This year, the San Diego region has been experiencing heat waves and drought conditions that have severely impacted local wildlife. All over California, birds and mammals are suffering from dehydration and heat stress – especially this week, as temperatures soared into the triple digits and wildfires raged. Living adjacent to a canyon, I’m concerned for the nearby creatures. So, I was inspired by a recent FB post from my long-time friend Erin Western that showed a magnificent red-tailed hawk in her backyard birdbath.
Photo of red-tailed hawk by Erin Western
“We’ve had many raccoons and domestic cats come for a drink, and far more birds come for a quick sip (or a guzzle),” she told me. “But this is the first summer we have been blessed with a mighty red tail.” After he takes a long drink, she adds, “he sits cooling his legs in the water for an hour, then he takes a thorough bath, flies to our fence and preens, or sits in a nearby eucalyptus tree and calls to his mate.”
Erin and her husband invested in a heavy cement bird bath so that raccoons wouldn’t knock it over and break it (which had happened before.) But it was worth it to them, to ensure that mammals, bees, wasps and birds – including raptors – could stay clean and hydrated as temperatures soar.
Compassion for all creatures is a hallmark of Pisces. A tender-hearted water sign, it heightens intuition and helps cultivate a sense of oneness – but can also bring escapism or confusion. We’ll surely see all of the above near the Pisces Full Moon (Sept. 17, 7:34 p.m. PDT). And, because it’s a lunar eclipse in a dual, mutable sign, both the highs and lows will be intensified.
This partial eclipse at 25 Pisces is the opening salvo of a new series of eclipses in Virgo/Pisces which will activate that mutable axis of healing through early 2027. (Note: there will also be a few more eclipses in cardinal Aries-Libra, including the Oct. 2 solar eclipse at 10 Libra). Eclipses, even partial ones, can coincide with fateful endings, beginnings and twists of fate. As Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac, this one may have more to do with endings – especially as Full Moons represent culminations. Now it’s time to release old baggage, whether emotional or physical.
Falling as it does during Virgo season, the Pisces Full Moon has long been known as the Harvest Moon. It has also been called the Wine Moon, as it arrives at the peak of the grape harvest. Wine was essential to ancient cultures as it altered consciousness and brought on trance-like states (which are associated with the sign of the fishes.) So, the Pisces Full Moon was a celebration of the wisdom and power of the Divine – but the “spirits” being raised sometimes resulted in a little drunken mayhem as well.
As Neptune joins this Full Moon eclipse, make-believe rules the day. This dreamy, glamorous energy is great for creative endeavors, but we may witness some folks go off the deep end. And, with excitable Jupiter in changeable Gemini ruling the Full Moon (as well as squaring it and magnifying everything), we’re likely to see lots of back-and-forth moves, false info and crazy stunts – especially in relation to the U.S. election. However, since sober Saturn in Pisces opposes clever Mercury in Virgo just after the Full Moon, hopefully the truth will come to light and inaccuracies will get called out, sooner rather than later. As this lunation approaches, be sure to stay grounded, get plenty of rest, and avoid making decisions based on passing emotions or fantasies. For guidance, pay attention to your dreams and gut instincts.
Whatever craziness may arise, you can still work magic at this Full Moon. You might create or purchase something that symbolizes whatever you wish to manifest. For instance, if you need help with a creative project, buy a gorgeous journal to write notes in or some lavender bath salts to enhance your dreams. Or share a bottle of wine to toast an ending or a new beginning. Then draw down the Full Moon to bless your intention. An ongoing dream of mine is to be a positive force in the lives of animals. So, inspired by my friend Erin, I ordered a bird bath fountain for my front yard from Pottery Barn. The thirsty creatures will be grateful for the hydration. And I’ll be honoring fluid, life-giving Pisces by caring for them in their time of need. Why not join me? If you don’t have a fountain, just put out a big bowl of water for the critters at this Full Moon to celebrate your oneness with all creation. Blessed be!
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