Category: Solar Eclipse

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

7/8/2018

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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AQUARIUS NEW MOON / PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - 15 February 2018

2/11/2018

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Exact at 9.05pm GMT, 4pm EST

This New Moon brings a sense of hope with it and the potential for blasting through some blocks! The week or so after the Leo Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse has involved a certain amount of purging and letting go for many of us, and has allowed us to become more aware of old patterns that no longer serve us so that we can release and liberate ourselves from the hold they have over us. This is a necessary process that we have been through, whereby situations, people or events have brought these patterns to our awareness so that we can clear them, once and for all. Patterns that have been repeating over and over, throughout our whole lives, sabotaging our lives and relationships, have been revealed and we will have been given the opportunity to truly see and understand their “roots”. We have been shown the truth beneath our deepest wounds so that we can actually understand where these beliefs and patterns come from. There is a sense that the time is now; it is time to let go. This is the gift of the very special energetic period between the Lunar Eclipse on 31 January and this upcoming Solar Eclipse. It is not necessarily a very comfortable process and in fact it can be downright painful, but it is necessary to clear the way for a fresh new start. It is time to forge a new path.

An Aquarius New Moon will do just that! Aquarius is a visionary sign, with humanitarian ideals and the capacity to help us make a break with the past so we can step towards a brighter future. Aquarius dares us to think outside the box and question how our parents and society have shaped and defined us. This enables us to embrace the truth of ourselves, our own unique essence, that lies beyond the layers of conditioning that we have received throughout this and other lifetimes. Aquarius is a liberating energy, forcing us to recognise the patterns of behaviour and relating that have been preventing our growth and to be brave enough to move beyond them, even if it means stepping outside the known and familiar. Aquarius represents the ability to detach and see things objectively, and sometimes this can literally mean having to detach ourselves from people, situations, our family or even society so that we can see more clearly. Aquarius is a reaction to Capricorn, with all its “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts”, conformity, conditioning and tendency to follow the rules. With Aquarius we throw out the rule book and dare to think for ourselves, questioning all we have been taught to believe about ourselves and forging a path that is uniquely our own. This is the energy of this New Moon.

As I mentioned in the Leo Full Moon post, Eclipses represent a key moment in our destiny, because the Nodes of the Moon are activated. The South Node, which represents our past, the familiar, the known and tends to play out in our childhood and early life, is currently in Aquarius. Aquarius also correlates to our long term memory, which can hold within it either memories of skills and talents that we have not yet tapped into, or trauma. It is possible, therefore, that this Eclipse season could bring up old trauma for us to recognise and release. We have all experienced trauma in this and other lifetimes, in varying degrees of intensity, and this will have played a big part in forming the beliefs, emotional patterns and sabotaging tendencies that tend to repeat and play out in our lives and relationships. When we experience trauma we can often leave parts of ourselves behind, for a variety of reasons. We are currently being given the opportunity to go back and find these split off, buried parts again. These parts of ourselves and our memory that have been stuffed away, repressed, suppressed because they are too painful to face now have a chance to come forward into the light of our consciousness. We are ready, and if we don’t do it now then they will continue to run the show from deep within our subconscious.

Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, is forming a harmonious aspect to the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Juno, the goddess of partnerships. Uranus is the Great Awakener, and can bring some “aha” moments, epiphanies and revelations, while releasing old memories or energy that has hitherto been blocked. In fact, Uranus can help clear any blockages we might have, bringing much needed wake up calls that help clear old, stagnant energy and liberate us from anything from our past that it preventing growth. He can help us to remember, realise and understand. He can also help us to free ourselves from limiting or restricting patterns, situations or relationships that are preventing our growth. Uranus offers us a different perspective; one that we may not have considered before. He helps us to step outside of our comfort zone into uncharted, unfamiliar territory. He challenges our beliefs and allows us to see where they have come from and how they don’t serve us anymore. He has the capacity to really shake things up and rattle our cages, encouraging us to get out of our ruts.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is currently in Scorpio and is challenging this Moon. This could force us, in no uncertain terms, to face our demons and bring whatever is lurking under the proverbial carpet out into the light. Jupiter tends to exaggerate or magnify the energy of the sign he is in, and in Scorpio’s case it is all the dark parts we don’t want to face; anything that is taboo and has hitherto been shrouded in secrecy, not mentioned, not admitted to, not owned. Scorpio demands emotional honesty, even if it involves confronting material that painful or shameful. Jupiter is currently helping us recognise where we have been let down, betrayed, abandoned; where we have experienced loss and where we find it hard to trust. Jupiter helps us to grow and expand our horizons by facing up to, once and for all, any material that we have kept shrouded in darkness, hidden in the shadows either because it was too painful to face or we were too ashamed or frightened to go there. Jupiter’s strong presence during this New Moon holds the promise of deep transformation if we are willing to be brave, open and honest enough to dive into the shadows to dig up whatever treasure is lurking there.

It is interesting to note that Juno, the asteroid that represents the partnering energy of intimate relationships, is once again present during this lunation. She is sitting right next to the Sun and Moon, and Mercury too. She seems to have been following us around in recent times! This brings our intimate relationships into the foreground once again, forcing us to recognise how old trauma and the patterns that come from it tend to play out in the dynamic between ourselves and those we are in close partnership with. Mercury in Aquarius could help us to figure things out, think things through, see old material from a different perspective and also communicate what we have learned. This could be a time of great insight, whereby we have the potential for some amazing revelations that could revolutionise our lives and relationships. We could be forced recognise where we might block intimacy, though fear of abandonment, trust issues or other reasons that we find it hard to face. Old material could come to the surface that helps us to understand why we keep repeating the same patterns over and over again.

This Moon definitely has some challenging energy to it, but its overall message is one of hope. The fact that Uranus, the ruler of the Moon, is helping us out is a good sign! We are being given the chance to liberate ourselves from the shackles of the past, to dive into the deepest, darkest recesses of our psyches and release whatever we have hidden there. It’s really worth doing the work now, because if we don’t we will just keep on repeating the same patterns, over and over again. We should make the most of any opportunity we get to break the cycle, and this Eclipse season and New Moon is certainly giving us an opportunity to do just that! It is exciting and scary all at the same time, but that’s life, right? We need to embrace the light and the dark, because there is no light without shadow. We all have our demons, and if we don’t face them then they continue to run the show from the side lines This Moon offers us a chance to liberate ourselves from the past and step forward into the light, but not without first taking a journey into the past to dig up some buried treasure.

Much love

Amy
Xoxo

Picture: Buried Treasure - Unknown

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LEO NEW MOON / TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - 21 August 2017

8/17/2017

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Exact at 7.30pm BST, 2.30pm EDT!

Well, people have been talking about this New Moon/Total Solar Eclipse for a very long time now and it is indeed a big one! Another thing that makes it special and unique is that it is the second New Moon in the sign of Leo and we usually only have one. An energetic ball was set in motion with the Lunar Eclipse on 23 July and we are now in the midst of Eclipse season. This is a turning point; a time of shifts and change, when we experience breakdowns that lead to breakthroughs and the end of one chapter so that a new one can begin. Wherever Leo and Aquarius and their rulers, the Sun and Uranus, are found in our charts will give a clue as to what area of our lives may be affected by the eclipses.

The last Eclipse highlighted the South Node of the Moon, which represents the past and is where we tend to feel more comfortable because it is familiar and known. The South Node energy in our charts tends to play out in our childhood and early adulthood until our Saturn Return, which is around 28/29 years old. It is quite possible that we will have been casting our eyes back to the past in recent weeks, since the last eclipse. Memories may be resurfacing that we have long since buried. This next Eclipse is occurring right next to the North Node, which represents potential within us that we need to explore in order to grow and evolve. It often involves us stepping outside of our comfort zone to do so, as we are far more comfortable with the South Node energy and the North Node is unknown territory. As such, this is a time of great soul growth, and we need to be brave and take a huge step forward in our evolution, both personally and collectively.

The Nodes of the Moon are currently in Leo and Aquarius. The South Node is in Aquarius and the North Node is in Leo. This means that we are currently working on cultivating more Leo energy in our lives, allowing ourselves to really shine and express our true, unique nature. The Aquarius South Node shows where we might feel like we stick out like a sore thumb or feel different and unique; as if we don’t fit in. We can sometimes try too hard to fit in, or to please others, so that we dull our light and don’t allow ourselves to truly express all that we are capable of. Aquarius also represents any trauma we might have experienced in this and previous lifetimes. Trauma produces shock, which can make us detach from our emotional body and leave parts of ourselves behind. There are many, many types of trauma and we have all experienced it at some point or another, whether in this lifetime of previous lifetimes. With the North Node on Leo we are being encouraged to reclaim the parts of ourselves that we have left behind. This includes recognising where we may have been playing small and not allowing our true nature and creative potential to shine through in order to gain our parents approval and love.

Eclipses highlight the Nodes of the Moon and this one is definitely asking us to be brave and step forward so that our light can shine brightly. Mars is sitting right next to the North Node in Leo, which calls for us to find courage and assert ourselves, even allowing ourselves to express our anger if needs be. This is definitely showing itself on the collective level, as people are really finding their inner Mars and getting very angry about the state of the world we live in and the people who are leading it. Not to mention how many traumatised people there are on this planet right now. We have every right to be angry and if the anger is used appropriately it can give us the energy to perform amazing feats that we would never have dreamed of before!

Whenever a planet is conjunct the North Node the energy of that planet will be pulling us forward on our path, helping us to integrate the energy of the North Node. In this case, assertive and brave Mars is helping pull us forward towards our Leo nature. This is a time to stand up and express ourselves! If rage comes up, we can use it to motivate us to make change in our lives and for the world at large. This is not a time to hide our light under a bushel. It is time to use Mars and trust our instincts, asserting our needs and even charging into battle if we need to! As we do so we have a chance to take a giant leap forward on our path, both personally and collectively.

Chiron the Wounded Healer is forming an inconjunct aspect to the New Moon, signifying some kind of crisis that could bring up old wounds and trigger our sore spots. Ultimately it will be very healing, but it could also be quite painful. It’s not surprising really, because often where there is growth there is also some degree of pain. We could become all too aware of what we need to change in order to grow and this could cause considerable discomfort and bring up old memories which serve as clues to our current condition. It is also possible that we will be very aware of what is holding us back from shining our light fully, as often it is linked to something that happened in our childhood. It could also be the painful realisation that we have been suppressing part of our true potential, or playing small because one or both of our parents couldn’t cope with that part of us because it reminded them or their unfulfilled potential. All too often we find the disowned or abandoned parts of ourselves irritating or too painful to bear in other people. Ultimately this aspect can help us to unearth some of our true, divine potential, but the process could be a bit painful.

There is a Grand Fire Trine involved with this Eclipse that could definitely get the fires burning and motivate us towards change! Saturn is part of the Trine, so he may help us to stay grounded and prevent the fire from getting out of control. Fire sign energy is very enthusiastic, infectious, passionate, dynamic and inspirational. A good way to sum it up is “Spirit in motion”. As such, thoughts, feelings and ideas could literally spread like wildfire during this Eclipse and we could find ourselves being “all fired up”! Uranus, who is also the ruler of the South Node, is a big player in this Grand Trine as he is forming a very tight aspect to the Sun and Moon. He is also in Aries which is ruled by the brave, assertive, active Mars in Leo mentioned previously. Uranus is the Great Awakener, who can create sudden shocks and upheaval in order to create positive change. He is the rebel, the visionary, the revolutionary and will shake everything up and upset the status quo, especially if it has become stagnant, unhealthy or unfair. Uranus is still next to Eris, a warrior queen who brings chaos and discord and has a tendency to expose hypocrisy and bring about rough, poetic justice and balance. Eris and Uranus’s involvement in the trine could make us very aware of any toxicity or stagnation, both personally and collectively. Not only that, but we will want to do something about it.

Saturn is sitting right next to Black Moon Lilith, in the very same degree, and they are also part of this Grand Fire Trine. Saturn and Black Moon Lilith are not exactly a comfortable fit, as Saturn represents authority, government and the patriarchy, while Black Moon Lilith is the Dark Feminine, who hasn’t traditionally had a good relationship with the patriarchy as she doesn’t take kindly to heavy authority bearing down on her! Lilith is a rebellious energy that can bring up volcanic eruptions of destructive anger, intense passion, emotional manipulation and disordered aggression, but Saturn’s authoritarian energy could repress these emotions and attempt to keep them under control. However, with the trine from Uranus and Eris there is a sense that the dark feminine could be unleashed and that we could use these strong, powerful feelings to empower ourselves and to restore balance to unfair situations, bringing some kind of justice. In the positive, the structuring, realistic power of Saturn and the sharp, fierce, cutting energy of Lilith can help us to see the shadows more clearly, not only in ourselves but also in the power structures and those in authority. There seems to be a theme emerging from this New Moon/Eclipse! Righteous anger and fierce warrior energy abound!

The New Moon is sitting right next to Regulus, a fixed star that is also known as “The Lion’s Heart”. Not surprising, with a name like Regulus, that it represents royalty! When Regulus is positive it represents nobility, frankness and courage. However, when in aspect to Mars, as it is during this Moon, it can cause one to become pompous, using one’s authority in an aggressive and overbearing manner, overly ambitious, demanding recognition, boastful, excessive pride and asserting one’s will and needs in a very extreme way. Leo encourages us to be true to our hearts. The Lion’s Heart is noble, brave and has great strength of spirit. As such, it is important that we listen to our hearts and emulate the positive traits of Regulus during this Moon. Those who don’t could end up paying the price.

There is definitely the potential for us seeing the darker side of Regulus appearing in our world leaders if they identify with its energy too strongly. One such person is Donald Trump, who actually has both Regulus and Mars right next to his Leo Ascendant. As such, the energy of a rather aggressive, pompous, superior Regulus is right there for the whole world to see! This New Moon/Eclipse should have a strong impact on Trump and America in general, because not only is America able see the Eclipse in its entirety, but it is opposite America’s Aquarius Moon and falls right on top of Trump’s Ascendant. Also, the USA has South Node in Aquarius and North Node in Leo. A Total Solar Eclipse is a very dramatic event indeed to see visually, and I’m sure that when people saw one in days gone by that they might have thought it was the end of the world! This one certainly does portend a very big shift, or turning point, though in what way it will manifest remains to be seen. Certainly the energy of this Eclipse could make the shadows more visible and expose any hypocrisy and lies, not to mention that anger could be very prevalent!

The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon, at 29° Leo, is: “A mermaid emerges from the ocean waves ready for rebirth in human form”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The stage at which an intense feeling-intuition rising from the unconscious is about to take form as a conscious thought.” If the ocean represents the thoughts and feelings of the Collective Unconscious, the mermaid represents those thoughts and feelings rising up and taking a more concrete form; finding their way into our conscious awareness. It is a very evocative image, this mermaid emerging, and brings the sense that what has hitherto been unconscious within us all as a collective is now rising up and is ready to find its way towards expression. It feels like a very positive omen for this Eclipse.

Leo encourages us to live from our hearts, follow our bliss and let our lights shine fully and brightly! With Mars helping us along, we could have the courage, energy and motivation to make great changes in our lives during this time. We must not forget that this is a New Moon, which is a time to make wishes and set intentions for ourselves and the world we live in. It is so very important that these intentions come from our hearts, however, because a Total Solar Eclipse is an incredibly potent and powerful New Moon which has the capacity to really shift things for us. Any seeds that we plant during this time will have a more far reaching impact than your average New Moon. An important thing to be aware of is that the Universe, the Creator, God, the Divine, or whatever you want to call it has a tendency to take us quite literally when we ask for things. As such, be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it!

“Your heart knows the way, run in that direction.” Rumi

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Picture: Follow Your Heart - Banksy

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PISCES NEW MOON /SOLAR ECLIPSE - 26 February 2017

2/23/2017

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Exact at 2.58pm GMT, 9.58am EDT.

This is a very powerful New Moon indeed and is also a Solar Eclipse, which gives it far more significance than your average New Moon. Eclipse season is a time of shifts and transformation, when we are made very aware of what needs to change and generally get a pretty big prod in the right direction! There is a sense of fate or destiny involved and wherever the New Moon falls in our chart will show the area of life that will experience the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. This New Moon is activating the South Node in Pisces, which represents the past, the familiar, patterns and traits that we need to examine and transmute in order to move forward and evolve. We are getting to the end of the 18 month span of the Nodes being in the Virgo/Pisces axis, and so we may have to examine where we still have our head buried in the sand, in fantasy land, refusing to face ourselves realistically. The Pisces South Node points to where we have personal and collective blind spots, or are only looking at life and ourselves through rose tinted spectacles, refusing to see what is really going on. On both a personal and collective level it can show where we are deluded, or refusing to face our shadow. And we all have shadows, every one of us!

The Virgo North Node, however, asks us to be willing to face reality and do the necessary work on ourselves and to face our personal and collective shadow. Virgo encourages us to point the finger squarely at ourselves and recognise that the change that is needed on both a personal and global level starts with us taking a long, hard look at ourselves and recognising that what is happening on the outer is merely a reflection of our inner world. If ever there was a time to do some shadow diving, this is it! Pisces South Node can make it so easy to see ourselves as the victim, while Virgo North Node asks that we use the art of discernment and discrimination to recognise where we are deluded and to see the part we have played in creating our own reality. Virgo symbolises the need for self-improvement and can help us to see and eliminate any old mental, spiritual or physical patterns of behaviour that may be blocking our spiritual development. As Pisces represents the collective unconscious, the work we do on ourselves not only impacts us personally, but also benefits the whole of humanity.

Pisces is the very last sign in the zodiac and ultimately represents the capacity for unity, transcendence and oneness. In its highest form it represents an innocence, purity and unconditional love that is a reflection of the love of God, the Divine, the Creator or whatever you want to call it. Pisces is an incredibly compassionate and empathetic sign that has the capacity to help us to connect to one another in such a beautiful way, whereby we are relating to the divine within each other; our true spirit, or essence. This New Moon invites us to turn within, to meditate, pray, create and do whatever we can to connect to the higher part of ourselves. Pisces season is sleepy time; the time to reflect, contemplate life and existence, listen to the whispers of our soul and pay attention to what our dreams are telling us. We are reminded that we are all connected and that what happens to one happens to all. With Pisces this isn’t an abstract concept; it is reality. The intentions we set during this New Moon should come from the heart, not from the head. They should stem from a genuine desire for a deeper connection to all that is and to understand our personal and collective blind spots and send healing out into the world. Pisces reminds us that it’s not all about us.

While Pisces is a very gentle and compassionate sign, we also have quite a volatile combination of planets forming during this New Moon which could stir things up considerably and make us feel quite reactionary! We have Uranus, Mars and Eris forming a conjunction in Aries, opposite Jupiter in Libra and loosely squaring Pluto in Capricorn. It is this same Cardinal T-square that has been with us since the beginning of the year, stirring up the desire to make change both personally and collectively. It is a call to action! Now Mars has joined the party, and combined with Uranus, the Great Awakener and revolutionary and Eris, the goddess of strife, chaos and discord, he brings the possibility of a big shake up of the status quo, a desire to fight for the truth and even sudden outbursts of violence. A strong desire to be utterly ourselves could create conflict in our relationships, but could also help instigate necessary growth and help us move through any “stuckness” that we may be experiencing. It will certainly help get things out into the open and break out of unhealthy patterns! One thing to bear in mind is that this is happening during a Pisces New Moon, which is quiet, inward, sleepy time of the month. This could mean that the conflict and desire for change could be more internal than external.

However, it could also manifest as sudden outbursts of rage, a strong urge to stand up and be counted, bold and brave revolutionary action and an instinctual impulse to make change on a personal and collective level. Joan of Arc just popped into my head as an example of the mixture between the revolutionary warrior energy of Mars and Uranus and the gentle compassion of Pisces. Fierce compassion and martyrdom! We are invited to bravely face our personal and collective shadow and release ourselves from old, outworn ways of operating and archaic patriarchal conditioning that simply isn’t working for us anymore. However, as this old order is passing away and the feminine is rising to balance it out, it seems that things might have to get worse to get better. We are currently being confronted with all the distortion and exaggerated problems that the dualistic, patriarchal way of thinking and operating has brought us. All of the extremes of, guilt, shame, misuse of power, anger, misogyny, prejudice and hate is rising to the surface in no uncertain terms and we are not allowed to bury our heads in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist anymore! At least we can see it all now. It’s not hidden.

This Moon invites us to recognise where it lies within ourselves and to be brave spiritual warriors and face our own shadows rather than projecting them onto others and putting the blame outside of ourselves. The inner work we all do now can have such an amazing impact on the collective. It is so easy to deny or hide from our own shortcomings, and we all have our blind spots, but we are being asked to shine the light of awareness on ourselves and recognise what work needs doing. This is an eclipse, remember, so whatever happens now will have more of a long term impact on our lives. This is the last eclipse in Virgo and Pisces, as the nodes are shifting into Leo and Aquarius in May, so this really is a good chance to see, once and for all, how we sabotage ourselves and refuse to see ourselves clearly. With this Eclipse we have a chance to shift forward into a new level of consciousness and it definitely helps if we are open, receptive and willing to look at ourselves honestly and without filters. We could potentially feel quite sensitive and a bit vulnerable during this time of shifts and change, so it is important to treat ourselves and others with sensitivity, tenderness, kindness and unconditional love. This is the gift of Pisces.

Much love

Amy
xoxo

Photo: Maria Falconetti in The Passion of Joan of Arc

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VIRGO NEW MOON / SOLAR ECLIPSE - 1 September 2016

8/31/2016

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VIRGO NEW MOON / SOLAR ECLIPSE – Thursday 1 September 2016, exact at 10.03am BST, 5.03 EDT.

Well, this is one powerful New Moon, that’s for sure! It is also an Annular Solar Eclipse, so it will have more of a far reaching impact on our souls’ journeys than an average New Moon. This is a time of significant soul growth and represents the end of a chapter in our lives and the beginning of a new one. Solar Eclipses involve the North Node of the Moon, which means that they prod and poke us to move out of our safe, known place and take a step forward into the unknown. It is always somewhat uncomfortable to change the way we do things, but it is so worth it! On an individual level it will help us to continue the journey from our own South Node towards our North Node, which is shown by the house and sign of the Nodes in our individual chart. The Nodal axis is called the Destiny line and is very important indeed. The South Node represents where we come into this life and what we are carrying forward from past lives. As such it is quite a familiar, comfortable place for us to live in, but staying there does not help us to grow. The North Node represents the potential for growth and where we want to get to on a soul level in this life time. This Eclipse is definitely encouraging us to step up to the plate and grow.

On a collective level the South Node, which is where we are coming from, is currently in sensitive and empathetic Pisces, while the North Node is in practical and discerning Virgo. This is the healing axis, and it seems as if we are being asked to be more in our bodies and to find ways of doing something practical, tangible and useful with our compassion, sensitivity and empathy. This is certainly showing itself with the refugee crisis, that’s for sure. It’s a great time for giving and receiving healing, but it is very important to stay grounded. Virgo asks us to make some concrete decisions in order to help ourselves, rather than merely feeling like we are at the mercy of fate or the victim of circumstance. In short, the Virgo North Node tells us to get a grip! Virgo and Pisces ask us to find a more holistic way of approaching our lives and health, and there is also a sense of the finer, more subtle energies becoming more grounded on the earth plane. Virgo helps us find tangible, grounded ways to express what Pisces intuitively senses. We have a chance to really embody our spirituality at this time.

The Sun and Moon are forming their monthly union in Virgo. This is an interesting sign, as it shows where we feel like we need to improve ourselves and do better. When Virgo is highlighted it can bring about some kind of crisis whereby we feel like we are not good enough, or feel inferior, or become very critical of ourselves. When we are critical of ourselves we also tend to be more sensitive to any real or perceived criticism coming from the external environment. Virgo strives for purity and perfection, which can be very difficult to attain and can mean that we beat ourselves up somewhat! Virgo season correlates with going back to school and so at this time of year we may concentrate on getting into healthy routines. It’s certainly a good time to get organised and put our lives into order.

Virgo is the sign that comes after playful and confident Leo and before Libra, the sign of relationships. It is a sign of transition and can bring about some kind of crisis in terms of how we relate to others and show what we still need to learn in order to relate to people successfully, as equals. We may go through a period of intense self-analysis whereby we realise that we still have a lot to learn and so this is an opportunity to take a long hard look at ourselves and make the necessary adjustments. This can be a bit of a painful process, but very rewarding indeed if we learn our lessons well! Virgo is also the sign of discernment. As such, we may need to make some important choices during this time and think long and hard about what is truly good for us and what needs to go. Again, this can be quite painful and challenging and we may have to be quite strong. It is time to separate the wheat from the chaff and to step back a bit instead of acting impulsively. This is a time for self-evaluation and self-care of the highest order.

The ruler of the New Moon is Mercury, who goes retrograde in Virgo on August 31st. Lots of this discerning Virgo energy around at the moment! The few days before and after Mercury going retrograde can be quite challenging in terms of communication and there is strong potential for misunderstandings to occur. It is important to be very clear in our communication and to hold off rushing into any conversations or decisions that are important. Be patient, hold back a little and wait until Mercury has settled into going backwards. The chances are that whatever we are thinking about can wait, and things might look very different by then! Mercury Retrograde is a great time for looking within and re-evaluating our lives. In Virgo it is a great time for some inner analysis, providing we are not too hard on ourselves! We must try not to look back and feel guilty or pick ourselves to pieces! It is much better to simply see how we could have done better and work with that. Mercury will be retrograde until 22 September. During this Moon he will be sitting right next to Jupiter, which will really help us see the bigger picture and expand our viewpoint.

The Saturn Neptune square is being directly activated by this Moon/Eclipse, which will bring its energy to the foreground of our lives. The square will be exact on the September 10, so it is currently building in intensity. One of the ways this can manifest is by Neptune dissolving Saturn’s structures. It is as if the structures that we have come to rely upon are falling away and it is unclear what will take their place. This is where the ongoing theme of “Faith and trust” comes into play. We are not in control, much as we might like to think we are, so we much just learn to let go and go with the flow of life. Saturn can hold on too tightly to people or situations through fear, while Neptune urges us to gently let go and see what happens. If they come back to us, all well and good. If not, then it was simply not meant to be and something much better awaits us just around the corner.

The square can also highlight our blind spots and show where we prefer to live in the land of fantasy rather than facing up to reality. Neptune likes to avoid reality but Saturn will make sure we face the truth in no uncertain terms, whether we like it or not. It is very important, however, that we don’t become too rigid in our beliefs and remain open to other people’s version of the truth. We may also find it hard to know what the truth really is, because what we thought was true may actually be an illusion. Squares between planets to prod and poke us to grow and do better, so while this square can feel quite heavy and has the potential to bring up vague and irrational fears and anxieties, is can also help us to ground our dreams and ideals into reality. Neptune dreams the dreams, while Saturn is willing to put the time and hard work into making them real. Indeed, this could be a very good time to practicing manifesting our intentions.

Mars is conjunct Saturn during this Moon as well, which feels somewhat in line with the Mercury Retrograde energy, in that it could put the breaks on us acting impulsively or asserting ourselves. Mars is a doer and represents our assertive, active desire nature. Saturn says to Mars “Hold on, wait a moment and look before you leap.” This could be quite frustrating but is also quite sensible, because it makes us act more consciously and mindfully. It does seem like we are at a moment in time when we have some choices to make, but are being asked to slow down a bit and consider them wisely. What is the saying – “Only Fools rush in”? We need to take a moment to decide what is really good for us rather than acting by default, or on auto-pilot. We may feel like we are being held back, blocked or reined in, but there is a reason for it. Wait and watch. All will be revealed in the fullness of time. Mars and Saturn were exactly conjunct last Wednesday 24 August, but the energy would still be active now as the New Moon is activating it.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon at 10° Virgo is “Two heads looking out and beyond the shadows.” This feels very much like the Saturn Neptune Square, as it shows how we can perceive the same situation from two different perspectives, such as Love and Fear. It is important for us to be able to see whatever we are facing from more than one side, because the truth of the situation may be shrouded somehow. We are being asked to look out from the shadows into the light. Maybe we need to look at things in a different way before we can shift or move beyond.

I always wonder what people must have thought during Solar Eclipses when they looked up into the sky and saw a great ring of fire! They must have thought it was the end of the world, or that the great sky god was trying to tell them something very important. Certainly they do have a powerful impact on our lives and are not to be scoffed at! Eclipses move in 19 year cycles, and this one is linked to one that occurred on 1 September 1997. As such, whatever is happening now could have a resonance with that time, or some kind of echo. It could be that we are moving onto the next phase of whatever was started then. It is also linked to the Solar Eclipse on 8 March this year. There could be a sense of completion now, as one phase ends and another begins. There is definitely a sense of us being asked to step back and re-evaluate ourselves and the way we approach life and relationships. It is very important not to be hard on ourselves, but rather to recognise what might need tweaking in order for us to be more effective in our relationships. We need to practice the Virgoan art of discernment and remember that in each moment of our lives we have a choice on how to act and react. We get to decide what is good for us and what must fall away as we move onto the next chapter.

Much love

Amy
xoxo

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Amy Bird

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