First Quarter Moon; Last Quarter Year

Ooh la la we are on the cusp of a shift in energy today! This shift slowly draws us into the growing eclipse portal of next month.

Today Luna moves into her first quarter phase with our Sun. The first quarter phase will occur in the final degrees of mutable Virgo (Sun) and mutable Sagittarius (Moon).

First quarter squares are powerful, energized turning points.

From one of the best astrologers (Demetra George) out there:

"At this stage the plant sends its roots downward and its stem and leaves upward, creating a strong structural foundation to support the flower and fruit that is yet to come. The life force of the evolving soul activates the personality by taking direct action to anchor the vision and build a similar structural foundation to support the larger purpose that is yet to be revealed. The flow of energy is forceful and direct, clearing away obstacles in order to build strong forms."

Importantly and interestingly, as we turn the quarter of the lunar cycle, we also make a turn on the wheel of the year.

The autumnal equinox, when Sun enters tropical Libra in the northern hemisphere, brings us into the final quarter of the year. This is a time of equal light and equal dark, but the darkness is growing.

The final degrees of mutable signs are always associated with some kind of breaking apart, splitting, death, and sacrifice. Mutable energy disperses, diffuses, breaks down, and creates space for the energized emergence of cardinal energy. Mutable signs precede the solstices and equinoxes of the cardinal cross.

Cardinal signs begin seasons.

Our next season, fall (when the leaves fall and when the Sun literally falls each day in the sky, giving less light per day as winter approaches), the time of growing darkness is a period of turning inward, and enjoying and digesting the fruits of the harvest.

The Sun is said to be fallen in Libra. Why? Like I just said, the Sun LITERALLY falls each day when Libra begins. But there is more. In Aries, when the light is growing, expression from the Spirit is direct and bold, straight from the source. The opposite sign of Libra has grown in awareness of ‘the other’ and there is a desire to create balance and harmony in our expression, and this desire overcomes the urge to simply express.

Thus Libra energy is constantly experiencing an urge, suppressing it to some degree in order to ask, “what does this situation or person or environment need from me?”

The act of suppression before expression gives rise to the beautiful Libran qualities of balance, justice, art, and harmony. But here is where we see the shadow of falseness, superficiality, and indecision that is also part of this sign.

Anyway, I was tickled to see that the first quarter of the lunar cycle coincides with the last quarter of the year. What beautiful symbolism. We have forceful energy to bring down the Neptunian dreams of our current cycle and growing yin energy to rest and digest this powerful year.

If you would like to learn more about the last quarter of 2023, including the upcoming solar eclipse in Libra, please register for my webinar. Attendance not required; recordings and notes will be send to registrants.

Turn, baby turn.