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Between the Moon

Between the Moon

De: April McMurtry
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Welcome to Between the Moon, conversations about self-study in relationship with cycles. Join host April McMurtry on a journey to attune with lunar time and live in more harmony with life's cyclical nature. Visit themoonismycalendar.com to learn more.

themoonismycalendar.substack.comApril McMurtry Espiritualidad
Episodios
  • Ep. 29 Artistry, bad first drafts, and the cyclical nature of creativity

    Ep. 29 Artistry, bad first drafts, and the cyclical nature of creativity
    Aug 29 2025

    Dear Moon,

    There is beauty in allowing ideas develop in their own time. So often we only get to see the final product, and we miss out on all the twists and turns that the creative process takes us on to arrive at that particular finished form.

    This can give us unrealistic expectations of creativity, and so I was inspired to share some behind the scenes insider lore about how this year’s cover artwork and theme actually came into being. The episode is an exploration of artistry, vulnerability, and the cyclical nature of creativity.

    But first, oh my goodness, have you heard? It’s Virgo season and time to launch the pre-sale of the 2026 Moon Calendars!! There’s a discount code at the end of this episode, take a listen :)

    traveling the distance from this…

    … to that…

    Where you begin is not where you end up! Seems obvious, but the creative process is designed to change you. This is inherent to the transformational practice of creation.

    let’s dive in!

    In today’s episode, you’re invited to join me for an intimate look at the journey of creating the artwork for this year’s Lunar Wall Calendar as I share about the messy process of going from rough first “bad” drafts to a finished piece.

    You’ll hear about the ups and downs: the excitement of new ideas, the frustration when things don’t go as planned, and the patience it takes to let inspiration unfold in its own time. You’ll get to hear about how themes like the harvest cycle, the symbolism of blackberries and bears, and even lessons learned from gardening — all found their way into the artwork. There’s a beautiful story I share about how a simple flower essence session sparked a creative breakthrough, and how the reciprocity between bears and blackberries brought all the themes together.

    weaving it all together

    Throughout the episode, I reflect on the importance of embracing imperfection, letting go of impossible standards, and trusting the creative process—even when it feels like, as I call it “a blindfolded wrestling match or an unpredictable dance with the muse”. You’ll get a sense of how astrology, nature, and lived experience all weave together in the making of something personally, and hopefully, universally meaningful.

    Whether you’re an artist, a creative soul, or just someone who loves a good story, this episode is a gentle reminder that creativity is cyclical, sometimes clunky, and always full of facing the unknown. I hope you enjoy this behind-the-scenes journey—complete with all the doubts, discoveries, and little victories that make the creative process so worth the struggle of turning the irritation of a grain of sand into a pearl.

    Thank you for being here, your presence is a gift! April

    p.s. I started putting together a post with images of the creative process I describe in this episode … would you be interested in seeing more of the bad first drafts? Feel free to reply or lmk in the comments.

    the pre-sale sale has begun!

    Are you as excited as I am? I just updated all the listings for this year’s calendars — visit THE MOON IS MY CALENDAR and and pre-order yours today, yippee!



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themoonismycalendar.substack.com/subscribe
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    47 m
  • Ep 28: Roots to Blooms: Alchemizing the fertile Taurus/Scorpio Axis

    Ep 28: Roots to Blooms: Alchemizing the fertile Taurus/Scorpio Axis
    May 1 2025

    On today’s episode we explore the Taurus-Scorpio axis in astrology and ground it into the context of seasonal cycles, creativity, the houses in the birth chart, and personal lived experiences. I am delighted to have Bronwyn Simons Astrology back for our ongoing conversation of the Lunar Currents series!

    Learn about the interplay between "roots" (Taurus) and "blooms" (Scorpio), and how these are not separate entities but parts of a continuous process of fertility and growth related to creative practices, personal journeys, and the cyclical nature of life. We both give examples of the alchemical experience of integrating these seemingly opposing forces and how this also relates to the houses in the birth chart.

    Bronwyn and I also discuss the challenges of harmonizing seemingly opposing forces, particularly in relation to health, spirituality, daily life, family, and creative pursuits — and why every full moon plays a big role in the alchemical process.

    This episode explores themes that we will personalize and go deeper with in our upcoming workshop: Stars and Roses: Astrology and Creativity for Maytide

    WORKSHOP LINK

    Friday, May 2, 1 -2:30 Pacific Time and by replay.

    You can join us by registering here: https://astrologygoddess.mykajabi.com/offers/gLqLsZoL/checkout

    Or, the workshop is FREE for all our beloved paid subscribers on Substack. Become a paid subscriber today and you’ll automatically be registered for the workshop!

    We would love you to join us for this hands-on exploration to celebrate the Taurus cross-quarter holiday (known to some as Beltane or May Day), one of the most fertile and creative points in the Wheel of the Year.

    Bring a journal, your birthchart, and something to write and draw with.

    If you love this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or refer a friend - thanks so much for listening!

    Links and Mentions

    * Upcoming workshop: Stars and Roses: Astrology and Creativity for Maytide

    https://astrologygoddess.mykajabi.com/offers/gLqLsZoL/checkout

    * Book of Houses by Robert Cole and Paul Williams

    * Bronwyn Simons and the Esoteric Zodiac on substack

    * Previous episode about the Harvest Cycle and the Lunar Cycle

    https://themoonismycalendar.substack.com/p/10-decoding-the-lunar-and-harvest-78c

    Thanks for reading Between the Moon! This post is public so feel free to share it.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themoonismycalendar.substack.com/subscribe
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    49 m
  • Ep 27: Role of Gestation in Creative Cycles

    Ep 27: Role of Gestation in Creative Cycles
    Mar 1 2025
    Today’s podcast is a solo episode about the role of gestation in creative cycles while exploring the nature of simultaneous and sequential cycles and how lunar tracking and plants help us deepen our trust when faced with the unknown.Listen and explore:* the role of gestation in creative cycles* how cycle can be both simultaneous and sequential* the differences between trust and faith* themes of the pisces new moon* accessing imagination and fertile visions* pacing with plants to connect creativity with seasonality* a personal story connected with the lunar gestational cycleLearn how lunar tracking and plant kin help us deepen our trust while experiencing the gestational phase. I hope this episode helps you become inspired and feel more connected with your unique creative cycles, especially if you are feeling stuck.creative cyclesCycles are waves when you unfold them, and part of lunar tracking is to learn to ride your our energetic waves. This isn’t about getting it perfect or hacking your life to always be productive, rather to be in-season with yourself and the world around and within you.gestation: development over a period of timeMost everything has a gestational period, which is like the hang time between something ending and beginning. It’s a phase. And it’s energetically connected with the sign of Pisces and the activities of the 12th house.“The twelfth house is about getting ready. You do this by letting your dream vision permeate every cell in your body the work of germination is to really let that vision soak into all the different areas of your life, especially your internal life, and darkness and quiet.”simultaneous cyclesThe experience of simultaneous cycles is found in the overlap and coexistence of past, present, and future. Simultaneous cycles expand our awareness into pattern recognition which exists outside of linear time. A simple way to experience the fractal nature of time is singing happy birthday!! This is a ritual that is a part of simultaneous cycles that include:- the solar cycle and the return of the personal new year - the life cycle connecting back to childhood and the repetition of cyclesIn astrology/astronomy, “returns” are when a planet comes back around to the same position where it was during a given moment. A lot comes up during returns like solar returns (aka birthdays) because it is a touchstone and offers a chance to be in the space of overlapping cycles.If you follow astrology then you can probably name several significant collective returns happening right now (Venus Rose Cycle Return and the US Pluto Return to name a few). The trick is to notice what is surfacing from the past in the present moment, to make a choice about the future — not just re-live the cycle like a broken record. This is why lunar tracking is so vital and can help illuminate our experience of overlapping cycles!!sequential cyclesIn sequential cycles, everything has a beginning, middle, and end. This is a more linear way of experiencing a cycle. For example, the lunar cycle starts with the new moon, waxes to fullness, and then wanes to new again. In that sequential order. Sequential cycles are expressed through the signs of the tropical zodiac and the three modalities:Cardinal signs = BeginningsFixed signs = Middles Mutable signs = Ends (moving between different states to change out of the old and into something new: here, the end becomes the beginning)Mutable signs are the death and rebirth doulas of the zodiac.They are the most liminal and able to be in a place of not here nor there. A third space born out of a relationship between two things.Pisces is a mutable water sign. It expresses the dreams of the artist and the prayers of the spirit worker. Pisces is the point where the mouth and tail meet. It’s the invisible bridge between waking and sleep.lunar gestational cycleIn many ways the lunar gestational cycle is a hybrid cycle: both simultaneous and sequential. It echos backwards and forwards in a simultaneous call and response to the moon in the same sign yet different phase. It is also sequential in that moving forward at 9 month intervals.I share a personal story about the upcoming Full Moon in Virgo and working with this particular gestational cycle.New Moon: Sept 14/15th 2023First Quarter: June 13/14th 2024Full Moon: March 13/14 2025 ← upcoming eclipseLast Quarter: Dec 11th 2025)) If you love this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - thanks so much for listening! ((Thank you for being here, your presence is a gift!!AprilSHOWNOTES / LINKS* Join the New Moon Workshop in Pisces: GESTATE March 1, 2025 10-11am Pacifichttps://themoonismycalendar.thrivecart.com/new-moon-workshop-in-pisces/* Subscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@betweenthemoon * The New Moon Calendar Journal is available in the shop! This simple and beautiful circular calendar and journal establishes the new moon as the starting point for each monthly cycle. It provides a ...
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    48 m
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