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CAPRICORN NEW MOON / PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - 5 / 6 January 2019

1/2/2019

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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)

 
 
 
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SAGITTARIUS NEW MOON - 7 December 2018

12/5/2018

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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
 

 
 
 
 
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SCORPIO NEW MOON - 7 November 2018

11/4/2018

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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
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LIBRA NEW MOON - 8 / 9 October 2018

10/4/2018

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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
 

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VIRGO NEW MOON  - 9 September 2018

9/6/2018

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​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

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CANCER NEW MOON / PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - 12 / 13 July 2018

7/8/2018

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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
 

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GEMINI NEW MOON - 13 June 2018

6/11/2018

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GEMINI NEW MOON – Wednesday 13 June, exact at 8.43pm BST, 3.43pm EDT
 
This Moon is a potent time to set intentions for ourselves, because Gemini reminds us of how our thoughts carry energy and have the power to affect our reality in positive or negative ways. Watch what you wish for! New Moons represent a time of beginnings and endings, when we leave something behind in the dark of the Moon and contemplate what we want to cultivate moving forwards. You can’t have a beginning without and ending! The Sun and Moon are joining forces in the versatile, adaptable and curious sign of Gemini, so issues around communication and our thought processes are likely to be prevalent at the moment. We may become all too aware of our thought patterns and how they help or hinder us. Mind chatter could be rife during this time, as it is hard to get the little monkeys in our heads to quieten down! We could be striving to understand something that is hard to comprehend. As Gemini is the sign of the twins it represents duality. We could literally be in “two minds” about something, or could experience someone being two-faced, or even downright lying. We could be giving or receiving mixed messages. Certainly this is a time of considerable mental activity!
 
Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, is currently in emotional and sensitive Cancer. This could mean that we are trying to understand something from our past, most likely from our childhood. Cancer is the sign of the family and our emotional roots, so there could be issues of communication between us and our family members, or we could be trying to get to the bottom of something that happened long ago but still has an impact on the way we think and communicate. It is possible that we are struggling to understand a family dynamic, but that no answer is readily available to us. The way we perceive the world is heavily influenced by the experiences we had and the messages we received in childhood, and our thought process could be utterly irrational at times because they are ruled by our emotional patterns. This could be a good time to bring long standing emotional issues out into the open and talk about them.
 
Saturn is also opposite Mercury, bringing up boundary issues around communication, and could cause people to withhold information or hold back from communicating with us, leaving us in the dark. There could be misunderstandings, or some kind of impasse that seems difficult to overcome or understand. Saturn brings a sense of lack and makes us very aware of what needs to be worked on in order to improve the situation. Chiron the Wounded Healer is also involved in the picture, and combined with Saturn our thoughts could feel a bit heavy and more fearful and anxious than usual. This combo could take our minds into some rather dark places, causing us to worry perhaps more than we need to. However, there is the potential for some deep healing here. Old karmic wounds could come to the surface, needing to be understood and voiced out loud somehow. It may become glaringly obvious how the pain of the past is colouring our perspective and dynamics with others in the here and now. 
 
It is important to be aware of how we communicate and interact with people, because some painful or hurtful truths could be spoken during this time, either by us or to us. It is also important to be aware that gossiping or talking about people behind their backs is never a good idea and can do more harm than good. Saturn reminds us that we are only responsible for our part in whatever situation we find ourselves in, and that it is important to come from a place of integrity, maturity and accountability. Sometimes people inadvertently trigger our deepest wounds, and none more so than the people closest to us, but it is our choice how we respond to it. This combination of planets certainly brings a sense of us wanting to understand ourselves and our emotional nature better and possibly having to delve back into the past in order to do so.
 
With Mars sitting right next to the South Node of the Moon, and Uranus, the ruler of the South Node, squaring the Nodes, there is definitely the potential for us having to face up to some unresolved material from our childhood and early years, and even from past lives. Possibly old resentment and anger that we don’t even know we have could come rising up to the surface. We could slip back into old patterns and habits that we thought we had already healed or left behind. We might find ourselves confronting someone, when really our beef is with someone who did something traumatic to us in our childhood or beyond. It could be a replay situation, bringing a sense of déjà vu. We may find ourselves reliving some very difficult family karma, bringing it out into the open so we can air our grievances and let it go. We may have to be completely honest with ourselves and others about issues and trauma that has long been forgotten, pushed to one side or buried. Sometimes we have no choice but to go backwards over old ground in order to move forward.
 
Uranus is also challenging Venus during this New Moon, meaning that we might experience some surprises and possible wake-up calls in the realm of our relationships. We might have to face up to some unpleasant material that we might prefer to ignore, or find that change is forced on us somehow. Uranus has the potential to help release us from anything stale or stagnant that might be blocking healthy relationships, but the process could be somewhat unsettling! This seems to tie in with the rest of the New Moon chart, which brings a sense of old material coming up for us to process and understand, and having to deal with some kind of communication issue that presses our buttons and triggers old wounds. It is very important not to let our monkey minds run away with us over the next few days, and to be aware of the power of words to hurt or heal. All will be revealed in the fullness of time, no doubt!
 
Much Love
 
Amy
Xoxo

Picture: Taming the Monkey Mind – Unknown
 

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TAURUS NEW MOON - 15 May 2018

5/11/2018

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Exact at 12.47pm BST, 7.47am EDT!
 
This New Moon has the potential to help transform some old, entrenched patterns and strengthen our sense of self-worth and personal power. It could also come up with some shocks or surprises! The Sun and Moon are forming their monthly union in the solid, stable and earthy sign of Taurus, inviting us to leave any limiting beliefs behind in the dark of the Moon and to set some positive intentions for what we might want to manifest for ourselves moving forward. This is a good time to contemplate what we need to do in order to bring a sense of simplicity and peace into our lives and to recognise where we need to learn to meet our own needs rather than projecting them out onto those close to us. With Taurus we contemplate what really, truly holds value and meaning for us. We become aware of what capacities and abilities give us a sense of self-confidence and self-empowerment and allow us to be self-reliant and self-sustaining.  
 
This Moon could help us to recognise where we might hold on too tightly to people, relationships, possessions or situations that are preventing us from moving forward and really blossoming. It is so easy to get stuck in situations that are limiting or preventing growth because they represent safety or security, or because we can’t see beyond them enough to be open to another alternative.
 
With Pluto forming a harmonious aspect to the Sun and Moon, we are being asked to gently remove any resistance we might feel when it comes to moving past our blocks or removing ourselves from unhealthy or limiting situations. We may experience challenges or confrontations, either from others or within ourselves, that force us to examine ourselves and change any limiting beliefs or behaviour patterns that are preventing growth. We may become all too aware of where we are stuck, or disempowering ourselves, or placing too much value on something or someone to compensate for an inner sense of worthlessness. Anything we are holding on too tightly to may have to be removed in order for us to move forward and grow. Taurus has a possessive quality to it which can be very limiting and cause us to get stuck. Pluto helps us to purge our unhealthy patterns and transform any limiting circumstances we may find ourselves in.
 
Pluto is also joining forces with Black Moon Lilith during this Moon, forcing us to confront the darker aspects of our nature that we my usually repress or supress for fear of exposure. Anything that we deny, disown or can’t see in ourselves (whether it be our darkness or our hidden gifts) or try to keep hidden out of fear that people with think us to be a “bad person”, ends up coming out in a distorted fashion and sabotaging our intimate relationships. It’s hard to hide when you are so up close and personal with people! During this Moon we could become all too aware of these parts of ourselves, as we are forced to be emotionally honest with ourselves.  We could become embroiled in power plays, or become all too aware of how other people take our power away. As Demetra George says, Lilith “addresses the issues of personal, sexual power and suppressed anger” and brings “a refusal to submit to another or compromise ones beliefs as well as the potential for resolution”.
 
 
This combination could bring up powerful feelings of rejection, resentment, rage and the inability to reach agreement until power issues within our relationships are resolved. We do have here an opportunity to recognise power dynamics in our relationships and to bring our more shadowy, unconscious, compulsive patterns out into the light so that they no longer sabotage or undermine us. With the conjunction forming in Capricorn, we are asked to take responsibility for the darker side of our nature; to be fully accountable for it. We might need to fully own our rage. It might not be pretty, but it could be very revealing indeed! The energy of this conjunction will peak on 18 May, but has been building for the past couple of weeks.
 
Uranus is very present during this Moon. At the moment the Great Awakener, Liberator and Rebel/Revolutionary is in the very last degree of Aries, gearing up for the shift into Taurus literally four hours after the New Moon! Before he does this, however, he is joining forces with Mercury while being challenged by Mars in the very last degree of Capricorn. With all of these planets in the last degree of the sign they are in, there is definitely a feeling of things coming to a head! Hopefully afterwards we will all be able to move on and have a fresh new start. Mercury is the planet that rules the way we think and communicate those thoughts. Uranus and Mercury together in Aries could bring shocking realisations, being forced to think outside of the box, insights that come out of the blue, angry words that bring wake-up calls, radical honesty, frayed nerves, being forced to see things from a different perspective, liberation from unhealthy or limited thought patterns.
 
 Aries is a very honest, forthright energy, and Uranus/Mercury can bring breakdowns in communication that lead to significant breakthroughs. Things could get a bit heated, however! With Mars involved in the mix, the potential for angry outbursts is heightened, as supressed anger is brought out into the open and hidden resentments aired. We are likely to feel more impulsive and assertive, which brings the possibility for saying things that can’t be unsaid. There is certainly a potentially destructive element to this combination of planets! It could be quite shocking, whatever comes up. This energy will peak on Sunday and Monday. This is the last hurrah for Uranus in Aries, and it is interesting indeed that there is so much planetary activity occurring just before his entrance into Taurus. Possibly some truths need to be aired before we can move on.
 
And what might happen when Uranus goes into Taurus? We could experience liberation from whatever stagnant or limiting situations we find ourselves in. We could experience a radical change in our values, whereby whatever used to hold meaning for us has lost its sheen. Our financial system, both personally and collectively, could experience some kind of breakdown or revolution so that it is more in keeping with the changing times. Our sense of security and survival could be rocked to the core, but this could bring a breath of fresh air and new perspectives on what constitutes safety and security. Taurus represents the world of the senses and Mother Earth, so we could experience natural disasters that lead to a radical change of perspective on the way we approach the eco-system, sustainability, natural resources, eating local foods, environmentalism, cruelty-free eating, regenerative agriculture etc. Uranus, as the ruler of Aquarius, brings innovation and a more humanitarian perspective, based on liberty, equality and brother/sisterhood. This could be a time of upheaval that has the potential to threaten our sense of security, but it is important not to resist the tides of change. Whatever passes away at this time is probably long past its sell by date! Uranus will be in Taurus from 2018 until 2026.
 
A powerful and harmonious aspect between Neptune and Jupiter has been building for the past week or so, and will peak on 25 May. This collaboration between Jupiter, the planet of growth, faith, hope and expansion and Neptune, the planet of oneness, unity, compassion and acceptance, can help give us faith that ultimately everything is going to be alright and that we are headed in the right direction. These two are the co-rulers of Pisces, and provide a soothing backdrop to all of the potential upheaval that could arise from the Uranus/Mars/Pluto/Black Moon Lilith energy. This combination can heighten our intuitive faculty and also help us to see the bigger picture and to understand the higher order of things. Everything happens for a reason, even if it is not clear at the time. It can also help us to approach one another with an underlying spirit of tolerance, acceptance, understanding and unconditional love, despite our less desirable qualities. When it comes down to it, we are all just beautiful souls having a human experience. It can just get a bit messy at times, that’s all, especially when we allow fear and ego to take the reins!  Jupiter and Neptune should help keep everything in perspective during potentially turbulent times and bring a sense of hope and optimism. They will help us to imagine a brighter future.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Picture: Winds of Change by Marleen Visser
 

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ARIES NEW MOON - 15 / 16 April 2018

4/13/2018

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​ARIES NEW MOON – Monday 16 April, exact at 2.57am BST, Sunday 15 April, exact at 9.57pm EDT
 
This Moon is a powerful one indeed, with some very volatile, revealing and potentially destructive energy involved. This New Moon is occurring in the first sign of the zodiac, and so it represents the beginning of a new phase of development. This is a time when we should leave whatever isn’t serving us behind in the dark of the Moon and set intentions for what we seek for ourselves moving forward. Whatever we are thinking, doing or contemplating during the New Moon has the potential to ripen and blossom as the Moon moves towards the full phase two weeks later. This New Moon is in Aries, the sign of independence, anger, assertion, honesty, enthusiasm, domination, courage, action, aggression; a sign that is very impulsive and tends to act first and think later. Aries is that part of ourselves that has the courage to try new experiences in order to find out who and what we are. He also demands freedom to follow his own path and has a deep fear of entrapment. Aries instinctually acts on his desires and is very adept at taking care of his own needs. This is the energy of this New Moon. Combined with the other planetary influences, there is an impatient and potentially explosive energy to this Moon that could set a ball in motion that might be hard to stop.
 
This New Moon is sitting smack, bang between Uranus, the Great Awakener, Rebel and Revolutionary and Eris, the goddess of chaos, strife and discord. Uranus has a very erratic, unpredictable energy that has the potential to bring sudden change and unexpected events that seem to happen “to us” but are in fact a reflection of a need within us to change the status quo and release stagnation or blockages. Of course, this also brings the possibility of sudden outbursts of anger, aggression or violence, as Uranus is in Aries, the warrior sign, after all! Whatever comes up during this time could surprise or shock us, but ultimately it will help blast us out of our ruts and bring everything out into the open. This is where Eris comes in, because she is the whistle blower and is ever ready to expose artifice and hypocrisy. Eris is well versed in the art of revenge and could help reveal the truth of the matter, bringing about a sense of poetic justice. With Eris revealing the truth and exposing our shadows for what they are, and Uranus bringing some kind of wake up call, it could be hard to hide during this Moon!
 
Just to add to the story, we also have Mars, Black Moon Lilith and Pluto joining forces in Capricorn! This is an ominous combination, as Mars is the warrior planet, while Black Moon Lilith has the capacity for volcanic eruptions of destructive anger, intense passion, emotional manipulation and disordered aggression. Pluto is the planet of power, transformation, death and rebirth, and in Capricorn has been slowly but surely exposing the rot within our power structures, destroying them as they stand so that something with more integrity can take their place. It’s a work in progress! It is interesting that this combination of such powerful energies is occurring in Capricorn, the sign of government, authority, society and rules and regulations. There is something quite primal about this mix of the God of War, the Dark Goddess and the God of the underworld! On a personal level this could bring some very raw emotions to the surface, including rage, jealousy or the searing pain of rejection. The darker side of our humanity could show itself during this time, but I suppose that it is less dangerous if it is out in the open, rather than sabotaging us from the unconscious realms!
 
Mars and Black Moon Lilith are very close together for this Moon, and this ferocious, raw, wild, passionate and potentially destructive energy will peak on Thursday 19 April. Mars then moves on and joins Pluto on 26 April, which could help us to have the courage and motivation to move past our limitations, aligning our personal will (Mars) with our higher will (Pluto). However, if could also bring acts of violence, fury, rage and aggressive abuse of power, causing us to act very compulsively, as if driven by an invisible force. Black Moon Lilith will finally catch up to Pluto on 18 May. The Dark Goddess and the Lord of the Underworld could definitely bring up some primal emotion, raw sexuality, power struggles and also potential empowerment. It certainly seems as if the dark could come out into the light during this time, exposing what might usually be suppressed or hidden below the surface, so it is important to practice self-awareness and be willing to be really honest with ourselves.
 
As I mentioned in my last post, Chiron the Wounded Healer is currently at the very end of the very last degree of Pisces, which is the very last degree of the entire zodiac, signifying the very end of a cycle of development. It seems to be a good opportunity to dive into our pain, face our shadows, confront our core wounds and do some honest, heart-felt self-examination and healing. Of course it is not easy to face the really painful stuff and find compassion and forgiveness; it is easier to blame others for our wounded natures, or stuff the pain away, numbing it with alcohol, food, drugs, cigarettes, anti-depressants, sleep, television or whatever else helps us not to feel. Pisces rules the collective unconscious, and so, as Chiron is reaching the very end of Pisces we could feel, all too acutely, the pain of the whole world and all of life; the humans, the plants, trees, animals. Humanity as a whole is deeply wounded right now. It is hard to deny it.
 
When a planet moves from one sign to the next there is generally a big energetic shift. This is even more so when it moves from Pisces to Aries, as it is shifting from the very end of the end to the very beginning. When Uranus moved into Aries, for instance, the tsunami happened in Japan. Pisces is a very peaceful, sensitive, empathetic sign, while Aries is a very dynamic, assertive warrior-like sign, so it will be interesting to see what occurs as Chiron moves from one sign to the other; from water to fire. This shift will happen on the 17th, literally the day after the New Moon!  Uranus is also approaching the end of his stay in Aries. This unpredictable, revolutionary planet will move into earthy Taurus on 15 May. It will be interesting to see what might happen in the last few weeks of the Great Awakener’s stay in this dynamic, aggressive sign. He certainly gave us a few shocks when he went into Aries, so we will see what unrest he can stir up now! While Uranus in Aries can bring freedom, rebellion and liberation, there is no doubt that there is the potential for unresolved or supressed anger being triggered or unleashed, sudden, selfish acts of reactionary aggression and provocation of war.
 
The Sabian symbol in which Black Moon Lilith and Mars are joining forces is very interesting. This is what Dane Rudyar says of the symbol for 18° Capricorn: “The Union Jack flag flies from a British warship.” The protection afforded to individuals and groups by powerful institutions in charge of maintaining order.
This symbol reflects conditions prevailing in the past when Great Britain‘s fleet was policing the seas under the international principle of the freedom of the seas. Times have changed, but the concept remains valid. Power is required to maintain social order and relatively peaceful interpersonal as well as international relationships. Alas, this power can easily be misused under the pretext of preserving “law and order.” Justice and compassion must balance social power, and especially the power of privileged groups. Where this symbol appears, the need for protection may be in evidence – or it may be a warning against using power for selfish advantage.
This symbol brings to us a realisation of the ambivalence of POLITICAL POWER, its value and its dangers.”
 
The symbol for Pluto is also interesting: “By accepting defeat gracefully, a general reveals nobility of character.”
“The realisation that one may grow through defeat as well as, and perhaps more than, through success.
This symbol presents us with the possibility of turning apparent external defeat into an inner spiritual achievement. We have recently seen how totally vanquished nations (Germany and Japan) have leaped forward and achieved great economic success. Much depends on the quality of the will and the inner integrity of the person.
With this symbol we find what seems to be a paradox, but the spiritual life is always paradoxical. The great sinner can become the most renowned saint, and a medieval Pope a criminal. What matters most always is INNER STRENGTH.”
 
This Moon certainly holds the potential for the unexpected to occur. It feels like power and feelings we didn’t know we had could be unleashed, like a pipe or a dam bursting. With both Chiron and Uranus about to change signs, it definitely feels like we are going to experience a big shift, both personally and collectively. The darkness could come out into the light, no longer hidden by any kind of façade. There is a sense of the truth being exposed, and it might not be pretty but it could be very liberating indeed! Mercury is also turning direct in Aries a few hours before the New Moon, so direct, honest communication is both essential and likely. Of course, the impulsive energy of Aries does mean that things could be said or decisions could be made that are rash, ill thought out and that we can’t go back on. However, at least the retrograde cycle will be over, which lessens the potential for miscommunication and misunderstandings to occur. Interesting times! Let’s see what the next few weeks brings us!
 
Much Love
 
Amy
Xoxo
 
Image: Moon Goddess Dark Chaos  by Immanuel Velikovsky
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PISCES NEW MOON - 17 March 2018

3/15/2018

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Picture
Exact at 1.11pm GMT, 10.11am EDT
 
We are currently in dreamtime, as we are in the dark of the Moon at the very end of the astrological cycle. On the Spring Equinox this Tuesday 20 March, the Sun moves into pioneering Aries and a whole new cycle begins. This is a time of culmination and completion, when we are invited to leave behind whatever no longer serves us in the dark of the Moon and contemplate what we might want to create for ourselves moving forward. We are currently preparing to shoot out of the hard winter ground, but for now, while we are still underground, we are invited to contemplate and imagine what kind of flower or plant we would like to become once we emerge into the light. This New Moon is a time for us to rest, meditate, turn within and listen to what our dreams are telling us. Indeed, we might feel quite tired during this time, as our dreamlife is probably much more active and prolific than usual. We will be processing a lot in our dreams at the moment.  We are invited to let go and surrender to the flow of our lives, allowing the current to take us where it will. This is a time to listen to the whisperings of our soul, heeding our intuition and paying attention to the subtle messages that are all around us telling us where we need to go.
 
Pisces completes the circle. As such, this is a time for us to become aware of any dynamics that are old, outworn or unresolved in our lives and find some kind of resolution or acceptance, or simply let go of them altogether. Part of the Pisces mission is to dissolve any barriers preventing us from connecting directly with God, Creator or the Universe, so the veil between the mundane world and the world of spirit is much thinner at this time of year. As such, we may feel more sensitive, open and vulnerable, as Pisces is apt to make us feel a bit like a leaf being blown about in the wind, at the mercy of forces much larger than ourselves. This could easily cause us to feel overwhelmed and we could easily feel like we are victim of whatever situation we find ourselves in, as if it is out of our control. It is always important to remember, however, that we are the co-creator of our own reality, and as such we have to take equal responsibility for any dynamics that might be playing out in our lives and relationships. Pisces brings a tendency to just roll over and allow things to happen, which in the positive can be seen as an act of surrender or acceptance, but could also involve us playing the role of scapegoat, martyr or victim.
 
Pisces definitely heightens our creative imaginations, which can be very helpful in terms of creating positive intentions for this New Moon and imagining the life we want for ourselves. Pisces is the queen of daydreams! However, it can also bring the potential for delusions and illusions, whereby we can’t see clearly at all, or only see what we want to see. In the extreme it can cause feelings of “madness”, as the barriers between reality and fantasy, the conscious mind and the collective unconscious, the mundane world and spirit world all dissolve and it’s hard to tell what is real and what is not. Indeed, who is to say what is real or not anyway!  Pisces likes to put the rose tinted spectacles on and is very idealistic, so disillusionment is always a possibility when reality kicks away the pretty illusion we have built around a person or situation! Of course, it is hard to face reality sometimes, and Pisces can make us very adept at burying our head in the sand and using escapist tendencies to avoid doing just that! It is important, during this Moon, to be aware of the possibility of things not exactly being clear.
 
Chiron, the Wounded Healer, is sitting right next to the Sun and Moon in Pisces during this New Moon. This could definitely bring out the compassionate, empathetic, tender, open-hearted aspect of Pisces and could make us feel quite open, raw and vulnerable. While our core wounds may feel a bit open and exposed, there is the potential for really connecting to one another on a deeper level and finding forgiveness and compassion for our flaws and inadequacies. It is so much easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves, but it is so very important to find true compassion for our own shortcomings and learn to truly love ourselves, warts and all. Pisces brings the capacity for unconditional love, which has such power to heal! It helps us to really “see” one another, behind the walls, the masks and the defences. This New Moon could really help us to get to the heart of the matter.
 
Mars is challenging the Sun, Moon and Chiron, which on the one hand could mean that we are forced to be very honest about our vulnerabilities and wounded natures, while on the other hand could mean that someone does or says something that is hurtful or wounding. With Venus and Mercury currently joining forces in honest and forthright Aries, there could be the tendency to act/speak first and think later, which could very easily trigger our sore spots! However, although the truth can hurt sometimes, it is far better to be transparent in our relationships and operate from a position of authenticity, integrity and truth. This could be a good time for getting things out into the open, and while we might be a bit rash or blunt about it, we also have a chance to clear the decks and tell each other how we really feel. There is the possibility for us to trigger some heated emotions in one another, but it is important to remember that if someone causes us to feel defensive or angry then maybe they have hit on a nerve. It might be helpful to be aware of our actions and reactions during this time, because they could be very revealing. If we are brave and honest with ourselves, we have the potential for amazing healing to take place.
 
Jupiter in Scorpio is forming a harmonious, helpful aspect to the Sun, Moon and Chiron, which has been playing out over the course of this week. Jupiter is currently retrograde, and is working with Pluto to help us to face some of the darker aspects of our psyches that we might usually prefer to deny the existence of. We have a chance to dig deep and to be really honest with ourselves on an emotional level, recognising how the parts of ourselves that we keep in the shadows can so easily run the show and sabotage our lives and relationships. This is a really good time to broach subjects that are usually taboo, bringing some uncomfortable material out from under the proverbial carpet so that we can face it instead of pretending it doesn’t exist. We may have to face issues of power and powerlessness and also recognise how we might block intimacy through trust issues or not being completely honest and transparent with one another. Sometimes, paradoxically, the way to get our power back from another person is to make ourselves vulnerable; to be brave enough to speak our truth and express our feelings, even though it is uncomfortable and scary and we run the risk of upsetting them.
 
The Sabian Symbol for this New moon, at 27° Pisces, is: “The harvest Moon illumines a clear autumnal sky”, about which Dane Rudyar says: “This symbol brings us the message that the time has come to reap what we have not only sown, but also cultivated – or failed to cultivate”, describing this as a “karmic” moment – the seed of the new cyclic manifestation is already latent.”   There is a feeling of culmination to this symbol, which makes sense as we approach the very end of the astrological year and await the start of a new cycle. For now, it is sleepy time! We are like seeds, buried deep in the soil, preparing to germinate so that we can emerge from dormancy as the Sun moves into Aries on Tuesday! This is a time to surrender to the flow and let go of anything that needs to leave our lives so that we can make space for whatever awaits us around the next bend in the river. It is important to be attentive to the subtle signs and omens, listen to our dreams and be very gentle with ourselves. The time will come, soon enough, when we will know what we need to do. For now, all we need to do is just “be” and let our imaginations run free.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Picture: To Sleep Until Spring, by Trudi Doyle
 

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    Amy Bird

    I 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!

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