Moontimer 2024 -- Since Ancient Days

 Greetings from the Moon, my friends. The new calendar is in the cooker. And there have been some changes to the format that I hope will be welcome. Last year a friend complained about the deeply saturated color in the 'downsheets' -- the bottom half of each month, that hangs below the primary image. So, I have gone back to making the downsheets white, for the benefit of those who possibly use them to notate appointments, events, deadlines, etc. With the proliferation of digital calendars, many people no longer use a wall calendar for that, but I actually like the simplicity of the white downsheets. I have decorated some of the strange and funny 'holidays' with relevant small images.
Here is an example of the new look of the calendar. As always, click on the images to enlarge them.

 

 Another new change: Mercury transits are marked. As a Virgo, ruled by Mercury, these shifts impact me significantly! I need to know about them in advance!

Each downsheet displays the moon phases for the month, as usual. The day of the New Moon - the Menstruation Moon - is marked with the familiar MoonTimer Clock, while the Full Moon - the Fertile Moon - is indicated with the new "Ovulation Notification" icon --  the Egg Timer (concept courtesy of a flash of genius from my sister)!

I feel obliged here to give a quick tutorial on MoonTiming. If this is not relevant for you, scroll down to see more of the coming year's images.

This information is for those still menstruating who would like to start synchronizing their cycles to our Clock in the Sky, a phenomenon referred to in the scientific jargon as "Lunar-Menstrual Locking". If you are in the Beyond Menstrual group, it's an assist in encouraging your younger family members to keep the moon phases in mind. This can be especially helpful to those with problematic periods, as I explain below. 

It's the easiest thing ever. All you have to do is observe the Full Moon every month. Really NOTICE her. Drink in some of her light.

This is the social moon, the  Fertile Moon, the Ovulation Moon, per the system of our ancestral grandmothers. If ovulation is on time, menstruation will follow, two weeks later, on the New Moon  - the 'No Moon', because it is not seen in the night sky. When it's New, the moon is rising WITH the Sun, whose strong light is shining on the side of the moon we can't see, because the Moon is between us and the Sun.

At the Full Moon, it rises at sunset, regardless of which time zone we are in, or wherever in the world we are. There is one caveat to this: you have probably noticed that the moon "looks full" for about 3 nights.It appears full on the night before the 'exact' Full Moon, and on the night after. But it is only the EXACT Full Moon that rises at sunset, because the Moon rises about one hour later each night.

For instance, on November 26th, 27th, and 28th of 2023, the sunset was at 4:37 each day. The moon, however, rose at 4:01 pm on the 26th, 4:41 pm on the 27th, and 5:30 pm on the 28th. You can see that the moon that rose on the 27th was closest to sunset. That is the Exact Full Moon.

This information is helpful only if you really want to enjoy seeing the moon RISE over the horizon. But if you are working on synchronizing your cycle, make sure you at least look at the Full Moon during her night journey. Even if weather conditions prevent you from seeing a Full Moon rise, JUST KNOW that it is manifesting, and think to yourself: "this is my time to ovulate", or "two weeks from now I will have my period".

To obtain the date of the exact Full Moon, consult your calendar, or a website called Time and Date. It is good to have a look at the bright light of the moon on all 3 of the nights that it's at its fullest. Drink all the moonlight you can!  I have known women who synchronized in as little as ONE cycle, but cannot guarantee a similar result for everyone. Depending on how 'far off' the pattern your cycle is when you begin this practice, it may take some months for it to adjust. It's a circadian rhythm: a dance between you, the Sun, and the Moon. Don't give up!

The skill of MoonTiming is both physical and quantum. It is both spiritual and practical. It's a time to let the body rest, and look inward towards the purpose of your life. Engaging our consciousness to communicate directly with the bodily cycle of our fertility is assisted by this correlation with the moon phases. It helps regulate the cycle, making it reliable, and thus more predictable -- and we can begin to plan our life activities to accommodate cyclic needs.

Some women sail through their periods, they work through them, walk through them, and some have periods that are very regular. Others experience extreme, even disabling discomfort. Training the cycle to be regular will stabilize it. For those who have rough periods it is even more important to be able to forecast when bleeding will start, to create an interval cleared of external commitments, making it a personal spa day (or two!) of self-care instead - your personal Moon Lodge. A retreat from the noise out there.

It's especially helpful for the younger goddesses to know that there IS a safe, organic way to manage the cycle in their future, without questionable medical interventions. MoonTiming only works after a girl begins to ovulate, a process that can take two to three years after the onset of her First Moon. The hormones involved must practice harmonizing to achieve ovulation. Moon Timing depends on the additional sunlight, refracted from the face of the Full Moon, to trigger ovulation; because if ovulation is on time, menstruation will be too, following fairly faithfully two weeks later. And that's the part we want to be ready for.

Ovulation is the most sensitive of the reproductive functions, and can be thrown off-schedule by any sort of survival threat, whether poor diet, trauma, loss and grief, illness, or a dramatic change in life conditions, such as moving to a new location. But fortunately, the moon continues her pattern every month so that we can re-align with it, simply by paying attention to her.

Interestingly, the Full Moon somewhat resembles an egg. Through our optic nerve, it beams light to the pineal, which has a light-receptive crystalline structure. Ovulation initiates the destiny of an inner egg, launching it on a journey towards the outside world. This is how my sister came up with the concept of "the Egg Timer"for the Full Moon!

As Within, So Without; As Above, So Below!

Here are more of the panels for the coming year, which Madame Kathryn predicts (!)
will be one of great shifts, changes, upheavals, and surprises. I expect you sense this already. 

 

Dedicated to Zitkala-Ša, (Red Bird), Yankton Dakota Sioux.
Her English name is Gertrude Simmons Bonnin.
Her life is legendary. You will be happy to meet her. 

 

In a time of political upheaval, there is a collision at sea. The Emperor,
and his new clothes, are getting thrown overboard, along with other passengers.
A throng of Nudibranches (sea slugs) rushes in to the rescue. But will they get there in time
to save the women's swim team?

A clever woman saves her own life,
in this case by healing the wounded masculine.

A look into the fascinating story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a Yoruba princess rescued
from captivity, to become the Godchild of Queen Victoria. 

 

Dance Day at Karnak Temple. We must ensure that the Temple Cats
do not become bored and begin snarling at the guests.

The Daughters of Genghis Khan,
a testament to the warrior spirit within women,
that defends the vulnerable.

 

Price of the calendar this year is $18 -  a great gift for under $20!

Here is the holiday bundle of red tape for my customers in Colorado, brought to you courtesy of the State Revenue Department. They now require "destination sourcing" sales tax - meaning that I have to charge the sales tax for YOUR location on whatever I ship. The rate for your sales tax must be excavated from a State database. so I can't tell you how much it is until I know your address!
There is one exception: if you place your order by calling me, I'm allowed to charge sales tax for "origination" instead of "destination"; sales tax in Englewood is 8.05%,
which is $1.45 (this also applies if you come to Englewood to pick up). This is slightly lower than Denver's sales tax at 8.81%.

Out-of-state customers pay no sales tax, but pay more in shipping.  

I tried shipping via media mail last year, but the Post Office objected. Calendars are not considered "printed matter" - go figure that out. A pile of calendars came back to my doorstep requiring postage. So, this year, expect to pay about $4.50,  slightly more per additional calendars; this too depends on your location. I will add a small charge of $.50 to cover the cost of the mailer.
Customers who order 5 or more calendars receive a 10% discount.

The only way I can figure to do this is to ship your order, and then generate a Paypal invoice to you with shipping cost and tax for your location. You pay nothing until your order ships.
I can also ship calendars to your intended recipients, as gifts.

Also, if you can meet up with me in person, you avoid any shipping costs at all. I really like this option because we get to visit!

Price of the calendar this year is $18. It's a great gift for under $20,
which includes tax!

Calendars will also be available at the following locations:
Gypsy House Cafe - 1545 South Broadway
All Its Own - 7310 West Colfax, inside Mint & Serif Cafe
Trident Bookstore - 940 Pearl Street, Boulder
Alchemy Ritual Goods - 2700 Arapahoe Street

You will pay more at these shops, but you will be supporting local independent businesses. Plus, you can get food and coffee at the first three on the list!

I am open to whatever type of payment is convenient for you. 
On your invoice I will include my Zelle, Venmo, & Cash App deets; you have the option to pay through Paypal if you like, by simply clicking the invoice in your inbox. I am happy to accept your personal check or cash. I'm also willing to accept partial payment of 50% now & the balance in January. I'm even open to trade!

To place your order, contact me by calling or texting me at 303-968-0616, or, email me at RubiconMoon@gmail.com, or reach out to me on Facebook messenger. Be sure to include your name, address (if you need shipping), phone number, EMAIL ADDRESS, and how many calendars you need. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and patronage. Or, matronage, in (probably) most cases.  

I am happy to say I have a new printing company & expect to start shipping as soon as December 8th, certainly no later than December 12th.

Best wishes and happy holy days to you and your kin
and a prayer for the rest of the creatures in this world that we're in.

 

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MoonTimer 2023 Calendar - the affordable Christmas gift that keeps giving all year long

Greetings dear customers,companions, and co-conspirators in the pursuit of preserving the sanity of humanity. I hope you all are surviving these turbulent and uncertain times by keeping yourselves wrapped in love, joy, laughter and faith at every opportunity. We apparently must be the architects building the new landscape as the old one turns to dust and rubble. God Bless Us, Every One.

I am happy that my path to the 2023 Calendar has not been strewn with extraordinary unexpected disasters and obstacles like last year. It still extracted its typical tremendous amount of concentrated energy to excavate these messages from behind the veil. 

 This year I purposefully constructed a couple of very playful images, to alleviate some of the serious stresses we are bombarded with by the Noise Outside.  We need all the levity we can get.

Price of this year's calendar is 16.50. For those who are particularly strapped for cash, I have a new option for you that is incredibly cheap: for $3.50, you can order the Soft Proof -- a digital file of the calendar -- and take it to your own local print shop for printing (what that will cost, I'm unable to say). Of course, it won't be beautifully shrink-wrapped with a gift postcard attached, but this is a fantastic option for people in other countries, where shipping costs would be prohibitive.

So here, for your online window shopping pleasure, are some of the panels in the 2023 MoonTimer, with  abbreviated captions from the Commentary that is always inside the front cover. Images should enlarge when you click on them.

The image of a Cheyenne woman propelled what became an investigation into the Marian Apparitions. Don't ask me how this happens - I don't tell the calendar what to say, it tells me. I just work here!

Georgia O'Keeffe is framed by her famous red poppy, and her painting of the moon floating between the skyline of New York City skyscrapers is also seen. Later in life she painted the pristine purity of bones that she hunted for in the New Mexico desert, after moving to her final home in Abiquiu. Parts of the Colorado Plateau were once underwater; here, we see Picaso, the legendary wild mustang of Colorado, standing with his family overlooking the ancient sea.
This image is also available as a Tin Print, in 3 styles (more info about Tin Prints at the bottom of this page).

The 8^th day of August is called the Lions Gate. At this time of the year, the constellations of Leo and Virgo meet in the sky to birth the New, the Divine Child. In 2023 this time will be made even more powerful by the occurrence of a blue moon - a phrase that has come to mean two full moons within the same month, although originally it meant four full moons in a season. If that isn’t auspicious enough, they are both Super Moons. The quote from Aesop references his fable about a lion and mouse, worth the short read!

 

Women pouring water constantly nourish a river that seemingly overflows the pavilion where a seminar on the life and death of Moon Moths is taking place, led by the Death’s Head Hawk Moth. A nursery is available for care of the cocoons. Security is provided by Rent-a-Moth; no flies of any kind will be allowed in. Moon Moths, by the way, have markings that resemble moons or 'eyes' on their wings. There's a few here without those, but they were included just for their beauty. I am infatuated with moths. 

 

 

The story of Esther is one of taking great personal risk to accomplish a sacred mission, being the only person in position to do so. She could have lost not just her crown, but her life; but there was no other option, and in the end she saved her people with an intervention at the last moment. I talk more about this in the calendar Commentary, and you can learn about her online. In every hero's journey there are allies who appear - in this case the falcon, the leopard, and the horse; the Kestrel on her shoulder is the voice of intuition, as in "a little bird told me." The Persian Griffin at lower right is shocked to see a Menorah in his hand, as the King was no doubt shocked to learn that Esther was Jewish, the revelation that created, at the last moment, the reversal in the fate of the Jews. 

The penguin family is taking a tour of the Day Care Center, where a chick and a kitten are befriending the lonely hedgehog, who previously spent every day staring at his own reflection in a pond. The chirping of the parakeets has lulled the armadillo to sleep, a result we can only hope for where the lion cubs are concerned. Beautifully illustrated female characters are by Armenian artist Gev Mart. 

Back in the day when retreating to the Moon Lodge was standard procedure, all the women of child-bearing age went into seclusion together for their synchronized monthly flow. Young ones were left in the care of the elders. Here, an old lady assures her granddaughter that someday she too will go the Lodge and learn the mysteries of women, and maybe get to ride around the sky on a White Ermine Moth.

Here is another recent Tin Print - "Carry the Light", from the December 2022 MoonTimer, with a choice of 2 different background 'frames' to choose from.

This background is Belgian Lace. Format 12 x 12 - $100

Carry the Light, on Ishtar Lace, 16x20 - $130

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bones of an Ancient Sea, no 'frame', 16x20, $130

The Bones of an Ancient Sea, 12x12 framed in blue gingko leaves.
Also available in 16x20.

The Bones of an Ancient Sea, 16x20, framed in crumbling blue stone. Also available in 12x12 format.

 
Expect to pay approximately $8 in shipping for one print; if you order two, add only another $5 for shipping. Local folks can make private arrangements to pick up from me, so shipping costs can be avoided altogether. They are shipped by UPS.

Any of the images in the 2023 calendar (or earlier editions) can be made into Tin Prints upon request, with a deposit of 50%. Calendrical information is removed, unless you request otherwise. These pieces, printed on aluminum in a process called sublimation, are basically unbreakable (barring being driven over by a bulldozer), and are not costly to mail since they weigh very little - so lightweight that they can hang from a push pin, although a more secure 'hanger' is included. The reflective quality enhances the depth perception - the 3-D effect. A most excellent gift!

 So, get your MoonTiming on! Supplies ARE limited. Allow extra time for Tin Prints: order them now to guarantee delivery before Christmas. Here are the "order by" dates to have a Tin Print reach you, delivered by UPS. 

 

Payment options are below.

Front Cover: From Arnhem Land, Australia, a mother brings her daughter to receive the gift of MoonTiming from Ixchel, who, in Mayan cosmology, initiates the transformation of girls into “the new women,” delivering regenerative treasure to the community. The faint pattern of moon phases found on the Blanchard Bone, among the earliest known lunar calendars, is shared between them. A crop circle floats over Ixchel, and an ancestor whispers to the rabbit – a symbol of fertility – to bring a new soul into the manifest universe, while an angel dreams on the roof. The John William Waterhouse painting of Diogenes is the backdrop, with ladies on the stairs marveling at the cylinder where the multicolored fire of creation churns out myriad forms of infinite variety.

OK - so here's the deal with the payment portal. Colorado Dept of Revenue has decided this year that we must collect sales tax based on the DESTINATION of our shipped packages, not based on our own location. If I ship to Glenwood Springs it's 8.3%, while in San Luis it's 3.5%. Ridiculous bundle of red tape!
Paypal's payment 'buttons' that I've used in the past can't handle this level of sophistication. So I'm forced to take a different strategy this year to avoid your paying more tax than you should. I apologize for any inconvenience.

To order: Send me an email here: RubiconMoon@gmail.com (or, private message me on Facebook, or call/text me at 303-519-3772). Be sure to include your 1) name, 2) address, 3) phone number 4) products & quantity you request 5) preferred payment method, and 6) shipping preference.

Shipping: for calendars, expect to pay $3.75 for 1 - 3 calendars; this helps me pay for the packaging too. 4 - 6 calendars will be a dollar more; 7 calendars or more, I will ship free. I use media mail which is definitely cheaper, although somewhat slower - and, even the Media mail rates went up in October, along with all other forms of mail. If you want your calendar faster please indicate in the email 1) Regular Ground 2) Priority or 3) Pick Up (this option is ONLY for customers IN THE DENVER Metro/Boulder area).
USPS shipping deadlines are here.

I will ship your products and then email you an invoice that includes an accurate shipping cost and any applicable sales tax. You can pay with Zelle, Venmo, personal check, or cash. If you need to pay with a credit card I will generate an invoice directly from Paypal to your email address. If you elect for the Soft Proof, there is no shipping - you will receive it by email.

I'm happy to work out flexible financing options with you. Meanwhile I am going to pursue building a different website that doesn't use Paypal at all. Feel free to contact me at 303-519-3772. Leave a message (I get too many robo calls to answer phone numbers I don't recognize) and I will phone you back asap and also add you to my Contacts list.
 
Thank you, my friends. Happy Holy Days!