Wanted to let those of you who read my monthly New Moon columns, I will not be writing this column any longer. This month's column is the last.
Thank all of you who have followed my Intuitive Insight blog over the years.
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On Monday, September 6, 2021 the New Moon arrives at 24/38 degrees of Virgo. Being that my own moon is in Virgo, I guess it would be normal for me to have so many Virgo friends. This week alone, I have at least 6 friends who celebrate their birthdays. My Daughter and I both have our moons in Virgo, and the Moon is my one grounding aspect that helps me the most.
The Moon rules our emotional temperament, and is key to how we cope with the best of times and the worst. Since our bodies and our planet are composed primarily of water, it is only natural that we are affected by the gravitational pull of the Moon. The tides are governed by the moon as those of us who live by the sea and rivers know so well. The tides move with a rhythm that is both predictable and regular.
The two tidal bulges that create the tides are caused by inertia and gravity as the Moon changes position in its orbit around the Earth. That results in two high tides and two low tides every twenty-four hours and 50 minutes each and every day. The tides occur twelve hours and twenty-five minutes apart. And it takes 6 hours and twelve and a half minutes for the water at the shore to go from low to high and then high to low again. Like a mysterious giant Cosmic clock, the tides rise and fall. If the waters of the earth, the orbit of the Moon, and their movement don’t affect us, I don’t know what does. It’s really quite marvelous, and so as we are in the transit of the Virgo Moon, we find ourselves at the phase known as the new moon.
Scientifically, the new moon is the first phase of the lunar cycle when the Moon and the Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this point, the moon itself is not visible to the human eye, but can be determined because of its position in relation to the stars and planets that are visible in the night sky. If you’ve been out at night during the last few days, you may have been able to see the stars and planets in their beautiful splendor. The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun at the time of the New Moon, thereby making the side of the Moon that faces the Earth appear to be in the shadow.
Our heart rates and blood pressure are thought to be lower during both the new and full moon phases. According to a study done by the Indian Journal of Applied Medical Research, our hearts are at peak performance during both full and new moon phases. Women’s menstrual cycles (every 28 days) are similar in length to the lunar cycles (29.5 days). The moon definitely has an effect on the Earth and on all its inhabitants.
Astrologically speaking, the New Moon symbolizes the start of a new lunar cycle. Each month the New Moon is in the same sign and exact position/degree as the Sun. The Full Moon in contrast, is always in the sign/time of the year opposite it. The Sun and Moon are now at 28 degrees of Virgo. When we interpret the meaning and trends for the new lunar cycle, we look at the qualities of this particular sign.
The New Moon cycles are used by many religious traditions to mark their liturgical and religious celebrations. This New Moon in Virgo marks the start of Rosh Hashanah, the start of the High Holy Days of Judaism. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown Monday, September 6 and ends at sundown either September 7 or September 8, depending on which traditions a community observes. The New Moon also has a role in Islam’s observance of Ramadan, the month of fasting. The first day of the Hindu calendar starts at the new moon, and the Chinese calendar also uses the new moon's lunar phases to mark their new year. Many cultures and spiritual traditions use the lunar calendar thusly. While most Christian liturgical calendars are guided by the solar movements, Easter is based on the lunar calendar (Eastern Orthodox and Western Christianity use different lunar calendars however, so their celebrations fall about 2 weeks apart).
What does the New Moon mean for those of us who incorporate astrological meaning into our lives? The New Moon marks the start of a new cycle, a time of renewal and new beginnings. As the Moon waxes (grows larger as it becomes more visible), we see this as a growing time, a time to build up. The Full Moon represent idea, projects and movement reaching its time of fruition, and the waxing ( period between the full moon and the new) as a time to finish up, reflect, tackle unfinished business, and during the last few days before the new moon, the dark of the moon is a time to stop and rest).
So we’ve just gone through an entire lunar cycle, so the last few days might have been wondering how you can make some changes or adjustments to your life. The New Moon is a good time to get started making some new plans, planting some seeds for the future, or turning in a new direction. Being that for many, it is the start of a new academic year, it is the time of the year many of us are already in the getting started mode. We can of course make changes at any time, but it is helpful to use the energy available, to ride the tide in the direction it is headed, if we want to really feel supported, guided, and moving ‘in the right direction’.
This New Moon is magical in so many ways. Look to your chart/life to see where Virgo is ruling. Everyone has Virgo in some area of their life, and this is where the New Moon in Virgo is transiting.
What does Virgo Rule:
Creating and building especially in areas concerning health and discernment;
Bring ideas into manifestation. Getting down to work and getting things done;
Starting new projects. Setting off on a new path;
Planning, making lists, assessing and enjoying what we’ve already accomplished;
Paying special attention to healthcare, nutrition, exercise, and what we put in our bodies, minds, and hearts.
Establishing/adjusting routines to help us organize and manage our lives in positive, healthy ways;
Taking care of details.
Setting goals for improving areas where we struggle. Virgos can be perfectionists. In what areas of your life may you be trying too hard? Perfectionism is not a healthy goal; doing our best and knowing when to move on, is a more constructive way of taking care of business;
Enjoying the fruits of our labor and spending time and energy with our friends and those who help sustain us through the difficult, challenging times (we have enough of the latter so that we need the former, and need to honor and acknowledge the former)
What is the good news about this Virgo New Moon?
NEW MOON IN VIRGO TRINES URANUS IN TAURUS.
If ever there was an aspect that signals good news on the horizon, this is it. And the news, surprises, and changes that come, often unexpectedly with Uranus, mean that you will be able to put a lot of energy behind whatever new plans, dreams, ideas, or changes you plan and begin with this new moon cycle. Both in 14 degrees of their respective earth signs, the Moon and Uranus will provide the resources, support, and information you need for getting much accomplished and for ensuring that your plans actually begin to come to fruition. It’s time to reap some of what you have been so hard at work doing, planning, and creating.
Of course how we choose to use or abuse our energy, resources, or opportunities is key to our ability to benefit and support others with the energy of this new moon. We are strengthened and energized by this New Moon which means we have to be discerning and tempered in the way we use that energy. Not only must we avoid overloading ourselves and others, but also we need to be careful in how we treat one another.
With the New Moon sitting atop the fixed star Mizar, on the tail of the Mother Bear constellation, energy can be used or abused. In our efforts to control or motivate, we can become too controlling or even harsh. Or we can become a compassionate healer, nurturing Mother Bear. The choice is ours alone, so be aware. Also, be aware of how others are using their energy around you, and avoid tangling with those who could not have your best interests at heart. Steer clear of those who are unhealed and unconscious. Also avoid diluting or dissolving this energy with the abuse of drugs or alcohol or even work. We use our work sometimes, as a means of escaping or ignoring deeper issues that need to be addressed. In your discernment process, ask yourself what is good for you. Sometimes we are encouraged to do something that might be a ‘good idea’ but is not good for us. And those temptations or shiny objects sound good, but would lead us astray or at the very least, off the path in which we’re headed. This is the time to assess the path we’re on, make adjustments that are healthier, more positive for us in the long run, and begin making changes and letting go of what no longer serves us. Today, the day before the new lunar cycle, is a great time to meditate or ponder on what we really need and want, as opposed to what we feel we must do or have no choice in. What can you do to make small changes that open more possibilities to lead you on a healthier, more fulfilling path?
And for the piece de resistance (the centerpiece or jewel in the crown) of this lunar cycle are two other beautiful trines.
Jupiter-Venus-North Node:
Jupiter in Aquarius (good fortune, abundance, good luck) and Venus (love, romance, harmony, beauty, creativity) in Libra form a grand trine with the North Node (gateway to the future) in Gemini. Excellent for new phases in our lives, growth and good changes in relationships, and all things related to creating harmony, beauty, and balance. And with the north node involved, whatever we attract or engage in now, will shape our future. It’s perhaps the most fortunate of aspects, and we need to recognize it and use it for the best and highest good of ourselves and others.
Mars-Pluto-North Node:
Mars in Virgo trine Pluto in Capricorn helps form a grand trine in earth signs with their trine to the North Node.
Mars, the planet that rules action, male energy, and movement trines Pluto, the Great Transformer work together to bring more into manifestation, and to get things moving again where they might have been stuck. And again, because of all the aspects to the North Node (gateway to the future) there’s no going back. What is forming now, will shape and rule the future. Now is the time to act.
With all this energy triggering change and forward momentum, we need to be in touch with our true selves. Remember who you are, and listen to what your inner being and the Divine guidance you seek, is showing and telling you. If areas are stopped up, draining, or exhausting you, remember who you are and seek higher ground. When our inner resources are drained, we need to take time to rest, refresh, and refill our reservoirs. This beautiful new lunar cycle comes at a time when most of us have once again, hit a wall. Be open to receiving the blessings to help lift you up and guide you to higher ground for a safe passage forward.
The Divine motion of the Universe and of our lives within it, is best used to love, support, and help each other. We can only do this if we are nourishing ourselves, tending to our physical, emotional, and mental needs, and when we take some time to adjust our course, and seek meaning and guidance from that which sustains, heals, and supports us. Many blessings to all as you receive the healing, love, and care you need and deserve.
At its peak, the Leo New Moon is at 16 degrees, in the 2nd decan of Leo, a very Leo Moon.
This placement of Leo for the Moon emphasizes our desire to shine in whatever area our organizational and entertaining skills reside. We may feel energized to make some strategic plans that involve others, hosting a party, or organizing some kind of event to bring people in harmony and to entertain them. The New Moon in Leo moves us to express our gratitude or to seek ways to show our gratitude or perhaps to plan some kind of gathering to show our appreciation for those who mean so much to us. A good time for dreaming up plans and making initial steps, but not necessarily to carry the plans out right away.
It may be better to move a bit more slowly in carrying out any plans right now. The New Moon in Leo is squaring Uranus in 14 degrees of Taurus. This tends to make us a bit overly optimistic, and Taurus always reminds us to stick to the facts and only act when the time is right. Because the Moon energizes our emotional temperment, we can feel more deeply, long more soulfully, and crave change more strongly than we otherwise do. Feelings need to be tempered with patience and good sense. The Leo New Moon, in her majesty, acts as the Queen of the Realm, and in our personal lives, as the power and energy of our own lives.
We may long for change, movement, and new opportunities, and that’s all very well indeed. However, like any good monarch, we must have our players and backers prepared, trained, and fully aware of what obstacles and challenges might be faced, given any choices we make. This is definitely a time when we will be inspired and moved to create, change, and engage, however, we must make sure we also move at a pace that is right for us and in synch with the world around us. No time to paddle our canoes out into the open sea, with no support or the necessary tools for our survival. Impatience is not a virtue at this time.
It is definitely a time when we want to do all we can to protect children, and to use the arts to help in the healing process, for ourselves and others. We are still in the middle of a life-altering pandemic, and despite our desire to ‘get back to normal’, we cannot be foolhardy and irresponsible as we begin to make changes. Too much is at stake, and our personal choices have a very real and potentially life-altering impact on the lives and health of others. This is the time the Great Mother Bear (Ursa Major) reminds us to be protective of our young as we begin to emerge from our long isolation and start to interact with others again. The dangers have not gone away, and so despite what we may feel we want to do, we must be prepared to adjust to fit the real needs of the world we live in. Allow your inner Mother Bear to help remind you of what’s best for you, is usually also what’s best for those in your care. Avoid abrupt or premature acts or decisions. The wise monarch waits, observes, takes counsel, and discerns both the timing and decisions, and then acts. By the time plans are put into place, the risks have been considered and the decision to act is done by one ready to meet and cope with the consequences.
With Uranus in Taurus having such a strong impact on this New Moon in Leo, we can expect some unexpected and perhaps, pleasantly surprising events. People may surprise us with their responses or decisions, and we may find that sitting back for a bit, helps push others to make moves that show you clearly what needs to be done.
Look to the houses where Leo, Sagittarius, and Aries rule in your chart/life. These are the areas and the aspects of your life that now are being energized. So for example, if your 10th house is Leo, that means (generally) your 6th house (work, physical body, daily life) is Aries, and 2nd house (personal resources, identity development) are the areas that are most affected. Look to where Uranus is transiting Taurus in your chart, and that is where you can expect surprising, out-of-the-blue events/circumstances to also have an impact during this lunar cycle, especially in the next two weeks. After that, you’ll be coping with whatever has happened between now and then (that’s normal, for after the full moon, we begin the cycle of completing and completion). Noticing where in your life your strengths can be found, means you’re better able to appreciate and feel energized by whatever is moving you to resist, act, or hide out.
Mercury is still in Leo, and is approaching its transit through Virgo (August 11). This is completion time. Making lists, setting out plans, organizing and generating ideas. Once Mercury moves into Virgo, it will be all about putting plans in motion, so this is the time to think things through, talk it out, and discern within, what is best.
Venus and Mars are both already in Virgo, so you may be finding yourself more active, creative, and energized. Getting things done may be the key word for this lunar cycle. Finishing up what you’ve already begun so that when the new road opens, you’re ready.
Jupiter is in Aquarius this week...back over old territory, bring more good fortune and abundance into your life. And reminding you the cost of decisions and good fortune that rained down on you earlier. This will be a period to rethink and review how you’ve handled some decision/choices. And may also be a good period to amplify the good and remove that which is unworkable or outdated/outmoded, or clearly not working. Jupiter stays in Aquarius until December 28 so this is a good period for receiving an abundance of opportunities, options, and new information. Look back to how you were benefited last year, and watch to see what unfolds when you tweak those schedules, assignments, projects, or decisions now.
Saturn is also in Aquarius, affecting the cycles in your personal and the collective charts. Saturn, the Great Teacher, reminds us that we always have something to learn, to give, and to do to affect our lives and the world around us. And usually that requires recognizing something about ourselves that needs adjusting. Whatever areas in your lives that seem to feel stuck or in a rut, are the areas that you might need to examine and determine how you might be getting in your own way? What about how you’re doing things or making decisions, is working and what is not? And why are you insisting on doing the same thing over and over only to find it still doesn’t work? Those are the areas where you might want to look within and see what you’re afraid of? What are you avoiding? What are you holding onto that you might want to let go of? How could a slight adjustment make a big improvement? Saturn is usually pretty good at showing us these areas. In Aquarius it’s going to have a lot to do with how our actions affect others and contribute to society as a whole. We do best when we factor others and the common good into whatever choices and leadership decisions we have the privilege of making. Be your own best teacher now, and let Saturn nudge you along and then, I promise, Jupiter will reward your good sense.
The biggest changes and where most of the energy around this New Moon in Leo has an impact is in how we navigate ourselves through the rapids of change, and the surprises that Uranus in Taurus are bound to bring us. Hold onto your hats, and enjoy the ride.
Honoring our need to make a secure home. Making home homier. Seeking ways to nurture and honor our sense of feeling at home and making a nurturing, secure home for ourselves and our families. Making plans now to improve our lives, and time to lay the groundwork for whatever kinds of changes we want to make within the next few weeks. Focus for Cancer is on creating a space and environment that is both secure, safe, healthy, and comforting.
This Cancer lunar phase is a kind of nesting time for us. A time when we seek to create peaceful, comfortable, nourishing home life as well as a more supportive way of living life so that we feel more at home wherever we are. The changes brought on by our need to maintain safe conditions during the pandemic, have called upon us to now make adjustments to our old ways of doing things and carrying on business. Some of us were busier and under more pressure during much of the last year and a half due to our work; others have been more isolated and have had to change the way they have been working. This Cancer lunar cycle calls for some realistic adjustments, where we build in greater security, self care, and more innovative ways of integrating back into a new approach to work and life balance. Now is a good time to spend some time discerning how we might make those kinds of adjustments.
The Sun in Cancer along with the Moon, emphasize and heighten our desire and need to create a more nurturing environment for our families, our pets, ourselves. Time to treat yourself with a great deal of TLC (tender loving care). With the Sun and Moon both in Cancer, we may find this a more emotional time than usual. It’s a good cleansing time for our emotional energy, so find some soothing, creative outlets to express yourself. Allow yourself to indulge your senses with walks on the beach or hikes in the hills. Seek ways to become more a part of the sensual world, and let the sun warm you and the waters soothe you. It’s a time to take good care of ourselves, and to encourage our loved ones to do the same.
Venus is conjunct Mars in Leo signaling energy that can be used creatively to make necessary changes are needed. Uranus in Taurus squares Mars/Venus indicating this will be required due to some unexpected changes (look to see which houses/sectors of life Leo and Taurus rule, in addition to aspects they may make to natal planets/progressions). Venus and Mars in Leo also oppose Saturn, the Great Teacher which is transiting Aquarius. Challenging us to find a middle ground for changes and improvements, based on what we’ve learned about innovation and looking ahead. Opposition to Saturn can make us feel a bit insecure, as our feelings and need for affirmation and affection, are more evident now than usual.
Venus conjunct Mar in Leo is probably one of the most passionate aspects possible. The dramatic and warm need to express ourselves, is heightened. Needing to create and express ourselves, this is a fruitful, productive time, especially in the areas of love, romance, art, drama, and the world as a stage for the theater of life. It’s a great time for working with others in some creative venture. And needless to say, this is a time when ‘love at first sight’, taking a chance on love, and the desire to reveal our true feelings, are enhanced.
The period leading up to the New Moon in Cancer on Friday, is called the Dark of the Moon. It is when the moon is waning, and it’s a time when one lunar cycle is coming to a close, readying the way for new energy. A good time to put some things to rest: old beliefs and patterns of behavior, projects and unfinished business, relationships to whatever was important, but no longer is, and whatever else needs weeding from your life.
The New Moon in Cancer squares Chiron, the Wounded Healer, shortly before the new moon peaks. This may signal some insight and/or emotional release (or both) giving you greater insight about how old wounds are affecting you at this point. The insight is valuable because it gives you the keys to unlock some old pattern or intuitive insight into how you continue to allow the past to shape the present, and the future. It provides the keys to unlocking the secrets and/or intuitive insight of the past, so that you can remove the hold it may have on you. Think of the fairy tale where a kingdom is under an ancient curse, and all the inhabitants fall into a deep sleep. When the magic elixir or sacred words are at last spoken, the people awaken from their sleep. This is such a time, and we are in need of a great awakening, both on the personal level and as a whole. We’re all at the stage where we have been roused from our sleep; now it is time to get up, shake off the past, and start forward. Before we travel though, we take time to prepare for what is ahead. Use this Cancer New Moon and the rest of the solar and lunar cycle to treat yourself with great care, soothing, resting, and calming yourself for the new road ahead.
The Moon rules Cancer, and so is at home here, more than anywhere else. Seek the home within you. Create a home around you that nurtures and provides you with the resources you need for forging ahead as you walk a new path. Things to keep in mind: On Wednesday, before the new moon, Mercury in Gemini makes its third and final square to Neptune, resulting in greater clarity after a long period of miscommunication. There may still be some confusion, but we discover the fog is lifting. Before the new moon, Mercury officially comes out from the shadow of its retrograde cycle. Issues are resolved; a new cycle begins. It’s important to be clear about decisions and directions; it is equally important to be kind.
The New Moon in Cancer enables us to water the seeds we’ve planted, and to continue to release whatever we’ve been hanging onto. Whatever we don’t release, rides into the next cycle as extra baggage. Toss it off now. Remember the lessons of Pluto (now opposing the Moon) which remind us of what it takes to create new energy, plant new crops, and build greater and more healthy relationships (to self, others,the world in general)
Good news ahead, is that Mercury will be leaving Gemini by this Sunday, and will be joining the Cancer Moon and Sun.
The symbol for Cancer is the crab. Like the crab, we carry our ideas and inner identity to home, within and around with us. Like the crab, we maintain an vulnerable, soft inner essence while wearing the protective mantle allowing us to set boundaries, and maintain a safe, secure shell around our more vulnerable self. This is the time to take good care of ourselves, and to use great discernment in our relationships: personal, professional, familial, community, and to our greater society of humanity.
Cancer rules the home, homelife, and parents, including our ideas and experiences with what those mean. If you’ve ever watched a sand crab, you’ll know that they did themselves a nesting place in the warm, wet sand along the shoreline.The sandcrab is designed for quickly burrowing in the sand to protect itself. It’s eyes protrude out of the sand to keep a watch on its surroundings. It also has the ability to project the long stalks which hold their eyes above the surface to gather water and to gather food from the surface. The sandcrab is a good example of what we all need to do periodically. Be like the Crab. Seek a safe, comfortable, safe spot to gather your resources, rest, and prepare for what is ahead.
May’s New Moon at 21/18 degrees of Taurus introduces a new lunar cycle. For anyone with personal planets/aspects between 17-25 degrees of the Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) this is significant. For all of us, this New Moon inspires us to focus on getting our personal lives and goals in order, and making room for a more grounded, balanced way of life.
The Taurus New Moon is in a close square with Jupiter (29 degrees of Aquarius) and Saturn (13 degrees of Aquarius). While we may want to expand and move in a new direction, we are still in the process of completing the steps or final stages of reorganizing so that when we move forward, we have a more balanced approach to life and daily living. Making sure we build in time for exercise, rest, pleasure, and creative ventures is now essential to a healthier, harmonious way of living.
Taurus energy is the “let’s do this, let’s get it done” force that enables us to build, create, alter, and make necessary changes in whatever areas of life require restructuring. What decisions and changes we make at this new moon time will spark movement and results within the next few weeks. Whatever we plant now, will grow in abundance, so be very intentional about what you create in the areas where you want and need change and new movement. Be especially attentive to taking care of your own basic needs (hygiene, rest, exercise, and resources).
Decisions, projects, and goals you set at this point, have every chance of working out to bring you to a new level of harmony in your life, and so it is vital that you make choices that will take you out of old cycles, patterns, and habits, so that you can prosper, develop more fully, and find ways to enhance your own life as well as the lives of others. The more self aware and whole we are, the greater our ability to support and connect with others. The healthier and more balanced we seek to be, the more we are able to fully enjoy and engage in life.
We’ve gone through a long cycle of purging, uprooting, transforming, and releasing whatever has needed to be let go. We’ve spent more time focused on the essentials of life, and now as we move through the end stages of a very disruptive, challenging shift as individuals and a whole civilization, we are beginning to find our grounding. It’s as if we’ve been in a very long journey at sea, sailing through perilous storms, and we’ve reached shore.
As we take our first steps on dry land, we need to get our sea legs again. To be able to walk calmly, steadily again after being tossed about on a turbulent sea. We are beginning to grow accustomed to a new way of life, with a new perspective growing as we do. What has changed significantly in your life, and what is the new path holding in the way of possibilities for you?
On Tuesday, May 11 at noon Pacific Time (3 p.m. ET) the New Moon in Taurus finds us on the path of change during a rich, verdant season of our lives. Our ideas, hopes, dreams, and desires, not to mention our plans and goals, are being nourished, fertilized, and nurtured, as we are beginning to make choices from the many invitations that now come our way.
Jupiter is at 29 degrees, the anaretic/critical degree of Aquarius. For the last year and four months, Jupiter’s transit through Saturn-ruled Aquarius has made challenging times and obstacles a bit easier to bear, but we often wondered whether or not there would be relief from the hard lessons we’ve been working through. The critical degree signals a time when focus and intention are important. On the Taurus New Moon, we need to be laser-focused on the practical and grounded application of managing, coordinating, and directing our personal, professional, collective, and societal goals. Most vital is the Taurus driven aim to create more beauty, harmony, and peace within the daily life we live and in our behavior and relationships.
With its entry into Pisces later this week, Jupiter reminds us that it is imperative that our choices/plans/decisions at this New Moon in Taurus, be clear, positive, and intentional so that we are clear about what we truly desire. Entry into Jupiter-ruled Pisces, brings a bounty of goodness and abundance as it manifests in an outpouring of splendor. Jupiter transits Pisces from May 13-July 28. It then retrogrades back into Aquarius until the end of the year, so this first foray into Pisces opens the door and delivers the first fruits of what is to come. Now is the time to set your vision in alignment with your goals and dreams, and to welcome the opportunities that now come to you. Eliminate fear and be courageous in your choices and decision making. Trust that you are worthy of reaping the best of what you have sowed as plans are made and set into motion.
The New Moon in Taurus is a passageway into a new eclipse season. We leave the Aries eclipse cycle where fiery energy ruled, and enter a more grounded, earthy cycle. While this New Moon does not align with an eclipse, it does shift the energy from one of hectic activity to one of much-needed retreat, rest, and grounding. Time to get rooted and take a calmer, more serene approach to whatever needs to be taken care of. It is not a time of great activity so much as it is a pause in the recent wave of shocking and ongoing changes. It’s time to take time for ourselves, to slow down more, and to get our feet literally and figuratively on the ground. Time to feel the earth, sand, or grass beneath our feet.
If we cannot make an actual retreat or step away from a hectic pace, we must at the very least, keep an inner calm and centeredness amid whatever is going on around us. When we are not active or able to make changes, we find ourselves in a time of darkness or stillness. A time when we can sit with our thoughts and allow them to simmer. I often think of this kind of time as like a hen sitting on her eggs, brooding over them. Keeping the eggs (ideas, plans, goals) warm so that they have time to develop and grow. It’s an important time for the stillness and the ‘leaving things alone’ time are necessary for the full process of (to use a very mixed metaphor) sowing, fertilizing, developing, and hatching/bearing fruit. In other words. You’ve done the groundwork. You’ve developed the plan. You’ve set things in motion, now let go of ‘trying’ and let things develop and unfold. This is that precarious waiting period. Now allow the New Moon in Taurus to be a time when you celebrate the process, sink deeper into the stillness, and celebrate in the basic simple grounding that comes from being present with what is.
Venus-ruled Taurus makes Venus a key planet to watch. Venus’ energy calls for a more creative, flowing energy as we are urged to trust our intuitive and artistic energy more now. Highly intuitive energy is at work now, and it behooves us all to pay close attention to intuition, dreams, and signs and symbolic energies. Venus seeks balance and harmony, and that goes for balancing our energies and ways of knowing. Thought balanced by actions. Intuition is balanced by paying attention to what is before us. This is when it is key to allow ego to take a back seat, and allow ourselves to trust that there’s a right thing to do, we know what it is, and we know we can do it or recognize it. What good is, unfolds in our lives now. We need to be awake and alert to how that is clearly present where we are in this moment. In the experiences that are coming to us; not just in what we think ‘should’ be. Open your heart along with your mind to how the Divine brings answers, opens doors, and reveals the next right and perfect step.
“It’s May, it’s May, that gorgeous holiday”, music and lyrics from Lerner and Loewe, reminds us that this time of year is one of abundance, beauty, fertility, and deep joy. Take some time to enjoy the bounty and beauty within you, around you, and alive in the possibilities that are being bestowed on us now. Open your eyes, your heart, and your life to more joy, and celebrate the abundance by dipping your toes in the steam of life...the reminder of how fortunate we are to be alive and to have the choices we now have. We’ve come to a point when we need to celebrate the gifts we’ve been bestowed, we might just have missed the point. It’s not at some end goal; it’s in this moment, and then the next, where we live and find our purpose, meaning, and joie de vivre. Happy New Moon at 21 degrees of Taurus. Celebrate!
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.
The energy of the New Moon in Pisces which peaks on the West Coast at 2:21 a.m. (5:21 ET) on Saturday, March 13, reminds us that a new path is open.
We can now make some important and long-lasting changes that will have a positive effect on our lives, personally and collectively. What we do in our own lives, of course affects what we contribute to the world at large, but at this time, this is even more evident.
With the Sun and the Moon aligned in Pisces, we are called upon to embrace ourselves, as we are, and continue to improve, learn, and perfect those aspects of ourselves and our lives that need improving. We can use our powers of discernment and our willingness to face those imperfect and undeveloped parts of ourselves, to grow in the perfection of our wholeness of being. Not the kind of nit picky perfectionism that we use to heap criticism on ourselves and others, but that ideal to strive towards. Those ideals that we strive to be more like, to reflect more in our behavior, thinking, and outlook on life.
The lens through which we each view the world, finds us each on a unique little plot of land in this Universe. Imagine yourself where you are now, and then imagine you can float above that spot to see yourself in the context of the world around you. As you fly higher, imagine you can see your image of yourself disappear as all you see is the planet orbiting the Sun which is orbiting the Center of the Galaxy, and then if you can, imagine the endlessness of space--infinity.
Now, bring your awareness back to where you are right now, and ask yourself, Who am I and where am I being called, from within or from the world around me, to be my better self? To open myself to greater expressions of love and commitment? To be grateful for the gifts of being myself and for what has been offered to me? What would you like to bring into being or creation on the path of life before me? Different questions may arise when you take time at this New Moon in Pisces time, that you seek on your own journey. Listen and watch for what is growing in your life now, and be open to the gifts that are yours right now.
Now I invite you to make a wish in whatever areas of your life call for change and new direction. Pisces is the last sign of the astrological cycles, and it symbolizes completion and coming to wholeness. Look to the houses/areas of your life that the water signs are ruling (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) and to the areas that these signs influence most in your own lives. Examine the ways that you’re being called by loss, separation, or other kinds of endings, to move in a new direction. Now is the time for laying plans, charting a course, and making the commitments of time, energy, resources, and dedication to begin anew in some major way.
With favorable alignments to both Venus and Neptune in close conjunction with the Sun and Moon in Pisces, creativity, romance, passions for anything to do with love, beauty, and harmony is heightened, and encouraged. Whatever plans you are making now, are being given a big boost of energy and power, as if you’re being pushed to make that leap of faith, and act on something that has been calling you for a very long time. Now is the time. Neptune, the slow moving planet has probably been revealing hints of this in dreams, intuitive flashes, and seemingly happenstance meetings and connections. There is nothing happenstance or random about what your intuition and inner awareness are revealing. Your thoughts, your dreams, your daily events, and your relationships are all full of potent messages right now, so pay attention, make note, and trust that you are being guided.
Now is also the time to do whatever you need to do to regenerate and rejuvenate. Use the velvety energy of Spring to lift and comfort you through whatever trials and processes you’re now moving through. Take time from whatever you’re doing, to reflect, renew, and rest as you also spend some quality time reviewing and assessing where you stand at this point in your life. This is vital as you make your way forward to the new path before you, and it’s also necessary as a way of maintaining harmony and balance as you move along that path.
Ceres, the Mother Earth energy of our charts, is conjunct Chiron, the Wounded Healer in Aries. This conjunction in the first sign of the astrological set of cycles, marks a starting point in a new area of your journey. And this conjunction between Ceres and Chiron requires that you take good care of yourself, in part by facing old sorrows, wounds, and losses that keep you frozen in place in some manner. We need to continue to address that which we have suppressed, oppressed, or tried to ‘forget’ because when we do that, it blocks our progress. Facing fears and disappointments is no fun, we all agree on that, but is so necessary in order to be freed to feel joy again. And we are all meant to be the living embodiment of joy, at least as much as we are anything else.
To share my own experience of facing something I thought I’d ‘coped with’, I want to share what happened to me recently. After being on self-imposed home quarantine for over a year, I finally received ‘an invitation’ to get my first vaccination against Covid 19. I was surprised to see the word invitation almost as surprised as I was to get it. Invitation, to do something that was going to make not only my life better but also everyone else’s life better. I went yesterday to accept that invitation, and was shocked to find people standing in line to go in to get their shots, griping and complaining about having to wait.
Mind you, no one waited more than a few minutes, but the moaning and groaning was unbelievable. I was over the moon about getting this, and grateful. So very grateful to all who have worked so hard to make it possible. And as I reflect on that experience, the experience of feeling such relief at getting to this point and the relief and gratitude for all who made it possible for me to get the vaccination, I thought how much that experience is like so much how we approach life and new experiences.
We can make an effort to do our best to get through the difficult and challenging times, or we can waste our time and energy and lives bemoaning our fate, as if we have nothing to do with how we respond to life. This pandemic has made us all, every person on Earth, somehow more aware of how little control we have of events. It’s made many of us more aware of the gifts we do have and the opportunities that we have now to reevaluate who we are, how we’ve been living, and how we want to move forward from this time. Hopefully, we’re each learning something important about how precious our time on Earth is, and how we do have the means to find the gifts in the garbage as wonderful Dr. Gerald May called it. Now is that time. Look for what you have gained through the losses and disappointments. Look at how you’ve used your time, or how you’ve been held back in some way.
This New Moon in Pisces calls us all to allow those inner gifts and that connection to the Divine within each of us and all around us, to enter and shake us awake from our sleep. Time to open your heart’s eyes to the passions you have for life. Time to listen to the still small voice of hope and courage that may be softer than the critic within. Tell the critic to shut up, and allow yourself to follow the voices of your better angels. The ones calling you to embrace life, to lift others up in love and appreciation, and to enjoy every moment, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant it seems.
For if you look back on life, you might find that the best moments were not the ones you planned for or made happen or hoped would never end. The best moments may have been those that surprised you, that came out of the love, generosity, and kindness of those family, friends, or strangers who made your heart feel joy again. For me this comes with a text or phone call from my Daughter just when I need to hear her voice. Or from my Granddaughter who calls and writes to see if I need her help, so unexpected and appreciated. Or from the kind nurse, Betsy who knew how joyful I was to be getting a shot, that she made the experience even better with her kindness and smile, and understanding. Simple moments that stand out as the best. That’s the kind of lovely signs that this Pisces New Moon is bringing, so be on the lookout. Be ready to embrace some joy, even if it seems like such a small thing. For in the end, our lives are made more beautiful, memorable, and precious by the little things.
Friends who’ve dropped off gifts of olives, hand-made cups, and kindness at my door. Friends who’ve checked to make sure I am okay, and friends whom I check with to see that they’re okay too. A family who keeps talking, sharing, laughing, and trying to support one another, even from afar. And to all those who suffer and sorrow, we can give the gift of comfort and presence when we have nothing more to give. For those gifts of the heart are the lasting gifts of life. From you, if your hadn’t guessed it, Pisces writer friend. Blessings to you all. We are making our way through the hardest of times, together apart. And what we have to share is our love for one another. Give freely.
