The New Moon in Aries at 10:32 p.m.EDT/7:32 p.m. PDT on Sunday, April 11 occurs in the third decan of Aries at 22/25. This New Moon in Aries marks the end to the Pisces cycle, and the start of a new path in Aries. It is the first New Moon of Spring in the North (and of the Autumn in the South). The new moon marks the time of a new lunar cycle, and it occurs when the Sun and Moon conjunct.
This New Moon in Aries, the first sign of the astrological zodiac, marks a time for new beginnings, fresh starts, It’s a time for taking bold action, innovating, and trying out a new way of being, behaving, or approaching some aspect of life. Aries can be brash, aggressive, and rash, but these qualities can be tempered (as the Moon may do) to quell the more impulsive urges by channeling your energy (in wherever Aries is or is aspected in your life/chart).
When embracing the courage, energy, and fearlessness of Aries, we can focus more on embracing challenges, developing more courage, and learning new ways of both perceiving and responding to obstacles, new situations, and aspects of ourselves that we may tend to suppress. Now is a wonderful time to look within to see what is growing in our lives. To discern how we might better use our talents, gifts, and skills. And how we might challenge ourselves to go deeper and strike out in new directions.
Each sun sign/ascendant experiences this New Moon in Aries differently: For Aries, the 1st house, Taurus, the 2nd house, Gemini, the 3rd house, Cancer, the 4th house. For Leo, the 5th house, Virgo, the 6th house, Libra, the 7th house, and for Scorpio, the 8th house. For Sagittarius, the 9th house, Capricorn, the 10th house, Aquarius, the 11th house, and for Pisces, the 12th house. Look at where your Sun sign and ascendant are to determine where the New Moon is having the most potent effect in your life.
A conjunction of the Sun and Moon occurs when they are closest to one another in the sky and on the same side of the Earth (Sun→Moon→Earth). When a conjunction takes places with the Sun and Moon, we call that the New Moon.
Gardeners will be familiar with the Old Farmer’s Almanac as it provides useful information for all manner of gardening-related topics. For example, the New Moon marks the beginning of planting time for annual flower and vegetables, while the period between the Full Moon and the next New Moon is the best time for planting flowering bulbs, perennials, and vegetables that bear their crops below ground. For a more in depth understanding of planting by the moon, visit the Old Farmer’s Almanac site.
How does the New Moon affect you? Because the New Moon in the third decan of Aries is ruled by Venus and Jupiter, the New Moon is more comfortable here than it normally would be. What does this mean? It means that when the Moon, the Queen of our emotional temperment, triggers our emotions, we will feel more like channeling them into positive outlets. This morning, the first thing I read was a thought from Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo. She is traveling, and spoke about noticing how her thoughts were very neg ative. After taking note, she made a conscious choice to focus her thinking on creating more positive, beautiful ones, so as to change the whole trajectory of the energy that her thoughts were sending out.
We all need to do the same thing, in whatever ways we can. I notice myself when I feel the desire to comfort or provide some kind of support to a loved one who is struggling, I focus on saying or doing whatever is most uplifting to that person, rather than try to fix, change, or give advice. And after a prolonged period where we’ve all struggled with so much, building our strength once again, through paying attention to what our bodies, minds, and spirit are reminding us of, is crucial. This New Moon staring point is like all starts; also an ending. We are completing a year long cycle, during which we have experienced, learned, and been challenged to find new ways of approaching just about everything in our lives.
As we move toward a brighter period of healing and new beginnings, we need to reevaluate our relationship with ourselves. It’s a good time for making positive, pragmatic, and realistic changes in our lives. It’s a time for making plans and taking some first steps towards implementing them. Regardless of how big or small the plan, it is the best time to step out on a new path, one that helps us each grow personally. As we grow as individuals, we are more able to contribute to the greater good, the good of all. An example of how this is already manifesting is the choice each person is making to get vaccinated. After a year or more of lock downs, isolation, or increased demands on us to meet the needs of the pandemic, we now have to move forward. In what ways are you being called to move forward and to make some new plans?
Because this New Moon falls in the third decan of Aries (20-30 degrees), emphasis is on a more dramatic and adventurous expression. Rather than getting bogged down in the minutia and mundane irritations of daily life, look for ways to treat life as more of an adventure than a trial. How is what you’re experiencing (and have already experienced) prepared you for a new way forwrd, a new and brighter way of experiencing life?
According to the system of Lunar mansions, the placement of this New Moon is influenced by Al-Butain, The mansion also referred to as the lunar station, is a segment of the Moon’s 28 transitions in its orbit. Al-Butain governs approximately 21-25 degrees of Aries. It indicates a good time for planting, seeking favors from those in authority, trading, traveling by land, using fire and water. It’s not an especially good time for relationships, because we need to be looking within to determine what our own needs are. Of course if you’re the selfish type, the need is to be less so, but for most of us, it means determining what we need to do to prosper, grow, and respond to what life is calling us to do and be. It’s a time of self nurturing, and nourishing the body, mind, and soul.
It’s also a time when relationships may become more challenging, especially if we resort to unreformed Aries traits such as histrionics or overly emotional displays used for effect. This is the time to see that when we resort to this kind of behavior, it is really something within ourselves we’re upset about...usually something we feel we cannot control or change. One of the best pieces of advice I got many moons ago was, “When in doubt, don’t.” Of course this makes sense when we don’t want to do something in the first place, but it’s good advice when we think we’re right but no one wants our advice. Stepping back, taking a breather, or refraining from striking out, even when we feel we’re right, can do more to defuse a situation or conflict. Not everything needs to nor can it be resolved right now, even though we’d like it to be. And despite our best efforts, we are not responsible for everything that happens (I know we all know this, but examine your behavior and life choices, and see if you live in full understanding of this?).
Aries energy is kinetic, fiery, and on-the-mark-get-set-GO, much of the time. With this New Moon in Aries, we need to temper this energy in ways that may be more contructive, creative, and composed. Write it out, dance it out, sing it out, hike it out, DO something, but avoid overreacting or being demanding in ways that simply create divisions and animosity or frustration. It’s not helpful. To anyone.
Aries is the sign that inspires us to express ourselves as we are, not as we think we should be or as others project us to be. We need to acknowledge our true essence and that of others. We cannot shape another to be different; we can infuence others by being our best selves (we can also influence other by being our worst, but then why would we want to do that?).
The New Moon in Aries forms a square to Pluto in Capricorn. This indicates that some obstacles still need to be cleared as we face our fears and doubts, and carry on. Whatever fears or doubts have been keeping you from moving foreward on your path, can be dealt with by acknowledging the fear and moving forward despite them. Mars in confident and resourceful Gemini is sextiles the Moon, easing and supporting us through whatever struggles we may have. Notice what issues, areas of life, and goals the house where the New Moon in Aries is affecting, and focus on making whatever adjustments (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) need to take place...so that your highest good and health are encouraged.
Mars, the Ruler of Aries, influences our expressions of anger, conflict, and action. What the Moon in Aries influences our need to remove anger become more suppicant to our unhealed emotional needs, as we seek reunification. It is a time to dig down into our depths to find the hidden treasures that have sustained and nurtured us through challenging times. When we act out of our unhealed or un tempered emotions, we can destroy relationships and other structures that we’ve worked to build. Tempering our emotions seems the best way to handle whatever may rise up during this period. It will serve all.
With Saturn, the Great Teacher and Jupiter’s abundance as they transit Aquarius, we are learning and being inspired to newer and more innovative ways to build our lives, our communities, and our perspective of our place in the family of humanity. New life is beginning to bloom in our gardens, old, out-worn ways of behaving and living are passing out of existence. Some aspects of our lives are harder to cope with than others, but we must look for the opportunities that rise up out of whatever is passing to see what is growing. Life is sustained by the flow of the cycles, and we can embrace the new at this New Moon in Aries time, and count our blessings at the same time.
This week I bought new roses for my new spring garden. I also got them to plant roots in the ground where I now am, with full knowledge, understanding, and gratitude for who and what has brought me the blessings in this lifetime. My garden is a memorial to life, and a commitment to life still to be. What are you planting in your life during this new season of Life? May it bless you and others as we move back into community with one another. May we greet one another with new eyes and hope for building better lives for everyone. Peace be with you.
