Special Lucky FRIDAY 13th!***

High Feminine Energy is in the air today, the lucky Friday 13th that usually happens once a year. Enjoy it, tune into it and make the most of it! Why lucky? Why Feminine? 13 is a special and magical number for us women, associated with the 13 Full Moons we usually have in a year, linked with 13 times we usually bleed (have our moontime, menstruation), as our cycle links with the moon cycle. 13 is the number of blood, fertility, and lunar potency. It is associated with the sacred feminine, psyche power, magic, and emotion in various traditions, from ancient times to modern. In Wicca, the Pagan Goddess tradition of Old Europe, communicants convene in covens of 13 participants. 13 was also auspicious for the Egyptians, who believed that life has 13 stages, the last of which is death, the transition to eternal life.  When Chinese women offer moon cakes, there are sure to be 13 on the platter.  A turtle, which represents the Earth Mother, the Goddess in Native American, for the Chinese symbol of wisdom; in the Taoist Shamanic Tradition the shell of the turtle was the original 'pakua', has actually 13 segments on her shell!... 13 is the lucky number of the Great Goddess! Then Friday itself is ruled by Venus, the planet of transcendental beauty, of love, special self-love, sexuality, eroticism, desire, enjoyment, fun, attraction; and the planet which reminds us of our Divine Feminine within. And is associated with Goddess Freya, who brings us love, friendship, beauty, and reconciliation.    I think for the reasons above this number has been seen other than as 'bad luck', a myth that started essentially from the dark ages of patriarchy in church and politics when they used to burn women for their medicinal and psychic powers. Believe it or not, the Witchcraft Act was repealed in England in 1953!... Digger a bit deeper, this superstition about Friday the 13th may have roots in the biblical tradition based on the belief that the 13th guest on the "last supper" was Judas, whose betrayal caused the death of Jesus. But was said that Judas were part of the 12 disciples already! I remember growing up hearing if it was 13 people in a table the youngest one would be the first to die!... Now I wonder if the 13th guest of this "last supper" was Mary Magdalene, she had a special relationship with Jesus... Of course never mentioned by the Christian tradition, which also never mentioned the spiritual leadership that Mary Magdalene held because she was a woman. This was kept secret and just encoded in stories, only revealed nowadays from the discovery of hidden gospels. Friday was also: the day Jesus died on the cross; that Eve served forbidden fruit pie at her legendary garden soiree, was the day that Adam was expelled from Paradise. Do you know the superstition of the number 13th in the Western World is called triskaidekaphobia?    I found all so interesting as from fear of the Feminine Power so much was developed, but with that lots of women lost touch with their powerful and feminine self, even the understanding of their cycles, bodies and true nature. But I believe that is also changing and we should embrace this change to inspire others around us to do the same. The Tao ( = the way) of Feminine Empowerment, being powerful as a Feminine Woman filled with compassion, trust, flexibility and receptiveness. Tao of Feminine Empowerment, the Jade Circle® Workshops which provide the tools to support us in this path, through Ancient Secrets which can be easily applied and greatly benefit our modern lives. © Anamarta

Capricorn New Moon: Set Intentions, Manifest Dreams!

Moon Goddess by Josephine Wall 

And let the New Year, 2024 properly begin, with this potent New Moon!

New beginnings, fresh starts, solid developments or endings (the cycle of life-death-rebirth...) of anything that no longer serves you.

A few things for you to meditate on, whatever works for you: seated in meditation, lying down on the bed or simply contemplating the view. Here it is:

• Everything and everyone you are grateful for.

Give them a hug, (energetically or physically), ah, and this includes self-hug! (appreciation for your body and whole self!) ;) Also, to everyone you are grateful for, let them know!

• What you have done and have not done this year? (Based on the goals and ideas you set out to achieve in 2023)  

Although be light-hearted about this: I believe it's not an understanding from the mind, but more from the heart, which cultivates the acceptance of your own nature and life circumstances. There's really no point in focusing on the negative, just take it as a way to improve something or even to change it; as well as motivation and goals to achieve in future, as everything happens at the right time... the Divine Plan transcends us all!...
So going a little bit deeper: 

• What were your biggest challenges and your biggest satisfaction?  

To stir a bit of philosophy into it, something I received from my family when I left my country, to embrace the unknown, a card with this sentence:

"The bigger the challenge, the bigger the satisfaction."

(From a Greek philosopher that I forgot the name of), this made lots of sense and still does. 

Challenges are incredible gifts, some really hard, but they are our great teachers Indeed gateways for growth and evolution, along with so much wisdom and self-awareness.
And being in the 'quoting mode', another thought:

"Never lose your faith. The best beginnings come after the worst endings." Bob Marley.

In Portugal, we have a saying: After the storm comes the calm.

 And finally, something for you to write down (or just run it through your mind, whatever works better for you) :

• Where have you been? (Different places, travels you have done, doesn't matter the distance.)
• What did you do? (The highlights of the most exciting things you did this year, on any level, something that really means a lot to you...)
• What did you learn? (In the different levels of your being.)

If it is something that no longer serves you and you don't want to see repeating in your life, just not external situations, but things in yourself you want to let go, to give space for the new! You can write them down on a small piece of paper and then:

• Take a quiet moment to reflect on everything you wrote, read it out loud and in a place in nature, and burn the paper. As the ashes fall to Earth, the smoke rises to the Sky, as above, as below, so within! (If you have any sacred place where you do your rituals indoors, like a cauldron or a stove, it's fine, but then give the ashes to Earth). The fire has the power to transform, supported by the unconditional nurturing of Mother Earth and the divinity of Father Sky.

This first New Moon of 2024 in Capricorn, reinforces the energies of endings and new beginnings for the New Year and specifically: the energy of determination to accomplish your goals, dedication and confidence to do what you want to do, to achieve ambitions and have the stamina to do it. 

 
Capricorn being connected with the earth teaches about grounding, essential to help us in our achievements and indeed embody presence - be here in the now!

•  Write down your goals and dreams for 2024!

Be specific in your goals and dreams, and less is more, so make the list that you believe with your mind, heart, and soul can be possible to achieve in the coming New Year.
Then you just have to do your bit in the mundane dimension, along with visualisation and appreciation (that is actually happening, even when not yet!), to make it a living reality!

***Wishing you a wonderfully fantastic 2024! It is unfolding with new opportunities to Live Your Truth, embrace your Divine Feminine essence, and Manifest your Dreams***

May your radiant Feminine self shine, contributing to a better and more beautiful world!

© Anamarta