Moonkissd by Jessica

Capricorn Full Moon, Putting One Foot in Front of the Other

Jessica — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:28:36 +0000

I received my first rejection letter from a magazine for an article I’d felt pretty jazzed about, which was exceptionally disappointing because it was the kind of rare piece that just wrote itself. The cat died that same day. It wasn’t one of my better days. I had noticed the planets of Strife and Trouble hanging around my chart, Saturn and Mars respectively, sitting there smugly squaring the ruler of my sixth house (Neptune) of small animals, and work. But I didn’t blame them. I didn’t even want to. Instead I contemplated the cycle of life, how I didn’t expect Skippy to be recycled into the earth so quickly, but there it was, and there was nothing I or anyone could do about it. Her death became a profound teaching on being with the now. Compared to human deaths, where we tend to medicate, grasp, and fight against death thanks to the miracle of modern medicine, when the cat died, she was gone - literally. The vultures found her before we did. Likewise, I’ve been startlingly sane about this, my first official rejection letter (there have been others, but this is the first one in e-paper). I’ve decided this rejection joins me with the ranks of other artists. Real artists. Professional artists who once lined their office walls with tens of hundreds of rejection letters. I guess you could say my view of reality has changed and matured with age; I’ve become conditioned to rolling with the punches of life and seeing the reality of a situation through a more impersonal lens.

Cancer New Moon: Filling the Well

Jessica — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:22:15 +0000

Loading up the van with backpacks the size of small people, I helped my family make their way to Yosemite. As fun as they made it sound, those midget troopers lugging around an extra person on their backs, they were clearly gearing up for an adventure of a lifetime and said such. I, on the other hand, wanted a facial. I reminded them to think of my dewy pores covered in chamomile and orange blossoms while they faced their fear of death on a slab of granite. Suckers. I was looking forward to the alone time, the solitude, the slowing down after a month of Gemini madness where one’s only choice in life seems to be respond, adapt, respond. Following on the heels of inconstancy, I craved constancy, a long, drawn out and prolonged pause, to deeply assimilate my recent life experiences, read: a whirl of happenings, with the need to restore my inner self and spend time with the gentler sex, my woman friends. If anyone were to ask me during the past month what I most desired it would be: “I need ALONE TIME!” Isn’t this every Cancer’s battle cry?

Obama, McCain & The Times Ahead: Bay Area Astrologers Speak Out

Jessica — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:12:09 +0000

Are the Sixties about to repeat? Who will win the presidency? Does Barack’s hopeful message match the challenging times ahead? A panel of six Bay Area astrologers converged last Saturday evening to discuss, dissect, and divulge the next four years of cosmic activity affecting our nation. The meeting was arranged by the San Francisco group, the Bay Area Young Astrologers, where young-ish professional astrologers convene to share their knowledge and hear their voice.

People Actually Use This Stuff?

The panel answered some general questions about astrology. It turns out that horoscope readers actually make life decisions from those ’scopes.

“The general public will base life decisions on their horoscope,” said KT Fox, local celebrity and headliner for the event, who got on her soapbox about the importance of getting credentialed through accredited astrology institutions. “I always feel responsible for the information I’m putting out there. It’s amazing how many people in the world will use astrology of their daily horoscope to help them make decisions in their lives so that’s why I think it’s important we put out credible, accurate information.”

Guidance for the Times Ahead: Bay Area Astrology Event June 7, 2008

Jessica — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:16:03 +0000

We all could use a co-pilot, for these crazy times. Maybe you’re guilty of “google-ing” astrology and coming up with a smattering of predictions that kind of make sense. Oh, but what if you could gather all your questions and answers about, say anything from what the Age of Aquarius portends, to the chart of the next president of the United States - and posit them to a panel of professional astrologers? Finally!

KT the Astrologer, www.theastrologer.com (formerly known as Kelli Fox & founder of a ‘lil website called astrology.com) joins the founders of the Bay Area Young Astrologers, Bill Street, Rebecca Crane, Jessica Shepherd & Alex Villamil, with special guest Paul Bogle for an evening of astrological inquiry and mirth-making. Join them as they discuss upcoming elections, major planetary shifts and answer your questions.

Gemini New Moon: Baby Mamas, Nixed Degrees & Double Lives

Jessica — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:06:04 +0000

I went to a baby shower today. Observing the cooing & cawing among women, I felt strangely detached, a person who doesn’t speak the ritual customs of the baby mama club. I mentioned to my girlfriend that I wanted a baby about as bad as I wanted my wisdom teeth pulled. Seeing my husband with his wisdom teeth pulled just this week, and being on nurse duty since, a baby just seems like another mouth to look after. I ponder this duality between mom & not mom, I make mental notes as I introduce myself to others- I’m a stepmom, I do still enjoy Sex & the City, I’m a world traveller preparing to give a lecture in Italy in two weeks. As I introduce my self to the Baby Mamas, I’m shocked to discover I’m not only an obliquely Geminian character, a person whose whole, is made up of very distinct parts - some of them don’t even overlap. My stepkids will never see me dancing Burlesque; my single friends have never integrated into my married life (sometimes I question whether my single identity did); the Italians I will meet this summer will know me as the visiting American Astrologer, but Who is she? Will one ever know the other? Will the circle complete?

And Time Stood Still. Retrograde Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto

Jessica — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:46:12 +0000

They may say time stops for no one, but right now that’s only partially true. Almost half the planets in your sky are now officially retrograde. Mercury moves retrograde in Gemini, May 26-June 19 and if you don’t know what that means, you just haven’t been paying attention. (For those born yesterday & even if you’re not, Virgo Fern Feto Spring, an expert on such matters offers Survive & Thrive Guide to Mercury Rx ). But that’s not all, folks: Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto are alas, retrograde. Good times. “But,” as one of my clients exasperated over retro affecting a pending decision, “life doesn’t stop. I have to keep moving forward!” To this I reply: retrograde is a very good thing. Retrograde motion characterizes the inward-moving, yin cycle of any planet. We can apply the breathing room, information gathering and reflection time toward the principles any planet represents. This is an especially useful time for building sanity & repose around the larger movements of life.

Note to Kylie Minogue: Horary Astrology Helped Me Find My Hot Pants

Jessica — Sun, 25 May 2008 23:47:07 +0000

I lost my hot pants, along with several other items over the past month. I’m no airhead, really - I don’t lose things. So I took it as a sign. That maybe…maybe I should take full advantage of the divination spectrum that my craft, astrology, offers, by asking the stars for a little wassup? It’s been necessary. First, my cell phone charger -and then- my hot pants, both equally vital to my existence: mainly a girl needs to communicate, and a girl needs to dance. The good news is I recovered both. In fact, batting 3 for 3, horary astrology has saved my rump and my pocketbook every time - literally.

The Full Moon in Scorpio & Green Porn

Jessica — Sun, 18 May 2008 22:15:10 +0000

The nature-loving Taurus Sun season is simply lucious. Mother Nature is a big show off, like she’s pulled off some major collaboration of elemental proportions,symphonically playing her salt o’ the earth orchestra of light, color, and fecundity, beautifully without a hitch. She makes this natural abundance look so simple, so easy. So wholesome, so innocent. So…tooling around the internet one day my husband and I discovered “green porn,” a set of short films starring the lovely Isabella Rosellini. We could not contain our joy at this find! A ringside seat into the sex lives of insects - you’ve got to see it - it’s an irresistible watch. It’s like national geographic meets, david lynch, meets playboy, or in this case the Mr./Mrs. Earthworm Taurus does the 69 with Mr./Mrs. Earthworm Scorpio (watch & learn: you’ll get my drift). There we sat, curiosity rapt, relishing the rare look into the secret sex lives of bugs.

Horoscopes for Moms on Mother’s Day

Jessica — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:44:23 +0000

As a special Mother’s day treat for you, here’s a May horoscope for Moms written by moi!

During the Sun’s yearly passage through Taurus we recognize the valuable people and things that inspire well-being. Of course this is serendipitously tied to Mother’s Day - proving there are no coincidences.

Aries: Quality of life is such an adult concept, and quickly becoming an appreciable reality for you. Yet you retain your edge. Ruling planet Mars plays in your house of fun beginning May 9 and your inner child recovers her moxie to play with abandon.

Taurus: You’ve just been elected Queen for the first three weeks of the month. As long as Venus crosses your path, you are officially relieved of trash duty. The others will get their turn eventually. Right now, it’s all about you.

Gemini: Have you ever had the sensation that while one part of you is busy yapping, another part of you is conked out on the sofa? To the casual observer you appear engaged, but you’re recharging. Don’t resist rest. So when Mercury retrogrades on May 20, you’re amply juiced.

I Want More & Then Some: The Taurus New Moon

Jessica — Sun, 04 May 2008 20:45:00 +0000

The cat’s onto me. Skippy senses when I have a spare minute during the day, when I’m mulling over a thought between paragraphs, and jumps onto my chair for any scrap of lovin’ laying around. Within all the roles my self inhabits, there’s something for everyone, a nugget of attention here, an inquiry into well-being there, diet advice, astrological observations on the day. I do enjoy giving, or do I? Lately I’ve been wondering how to squeeze more satisfaction out of the simple exchanges in life, especially when it feels like there’s less around me. With the economy talk I do wonder if we’re being tricked into thinking we’re being squeezed into “less” on some level. Yet what of the more? More essential than these basic resources, like gold which clearly isn’t appreciating, what will appreciate over time are the qualities of attention, presence, and acceptance I bring into this moment. No squeeze there.