A wise fox will only attempt to cross when there is solid ice on the river and will pick his way carefully, every sense alert.
~Hillary Barrett
Dear Reader,
When is it time to cross over to the new that is being created? Although you may be ready for a change of landscape, adventuresome journeys, and embracing new ways of being the message this week is - not so fast.
To enable sure footed steps along this road ahead there is some required tending. There are cycles that must be brought to completetion, pathways that need some clearing, and inner alignments that could use a tune-up. Always, while remaining alert to shifting cirucmstances, asking yourself the question, is it time?
The overarching messages are always reflected back to us by nature. Here in the Northeast of America, I am seeing the first hint of change in leaf color. Our stately maples have put on their golden cloak but not quite ready to show their brilliant red, my beloved Silver Lake, although certainly not frozen over, it offers my swims quite the invigorating chill, and of course, the garden itself portrays this state of flux. Change is in the air, and yet change is incremental and so here we are not yet this but neither that.
The tomatoes, so slow to ripen with the unseasonable nighttime lows, still crowd the stem of plants already in decline. The eclipse, pinto, and tiger-eye beans ready to be cut still require several steps before they can be stored. The sweet potatoes, a big experiment since I have never seen a mature plant before, are showing the first signs of what I understand is their readiness, but then again is its time? Interspersed with beds of plants coming to completion are those with the tiniest fronds of newly planted carrots, blades of winter claytonia, and robust argula. Even within beds are mature plants alonside of a new fall crop, like leeks in their final stage bordered by lettuce starts. Transition abounds.
Now back to our fox on the shore. It's important to note here that when the wise fox notices the river is still not solid, he doesn’t stand on its shore and wait. Instead, he seeks out alternative routes, ever vigilant to his senses and the information they deliver. This message of the very days we are living ( 4 September to 11 September), and the lessons gained within this time will be acutely needed in the weeks ahead. Trusting yourself to know when it's time is critical. If the effects of the Sun's transit through Gate 64, aptly named the Gate of Confusion, or Not Yet Across, as Hexagram 64 is called, is not enough on its own we've a bonus Full Moon Ecliplse this weekend to amplify the theme.
Given the power for change available with this Full Moon Eclipse in Virgo, I suggest you watch or rewatch this recording with Astrologer Anastasiia Koryttseva. It’s conveniently time-stamped so you can jump right into that short section.
No doubt we are moving through a significant set of days that will require some intentional grounding to stay present, like the fox. I’d be curious to learn in what part of your life you feel this most acutely and what is working for you to stay present?
As you weigh in on your own cycles coming to completion and the start of something new, I’d like to put out a very special invitation. Registration is underway for the very first cohort of the Gemmo Consultant program. Practicum One is the first step in your journey, tuning into your nervous system and the Gemmo extracts that can offer support. This hybrid course begins on 11 October, and only a few spaces remain, so please don’t hesitate if this resonates. Questions on program details can be sent to Lena Kozlovets, the Gemmo School administrator.
Until next week,
