Wild Witch of the West

Understanding Capricorn energies can also be related to Scrooge character in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens or the wise woman or man. It’s the serious sign of the zodiac that can take time to loosen its grip on judgment and skepticism and invites us into the wisdom of time. Those born with Sun or Moon signs in Capricorn can become lighter as they get older and understand its gifts of slowing down and solitude. In its most wise expression with Capricorn, we feel stability and security in ourselves and the world around us. It connects us to...

Retrogrades often evoke worry for many--especially Mercury Retrograde-- though they are some of my fav astrological events. Rather than harbingers of doom and gloom, all retrograde transits are opportunities to choose free will over fear. When a planet is retrograde, it appears to move backwards in the sky, an illusion caused by the Earth passing by these slower moving planets. Retrogrades ask us to pay attention to something we may have missed in the past or uncover new ways of relating to specific planets ...

With spring we welcome greener days ahead while plants seem to wake up from their winter slumber with emerging buds and blossoms as symbols of new growth. The energies are more active as animals and humans seem to awaken into more activity, and even the bees return to their pollination cycle. While we have not yet arrived at the heat of Summer, instead we can enjoy the balanced energies of Equinox as the Sun seems to suspend in time. 

Rebecca Farrar of Wild Witch of the West has her M.A. in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness, and has worked with many renowned astrologists and cosmologists. Read her bio here, and catch more of her work on Witch of the West.

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Officially celebrated on February 1 at sunset, Imbolc, or Imbolg, signals the halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Its name derives from Celtic meaning "in the belly,” as it refers to the “just-showing” pregnancy or a stirring of new life that has just begun.  At its core, this Pagan holiday is a clearing and cleansing preparing us for rebirth. Imbolc focuses on fertility and the promise of returning light in the spring season. However, Imbolc’s claim to fame is the Irish Goddess Brigid, also spelled Brigit, Bride, or Brighid. She was considered a triple goddess or triune representing maiden, mother, and crone. In this way she had several facets to her symbolism of fire, hearth, poetry, and smithcraft. Brigit was believed..

The lunar eclipse/super moon/full moon in Leo (phew, that is a lot of descriptors!) on January 20 PT and January 21 ET continues the accelerated astrological energies of 2019. This second eclipse in the series from the solar eclipse on January 5, will be visible from North and South America, Europe, and Western Africa. Though Earth casts its shadow on the moon for several hours, the maximum eclipse hour is 9:12 p.m. on Saturday for Pacific Coast and 12:12 a.m. for East Coast. The moon is “super” because it is closest to the Earth and looks magnified or larger than usual. Like all signs, Leo has both its shadow (insert eclipse joke here) and elevated expressions, though with a full moon and eclipse we often tap into the...

Nothing says “all the feels” or emotional rollercoaster quite like a Cancer full moon. This peak/pique of the lunar cycle may bring up a bit more lunacy and continues the Capricorn new moon themes of honoring your own rhythms and cycles of going inward and cultivating an inner sense of security. Moon-ruled Cancer offers the gifts of intuition and nurturing while the shadow side may bring up insecurity or moodiness. Other major themes of Cancer include emotional connections to others and us as well as relationship to our caretaker…or attachment and emotional attunement. Many of us didn't...

Yule or Yuletide, aka Winter Solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere marks the longest night and shortest day of the year and is one of the oldest celebrations in the world. Like all the Neopagan holidays the date varies between December 20 to December 23 depending on the year with the Gregorian calendar. Though with modern technology we can more closely track the exact moment when the Earth pole is at its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This year the winter solstice is exact on Friday, December 21 at 2:22 p.m. PT or 5:22 ET as the Sun moves into the tropical zodiac sign of Capricorn. As a turning point of light and reflection and of all the cyclical, seasonal holidays, the winter solstice is perhaps the most Christianized from its Earthly Pagan roots and Roman traditions.

This Sagittarius new moon arrives after a week of Jupiter in alignment with the Sun. Sagittarius connects us with the expansive side of life such as optimism, vision, and joy. It moves us towards discovering our ideals and expanding our sense of conviction. Healthy Sagittarius energy is full of faith and adventure, while the shadow side lends itself towards arrogance or bravado. I also notice a tendency towards over-consumption while appreciating the abundance so often experienced with Sagittarius. While many may hail this as the luckiest new moon of the year, I’m dubious of that title. Like all zodiac signs Sagittarius has aspects that aren’t...