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Moon Tides, Soul Passages

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The act of holding a newborn infant heavenward in the moonlight, ala Kunte Kinte in the movie ROOTS, may seem somewhat outlandish today. But people throughout time have observed the dance of the Moon across the sky and its effect on human behavior and emotion. As it causes the ocean tides, so it affects our watery bodies, and lunar astrology influences both daily life and all of modern philosophy, psychology and religion.

With this powerful book, author Maria Kay Simms helps readers reconnect with their moon astrology, explaining in great detail how our lives are influenced by the Moon and its phases and cycles, during what Simms calls our Soul Journey. As the Sun is said to affect our actions, the Moon's realm is the subconscious, and astrological techniques, meditation, and journaling will unlock doors to perception and increase self-awareness and faith in oneself.

Enhanced by lovely moon-inspired poetry and vivid moon-goddess paintings, the book includes a CD-Rom with software for calculating personal astrological data, Moon phases for an entire year, and Moon cycles for life. Simms lists examples of the lunar life stories of notable women such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Lucille Ball.

Life today is filled with ever-increasing challenges and constant change. Tapping into the magical power of the Moon and its cycles can bring great comfort and connect us to an ancient, uniting force, something everyone, everywhere has shared for all time. "As above, so below...As within, so without...As the Universe, so the soul."

I hadn't given much thought to Lunar Astrology, other than noting the position of the Moon in my Natal chart, and seeing how that related to transits of the other planets. This book does not cover any of that. Moon Tides, Soul Passages teaches you about Lunar Astrology - the cycles of your life based on the phases and signs of the progressed moon throughout your life.

Included with the book is software on CD that will instantly calculate your lunar progressions for about 90 years of your lifetime, in both phases and signs, as long as you have the correct time of your birth (or of anyone else for whom you'd like to create a chart). What Ms. Simms does in the 300-odd pages of this book is explain what all that information means.

Simms, also a Wiccan priestess, starts out by dividing the moon's phases into 8, and correlates them with the solar "phases" of solstice, equinox and cross-quarter days - the 8 sacred days in the Wiccan "Wheel of the Year". She then proceeds to explain what the moon's phases mean in terms of the patterns in one's life, and the influences (for good or ill) that are present during those phases. She explains the sign, house and mode (element) of your natal moon, and goes on to discuss the New Moon and waxing phases and the Full Moon and waning phases. Later chapters discuss eclipses (more on that in a moment), and progressed phases. She illustrates the ideas presented here with life stories and case studies.

She delivers all this esoteric information in a straightforward and lucid manner. You don't need to be an expert at Western Astrology to understand what she is saying. The addition of poetry, both original and quoted, and the fanciful illustrations by her and her daughter engender comprehension on additional levels besides the verbal - the book speaks to both sides of the brain. The rituals and meditations included towards the end are a welcome addition and can be incorporated or adapted into one's spiritual practice, regardless of the path you are following.

I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in Astrology, and those who are following a Neopagan path (especially a Wiccan path). It deepens our understanding of the cycles we exist within, and helps calculate the best times for rituals and spellwork as well as charting patterns within your life, both large and small.

Maria Kay Simms knows her stuff when it comes to astrology. This is one of her finest pieces. I could easily wax on glowingly about this book. Other reviewers have already done that here and there's not much more for me to expand on beyond those critiques. So, let's just cut to the core.

"Moon Tides, Soul Passages" is chocked full of detail and insight. The explanations are written in a way that both beginning and advanced students will find equal value from the book. A valuable resource for any astrology library! There's more than a little something for everyone who has ever admired the Moon and its ever constant presence in every day life.

Like any good self-centered astrology student, I went straight to all the explanations for my personal moon placement and progressions first. Then I progressed to all the explanations of extended family members and friends. The descriptions are meticulous. Plus, I learned more about the Moon than I ever expected.

The software is an added perk (especially for beginning students) but installation was a little rough around the edges. I experienced some difficulty with the software and found that I needed to install a patch in order to get it to work better. Despite my issues with the software, the book more than makes up for the minor glitches.

Incorporating the many facets of the Moon into our daily lives at a comprehensive level is a daunting undertaking for any astrologer. To convey that information so well through her book, Ms. Simms has demonstrated once again why she is one of my favorite authors.

Written by artist and astrologist Maria Kay Simms, Moon Tides, Soul Passages: Your Astrological Cycles for Personal and Spiritual Development is a guide to understanding the lunar aspects of astrology, and how one's moon sign relates to insights of the soul and spirit. Chapters discuss the houses of one's birth moon, the significance of the phases of the moon, ways to experience the moon in spiritual rituals, and much more. An accompanying software CD allows for quick access to the in-depth material and guidelines for applying it accessible even to novice astrologers. A valuable astrological reference, written especially for women due to their gender's spiritual connection to the moon but of value to all in search of spiritual growth and development through astrology.

As a Swampwitch from New Orleans, I know well the ties between water and the Moon. My father taught me the dance of La Luna, which includes ebb,flow,moods and planting, as well as the passing of time, especially for women. He said the Moon enabled 'shy' plants like root veggies, jasmine and moon-flowers to grow. My adolescent times in the garden, were filled with talk of the Moon's reign over the first stirrings of life for humanity and vegetation. When Hurricane Katrina and waters took my city, the seeds I needed to plant were within me, yet undefined...more shell shocked than shy. MOON TIDES, SOUL PASSAGES arrived in a timely manner. I am a 'lunatic' who runs from the mere mention of an ephemeris, and I happily found this new book to be a literary balm to both my mind and soul. In clear and simple but powerful language, it has given me an inspiration to act and a daring to hope for the healing of all life forms in the fallow, contaminated garden that is My City. It is a spare compliment to call Maria Kay Simms newest work 'user friendly', but true nonetheless. The CD- Rom is easy to install, and after a few simple steps, the information it imparts provides clear sailing into practical application of the book's purpose, which is to align your spiritual, physical and psychic behaviors with the phases of the Moon. There are artworks depicting aspected Goddesses, and I found myself gazing 'within' them, for illumination I am sure will come in time. For the moment, I will settle for the calmness I gain when doing so. LOVED IT! It made me smile, relate, feel and understand...attributes numbed of late by loss. I recommend MOON TIDES, SOUL PASSAGES, to anyone seeking tools to renew, inspire, enrich or enlighten their own spiritual garden.

Few astrology books come with their own program to help you calculate transits, progressions, or birth charts. Moon Tides, Soul Passages is one such book. It comes with its own CD, compatible with either Windows-based systems (Windows 95 and above), or for Power Macs that have Virtual PC installed.
The program itself is very simple. Enter your birth data and a starting date for the forecast, and it lists all dates for your progressed moon phases. If you're looking for a complete astrology program, this isn't it. It won't tell you your rising sign, and won't print your natal chart. But for serious astrologers who are interested in studying their own moon phases, or who want to enhance their consultations by including interpretations of lunar progressions in their readings, it is invaluable. The time you save calculating progressed moon phases is worth the price of the book. Not only that, but the program also displays the exact date and time for each of the eight yearly sabbats in your time zone.
The premise of this book centers on the phases of the moon, and how they influence our lives. This book focuses strictly on the moon's movement in our life. Aside from the sun, the moon is the most visible heavenly body. Beginners start learning astrology by reading about sun signs, but the moon, which governs our emotional life, childhood memories, and subconscious and unconscious drives, is an equally important influence in our lives.
There is a wealth of information in Moon Tides, Soul Passages. Not only does Simms explain natal and progressed moon cycles, she delves into eclipses, transits (the current daily movement of the moon), and prenatal lunar cycles. She recounts various life stories to provide examples of lunar cycles, and even offers sample rituals for the lunar phases, eclipses, and for other purposes.
Run the program on your own birth data, and print out the information. With the list of your lunar phases in one hand and Simms' book in the other, look at your life and see how the patterns of the moon's movement has manifested. Then, look to the future to see when the next cycles begin, and what the possibilities are. It's a reference book to read and reread.

I am honored to be an early reader of Moon Tides, Soul Passages by Maria Kay Simms (Starcrafts Publishing, Kensington, NH) 2004. I am a long-time admirer of Simms' work as author, community leader and Crone. I read this book with three times before writing this review. First, I came as a student. I found Simms' scholarship excellent, the exercises challenging, her explanation for the connections with the Wiccan of the Year illuminating, the information very accessible and the organization of the material unique and interesting. The software program was easy to use and the print out was very clear.
My second reading was as someone teaching a class in "remedial astrology", preparatory to a teaching third Wiccan level of training. I constantly search for books that contain fresh perspectives and are grounded in a strong and consistent ethical stance. Simms has met her own goal of "speaking to the soul", and at the same time providing a simple and understandable introduction to basic astrological signs and houses without "rehashing" the material. Her treatment of the elemental (earth, air, fire, water) and modal (cardinal, fixed, mutable) aspects of the signs meshes beautifully with the concepts of Maiden, Nurturer, and Crone exemplified by Triple Goddesses and their stories.
My third reading was for my own edification, growth and development. My Pisces moon self feels "secure when I am spiritually connected", as I was able to do easily using the tools in this book. I am also an artist, and I related easily and well to the incredible paintings. Since my moon is in the seventh house, balance is a key concept for me. I found this book to be beautifully balanced between practical application, mental considerations and spiritual insight. My birth moon was balsamic, and experimenting with possibilities through journaling, consciousness of the moon's transiting phase and sign, and ritual met that need for me.
I recommend this book highly: I'm grateful that the author decided to publish the book as it is. It will be a textbook that my students, formal and informal, will have the opportunity to enjoy for many years.

Cynthia Jane Collins, M.Div, M.S.
Co Author with Jane Raeburn, Building a Magical Relationship, New York: Citadel Press, 2002.
Recovery Spiral, New York: Citadel Press, 2004.

I enjoyed this book's discussions of Goddess spirituality, and it got me to thinking about astrology in some different ways. What makes this book stand out, I thought, was the included software, so that I could figure out where I stood astrologically before reading the relevant sections. The book and software together are a delightful and helpful exploration of one angle of astrology, which makes this a "102" sort of book. Readers who are beginners in astrology will get something out of it, but as you learn more in general, you may find yourself coming back to this book and getting more out of it.

Moon Tides, Soul Passages by Maria Kay Simms is recommended for anyone who is studying the basics of Lunar Astrology. Using the enclosed CD-Rom, a person can calculate a lifetime chart of Moon phases, showing what Lunar Cycle was happening at whatever time of the person's life. The author uses Goddess mythology as metaphor to explain the meaning of each Moon phase, and provides spiritual rituals for phases, elements, and eclipses. The book is lavishly illustrated with color paintings by the author and her talented daughter, Molly Sullivan, making it an artistic, as well as an Astrological treat.

I really enjoyed this book mostly because maria gets you to stop looking in books and go outside and inside to get in touch with nature. She is not advocating to stop reading just emphasizing the power and necessity to really get astrology. Moon tides also comes with software so that you can have a readout of your progressed moon and moon signs in transit. I also really liked that my copy was signed by the author.