Happy New Year

For many Neopagans the new year starts on Samhain on October 31.  Because I'm trying to follow a more lunar calendar, my "new year" is going to arrive at the New Moon on October 25 (at 6:49 in the morning).  

Moon and month names

My usual caveats apply.  This is my interpretations of what I try to focus on in my life, and I hope it's useful. Even though some names may get connected with other moon phases, I start to work with the energies at the new moon, and go throughout to the next. Your mileage will almost certainly vary, and that is as it should be.

The Coligny Calendar of the Gauls (and Three Cranes Grove) identifies this month, and this Druid Moon as "Cantlos."  "Cantlos" translates as "Song Month." We have celebrated this many ways, all having to do with singing. From the Farmer's Almanac, we are also entering Beaver Moon.  According to the Almanac, this the time when beavers were seen to head into their lodges to take shelter for the winter, after saving up food (and fat!) for the winter.  For Kondratiev this is the "Moon of the Cliff," when we prepare to join with nature as we leave the light behind, and dive into the darkness.  For the "old" Anglo Saxons, Winterfylleth, translated by some as Winter Full Moon, or Winter Finding, either indicating the beginning of winter (as Samhain indicates "summer's end).  The climate in England and continental Europe was warmer than in what is now Scandinavia, moving this into our October, rather than our September.

In all of these names we have a shifting of the energies from outward to inward.  Even "Song Month" can relate to cold nights where families gather and need to entertain each other and themselves. We often engage in similar behaviors: warmer blankets on beds, pulling out the sweaters and hoodies, making sure the furnace is working.  Our food tastes turn to richer, heavier fare: creamy soups, roasted meet and vegetables, and hearty stews.  As we prepare for other parts of the dark time, quilts made by great aunts, and recipes handed down to share at future get togethers remind us from where we came, and to be grateful for those ancestor.

Astrology

The new moon begins on October 25, as already mentioned. It's still in Libra but will be moving into Scorpio sometime later today.  The New Moon in Scorpio is conjunct the Sun in Scorpio, and the lunar emphasis is on those deep, instinctual energies.  So appropriate for this time of year. It's still another indication that attentions and energies turn inward, and we can think deeply about what should be kept and what should be discarded. Have we met any goals we had for the year? 

There is also a solar eclipse this day as well (not visible from where I live).  There are lots of conflicting pieces of advice about workings during an eclipse, but regardless my thought is that while magic should never be undertaken lightly, it's especially important to take extra care on eclipse-day, as no matter what the advice is, good or bad, the consistent theme is that eclipses are extra powerful.

The first quarter moon is on November 1, right after calendar Samhain.  The moon moves into Aquarius, representing society, egalitarian ideals, and reform.  It's a good time for gathering with others, and cook up new ideas, but the square with the Scorpio moon might make this outgoing focus difficult, and may impact your emotional or spiritual decluttering process.  

The full moon on November 8 has the Scorpio sun opposed to the moon in Taurus.  Whereas Scorpio is about letting go of that which is no longer needed, Taurus is very much about holding on to it.  The tension is about balancing inner power (Scorpio) with emotional possessiveness (Taurus). In the United States, that is Election Day as well, so it may be worthwhile to think on your vote in this context.

The last quarter moon on November 16 has Scorpio sun square a Leo moon bringing friction between outward expression and inner needs. While Aquarius was about group dynamics, Leo is about one's personal performance and expression.  It may be at time to stop and think if you want the spotlight on you as you process what those Scorpio energies mean for you? Or would that intense focus actually be beneficial?

Scorpio often gets a bad rap about being deep and moody (and a few other things), but as you can see for this time of year, it's the perfect time for such focus on self.  If you can find on your chart what houses are involved (I use this one), it may be an even more fruitful experience of growth.