“Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible.” — Thich Nhat Hanh How To See

On today’s episode we explore the themes of navigating life transitions, big and small as well as rituals for renewal within the lunar cycle. We delve into our connection with impermanence, focusing on the theme of sensing endings.

If you loved these themes and want more, you’re invited to join me tomorrow Friday Nov 21st from 1-2:00pm Pacific for the New Moon Workshop for Scorpio: https://themoonismycalendar.thrivecart.com/new-moon-mandala-workshop-in-scorpio/

I share insights on how the lunar cycle can support us in navigating these transitions and the importance of creating space for new beginnings. I also reflect on personal experiences illustrating the cyclical nature of life, like dealing with a difficult landlord and the recent passing of my beloved grandmother. Throughout this heartfelt episode, I invite you to trust you intuition and the wisdom of cycles to find balance and continuity in your lives.

These time stamps may be a little off due to editing:

00:00 Introduction to The Between the Moon Podcast

00:41 Exploring the Theme of Sensing Endings

01:41 The Importance of Recognizing Endings

01:51 Personal Stories and Reflections on Change

02:20 The Concept of Impermanence

03:49 Practical Examples of Sensing Endings

06:29 The Role of the Lunar Cycle

10:16 The Practice of Letting Go

11:33 The Intersection of Love and Grief

17:30 Cultural Perspectives on Cycles

21:50 Final Thoughts and Invitation to Reflect

This episode is a farewell to Scorpio Season as the sun enters the sign of Sagittarius Nov 21st. It is a reflections on the lessons of life and loss and how to practice saying goodbye with the moon. My hope is that there is sweetness and insight that flows through this transmission to offer a sense of belonging within cycles; to yourself, to nature, to the cosmos.

“A linear society that thinks in terms of ‘cradle to grave’ will have an endpoint. It won’t be sustained. However, a culture that thinks cyclically and reinvests all ‘waste’ into its livelihood will continue like a circle, it will never end.” - Dr. Lyla June

Visit https://themoonismycalendar.com to purchase you Lunation Journals and Lunar Wall Calendars today!

In today’s timely episode, we explore the role of entropy in Virgo's nature-based themes, touching on how to connect these experiences connect with the upcoming eclipse, and some of the challenges and gifts. There is poetry in how we choose to embody this mutable earth sign.

I share some insights I received during an acupuncture treatment about the connection between the zodiac and the nervous system. If you like unusual ways of relating to the astrological archetypes - this episode will not disappoint!

At the heart of this exploration is understanding Virgo's energy and role in keeping the rhythms of life in balance and digesting our experiences. No one escapes entropy, and you can see if that feels like a relief or cause for grief, but the eclipse asks us to face it either way.

There are some personal stories to illustrate these concepts, like looking back to the 2006 eclipse through forgotten photos on an old external hard drive and seeing how past cycles shape us and invite deeper integration.

I also propose a potential lunar astrology challenge—like a fun experiment to observe how the sign that the moon is in affects our lives. Let me know what you think about that idea in the comments, pls :))

00:00 Welcome and Announcements01:34 Exploring the Moon Mandala Workshop03:24 Lunar Astrology Challenge06:12 Introduction to Virgo Themes07:06 Virgo and the Rhythm of Life12:56 The Poetry of Entropy24:19 Eclipses and Life Review26:04 Personal Reflections and Astrology41:06 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

Announcements

The Lunation Journals and Lunar Wall Calendars are available for presale in the shop!! Thank you to everyone who has purchased yours so far!!! Your support makes this printing of this publication possible.

Link to pre-order: 2026 New Moon Calendars https://themoonismycalendar.com/new-products

Moon Mandala Workshop

Don't miss the Equinox Moon Mandala workshop this Tuesday September 23rd from 9-10:30am Pacific. We’ll be focusing on turning points, rebalancing, and the zodiac's connection to seasons. I have a great slideshow to share along with a activity to access your intentions.

This workshop is based in expressive arts practices that connect us with the healing potential of creativity by moving energy through color and form. If you aren't able to make it live, replays will be sent within 24 hours of workshop.

More details here: Registration for Moon Mandala Workshop https://themoonismycalendar.thrivecart.com/new-moon-mandala-workshop-equinox/

Dear Moon,

There is beauty in allowing ideas develop in their own time. So often we only get to see the final product, and we miss out on all the twists and turns that the creative process takes us on to arrive at that particular finished form.

This can give us unrealistic expectations of creativity, and so I was inspired to share some behind the scenes insider lore about how this year’s cover artwork and theme actually came into being. The episode is an exploration of artistry, vulnerability, and the cyclical nature of creativity.

But first, oh my goodness, have you heard? It’s Virgo season and time to launch the pre-sale of the 2026 Moon Calendars!! There’s a discount code at the end of this episode, take a listen :)

traveling the distance from this…

… to that…

Where you begin is not where you end up! Seems obvious, but the creative process is designed to change you. This is inherent to the transformational practice of creation.

let’s dive in!

In today’s episode, you’re invited to join me for an intimate look at the journey of creating the artwork for this year’s Lunar Wall Calendar as I share about the messy process of going from rough first “bad” drafts to a finished piece.

You’ll hear about the ups and downs: the excitement of new ideas, the frustration when things don’t go as planned, and the patience it takes to let inspiration unfold in its own time. You’ll get to hear about how themes like the harvest cycle, the symbolism of blackberries and bears, and even lessons learned from gardening — all found their way into the artwork. There’s a beautiful story I share about how a simple flower essence session sparked a creative breakthrough, and how the reciprocity between bears and blackberries brought all the themes together.

weaving it all together

Throughout the episode, I reflect on the importance of embracing imperfection, letting go of impossible standards, and trusting the creative process—even when it feels like, as I call it “a blindfolded wrestling match or an unpredictable dance with the muse”. You’ll get a sense of how astrology, nature, and lived experience all weave together in the making of something personally, and hopefully, universally meaningful.

Whether you’re an artist, a creative soul, or just someone who loves a good story, this episode is a gentle reminder that creativity is cyclical, sometimes clunky, and always full of facing the unknown. I hope you enjoy this behind-the-scenes journey—complete with all the doubts, discoveries, and little victories that make the creative process so worth the struggle of turning the irritation of a grain of sand into a pearl.

Thank you for being here, your presence is a gift! April

p.s. I started putting together a post with images of the creative process I describe in this episode … would you be interested in seeing more of the bad first drafts? Feel free to reply or lmk in the comments.

the pre-sale sale has begun!

Are you as excited as I am? I just updated all the listings for this year’s calendars — visit THE MOON IS MY CALENDAR and and pre-order yours today, yippee!

On today’s episode we explore the Taurus-Scorpio axis in astrology and ground it into the context of seasonal cycles, creativity, the houses in the birth chart, and personal lived experiences. I am delighted to have Bronwyn Simons Astrology back for our ongoing conversation of the Lunar Currents series!

Learn about the interplay between "roots" (Taurus) and "blooms" (Scorpio), and how these are not separate entities but parts of a continuous process of fertility and growth related to creative practices, personal journeys, and the cyclical nature of life. We both give examples of the alchemical experience of integrating these seemingly opposing forces and how this also relates to the houses in the birth chart.

Bronwyn and I also discuss the challenges of harmonizing seemingly opposing forces, particularly in relation to health, spirituality, daily life, family, and creative pursuits — and why every full moon plays a big role in the alchemical process.

This episode explores themes that we will personalize and go deeper with in our upcoming workshop: Stars and Roses: Astrology and Creativity for Maytide

WORKSHOP LINK

Friday, May 2, 1 -2:30 Pacific Time and by replay.

You can join us by registering here: https://astrologygoddess.mykajabi.com/offers/gLqLsZoL/checkout

Or, the workshop is FREE for all our beloved paid subscribers on Substack. Become a paid subscriber today and you’ll automatically be registered for the workshop!

We would love you to join us for this hands-on exploration to celebrate the Taurus cross-quarter holiday (known to some as Beltane or May Day), one of the most fertile and creative points in the Wheel of the Year.

Bring a journal, your birthchart, and something to write and draw with.

If you love this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or refer a friend - thanks so much for listening!

Links and Mentions

* Upcoming workshop: Stars and Roses: Astrology and Creativity for Maytide

https://astrologygoddess.mykajabi.com/offers/gLqLsZoL/checkout

* Book of Houses by Robert Cole and Paul Williams

* Bronwyn Simons and the Esoteric Zodiac on substack

* Previous episode about the Harvest Cycle and the Lunar Cycle

https://themoonismycalendar.substack.com/p/10-decoding-the-lunar-and-harvest-78c

Thanks for reading Between the Moon! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Today’s podcast is a solo episode about the role of gestation in creative cycles while exploring the nature of simultaneous and sequential cycles and how lunar tracking and plants help us deepen our trust when faced with the unknown.

Listen and explore:

* the role of gestation in creative cycles

* how cycle can be both simultaneous and sequential

* the differences between trust and faith

* themes of the pisces new moon

* accessing imagination and fertile visions

* pacing with plants to connect creativity with seasonality

* a personal story connected with the lunar gestational cycle

Learn how lunar tracking and plant kin help us deepen our trust while experiencing the gestational phase. I hope this episode helps you become inspired and feel more connected with your unique creative cycles, especially if you are feeling stuck.

creative cycles

Cycles are waves when you unfold them, and part of lunar tracking is to learn to ride your our energetic waves. This isn’t about getting it perfect or hacking your life to always be productive, rather to be in-season with yourself and the world around and within you.

gestation: development over a period of time

Most everything has a gestational period, which is like the hang time between something ending and beginning. It’s a phase. And it’s energetically connected with the sign of Pisces and the activities of the 12th house.

“The twelfth house is about getting ready. You do this by letting your dream vision permeate every cell in your body the work of germination is to really let that vision soak into all the different areas of your life, especially your internal life, and darkness and quiet.”

simultaneous cycles

The experience of simultaneous cycles is found in the overlap and coexistence of past, present, and future. Simultaneous cycles expand our awareness into pattern recognition which exists outside of linear time.

A simple way to experience the fractal nature of time is singing happy birthday!! This is a ritual that is a part of simultaneous cycles that include:- the solar cycle and the return of the personal new year - the life cycle connecting back to childhood and the repetition of cycles

In astrology/astronomy, “returns” are when a planet comes back around to the same position where it was during a given moment. A lot comes up during returns like solar returns (aka birthdays) because it is a touchstone and offers a chance to be in the space of overlapping cycles.

If you follow astrology then you can probably name several significant collective returns happening right now (Venus Rose Cycle Return and the US Pluto Return to name a few).

The trick is to notice what is surfacing from the past in the present moment, to make a choice about the future — not just re-live the cycle like a broken record. This is why lunar tracking is so vital and can help illuminate our experience of overlapping cycles!!

sequential cycles

In sequential cycles, everything has a beginning, middle, and end. This is a more linear way of experiencing a cycle. For example, the lunar cycle starts with the new moon, waxes to fullness, and then wanes to new again. In that sequential order.

Sequential cycles are expressed through the signs of the tropical zodiac and the three modalities:

Cardinal signs = BeginningsFixed signs = Middles Mutable signs = Ends (moving between different states to change out of the old and into something new: here, the end becomes the beginning)

Mutable signs are the death and rebirth doulas of the zodiac.

They are the most liminal and able to be in a place of not here nor there. A third space born out of a relationship between two things.

Pisces is a mutable water sign. It expresses the dreams of the artist and the prayers of the spirit worker. Pisces is the point where the mouth and tail meet. It’s the invisible bridge between waking and sleep.

lunar gestational cycle

In many ways the lunar gestational cycle is a hybrid cycle: both simultaneous and sequential. It echos backwards and forwards in a simultaneous call and response to the moon in the same sign yet different phase. It is also sequential in that moving forward at 9 month intervals.

I share a personal story about the upcoming Full Moon in Virgo and working with this particular gestational cycle.

New Moon: Sept 14/15th 2023First Quarter: June 13/14th 2024Full Moon: March 13/14 2025 ← upcoming eclipseLast Quarter: Dec 11th 2025

)) If you love this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - thanks so much for listening! ((

Thank you for being here, your presence is a gift!!April

SHOWNOTES / LINKS

* Join the New Moon Workshop in Pisces: GESTATE March 1, 2025 10-11am Pacific

https://themoonismycalendar.thrivecart.com/new-moon-workshop-in-pisces/

* Subscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@betweenthemoon

* The New Moon Calendar Journal is available in the shop! This simple and beautiful circular calendar and journal establishes the new moon as the starting point for each monthly cycle. It provides a structure for connecting to your inner wisdom and natural rhythms.

Order your copy with code MANYMOONS for $5 off while supplies last!

https://themoonismycalendar.com/new-products

On today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with the founder of the Way of Yin, Kris González about the lunar new year and how we can learn from the wisdom of the snake to know when to use energy and when to conserve and reserve.

I loved this conversations and I could honestly listen to Kris talk forever — her voice is so calming and so grounding.

As she writes in the newsletter that inspired me to reach out to record this episode: “2026 will be the Year of the Full Fire Horse, bringing major transformation and change. As a result, 2025 is a year of transition. We must be careful not to burn out. It's important to nurture and take care of ourselves in 2025 to endure the fire ahead. I hope this season brings you deep rest, a touch of magic, and time to spend with the people and activities that keep your spirit alive.”

Kris takes us on a journey through the elements starting with water with a special emphasis for women in their metal years (think Queen of Swords). She really helps connect the dots of how the energy of the elements comes alive in our lives at every phase.

In this episode you’ll learn about how the five elements give insight into the many ways life is sustained and maintained with extra special importance of the kidneys. At the end I weave it all back into the moon and how this all connects with the lunar cycle.

For those of you who don’t know her yet, Kris is a dedicated Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Herbalist, passionate about the Nourishing Life Tradition (養生 yǎng shēng). She founded The Way of Yin, a lifestyle education company focused on bridging the wellness gap in reproductive health through timeless wisdom.

Her courses integrate insights from Chinese Medicine Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine, The Five Elements, Herbalism, and Longevity Practices. Kris aims to share the profound wisdom of East Asian Medicine, particularly in the realm of the Womb Continuum.

The Way of Yin offers guidance to help you journey with more ease and grace, all while embracing nature’s wisdom and helping you connect to your body, cycles, and rhythms.

)) If you love this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - thanks so much for listening! ((

LINKS

* Kris González, L.Ac ∘ Chinese Medicine Practitioner 𖣊 Reproductive Health + Longevity Medicine ✨ website www.thewayofyin.com

* The New Moon Calendar Journal is available in the shop! This simple and beautiful circular calendar and journal establishes the new moon as the starting point for each monthly cycle. It provides a structure for connecting to your inner wisdom and natural rhythms. Order your copy https://themoonismycalendar.com/new-products

Thanks for reading Between the Moon! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Welcome back to Lunar Currents, a special feature of the Between the Moon podcast with your host April McMurtry of THE MOON IS MY CALENDAR and award-winning predictive astrologer, psychic medium, mentor, and astrology teacher Bronwyn Simons.

Today’s episode is like 3 mini-episodes in one!

To begin with, Bronwyn and I discuss practical wisdom for developing and sustaining a lunar tracking practice and why it is so important for these times.

We also share some personal experiences with our Progressed Moon Signs (link below to look up yours) as an example of tracking our awareness with a particular cycle that brings us into deep relationship with each of the signs.

And then we play a little guessing game with two of the planets who are preparing to make some big moves next year. The suggestion we offer to track when the moon moves from Pisces to Aries each cycle is one way to get a sense of the upcoming conjunction of Saturn and Neptune.

Join our Mercurial minds as we explore how Standing on the Seawall is more than just a metaphor for the interplay between these planets as we navigate unprecedented times in deciphering illusion and reality.

Here is a timeline of dates for the the interplay of Saturn and Neptune as they approach a new synodic cycle at the Big Bang Degree of 0 degrees Aries in Feb 2026.

Saturn & Neptune both in Pisces: March 2023 - March 2025Saturn in Pisces, Neptune in Aries: March 2025 - May 2025Saturn & Neptune both in Aries: May 2025 - Sep 2025Saturn & Neptune return to Pisces: Oct 2025 - Jan 2026Neptune enters Aries again: Jan 26 2026Saturn enters Aries again: Feb 13 2026Saturn/Neptune conjunction at 0 Aries: Feb 20 2026Saturn & Neptune both in Aries: Feb 2026 - Apr 2028

Dates drawn from the Lady Cazimi article linked below.

)) If you love this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - thanks so much for listening! ((

The New Moon Calendar Journal is available in the shop! Order your copy today.

This simple and beautiful circular calendar and journal establishes the new moon as the starting point for each monthly cycle. By using a circular calendar you perceive time in relation to nature more clearly, and patterns in your own experience become more apparent. It provides a structure for connecting to your inner wisdom and natural rhythms.

LINKS

* Join me for a Calendar Countdown for the New Moon after Solstice. Sign up for my newsletter:https://themoonismycalendar.com/moonletters-sign-up

* Calculate your Progressed Moon Tutorial: https://themoonismycalendar.com/articles/find-your-progressed-moon-sign

* Link to order your copy of for lunar tracking:https://themoonismycalendar.com/new-products

* For more in-depth analysis of the planetary interplay check out the article by Steph Koyfman - Reality Undefined: The Saturn/Neptune Years (2023-2028)https://www.ladycazimi.com/blog/saturn-neptune-conjunction-pisces-aries

* We mention AI art and our visions of reality towards the end of the episode, and I just came across an episode of the All My Relations Podcast for anyone who might not be aware of the devastating impacts of data and the heat it produces to engage with AI and all the devices that are a part of daily life. The conversation is super smart and funny/not funny at the same time!https://www.allmyrelationspodcast.com/podcast/episode/7b45f1e5/indigenous-ai-revolution-or-colonizer-b******t

On today’s episode Bronwyn and I discuss how astrology can help us become more focused and grounded in our body and spirit to meet the moment. We look at how working with the moon can help us emotionally prepare for some of the more dramatic shifts coming next year.

Some things that are happening right now may feel way too big to take in all at once, like the election and the uncertainty of what that hold for the climate, women’s rights, immigration, and international relations.

Why this matters? From now through next year the generational planets including Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are all changing signs.

Working with astrology can help us see where the arc of our own lives touches the greater arc of history. Bronwyn goes into specifics about this in the episode so definitely listen to the end!

In our conversation we discuss the incredible value of lunar tracking and being present with our hearts, emotionally prepared, and clear about our role during these pivot points. There is a layering effect that happens in the personal and the collective.

This episode is a little taste of what we will share on our community call on Tuesday Nov 12th: Distilling 2024 and Reviewing the Transits and Moon Cycles of the Year.

Join us here: https://astrologygoddess.mykajabi.com/offers/SpzpwaQH/checkout

You can join us for FREE! If you purchased the New Moon Calendar Journal last year or have pre-ordered yours for 2025 just send me your order number and I’ll give you the code to register us at not cost.

This is a supportive way to digest and integrate some of the changes from this year to feel more fortified to meet the challenges for next year.

All of the planetary changes will create a big shift in the cycles and the energy that is present. Especially moving from Pisces to Aries.

It’s the most extreme transition in the zodiac to go from the ending to the beginning.

From the dream realm and land of spirit to direct action.

For example: Saturn will finish his journey through the whole zodiac and move from Pisces into Aries. As Bronwyn shares in the episode:

What we hope to distill from any planets transit through Pisces is the spiritual fortitude and structures to then move wisely into the action and initiative that is required in Aries.

We're taking the spiritual and creative structures that we've been nurturing over the last couple of years and distill and carry those forward into action taking and Aries style structures that we will be creating for the next two and a half years, starting midyear next year.

So the Saturn and Pisces question: How can I create more spiritual integrity in my life … becomes: How can I take that integrity into action and initiative?

Thank you so much for listening - looking forward to seeing you this Tuesday!

Warmly,April

Calendar pre-sales will begin shipping in the next couple weeks!!! Use code: LUNARFLOW for 10% off when you purchase your copy of the New Moon Calendar Journal in the shop: https://themoonismycalendar.com/new-products

Image of sun and moon trees from Manuscript by Franciscan friar and alchemist Jean de Roquetaillade in 1350.

Hello dear listener,

As you know, the lunar cycle helps us pay attention because it’s always changing. Lunar tracking shows us how to find our own rhythm and energy amidst the fluctuations. It reminds us that we don’t have to fix ourselves - and can actually help us feel empowered to be more in-season with where we are at currently.

On today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with published author and coach Vanessa Wright about ways to feel empowered and flow with life’s challenges and how pausing can lead to transformation. She shares about how her practice of lunar tracking and purposefully seeing joy supported her through perimenopause to menopause, and the lasting effects this had on her creativity and view of cycles and seasons.

In our conversation Vanessa describes her experience of returning to her ancestral lands in Italy and a powerful Moonstory that marks a major turning-point in her journey.

Moonstories are what I like to call the moments in our lives when the presence of the moon was witnessing us at a pivotal crossroads. In these moments, we can feel like we are actually not alone and may receive new insight to continue on our path. I loved what she shared and I hope it inspires you to notice your own Moonstory moments.

We muse about the reliability of the moon - especially when things can feel unmoored or like everyone else is relying on us and we need something that can hold us - in this case during big life initiations like menopause.

This is a great episode for moms and people in caretaking roles who want to feel more inspired to find five minutes a day to connect with themselves to reduce stress and invite more awareness and magic.

There are some incredible insights we shared about not having to do it “right” with the moon, but being curious and noticing patterns to sense our own energy. Join us as we explore practices that are replenishing, but aren’t always the same - as we cycle through different stages of life.

Vanessa is a certified life coach, writer, seasoned homeschooling mom, and speaker dedicated to empowering midlife mothers through her FLOW method. She helps women reclaim their energy, creativity, and joy by fostering sustainable self-care practices.

In this episode she gives us a glimpse of her FLOW self-care method and the benefits of awareness at each stage of life.

Feed your body, mind, spiritLove yourself and lean into your season of lifeOwn your time and spaceWeed out what's not working and welcome something new.

Vanessa is a former contributor to the popular The Homeschool Mom blog. Since 2017, she has served as the special projects and content associate at Big Life Journal. Vanessa loves journals, stickers, pens, 80s/90s music, and reading five books at a time. She resides with her family in Raleigh, NC.Website: www.vanessanwright.comInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/vanessanwright/

Also mentioned: I shared a template for color-coding activities based on a book called 10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less (ifykyk).

LUNARFLOW: code for 10% off when you purchase your copy of the New Moon Calendar Journal in the shop: https://themoonismycalendar.com/new-products

In today’s episode we explore some of the themes, symbols, and approaches to practicing self-study in relationship with cycles for the upcoming eclipses.

Show notes below and image sources …

Themes in this episode include:

* Regular rhythmic repetition of eclipses

* Nodes as crossroads, meeting place, relationship between the luminaries

* Dream recall full body chills

* Offerings for gateway gods

* Nodes: where we encounter the mystery

* Surrendering to the sacred, and/or analyzing the details

* Pisces/Virgo axis

* Themes of dreams, spirituality, creativity

* Making offerings (is there a right way?)

* Protocols for working with Spirit

* Leaving space for grace and opening

* Rearrangements in physical and energetic realms

* Exploring different configurations

* Uncertainty, disruptions, unsettling quality, fears of lack

* How much instability can any infrastructure take?

* Contemplation of fulfillment and sensation of longing

* Compassion and bathing in forgiveness

* And more…

Pardon me while I take a side quest and study medieval calendars for the rest of my life, lol. So many fish that got away!!

Lunar nodes are a point in space where the orbit of the moon crosses the path of the sun. This alignment happens about every six months like clockwork.

These nodes change signs about every 1.5 years. They are always in retrograde motion, moving “backwards” through the zodiac. Right now they are in tropical Aries and Libra, but this one is crossing the line ahead into Pisces.

Phases of the moon are gradual.

Eclipses are sudden.

How do you want to be in relationship with this cosmic alignment?

The Metonic cycle or enneadecaeteris (from Ancient Greek) is a period of almost exactly 19 years after which the lunar phases recur at the same time of the year. Look back to fall of 2006 for the echo of this current eclipse season.

Have a question or comment? Share on the Substack post for this episode.

Love this podcast? Leave a rating or write a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it’s such a great way to support this work.

Thanks so much for listening!