 Exact at 9.50am BST, 4.50am EDT
This Moon may be in brave, pioneering, independent Aries, but there is also a lot of planetary energy in sensitive, compassionate and inspiring Pisces at the moment! This actually creates a lovely balance between the independent, pioneering nature of Aries and the tender, intuitive nature of Pisces. Pisces has the dreams while Aries can put them into action! This enables us to be brave and honest while also coming from a place of unconditional love. This is a time of new beginnings, whereby we allow something to be left behind in the dark of the moon so that something new can take its place. It is a mini rebirth of sorts. This is a time for planting seeds so that they can grow and flourish over the course of the next month. There is a lot going on in this cosmos of ours at the moment, so a bit of Aries courage, decisiveness and motivation is definitely welcome! Aries is that part of us that is willing to face our fears and step into unknown territory. It is also that part of us that is able to put the cards on the table and get everything out into the open. Aries invites us to trust our instincts to lead us in the right direction. It helps that Mercury is now direct after the retrograde of all retrogrades!!This particular Mercury Retrograde was also in elusive, right-brained and down-right confusing Pisces while sitting right next to Pisces’ ruler Neptune! It is not surprising that chaos has reigned and people have been so incapable of making concrete decisions! This energy could literally cause our minds to be completely overwhelmed and prevent us from thinking clearly at all! It could also bring free-floating anxiety and the potential for some confusing misunderstandings. Over the course of the next week this energy will be abating, although Mercury and Neptune are still partnered up. However, now that Mercury is moving forward instead of backwards, this combination does bring the potential for interactions to occur that come from a place of unconditional love and profound empathy. It also helps us to come up with some inspired and imaginative ideas. Neptune and Pisces remind us that we are all in this together, helping us to see beyond the ego and relate from a place of truth and compassion. With Venus, the planet of relationships, joining the Pisces party we have the potential for us to really be able to open our hearts and tune into one another, seeing beyond our usual protective walls and relating to one another’s true essence. Venus is moving towards Neptune over the coming week and the energy will peak on 10 April. In the meantime, we have a veritable symphony involving the outer planets at the moment that is profoundly transforming and also quite unsettling! We have Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, exposing the rot in the power structures and systems, both globally and personally, and bringing about a much needed restructuring process. At the same time we have Uranus in Taurus shaking up our sense of material and financial security, which of course makes sense when so much is unsure and changing in our world! Taurus is that part of us that likes to feel safe and secure and resists change, while Uranus is the planet of wake-up calls, sudden shocks and upheaval. This combination is bound to create some feelings of insecurity! We humans do tend to resist change and fear the unknown, and we are certainly veering into uncharted territory right now on many levels! There is an unsettled feeling in the air, which wasn’t helped by Mercury retrograde because everything was so unclear, making it hard to see where we are going or to make any decisions! Hopefully now we will be able to think clearly, which could help us to transform unsettled feelings of fear into excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead. Uranus is also making us all too aware of what needs to change regarding our treatment of Mother Earth. It is time to radically change the way we approach this growing crisis and Uranus should help us to come up with some alternative and visionary ideas on how to do this, as well as potentially creating a new approach to our financial system. However, sometimes things have to break down before we are able to have a breakthrough. And then of course we have Neptune in Pisces, helping us to open our hearts and feel profound compassion and empathy for the suffering of others, while also bringing the potential for overwhelm, burying our heads in the sand, deception, propaganda, numbing out and escapism. Neptune reminds us that we all come from the same melting pot and that what happens to one has in impact on us all. We are not separate. We have to remember this. However, the most prevalent energy at this moment is the approaching conjunction between Pluto and the South Node which peaks on 4 April, followed by Saturn conjunct the South Node which peaks around 30 April. We are currently being called to clear old karma and to purge our old patterns that are simply not working for us anymore. Pluto calls for us to be really, truly honest with ourselves and to have a long hard look under the proverbial carpet and bring out into the open whatever we have hidden away there. It is time to step into our power; not power over others, which is the old way, but our true power that comes from within and also empowers everyone else who comes into contact with us. The Cancer North Node reminds us that there is great strength in allowing ourselves to be vulnerable rather than trying to control ourselves and others in order to somehow feel safe and protected. True vulnerability involves admitting that we don’t have it all figured out and that we are human. It involves allowing people to see who we really are, beyond our façade. We all have an inner Capricorn – that part of us that suppresses our real feelings and tries to control people, situations and our reactions out of fear or to somehow feel safe. That part of us that contracts and puts the walls up, shutting others out when we are hurt or afraid. We are being asked to recognise this and make way for a new way to come in. We are being encouraged to soften and allow whatever emotions are there to emerge. To allow others to see that vulnerable part of ourselves, and by so doing, we allow both our heart and theirs to remain open rather than contracted. To let go instead of holding on too tightly. To let our inner child meet the other person’s inner child. To show how we really feel rather than putting up appearances. To admit when we are scared, can’t cope and need help, or don’t have the answer. To admit that we’re not perfect. To let others see that part of ourselves that we tend to protect and keep hidden. To be honest about feeling hurt instead of closing down. To let the walls and defences fall. This could be a time of profound realisations and insight into our more unhelpful patterns and conditioned habits. We have a chance to be really honest with ourselves and others, helped by this Aries Moon, and to recognise what needs to transform in our lives. The past is meeting the future and now we have a chance to do things differently and write a different script. We have been here before, but how can we transmute it this time and turn the lead into gold? What are our particular walls that we put up in order to stay safe? We are in the midst of a profound shift and have the potential to transform some very old karma and purge some deeply entrenched, familiar and unhealthy habits and patterns. We are being called to really step up to the plate and operate from a plate of integrity and vulnerability. We are being asked to be brave, self-reflective and honest and do the inner work necessary to step out of the darkness and into the light. The Sabian symbol for the degree of the Pluto / South Node conjunction, at 24° Capricorn, is “A woman entering a convent”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “Total commitment to a transcendent goal”. This symbol reinforces the feeling that this is a time to turn within and be willing to do the inner work. However, one could also see how going into a convent could involve turning away from societal pressures and also denying or supressing the need for earthy pleasures. The Sabian symbol for the New Moon itself is a beautiful one, at 16° Aries: “Nature spirits are seen at work in the light of sunset”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “attunement to the potency of invisible forces of nature” and an invitation to open our minds to “the possibility of approaching life in a holistic and nonrational, intuitive manner….the process of ‘becoming like a little child’”. This, again, encourages us to put our rational, sensible adult down and allow our inner child to come out that has the absolute faith that we are always guided and protected. Even when things may seem dark and bleak and hopeless there are unseen forces at play that we are unaware of. On another level, maybe this is also an invitation to become more aware of and honour the nature spirits in order to help heal our relationship with Mother Earth. This Moon feels very hopeful indeed. It feels like we are being given a chance to take a big step forward, with the courage and honesty of Aries and the sensitivity and compassion of Pisces. This is the first New Moon of the astrological New Year and so it feels like a good time to start fresh, shedding our old ways and moving forward, all shiny and new! There is a sense of innocence and naivety about Aries and we are being asked to cultivate some of that energy for this Moon. Like the Fool in the Tarot, we are encouraged to remain open and curious, and even though we may not know where we are going we are invited to keep our hearts open and bravely take a leap of faith and step into the unknown. We have been here before but it’s time to do it differently this time. “There is a strength in vulnerability, in facing your demons and knowing that kindness is more important despite of them. To be vulnerable it to be brave” Chrissie Pinney Picture: Unknown  Exact at 4.03pm GMT, 11.03am EST!
This is a powerfully potent New Moon as not only is it in Pisces, the penultimate sign of the zodiac, but Neptune, Pisces ruler, is also in exactly the same degree as the Moon! This certainly brings a double dose of dreamy, empathetic and spiritual Pisces energy to this New Moon. Each month, at the New Moon, we experience a mini death and new beginning in whatever area of life the Moon is found in our chart. During this process, whatever is no longer serving us is left behind in the dark of the moon and the seeds are planted for something new to form in its place. While we are in this phase, leading up to the time of the New Moon, it is a good time to be quiet and reflective, and a perfect time to meditate and receive guidance. This is called the Balsamic phase of the Moon and balsamic means to yield to balsam, which means soothing and restorative. Pisces itself occurs in the balsamic phase of the entire zodiac, and so this particular moon really asks us to let go, slow down, turn within, rest and sleep more and pay attention to our dreams. Pisces is that part of us that yearns to connect with spirit and seeks to dissolve and emotional, physical or spiritual barriers preventing a conscious connection with the Divine. Wherever Pisces and Neptune are found in our chart, as well as the signs and planets found in the 12th house, show the way we find it most natural to develop spiritually. Neptune and Pisces represent the mystic in us, but also the part of us that is prone to delusions and wearing the proverbial rose tinted spectacles! Pisces is that part of us that would prefer to bury our head in the sand and pretend that something isn’t happening rather than have to face the reality of whatever we are dealing with. One of the big lessons of this sign is to learn to see and accept things as they really are and also to stop projecting ultimate meaning outside of ourselves, but rather we need to find it within. With Pisces we are invited to recognise what is rather than creating illusions/delusions or fantasies that reflect what we think we want. Disillusionment can occur wherever Pisces and Neptune are found in the chart, but this is a necessary part of the spiritual process; seeing this as they really are and acceoting them anyway. Questions we might ask ourselves during this Moon are: What do I use to escape or avoid reality? What methods can I use to form a more direct connection to Spirit? Do I need to develop my spiritual practice? What are my dearest and most heartfelt dreams and wishes? Where in my life do I tend to project my ideals and fantasies rather than seeing things as they really are? Where and how do I fall into victimhood or “poor me”, feeling that I am at the mercy of “fate” or forces larger than myself? Do I listen to my higher guidance or do I block it with mind chatter? What are my dreams trying to tell me, and am I paying attention? Am I open and alert to the signs for the universe? Do I need to work on my boundaries? Am I too empathetic and sensitive, or do I need to develop more compassion for my fellow man/woman? What are my blind spots; what unconscious beliefs and tendencies do I project outside of myself that trip me up over and over again? How can I be more consciously aware and present? How can I be more honest with myself? Do I need to get more rest? Do I spend enough time in nature? Am I open to seeing the magic in the everyday? It is interesting that Neptune is right next to the Sun and Moon, heightening our sensitivity and compassion and blurring the boundaries between us and spirit, between fact and fiction and between “us” and “them”. This influence reminds us that we are all connected and that what happens in one part of the world has an impact on the whole organism. We are not separate beings, much as our ego might like us to think so. Saturn and Mars are also part of the story, forming helpful aspects to the Sun, Moon and Neptune and also to each other. This energy can help us to take responsibility for and act on whatever guidance we receive from our own intuitive hunches or the signs and omens that the universe provides us with during this time. Pisces and Neptune are great for inspiration, dreams and fantasies, enabling us to have the visions and helping us to connect to spirit, but they don’t exactly help us to ground it into reality! Mars and Saturn, however, are currently both in practical, grounded Earth signs, helping us to actually get up and do something about our intuitive hunches and guidance! There truly is a wonderful blend of intuition, guidance, spiritual connection, inspired action, discipline, responsibility and drive with this combination of planets! Vesta is also part of the Pisces party, as she is also in the very same degree as the Sun, Moon and Neptune. Vesta has priestess energy and was worshipped as Goddess of the Hearth and keeper of the Sacred Flame. Vesta refused to marry and her energy in the chart is that of someone who is “untouched” by relationship. Often when Vesta is prominent it symbolises a need to cyclically withdraw from the enmeshment of relationship to come back to oneself and become whole again; to find out who we are and align with our own path. Vesta also represents the work we must do in order to fulfil our dharma, which is our true, higher purpose and that which will bring us happiness in the truest sense of the word. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to follow our own personal quest. Vesta represents dedication and commitment to one’s path, true devotion, spiritual and magical ritual and ceremony and the capacity to sacrifice relationships or family, if needed, to follow one’s chosen path. Vesta’s prominent presence during this Moon could help us to transmute our karma into dharma. In other words, what repetitious and unhealthy patterns, habits and tendencies formed in the past are preventing us from stepping up to the plate and accepting our mission on earth for this lifetime? How can we align with our true path and the reason that we are here? How can we truly be of service to humanity? All of this Pisces and Neptune energy, combined with Vesta, suggests that using magic, ceremony and ritual, devoting ourselves to a spiritual practice, turning in and meditating more and truly opening ourselves up to spiritual guidance during this Moon could really help us to connect with our “raison d’etre” and align with our true destiny. How beautiful! There is so much going on during this Moon that feels powerful and worth commenting on! Not least of which we have Uranus literally going into Taurus at the EXACT moment that the New Moon is exact! As Uranus finishes off his 7 year journey through brave and assertive Aries it has been interestimg to see the teenagers harnessing their righteous anger about climate change and developing their own form of revolution! Let’s see what happens as Uranus moves into stable and security conscious Taurus, as it could manifest in a variety of ways. Uranus and Taurus are not two energies that naturally gel with one another! Taurus is that part of ourselves that has a tendency to get stuck or stagnate because we fear change, finding it hard to see our way out of whatever situation we are in. Uranus seeks to shake up the status quo and force change upon us, which could upset our sense of security but could also bring a lot of excitement and new vision into our lives. So often we don’t make change unless it is forced upon us, but once we do it really clears the qi and can be incredibly liberating! Taurus represents our talents that give us a sense of self-worth and the means by which we make a living, and Uranus could potentially release and reveal talents and abilities that we have supressed, buried, lost and long forgotten, specifically in the area of life where Taurus is found in our natal chart. We could experience fluctuation, breakdown or revolution with regard to our personal and collective monetary system and may be forced to find more inclusive, progressive and ingenious ways to deal with money and finances. For instance, bartering could become more prominent by the end of Uranus’s stay in Taurus. Taurus also represents Mother Earth and the natural world, and while Uranus could shake things up and make us all too aware of what needs to change, we could also experience a massive upsurge in eco-friendly enterprises and sustainable living. In fact, by the end of the next 7 years, this will probably be more of the “norm”. It is interesting to watch the symphony of the outer planets at the moment, all with their part to play in what happens in the next year or so, both personally and collectively! Saturn, Pluto and the South Node are all coming together in Capricorn at the moment, calling into question any old, antiquated power structures and also bring the past to meet the present in ways that are quite uncomfortable and also very revealing. On a collective level we are seeing the past repeat itself and the dark side of power and the patriarchal system make itself painfully obvious. One can only assume that there is method to the madness and trust in the process. Certainly there is the potential for a thorough detoxing and restructuring with Pluto and Saturn involved. The financial uncertainty and change that Uranus in Taurus could bring makes perfect sense given the current climate! Pluto and Saturn combined are calling for us to step into our true power and truly take responsibility for ourselves and all that we are. Combined with the South Node in Capricorn we may become all too aware that we reap what we sow, as we are called to be completely honest with ourselves and clear any karma and conditioning that is preventing growth. And then there is Neptune in Pisces, the lead player in this New Moon, reminding us that ultimately we are all in this together! On the one hand we may just prefer to bury our heads in the sand, avoiding and escaping reality through drink, drugs, television, movies, computer games, sleep and even meditation! However, there is also the potential for awakening and enlightenment through staying completely conscious and present, dispelling illusions and trying to remain as aware of ourselves and our sabotaging tendencies as we possibly can. Eckhart Tolle talks about the personal and collective pain body and how it can literally “take us over” at times of stress and duress, but if we can become more consciously aware of when it is happening, learning to step back and “watch” ourselves, then we will be much closer to finding true peace and enlightenment. We certainly have the opportunity to see the collective pain body right now, in spades! It couldn’t be more glaringly obvious and any Neptunian, sensitive and empathetic types would be feeling that most acutely. We are going through a massive shift right now and many feel of us feel that we are in a process of transition. This New Moon certainly feels like it is a big part of this process, and Neptune and Pisces ask us to keep the faith and trust that, whatever is happening in our lives and how unclear everything may seem, we are being guided in the right direction. We are invited to open our hearts to signs and guidance and then simply surrender and allow the flow of the river to take us where it will. Of course that it easier said than done sometimes, as our minds seek to control the outcome and know for certain what is coming next! The Sabian symbol for this New Moon, at 17° Pisces, is “An Easter Parade”, a symbol which evokes a feeling of hope, faith and renewal and which Dane Rudyar describes as “participation in collective peak experiences” and says that “the Image of the Resurrection spurs all men…to dynamise themselves in some kind of self-renewal in response to the Christ mythos, and to the call of nature’s springtime as well. Wherever found, this symbol emphasises the value of attuning one’s life activities and moods to the ritualistic patterns of society or Earth-nature, rather than acting in complete independence from the group”. This certainly brings a feeling that we are all in this together! How can we help heal the earth? What in us is being resurrected right now? How can we help ourselves surrender to the process? What needs to pass away so that we can be reborn? “Sometimes a change in perspective is all it takes to see the light” Dan Brown Much Love Amy xoxo Painting: Hosanna in Excelsis Deo – Worku Goshu  Exact at 9.03pm GMT, 4.03pm EST.
This New Moon also coincides with the beginning of the Yin Earth Pig, a peaceful, patient and thoughtful creature who is very well aware that “charity begins at home”. The New Moon represents mini death/rebirth, whereby we let go of whatever is not serving us in order to make way for something else to come in that is more in line with who we are in the process of becoming. Whatever energetic seeds are planted during this time tend to blossom and bloom later in the month. It can be a powerful and potent time to set some heartfelt intentions, although we must watch what we ask for because the universe, or spirit, has a tendency to really take us at our word and can be quite literal. Often we are given only what is needed for our greatest growth at that time, and that can come in many guises! We may consciously want something for ourselves, but deep down inside we might be absolutely terrified of what it might mean if we actually get it, or on a subconscious level we feel that we don’t deserve it. And when it comes down to it, our subconscious rules the show! The Sun and Moon are forming their monthly union in humanitarian, non-conformist and idealistic Aquarius, a sign well known for standing out from the crowd! Wherever Aquarius and its ruler, Uranus, are found in our chart shows where we feel a need to do things differently, in a way that does not conform to societal norms and expectations. Aquarius represents the part of us that questions the rules and regulations in order to individuate and liberate ourselves from conditioning patterns that we have accrued throughout this life and previous lifetimes. Slowly but surely we peel back the layers of parental and societal “should and shouldn’ts” in order to arrive at the core, which is our own, unique essence. It is essential that we liberate ourselves from our conditioning in order to grow spiritually. Aquarius challenges us to be strong enough to be our own person and to break down the walls that are keeping us confined in consensus reality. Sometimes we have to go out on a limb or go a bit crazy to begin to awaken and see the light. Breakdowns, as hard as they may be, can lead to massive breakthroughs. This New Moon also has Mercury sitting right next to it, and Black Moon Lilith not far away. We could experience some real “aha” moments during this Moon, not to mention having some quite off the wall thoughts or visions of the life we truly want for ourselves. It is possible that memories resurface into our conscious mind that are important pieces in the jigsaw puzzle of our life! We have a chance to take a step back and look at our lives objectively, from the bird’s eye perspective, and see what might need to change in order for us to be the truest version of ourselves. Epiphanies could come hard and fast that help us to understand ourselves better. With Black Moon Lilith involved, we could experience some quite raw, visceral feelings, possibly around feeling rejected, or bullied, or ostracised, or misunderstood. Where in our lives are we intolerant? Can we sometimes dissociate or detach from our emotions? Are we insecure around being different or are we overtly rebellious and contrary? How do we feel in group situations? Do we feel like an outsider? Are we brave enough to question authority and to act on our visions? How can we help make the world a better place? Mars is a big player during this New Moon, especially as he is moving towards a conjunction with Uranus, the ruler of this Moon! First, however, Mars will form a challenging square to Pluto which will be exact on Friday 1 Feb, but will still be around during the New Moon. Mars is currently very potent, as he is in his own sign, Aries. When the planet of assertion, courage, aggression, desire and independence squares off against Pluto, the planet of the soul, power, transformation and our subconscious desires, the results could be interesting indeed! On the one hand we could experience intense power struggles, rage coming up from the depths, confrontations that force us to be more transparent, impulsive acts that come from subconscious urges and anger that we might usually prefer to suppress. On the other hand, this combination could help us to confront something that we might usually prefer to avoid or sweep under the carpet. It could help us to face ourselves bravely and honestly and to dive deep so we can move past our own limitations. This is a powerful combination that could signify some kind of face-off between our soul and our ego. Mars is also building up to a square to the Nodes of the Moon, which will be exact on 9 February. Whenever a planet squares the nodal axis it represents unresolved material that might prevent us from moving forward and achieving our North Node objectives. With the South Node (familiar patterns that may be holding us back from growth) currently in Capricorn, we are being asked to have a good look at any unhealthy or limiting parental and societal conditioning and to let go of our more patriarchal values, issues around judgement, hard control, suppression of feelings and too much emphasis on duty, status and keeping up with the Joneses. The Cancer North Node is beckoning us forward, asking that we nurture our inner child and move towards greater sensitivity, allowing ourselves to be more vulnerable and nurturing, taking care of one another and healing our ancestral roots and the Mother Daughter relationship. Ultimately we are being asked to bring some more matriarchal values in so that we can achieve a balance between the two signs. How might Mars be preventing us from doing that? Are we harbouring anger towards our parents or society for their inability to meet our needs when we were younger? Was our need for independence thwarted when we were young? Were we forced to conform to our parent’s expectations at the expense of our own individuality? Have we suppressed our instinctual will for so long that we don’t even know what it is? Do our desires feel at odds with how we have been taught to behave? Does our anger come out in distorted ways because we were somehow given the message that anger is not acceptable? Are we angry at the system? Are we afraid of our own anger? Have we lost ourselves by being the good little girl or boy? Where might issues around domination come up, both personally and collectively? Do we assert ourselves in healthy ways? Have we got the ability to create healthy boundaries and to say “No” when we need to? How does sexuality and violence play a part in our lives? Has it been normalised by the media so much that we have become desensitised to it? Finally, Mars will join Uranus in the 29th degree of Aries! This is building now and will be exact on 13 February. This combination could help us to release any stuckness around anger, although of course this could also mean literally losing our temper! Mars and Uranus can signify violent uprisings or revolutions and sudden acts of aggression, but it can also help us to be brave enough to step outside of the box and act differently. Uranus is getting ready to leave Aries once and for all on 6 March, and so this pairing of the warrior planet and the Great Awakener and revolutionary in the very last degree of Mars’ own sign of Aries does feel quite important. Could this give us the courage to stand up for a better world for us all to live in? Might we be brave enough to make the changes in our lives that we know we need to make? Could this pairing help us to step outside of our safe ruts and comfort zone and act on our deepest desires and visions for a better future? Could we find the inner strength to bust out of the mould and be who we really are? Where in our lives to we need to make a stand, or to liberate ourselves? This could be our chance. I will go into this more next time, but we are building up to a very important conjunction between Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn which will be exact in January 2020, although these two planets are dancing around each other throughout 2019. What might happen when these two powerful planets join forces – the planet of soul, power, death and rebirth combined with the planet of karma, hard control and societal structures? In the beginning part of this year these two bodies are going to join forces with the South Node of the Moon in Capricorn. This will happen in April, but Pluto is already only 5 degrees away from the South Node, so it feels important to mention it now as the energy is already building. There is a sense of us having to go back in order to go forward. Possibly we have some unresolved material in our past that holds the key to the future. Is history repeating itself? It is important to consider that all of this is occurring in the sign of Capricorn, which represents the patriarchal structures, governments, corporations as well as the parental and societal conditioning that we have received in this and other lifetimes. Issues around power, powerlessness, loss, abandonment, trust, suppression of feminine values, control, karma, authority and domination could come to the fore and we could be forced to confront them in order to move forward both personally and collectively. We are entering into a very important time indeed and it will be interesting to see what has changed by the end of this process. There is a sense of some kind of purging of the old, outworn structures so that something new can be built in its place. Sometimes we have no choice but to revisit the past in order to learn what we need to grow and evolve. Some hard lesson could be learned during this time, but if we learn then well then hopefully we will never need to repeat them! So, the beginning of the Yin Earth Pig year involves quite a lot of powerful planetary energy! The year of the Earth Pig involves issues around what we digest, both literally and figuratively, so it is important to be careful about what we take into our body, mind and spirit this year. There is also a big relationship, interestingly enough, between our true nature that we have come in with versus what we have been “fed” by our parents and the culture we were born into. We might want to be more aware of what thoughts we circle around, as they can powerfully affect our reality. Something to consider this year is what we might want to generate and bring up to be expressed through our heart. On another level, this year could also be quite damp, involving issues around water. I like that idea – what can we bring to the fore that is the truest expression of our heart? Interestingly enough, I just realised that I found myself being drawn to watch Babe last night! Ha ha ha! Coincidence? I think not! What a perfect message for the Earth Pig Year and Aquarius New Moon! Happy New Year! Much Love Amy xoxo Picture: Morning Pig by Cari Humphrey  Sunday 6 January, at 1.28am GMT, Saturday 5 January, at 8.28pm EST.
The first New Moon if the year is a veritable Capricorn party, with so many planetary bodies in this serious, self-reflective, committed and disciplined sign! Not only that but Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn is also in his own sign, making it even more concentrated! New Moons are a wonderful time for setting intentions, and for leaving behind whatever we don’t need in the dark of the Moon. This New Moon is especially potent and far reaching because it is also a Solar Eclipse. We are at the beginning of a new chapter, and as such something will be literally or metaphorically passing away during this time so that new energy can come in. There can be no beginning without some kind of ending. This Eclipse will open the gateway to Eclipse season, which is a powerfully energetic time between the two eclipses. We are building up to a Total Lunar Eclipse on 21 January, so this New Moon/Solar Eclipse offers us an opportunity to gently open ourselves up to change and new possibilities for our path ahead. These Eclipses are linked to the Eclipses in 2000, so there could be an energetic similarity between what we are facing now and whatever happened then. Are we coming full circle, or is this the next phase of whatever was occurring then? It is interesting when the Capricorn New Moon falls so very close to the New Year, as this is a time when we experience bit of a reality check and set some serious intentions for the year ahead, and we may also start paying for any over-indulgence during the holiday season. Capricorn follows Sagittarius, which has an over-extending, abundant, expanding quality, while Capricorn tends to pull in the reins and make us a bit more controlled and austere. Capricorn can correlate to feelings of guilt and futility, so it would be better to simply be a bit self-reflective and to set some realistic goals during this time rather than judging ourselves too harshly. Capricorn represents our inner parent, which can sometimes be quite severe, depending on the messages we received in childhood. There is a big difference between guilt for something that we have actually done wrong and the pervading sense of guilt that comes from our upbringing, religion or society. The good news for this New Moon is that Neptune is forming a harmonious aspect to the Sun and Moon, helping us to find forgiveness, acceptance and unconditional love towards ourselves and others. This softens everything a little bit, helping us not to be quite so hard on ourselves! We’re all in this together and are doing the best we can, so it’s important to remember that we are only human! Neptune is also forming a challenging square aspect to Jupiter, which will be exact on 13 January. These two planets do like each other, as Jupiter represents growth, faith and expansion, while Neptune represents oneness, connection to spirit and helps dissolve the ego. Together they can really help us to connect spiritually and develop faith and trust. However, with the square aspect there could be too much of a good thing! Spiritual or religious delusions are possible with this combination, as is being overly idealistic and putting our faith and trust in someone or something that is not actually what we think or hope it is. We might be particularly susceptible, open and vulnerable to other people’s beliefs during this time, as we could be more open, porous and gullible than usual. This transit will repeat in June and September. This Eclipse season brings the Nodes of the Moon into focus, which is otherwise known as the Destiny Line. As such, this is a very fateful and karmic time we are approaching right now. The South Node of the Moon is currently in Capricorn, so we are currently being asked to recognise and let go of any of the more unhealthy Capricorn traits such as guilt, fear, too much control, fear of failure, feelings of futility, depression, repression, suppression of emotions, inner and outer judgement, over-emphasis on worldly concerns and career or worrying too much about our status, reputation or what other people think of us. Capricorn is a very karmic sign, and the South Node represents the past, so it is quite possible that we could find ourselves dealing with and hopefully clearing some old karma during this time. Capricorn teaches us that we reap what we sow, so we should not be surprised if we are forced to deal with some heavily weighted karmic situations or relationships during this time. Capricorn represents the patriarchy, so we are currently going through a process of shedding the more unhelpful, unhealthy and destructive aspects of this system and trying to find more balance between the patriarchal (Capricorn) and matriarchal (Cancer) ways of doing things. It is certainly true that all that is flawed and distorted about the old structures and systems is becoming increasingly obvious and overt with Pluto, Saturn and the South Node all in Capricorn at the moment. Both Saturn and Pluto will join forces with the South Node during March and July this year, which could be a powerfully karmic time and cause us to recognise how the past is repeating itself and what needs to change in no uncertain terms. Sometimes we have to look back to learn how to move forward. History keeps repeating itself, over and over and over again. Hopefully this is an opportunity to recognise what needs to change, although the process may not be easy. We are being forced to take responsibility for our karma, both personally and collectively, so it is hard to avoid it at the moment! Every one of our thoughts and actions has a consequence. This is a very pertinent concept to explore at the moment, both personally and collectively. The North Node is in Cancer, representing the energy we need to develop in order to evolve and grow, both personally and collectively. Cancer is feminine, yin energy that helps us to really get in touch with our emotions and encourages us to allow ourselves to be vulnerable rather than trying to hold it all in and pretend we’re ok. We could benefit from really allowing ourselves to feel the feelings rather than suppressing them, and by exploring why we might be protecting our inner child in the first place. This is a good time for looking back and seeing how our past conditioning has prevented us from feeling emotionally secure and to allow the inner child to feel safe enough to share his/her feelings in a healthy way. Are we able to allow ourselves to be taken care of? Cancer represents the home, the family, the homeland, our roots and our ancestry, so we are being asked to create a more caring, nurturing and sharing reality for ourselves. The Cancer North Node asks us Where do we belong? Who is part of our soul tribe/soul family? Where do we want to put our roots down? Where and what is home? Ultimately we are being asked to find that sense of coming home within ourselves. The Nodes of the Moon will be in Cancer/Capricorn for 18 months, from November 2015 until May 2020. This New Moon and Eclipse will potentially bring these questions into focus. The Cancer/Capricorn axis relates to our parental/societal conditioning, our childhood and family, our mother and father, and the matriarchy/patriarchy of course. Obviously, the experiences we have in childhood shape the rest of our lives and relationships in the form of behavioural patterns and beliefs. The holiday season in an emotional time that can certainly bring a lot of these patterns out into the open, for better or worse, and is a testing time for all of our close relationships so this is a great time to look at ourselves realistically and explore some of our family karma. It is also a time that can make us feel very alone and cut off, making it hard for us to reach out. During this New Moon we might want to consider what we still need to let go of in order to move forward and grow. All of this energy in Capricorn can certainly cause us to judge ourselves and our real or perceived wrongdoings quite severely, not to mention, on a more mundane level, beating ourselves up for any recent over-indulgences! However, instead of allowing guilt to rule the show, we might want to reflect upon our lives and contemplate what might we want our reality to look like if we had the choice? What would we need to change in order to achieve that? What might we need to do to bring us a greater feeling of integrity and wholeness? What old karma do we need to clear? Who do we need to forgive? Does that include ourselves? With Neptune involved, this is a great Moon for using our imagination and faith to envision our most heart-felt fantasy and to set an energetic ball in motion that could change the course of our lives for the better. We are beginning a new chapter, so let’s start as we mean to go on! Much Love Amy xoxo Picture: Karma (artist unknown)  Exact at 7.20am GMT, 2.20am EDT
This is an enthusiastic Fire sign Moon with quite a lot of emotional Water energy, so it may be a bit more emotionally intense than your average Sagittarius New Moon. With the Sun and Moon and Jupiter all in Sagittarius, we are encouraged to shoot for the stars and to envision ways to expand our horizons and broaden our scope. Sagittarius is the eternal optimist who gives us the ability to see the bigger picture and not sweat the small stuff. Even the most difficult and painful of circumstances are seen as an opportunity to grow and understand ourselves better. The New Moon in Sagittarius encourages us to have a sense of humour about whatever we are experiencing and to look forward with hope, faith and trust in the benevolence of life. Whatever is happening for us around the time of the New Moon tends to blossom and grow over the course of the month ahead, finding full expression around the time of the Full Moon. As such, any heartfelt intentions that we set during this New Moon have a chance of manifesting later on. It is important, however, that they truly come from our heart and not our ego. This Moon could help us to connect with our truth and to the highest part of our being, so it is important to trust our instincts and intuition. The truth is very important to Sagittarius and so we may find ourselves uncovering our truth and also expressing it to others. Sagittarius energy can be quite blunt, and the truth can sometimes be painful to hear, but it is far better to get things out into the open. As long as we do so from our heart then we know that we have done the right thing. The truth is relative, and so what is true for one person may not be for another, but that doesn’t make it any less valid. This could be a very good Moon for expressing things that have been on our minds and clearing the air. With Venus and Mercury both back in Scorpio we have the chance some profound psychological insight and the ability to really get to the nitty gritty in terms of our own emotional honesty. Mercury is stationary in Scorpio during this Moon, getting ready to turn direct again after his retrograde period, so there is a big emphasis on thoughts and communication that really penetrate to the heart of the matter. This is helped by a harmonious aspect from Chiron the Wounded Healer. This is not a time for superficial chatter, indeed we could find ourselves having some very intimate and healing conversations that lay our souls bare! Mars is currently in sensitive and compassionate Pisces, which is a strange sign for the warrior planet to be in! This combination could make us feel very tired indeed, as Mars represents our energy levels, conscious desires and capacity for action while Pisces represents the unconscious realms, dreams and the world of spirit. We may not feel as energetic as usual, feeling more tired and prone to feeling overwhelmed by the demands of our busy lives. Our dreams could also be very active. Neptune is also sitting right next to Mars in Pisces, which compounds this energy, so it is important not to rush ourselves and instead honour our need for quiet and rest. Direct action could be difficult during this time and we could literally find that we can’t be bothered, or that we somehow need to be inspired in order to do things. It’s probably best to just surrender and go with the flow of our own river rather than resisting the inevitable. We could also find ourselves feeling quite overwhelmed by anger that comes deep from our unconscious, and could give off angry signals that we are entirely unaware of. It’s important to get to the bottom of what is really, truly bothering us rather than taking it out on the wrong people. This energy of Mars and Neptune is also forming a challenging square aspect to this New Moon. It would be good to harness the positive parts of this combination and use Mars in Pisces to assert ourselves with sensitivity, compassion and grace. We may be forced to find the courage to speak our truth from a loving place, but equally we could find ourselves being passive aggressive and indirect about our anger and resentments. Gentle assertion and fierce compassion is possible here, as is divinely guided action, but equally we could find ourselves giving mixed messages and not being open or direct about whatever is bothering us. It is important to make an effort to be straightforward and honest during this time, as Neptune/Pisces energy can sometimes pull the wool over our eyes and create smoke screens. We may find ourselves much more sensitive, impressionable and weary, and could even feel unclear about our identity and sense of purpose. This combination of planetary energy could be quite ego-dissolving, but equally could be very confusing and disillusioning. It is quite possible that we will want to escape somehow, whether it be through drink, drugs, sleep, television, computer games, etc. There are so many different ways to escape reality! Uranus is still square the Node of the Moon, and this provides the energetic back-drop to our lives at the moment. It is starting to wane now, but nevertheless is still strong. We are being given a chance to liberate ourselves from our old patterns that come from our conditioning and experiences growing up; becoming more aware of these patterns of behaviour that are learned and simply don’t work for us anymore. They are not who we really are, but rather they are a protective shell that we have constructed along the way. It’s time to let the walls down now and discover who we really are. Even if who we really are is shocking to ourselves and others. Uranus is also really waking us up to just how distorted this patriarchal system has become. With the South Node, Pluto and Saturn all in Capricorn it will become more and more clear over the next 18 months just how flawed the patriarchal world is that we are living in and the imbalance between the masculine and feminine in our culture. We are being encouraged to let go of the Capricornian need for control, suppression, repression, domination, rigid boundaries, authority and blind conformity to the “rules” and to move towards Cancerian sensitivity, vulnerability, family values, softness and focus more on our sense of belonging and our “tribe”. Sometimes things have to get worse to get better, and the next couple of years could really break things apart as the imbalance feels so intolerable that things simply have to change. Interesting times ahead, methinks, both personal and collectively! Some final thoughts on this Sagittarius Moon, as I am confused as to how this Mars/Neptune in Pisces square this New Moon might manifest. All is not necessarily clear, as is the nature of Pisces!. However, it is possible that we could be asked to take a leap of faith during this Moon. Mars allows us to access our courage and act on our desires, and in Pisces those desires could be coming from an unconscious place within us, or they could be coming from the divine. Sagittarius represents faith and trust that everything is happening for a reason. As such, it is possible that we may be forced to be brave somehow and act from a position of faith and trust rather than the way being clear to us. Mars brings an impulsive quality to this Moon, however, which could also mean that we don’t look before we leap and could be quite angry or confrontational without realising it. It seems that we are being given an opportunity to say our piece, speak our truth and get things off our chest. It is, however, so very important that we do so from a place of compassion and love, and for the good of all. We need to watch out for our blind spots during this Moon! Much Love Amy xoxo Painting: Leap Of Faith by Lisa DuBois  SCORPIO NEW MOON – Wednesday 7 November, exact at 4.01pm GMT, 11.01am EST.
This is an incredibly potent New Moon that brings with it the possibility of some powerful and cathartic purging and metamorphosis. With Scorpio we experience a purification process and a symbolic death, then we rebuild and regenerate, much like a phoenix rising out of the ashes. There is an interesting mix of planetary energy surrounding this Moon that could help us to really face ourselves and dive deep into the murky shadows of our psyches, hopefully finding some hidden treasure lying there! New Moons are a time of endings and beginnings, whereby we leave whatever is no longer serving us behind in the dark of the moon and plant new seeds that then go on to blossom and grow over the course of the month ahead. It is like a mini death and rebirth, month after month, and this Moon is a particularly potent one as it is in Scorpio, the sign of transformation, death and rebirth. Like the leaves shedding their leaves or a snake shedding its skin, we now have a chance to shed old patterns, letting go and releasing ourselves from anything that simply doesn’t work for us anymore. Something very interesting to note during this New Moon is that the Nodes of the Moon, otherwise known as the Destiny Line, will have literally popped over into the Cancer and Capricorn the day before the New Moon (Election day in the US), finishing their 18 month stay in Leo and Aquarius. This brings a significant shift of energy for us all, both collectively and personally. The South Node of the Moon, representing the past , our old, familiar patterns, karma and tendencies that may be hindering us and preventing growth, is entering Capricorn, the sign of the Patriarchy, authority, control, conservatism, boundaries, societal systems, parental and societal conditioning. The North Node of the Moon, which represents qualities and new patterns to encourage and develop in ourselves, is entering Cancer, the sign of the Matriarchy, nurturing, emotional sensitivity, our roots, motherhood, home and family. On a collective level this symbolises a big push for us to recognise what aspects of the patriarchal system we are living in simply aren’t working anymore and to seek another way that is softer, more sensitive and inclusive, less rigid and controlling and more feminine in nature. What kind of a world do we want our children to grow up in? This is a serious question to ask ourselves at this time. Jupiter is also in the very final degree of Scorpio, forming an exact trine to the Nodes of the Moon, which feels very significant indeed. This New Moon certainly has an incredibly fated quality to it, as the Destiny line is being strongly triggered by Jupiter, Uranus and retrograde Venus! It seems that that, just before Jupiter goes into his own sign of Sagittarius on Thursday, we have a golden opportunity to dig deep into the shadowy parts of ourselves that we would usually prefer to keep hidden from ourselves and others and face some icky, sticky, uncomfortable material! It is the last hurrah for Jupiter in Scorpio, so we should not be surprised if some rather dark secrets are revealed and issues around power and powerlessness come to the fore. There is also the possibility of power games, some pretty extreme beliefs and a considerable amount of fanaticism. Scorpio brings up issues around trust, intimacy, loss, betrayal, jealousy, sexuality, power, emotional manipulation and can force us to be really honest with ourselves and others, revealing aspects of ourselves that could make us feel quite uncomfortable! Jupiter in the last degree of Scorpio has an exposing quality to it that can make us squirm and cringe, but it can penetrate to the core and bring the bare naked truth out into the open. It is important to make the most of this amazing opportunity to really face our demons and recognise our shadows. What this means for the USA remains to be seen, but it certainly feels like an incredibly karmic and potent moment in time. Indeed, this could be an incredibly cathartic and transforming moment in our lives and relationships, as we also have retrograde Venus square the Nodes of the Moon, taking us back in time and bringing old material to the surface that we may have long forgotten or buried. We have a chance here to recognise how the past has shaped our present day reality and just how much our conditioning has had an impact on our relationships. If there is any unresolved material in the realm of our relationships, this is the time to bring it out into the open and face it head on. The future of our relationships depends on it. This is a karmic moment in terms of our relationships; a crossroads of sorts, and we may have no choice but to dive back into our past in order to be able to move forward. What we find there may be somewhat uncomfortable and even painful, but it could also hold the key that is essential to our growth. During this New Moon, Venus and Mars, the cosmic lovers, are forming a harmonious aspect to one another, which could be very helpful indeed for our relationships. Tuesday 6 November does seem to be a very significant day, as not only do the Nodes of the Moon shift signs, but Uranus also shifts from Taurus back into Aries, squaring the Nodes of the Moon at the same time! That is a lot of planetary energy on the 29 degree of a sign! This definitely brings a feeling of closure to the story. With Uranus involved, we could experience a few shocks and surprises, it seems. Uranus helps us to break from the past, and so we have a chance here to release ourselves from some old, entrenched patterns or trauma that may have been affecting our lives and relationships for years. In fact, we may have no choice in the matter! As unpredictable and revolutionary Uranus moves back into this forthright, brave, assertive and occasionally aggressive sign we have the potential for sudden outbursts of anger, acts of revolution, truths suddenly being revealed and a certain amount of volatile and unpredictable behaviour. Change is afoot, methinks! Is this a fork in the road; a turning point or a crossroads? It will be interesting to see what Uranus dipping back into Aries will bring. It could certainly bring our inner rebellious teenager out into the light and help us to fight for freedom, equality and brotherhood! Uranus will be in Aries from 6 November until 6 March, so we have four months to find out. Pluto, the ruler of this Scorpio New Moon, is forming a helpful aspect to the Sun and Moon, helping us to release anything we don’t need anymore. This is a great time for purging and letting go. Pluto is currently in Capricorn, where it has been since 2008 and where it will stay until 2024. This has been bringing about a detoxification of the power structures, as Pluto exposes the rot in our governing bodies and reveals the shadows that have always been there but we have been unwilling or unable to face. Issues around boundaries, control, power and authority are being brought out into the spotlight and the dark side of the patriarchy has never been quite so obvious and blatant. Neptune in Pisces is also helping this Moon along, reminding us that we are all in this together and that what happens to one happens to all. Neptune brings our compassionate, empathetic side to the fore and can bring about acts of devotion and unconditional love. This is the planet of oneness and unity that has the potential to open our hearts and remind us that we are all connected. The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon, at 16 Scorpio, is “A girl’s face breaking into a smile”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The fervent reaching out on the part of the young of heart to new experiences”. This is a very hopeful symbol and brings the feeling of a release of some kind and a sense of unguarded, open-hearted connection with others. Indeed, this New Moon feels very hopeful, especially if we are open to being completely honest and allowing ourselves to let go and purge in true Scorpio style! We may have to face some uncomfortable material during this time and it could all get a bit intense, but whatever comes up is probably necessary to help us move forward and grow. It’s probably a good idea to simply dive into the murky depths and take a long hard look at what is hiding there, because it could be worth its weight in gold! With Venus retrograde we could definitely be quite retrospective, delving into past relationships and dealing with any unresolved material that might still have an impact on our present day reality. This seems like a bit of a turning point; a pivotal moment that could be both uncomfortable and incredibly liberating! We must let whatever needs to just fall away, and wait to see what might take its place. Much Love Amy xoxo Picture: Rebirth by Delawer-Omar  Tuesday 9 October, exact at 4.46am BST, Monday 10 Oct, exact at 11.46pm EDT
This New Moon brings our relationships into focus. It is an ideal time to set some positive intentions around how we relate to our loved ones and what we want to give and receive within our relationships. It might be helpful to give some thought to what unhelpful patterns of relating we want to leave behind in the dark of the Moon and what healthier patterns we want to cultivate as the Moon waxes towards the Full Moon. New Moons are an incredibly potent time energetically, when whatever is bubbling away in our consciousness has the capacity to blossom and grow over the course of the month ahead. As such, if we choose to actually harness the energies and set conscious intentions then amazing things can happen! We just need to watch out what we ask for because we can be taken quite literally! Do we need to improve the way we listen to our loved ones? It is so easy to hear others through the filter of our own needs and expectations and not objectively hear what they are actually asking of us. Are we guilty of projecting our needs onto our loved ones and expecting them to be something they are not? Do we need to learn to meet our own needs rather than expecting others to meet them? Are we guilty of conditional giving and withholding affection when our projected needs aren’t met by our loved ones? Or do we love unconditionally? Likewise, do we tend to give too much in our relationships, to the detriment of our own needs? Does our need to be needed lead to subservience or allowing ourselves to be dominated? Do our relationships involve an equal balance between give and take? Are we dependent on others to validate our own sense of self-worth? What disowned parts of ourselves do we project onto others? So often what we dislike about another person is something that remains unhealed and unrecognised in ourselves. Our relationships truly are amazing mirrors, allowing us to learn and understand so much about ourselves if we are willing to be honest and objective about ourselves. Libra represents a need within us to find balance rather than going too far in one direction or another. Where in our life to we need to find balance? Where to we tend to go to extremes? Do we have a habit of holding back our true feelings out of a need to keep the peace? Similarly, is there a relationship or situation in our lives that is in need of some peaceful resolution? Libra is very adept at the art of diplomacy and compromise. As long as it doesn’t go too far and merely lead to people pleasing. The art of healthy relating involves such a delicate balancing act! Venus is the ruler of this New Moon and has literally just gone retrograde in the intensely emotional sign of Scorpio. As such, we should not be surprised if people from our past pop up in the next few weeks! Any unfinished or unresolved relationships may reveal themselves as we have the retrospective action of Venus to review, repair and reflect on our past relationships. Venus will move back through Scorpio until October 31, when it will cross back over into Libra. While Venus is in Scorpio we may have to confront issues such as trust, loss, power/powerlessness, abandonment and intimacy, and could be called to expose our darkest secrets and the parts of ourselves that we would normally prefer to keep hidden from view. Indeed, we may find ourselves drawn to reflecting upon our past relationships, remembering things that have long since been brushed under the proverbial carpet, deep within our subconscious! Venus will be retrograde from the 5th until 17th of November, when the planet of relationships will turn around and start going forwards again. This could be an incredibly profound time for our relationships and has the potential to bring the past back to meet the future, with memories of love long since forgotten coming back into our consciousness. It’s a great time to reflect upon and transform the way we relate to ourselves and others, and we may find ourselves thinking about people we haven’t thought about for a very long time. The connections we have with people transcend time and space, and those we were once close to are always in our hearts even if we haven’t physically seen them for years. It is also possible that old grievances and resentments could come to the fore during this period, especially while Venus is still in Scorpio. This intense sign asks us to be emotionally honest with ourselves and our loved ones and to allow the vulnerability that comes from showing someone the more raw, “unattractive”, shadowy parts of ourselves. This is what allows true intimacy. We all have our flaws and darker aspects; and only showing the more “civilized” parts of ourselves does not allow people to see all of who we are. Speaking of Scorpio, Pluto is forming a challenging square aspect to the Sun and Moon during this New Moon. This brings the potential for a bit of a cosmic kick up the bum, whereby some kind of power struggle is a potential within our relationships, as well as some rather profound shift or transformation. We could become all too aware of how our old, engrained patterns of relating are running the show and sabotaging our adult relationships. These kind or realisations can be painful, but it is so powerful to actually be able to see how our old conditioning is affecting our present day reality. Venus and Mars, the cosmic lovers, are also squaring off against each other during this Moon, causing friction in our relationships and the potential for sexual frustration or urgent, powerful attractions. Our passions could be running rather high with the divine masculine and divine feminine in different camps! However, this could be exactly what we need to bring things out into the open and resolve whatever issues we may be facing in the realm of our relationships. The Sabian symbol for the New Moon, at 16° Libra, is: “After a storm a boat landing stands in need of reconstruction”, which brings the sense of a storm having swept through and left a considerable amount of emotional damage that is now in need of repair. The boat landing could be seen as our foundation and sense of security, while the storm could be a torrent of emotions, as water represents our emotional life. The Sabian symbol for Venus, at 11° Scorpio, is: “A drowning man is being rescued”. Dane Rudyar says of this symbol: “A man risks his life to save another: this is love, based on a sense of responsibility produced by the vivid sense of interrelatedness”. This symbol brings a sense of us being out of our depth somehow, at the mercy of forces larger than ourselves, unable to cope on an emotional level. Sometimes we have to admit to ourselves that we can’t manage something alone before we can allow ourselves to be saved or rescued. This symbol evokes a feeling of true vulnerability and the power of love to save us in times of need. The spotlight is definitely on our relationships during this New Moon! Parts of ourselves that we prefer not to face could come rising to the surface, demanding attention. Long kept secrets could be revealed, hidden resentments and unexpressed feelings brought out into the open. People could resurface from our past, reminding us of parts of ourselves we might have forgotten or left behind. This Moon gives us an opportunity to transform the way we relate, and to set some powerful intentions that could make a big difference when it comes to the future of our relationships. Libra’s ultimate aim is balance and equality, and so this Moon could help us to move towards a greater sense of harmony in our lives. Much Love Amy Xoxo Painting: Libra by Julia Ismambetova  Exact at 7.01 BST, 2.01 EDT
During this Moon we are called to contemplate what needs to change and what might need tweaking in order to improve our lives. It is quite possible that we will become all too aware of what is out of balance and we could experience quite a sense of urgency to make the necessary adjustments to feel better about things. New Moons represent a time of letting go and starting again. We can really tap into the potent power of the New Moon by consciously setting intentions for what we want to create in our lives moving forward. Virgo season is upon us, and so we have a chance to set in motion some healthy routines for ourselves and recognise what habits and tendencies simply aren’t serving us anymore. Virgo is adept at the art of self-analysis, discernment and discrimination, and so we have a chance to have a long, hard look at ourselves and recognise what is lacking in our lives and what we might be able to do to improve things. It’s important not to be hard on ourselves, however, as Virgo does also cause us to focus on our shortcomings and inadequacies and to dwell on what is lacking in our lives. Virgo represents that part of us ourselves that seeks to cleanse and purify; and in the extreme can cause us to seek some unattainable perfection both in ourselves and others. As such, while it is always helpful to take good care of our mind, body and spirit, and this Moon is a good time to do this, it is also important not to be overly self-critical when we slip up or “fail”. Virgo has a tendency to create crises that cause us to take a step back and recognise what we need to change in order to make things better. It’s so important to simply take one step at a time rather than getting overwhelmed by whatever problem we are facing. With Virgo we seek to humble ourselves and deflate our egos, and to truly be of service to others. Of course this can also go too far, as we busy ourselves taking care of everyone else but don’t take care of ourselves. Then resentment can set in. Some questions to ask ourselves during this moon are: “How can I simplify my life?” “What habits and routines no longer serve me?” “How can I be kinder to myself?” “What constructive steps can I take in order to feel more healthy and whole?” “What can I eliminate from my life in order to feel more at peace?” “How can whatever I am currently facing help me to learn about myself and grow?” We do have help during this Moon to make some positive and constructive changes, from both Pluto and Jupiter. Both of these planets are forming harmonious aspects to the Sun and Moon and each other, helping us to be honest with ourselves about what needs to change and to transform our lives for the better. We have an opportunity here to empower ourselves and take the steps needed to improve our lives. It’s as if we are getting a gentle cosmic kick up the bum, giving us the boost we need to move in the right direction. It’s important to trust our hunches and be alert to the little prompts the universe gives us along the way. The signs are always there but we just have to let them filter into our consciousness! Jupiter reminds us not to sweat the small stuff, while Pluto encourages us to step into our power and not be afraid to grow and transform. Neptune is also sitting directly opposite the Sun and Moon, which could bring some confusion, making it hard to see the wood for the trees. I suppose it could contribute to any feelings of anxiety or overwhelm we might be feeling, as if we are at the mercy of forces larger than ourselves. It’s important not to fall in the role of the victim or martyr, however, but rather use the energy of Pluto and Jupiter to be honest with ourselves and step into our power rather than playing small or placing the blame for our situation outside of ourselves. Neptune’s involvement in this Moon could make us feel quite sensitive, possibly even over-sensitive. We might be sorely tempted to bury our heads in the sand rather than confronting whatever we are facing head on. Neptune also reminds us, however, to step off the Busy Bus and tend to our spirit. Virgo energy can cause us to become so busy that we work ourselves into a state of anxiety, while Neptune in Pisces reminds us to find some balance by turning within, meditating, stilling the mind and spending time in nature. This can help us to come back to ourselves, finding our centre and reconnecting to our Source. The Nodes of the Moon are quite prevalent during this Moon, as we have Mars and Black Moon Lilith joining forces next to the South Node of the Moon, causing us to connect to old resentments, trauma or rage from our past and to recognise how we might be stuck in old patterns that simply don’t work for us anymore. Mars and Black Moon Lilith have already met each other this year, around 21 April, so this could have a resonance with whatever was happening then. Mars and the South Node have also met twice this year already, around 8 June and 21 July, so this is the last chance we have to work with this energy and hopefully we can come up with some gold this time! The energy of this combination will peak at the end of September, so it will be prevalent for the New Moon and also the Full Moon in Aries at the end of September. It is quite a potent, potentially volatile mixture of the Dark Feminine and the Warrior Masculine! It certainly brings the potential for blasting through some rather entrenched patterns from the past. This combination could have a strong impact on our relationships, because Venus is also forming challenging aspect to Mars and BML. Any hidden resentments could build to a climax and come out in the form of anger and rage. Any unresolved patterns of relating or tendencies to project our issues onto partners could be revealed and magnified during this time. Anything we have simply been putting up with in our relationships could become so intolerable that we are forced to bring our grievances out into the open, although we must be careful not to do so in too much of a destructive way. Black Moon Lilith’s energy can be quite ruthless! It is quite possible that we might be forced to confront our shadows this month and it might not be very comfortable! However, it’s far better to bring them out into the light of day rather than them operating from an unconscious place within us. Uranus is also involved in this picture, bringing the potential for sudden eruptions or wake-up calls to occur that take us by surprise but that also bring great insight, revelation and liberation. Whatever comes up during this Moon is an opportunity for growth. Virgo can cause us to be rather merciless on ourselves, berating ourselves for our perceived lack, bad habits and personal inadequacies, but it’s important not to fall into that trap. We really can be our own worst enemies at times! Any crisis that comes up brings amazing potential for some honest self-analysis and an evaluation of what needs to change in our lives. We are being given a chance to separate the wheat from the chaff! Instead of getting overwhelmed by what might be perceived as a giant mountain for us to overcome, it is better to simply put one foot in front of the other and take whatever action we feel is necessary to improve the situation. One step at a time! The Virgo New Moon really is a wonderful time for a proverbial “cleaning house”, so we can take advantage of the current energies and do just that! We just have to listen to Neptune’s promptings as well, and take some time out to quieten our busy mind and smell the roses. Much Love Amy xoxo Artwork: Mind Chaos – Unknown My website: www.amybirdartandastrology.com  Exact at 3.47am on Friday 13 July (BST) and 10.47pm on Thursday 12 July (EDT)
This New Moon, at 20° Cancer, packs quite a cosmic punch, as it is also a partial Solar Eclipse and a Supermoon. It is the first of three Eclipses this summer, which represent powerful and potent turning points in our lives, whereby one chapter is ending and another is beginning. As such, this New Moon could have more far reaching impact on our lives than your regular, run of the mill New Moon. Whatever is going on in our lives during this Eclipse season will have a correlation to something that was happening in 1999; and could feel almost like an echo, or the next phase. Supermoons occur closer to Earth, so that they have a greater impact on our mind, body, emotions and spirit. This is a good opportunity to set some positive intentions for ourselves that could have a strong impact on our emotional and domestic lives. It’s time to concentrate on our “inner home” and let go of unhealthy emotional patterns from our past. Pluto, the planet of metamorphosis and transformation, is a very big player during this Moon, so we have a chance to make some profound changes within our lives and psyches during this time. Indeed, it could feel as if the metamorphosis is out of our hands. The Sun and Moon are forming their monthly union in emotional, sensitive and sentimental Cancer. Cancer brings into focus issues around family, childhood and our emotional roots. Pluto is opposite the Sun and Moon, which could bring up some very strong and powerful emotions, forcing us to be very honest with ourselves about our more deeply ingrained emotional patterns. Our relationships could provide us with profound psychological insight into where our more destructive and unhelpful habits are coming from, which might not be very comfortable but could be deeply transforming. Cancer represents our self-image based on what happened in our early childhood. If we didn’t receive the appropriate kind of nurturing when we were young it can lead to emotional insecurity and a tendency to be quite needy as we reach out to others to meet our previously unmet needs. This is dangerous in relationships, and so the onus is on us to learn to meet our own needs from within, rather than expecting others to take care of us. This is the mission of Cancer, to develop a sense of emotional security from inside ourselves, rather than seeking it outside of ourselves. We need to develop our own inner parents rather than making our partners into defacto mothers and fathers. It is possible during this Moon that issues around power and powerlessness could come up within our relationships, and emotional manipulation could become a factor. It could become very obvious how people close to us play games in order to have their needs met, and indeed we could be the perpetrator of these subtle power plays. This is a perfect opportunity to delve deep into our psyches and gain some amazing insight into our emotional nature and the impact our family and childhood has made on us as adults. In what way are we emotionally needy? Is it hard for us to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, or do we have a tendency to be a bit of a baby? How might we still need to grow up? It what way are we still acting out issues from childhood? Do we rely on others to take care of us rather than taking responsibility for our own problems? Are we subconsciously looking for our mother or father in our close relationships? How to we project unresolved needs from childhood onto our partner? Where and how might we be compensating for lack of nurturing from our childhood? What might we need to let go of from our past? Where is Home? How might we develop a relationship with our own inner parent? Are we too attached to the story of our past? Saturn is involved in two very different configurations during this Moon – a challenging square with Chiron the Wounded healer and a harmonious and helpful Grand Earth Trine with Uranus and Venus. Chiron and Saturn are dancing around with each other all summer, never quite forming an exact square but coming very close in mid-August. This feels like an opportunity to take responsibility for our core wounds. Indeed, it could be hard to avoid them, as Saturn forces us to take a long hard look at ourselves and be willing to do the necessary inner work to promote healing. With Chiron retrograde may find ourselves healing some ancient, deeply ingrained wounds that have been weighing us down for a very long time indeed. We could feel somewhat vulnerable and we may have to deal with feelings of futility or failure, inadequacy, grief, or fear as we are forced to go into places we would much rather avoid like the plague! However, there is a feeling that enough is enough. This is a perfect opportunity to grow up and move the boulders aside rather than allowing them to weigh us down. Saturn and Uranus are working towards a harmonious trine aspect with Uranus which will peak at the end of August. These two planets are like chalk and cheese, as Saturn represents the structures of our lives and society while Uranus seeks to break down these old, rigid structures. Saturn represents tradition, while Uranus is the instigator of change and innovation. Saturn sets the rules and regulations, while Uranus breaks them! This trine could help us to gently break down any structures within our lives that are no longer appropriate and to question authority without creating too much of a stir. We may be able to make constructive changes in our lives that don’t rock the boat too much. We could find ourselves breaking through boundaries and limitations that may previously have seemed impossible. We might gain profound insight into where we are stuck, or holding ourselves back through fear, or limiting ourselves, or are too rigid and unyielding. It seems like we have the opportunity at the moment to release ourselves from old karmic baggage and find new ways of dealing with old, ancient problems. During this Moon this energy is connected to Venus, so it will specifically affect our relationships, creating new solutions to old problems, helping us move past our fears, breaking down barriers and blasting those pesky boulders out of the way! We also have this beautiful trine re-forming between bountiful and expansive Jupiter and receptive and spiritual Neptune, which will peak on the 19 of August. These two planets very much complement each other anyway as they are the co-rulers of Pisces! Now they are working together in harmony, which brings the potential for a beautiful boost of faith and trust. We could find ourselves having more faith in the benevolence of life, experiencing a sense that we are somehow being guided in the right direction. We are encouraged to put our trust in the flow of life, letting go and allowing the current of the river to gently take us where we need to go. Anything that comes up during this time can be met in the spirit of kindness, forgiveness, unconditional love, compassion and, above all, acceptance. We should be able to put whatever difficult material we may be facing into perspective, as we are better able to see the bigger picture. This is a very helpful blend of planetary energy to have as a backdrop as we navigate our way through this powerfully impactful set of eclipses. July is set to be a big month as we move from this Eclipse towards a Total Lunar Eclipse on July 27. This Moon sets the ball in motion and gives us an opportunity to break from any stories from the past that might be holding us back and preventing us from “growing up”. With Uranus currently square the Nodes of the Moon we may be forced to recognise what old trauma keeps tripping us up and repeating in the form of our emotional patterns and behaviour. We have a chance to liberate ourselves from some old, ancient wounds and patterns that have been running the show and holding us back; keeping us small. This Grand Earth Trine involving Venus brings an opportunity to step outside of the box and try a different approach to our relationships while also remaining realistic and grounded. Some quite heavy material could come up for us to deal with during this time, but we are ready. Enough is enough. It’s time to free ourselves from the past and recognise where we quite simply need to grow up, to face our fears, release old trauma and become more accountable for ourselves. If we are willing to be self-reflective and do the necessary inner work during this time we should be able to reap the benefits and heal some deep karmic wounds. It’s time to let go. Much Love Amy Xoxo Painting: Letting Go by Tom Shropshire |
Amy BirdI love writing about the Moon and the effect it has on us all, both collectively and personally. We all look at the same Moon and feel her energy, albeit in different ways. It reminds us that we are not alone and there is something very comforting about that! Archives
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