MARCIA SACKS

The New Moon is on Saturday, August 27 at 3:16 a.m. CDT in 4° Virgo. It's a good time for getting organized and paying attention to the small details of life. Sharpen your pencils (symbolically or actually) in order to write lists or study something new. The mythological Virgo is the goddess of the harvest. Take a look at what you planted in the first part of the year, i.e. where you put your life energy, and what is ready to be reaped now. 

With Mars in 4° Gemini in a square to the Moon and Sun there is a tendency to be just a bit too critical and picky. There's a difference between good judgment and being judgmental. 

Whenever I'm thinking about what to write at the new or full moons, I pay attention when slips of paper fall out of a stacked pile or a notebook. This time it was a quote from Goswami Kriyananda: "Seek out your own illumination with great diligence!" This is something he often said to his disciples and students. Sometimes he said "Seek out your own illumination with greater and greater diligence!" Whatever your spiritual practice, intensify and nourish it at this new moon. 

With the New Moon in an earth sign, try Tadasana, the Mountain Pose to feel grounded. Here's a recent article by Naomi Greene, a yoga teacher and swami of the Temple of Kriya Yoga: https://www.naturaltucson.com/2022/07/31/407330/tadasana-standing-on-your-own-two-feet

Coming up: Mercury Retrograde September 9 at 8° Libra. Pay attention to verbal and written communications, especially contracts involving partnerships.

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The Full Moon is on Thursday, August 11 at 8:35 p.m. in 19° Aquarius. The Moon is conjunct Saturn at 22° Aquarius. This can bring us into social situations where the conversations are more serious or deep. To keep things balanced try to focus more on facts than opinions. What Saturn wants from a situation is respect. Even in disagreement, try to be as respectful and considerate as possible.

Saturn often symbolizes the immoveable object or an insurmountable limitation. But even a limiting force like gravity can be overcome temporarily by an airplane. Aquarius is an air sign and ruled by Uranus. Uranus is the spark of genius, inventions of the human mind. When we lift our minds from the personal to see life from a greater horizon of awareness, what was once limiting is now a steppingstone to our goal.
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If you like using Sanskrit mantra, a Ganesh one can be helpful. Ganesh represents the aspect of God as 'overcomer of obstacles.' Try this version by Deva Premal:

At this Full Moon, the Moon, Sun and Saturn are also square to Uranus at 18° Taurus. Because Uranus makes its station retrograde on August 24 at the same position, 18° Taurus, this pattern will persist a bit longer than the usual effect of a Full Moon. 
I wrote this about the Saturn Uranus square in an article for Yoga Chicago Magazine in 2021:

"Saturn is tradition. Uranus is rebellion. These forces seem like they should always be opposed to each other, but they can work together if you see Saturn as foundation and Uranus as creativity. Most arts have a foundation of skill or mastery of the basics and yet the true artist is often the one that brings that spark of genius to their work.

We can use these scenarios to recognize Saturn and Uranus patterns in our own minds as we go through [ the next two weeks]. Are we resisting something new or rebelling against a longstanding pattern? Are we playing the role of the parent? Are we the rebellious child? Are we being too extreme in our plans or too conservative in our decision making? How do we approach the future?  Saturn resists the future. Uranus loves the future.

To have compassion for yourself and others, try to see both sides of these polarities. Reflect on what a small step toward a middle ground would look like. Sometimes we believe we are required to judge others when no one asked us to. Peace comes to us when we expand our acceptance of others exactly as they are."

​You can find me on:

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Yoga Chicago Magazine
• Temple of Kriya Yoga​