Category: Energy Update

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What the Lion’s Gate Portal is … and isn’t.

Anytime someone says “portal,” you can color me excited. I love a good galactic energetic funnel right into my third eye – sign me up.

As such, I love the idea of the Lion’s Gate Portal every August 8th, a time to open the comm lines to the spiritual world a little wider, download some new info, get manifesting, tap into transformative energy, yum.

In trying to write from an astrological perspective this week, and I noticed … that was difficult. There didn’t seem to be anything super clear explaining what the LGP actually *is.* The deeper I got, the less sense any of it made. I believe in this portal, but I struggle with the explanations of it that are floating around.

So here’s what I can tell about what this Portal is … starting with what it isn’t.
 
(All the following examples come from online articles which are easily accessible – I’m not attributing because I’m not here to bash any one particular author … and, really, I’ve seen the same concepts restated over and over again in the last couple weeks.)

🌟🌟🌟 “Sirius rises during the middle of the summer.”

Okay I mean, technically that’s not wrong. But this is the full explanation given, and as such, it’s confusing and/or misleading. Sirius is a star, and it’s not circumpolar (meaning, not always in the sky) unless you’re below the 73rd parallel south, or in Antartica. So for most of us, it’s rising and setting every day.

What they mean is, Sirius has it’s “heliacal rising” in the middle of summer. This may sound picky, but to me, this means something very specific that is different than just “rising.” “Heliacal rising” means, “the rising of a celestial object at the same time or just before the sun, or its first visible rising after a period of invisibility due to conjunction with the sun.”

Okay. Next.

🌟🌟🌟 “This is when the Sun is in Leo and the star Sirius moves closer to Earth and aligns with Orion’s belt.”

So ironically, Sirius IS moving closer to Earth … all the time. It doesn’t just move closer on August 8th. I couldn’t find anywhere else that mentioned this, even as optical illusions on the horizon or whatnot, so I’m not sure what this one is about. (It’s also always aligned with Orion’s belt.)

🌟🌟🌟 “August 8 is considered official activation day, when the Sun and Sirius move closest to Earth and align with Orion’s belt.”

Maaaaybe this means, “when the Sun and Sirius rise together along the Earth’s horizon.” Maybe. But just to be clear, the Sun is closest to the earth in January, and Sirius is always aligned with Orion’s belt (in this millennium, anyway).

🌟🌟🌟 “Every year on 8/8”
No. Sirius rising with, or just before, the Sun, happens on different dates every year. The 8/8 power comes from numerology, not astrology. Also the alignment doesn’t just happen for one day – there’s a solid stretch of a couple of weeks where this energy is considered to be “open.” 

You’ll also see a number of explanations that say that 8/8 has been worshipped since 3000 BC in Egypt. That’s a misrepresentation – Egyptians recognized that, when Sirius first rose in the morning sky after being gone for the summer, that the floods were coming and would bring water to their crops and was a time for celebration (though I’ve also seen some accounts that say flooding = difficulty, so hard to know without digging more). It also marked the new year. … and in 3000 BC, this alignment would have happened in June.

🌟🌟🌟 The best description I’ve found yet came from a meme (from 2019):  “Now open: July 26th until August 12th: The Sun & Sirius’ synchronised rising is now clearly visible, appearing as two Suns in the sky. This activates a gateway between the physical & spiritual worlds.” – Alex Myles

Yes! Phew. All that is accurate to the actual behavior of the stars. Sirius is a massive star – far bigger and brighter than our own, thus “two suns.” Sirius is considered a connection to the spiritual realm, protection and safe passage from one realm to another, a messenger … all lining up nicely with “a gateway between the physical & spiritual worlds.”

And I find that to be a wonderfully powerful explanation. Two suns rising together, increasing our connection to the spiritual realms, enhancing abilities, etc.

Not to mention. Regardless of *why* you believe in the Lion’s Gate Portal, the sheer number of people who believe in it _give it life_. This is why I believe 8/8 will hold extra energy for many years to come – the sheer number of people who are opening themselves to the possibilities of that day will be palpable for those tuned in to energetic shifts.

So to review:
– Sirius rises every day, unless you’re in Antarctica
– It becomes visible again each year, after having been part of the daytime sky, in August (exact date dependent on where you are in the world). This is called “heliacal rising.”
– It’s always aligned with Orion’s belt
– It was seen as the harbinger of the Nile floods in ancient Egypt, and marked the beginning of the new year
– The Sun is closest to the Earth in January, not August
– The internet isn’t always right

The moon’s opposite Pluto today, through tonight (PDT).
If you’re feeling scared or maybe hopelessness, this might be a contributing factor.

(Whew!)

Pluto asks where you can transform. Where do you need to reimagine what’s possible.

For the next couple months, Pluto is sending us an energy I call “The Boundary.” This powerful position asks you to look at where you may be limiting your thoughts and expectations. Pluto throws these limits under a microscope for you to examine and tear down (if you are so inclined).

When you throw the moon in there in opposition, the emotions feel bigger and more difficult. Changes feel more threatening. (Cue fear and hopelessness.)

With a big energy like this, the first thing to do is recognize it for what it is. Desire to change on one side, fear of change on the other, with an extra boost of energy from the crowd that is the Universe.

This can make it just a bit easier to not claim these feels as anything that defines you. You may still feel them … that’s okay. There’s no shame in the big feelings. They help show us where we want (or don’t want) to go.

The Moon has a gift in this energy, too. The Moon is in “The Wanderer” energy – an energy of quest and adventure, of opportunity. The moon says, “this challenge from Pluto, feels scary … and, I can see some possibility here.” This energy recognizes that our lives are always changing and developing, and gives us an opportunity to peek through a new door and see what’s possible.

If the feeling is overwhelming, let yourself be in it for now. Tomorrow may feel better. Visit some of these questions over the next month: Where do I want to create boundaries? Where do I feel limited, how can I expand in those areas?

On May 16th (PDT), the moon will be back in this same relationship to Pluto – a good time to check back in. Has anything shifted since today? Do any of your boundaries feel stronger, or weaker? And if you feel that dip of emotion again on the 16th, remember that it’s an ever changing journey, and tomorrow is another day.

Y’all, New Moon on Sunday!

As an Aries energy, it’s about new beginnings, fresh starts. But hold up, that’s not all. When we zoom in a little closer, this positioning is the Archetype I call “The Expansion.”

It’s frisky. Wriggly. Wants to pop. It can be a time of brand new beginnings if that’s what you need. But it might be a time to explore what it looks like to have your shit level up.

There’s a secret hiding in this energy. Expansion requires detachment – a willingness to release the past, and move forward into the future without expectation or assumption about what will happen.

Wee bit of a paradox when we’re talking about planning for the future! That’s okay. The future is best held lightly anyway.

It could be a bit of an emotional ride this weekend as well – Pluto is square both Moon and Venus. When Pluto squares off with other planets, he’s shaking things up. I tend to hear Pluto as stepping up next to the planet and saying, “Alright, whatcha got? Bring it, let’s go.” Moon and Venus are deeply connected to our emotions, so to have Pluto square both of them at the same time as the New Moon energy, could be some feels.

In this energy this weekend, here are some ideas.

• Spend some time considering this weekend what in your life you want to grow in the upcoming month and year. You might journal, draw, do a Tarot spread, for example. Then ask yourself, what do I need to release in order to allow this expansion to occur?
• If the emotions get big, step back from them a bit if you can. You can say, “ah, here they are. Here are these big emotions, I knew these might show up today.” And if it is safe for you to do so, consider letting yourself feel through them. If you find judgement or shame, you can tell yourself, “I’m safe, I got this, there’s no shame in feelings.” So if you can and it feels okay, let them move through you and out the other side, and see if there’s fresh perspective there.
• You’re not alone.
• It may be that the big emotions are connected to the thing you’re releasing. This might be just the time to look at leaning in to whether it’s time to let go. And if it is, bring your attention to what you’ll be allowing in if you do. What gets to grow into this new space you’re making for yourself?

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If you’d like to learn more about which energies are getting all stuck up in your life, how about a reading? I use the Archetypes and some psychic wizardry to see what’s holding you up. If you’re interested, let me know. 💜🔮🧙‍

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Cosmic Details –

The Expansion
Detachment
Position: 29
Location: 20⁰ 45′ 0″ Aries – 26⁰ 22′ 30″ Aries
Hexagram: 42 ䷩ Increase / Augmenting / Increasing (Wil/Kar/Hua)
HD: Growth; Increase
GK: Expectation; Detachment; Celebration
Tarot: Four of Wands; Completion (Thoth)
Influences: IV The Emperor (Aries); XVI The Tower (Mars)

Y’all. The moon today and tomorrow has some intensity to it.

Right now and through tomorrow, the moon is opposite Mercury. (That’s not the intense part yet.)

Mercury is all about the mind and intellect. (Nope, not the intense part yet either.)

When the moon and Mercury are opposite (as they are regularly), tension can show up between our minds and our hearts, and there’s room for more doubt to show up to the party.

What’s especially powerful about today and tomorrow is not just that they’re opposite, but where they’re opposite – the moon is moving through a patch of sky that might be particularly rough if life hasn’t been feeling super aligned.

Up until now, particularly if there’s something you’re struggling with, today might have felt a bit like a knot in the stomach. Going into this evening, it might feel like you’re right on the edge of an important change. Where maybe anything is possible. Maybe there’s some hope for this knot to get untied, wouldn’t that be lovely!

From there, and through tomorrow, there’s potential for the energy to shift downhill. There’s a potential (not a certainty, not ever) for it to feel like you’re being obstructed from what you need or want. Particularly like others involved might be the cause – perhaps even an element of betrayal. In this place (I call it “The Cocoon”) we go inwards to find the transformation we need to break out. And as the opposition with Mercury ends, the moon moves into an energy of conflict.

Super cheery, right? I’m not all the way through the storm yet here, but it does get better.

The position Mercury is in has the potential to amplify all of it. Mercury is sending us the mental energy of an ending. Endings bring change, the shift from order to chaos … and the potential for doubt.

In other words, in an emotional energy that was already feeling rough, self doubt may be amplified for the next little while.

So. What to do?

One possible key to moving through the next little while with more ease, is to reframe doubt. Rather than pointing it at yourself (because you’re quite lovely, thankyouverymuch), and taking it off of the people around you, can you shift doubt over to curiosity and gentle inquiry?

Looking at problems from a new perspective can make a huge impact. Maybe asking a trusted friend for their thoughts. Or, sometimes asking yourself, “how can I look at this differently?” What that might mean is, try turning the situation on it’s head. Ask yourself things like, “what if everyone loves this thing I’m doing?” “What if this person I think is mad, is busy?” “What is another explanation for why this is happening?”

Sometimes it means getting out of the situation. Go for a walk. Run, jump around your house.

Sometimes you might find answers in unexpected places. Doodle your anger. When that gets tiring, doodle the solution – even if that doesn’t mean anything to you at the time, let your pen hit the page and see what happens. When you’re done, ask yourself if the answer is in your drawing.

Doubt and disorder bring with them the possibility of reimagining what’s possible. And if you suspect that you aren’t the one who can make it possible … I ask, what if you are?

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If you’d like to learn more about if there’s anything like this in your birth chart that’s impacting you now, and how to work with it, my Archetypes Chart Readings are opening to waitlist. Read more and sign up here: https://sonjathegrey.com/archetypes

About those Planets … here’s the deets!

The Moon is moving from 8° Virgo – 24° Virgo, Gates 40, 64, 47, and 6 in Human Design, Hexagrams 40, 64, 47, and 6 in the I Ching. Eight, nine, ten of Pentacles, The Hermit, and The Magician are all influences here.

Mercury is moving from 15° Pisces – 17.37° Pisces, primarily Gate 63 in Human Design, Hexagram 63 in the I Ching (It dips its toe into Gate 22/Hexagram 22 before the conjunction is over). Nine of cups, The Moon (ironic), and The Hanged Man are all influences here.

Today’s moon position is a pretty dynamic one.

Right now, we’re in Hexagram 54, “The Marrying Maiden.” This position brings an energy of transformation, of something shifting that is outside your control.

This can show up a lot of ways. It can feel frustrating if the change is something you don’t want, or are pushing against in some way.

And, part of Hexagram 54 is revealing hidden potential, bringing new possibilities.

So if we’re pushing against a change, this can be a really frustrating point in time. There’s no shame if that’s where you’re at, either – that’s a normal human response to change that can be in the body and feel outside of your control. And if that’s where you’re at, consider grounding techniques that help you feel safe – a secluded walk, a rest in a bunch of fluffy covers, a movie and popcorn.

If you’re feeling up to tackling Hexagram 54, the energy of this moon invites you to look to where there might be a chance to expand or grow as a result of the transformation that’s happening today.

As a daily energy, this could be a big event, and it could be something much more subtle. It might show up as losing connection to something valued, or it might be that the store is out of toilet paper (again). And as always, if something massive is shifting for you today, moon energy may or may not be of any use. You may find yourself saying, “EFF the moon, I want to scream” – then screaming might be the thing to try!

Now … here’s what I really like about the moon’s path today. The next hexagram is Hexagram 61, “Connecting to Centre.” This energy invites you to find your center, to get in touch with your spirit and inner wisdom and truth. It invites that grounding feeling, and is so very supportive following along after 54.

The tarot of this position is also wildly supportive. The 3 of Pentacles encourages you to reach out to your community if needed – they are there to support you. (If you’re feeling like you don’t have community, then hit me up, I’m happy to be an ear or a virtual shoulder to lean on.) The 4 of Pentacles invites in stability and control, with an invitation to release what doesn’t serve you.

The World card invites you to see all that the world has to offer. That can feel difficult right now sometimes (thanks, 2020). And for some, it might feel too hard to access, and that is absolutely okay. For others, this energy may be a welcome support.

Finally, you may be looking at the image and be like, “So Sonja, uh, Devil card is kind of the elephant in the room here, what’s up with that.” The Devil card has a lot of opportunity. Often better connected to Pan, The Devil card represents power, and all that entails. Pan brings the chance to see where you can release the chains that are holding you back, and let them go. 💜

I hope you find this useful today. If you’re interested in how the I Ching and Tarot connect to your own birth chart, I’ve released a new birth chart reading, exclusively from me @ Sonja the Grey. Send me a message if you’d like to learn more, or you can peruse the chart packages here.
💜🔮🧙‍

Tomorrow’s full moon is a brute, y’all.

Don’t fret though, I’ve got some strategies for you at the end. If you just want to jump to the hope, pop on down to the purple hearts. I won’t mind.
Ready? Buckle up, here we go …

The moon spends most of tomorrow moving through 17, “Following.” The moon in this hexagram is like being in a river with a strong current. All connected, a series of events moving along, with a flow that is hard to resist.

Just after turning completely full, the moon moves into 21, “Biting through” or “eradicating.” (Doesn’t sound particularly gentle, does it.) This hexagram is about cutting through to the core of things, seeking out the truth and ripping it out in its entirety.

The 2 and 3 of wands support these hexagrams – visualizing the future, making plans, expanding.

… Which are also supported by The Tower (Mars) and The Emperor (Aries). The Tower is a card of destruction. Situations collapsing to make room for the new. The Emperor represents justice, a firm and just rule.

Normally, this is a somewhat heavy stretch of days. And, it’s worth noting that the moon moves through every hexagram each month. Which means, every month, at some point, we roller-coaster our way through these gates. So whatever your experience of this particular roller coaster is, might be how you feel tomorrow, only amplified some, because full moon.

Or to put it another way – perspective and context are needed. Remembering that when looking at the day-to-day, the energy isn’t necessarily huge.

Soooo yeah, about the context …

Mars is in its own sign right now, in Ares. Which, you might have noticed above, is the same as the moon (Tower, Emperor). This amplifies the aspects of Mars – power, agression, anger, sex.

Mars is a planet of action. And, right now, it’s in retrograde, which has the potential to frustrate that action. Tomorrow specifically, it’s in Hexagram 42, or “Abundance.” So, amplify all that a smidge.

Then Pluto later in the week (and we’re already feeling this) becomes direct, which means that we feel the intensity of Pluto a little more strongly – revelation, truth.

Earth happens to be in 17 this week, too. Earth, where our sense of stability comes from, has been thrown in the current with little chance to steer.

And you know, #2020, and all that.

To roll all this together – tomorrow the energy is going to be a strong current of power. Energies that are struggling with power (in your life, or globally) might surge. More tensions might break.

That break is making space for something new. There’s big turmultuous energy in 2020 (and after), you don’t need an energy report to know that.

We’re tearing down a lot this year, which leaves space for something new in it’s place.

💜💜💜

So, what to do about tomorrow.

One of the first things is, maybe you don’t have to “do” anything. If you imagine yourself in a shallow river that’s got a strong current going, maybe the best thing to do is lean back, and let it carry you, until it opens up and settles down.

What does that look like outside of the metaphor?

• Observe what’s happening around you before you react. Is the event in front of you, be it in real life or on TV, being fueled by anger, frustration, testosterone? If it’s not something you need to engage with, can you shut it off, walk away? If it is something you need to engage with …
• Observe what’s happening in yourself before you act. Do you feel extra amped? Can you take a break to cool down before engaging? Even a break of 10 seconds, to just slow your breathing (through the nose if you can), might be enough, if you need to stay engaged.
• Make extra time for yourself tomorrow. Allow yourself extra time with things that settle you. Put your feet on the grass, breathe in the sky, stick your hands in potted plant dirt if you need to (if it’s okay with your plant). (Can’t decide if I’m kidding or not? Yeah, neither can I.)
• Start tomorrow morning with a boundary practice. If you already have one, tomorrow’s a good day to use it. If not, imagine yourself in a bubble that absorbs amazing supportive energy around you, and disperses difficult energies out into space where they can simply dissolve.
• Go for a walk. Movement tomorrow will help burn off the aggressive energies and help you regain your sanity.
• Treat yourself. Whatever that means to you.
• If the energy around you is okay … Take action! Tomorrow is a good day for riding the power energy toward your own ends, as long as you can stay in the flow and allow for shifts in direction.

Remember that tomorrow’s energy also holds the power to visualize the future. The ability to look past the chaos, into the space it will leave behind. To decide what will stand in its place.

I wasn’t going to do one of these this weekend.

Then, I read the energy for today, and I changed my mind.

Today’s energy is all about your mouth. … Kinda weird, right?

Today the moon is in Hexagram 27, moving in to 24 later this evening. Hexagram 27, is translated as “Nourishment,” “Corner of the Mouth,” and in at least one translation, “Jaws.”

As you might expect, the translation lends itself well to a literal observance of what you put in your face. Thankfully, though, this isn’t a lecture on a balanced diet, or staying firm in your keto plan.

Yesterday a friend of mine, Coen Vazquez, asked, “What food, after you eat it, makes you feel vibrant?”

After. Vibrant.

So many foods light us up before we eat them. Some simply make us feel satiated after.

Vibrant, though, is another thing all together. It may not be about perfect nutrients for a diet plan.

It may be about filling your soul.

Hexagram 27 is about nourishment. Fuel. It’s your literal, three-dimensional sustenance that fuels your body, heart, and soul.

Chai, for me, is one. Dried pineapple is another. Both of these leave me feeling so grounded, connected to life.

And, as you might suspect, it’s also about how you nourish your spirit, and the spirit of those around you. What can you take in today that will, as my kiddo’s preschool class used to say, “fill your bucket”? Who can you inspire, send love to, express gratitude toward?

As the evening progresses, we move into 24, “Returning.” Energy, spirit feeling refreshed. “A time of re-birth” (Stephen Karcher). Fueled by the energy of 27, we have an evening of renewal.

Both of these lend their energy well to a return to creative energy. This can be kind of confusing! Creative energy is about spending energy, not so much about conserving and refueling.

Which is ultimately why I wanted to write this today. We’re in a society that is driven by your ability to expend energy. There’s little in our world right now that encourages you to refuel.

We talk about it on social media a lot (especially because #2020), and of course we have the entire “self care industry” profiting off of how burned out we are.

Our system doesn’t support it … not easily. It’s why I’m creating my new birth chart system – to help people identify how they best refuel.

Because the system doesn’t own all of your time, and I want you to be able to fuel up in the way that is best for you.

Today, because of the energy that is in the air, it might be a little easier to notice what really fuels you up. What feels good. Sometimes, our experiencing of a moon energy is just our ability to notice. You might be having a crazy busy day – what draws your attention as something that would feel really nourishing? It might be easier to identify and make note of for later, when you have time.

It doesn’t have to be a bath with $100 worth of products luxuriously strewn about (though if that’s your bag, by all means, strew away.) (Did you know that “strew” was the present tense of “strewn?” I did not. I will strew something today, in honor of this knowledge. //rustling noises// … there. I strewed.)

It might be a walk. Or a chat with an old friend. It might just be sitting and watching your neighbor’s cat chase a bug.

For me, it’s a good cup of chai. It’s feeding the crows peanuts, and hoping the scrub jays don’t get them first. It’s divination, magick, and channeling my guides in magical places. It’s playing Runebound with the fam (which I intend to do this afternoon if all goes well).

What fills you up?

💜🔮🧙‍♂️