 at 11:41 PM PDT/ June 21st2:41 AM EDT the moon begins a new cycle in the nurturing and healing sign of Cancer. This isn’t just a regular New Moon either, since it also happens to be a Solar Eclipse, that is also occurring at the same time we’re kicking off Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere. In case you’re wondering an eclipse means that the moon is positioned in such a way that it will be blocking the sun as viewed from earth. Unless you’re in Central Africa, Northern India, South Central China, or Pakistan you won’t see the full expression of this eclipse, but a partial eclipse will be seen over most of Asia, Africa, Russia, Southern and Eastern Europe, and Northern Australia. Otherwise, you won’t be able to see it at all. Although, it’s only visible in these areas, we’re ALL likely to feel it.

Here’s the thing, eclipses are thought to be more powerful. They tend to activate events that are already happening and they function as catalysts for change. This happens to be the second eclipse in a series of three. The next one occurs on July 4th/5th with the Full Moon in Capricorn. So with this eclipse falling in Cancer, a water sign, there’s a good chance that our home, family life, safety and security issues, protection, our inner landscape, and that which gives us our roots will be the main themes brought to our attention.

Cancer is the archetype of the Great Mother, and her primary task is to nurture and heal. She’s the sign that feels everything and holds it all deep within. She’s kind, loving, tenderhearted, and she knows how to make you feel safe and protected. She wants to cleanse you through your tears, but first you must feel safe enough to feel what you need to feel. If tears fall down, pay attention to them, for they are messengers from your soul and they have something powerful to say. Sometimes the release is the only message you need, and other times it might feel like you are crying ancient tears filled with messages from long ago. Hint: You probably are. 

I also need to mention that this eclipse is occurring at 0 degrees Cancer suggesting we are entering into a powerful new phase that is ripe with many possibilities. Due to this critical degree we are likely to see a few turning points activated in relation to domestic affairs. Then lets add to the mix that this New Moon solar eclipse is occurring right next to the North Node, the planetary body that connects us to our soul’s purpose. It highlights what needs healing and how these areas are related to situations and events that happened in our past. If we can tend to what arises, then we might experience growth, and this will help us to move forward both personally and collectively.

On a collective level we will likely see this being played out through nationalism, security issues, or maybe even instability found in the country we call home. We are going to feel sensitive to what is happening in our current environment and themes of belonging are likely to arise now. Cancer energy is also highly connected to the past, and this means that events from a nation’s history might also be bubbling up to the surface. There’s a good chance that what was once hidden in the shadows can finally be dealt with in the light. 

In the United Sates we are facing much civil unrest and the country is finally being called to answer to the oppression of black Americans for over four hundred years. While the main emphasis is on how black Americans are being killed at an alarming rate by police brutality, this violence ultimately points to a bigger injustice found in our systems. We have failed greatly and it is past time that equality was restored to people of color and all those who have been marginalized and cast aside. Change is not only needed in this area, but it’s detrimental to the well-being of our nation and to all people groups who reside here. We must personally look to see how we have knowingly or unknowingly contributed to the systems that have been created to oppress and control those that are more vulnerable: the black community, the LGBTQ community, gender non conforming people, and all those other voices that have gone unheard and unseen. 

Personally, you might experience this cancer energy emerge through situations, events, or even memories about your past. They might be surfacing now so that you can see if there’s anything that you need to do about them. Or maybe something from your family lineage is coming more into focus and it’s helping you see and understand the patterns that need to be undone or detangled. Especially since we just entered Mercury Retrograde (communications) on June 18thin the sign of Cancer and Venus (relationships and what we value most) is still retrograde in Gemini for a few more days. So do your best to reflect on those past matters that feel more charged now and see if there’s anything that you need to do to resolve them. Or maybe there’s something you need to release from your past that will help you move forward.

Maybe these questions will help you reflect more deeply: Are there any family patterns that I am becoming more aware of in my life? What memories are starting to resurface? What in my life needs more nurturing or tending right now? How would I like to honor my family lineage? Is there a pattern that’s been passed down to me that I need to break? What does home mean to me? What does family mean to me? What does belonging mean to me? What in my life is holding me back and preventing me from moving forward? What tears do I need to cry?

While we all might feel pulled during this New Moon to pay attention to the past and find ways to move forward onto a new path, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Cancer is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you’re interested in a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you. 

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Cancer. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as He.] 

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Gemini - May 22, 2020

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On Friday, May 22nd, 2020 (10:38 AM PDT & 1:38 PM EDT) the Moon begins a new cycle in the inquisitive and perceptive sign of Gemini.The sign that is full of energy and loves to see, learn, experience, and absorb everything that comes along her path. She’s quick in her thinking and is wired to move through topics a million miles a minute. Ideas? She has plenty. Curiosity? It drives her. Confusion? She lives it. Boredom? She despises it. Words romance her and if she feels like it, she’ll use them to romance you, impress you, challenge you, spin you, entertain you, and inspire you. Her shadow creeps in when the chatter in her mind starts to consume her. If this happens then it’s not long before the tension spills over and Gemini finds herself completely depleted from emotional exhaustion and desperately in need of some recovery time. 

So what does this mean for this New Moon?

A New Moon is the start of a new lunar cycle.There is no glow, only darkness, and so the energy of a New Moon contains within it the mysteries of the hidden and unknown. It’s the phase right before something is ready to be made visible in the world. So this is the perfect time to plant seeds, initiate a project, set intentions, or to even use this energy as a reset button.

With so much information zooming around, it’s certainly easy to feel overwhelmed. If confusion sets in try to stay in a place of curiosityinstead of choosing or claiming a side. Gemini wants to remind us that there’s more to the story than what we think we know, and if we can stay open to the more then we might be able to see new possibilities appear. 

Let’s also add that Venus is retrograde in Gemini right now and cuddled up closely to it is Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, and together they are making a challenging aspect to Neptune in Pisces. This suggests that the information we’re receiving right now is likely to feel a little bit blurry. I think most of us would agree that there’s been quite a bit of conflicting information floating around and if you listen to all the voices it’s hard to know who or what to believe. Since it might feel more difficult to find clarity at this time, keep your eyes peeled for anyone or anything that claims they know the absolute truth or if something shows up that sounds to good to be true, then it probably is. Use this Gemini energy to question everything and stay open to the multiple perspectives without needing to make up your mind.

 Neptune, the mystical, and ego less planet, can inspire us to enter more deeply into the land of the imagination, open us up to our dreams, help us dance with the transcendent, and feels compassion with anything and everything, but it’s also the planet that makes it really easy to get lost inside our inner world, so much so that we end up neglecting the world out there. You might want to pay attention to what or who is distracting you from your every day responsibilities and where you feel the temptation to drift. Oh and keep in mind that with this configuration it’s easy to misread or misunderstand a situation. So be careful about making assumptions about your significant other or friend based on what you “think they mean.” You’ll be better served by giving them the benefit of the doubt and ask questions if you need to gain more clarity. 

 Since Venus, the planet associated with relationships, what we value most, and our talents is retrograde, it is possible that past relationships or connections come back into your life right now. Maybe they reappear to help you work through some miscommunications or maybe it’s to tie up some loose ends, or maybe it’s to inspire you to see something from a different point of view. At the very least, the next few weeks are the perfect time for you to re-evaluate your connections and for you to reexamine what intimacy means to you. You also might find that your personal stories and memories from the past are more accessible to you now. 

 So take some time and consider: What is my story around intimacy? How have I been wounded in intimacy? What stories have I created to protect myself from revealing who I really am? What memories from the past are starting to resurface? What are these memories revealing to me about my life now? 

 Then there’s Mars, the planet associated with passion, intensity, and drive, and it’s making a challenging aspect to this New Moon. This energy can set the stage for more frustrations to brew, tempers to rise, irritability to ensue, and it can certainly trigger conflicts that put us on edge, but it can also fuel the fire for some new ideas and for going after what we want. 

So let this Gemini Moon motivate you to have conversations that open you up to a world full of possibilities. If you feel like you’re spinning in circles or if you feel that unwanted anxiety is creeping in due to all the extra mental stimulation, then pick one thing to focus on for now and know that all those other ideas will be there for you when you’re ready to return to them.

While we all might feel pulled during this New Moon to engage with some new ideas, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Gemini is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading,I’d love to set up a session with you.

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Scorpio - May 7, 2020

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On Thursday, May 7 (3:45 AM PDT and 6:45 AM EDT), the Full Moon glows in the watery and penetrating sign of Scorpio. The sign that lives in the depths, is fluent in the language of death and rebirth, and is here to make the unconscious conscious. Scorpio knows how to feel, she knows how to penetrate your soul and pull back the veil to reveal your inner most secrets. She is wired to look deeply, and she needs truth almost as much as the air she breathes. I’m not talking about a meaning of life kind of truth, but rather the truth of a moment, the truth of what it exists, and the truth of who you are. She’s concerned with what’s real and if you lie to her, there’s a good chance you’ll bring out the scorpions in her. And we wouldn’t want that now, would we?

So what does all this mean for this Full Moon? 

This Full Moon carries the intensity of our deepest and most raw emotions. Since Scorpio tends to play in the depths, she’s familiar with all that is hidden and unseen and the energy of this Moon is trying to bring the hidden up to the surface. In other words, it’s time for those truths that have been buried to spill out into the light so that we can determine what is real and what is not. Opposing this Moon, we have the Sun aligned with Mercury in Taurus, the sign that feeds on an animal type of wisdom and pulls us into our bodies so that we might learn how to calm down. It’s the tension between simplicity and complexity and the truth is we need a little bit of both. 

If your life feels complex and overwhelming right now then try to tune in to what will help you simplify the event, situation, or experience. Maybe the simple things like walking barefoot in the grass, enjoying the juicy crunch of an apple, or maybe listening to music in the dark, or maybe lounging in your hammock or in your favorite reading nook will help you ground more deeply into your body. Or maybe it’s time for you to have a long honest talk with yourself about everything that you’ve been feeling over these last few months. Whatever comes up, give yourself permission to let all those emotions flow out and through your body until they are released back into the ground. Since Scorpio wants us to know every shade of who we really are both individually and collectively, it’s the perfect time to see what information resonates and sinks into the body and what information gets spit out. 

I’d also like to add that Mars, the planet associated with passion, drive, and intensity is making a difficult aspect to this Full Moon. Don’t be surprised if conflicts or tensions seem to rise more quickly over this next week, especially in relationship to what gives us security. The good news is that it can also fuel your creativity and give you that extra dose of courage to help you face those fears that you’d rather run away from. Being honest with yourself and others is your best path forward right now. If you find that someone or something is triggering you more than usual try to become curious about the hidden message. While it’s tempting to throw the blame or project your fears onto someone else, maybe you could try to see how the “other” thing is reflecting something about you. 

So maybe ask yourself some of these questions: What do the edges of my life reveal about me? What am I grieving? Is there any aspect of my self that I’ve tried to avoid? What is my hidden message? What am I afraid to lose? When something is true, how does it feel in my body? When something is false, how does it feel in my body? 

 Lastly, Neptune, the mystical planet, is making a helpful aspect to this Full Moon. This can almost feel like a “kiss” from the gods and goddesses just when you needed it most. It seems that Neptune is reminding us how important it is to trust our intuition and to listen deeply to the movements within our inner world, especially our dreams. 

While we all might feel pulled during this Full Moon to look deeply within, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Scorpio is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would be interested in a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.


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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Scorpio. The sign is not gendered and the She could just as easily be used as He.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Taurus - April 22, 2020

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On Wednesday, April 22nd(7:25 PM PDT and 10:25 PM EDT), the moon prepares to enter a new cycle in the aesthetically pleasing and peaceful sign of Taurus. The sign that delights in her senses and finds fulfillment in life’s simple pleasures. She knows the gift of a sunset and the beauty found in stillness. When she sees the ocean she’s likely to feel the crashing waves pulse through her body, but she won’t need to use a single word to describe it. She’ll also make sure to appreciate the ambiance of a place just as much as the taste of her food. She wants to enjoy her simple pleasures, but this isn’t to say she doesn’t like her comforts found in the material world, because, she does. In fact, they might even be what fill her with a lot of security. The only catch is that her shadow might appear if she falls into thinking that she needs these things to bring her joy. If this happens, then what she once possessed is likely to possess her. 

So what does this mean for this New Moon?

As you know, New Moons happen in darkness. The Moon has no light from the Sun because these two are working together side by side. This means it’s the perfect time to go within and reflect on the intentions you’d like to set and also plant the seeds you’d like to see made manifest. While life right now seems to be a combination of everything is falling apart to time is moving really slowly to nothing is happening at all to how am I supposed to get everything done today, why not try and see this New Moon as a beginning or grounding point for you. Whatever your experience is about the pace of your world right now, take a moment to consider these questions: How might I sink even deeper into each moment? How might I create a life that mirrors what I truly value? And what do I need to do to create more peace in my day? Maybe this will include finding ways to create more financial stability or spending more time cultivating what matters most to you or even through slowing down even more (yes, even more) and tending to what your body needs.

It’s no secret that money, power, and profits have been given priority on our planet, but I’m getting really tired of that old story. How about you? There must be a new story germinating in the hidden somewhere. This is why we need stillness to hear it. 

I keep coming back to one of my most favorite Mary Oliver poems called Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

So while power and authority are brewing and building “out there,” use this Taurus energy to tune into that “soft animal of you body” and let it “love what it loves.” Find simple ways to nourish your heart. Maybe you need to take off your shoes and feel the ground beneath your feet. Or maybe you need to listen to some music in the dark, or maybe you need to tend to your garden and get your hands a little dirty. Or maybe you need to turn your gaze towards the birds or insects or other creatures that rely on mother earth. Or maybe you decide to attend that online yoga class or light some candles and bake your favorite dish. Just make sure that you find ways to connect to the earth element that resides in you and then channel it back out into the physical earth. 

I’d also like to add that Uranus, the planet associated with sudden changes, breakthroughs, insensitivies, and freedom is snuggled up really close to this New Moon. Its presence can appear chaotic, unpredictable and can throw us off balance if we cling to our old and familiar ways of doing things. But if we open up and give way to the new, then we might experience some significant breakthroughs. So while our lives “out there” have been placed on hold, Uranus is here to shake things up and help us reimagine and reinvent a new path forward. 

Keep in mind that these aren’t meant to be temporary changes or simple fixes. This is a push towards imagining a new way of living for the long term once our activities “out there” resume. Of course right now we’re still in the early stages and so much is still unknown. Most people don’t like the unknown and so fear and control often set in. We’re seeing this happen as tensions between people and authority begin to rise. So don’t feel any pressure to connect the dots or have everything figured out. Instead, do your best to allow your creative genius to come out to play. It’s also important to note that as Uranus moves through the sign of Taurus during these next few years, this means there’s a real emphasis on restructuring how we utilize our resources and the things we value most. So maybe consider on a personal level what it is that you would like to restructure. 

Then let’s add Saturn, the planet associated with restrictions and limits, to the mix. Saturn is making a challenging aspect to this New Moon/Uranus alignment. I guarantee that you’ll hear a lot more about the Saturn/Uranus theme in 2021, but right now we’re getting a brief preview of what’s to come. Uranus contains the energy of the genius archetype while Saturn contains the energy of the elder. Uranus likes new and fresh perspectives with outside of the box thinking while Saturn prefers traditions and structure. Uranus awakens and invigorates while Saturn limits and asks you to work hard and give your all. Uranus is a catalyst for change while Saturn wants to return to old patterns and habits. Can you hear the tension? It’s the friction between the old and the new, and this will be present throughout most of next year.

Take a moment and ponder: Is there anything within me that still needs to slow down? What does nature need from me/us before I/we return into the world? How can I create my world to reflect more of what I value most? What new ideas do I have swirling around? What habits still serve me and which ones have I outgrown? What would help me thrive and evolve? 

So use this New Moon in Taurus energy to slow things down even more. If the news feels confusing and complicated, find ways to simplify the information. If you feel stifled or feel like you are trapped inside the Groundhog day movie then tune into what your mind, body, and soul need for you to feel a greater sense of enjoyment in life no matter what the outer restrictions may be.

While we all might feel the need to slow down, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Taurus is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would be interested in a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you. 

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Taurus. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Libra - April 7, 2020

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On April 7, 2020 (7:34pm PDT and 10:34 EDT) the Full Moon glows in the airy and peaceful sign of Libra. The sign that loves relationship, appreciates beauty, craves harmony, is wired to see life from the other’s point of view, and isn't afraid of compromise. As you know, the Full Moon occurs when the Earth sits directly between the Moon and the Sun. Right now the Sun falls in Aries, the sign that’s ready for battle, thirsts for life, is full of energy, and carries the mark of a warrior. 

So what does all this mean for this Full Moon?

On one hand, we might feel that Libra is calling for beauty, fairness, connection, and compromise while on the other hand, we might feel Aries armed and ready to claim what she wants and needs for herself. Luckily, Libra likes balance. So maybe this Full Moon is asking us to find the balance between being aware of the global crisis and still finding ways to tend to our life. Maybe it’s about using creativity to find ways to feel okay while nothing feels okay or maybe it’s about figuring out how to compromise even though we want something to look different than it does. Or maybe this energy is asking us to find our own unique balance between the self and the other. I’d also like to suggest that this energy is asking us to pay attention to what has yet to be looked at during this confusing, chaotic, restricting, and transformational time. 

A few things for you to ponder: What am I neglecting? What parts of myself am I hiding? What needs more of my attention right now? Who needs more of my attention? How might I add more balance in my life to help me feel more connected to ______ (fill in the blank)? What’s on the other side of my story about fear, anger, excitement, joy, pain, loss, and grief?

Since most of us are quarantined and many of us are stuck in close living quarters with family, roommates, or friends, it can make our living spaces as well as our lives feel much smaller than usual. This has forced us to reimagine new ways of connecting from zoom calls to parade style birthday parties to dancing and yoga online to John Krasinski creating his Good News “television network” to placing a bouncy house inside a living room to dance offs on tiktok to finding how to create space when it doesn’t feel like too much of that exists anymore. Let’s keep the creative ideas coming and find ways to claim our space while also staying in relationship. 

I also want to add that since Mars and Uranus are making a challenging aspect to one another, we might see frustrations rise and conflicts flare up rather abruptly over this next week. It’s never easy to deal with friction, but if we can step back and see what’s underneath the blow up, we might also be able to create some healing and at the very least see something from another person’s perspective. Let’s also not forget that there are plenty of people who live alone and are struggling with the lack of connection this quarantine brings. If you know someone like this, please reach out and find ways to bring them into your circle. They might feel an entirely different type of frustration bubbling up from within and could use your help to calm down. 

There’s no way to leave Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto out of the equation this year and the conjunction that happened on April 4th with Jupiter and Pluto at 24 degrees means this Full Moon is packed with a little bit of an extra punch. Pluto, Saturn, and, Jupiter are putting power, money, belief systems, structures, government, and mortality all out on center stage for us to see what no longer serves. In other words, Jupiter and Pluto are exposing our vulnerabilities and emphasizing power dynamics played out on a grand scale. These two planets are also calling us to see how these themes play out in our own lives and what needs to transform within us.

With so much upheaval in front of us, I’ve been looking to history to see how humanity has responded during dark and transformational times. And what stands out the most to me is that art has carried us through. Art opens and inspires. It has the power to move us into deeper intimacy and connection with our self, others, and everything else in this world. It provides an avenue to express our fears, our losses, our darkness, our frustrations, our anger, our confusion, and our pain into something that is visible, tangible, and real. Art moves the hidden and invisible into visibility and shows us the way through the dark. So why not use this Full Moon in Libra energy to find the artist in you, to find the creative that existed when you were four years old or maybe seven or eight – you know, the one that didn’t care about the outcome or the style, but "painted" because you saw there were colors to smear. 

May we all be so bold to “paint/write/dance/create" our way through these messy and uncertain times.

While we all might feel a tug between self and other during this Full Moon, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Libra is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you are interested in a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you. 

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Libra and the sign Aries. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as He.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Aries - March 24, 2020

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Earlier this morning on Tuesday, March 24th (2:28am PDT and 5:28 am EDT) the Moon began a new cycle in the fiery and passionate sign of Aries. The sign that thirsts for life, is full of energy, and is here to become a warrior. Her greatest strength is her determination. She’s tenacious, she’s bold, she’s daring, and when she’s told “no,” she only hears “find another way.” Some might say she has a flair for finding crisis or maybe we could say that it naturally finds her. Either way, there’s a good chance that if you stumble across her path while she’s caught in her shadow, you might feel the need to defend yourself. Does that sound a bit intense? Well, newsflash: she is. 

So what does this mean for this New Moon?

This New Moon occurs in the mix of what some might call the most intense planetary configurations that we’ve encountered in quite some time. I have no doubt that you feel this and I’m sure we’d all agree that it’s playing out across the world’s stage in front of our eyes. The two big hitters, Saturn, the planet associated with authority, limitations, restrictions, and lessons and Pluto, the planet associated with death and rebirth, transformation, and regeneration first aligned back in January. On March 21st Saturn entered into Aquarius, the sign that is associated with breakthroughs, dismantling, individuation, freedom, outside of the box thinking, humanity, and also isolation, disassociation and the exile. Saturn will stay in Aquarius giving us a preview of what’s to come until it returns back to Capricorn on July 1st for several months and then it will move back into Aquarius on December 21st where it will stay for the next 2 + years. Also keep in mind that Pluto will stay closely linked to Saturn until the end of 2021. 

So what about the Aries energy? In the northern hemisphere, when we speak of the Sun moving into Aries, we talk about spring and all the things related to this season: new life, flowers blooming, all things bright and colorful, sunshine and warmth, an awakening of what’s been dormant, a time to be outside, and an overall sense of vitality. But here we are, confined to our homes with many of us in quarantine, hidden from each other out of protection for humankind. It’s certainly the right thing to do and while I’m sure we’d all like to experience the gifts that come with spring, it seems Pluto and Saturn have different plans. They’re asking us to stay in “winter” and hibernate a little longer. Not only that, but Mars is the ruler of Aries and where do we find it? Yep, you guessed it - all cozied up next to Saturn and Pluto. With these three aligned it comes as no surprise that panic and fear are turned up on high. But you know what else can get turned up- our passion to create and regenerate while our world appears to be falling apart. 

This alignment is forcing us to look at how we have outgrown our systems. We are witnessing firsthand the breakdown of what can no longer hold us and yet our systems are familiar and they are what have stabilized us and given order to our world. To outgrow something is painful and uncomfortable. I want to stress that while this shift is necessary, none of this is easy, and before we can jump ahead to the finish line to see the changes that will come, we first have to endure the destruction. I repeat. This is not easy. We must not dismiss the pain and suffering that many of us are facing in very real ways from health to finances and beyond. 

The truth is we’re all being asked to face death so that we might deeply understand what we value most in this life. I know that might sound intense and make many of you want to stick your head in the ground. I get it, I do. But in times like these, the best thing we can do is find different ways to express our emotions without taking people hostage (taking our anger and fear out on another). Talking with a friend helps. Exercise and movement help. Sometimes curling up under a blanket helps too, or sitting your butt on the floor and taking some soothing breaths can also remove some fear, or maybe you need to spend some time watching videos of adorable animals on facebook or youtube to find some relief. I tend to find that creativity is our greatest ally when emotions are running strong. Also keep in mind that it’s easy to feed the panic until it becomes a monster much bigger than the actual problem, so do your best to find balance and try to stay present without spinning into confusion and amplifying the fear. I know, I know, easier said than done. Maybe the best way we can embrace this New Moon in Aries is to think about what we want to create, and then figure out how we can move our creations into the greater community. 

I’d also like to add that Chiron, the comet associated with the wounded healer, is hanging out really closely to this New Moon and it also happens to be making a challenging aspect to the Moon’s nodes. With it in Aries, you might feel more frustrated than usual or you might feel an inability to act or maybe you feel paralyzed with fear. If we can flip the script and try to see our wounds as something to tend to both personally and collectively, we might be able to transform our wound into an act of healing. Aries wants us to find ways to face this heaviness by creating our own path individually and collectively even when everything feels like it’s closing in. Do your best to find your courage, feel what you need to feel, and if you start to feel paralyzed, try to remember that there is a larger purpose that will become more revealed with time. 

Part of the process is to see things as they are and right now we are in an uncomfortable shift that is changing our world as we’ve come to know it. While, I promise there is an end to all this madness, we must not deny ourselves the ability to grieve.

So allow this New Moon in Aries to remind you to find your strength, to inspire you to create something new, to give you the courage to move through grief, to help you believe that you can push through this isolating time, and that you’ll find new ways to offer your gifts to those around you near and far. 

As always, please feel free to reach out for a personalized reading. I’ve also decided that during this time of upheaval, I’m offering 45-60 min readings for $85 to see what is most needed for you at this time. Please reach out to me for more details at joey.paynter@gmail.com or you can view my other offerings on my site at joeypaynter.com

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Aries. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Virgo - March 9, 2020

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On Monday, March 9th, 2020 (10:47 am PDT and 1:47 pm EDT), the moon glows in the earthy and practical sign of Virgo. The sign that is finely attuned to details, has a preference for order, and is all about precision. At her core she is wired for service and will be the first to say, “How can I help?” What she does is really who she is, and you’re likely to recognize her for it, too. What matters most is that the work she does must be meaningful to her. When she’s functioning at her best, she’s clear about who she is, what she does, where she’s going, and she knows with unwavering clarity where her place is in this world. Her shadow creeps in through worrying, nitpicking, and scrutinizing over every little thing and every little detail. And well, that’s not fun for anyone.

So what does this mean for this Full Moon? 

This Full Moon is also a Supermoon, which means that the energy tends to be heightened, and this Full Moon also happens to be on the same day that Mercury, the ruler of Virgo, turns direct. While you might be ready to let out a huge sigh of relief, just keep in mind that there’s still a few more days until Mercury is functioning at its normal speed. So be prepared and know that it’s normal if communication still feels a little “messy” or slow moving for a few more days. As Mercury gains momentum, use this time to reflect on everything this planet has taught you over the past few weeks, and then you’ll be ready to move things forward once it’s at full speed. If you need a little more clarity about what that could be, look to where the setbacks, delays, technological glitches or miscommunications occurred over the last three weeks. I guarantee there will be some clues there. 

Full Moon’s are a time of culmination, manifestation, endings, and sometimes reflect a crisis. Since the Moon is in full visibility thanks to the sun, we have to embrace the energy from both the Sun and the Moon. The Moon in Virgo emphasizes precision, practical action, and meaningful work while the Sun in Pisces, asks us to extend compassion, tend to our imagination, and inspires us to open up to the impractical and improbable. 

Since the Sun is also cozied up really close to Neptune, the ruler of Pisces, it would be wise for you to practice discerning reality from illusion. This is actually harder to do than one might think. Illusions can subtly creep in before we’re even aware that we’ve latched on to one. I mean let’s face it, illusions work because they’re dreamy, distracting, and really enticing, but they also tend to lead us into believing one thing is happening while reality would say otherwise. Enter: confusion.

If something in your life feels a bit confusing or if you feel like you’re pushing your way through a foggy haze unable to get anything done, then do your best to lean in to Virgo energy. Virgo is asking you to pay attention to the details, utilize your skills, and look for areas where you need to grow. This could also be a great time to establish some new boundaries, take stock on what you’ve done right, and put into alignment what you feel has been a little bit out of order. Another piece to the puzzle is that while Virgo likes clarity and wants everything to make sense, Pisces is here to remind us that sometimes things just don’t make sense and that’s okay, too. We have to remember that we can’t control everything and sometimes we just need to surrender to the mystical and magical waters of the unknown. The good news is that Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto are making a helpful alignment to this Full Moon. Their energy will help us feel ready to accomplish what we need to put into practice.

During this Full Moon ask yourself: Where do I need more boundaries in my life? Where have I been distracted? If I’ve experienced any miscommunications or setbacks over the last few weeks, what did I learn from it? What area of my life needs more attention? How can I practice “active” surrender more? Where do I need to grow? 

So with this Full Moon give yourself permission to over clarify, be of service, declutter your world or anything that needs it, let meaningful work inspire you, extend compassion to yourself and others, surrender to the unknown, trust your intuition, use discernment, and seek for all the ways in which you would like to grow.

 While we all might feel pulled during this Full Moon to focus on the details and engage in more meaningful experiences, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Virgo is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you’d like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you. 

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Virgo. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

 

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Pisces - February 23, 2020

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On Sunday, February 23rd(7:32 am PST and 10:32 am EST) the moon begins a new cycle in the watery and fluid sign of Pisces. The sign that prefers to speak in metaphors, connects with images, and calls the land of the imagination home. Pisces knows how to blend, she knows how to flow, and she can merge into anyone or any THING. For a Pisces, it’s less about sight and more about sensing. Here’s the thing: not only does she sense your feelings; she feels them as if they were her own. You’ll likely recognize her for her compassion and her gentle and loving spirit that flows from the inside out. It’s true that some might call her a mystic, others a poet, or an artist, and still others may see her as a dreamer. Her deepest treasure is her inner world, and oh, does it seethe with life. Since Pisces is often without edges, it’s easy for her to drift… And drift… And drift. Warning: Her shadow might appear when the world out there becomes too much to feel, so she’ll do what she does best – she’ll escape from the world “out there” or find a way to numb herself or at the very least she’ll try to disconnect.

So what does this mean for this New Moon? 

A New Moon is a time to create, a time to breathe new life, and a time to birth the unknown and bring it into visibility. Pisces energy aids us in the process of reflection, especially since Mercury is in retrograde and is cozied up close to this New Moon. So while Pisces might invite us to dive deep into our inner world, we must also keep in mind that confusion might creep in as lines and boundaries become blurred. It’s also not uncommon for illusions, deceptions, and delusions to show up and blind us from what’s real. 

Keep in mind that when Mercury, the planet associated with our perceptions, thoughts, and communication is retrograde, we tend to see a disruption with our technology, delays in travel, contracts needing revisions, and there tends to be more misunderstandings in our conversations. As you can see, Mercury is a little bit of a trickster and while these setbacks might frustrate you, I assure you that’s not his purpose. When his energy goes retrograde, he’s actually here to help us pay more attention to the moment. He wants you reflect, deepen, and revise your perceptions so that you can have a clearer connection. If you do experience miscommunications with a friend, lover, or co -worker, make sure you take the time to address and uncover what’s behind the misunderstanding. I’ll also add that if you find yourself getting ready to start up a new relationship, just be aware that under this influence, feelings may change. Also, don’t be surprised if an old friend or two from your past shows up with perhaps an opportunity to resolve something that needed some extra tending or maybe she’s here to help you tune more deeply into your intuition. 

So with this Piscean energy go ahead and cozy up with a book, seek out some poetry and song lyrics that connect you to your soul, or maybe even carve out some time for yourself to paint or create some type of art. Or maybe you feel drawn to meditate, write out your dreams, or do some guided meditations, or creatively journal your thoughts. In other words, find ways to use your imagination so that you can deeply listen to what your soul really needs. 

With the North Node making a helpful aspect to this New Moon, it’s likely that our creativity and what we dream up for our life becomes necessary for our soul’s evolution. With that in mind maybe you can take some time to think about: What are the dreams and wishes I desire most? What dreams have felt just out of reach? How can I connect more deeply to my imagination? What keeps me from tuning in? What is the vision I have for my life? How would I like to see this vision come more into focus? What in my life feels blurry right now? What might the blurriness be trying to teach me about my dreams? 

I’d also like to add that Mars, the fiery planet that channels our passions and drive, happens to be in Capricorn and is making a helpful aspect to this New Moon. This is great energy to help you feel more confident. It will give you the courage you need to face your fears and move forward with your dreams. This doesn’t mean there isn’t difficult work in front of you, but rather that you have what you need to face it. While it might feel tempting to return to your old ways, something in you knows there is no going back.So if there’s something you need to release or let go of, now is the time. If anxiety or self -doubt start to creep in, then do your best to find your center and ground yourself into your deeper truth: I am more than capable to follow after my dreams, trust my intuition, and make the necessary changes I need to bring these dreams into reality. 

Lastly, if you find yourself moving towards (insert your method of escape) do your best to ground yourself and practice being present to what the moment wants and needs from you. 

While we all might feel pulled during this New Moon to go within and create something newwe will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Pisces is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Pisces. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Leo - February 8, 2020

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On Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 11:33 PM PST and at 2:33 AM EST on February 9th, the Full moon glows in the colorful and expressive sign of Leo. The sign that is bold, thrives off of creativity, and needs to express everything without inhibition. She isn’t here to hide and she knows she has something to share with the world. She’s dramatic, she sees life as a stage, does everything with style, and plays to the crowd.She performs not as an act to hide behind, but as a way to show and develop who she is. She’s here to be heard, to be seen, and you better believe she does her best to shine. Leo’s shadow comes out when she becomes overly focused on herself and can only see a “me, me, me” take on life. If she’s consumed with herself then her child like energy turns into childish behavior and well, that’s certainly not fun for anyone. 

So what does this mean for this Full moon?

As you know, The Full Moon occurs when the earth sits directly between the Moon and the Sun. Right now the Sun falls in Aquarius, the sign that moves to the beat of her own drum,needs to create her own path no matter what the reaction, and carries the archetype of the genius and rebel within her. Opposing the Sun is the Leo Moon and this fiery sign is asking you to follow your heart with a large dose of playfulness and creativity. Interestingly, since the ruler of this Leo Moon is the Sun, there’s an added emphasis on this Aquarian energy. In other words, this is the time to boldly create the path that you want to follow. 

 Mars is making a helpful alignment to the Moon so you might feel that whatever has your attention right now is likely turned up a notch or two. Creative and sexual energy is heightened making this the perfect time for you to get together with a group of friends, tackle a creative project, or spend some quality time with your significant other.Just keep in mind that if there’s drama or conflicts close by that outbursts can also occur if you aren’t being thoughtful about where your energy is directed. 

 I think we can all agree that this year is carrying some real intense and sobering energy and we’re seeing it played out on both the collective as well as the personal stage thanks to our dear friends Pluto and Saturn. So maybe this Full Moon in Leo can offer us the chance to celebrate the simple joys that meet us when we say yes to life - even when it feels like things are falling apart or asking too much of us.So take a moment or two or three and indulge a little bit in what your heart needs and find ways to express yourself in both big and small ways. 

 Ask yourself: What can I celebrate in my life right now? Where do I need to lighten up? What does my soul want to create? What is trying to (re)enchant my heart? How can I choose fun today/tonight?What makes me colorful? How can I play a little more? How would I like to shine? What do I need to shine? What am I most grateful for?

 Maybe this is the perfect time to hit the >pause< button so that you can nurture yourself through whatever makes you feel most alive. It’s easy to get lost in all the responsibilities and duties and expectations and “to do” lists along with all the shoulds and should haves that sometimes we just need to give ourselves a break. So use this Full Moon energy to dance in your creativity, play from your soul, let out those deep belly laughs with your friends, make love, dream from your heart, connect with those you love, and let yourself be drawn into the things that make you feel the rhythm of your own heartbeat.

While we all might feel pulled during this Full Moon to express who we are, we will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Leo is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Leo. Neither the sign nor the planet are gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Aquarius - January 24, 2020

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 On Friday, January 24, 2020 (1:43 PM PST and 4:43 PM EST), the moon begins a new cycle in the rebellious and radical sign of Aquarius. The sign that moves to the beat of her own drum, thrives when she creates her own path, and is used to being called weird. She’s different, she’s quirky, and she’s all about the freedom she needs “to be her.” Oh, and I should mention that she carries the archetype of the geniustoo. You might think she’s odd, but here’s the thing: she’s supposed to be. And while society or friends or family might try to cage her, if she chooses to conform to a predictable life that appeases what everyone else wants for her, there’s a good chance, she’ll lose her soul in the process. 

 So what does this mean for this New Moon?

 In many ways, it seems like this New Moon is giving us a preview of what’s to come throughout the rest of this year.Next month Mercury will retrograde and will spend part of the time in Aquarius. Saturn then kicks off a few months in Aquarius before it moves back into Capricorn, until the end of this year, when on Winter Solstice, both Saturn and Jupiter enter Aquarius. This Aquarian energy seems to hold the key for breaking through into new and uncharted territory.So take a moment and think about your life for a minute. Where have you been caught in a feedback of loop of doing the same thing on repeat? What in your life has become so familiar and comfortable that you’ve started to live on autopilot? Is there anything in your life that has outgrown its use? Where are you holding onto outdated beliefs, structures, and ideas? What would it look or feel like if I gave myself permission to think or do something differently?What would it look like if I created my own rules for this particular situation?

 See if you can use this New Moon’s energy to help you see what needs to be deconstructed, disassembled, or maybe even demolished in your life. At the very least, during this New Moon you’re likely to feel the Aquarian energy chiseling away at whatever has grown stale and stagnant. If you could reveal the real you, in your fullest potential, who would we see?

 So this New Moon comes in like a breath of fresh air, especially after the last two really intense eclipses we’ve had and it’s inviting us to move into new perspectives, open ourselves up to outside of the box thinking, and is encouraging us to embrace our most authentic self that isn’t influenced by the crowd. It’s also an excellent time to pay attention to your inner genius. You know, that part of you that just seems to know what to do and how to do it. It’s almost as if your inner genius knows what it would look like if you lived from the place of your fullest potential. Just imagine that for a moment: the real you, living in your highest expression of self and creating the path in front of you. Feels freeing, doesn’t it?!Of course, this is much easier said than done, but it gives us a window into what we’ve attached to and where we are still functioning with our outdated thinking and conditioning.

I do want to mention that Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, the planet that likes freedom and acts as a catalyst for change, is making a challenging aspect to this New Moon. It’s one of those times where the only way to prepare is to expect the unexpected. If you resist the changes and cling to your old patterns of relating then it’s likely that you’ll encounter some pain and frustration along the way. So do your best to remain flexible and open to what lands across your path and if possible add in a little excitement for where the “New” wants to lead you. Keep in mind these changes are not only necessary, but are also detrimental for living out your true path. Who knows maybe you’ll experience this Uranus energy as a spark of creativity or a revelation about what you’ve come here to do. 

While we all might feel pulled to open our minds towards new thinking, we will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Aquarius is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Aquarius. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse in Cancer - January 10, 2020

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On Friday, January 10, 2020 (11:21AM PST and 2:21 PM EST), a penumbral Full Moon eclipse occurs in the sign of Cancer. Penumbral simply means that the Moon is only passing through the outer part of the Earth’s shadow and this means it’s only creating a partial lunar eclipse. While it’s only a partial eclipse, I promise you that there’s nothing partial about the Capricorn energies opposing this Full Moon. Not to mention, we also have the critical alignment of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction occurring two days later. Let’s just say this energy is intense and since Capricorn is often associated with political structures, we will see much of this played out on the global stage. 

Cancer is the sign that feels everything and holds it all deep within. She’s fluent in the language of emotions, so she’ll most definitely know how to make you feel safe and protected. Just imagine a den, a womb, a cave, or even a bubble bath or maybe even imagine that you are cozied up under a pile of blankets. Can you feel it? It’s a place where you can let your guard down, completely sink into your skin, and be whatever or whoever you need to be. You can fall apart, fall asleep, or fall into the moment of your inner world. There’s No judgment. No fear. Only acceptance of what is. This is Cancer. She is home. She is comfort. She is compassion, trust, and pure acceptance. Her shadow shows up if she clings too tightly to her role as nurturer and places a spotlight on everyone else’s needs, while forgetting to share or tend to her own. The trick she needs to learn ishow to shed her shell and reveal her self – feelings and all

So what does all this mean for the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse? 

Full Moon’s are already a time of manifestation and then add in eclipse energy that emphasizes the shadowy aspects of the Cancer Moon and you can expect your emotions will be turned up on high or at least your sensitivity to everything that is happening FEELS like everything is a little more intense than normal. Just keep in mind that vulnerability is strength and so is compassion and love. Then let’s add to the mix that opposing this Moon, is a whole lot of stern, stoic, and logical Capricorn energy. Saturn, the planet associated with authority, limits and restrictions, is urging us to keep that “stiff upper lip” and focus more on the practical while Pluto, the planet associated with transformation and power is aligning with this energy and pushing us to deal with our own power both personally and collectively. Then add to the mix that Mercury, the planet associated with communication and perception, is stirring up feelings of fear and worry about all that’s to come. This heavy hitting collection of planets in Capricorn might trigger your insecurities or maybe even tempt you to focus on where you have “failed” in the past. Don’t dwell here, but see what these thoughts are made of and how long they’ve festered within.

An eclipse is a time when events, situations, projects, ideas, or decisions reach a point of crisis and since it’s in Cancer we know that anything connected to home, family, domestic issues, or one’s roots will be placed on center stage. You’re also likely to experience some limits or restrictions in these areas or at least be confronted with the tension between habits of the past that leave you stuck and fears about the future and how you need to move forward. On the bright side, it’s possible that this tension will force you to create an entirely new path. Just keep in mind that eclipses tend to end one chapter while opening another. So if something in your life needs to crumble or fall apart right now, then let it. Allow old patterns and beliefs to enter the fire so that something new can be reborn from the ashes.

If you’re curious about what’s trying to break open, then take a moment and think about the blocks you’ve encountered recently. And by blocks I mean what stands between you and what you want to claim for your life? If you’re still not clear then think about: What has been holding me back? Where do I feel like I’ve been running into a brick wall over and over again? What is the block? What is the challenge? What mountain am I trying to climb? Do I know what’s on the other side of this mountain? What am I wrestling with or trying to uncover, but feel like it’s impossible? Use these questions to help you identify what the obstacle is that you must face over this next year. If you have any planets in your chart anywhere from 18-25 degrees, especially in the signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn, then there’s you’ll likely feel this energy quite strongly now. The truth is available as long as you are open to hear it. So look for it.

I want to mention that Uranus, the planet of radical change, goes direct about six hours after the eclipse. Don't be surprised if something unexpected lands in your lap or appears out of the blue. Whatever presents itself might feel like a shock at first, but it’s also awakening something within that will likely free you from your blockage. While it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all this intense energy floating around, it’s important to remember that these confrontations are helping us shake free from our habitual patterns that keep us stuck, locked and stagnant. May we have the strength to uncover who we are without clinging to who we used to be. 

Lastly, Neptune is making a helpful aspect to this Full Moon and reminding us to turn towards our intuition, our imagination, our creativity, and that divine soul spark that reminds us we are part of a story much bigger than our own.

While we all might feel pulled during this Full Moon to reveal our emotions, we will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Cancer is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Cancer. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Capricorn/Solar Eclipse - Dec 25th/26th, 2019

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On December 25, 2019 (9:13PM PST) and on December 26, 2019 (12:13am EST), the Moon begins a new cycle in the earthy and practical sign of Capricorn. Not only is this a New Moon, but we are also experiencing a Solar Eclipse. While this eclipse will only be visible in the Middle East, parts of Asia, and in Africa, we will all feel it in one -way or another. Eclipses are unique. They stir up the intensity and they amplify whatever needs that extra touch.In case you’re wondering, an eclipse means that the moon is positioned in such a way that it will be blocking the Sun. 

 As I just mentioned, eclipses are thought to be more powerful and while New Moons usually start the beginning of a four -week cycle, the energy that occurs during an eclipse tends to carry forward for about six months. This suggests that the seeds you plant now will be tied to the Full Moon in Capricorn that will emerge on July 4th, 2020.  Not only that, but in just a few weeks we will experience a Lunar Eclipse.In other words, this is a time for rapid changes to occur on both an internal and external level. You can expect this eclipse to kick off new beginnings while also asking you to let go and tend to matters from the past. You might even feel a sense of urgency or feel that there are necessary changes that you will need to make soon, or even, now. 

 We must consider all the other planetary bodies that are hanging out in Capricorn. There’s Saturn, Pluto, the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter, and also the South Node. So let’s take a moment and reflect on Capricorn, the sign that is wired for hard work, understands the need for discipline, feels joy in productivity and is inspired by accomplishment. I’ll also add that she’s not easily distracted, craves solitude like no other, values integrity above all else and when she’s functioning at her highest- she carries the archetype of the wise elder. At her worst, she becomes rigid, demanding, and controlling. If she ever turns to approval from others, it’s likely that she’ll begin to lose clarity about herself and end up a prisoner to her success. If this happens then no matter what she does, nothing will ever quite seem like it’s enough.

 So with all this emphasis on Capricorn, you might feel that this energy is asking you to begin the ascent to that steep mountain that stands before you. It’s time for you to invest into that “big” thing that feels even bigger than you. In other words, this is the time to dig in deep and go after what you want.If you are able to listen to the call of Capricorn and apply yourself to the tasks that stand before you, then you are likely to reap the rewards in everything you have set out to accomplish. Just make sure you are clear about which mountain you need to climb and remember that just because you can climb it, doesn’t mean you have to. . . so use your discernment wisely. 

 I’d also like to add that Jupiter is now in Capricorn and is asking us to find the joy in the hard work and with Uranus linked to this sign you might find opportunities showing up out of the blue. Maybe you’ll even feel inspired to do what you need to do or accomplish whatever has been hanging in the wings for quite a while now. Since the South Node is close by, we must also consider any issues or patterns from the past that need a resolution. Think for a moment about anything that might be holding you back or preventing you from claiming what you need to claim. What is keeping you stuck in the same old pattern? What do you need to do to free yourself from these comfortable and familiar restraints?  Get clear on these questions and there’s a good chance that you will see the path that you need to take.

 I would also like to mention that Chiron, the comet associated with the archetype of the wounded healer, is making a challenging aspect to this New Moon. So pay attention to any wounds that are surfacing at this time or maybe even where you might feel afraid to claim your deepest truths of who you are and what you’ve come here to do.Just keep in mind that these wounds are seeking your attention and they are asking you to tend to your past, your shadow, your fears, and anything that you have hidden from yourself or from others.

 As we approach the New Year think about what you want 2020 to be and make sure you don’t leave out the challenges or those necessary experiences you know you must face. If you have felt that there’s anything unresolved or unclaimed in your life, now is the time to move towards tending to these parts. What are you ready to devote yourself to in 2020? What do you want to see come to life this next year? What do you need to let go of? What do you need to believe in? Where have you underestimated yourself? What mountain do you need to climb?

 Anyone that has ever run a marathon knows that if you want to cross the finish line you must also choose to cross the starting point. So at this New Moon Solar Eclipse, we stand at the threshold of all that’s to come in this next year and the question we must answer that tells us how well we will run the race is: how badly do you want to finish? How badly do you want to climb that mountain? How badly do you want to accomplish that difficult task in front of you?  Maybe it’s a relationship, or a project, or a dissertation, or a job, or a karmic pattern set on repeat. Or maybe it’s a book you need to write or a story you need to end or maybe it’s about your home or your family or even something in your community, or possibly an area in your life that you’ve felt blocked in for many years. Whatever it is – I will repeat – how badly do you want it? 

 While the task before you might not be easy to accomplish, there’s no doubt that if you invest everything you have along this path you will find the reward waiting for you at the finish line. 

 I’ll see you there. 

While we all might feel pulled during this New Moon to take some time in solitude and become clear on what mountain we need to climb, we will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Capricorn is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Capricorn. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Gemini - December 11th/12th, 2019

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On Wednesday, December 11th (9:12pm PST) and on December 12th (12:12am EST) the Full Moon glows in the inquisitive and perceptive sign of Gemini. The sign that is full of energy and loves to see, learn, experience, and absorbs everything that comes along her path. She’s quick in her thinking and is wired to move through topics a million miles an hour. Ideas? She has plenty. Curiosity? It drives her. Confusion? She lives it. Boredom? She despises it. Words romance her and if she feels like it she’ll use them to romance you, impress you, challenge you, spin you, entertain you, and inspire you. Her shadow creeps in when the chatter in her mind starts to consume her. If this happens, then it won’t be long before the tension spills over and Gemini finds herself completely depleted from all the crazy mental gymnastics she’s had to do.

So what does this mean for this Full Moon?

As you know, a Full Moon is a time of completion and a time for manifesting. This particular Full Moon leads us into the tension between the Gemini energy I mentioned above that calls for curiosity, information exchanged, new ideas, flexibility, adaptability, and fast paced movement. While the Sagittarius energy of the Sun is asking us to have faith and know that anything can happen as long as you believe. Just remember that when polarization is present, integration is the key. So do your best to have faith that a conversation that you’ve ben avoiding will turn out better than expected. Or maybe you need to have some faith or be willing to take a risk and say the things that you’ve been afraid to say. Be clear, open, and honest in your communications to make sure you don't have any misunderstandings or confusion.

Or maybe this energy is about a project that you’re about to take on that feels bigger than you and so you need to believe in yourself and take a risk. Maybe life is asking a lot of you right now, so the key is to stay curious and open during your interactions with others and this will likely leave room for some new possibilities or ideas to show up. If in doubt and you don’t know what to do, just ask a question. Any question that relates to what you’re feeling unsure about. Just remember that the question itself is often more important than the answer.

I do need to mention that Neptune, the mystical and dreamy planet that prefers to live in fantasy over reality, is making a challenging aspect to this Full Moon. Be aware of any distractions, patterns of avoidance, or illusions that cause you to slip into escape mode. While an escape might feel like a great temporary solution, it doesn’t deal with the real situation at hand. If there’s anything you’re avoiding just keep in mind that it’s likely to surface again and again and again until you deal with it. While this placement might trigger a crisis it can also present an opportunity. So pay attention to your dreams, watch for synchronicities, and open yourself up for those divine moments.

If you’ve spent any time with an astrologer recently, you’ve likely heard about the Saturn and Pluto alignment that will happen on January 12th next year and the Jupiter and Pluto alignment that will happen three times: April 4, June 30, and November 12th with the big shift of Jupiter and Saturn moving into Aquarius on December 21st. We’re all being asked to step up to the plate so that we can face whatever mountain stands before us. This is about digging your heels in and doing the hard work to see something through to completion. This isn’t a sprint. Think: marathon or maybe more like an iron man.

Of course it depends where Capricorn falls in your chart, but that will give you a clue as to what type of mountain you need to climb. With Pluto in the mix we have the opportunity to experience a powerful transformation, but it will certainly require a lot from us. Cue the line from the Spiderman movie: “with great power comes great responsibility” and apply this to whatever you are trying to move through. This Full Moon occurs right after Venus, Saturn, and Pluto all line up in Capricorn and this configuration places an emphasis on your relationships, and the things you value the most. Use this time to get aligned with your values and pay attention to any themes you see because everything that’s coming up right now especially around your conversations is connected to next year’s powerful transits.

While we all might feel our mental stimulation turned up on high in one way or another, we will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Gemini is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Gemini. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Sagittarius - November 26, 2019

On November 26, 2019 (7:06 AM PST and 10:06 AM EST) the Moon begins its new cycle in the fiery, resilient, and adventure seeking sign of Sagittarius. The sign that is here to expand beyond the familiar, is filled with a large dose of optimism, and is wired to seek out every type of new experience that catches her attention. She is the sign that thrives off of taking risks, believes anything is possible, relies on freedom, and seeks for truth.When she’s functioning at her best she wants to experience all that life has to offer. Her shadow appears when she focuses only on life’s grandness and forgets that life can also be fragile. It could also appear when she gets wrapped up in claiming what she knows is the only “right” way to live.

So what does this mean for this New Moon? 

Well, first I’d like to mention that we’re coming to the close of a very intense month that began a few days prior to November. It started with the October 27thNew Moon in Scorpio and Mercury just beginning retrograde on October 31st.More than likely you experienced a (re) visit from situations, people, or events from your past that needed your attention or maybe you experienced some challenges that required you to face some of your fears head on.The Scorpio energy that we just came through asked you to go deep into your feelings and pushed you to uncover any truths you had buried below. Not always a pleasant ride, but if we can claim who we are, we can also feel our own power. Also keep in mind that Mars just entered Scorpio on November 19thand will continue here until January 3, 2020. So we aren’t entirely done with this energy, but with the Sun in Sagittarius and other planets moving into Capricorn we might feel a slight reprieve or at least the faith and structure to handle our depths.

So here we arrive at the New Moon, the phase when the moon is completely covered by the Earth’s shadow. In the darkness, we can feel the magic of the unknown calling us into more reflection and introspection. It’s stirring a desire for new beginnings, new initiatives, and inspiring us to bring forth the invisible spark that has yet to find manifestation. Add in that Sagittarius energy to the mix and you might feel the call to some adventure stirring within, or maybe it’s asking you to be bold, to take some chances, or to become like the arrow in flight that is living out its quest. Sagittarius is here to help you expand your horizons and to move you beyond the walls of what you’ve always known.It likes to play big and if you lean into its energy you might find that you believe anything is possible right now. In other words, it turns up the volume on your faith. I’m sure we could all use a dose of that right now.

Venus just entered Capricorn and is adding some practical and goal -oriented energy to the mix. This is a stabilizing force that carries the archetype of the elder, the hermit, the wise women/man, or some might call it the sage. Just recently Jupiter leaned in close to Venus and gave us all a gift. Hopefully this encounter helped to expand your heart, or helped you to sink into the things you most value, and in one way or another I’m sure it reminded you to believe in yourself and what you’ve come here to do.

Speaking of Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, it’s been in it’s own sign this entire year and on December 2ndit will begin its year -long journey in the sign of Capricorn. So use this New Moon to capitalize on this Sagittarean energy that wants you to think big and to indulge in those experiences that expand you. Sometimes we need to think and live like there are no limits and we also need to believe that we can touch our dreams and create everything that we are able to envision. So in this moment, go for it. See that glass as half full or even decide it doesn’t really matter because you can find a way to get the more you might need. This isn’t about ego, but about being grateful and trusting that there’s more. There’s always more available to and for you. Sometimes you just need to believe.

I also need to address that we have Mars, the god of war, the planet associated with assertion and aggression, currently in Scorpio, and it’s opposing Uranus, the planet that likes to shake things up, in Taurus. This can certainly bring some intense issues to the forefront. Picture a volcano on the verge of erupting. You’re not sure of the exact moment that it will happen, but you can feel the tension building. So be aware of confrontations, potential blowups, personal attacks, disruptions, and the natural desire to react to a situation instead of respond to it. (Oh ,yay, just in time for Thanksgiving). Some of us will experience this on the collective and for others it will feel more personal. Just remember that Uranus is acting as an agent of change and while it might feel like it’s stirring up some chaos (because it is), it’s also setting the stage for a major shift. You’re likely to feel this push/pull energy wherever these planets are contacting your chart and if something unexpectedly comes your way, or triggers you to lash out, do your best to breathe and find a way to move with the energy and not against it.

While we all might feel pulled during this New Moon to expand our horizons,we will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Sagittarius is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Sagittarius. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Taurus - November 12, 2019

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On Tuesday, November 12th, 2019 (5:34 AM PST and 8:34 AM EST) the Full Moon glows in the aesthetically pleasing and peaceful sign of Taurus. The sign that loves to delight in her senses and finds fulfillment in life’s simple pleasures. She’s the type of girl that knows the magic of a sunset and the beauty that lives in the stillness of a forest, or even the pause that falls between the beats in a song. You can trust that when she’s by the ocean she feels the crashing waves pulse through her body, but she doesn’t need to use a single word to describe it. She’ll make sure to appreciate the ambiance of a place just as much as the taste of her food. If you haven’t figured it out, she’s earthy, but this isn’t to say she doesn’t like her comforts found in the material world. In fact, they might even be what fill her with a lot of warmth and security. Of course her shadow might appear if she starts to believe that these things are the only source to her joy. In other words, she’s trapped herself; because, what she once possessed now possesses her, and maybe even defines her.

So what does this mean for this Full Moon? 

As you know, The Full Moon occurs when the earth sits directly between the Moon and the Sun. Right now the Sun falls in Scorpio, the sign that breathes intensity, lives in the depths, and is wired to penetrate to the core of all things. Scorpio is asking for you to look at the raw honest truth behind a matter and to feel those uncomfortable emotions that are hidden below.While theMoon is grounded in Taurus energy and is asking you to slow down, listen to your body, take in your environment, and live in the ease of the moment.I also need to add to the mix that Mercury (currently retrograde), the planet that’s connected to our thoughts, our thinking patterns, and our perception is linked to the Sun right now and is identifying quite strongly with the intense nature of Scorpio. It’s possible that this tension is highlighting some of the more practical issues in your life connected to your security and the things you most value.Since we’re dealing with Scorpio territory be aware of how control, fear, and power want to creep in to the mix.

This might be a good time to consider indulging in the things that bring you comfort especially if life feels like “too much” right now. Do your best to let your senses guide you. Trust that your body has a deep and infinite wisdom that can hold all of life’s mysteries inside it.The good news is it doesn’t need for you to do or say anything more about it. 

If we look to the ruler of Taurus we find Venus and since she’s currently in Sagittarius we know that she’s on a quest to follow her heart. Her key word is freedom. Maybe you feel more optimistic about your relationships right now, but I do need to address that dreamy Neptune is making a challenging alignment with Venus. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself caught up in a fantasy about a particular someone or something that isn’t as real as you would like it to be.If this is the case, you could feel disappointed when your feet come back down from the clouds. There’s also the possibility with this configuration that you feel a desire to escape from the harsh realities of your world. Trust me, I get it. Distractions are tempting, especially when our emotions are running high. Instead of getting lost inside your imagination see if you can use it to fuel your creativity and connect to some higher purpose – some might even call this the “divine.” Keep in mind that with Mars and Pluto working at cross purposes with one another you might feel an intense sparring over who has the power and control in a particular situation, experience, or event. 

It seems that with all these strong complex energies swirling around Taurus is asking us to be still. She is asking us to find the things that ground us and bring us back into our body and back into the moment.While life is certainly complex (says Scorpio) there is a simplicity (says Taurus) that needs nothing more than our presence.  If we can lean into this Full Moon, maybe we can feel the stabilizing energy of Taurus reminding us to ground ourselves in a moment so that we face any of the more deep, complex, and unsettling emotions linked to our past. 

While we all might find ourselves caught between complexities and simplicities, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Taurus is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, to learn about who you are and what you’ve come here to doI’d love to set up a session with you.

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Taurus and the planet Venus. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Scorpio - October 27, 2019

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On Sunday, October 27, 2019 (8:38 PM PDT and 11:38 PM EDT), the moon begins its new cycle in the watery and penetrating sign of Scorpio. The sign that lives in the depths, is here to make the unconscious conscious, and is fluent in the language of death and rebirth. She has a knack for sensing and uncovering the hidden and isn’t afraid to call BS if she smells even a hint of a lie. She needs truth like she needs air and not necessarily a meaning of life kind of truth, but rather a truth of a moment, a truth of who you are, and a truth about what remains when everything else falls away. She wants what is real and she isn’t afraid to go to the darker places to find it. Her shadow creeps in when she becomes lost in the self-discovery maze called the underworld or it might creep in if she chooses to avoid the deep dive all together. If she chooses either of these, then it’s likely that moodiness and despair will become her companions. 

So how does this Scorpio energy impact this New Moon? 

Well first let’s address that Uranus, the quirky planet that shakes things up and acts as a catalyst for change is in direct opposition for this New Moon. So don’t be too surprised if something you didn’t see coming decides to jolt you awake and places a spotlight on where you need to claim more of your power.With the Sun and Moon in Scorpio it might be helpful if you used this time to release something that you’ve kept hidden, or maybe it's time you paid attention to your shadow, or it could be time for you to tend to those wounds that you’ve buried deep within.

Just remember that everything that’s happening right now is preparing us for a significant meeting between Jupiter (abundance), Saturn (restrictions and limits), and Pluto (power and transformation) in 2020.Hint: It’s all connected.Saturn and Pluto will align on January 12, 2020 and Jupiter and Pluto will align three times: April 4, June 30, and Nov 12th, and then on December 21, 2020 Jupiter and Saturn will both shift from Capricorn into Aquarius. Since Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius we can be sure that change is coming. Some might experience this through insights, awakening, or inspiration, while others might experience a degree of chaos, and still others might feel that their internal or external world is being stirred up in small and big ways. The ultimate purpose for this alignment is to create more freedom and to shake away anything that doesn't belong in both the personal and the collective. While change can be difficult and the process of things crumbling or being shook up doesn’t always feel comforting, do your best to keep the big picture in mind: You’re moving towards a more authentic and natural expression of you and some things/ideas/beliefs/people in your current world can't come with you – hence the shake up.

So with this New Moon ask yourself: Where have I been hiding? What am I hiding? Where am I playing it safe? What is the truth behind what I feel, what I know, what I don’t know, what I want, what I need, and what I long for? What is my soul here for?What, if anything, is no longer serving me along my path? What do I want to create and cultivate in my life?What or who am I afraid to face? What does the hidden want to reveal to me?

Scorpio has two rulers, Pluto and Mars, and they just so happen to be making a challenging aspect to one another. It’s also important to note that Mars is in Libra right now and is making a challenging aspect to Saturn. Mars, the god of war, likes action and isn’t afraid of conflict while Libra is about peace, balance, and harmony. Think: Be assertive, but keep a balanced approach with everything that is beginning to surface from deep within.While you might want to jump ahead to the finish line, you may have a few obstacles to contend with first. Saturn is asking you to focus on where you place your time and energy, as well as how you handle your commitments.Mars in Libra is asking you to be diplomatic in your attack. So place your energy on the battle that’s brewing within, ask the hard questions, sit with the discomfort, acknowledge your fears, and dive into the mystery of your unconscious.It’s as difficult and as simple as that.

Just remember we are playing with some deep, raw, and intense emotions here. With the stakes this high, honesty with yourself and others is the key to your transformation.

While we all might feel pulled to reflect deeply on who we are and who we are becomingduring this New Moon, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Scorpio is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, to learn about who you are and what you’ve come here to do, I’d love to set up a session with you.

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Scorpio. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Aries - October 13, 2019

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On Sunday, October 13, 2019 (2:08 PM PDT and 5:08 PM EDT) the Full Moon shines in the fiery and passionate sign of Aries. The sign that thirsts for life, is full of energy, and has the heart of the warrior. Her greatest strength is her determination. When she’s told “no,” she only hears “find another way.” Aries knows what it means to push through and she certainly knows how to keep moving. She’s wired for battle and rightly so, because instinctually she knows, she’s either going to be the hunter or the prey. And so what she’s really here to develop is a large dose of courage. Now since she’s always armed for battle, her shadow can creep in if she doesn’t use her energy in a constructive and helpful way. You’ll immediately know because she’ll appear like a loose cannon. In other words, she’s always on the attack and anyone who comes along her path will need to feel ready to defend his or herself. Does that sound a bit intense? Well, newsflash: she is.

So what does this mean fort this Full Moon? As you know, the Full Moon occurs when the Earth is directly between the Moon and the Sun. Right now the Sun falls in Libra, the sign that wants peace and balance, and is wired for relationship, while the Moon, as we already discussed, is set ablaze in the bold and daring sign of Aries. So on the one hand, we can feel Libra calling for fairness and compromise, while Aries is ready to claim what she wants for herself. Can you feel the tension?

We also need to address that Pluto, the planet of transformation, and Saturn, the planet that likes to implement limitations and rules, are both making a challenging alignment for this Full Moon. Expect to feel the intensity behind this lunation beginning to build for what’s to come next year with Saturn and Pluto joining forces. Additionally, Saturn might remind us to pull back if we try to push too hard to make things look a certain way. If there is anyone that triggers you or gets under your skin make sure you take a look to see what is underneath your unrest. The trigger usually has more to do with you than them. Keep in mind that Pluto’s role in your life is about transformation, and sometimes her presence comes in like a wrecking ball. She wants to make sure you face your deepest wounds and claim who you really are. Maybe you can feel the storm brewing within or around you and intuitively you can feel it moving you towards some type of cataclysmic ending in your life. That sounds so doomsday, doesn’t it? But Pluto is also about rebirth, so hold close the image of a phoenix because the point of a phoenix is always to rise again. All this to say, there is a powerful shift coming, so make sure you do the inner work that helps you let go of the way things have “always” been. This will help you to boldly step into the new.

Use that fiery action oriented energy of Aries that is bubbling up from your soul along with Libra’s peaceful other focused energy to help you release whatever pattern, situation, belief, relationship, habit, or fear that is holding you back. Maybe you’re carrying resentment, or anger, or depression, or shame, or guilt, or disappointment, or whatever emotion it is that has been plaguing you. Now is the time for you to let it go. While you might not instantly feel the release, it’s important that you identify the emotion and take the first step towards surrendering it. Just remember: We have to choose to let go, if we ever want to feel it.

I also want to mention that Mars, the ruler of Aries is in Libra right now. Mars, as you know, is our drive and our passion, so this placement is reminding us to not go through the fire alone and to make sure we consider the “other” in all of our dealings. Of course this also means difficult issues can arise in your relationships. If there’s anything you’ve tried to avoid in the past, it’s likely to come back into the spotlight now, so be ready to face it head on. Hint: embrace the difficult conversations. And while the Aries energy might feel the need for a fight, try your best to slow down your responses and really listen to the other. You might not have all the information right now and listening will help some of the missing pieces emerge. One last thing to consider, Jupiter, the planet of faith, expansion, and abundance, is making a helpful alignment and can give that extra bit of excitement or belief that you need in order to handle everything that’s coming your way. That feels better, huh?!

We will all feel the tension during this Full Moon between the intense fiery energy of Aries, who is ready to claim what’s hers, in contrast with the peaceful and other focused energy of Libra that is asking us to consider the other. Each of us will experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Aries is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would be interested in a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

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[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Aries. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

Full Moon in Pisces - September 13, 2019

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On Friday, September 13that 9:33 PDT and on Saturday, Sept 14that 12:33 am EDT, the Full Moon glows in the fluid and watery sign of Pisces. The sign that prefers to live in metaphors, connects with images, andcalls the land of the imagination home. Pisces knows how to blend, she knows how to flow, and she can merge into anyone or any THING. For a Pisces, it’s less about sight and more about sensing. And oh, let me tell you, not only does she sense your feelings, she feels them as if they were her own. You’ll recognize her for her compassion and her gentle spirit that knows no barriers because all of life flows together as one. Some might call her a mystic, others a poet, and still others may say she’s a dreamer. Her deepest treasure is her inner world and oh does that world seethe with life. Pisces is often without edges, and so it’s easy for her to drift… And drift… And drift until she’s completely lost inside her story. Orsometimes the world out there becomes too much for her and so she does what she does best– she escapes and finds a way to numb herself or at the very least she’ll disconnect.

So what does this mean for this Full Moon?

Keep in mind that a Full Moon is a time of completion and it is also a time of manifesting. We must consider the polarizing energy from both the Sun and the Moon. This particular Full Moon leads us into the tension between the Virgo energy that calls for details, order, routines, growth, and service while the Piscean energy, I mentioned above, is sensitive, watery, fluid, imaginative, and dreamy. In this opposition, there is tension between the spiritual and the practical; the sacred and the profane; our spiritual experiences intermingling with our every day earthly routines. Just remember that when polarization is present, it’s not about choosing one or the other, but integrating the two. In other words, maybe the Virgo energy is simply asking you to ground your spiritual experiences into the day to day so that the invisible connections can bee seen in a tangible form. 

 This Full Moon in Pisces has the ability to stir up your creative juices, so see if you can carve out some time to paint, play, dream, sculpt, garden, cook, dance, write, or do anything that helps your imagination come to life. If this is an area you tend to feel stuck or need some additional promptings, then I’d also like to mention that two dear friends of mine are part of a magical trio that wrote a book called Deep Creativity: Seven Ways to Spark Your Creative Spirit.They’re also launching a 7- month program at the beginning of October to help inspire the creative genius in you. If this interests you, I encourage you to check out their work and sign up. You’ll be glad you did. I know that some of us struggle to see ourselves as creative. Reminder: If you’re alive, then you’re a creative being and there are so many different ways for you to express who you are and what makes you feel alive. 

 With this Full Moon we also need to pay attention to a challenging T-square alignment that involves Jupiter, Mars, and Neptune. This configuration might cloud your vision while you’re faced with some decisions about your life and what you need to do next for your future. On one hand, you could feel an intense desire to expand your life and say yes to everything or maybe you believe that anything can happen right now and there’s no such thing as a limit. While that’s certainly an optimistic path, be careful of falling into any traps of disillusionment or biting off more than you can chew.Sometimes expansion can get us into trouble if we aren’t adequately prepared for the growth.As the saying goes: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. On the other hand, be careful of any self-defeating talk that creeps and tells you that you can’t do anything right or that leaves you wondering, what’s the point to any of this? Or maybe it tells you that you might as well just quit and give up. If this voice appears, acknowledge it and tell it that you understand its fear, but this is only one perspective to your story.

 Of course there’s always the possibility that maybe you have no idea what you’re doing or where you’re going or how to take the next step forward in your life. If this is the case, then use Jupiter’s ever- expansive energy to give you the faith you need to keep going.Who knows, you might just be at a crucial point in your story where everything is about to change, but you just don’t realize it yet. Keep in mind that when things feel cloudy and confusing there’s a good chance that there’s still a missing piece and so you don’t have all the information.Not knowing how it’s all going to play out requires you to trust and let go of what you think you need to know in the moment. Then you can learn to trust that whatever comes your way next is like a thread that will move you forward to the next place you “need” to be. 

 I’d like to add that trusting and letting go isn’t a passive process either. Surrendering requires your full presence and it’s an action that is filled with a tremendous amount of intention. This isn’t about letting go and just hoping for the best, but rather showing up inside the mess and embracing what sits before you - no matter how confusing it might feel in the moment. Hint: Let the mess and any confusion be part of your conversation and then use your “art,” imagination, and your life as a way to dive deeply into a new part of your story. 

 So with this full moon use your imagination and find ways to put that wild and creative spark of yours into practice. Don’t be afraid to bring intention and practicality into the mix so that your dreams and ideas can become more real. Lastly, do your best to move past the edges of what you know, see, and believe,and do your best to trust your self in learning how to listen to where you need to be, which is always: HERE.

While we all might feel pulled during this Full Moon to go within and create something newwe will all experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Pisces is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you would like a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Pisces. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.

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Joey Paynter Joey Paynter

New Moon in Virgo - August 30, 2019

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On August 30, 2019 (3:37 AM PDT & 6:37 AM EDT) the moon begins a new cycle in the earthy and service oriented sign of Virgo. The sign that is finely attuned to details, prefers order, is all about precision, and is driven by her desire for growth. At her core she is wired for service, and it’s important that the work she does is also an extension of who she is. In fact, there’s a good chance you’ll recognize her for it, too. The key behind her work is that it must be meaningful to her and if it’s not, she’ll feel like a slave to it. When she’s functioning at her best, she’s clear about who she is, what she does, where she’s going, and knows with unwavering clarity where her place is in the world. Her shadow creeps in through worrying, nitpicking, and scrutinizing over every little thing and every little detail. To put it simply, she’s been known at times to become a little bit obsessive.

So what does this mean for this New Moon?

Well first let’s address that right now there are 9 planetary bodies that are in Earth signs (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Venus are all in Virgo while Uranus is in Taurus, and Saturn, Pluto, and the South Node are in Capricorn). That is a lot of earth energy and so stability, resources, and practicality become of utter importance right now. In other words, this is the time for taking practical steps and utilizing the skills that you have to make your dreams a reality or to make the necessary changes that you need to live a more fulfilling life.

With all of this earth energy and particularly with the emphasis on Virgo, there’s a good chance that you’ll feel the need to take a fine-tooth comb to your life. This will help you figure out what aspects are working well and which ones are simply spinning you in circles or leading you to a dead end. To put it simply, It’s the perfect time to reassess where you are in comparison to where you’d like to be. Consider if there any changes that you need to make. Maybe write them out or create a plan for how you would like to see the rest of your year play out. While we are never fully in control, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a game plan in place. So for this New Moon, if you’re considering writing out intentions, maybe take it a step further and write out what steps you need to take in order to see these intentions become more cemented in your life. Be specific and let the details guide you.

I’d also like to mention that all of these Virgo planets are making a helpful aspect to Uranus, the planet that likes to shake things up and create change. So while Virgo likes to plan, Uranus might have something entirely different in mind. Don’t be surprised if some things in your plan have to change and be ready to improvise or adapt to any events that appear out of the blue. Just keep in mind that these changes are ultimately for your benefit. Who knows, maybe the unexpected event ends up being the exact thing you didn't know you needed.

The good news is that in addition to this New Moon, Venus and Mars will make a helpful alignment with Saturn, the planet of limits and restrictions. This alignment is perfect for supporting any changes you’d like to make and it’s likely that these changes will be long lasting ones. If hearing this fills you with fear or you feel an overwhelming pressure to “get it right” then do your best to shrug it off and replace the thought with “I’m allowed to make mistakes. It’s called being human.”

So while you might feel the urge to get everything lined up perfectly, give yourself a break. Just do the best that you can and allow yourself plenty of love and compassion in the process. Don’t forget to practice kindness. If you find yourself falling prey to your own criticisms, keep this quote in mind: “In a world where you can be anything. Be kind.” So be kind to yourself as you grow through the various stages of this so called life and remember that if you’re making changes then you’re also entering new territory. This means that you’re not supposed to know how to do everything perfectly. Just do your best and know that this is often so much more than enough.

While we all might feel pulled during this New Moon to see the details and become more clear on what we are here to do, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Virgo is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you are interested in a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you.

>>>play on<<<

[*Note* The ABOVE contains a personification of the sign Virgo. The sign is not gendered and the SHE could just as easily be used as HE.]

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