Dear Soul Friends,

Happy New Moon in Aquarius!

Have you felt a shift this past week? I know for me, I am breathing a deep sigh of relief! Feeling Mercury station direct on the 18th was like experiencing a curtain opening, allowing more visibility and clarity in my life. As I have shared in my recent posts and newsletters, the beginning of 2023 was shrouded in energies that were asking us to reflect and rest. This is always the case during the season of Yule; however, it was amplified by both Mercury and Mars retrograde. Mercury rules all forms of communication, travel, visions, and plans, and Mars is the planet of action and ignition. Now that both are direct, we are able to access those energies within ourselves and utilize them for visioning and intention setting processes for 2023. Remember, our bodies and consciousness are a microcosm to the macrosom of the universe. All the planetary energies exist within us; being aware of what's occurring in the greater planetary cycles allows us to flow in the world more skillfully and harmoniously.

Saturday's new moon in Aquarius is a powerful portal for expanding your vision and looking at the calendar year ahead from a higher perspective. What does your heart desire to manifest, experience, create? What is the quality of energy you would like to call forward within yourself? How will this expand your inner and outer worlds?

On the wheel of the year we are approaching Imbolc on February 1st, celebrating the Goddess Brigid, the return of the light, and the first stirrings of spring. I have been devoted to Brigid for many lifetimes and this time of year holds a special resonance in my heart. Brigid's day is being celebrated in Ireland for the first time this year as a national holiday, and Monday, February 6th will be a bank holiday. On that day, Monday the 6th, my dear Irish sister Mara and I will be co-creating an online ceremony in Brigid's honor. Stay tuned for more info next week!!

I am also opening 4 spaces for Imbolc sessions February 1st and 2nd. Please respond to this email if you would like to save one of those spots!

Wishing you a magical and expansive first new moon of the year!

Blessed Be,

Annah Taylor xx

Brigid is the Goddess who stirred awake the calling of the sacred feminine within me in 2011. During my first Priestess training with the Reclaiming Collective, we worked daily with a particular deity as part of a yearlong practice, and I worked with Brigid. During this time I remembered an ancient connection with Her that felt very personal. It seemed my relationship to Brigid was woven into the fabric of my being. I began seeing visions of Her fire temple in Kildare, Ireland, of holy wells and springs, and lush green rolling hills.

Dear Soul Friend,

Today marks the final full moon of 2022. There are thirteen moons in a calendar year and this full moon has inspired reflection on what the last thirteen moons have taught me. As Gemini loves to talk and is the sign of communication, I invite you to converse with yourself or a friend, chatting about the main lessons that stand out from 2022.

Where were you last December? What was going on in your life at that time? Where do you see yourself in December of 2023?

As we approach Yuletide, we are entering the darkest time of the year, inviting us to drop into the sacred pause; which culturally is counterintuitive during the fullness of the holidays. I will share more about Yule as we get closer to the Winter Solstice.

For now, how are you feeling as energy ramps up toward the busiest time of year? A few years ago, my family started a Christmas draw, so each of us gives and receives one gift. This way we each choose one beautiful, meaningful gift without worrying about trying to buy things for each person. I personally love giving gifts, however not under pressure. I love buying things for friends and family when I feel inspired and I know something will bring them joy. Yet as we all know, more important than gifts are the quality of our experiences with our loved ones and the level of presence we bring to our time together - putting down our phones and connecting from our hearts.

These last few weeks I've been enjoying wonderful family time in Palm Springs, California. I have been coming here my entire life and feel such deep peace surrounded by the desert landscape and the beautiful quartz-filled San Jacinto mountains. We came together to be close to my beloved grandmother who is 95 years old. The moments shared have been so precious, filled with profound presence, loving, and attention. It has been a powerful reminder of the enormous gift of walking through this sacred journey of life together with loved ones.

Speaking of sacred journeys, I am excited to announce the next pilgrimage to Avalon will be June 30th - July 10th, 2023. Space is very limited and registration is open!

Sending love and full moon blessings to you and yours,

Annah Taylor

Dear Friends,

How has this mercury retrograde time been for you? It has certainly been a potent one for me! Mercury retrograde periods, which occur three times a year, invite us to revisit the past in order to express words that were withheld, release emotions that have been suppressed, and bring to completion things that have been left unresolved. Mercury retrograde themes are typically words that begin with “re”. Remember, Revisit, Recall, Revise, Recalibrate, etc. I find that Mercury also invites us to to look within and take personal responsibility for times we had blamed others or allowed ourselves to feel victimized. This Mercury retrograde period I have often asked myself, how can I relate to this from a place of empowerment?

Blessings Soul Friends,

We are entering the Equinox portal! This Thursday September 22nd is the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. The two Equinoxes mark the times on the Wheel of the Year when light and dark come into perfect balance, as day and night are equal length. From this time forward, as we move toward the Winter Solstice, days begin to grow shorter and we experience more time in the dark. The Autumnal Equinox, or Mabon, invites us to reflect on what has occured in our lives since the Spring Equinox last March.