Blessed First Quarter Moon in Sagittarius from my house to yours! When we climbed into bed on Thursday, our littlest alters saw the moon & said, "Whoa, moon... you bright!" And for not even being 50% full yet, she sure was! She reached quarter moon status --- 47.6% --- around 8:30 A.M. on Friday --- September 18th, 2026 --- & closed out that quarter moon --- 52.3% --- around 8:30 P.M. the same day. She remained in Sagittarius the whole time.
Much like the Final Quarter Moon is an extension of the Full Moon, giving one more time to release & relax. The First Quarter Moon is an extension of the New Moon, giving one additional time to pour energy into their manifestations. Alternatively, one could pour into their own cup via a self-care ritual. After all, if you aren't tending to the vessel, how can you expect it to produce viable magic?
A Quarter Moon in Sagittarius might mean that self-care manifests in the form of teaching yourself something new. People with prominent Sagittarius placements are wanderers & life-long learners. So, if all you do is read this blog... congratulations you've completed your Quarter Moon in Sagittarius ritual!
Sagittarius is connected to the 'Temperance' card in the tarot. If the manifestations you set during the New Moon seem excessive, now is the time to dial it back. Find balance. This is not to say that what you've asked for is 'too much'. But, think about whether or not it makes sense to ask for it all at once. Think about whether or not you could handle it if everything you asked for fell into your lap tomorrow. If your answer is no, consider tweaking that spell... JUST A BIT. Themes of discernment may haunt you right now, as well. Are you taking care of your projects as if they were unborn, or newly born, children? If your answer is no, WHY NOT? Because that's what they are! They're YOUR creations & just like there are kidnappers with ill intent towards children, there are copycats with ill intent towards creations they feel they can't create on their own.
My Creative Zinnia by Dr. Shamim Ali
"Zinnia's creativity, a sight to behold,
Her hand-painted art, like stories untold,
Pasted on my bedroom door, a canvas so pure,
A masterpiece of love, forever endure.
I watch them often, with a heart full of joy,
Each stroke of her brush, no detail left coy,
The colors so vivid, the lines so clean,
Her talent shining bright, like a star unseen.
From dolls to warning signs for cats astray,
Her creativity knows no bounds, day by day,
A heart so pure, a mind so bright,
Her artistry like a ray of light.
Talented Zinnia, creative as can be,
Your art has a soul, a spirit so free,
You have my genes, your creativity,
Forever cherished, in you, I see.
So keep on creating, dear Zinnia,
A world of wonder, in your mind's eye,
Your talent shines like the sun,
A creative force, forever won."
Zinnias, like the Virginia Bluebells, are a testament to the resilience of Mother Nature. Interestingly enough, the Zinnia were among the first flowers grown successfully in the International Space Station. So, these brilliantly colored flowers can grow quite literally anywhere they're sown. They, like the Virginia Bluebells, are an excellent resource for the pollinators. Monarch butterflies not only enjoy feeding on them, they use them as nurseries for their offspring!
You've heard the phrase, "One man's trash is another man's treasure, right?" Well, in this case a Monarch's treasure is the Cucumber Beetle & the Tomato Worm's trash. When planted in your garden, Zinnia's can ward off unwanted visitors, such as the Cucumber Beetle & the Tomato Worm. Speaking of trash, if you find that your soil is chockfull of toxins... get you some Zinnia! Zinnia is an expert at rooting down deep into the soil & pulling up lead, making way for the rest of your garden to thrive.
Zinnia is native to Mexico. When the early Spanish colonists arrived, they spotted the Zinnia, with its unique layered petals & distinct circle in the middle, & called them Mal de Ojos, meaning evil eyes. Some witches have run with that legend & used the flowers in protection wards. But, they're typically associated with the opposite of envy. Because of their nature, they represent loyalty, friendship, & an energy that will always return, even if it must go away for a season or two.
The Aztecs considered the Zinnia to be a sacred plant. They associated it with the sun & offered the flowers to their gods. In Brazil, curanderos use Zinnias to remove madness from those afflicted with it. In the same respect, they often use the flowers in cleansing rituals. Specifically, spiritual baths. In my neck of the wood, the Southwest portion of the United States, the Pueblo Indians feed the blossoms to their children. They believe this will cause them to grow to be intelligent & eloquent.
There are several beneficial constituents found in Zinnias & there are studies being done to determine if they could be used in cancer research. Some of the most note-worthy compounds are:
Saponins - produce a soapy lather; emulsifying agent
Glycosides - improve cardiac output in people who have heart failure
Flavonoids - reduce inflammation; the constituent that is being studied as a cancer preventative
Steroids - reduce inflammation; provides pain relief, specifically the pain from building muscle
Phenols - antimicrobial; reduces inflammation in the skin, usually the face
I guess this is a good time to mention...
You can make an astringent using Zinnia flowers!
[1] Boil enough water to cover the amount of flowers you've harvested.
[2] Pour water over the Zinnias & let sit for 10-15 minutes.
[3] Strain flowers & discard. If you compost, throw them in there!
[4] Let cool.
[5] Transfer to a spritzer bottle & store in the fridge. After 3-4 days, you should toss it. So, be mindful of how much you make. Don't waste the resources the land provides!
This can be used as a cleanser or a toner. Keep in mind that it won't suds the way commercially produced facial cleansers do.
So, if you're looking to tend to your skin health, your heart health, or your liver health... Zinnias may be 'the cure'. But, you're sure to find joy by simply planting them & allowing the bees, butterflies, & hummingbirds to drop by to say, "Hello!"
Referring back to your creative projects that you're tending to right now... Zinnia challenges you to look at them through the lens of repetitiveness. What has worked consistently since starting this project? Is it waking up at a specific hour? Is it sitting in a dedicated spot? Is it walking away for a time, only to return with fresh eyes? Whatever it is, know that it's the repeated behavior where the magic lives. In the same respect, Zinnia illuminates that pleasure can be repeated, too. Sure, sometimes joy sneaks up on you. But, what if joy can be found EVERY DAY? What if you set out to cultivate it?
Yeah! What if?!?
Today's tarot card comes from my current favorite deck, the Viking Valor deck, which I received as a birthday gift from my partner. I've been doing a pictorial walk thru on my YouTube channel because [1] the pictures are intricate & beautiful [2] I'm still learning Norse mythology, so I thought I'd let y'all learn with me. If you're interested in that series, find me on YT --- @SoapsAndRumsApothecary ---
There you have it, folks! The cards confirm the lessons brought to us by Zinnia. Slow, steady, & repetitive movements win the race. One of my favorite ways to look at the characteristics of the 'Knight of Pentacles' is this, "They're the slowest knight in the deck." Not slow in a derogatory manner. Slow in a, "Let's take our time. Let's be patient. Let's see what today brings before we plan for tomorrow." If you feel yourself rushing right now... STOP. Take a minute & look at what you've already done. Analyze what is REALLY working & what needs to be put to the side. Maybe that technique is one you come back to? Maybe you discover in your time away that it wasn't a very productive way of doing things. Either way, take your time. Because even if we don't have much time left, you won't be angry if you died while gleaning joy from the flowers.
REFERENCES:
https://feminismandreligion.com/2024/09/25/flowers-gifts-of-goddess-by-judith-shaw/
https://www.stuartxchange.org/Zinnia.html
https://diynatural.com/zinnia-astringent-for-face/
https://mymythos.org/archetype/zinnia/
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-creative-zinnia/
As always,
Be well.
Be you.
A.G.