This Full Moon I was drawn to share a reading from the Dark Goddess Tarot by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince. The simple images of the divine feminine in all her guises are drawn from all over the world and are combined with her own in-depth text interpretations that gives profound insight.
I just chose one card as a focus for this upcoming Full Moon in Taurus, which is also a Lunar Eclipse, and I drew The Hierophant, which just happens to be associated with the sign of Taurus in the Tarot, so a very fitting symbol for this particular lunation. I also love that it is the Anatolian Mountain Mother and anyone who follows my work will know of my deep love for Turkey. The mountain in the background of the card is Ararat, a mountain I have been lucky enough see, although I was not lucky enough to climb it at the time, and I guess there may still be time for that later. You can read a short post about my adventures there HERE.
Anatolian Mountain Mother –
Transcending boundaries through community.
Cybele (pronounced sib-ill-ee, with the accent on the first syllable), also called Magna Mater, is the goddess of the primal and always primamry earth. The great mount Ararat, the heart of the land called Phyrygia, Anatolia, or Turkey, appears behind her. She is seated on a throne and crowned by the city, by the civilisation she makes possible. Adoring lions, the strongest and most imposing of the animals of the earth, crouch beside her, dedicating to her all of their passion and power…when Cybele appears, use Pine in your aromatics to elevate and deepen your awareness. Go to a mountain and feel how it reaches from the depths to the stars, how it is immensely grounded and incredibly spiritual at the same time…dedicate yourself to providing a service to others. Dedicate yourself to the service of a greater power, whether to a deity, a cause or the Earth herself.
Ellen Lorenzi-Prince
I wrote at some length on the astrology of this Lunar Eclipse HERE and there seems to me that there is a strong emphasis on the importance of agriculture and farming, and I talk about this in the post, but the underpinning energy seems to be the need to remember our connection to the land, to the very essence of what it means to live on this beautiful planet that we call Earth. Cybele sits on a throne, guarded by Lions and she supports civilisation which is symbolised by her crown. Our connection with the land, with growing food is what binds us to the planet but it seems that more and more, people are being separated from their homes, their cultures, their way of life, their connection to the land. In western societies, many people have no idea how our food gets onto the table whilst in many other countries, traditional farming practices are being undermined by corporate interests who rarely seem to take the welfare of ordinary people into consideration. Food itself is becoming more of an issue, even in the west, where poverty is no longer just something you see on the television and hunger is just as likely to be found in your street.
This Lunar Eclipse is a reminder of what is really valuable, our essential nature and that of the planet, and that beneath all this talk of “climate change” there may be something else we need to do and perhaps bypass the empty words of men in high places who gather to discuss the fate of billions. A connection with the Earth is something we can all do, however small our effort, and every effort helps to rebuild that which as a species we are in danger of losing.
The photo below was taken recently on the shores of a volcanic freshwater lake in central Anatolia. I imagine those goats come down every day to drink the sweet waters that are rich in magnesium, brought by their human companion who whistles to them like you would a dog. He has no dog, but within a matter of minutes they have drunk their fill and have followed him faithfully up the steep mountainside where he has led them, as nimble as a goat himself, in search of the mountain herbs and grasses.
Header image: Sowing Seeds by Valera Lutfulina
Info on the Dark Goddess Tarot
Joanna Grant is an astrologer of some 30 years and gained her Diploma at the Faculty of Astrological Studies in 2012. Weaving her knowledge of the stars together with intuitive tarot techniques, she crafts highly personalised guidance for clients who are often navigating difficult life transitions. Lately, she has been very excited to breathe new life into her astrological practice through her study of Horary, where the traditional techniques of the ancients have helped her to interpret her knowledge in a whole new way. Having recently completed the STA Advanced Level Horary Diploma, she feels that in an uncertain world, the integrity of this tradition is an essential tool in giving clients the guidance they seek.
You can read more about her here.
Joanna-Kate Grant 