Auntie Moon

As the Moon eases into Pisces and enters her dark phase before the New Moon in Aries, try to find a few soft moments to refresh your mind and body. These few quiet moments could bring the inspiration for your New Moon wishes or gently blur the hard edges from any stresses that may have been overwhelming you lately.

Here are a few tools that I hope will help you relax during the dark phase before entering the dynamic period of the New Moon in Aries, a month of concentrated effort and physical activity.

The minor arcana tarot cards to meditate on now are the 8, 9, and 10 of Cups ~ the cards assigned to Pisces.

The 8 of Cups belongs to the Pisces decan ~ the first 10° of Pisces ~ and has a very Neptunian influence. The second decan (10-19.59 °) is Moon/Cancer influenced. We can see this in the welcoming hospitality of our host in the 9 of cups. The last card belongs to the Scorpio decan (20-29.59°). The 10 of Cups usually shows a happy family under a rainbow. In the Victorian Romantic card we see Scorpio’s transforming promise of new life fully realized.

The Moon is the major arcana card assigned to Pisces, a bit misleading but assigned to Pisces nonetheless. The High Priestess is assigned to the astrological Moon. This is one of my favorite Moon/Pisces cards from any tarot deck, especially for a Pisces Moon. The colors and flowing lines are so restful to the eyes. And since there is no actual Moon in the card’s sky, it’s easy to imagine that the setting of the card is exactly as it is during the dark nights of the Moon ~ hidden, but with us all the same.

“Sweet dreams” is probably never more appropriate to wish someone than when the Moon is in Pisces. To help ease you toward peaceful dreams, try a cup of Bedtime Story, Relaxed Mind, or a simple brew of chamomile tea.

If restless sleep keeps you from the dream world we all so desperately need, you might find a gentle relaxant helpful before bedtime. I’ve found Calms Forte helps me sleep more deeply and for a longer period of time. My husband ~ the master of wakefulness ~ has been using Bach’s Sleep Remedy, a spray composed of six remedies and finds it helpful. I found both of these at my local GNC store.

If you like working with essential oils and aromatherapy, the old standard lavender is especially helpful for relaxation. Try a lavender bath before bedtime, a foot massage with a bit of lavender oil, or a lavender mist on your pillows before settling in for the night. Chuck the tv and listen to some dreamy music when you settle in for the night. Try dream incubation ~ asking for an answer through your dreams ~ as you drift off to sleep.