THE LEO NEW MOON HELPS YOU BECOME WHO YOU WERE BORN TO BE

TONIGHT's Leo New Moon is your opportunity to let your inner Sun shine forth so that you become the being you were born to be.

In the Religion of Antinous we call this the SACERDOTE MOON because it represents the priestly spiritual development of Antinous from boyhood to mystery initiation and finally to godhood.

Each lunar phase represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. The Spirit of the Sacerdote is Spirituality itself. It is holiness and sacredness personified.

The Leo New Moon is the fierce moon of kindling the flame of courageous new faith.

This is the night to kick-start your self-esteem, to jump-start the dead battery that is your career or your love life or your artistic ambitions.

We all know the feeling -- chronic low self-esteem, chronic insecurity, a habitual feeling of powerlessness, of being at the mercy of others.

Take heart!

We are approaching one of the most sacred periods in our Liturgical Calendar. ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD is saddling up and preparing to engage in the SACRED LION HUNT.

The LEO NEW MOON which ushers in the season of the SACRED LION HUNT. Antinous fights the lion and grapples with the lion -- he and the lion become ONE and the SAME -- they join forces to create divinity -- HOMOTHEOSIS.

The awe-inspiring "Strength" card (shown here) from Stevee Postman's COSMIC TRIBE TAROT beautifully symbolizes what we are talking about.

During the LEO NEW MOON, we have the opportunity to shine. There's an ebullient child-like energy that draws forth the playful and creative self that resides within. Yet, when doing so care is usually taken since Leo wants to be nothing if not dignified.

The Sun God sign Leo aligns us with a feeling of wanting to be recognized and embraced for the special being we are. If other people's interactions with and attitudes towards us do not meet with these expectations, our pride is hurt and we roar with indignant rage.

Which is not a bad thing. Most gay men have problems expressing anger. We have been taught to be "nice" boys. We have been brainwashed to believe that "nice" means never daring to speak up for ourselves, never taking care of "Number 1". The result is that our pent-up rage sometimes makes us turn into a wild and raging beast -- the lion!

ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD has mastered the art of grappling with those leonine energies. He shows us that it is possible to become one with our "inner lion" -- without being devoured by it.

He shows us how to harness the enormously powerful Leonine energies inside us in order to boost our self-esteem, to end our powerlessness, and to energize us into standing up for ourselves with dignity and pride.

Antinous allows us to see how important it is to be generous in spirit and to radiate our inner light to those around us. He shows us how if we do not let our vital energy flow,  we may experience stress, tension and RAGE in our hearts, bodies, and mind. The Leo New Moon reminds us that we should proudly express our essential  self -- a being that has great gifts to offer those with whom it orbits.

The SACRED LION HUNT demonstrated to Hadrian and the world -- and most importantly to Antinous himself -- that Antinous was no longer a common-born kid from the provinces. It showed that He was on the road towards Divinity.

The New Moon in Leo is also special to the Religion of Antinous because the Leo New Moon is creative and playful. The Leo New Moon is a bit of a show-off and likes to be in the spotlight, with all heads turned his way -- as with the Beauteous Boy himself.

The Leo New Moon is also eager to throw out old and ineffective habitual ways of thinking -- "I'm old, fat and stupid" "I'm unworthy" -- and eager to go for new solutions which will help us to get out of the rut which has become our everyday lives.

Many of you are familiar with the experience of waking up to the fact that your life is no longer working the way you have set it up. Sometimes this is due to a shift occurring inside yourself over time, and sometimes it is part of the larger shift that is currently affecting all humanity.

Change is happening at such an increased rate that it is difficult to predict what the future holds. As a result, many of the old ways of planning out a life are no longer applicable, and if you cling to them you feel strangely out of tune with reality. If you are in tune with the LEO NEW MOON energies around you, you will begin to question ideas that just a few years ago seemed sensible.

In the simplest terms, the shift you are undergoing right now has to do with recognizing yourself as being more than human -- the process we call HOMOTHEOSIS -- remembering that your earthly aspects are a very small part of who you are.

In truth, you are a multidimensional being. Gay-Man-Godliness-Becoming-the-Same.

When you begin to realize this, the life you planned for a limited conception of yourself no longer fits. You must meet the needs and qualifications not only of your body (the "monkey" as Flamen Antonyus calls it) but also of your Spiritual Heart. 

This realization dawns slowly for some and with the suddenness of a bolt of lightning for others, and each of you must find the way that works for you to integrate this new and larger sense of self into your life plan.

Tonight during this Leo New Moon, take time to reflect on becoming who you were born to be. Rather than focusing on a specific task, go to the center of your heart and meditate on the core strength of your soul. 

Perhaps you are here to bring beauty, whether through art, justice, or fashion. Perhaps you are here to help heal the  offering of the world, whether through your writing, activism, or as a physician. 

Or maybe you are here to bring insight and truth where there is confusion and ignorance....

By the way, Leo rules the heart, spine, and hair. Pay extra attention to these parts of your body around the time of this Leo New Moon.

LAPIS LAZULI FOR THE SACERDOTE MOON By Our Crystal Meditation Advisor Martin Campbell

OUR fabulous astrology expert Hernestus has informed me that today is the The Leo New Moon or "Sacerdote Moon" of Antinous". Hernestus suggests that this moon will encourage us to focus on spiritual insight and invigorating your connection with your spirit guide.

Spirit guides come in many forms and watch over every aspect and object in our lives. We are used to the concept of (typically!) a native American standing at our shoulder and gently guiding us down the right path. 

Or maybe a specific angel who you identify with and gives you particular aspects of their soul to guide you. 

These are correct for many people - but not all. You see these guides, angels, saints, gods - whatever you want to call them - are divine aspects of you. You simply call in divinity to support and guide you in any way you need. So you can have a guide to help you with writing, numbers, emotion, mending a broken computer or choosing the right shirt for that important date.

Soman and I regularly call for such divine help. If we have lost something or need help with something we ask the angel of that 'thing' to help us. 

For example, we were putting up some new light fittings. We are no electricians so some things baffled us. We consciously called on the angels of light fittings to help us. 

Within minutes we had figured it out and the lights were up and working!

So what crystals would make this connection to such guides more fluid and significant? I would suggest the following:

Kyanite - these crystals are typically banded layers of crystal - often in roughly rectangular chunks. There are various colours. It can be used to  make a clear connection to the divine spirit you need at any given time. 

Lapis Lazuli - these are fabulous, deep blue, stones flecked with gold. They have many dramatic aspects to them which made them much sought after by ancient priests, Kings, Queens and Emperors.

The Pharoahs of ancient Egypt often incorporated them into their jewels (top photo). Part of the attraction was that Lapis assists the holder/wearer to quickly connect with a spirit guide.

In Light and Life,

MARTIN

To get more advice from Martin Campbell and to find out how to contact him CLICK HERE.

ASTRO FORECAST: AUGUST 9th—19th, 2018

Antinous Astrology Forecast

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AUGUST 9th to 19th, 2018

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9th, 2018

On Thursday, your brain is ablaze with often confusing and conflicting ideas when Retrograde Mercury aligns with the Sun. Old astrology texts dating back to Ancient Rome call this a potentially hazardous time, and speak of a "Scorched Mercury" which impairs communications and judgement. But in ANTINOUS MOON MAGIC, we see that very differently. This Sun/Mercury conjunction is indeed intense, but in a positive way. Antinous/Mercury focuses the gay spiritual light of his heavenly father Ra-Herakhte right at you. Open your spiritual heart to the light and joy and permit it to burn away all doubt and all fear and trepidation. Most people live in spiritual darkness. They are like people who live in caves and are afraid of sunlight because it hurts their eyes. But should we shun the light and stay in the cave with them? Antinous/Mercury says it's safe to open your spiritual eyes — and spiritual heart — and become accustomed to the light.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10th, 2018

On Friday, Venus is in a 90-degree right-angle square to stubborn Saturn. Venus-square-Saturn means that relationship discussions are fraught with stumbling blocks. And because Venus and Saturn also have a role to play in money and business, you can expect problems in that area as well.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11th, 2018

On Saturday, we come to the Leo New Moon. That is the lunar phase we call the SACERDOTE MOON which spiritually kick-starts your life ... Take time to reflect on becoming who you were born to be ... Rather than focusing on a specific task, go to the center of your heart and meditate on the core strength of your soul ... Perhaps you are here to bring beauty, whether through art, justice, or fashion ... Perhaps you are here to help heal the offering of the world, whether through your writing, activism, or as a physician ... Or maybe you are here to bring insight and truth where there is confusion and ignorance.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12th, 2018

On Sunday, Mercury is in a tight, 90-degree square angle to Jupiter. Beware of online websites that promote gross exaggerations or promises that sound too good to be true — because most likely they aren't true. Or on a whim, you might take on a large assignment on the mistaken belief that you can easily manage it, when in fact it overwhelms you. Moderation and caution are the keywords for Mercury square Jupiter. On the other hand: don't be so cautious that you fail to buy a lottery ticket — because Mercury square Jupiter can sometimes favor the underdog with unexpected good fortune.

MON-THURSDAY, AUGUST 13th-16th, 2018

The big news this week starts on Monday, when Retrograde Mars reverses out of Aquarius back into Capricorn, which it left a few weeks ago and where it will remain until 10 September 2018 when it returns to Aquarius.. If you've been putting off important duties, the guilt is unbearable now, and you'll experience renewed focus to get things done. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, which rules time. Now you will be more aware of how precious passing moments are, and thus more likely to make a structured schedule. When you schedule your days, time expands. When you just leave it up in the air, time dissolves. Therefore, schedule everything, even — and especially — leisure time so you'll have more of it during this phase. It's also easier to get your priorities straight under this influence, as Capricorn has a tendency to get the most out of what's useful.

FRI-SATURDAY, AUGUST 17th-18th, 2018

This is a weekend when Mercury forms a sextile aspect with Venus even as lucky Jupiter forms an intuitive trine aspect with dreamy Neptune.This is the sort of day that the Latin expression "Carpe Diem" (Seize the Day) was created for. Be sure to buy a lottery ticket ... and be sure to share the winnings with everybody around you. As if that were not enough, we come to the Scorpio First Quarter Moon, which is the lunar phase we call the THIEF MOON in honor of Prometheus ... the first thief ... and it was thanks to his larcenous thievery that humans are not living in burrows and dens like animals ... Rituals and meditations tonight can focus on your "inner thief" — the things you rob yourself of — self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, for example. By robbing yourself of these qualities, you are vulnerable to real-life thieves ... Tonight's lunar phase is also reminding us about the ability to take what we need without asking in advance. It is about getting back what is rightfully ours.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19th, 2018

Aren't you tired of all the computer glitches, "lost" files, travel delays and snafus of recent weeks? Take heart! Now Mercury does an about-face and starts going forward again as seen from Earth, ending three weeks of Retrograde "backwards" travel. So you can safely message friends and co-workers a prediction that certain "lost" computer files or parcels will show up by the time they go to work the next morning. Mercury going backwards creates this sort of impish mayhem with matters concerning communications, documents and money. Misplaced tickets, keys, "lost" computer files, letters and packages which vanish into postal limbo ... all are typical of Retrograde Mercury. The "lost" things turn up again as if by magic when Mercury goes Direct again. A skilled astrologer, Hadrian no doubt amazed his courtiers by accurately predicting when some "lost" document or wayward courier message would finally re-appear out of no where.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between August 20th and 26th when when we come to the Pisces Full Moon ... In heterosexual astrology, the Pisces Full Moon is just a moon of sensual spiritual energy. But in Antinous Gay Moon Magic, this is the HOMOTHEOSIS MOON ... the archetype of gay sexuality ... when your sexual dreams can come true ... This hot Full Moon tells you it may be time to take your relationship to a whole new level ... This lunar phase helps you to deepen your love relationships in meaningful ways, making constructive compromises which allow each partner freedom while strengthening the bonds which unite you both ... More details next time ....

RETROGRADE URANUS OFFERS YOU A NEW KICKSTART FOR BIG CHANGE

WHATEVER you expect for the coming five or six months ... forget it ... because the unexpected will happen! 

Uranus planet of revolutionary change is retrograde (moving backwards as seen from Earth) once every year ... for about half of the year. 

On the global level, this means revolutions, destruction, disaster, assassinations and wholly unexpected political change. 

On the personal level, you will be forced to reevaluate your life. Retrograde Uranus is the proverbial slap in the face to bring you back to your senses — the kind of slap that stings, but for which you are grateful.

You can really use Uranus retrograde to your advantage. It is an ideal time to reflect on your life. 

Examine your past in relation to your future, and if there is an "Aha!" moment to be had, Uranus retrograde can help you find it.

Have you fallen into bad patterns of thought or behavior? Have you trapped yourself in a lifestyle or job that has not really been working for you, but you stuck with it because it was easier than changing?

Uranus retrograde makes you see what brought you to where you are, face your fears and take you out of your comfort zone, ultimately guiding you to the realization that there are better paths to take.

THE MOON OF LUCIUS AELIUS CAESAR THE TAURUS THIRD QUARTER MOON

TONIGHT  is the night of the Taurus Third Quarter Moon which we call the "Moon of Brothers" in honor of Lucius Aelius Caesar who was a veritable brother to Antinous at the imperial court of Emperor Hadrian.

Each Lunar Phase represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. The Spirit of the "Lucius Moon" is the Spirit of Brotherhood. This is the Kindred Spirit who accompanies you all your life and who is there for you through thick and thin. 

Even when all others abandon you, your brother stands by you. But he is no pushover. 

He admonishes you to do better, to straighten up and fly right, even though he himself is no paragon of virtue. 

This Spirit knows you a bit too well, perhaps. He is cocky and has a tendency to swagger and boast. He can be a free spirit who is a high-stepper, a bit of a dandy, a man with a chip on his shoulder, a brother who exudes "attitude".

On this night we remember Lucius Aelius Caesar (January 13, 101 - January 1, 138), who became the adopted son and intended successor of Hadrian, but who never attained the throne, dying of illness before Hadrian after a brief life of licentious love of luxury. 

Aelius Caesar is a major character in Marguerite Yourcenar's epic historical novel MÉMOIRES D'HADRIEN (MEMOIRS OF HADRIAN). Lucius, as we affectionately call him, is the recipient of much bittersweet love and adoration from followers of the Religion of Antinous. 

For us he represents so many pretty young men whose bright futures are thwarted by tragic illness. 

Aelius Caesar is often called the Western Favorite, because of the possibility that he rivaled Antinous for Hadrian's love. We venerate Aelius Caesar as the fallen Prince of Flowers, the spiritual twin brother of Antinous.

The Taurus Third Quarter Moon is about comfort and luxury along with practicality.

This is the night for ANTINOUS MOON MAGIC rituals on behalf of your "brothers", whether biological, social or spiritual brothers, and regardless of gender. 

This is the night you celebrate a brotherly good friend (generally male) who definitely is on your side.

Your brother shares your dreams. This brother may have a bit of "attitude". He loves comfort and style and can be a bit superficial at times. But he stands beside you to help you fulfill your dreams.

This can be a biological brother, but more likely a brother in spirit. He may tease you and be your rival but, when the chips are down, he will stand up for you and fight valiantly for you. Honor him, he is your brother!

CHALCEDONY AT THE LUCIUS MOON By Our Crystal Meditation Advisor Martin Campbell

OUR venerable astrology expert Hernestus has informed me that today is the Taurus Third Quarter Moon or "Lucius Moon of Antinous". Hernestus suggests that this moon will encourage us to focus on brothers and brotherhood.

I had an interesting insight into this once. Living in the Pagan heartland of England - Glastonbury - we see regular spiritual events to mark the Pagan calendar, solstices etc. Many of these involve a procession through the streets of the town. 

Glastonbury has the only temple to the Goddess (representing all of the divine feminine aspects of any faith) in the UK (and maybe Europe).

Consequently this little town (10,000 inhabitants) has the only national Goddess Conference attracting priestesses, speakers and delegates from all over the world. To end the conference there is a parade through the streets.

Soman and I had never seen this so we wandered down (2 minutes from our house) to where the parades start. We fully expected to see lots of 'buxom', middle aged women in flowing, tie-dye dresses, long hair and festooned with crystal jewelry. 

There were hundreds of them! They sang songs about their goddesses, played drums and chanted that they 'walked with the goddess' as the procession moved through the streets.

Then, suddenly, there was a surprise. There was a man on the parade! A gay man, carrying a rainbow flag and proudly chanting along with the women about his devotion to a goddess! I nearly cried with joy! 

You see we all have moments where our expectations and stereotypes get challenged. These wonderful women were devoted spiritual beings. Of course they would embrace a brother into their faith - especially a gay one! 

I too have female deities I hold in my worship. It could have been me walking, singing and laughing under that banner. 

These colourful women were my sisters and that  joyous gay guy in the parade was my spiritual brother. You reading this are my brotherly companions in adoration of Antinous. 

If you want to meditate on your brother, brothers, spiritual brothers or brotherhood in general I would suggest the following crystals to hold and focus your energies through while meditating during this moon:

Chalcedony - This beautiful crystal comes in many forms (stones, crystals, geodes etc.). Generally they are pale white, pink or blue. 

In ancient times (probably known to Hadrian who was paranoid about such things) Chalcedony was sometimes formed into chalices for leaders to drink from as it was said to dispel poisons. 

It certainly dissipates negative energy. Perhaps its key attribute, though, is to help us focus on brotherhood and goodwill to all men. 

Rhodonite - This red or pink stone was used in ancient times as an emotional ' First Aid' kit. It was believed to heal torment, shock and pain arising from deeply emotional situations. As a result, this crystal encourages you to focus on brotherhood and humanity."

Love and Light,
MARTIN

To get more advice from Martin Campbell and to find out how to contact him CLICK HERE.

ASTRO FORECAST: AUGUST 2nd—12th, 2018

Antinous Astrology Forecast

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AUGUST 2nd to 12th, 2018

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THURS-FRIDAY, AUGUST 2nd-3rd, 2018

This is the most explosive week of the year when Mars, which has just entered Aquarius (and has now turned Retrograde), squares off against Uranus, which has just entered Taurus. These are major sign changes and this week's 90-degree square configuration (the second Mars-square-Uranus since May 2018) will show us what we can expect from both planets in the months and years to come until Uranus leaves Taurus in 2025 — there might literally be explosions or at least volcanic eruptions when the warrior god is at odds with unpredictable Uranus. Pent-up anger bursts out into all-out armed conflict. This is a classic textbook recipe for assassinations and terrorist attacks. It definitely spells trouble for the world's hot spots such as the Mideast and Korea. And it does not bode well for health and environmental issues either. On the personal level, you need to be on guard for outbursts of rage. The important thing is to be aware where your rage is coming from. Don't vent your rage on innocent victims. Instead, be consciously aware of the source of your anger so that you can harness the powerful energies of Mars/Uranus to carry out constructive projects you have been stalling on for way too long.

SAT-SUNDAY, AUGUST 4th-5th, 2018

This weekend we come to the Taurus Third Quarter Moon — the LUCIUS MOON OF BROTHERS — when we honor Lucius Aelius, who was like a brother to Antinous in the imperial court of Hadrian. This night is when we celebrate our gay brothers.

MONDAY, AUGUST 6th, 2018

On Monday, Venus leaves guilt-tripping Virgo and enters lovely laid-back Libra for a month. As this new cycle takes hold in your life, romance and social interaction take on a greater importance for you. Harmonious ties to others are what you yearn for; refinement and elegance are what you seek. The ideal partnership, the perfect balance, the highest standards of truth and beauty — these are some of the things that quicken your pulse now.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7th, 2018

On Tuesday, the Sun is in a 90-degree right angle to Jupiter. This configuration provides great opportunities for success but also some tests of character. You can be very fortunate but also have to make your own luck. Lucky breaks and popularity can lead to an inflated ego and other excesses in life. For example, you may have a tendency to over-estimate your own abilities or resources. This could lead to a scattering of energy or wasting money on unnecessary luxuries. There may also be a tendency to accumulate possessions such as collections of a special thing, coins, figurines etc. It may be that your beliefs and morals become over the top and cause difficulties with others. Excessive behaviors are most problematic because these are more likely to affect your close relationships. Overconfidence can get in the way of making lasting friendships. The key to dealing with the excessive nature of Jupiter is moderation. You can still maintain a healthy ego but you won’t want to let excess and pride damage your standing in the world. Jupiter is testing your ego. Any arrogance or boastfulness may actually be covering for a wounded ego, or a lack of self-confidence. Yes, you do wish to be of importance, to be famous or wealthy and to receive the praise and ovation you deserve. They key to dealing with this aspect, apart from moderation, is to not get ahead of yourself. Focus your energy on doing the groundwork, the daily grind needed to perfect your special gifts.

Also on Tuesday ,,, Whatever you expect for the rest of 2018 ... forget it ... because the unexpected will happen! Uranus planet of revolutionary change is retrograde (moving backwards as seen from Earth) from now until 6 January 2019. On the global level, this means revolutions, destruction, disaster, assassinations and wholly unexpected political change. On the personal level, you will be forced to reevaluate your life. Retrograde Uranus is the proverbial slap in the face to bring you back to your senses — the kind of slap that stings, but for which you are grateful.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8th, 2018

At mid-week Venus trine Mars and Venus creates a magical moment. It is possible now to take a balanced approach to conflict, problems and projects that require effort. This can combine both a gentle touch and firm action, sensitivity and forcefulness. Negotiation and interaction with others could be aggressive and determined now, but also balanced with sensitivity and style. Any expressions of anger, frustration or discontent are more likely to be tempered with fairness, moderation and composure.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9th, 2018

On Thursday, your brain is ablaze with often confusing and conflicting ideas when Retrograde Mercury aligns with the Sun. Old astrology texts dating back to Ancient Rome call this a potentially hazardous time, and speak of a "Scorched Mercury" which impairs communications and judgement. But in ANTINOUS MOON MAGIC, we see that very differently. This Sun/Mercury conjunction is indeed intense, but in a positive way. Antinous/Mercury focuses the gay spiritual light of his heavenly father Ra-Herakhte right at you. Open your spiritual heart to the light and joy and permit it to burn away all doubt and all fear and trepidation. Most people live in spiritual darkness. They are like people who live in caves and are afraid of sunlight because it hurts their eyes. But should we shun the light and stay in the cave with them? Antinous/Mercury says it's safe to open your spiritual eyes — and spiritual heart — and become accustomed to the light.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10th, 2018

On Friday, Venus is in a 90-degree right-angle square to stubborn Saturn. Venus-square-Saturn means that relationship discussions are fraught with stumbling blocks. And because Venus and Saturn also have a role to play in money and business, you can expect problems in that area as well.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11th, 2018

On Saturday, we come to the Leo New Moon. That is the lunar phase we call the SACERDOTE MOON which spiritually kick-starts your life ... Take time to reflect on becoming who you were born to be ... Rather than focusing on a specific task, go to the center of your heart and meditate on the core strength of your soul ... Perhaps you are here to bring beauty, whether through art, justice, or fashion ... Perhaps you are here to help heal the offering of the world, whether through your writing, activism, or as a physician ... Or maybe you are here to bring insight and truth where there is confusion and ignorance.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12th, 2018

On Sunday, Mercury is in a tight, 90-degree square angle to Jupiter. Beware of online websites that promote gross exaggerations or promises that sound too good to be true — because most likely they aren't true. Or on a whim, you might take on a large assignment on the mistaken belief that you can easily manage it, when in fact it overwhelms you. Moderation and caution are the keywords for Mercury square Jupiter. On the other hand: don't be so cautious that you fail to buy a lottery ticket — because Mercury square Jupiter can sometimes favor the underdog with unexpected good fortune.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between August 13th and 19th when we come to the Scorpio First Quarter Moon, which is the lunar phase we call the THIEF MOON in honor of Prometheus ... the first thief ... and it was thanks to his larcenous thievery that humans are not living in burrows and dens like animals ... Rituals and meditations tonight can focus on your "inner thief" — the things you rob yourself of — self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, for example. By robbing yourself of these qualities, you are vulnerable to real-life thieves ... Tonight's lunar phase is also reminding us about the ability to take what we need without asking in advance. It is about getting back what is rightfully ours ... More details next time ....