When the circle of the year turns in September, it is a certain, defined clicking into place, one that takes us from the slow gliding forward of the carnival wheel into a very specific groove, and one of grounded understanding. It is a rest stop along the road trip, if you will, before the flurry of Fall begins. With Virgo energy at the forefront, we are being steered toward that which is necessary for re-entry into our workdays, school year, and witchy workings for the coming season. All now must be assessed, organized, planned, and readied. I laugh when I can see and feel a collective whirl of day planners, closet organizers, and lists being conjured – but, really, it is the purrfect time, mes amis! I might add that foxy new beauty rituals and potions when the Moon waxes, and good haircut when she wanes are of great virtue right now, and don’t forget your wellness: Virgo vibes insist upon taking charge of your fitness, diet, and overall well-being, so do not overlook this. If you hadn’t gotten that moving on the Virgo New Moon at the end of last month, do it now. You want to be in top form for the Season of the Witch – no droopy energy will be tolerated! That’s my fire talking, mignonettes, but in all seriousness, if your health has been suffering – and I know many of you have been dealing with this – please take this time to nurture yourself in whatever way you need. Seek professional advice if it’s too overwhelming, but do take care. We need your unique light to shine in this crazy world!
Our beloved Venus performs an interesting dance this month, as the enters the sign of The Virgin on September 4th. She comes flouncing in after having quite a spin with The Lion, and now… is being asked to sober up, figuratively. This does not thrill her. She is now responsible for being more careful in her choices, to be more discerning about with whom she spends her time, and certain of who she gives her heart to – as are we. Oh, yes, and money. Venus can be a bit of a spendthrift, and now she must be careful, choosy, selective. Value becomes more important now, with practicality reigning over sparkle. I know, I know…not fun. But necessary. We must take her lead, however eye-rolling it feels, and be more adult in our wants so that our needs can be met. To make this all more alluring, consider the Continental notion of le projet, or the thing we want so dearly, that we stay in when we would rather go out, and work with what we have instead of buying new to save for that big dream. It’s all very well understood socially, and encouraged. And it somehow feels and sounds glamourous, not at all like drudgery.
Dear old Mercury will retrograde in Libra on September 9th, too, which causes me to add a word of caution to the usual advice given during this time: watch for miscommunication amongst friends, lovers, and even family, as relationships can be confusing during this three week period. Be clear, but also kind. Remember that everyone is feeling the uncertainty, not just you. And please don’t do anything new to your appearance just yet. Regular maintenance is fine, but wait until Mercury goes direct next month while we are in Libra season for anything else.
Causing more dazed feelings to enter the mix is our Full Harvest Moon in Pisces on September 10th (5:59am EST) bringing Neptune’s desires for escapism center stage. With emotional wooziness all around, it will be tempting to retreat to an altered state – so watch out for too much of anything that numbs, be it substances or binge-watching. Instead, tap into Piscean spirituality and use the time for mediation, lucid dreaming, and certainly a fabulous bathing ritual. Allow the heightened senses to open up your creativity, to see all the colors available for you to conjure with! You’ll need to return to the body, too, as a way of gaining clarity. The Fish is highly impressionable, and you need to stick to your own path.
For this Moon, create your beauty ritual (and your magick) the night before, as the Silver Lady is void-of-course on this evening, and remember to be especially clear, with Mercury having just gone into retrograde motion. Conjure this delectable body potion while you run a warm bath for a sensuously scented soak that invites a gorgeous Autumn harvest atmosphere while feeding your skin, your sorcery, and your spirit.
Autumn Glow
Body Exfoliant
Conjures two treatments
1-1/2 cup coconut sugar
¼ cup coconut milk or cream
4 drops star anise essential oil
¼ teaspoon ground clove
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
In a beautiful bowl, pour the coconut sugar, and break up any large pieces with the back of a fork. When it is smooth, stir in the coconut milk until the blend completely. Add in the spices, one at a time, then the star anise. Mix it all together in a clockwise direction until well mingled. As you add each ingredient, focus on getting clear visions, allowing your creativity to expand, and raising your awareness to a higher level.
Keep this focus as you run a warm bath, or prepare a shower. Massage the potion onto lightly dampened skin in circular motions to boost circulation in the body, gently polish and moisturize the skin, and encourage new blood towards the surface for a celestial glow that feels almost too decadent – as if such a thing existed! Rinse well, pat dry, and delight in how good you feel. And, I must say, your skin looks gorgeous.
This glorious potion is creamy and rich, much like the consistency of melted chocolate, which makes it an even more lavishly sensual experience. If, however, you prefer a grittier exfoliant, just add a bit more coconut sugar until you achieve the desired texture.
Coconut Ruled by the Moon and water, coconut heightens your intuition and psychic abilities as it provides beauty fats for supple skin. It’s creamy, soft consistency adds sensual richness to your potions.
Star Anise This shining star provides antibacterial cleansing, pore reducing, and skin tightening benefits while minimizing the appearance of fine lines. It also offers protection and youthfulness magick.
Clove Decadently spicy, Jupiter-ruled clove oil kills bacteria and clarifies skin while conjuring love, money, and protection magick.
Nutmeg Jupiter-ruled nutmeg is an excellent anti-inflammatory for skin that can have a reaction to the changing seasons. It is also highly valued for its ability to open up our psychic awareness.
Beauty Witch Secret: Pour the leftover coconut milk into your bath…you’ll love it. In fact, buy an extra container and really get into it. Your oh-so-soft skin will thank you.
Well! Now that all your affairs (ahem) are in order, thanks to Virgo, you are most cordially invited to enjoy yourself: the lovely Sabbat of Mabon is upon us on September 22nd, just as the solar rays shine in gracious Libra. The second of the harvest festivals serves as the witches Thanksgiving, celebrating abundance, gathering, and sharing. The balance of dark and light is equal, both in the sky and energetically, in harmony with the equilibrium of Libra’s scales. Harness these peaceful vibrations, especially during this turn of Mercury, to find compromise and diplomacy in tricky situations. Watch out for the tendency towards being too compromising, though. Fairness is one thing, being a doormat is quite another. And, as always, bring beauty and love to absolutely every detail of your world – why ever not?
Just around the bend is a cornucopia of Autumn’s treasures, and what better time to set gorgeous goals then on the Libra New Moon of September 25th (5:55pm EST), when the air is ripe with beauty in all her forms. Not only is this an auspicious time to begin new rituals for personal adornment, but especially for our environments. See the world through the tinted lens of aesthetic pleasures, and life will feel that much richer – though you needn’t spend much. Simple touches work wonders, comme toujours! Enhance and embellish your space with delights of the season to come, as we prepare to spend more time indoors – eventually. We are still, after all, in a time of a certain wanderlust now, so be sure to visit places of beauty, too. Travel if you can, by all means, and if not, venture to your more local palaces of art, both natural and man-made. Your spirit will be fed, I promise.
This is a fabulous time for new environments, relationships, and social engagements, so do enjoy the changes. I have special concoction I know you will savor: a high-vibration libation lush with Venusian charm, and certain to delight. It’s from my new book, and if you haven’t tried it yet, you simply must! This one is cleansing, but never boring. Instead, I offer you a voluptuous ambrosia that keeps your body and skin clear, with age-defying magick in abundance.
Nectar of The Goddess
Elixir
Conjures one serving
1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
2 ripe nectarines, chopped
1 cup seedless grapes
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed, vortex bullet blender, and pulse until completely smooth. Hold the vision, and the feeling, close. You are bringing more beauty into your world, in all her forms. Dream up all the ways in which you could bring more of her into your everyday environments, and where you could wander to witness works of art, be they trees or towers, sculpture or sanctuary, faraway lands or petite corners of your own home.
This potion has a darling sweet-tart flavor, bright and blissful in equal amounts. You could certainly add a bit of coconut nectar, maple syrup, monk fruit, or stevia, but I hardly think you’d need it. The taste of the fresh fruits is potent and light, yet layered, and entirely satisfying.
Cashew Fiery, solar cashew lends balance here, with beautifying fatty acids, minerals, protein, and serious money magick. Cashews also protect against a host of degenerative diseases, and have a lovely creamy consistency.
White Grapes The fertile seeds of Bacchanalian grapes contain flavonoids which strengthen collagen and bones, along with heightened mental abilities and money magick. Grapes also offer intensified hydration, cleansing, and beautifying benefits to spare, thanks to their high concentration of water, fiber, and antioxidants. White grapes are lunar ruled.
Nectarine Venusian nectarine is truly goddess-sent, with gifts of love and beauty magick entwined with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, for pure radiance from the inside out.
Cinnamon Love, money magic, and potent healing are gifts of this sexy spice, alongside a heightened sense of psychic awareness. This lovely Fall favorite is loaded with antioxidants and boasts anti-inflammatory benefits, sure to keep you well during the changing seasons.
Beauty Witch Secret: You can easily transform this recipe into a more filling meal by adding a scoop of vanilla protein powder and a handful of ice, and blending until smooth. You can also make it richer (both in texture and calories) by using half cashew milk and half coconut milk, or lighten it further by omitting the milk altogether. That’s one of the many beauties of plant food – they are entirely versatile.
We bid adieu to September with the fair Venus breathing a sigh of relief as she enters her home of Libra on the 29th, for now she can set her gaze upon the things she likes best. And, as she sets about to redecorate her lair and indulge in more than a few beauty rituals, she will also be extremely helpful to you: Venus in Libra will allow just the right amount of diplomacy, and a formidable dash of her signature charm, to all these murky relationship waters that have caused confusion this month.
And now I must take my leave, mignonettes.
October is waiting, and you know what that means…
Love and Stardust,
