Pisces Full Moon: Summon Your Muse

Stephen King, one of the most brilliant and prolific writers who ever lived, is deeply connected to his creative inspiration. But King’s muse is no Greek goddess.

“There is a muse,” King assures aspiring authors in his classic book On Writing, “but he’s not going to come fluttering down into your writing room and scatter creative fairy-dust all over your computer. He lives in the ground. You have to descend to his level. You have to do all the grunt labor, in other words, while the muse sits and smokes cigars and pretends to ignore you. He may not be much of a conversationalist, but he’s got the inspiration that can change your life.”

To win him over, adds King, you must show up consistently. ”Your job is to make sure the muse knows where you’re going to be every day from nine till noon or seven till three. If he does know, I assure you that sooner or later he’ll start showing up, chomping his cigar and making his magic.”

King’s muse is all business. Yours may be a bit more ethereal. Either way, we all have a deep well of creativity just waiting to be tapped – whether to write books, make art or solve life problems. And the upcoming Pisces Full Moon is an ideal time in which to do so.

At this mystical yet practical lunation (Sept. 10, 2:58 a.m. PDT), the Moon illuminates the dreamy water sign of Pisces as it opposes the Sun in the industrious earth sign of Virgo. Now we receive a luminous burst of light to see (or more accurately, feel) things more deeply. As we prepare to move into autumn here in the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon helps us journey inward, and downshift to a slower, more contemplative pace. 

This Full Moon conjuncts Neptune in Pisces, wrapping a veil around things. And, it happens just hours after Mercury turns retrograde in Libra, sign of relationships, social activism and justice. Over the next three weeks, we can use this energy to resolve past disputes, reconnect with old friends, tie up loose ends and get back to what matters most. Yet life might get a bit confounding or hard to decipher around the Full Moon. With mysterious Neptune casting shadows and stationary Mercury playing tricks, pay attention to your dreams and call on your muse for guidance.

Just be aware that the muse can be elusive. If you’re not taking care of yourself — sleeping too little, eating poorly, not exercising or spending enough quality time with friends — your muse may be hard to track down.

But here are a few things that might lure him or her out of hiding:

• Ground yourself. Pull weeds or prune roses with your bare feet on the earth.
• Sit quietly with a notebook, and ask for answers or inspiration.
• Take a walk around a nearby lake or soak in a fragrant tub.
• Get a change of scenery. Go on holiday, even if just for the day.
• Indulge in a (preferably organic) glass of wine or bunch of grapes.
• Go outdoors as the Moon rises and draw down her radiant powers.

This Full Harvest Moon will rise earlier than usual on Friday and Saturday evening, and light up the sky for a longer period of time (that’s why farmers counted on it to help them bring in the harvest). The ancient Celts called this the Vine Moon. They liked to place a grapeseed in a glass of red wine and drink it at this Full Moon, trusting it would bring them renewed prosperity.

No matter how you celebrate, take time to appreciate nature’s last burst of energy for the year, as mirrored in the vibrant colors of autumn. And thank your muse for whatever gifts he or she may bring.