Latest on Substack
I write regularly at jessicashepherd.substack.com — soft, human words on healing, astrology & intuition:
Blog
Venus Retrograde 007: Operation Fantasy Fulfillment
How's Venus retrograde going for you? Could you use a little inspiration? Here's a story for you. For those of us in committed partnership, Venus retrograde can bring up those old, stubborn, hairy issues that drive us to the edge of sanity...and the opportunity to turn them around. For John and I, well, we have an airport thing. It's about nine years running. It goes like this: He wants me to take and pick him up from the airport. But over the years of providing said ride, I’ve learned he...
Leo New Moon: Diva Moon
“I had a diva moment,” I recounted to my sleepy looking husband, explaining the letter I received from a program for which I had applied that had asked me to prove my astrology knowledge by writing out a lengthy astrological interpretation for a hypothetical case study. “Are you kidding? I get paid to do this! Doesn’t my decade of experience as an astrological counsellor count for anything?" I exclaimed, feeling not a little bit self-righteous in my own justifications. “Okay. What did you do?”...
Jupiter Enters Virgo: Make Your Own Luck
Jupiter, King of planets, has left the sign of Kings, Leo, behind. Jupiter expressing through the robust sign brought: a rise in stardom (everyone can be a star, now), big egos and more recently, lions. As Jupiter expresses through Virgo, that’s the planet of expansion, in the sign of humility? Opportunity through: work and service? It doesn’t sound like King behavior. Yet over the coming year this is what we have. I was listening to one of those call-in advice shows yesterday. I only caught...
Feeling the Squeeze
Newsflash: “I thought a Jupiter transit was supposed to be good!” has been reportedly heard repeating across the heavens. Like the Chinese parable of a farmer whose mare runs off during planting season (bad luck), later returns with two stallions (good luck), the son is bucked by the new stallion and breaks his leg (bad luck) then the army rides into town to conscript the son into service, but leaves the invalid son behind (good luck)... Luck is like that runaway horse. We have the tendency...
Aquarius Full Moon: The Opposite Way
Thoughts about “future plans” have been buzzing around my head like flies. Choices I want and need to make loom imminent and large. Should I sign up for this class that could be inspiring (but what if I do, and I’m bored out of my mind)? Will a book project I’d once shelved rise from the ashes and end up in print? The only feedback I'm receiving right now is my head feels like it’s going to explode, and the futurizing is zapping my good cheer- signs I need a change of approach. Because the...
Cancer New Moon: Goodbye, Persephone
This Cancer New Moon is a Goddess Moon. Like the summer season itself, Cancer holds our nostalgia for and faith in good things: family, patriotism, apple pie, watermelon on a hot day, unconditional love and our belief in others' good kind hearts. This innocence is precious. When spread like butter on hot corn, it is compassion embodied, and it is what we Cancerians do well. Maiden-Mother-Crone Goddess reminds us to hold our hearts high and holy. Yet, at this lunation, something stronger and...
Capricorn Full Moon: Grandfather Moon
"If you can't get rid of the family skeleton you might as well make it dance." -George Bernard Shaw "Your ancestors send you good wishes." -Anon “You do know that we are descendants of George Washington,” said my cousin, who proceeds to send me a text image of the index card my grandmother wrote up in her wobbly handwriting, with equally wobbly evidence of this linkage, before she died. The first time I heard this story I was sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen, age 8 or 9. Every family has...
Make A Wish
Have you noticed the celestial good vibes circulating - feelings of celebration, goodwill, affection and love? Look up! As Venus and Jupiter visibly align in Leo this week (exact early Wednesday morning), we are under the influence of what the ancients called these two Greater Benefics (benefic=beneficial), and aspects like this one can cause us to feel soporific, in love with life, pleasantly lazy or indulgent. Marsilio Ficino is my favorite ancient astrologer-physician-philosopher. He used...
Sexy Summer Solstice Spell
My delectable friend Sofia Facebook'd me this morning...Y'know the pomegranate ritual? It's too effective. I've been celibate for 10 months; is there something or a ritual to do to reverse it? PLEASE say yes! I created The pomegranate ritual because using shimmery sexual chemistry as a qualifying factor for a partner, which while good at attracting a partner of the moment, never attracted a life partner for me. Instead of compulsively following the sexual buzz, I wanted to take back my sexual...
Gemini New Moon: Fresh Air
As a young school girl, I remember looking forward to this time of year. School was out and summer break beckoned: A three month stint of lazing by the pool, playing with friends, camping trips, trips to visit relatives and plenty of time to whittle away at my Nancy Drew book collection. Mostly I looked forward to freedom- from the ho-hum of same stuff, different day. By May I was fidgety and bored, ready as a bottle rocket to burst out the school door and while I didn't have the superpowers...
