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I write regularly at jessicashepherd.substack.com — soft, human words on healing, astrology & intuition:
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Capricorn Full Moon: Time for Kindness
I bumped my elbow walking out of my office this morning. It hurt. My first thought was, Well, Jessica you shouldn’t be walking out of the office while still getting dressed. Do one thing at a time, huh? As my elbow throbbed, I paused and felt the real sting. This reprimand stung more than the injury itself. Why wasn’t my first response to a bump on the elbow, tenderness? A memory of my grandmother surfaced, who, as she faced the difficult inevitabilities of aging -forgetfulness, lack of...
Cancer New Moon: Season of the Moon
It’s Cancer season. If Cancer season had a soundtrack it would be that of waves gently lapping on an ocean beach. If it had a taste, it would be sweet ripe berries. As the Sun warms the soul, when nostalgia beckons from the corner of our memories, this is the season to seek soul-contentedness because when it comes down to it, in a sweet and sorrowful way, summer stimulates our desire for happiness - be it a nostalgia for happiness past, or the happiness we want but don't have. I'm reminded of...
Clearing the Energy of Persecution
To listen, click the arrow above or download right here. Do you ever feel made wrong by others? Do you ever find your self irrationally fearing judgement or punishment from others? As sometimes happens, in tune with the planets, we have experiences of energy that filter into our consciousness wanting to be cleared. This week, with Neptune changing directions and Saturn opposing the Sun, a theme has been persecution. One client said she has been told, by three different psychics, she was once...
Book Review: Moon Power
Simone Butler's sumptuous new book Moon Power quietly arrived on my doorstep as if brought by fairies (our road is closed, and we rarely have the luxury of door to door delivery anymore, so this was exceptional). Many of you know Simone from Mooncircles.com, where she shares her monthly musings, or perhaps you've seen her articles on Astro Feng Shui appear in The Mountain Astrologer and on her website Astroalchemy. I did a little email Q&A with Simone to bring some love to the beloved...
Sagittarius Full Moon: Strawberry Moon
Listen by pressing "play" above, or download as MP3 here. Some days trying to find myself is like trying to find keys in a snowstorm I know She is there but I can’t see her The motion, energy and debris flies around, obscuring vision, clarity, knowing In those moments that feel like days, In those days that feel like weeks, I am lost but not lost Confused but certain That if I could lift this veil If I could give back all that I did not ask for nor want The electricity in the air Your...
Gemini New Moon: Inner Listening
Click here to download audio recording of this essay as an MP3 I’d been getting reacquainted with yoga, lately, trying to get with a more conscious version of yoga. I don’t need yoga for exercise, I walk my dog and do cardio every day. I wanted a practice to deepen my awareness, to turn up the volume on my inner listening. Boy, did I get that. In even the gentlest of yoga postures, my body began rebelling. No! It screamed in the bridge pose. Uncomfortable! To the downward dog. I began feeling...
Video: How to Align with True Self Change
You are ready to make a major change -in your relationship patterns, living situation, choice of work, etc. How do you know whether you're making a True Self choice -one that will bring new, exciting growth- or you're just replicating an old pattern? Tune into your energy body. You can watch the video above or read the transcript, below. The precipice of change is daunting No matter how progressive or adventurous we fancy ourselves to be It’s human nature to resist and fear change at...
Taurus New Moon: Earth Magic
Venus, planet of the Divine Feminine, rules this New Moon. Due to her retrograde, Venus in Pisces has been conjunct Chiron and square Saturn for most of April, bringing relationship frustrations, feelings of helplessness, loss and existential loneliness to surface. Taurus New Moon has healing magic in it, Earth Magic. Take the parts of you that have fragmented, from confusion, fear and hurt into Mother Nature.
Libra Full Moon: Spring Cleaning
We had a real estate agent visit our house this weekend and we saw our house through his eyes. Our 1930’s cottage is quirky in the extreme, and he was sensitive with us about it. Yet both of us replayed his comments for the next few days--from the assumptions that the kids painted the poetry on the stairs (mmm, no, that was me) to the remark that each room, unique in color and personality, looks like its in a different house. Buyers are looking for a unified theme, he said. The first thing we...
Simple Release Ritual
This is a simple way to shift stuck energy. I've used this method of working with relationship energy, spiritually, for years, and been amazed not only at the difference I've felt afterwards, but how others' respond as if they were healed, too. Often we don't need to have "the conversation"- the one that brings up old wounds and potentially reopens bad feelings. Instead, we can effect a shift with Spirit. To Forgive Others: Sit quietly in meditation. Ground and call in any protection or light....
