Madonna: Setting Intentions, New Moons and Ruling the World

When Dick Clark (shout out to Mt. Vernon) asked Madonna on American Bandstand in 1984 about her goals for the new year and her career, she unabashedly answered: "to rule the world." Lo and behold she pretty much did. At the very least, she ruled my world and the world of pop culture for the last 25+ years. 

In honor of her birthday, I've been revisiting her videos and music and felt drawn to "Like A Virgin." I remember rolling around my living room as a youngster not knowing what I was doing or singing. I just loved her fishnets, spandex and sass...the weird morphing man/lion was pretty cool too. Even as Some things never change. 

I always associated this song with sex because of the word "virgin" and only recently I truly understood what she was really talking about. Listening to the lyrics today makes me think of rebirth and feeling grateful and excited for all of the new things in my life. I definitely feel like I've made it "through the wilderness" of the last year and am now seeing and feeling things with new eyes and a new heart...they are more keenly attuned and all-around stronger. 

Appropriately, tomorrow also marks a new moon in Leo. New moons signify renewal and mark an auspicious time to set intentions for what you want to create for yourself. Leo rules the 5th house of romance, creativity and children and is ruled by the Sun which represents our sense of self. According to Fran at Nine of Cups, Leo is the sign of "courage, strength, trust, pride, power and self-confidence" while the Sun is a healer. Thus the energy is ripe to start thinking about how you can be courageous and confident in your creative expressions and your expressions of love. 

Take a cue from Madge's youthful confidence in herself and lay claim to the changes you want to make in your life. There is power in our words and thoughts so we might as well speak powerfully when we are being most supported by the planets. I like to write down my intentions or things I want to create for myself in a journal so I can revisit them at the end of the moon cycle and see what I've manifested. Trust and believe, these things take time! But I've found that it's been a concrete step in the journey ruling my own world. 

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Summer Soulstice

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the Summer Solstice that began June 21st and is actually in effect until today, June 24th, especially since it's been so powerful. One more day to write down your wishes and intentions for the season and place them into the Universe. As per sister Twelfth Moon's solstice suggestions, I have been thinking about how to best love myself and what role fear has been playing in my course. I've also been having vivid dreams uniting the links my subconscious and the life I'm living every time I wake up. The details are not fodder for this blog but I hadn't really connected it to the solstice (and the coinciding New Moon-thnx Twelfth Moon) until I read sister Sophie Lhoste's Healing. She breaks down the biology and physics of why our positive thinking and energy is so important during this 3 day span when the sun stands still.

Tonight's (or now as I write this) also St. John's Eve or the day of San Juan El Bautista. This evening, I attended an amazing dance class by teacher, choreographer and folklorist, Marily Gallardo, accompanied with drumming by Irka Mateo, a musician and Taino culture researcher among many things. They talked more about this tradition which I don't even feel comfortable writing online (call me a sucker for oral history). I'm sure you can find more in the Internets but not my place. Generally speaking and depending on the tradition, women dance and celebrate together (especially by water), brush off the negative energy, and seek guidance from dreams.

A sister goddess is down in New Orleans, where St. John's Eve, is associated with the feared and revered Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau. Dances, trances and orgies are believed to have taken place in celebration of midsummer and it is still shroud with mystery. There was much fear in her snake dances and her power to conjure.

However, you acknowledge this date and time, bring love and positivity to your intentions and believe anything can manifest. The Universe is open...

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