Exact at 6.19pm GMT, 1.19pm EST.
 
After the turbulence and intensity of the past few moons, this one feels like a bit of a breather in comparison. This is not to say that this Moon will be a walk in the park, as it is a Full Moon after all, and in Virgo it has the potential to bring a fair amount of anxiety to the surface. Full Moons tend to bring anything to a head that may have been simmering away in our consciousness, because as the Moons affect the tides, so do they affect our emotions, bodies and spirits. As such, the full moon can be a rather emotional time of the month but it also brings a release of tension which is quite freeing because at least everything can come out into the open instead to being held inside. Better out than in!
 
The Moon is in humble, perfectionistic and health-conscious Virgo, sitting directly opposite the Sun in receptive, intuitive and empathetic Pisces.  As ever, the key to the Full Moon is to find the balance between the two signs rather than veering too far in one direction. A Virgo full moon does have the potential to create crisis, whereby we become very aware of what needs to change in our lives or where we are experiencing a feeling of lack. It may cause us to focus on what is wrong with us or out of balance in our lives, which can lead to paralysis and the inability to act. Virgo does have a tendency to show us where we still have some work to do, that’s for sure! It is important to use this energy to make positive improvements in our lives, taking one step at a time rather than getting overwhelmed by details. Virgo does have a tendency to worry! This is where Pisces comes in, because she knows that we are perfect in our imperfection and also reminds us to breathe!
 
The Virgo/Pisces axis is the healing axis, and so this Moon could make us aware of where we are out of balance physically, spiritually and emotionally. Health concerns can come to a head, even if they are only in our head!  Virgo is very sensitive to impurities and is the queen of the purification process.  Of course, our bodies are amazing indicators of how we are feeling on a deeper, emotional level, so it is very important to listen to them. Body and soul are not two separate parts of ourselves, but rather they are one and the same. Our head may lie to us, with its endless over analysing and trickery, but the body never lies. In fact it can speak volumes if we are willing to listen and open ourselves up to its message.
 
Virgo is very adept at the art of discernment and discrimination, so this Moon could help us to decide what we need to keep and what quite simply needs to go. The energy of change is still very much around us, so this is an ideal time to eliminate any self-sabotaging habits that might be holding us back from aligning with our true self and path. Virgo and Pisces working together in harmony bring the potential for selfless devotion, compassion and service to humanity, but first we must learn to have unconditional love and compassion for self. Virgo does have the tendency to be very hard on herself, and Pisces can spend her life helping others but not affording herself the same love that she finds so easy to give to those around her. This Moon could make us all too aware of how we neglect our physical and emotional well-being and how self-sabotaging some of our habits and routines are. Instead of beating ourselves up we should use some of Virgo’s super powers and make some concrete decisions on what we need to do to improve our situation and come up with practical solutions. One step at a time!
 
Neptune is sitting right next to the Sun in Pisces during this Moon, which on the one hand could make us quite sensitive and dissolve the boundaries between ourselves and others. This could show itself physically with lowered immune systems. It could also show itself through heightened awareness of the feelings of others, and we could feel more empathetic, receptive and compassionate than usual. Life could feel a bit overwhelming, however, bringing out our more escapist tendencies. On the other hand, this could be an opportunity to align our sense of purpose with our true essence and inner spirit – that deep, beautiful part of ourselves that is unchanging and beyond suffering. This aspect will be exact on the 28th, so the energy will build from the Full Moon onwards. It creates the potential for some deeply mystical experiences and help us to feel more connected to subtle, unseen forces. Or it could create chaos, overwhelm and confusion! It could definitely go either way depending on where we are and how we perceive it.
 
Pluto and Uranus are still involved in the overall picture and Mars is still in Scorpio, Pluto’s sign, so change and transformation is still afoot! In recent times we have almost been given no choice but to align ourselves with our truth and many have experienced breakdowns of situations or relationships that are not in alignment with who we are becoming. Pluto and Uranus are both forming minor aspects to the Sun and Moon during this Full Moon, which makes me think that their job is not quite done yet. Possibly this is the last push to help us let go of anything that is still preventing us living up to our highest potential. Combined with the Virgo energy we have the chance to dig deep and eliminate any old, unhealthy patterns, beliefs or habits that are holding us back from all that we truly deserve in life.
 
If we don’t consciously choose to make the necessary changes to improve our lives then change tends to be forced on us in no uncertain terms. Resistance is futile, because the truth always wins in the end. It’s up to us whether the process is smooth or painful. We know, deep down inside,  when we are doing something that isn’t right for us, although it can be very scary to actually admit it because it may threaten our sense of security and force us out of our “safe zone”. Old habits die hard, but die they must!  The Neptune/Pisces energy could cause us to bury our heads in the sand, creating some kind of convenient fantasy to convince ourselves that everything’s alright when really we know it’s not. The energy of the Pluto and Uranus square still lingers, however, to make absolutely sure that the truth of the matter is completely unavoidable. A good way to know if we are aligned with our truth is to tune in to how we are feeling about the situation that we are in. If we are feeling a high amount of anxiety then we are probably fighting against the flow somehow. If we feel a sense of relief then it is a good sign that we are making the right decisions and are on the right track.
 
Uranus and Saturn are positively aligning with each other in the heavens right now which will definitely help things along, especially as they are in Aries and Sagittarius, two dynamic and action oriented Fire signs. Uranus is the planet that can come up with ingenious solutions for whatever we are facing, while Saturn has the power to make them actually work in reality. This is comforting, because it means that if we are willing to put in the hard work and take responsibility for ourselves, any inventive schemes that we may come up with during this time might have a chance of being successful. There is a sense that we will be able to endure and overcome anything that we might have to face in this time of change. We may have to be a bit more realistic than we might like, but we may also be willing to accept a different approach that we might usually dismiss automatically. The rules are changing and so must we. This aspect gives us a chance to see what must change in our lives and make the shift with the minimum of discomfort
 
As I have mentioned in previous posts, the Jupiter/North Node conjunction in Virgo is a very important part of the overall picture during the beginning part of this year. This is a time of enormous soul growth for us all, helping us to move forward on our paths and realise our true potential. Chiron, the Wounded Healer, is sitting on the South Node helping us to heal the past, which could be a bit painful as we are forced to relive situations that we thought we had moved on from. It is all a necessary process, however, because sometimes we have to bring up old wounds and insecurities into our conscious awareness and shine the light of forgiveness and compassion on them in order to finally let them go and move forward. What we must not do, however, is use them as an excuse to stay stuck and not move forward.
 
This Moon has the potential to bring great healing and growth if we are open to it. There is the potential for a bit of worry and some overwhelming emotions, but it is very important not to bury our heads in the sand and refuse to face reality. In fact, this is a very good time to meet reality head on and come up with some creative solutions. It’s interesting that on the one hand we are moving into new territory altogether and a whole new way of being, while on the other hand it is as if we are coming back to who we have always been. This Full Moon is yet another chance to shed anything that stands in the way of our truth. Virgo will help us to separate the wheat from the chaff and make some concrete decisions about what needs to go, providing that we don’t allow ourselves to become overwhelmed by the details of whatever we are facing. Sometimes crisis is needed for us to become aware of what needs to change, but it is very important not to be too hard on ourselves, as is the Virgo way, but rather to trust that we are being guided in the right direction and allow ourselves to surrender to what is. It is important to remember that despite any anxiety, fear or worry, one way or another we always find our way in the end.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Image: Painting by Zaria Forman  http://www.zariaforman.com/
​

Exact at 2.38pm GMT, 9.38am EST
 
This Moon feels like a reward for all the hard work, soul searching and turbulence of the last month or so. Having confronted our shadows and faced the truth, we starting to emerge out the other end now, having shed whatever doesn’t resonate with our true path and purpose. Pluto, Uranus and Black Moon Lilith have stripped away our patterns and old ways of relating and have utterly transformed our lives and relationships, revealing the truth of the matter in no uncertain terms! Who knew that Pluto and Uranus would come back with such force? I suppose that it was their last chance to work their magic before they finally go their separate ways. The energy still lingers, but the tsunami is largely over. We are now mainly dealing with the after effects. And now we have the Aquarius New Moon, which allows us to set some positive intentions for our future. The old story is done and dusted and now it is time to create something new in its place. Something more aligned with who we really are and where we are going. Wherever that is!
 
The Sun and Moon are forming their monthly union in Aquarius, a sign that encourages us to break free from our conditioning and challenge the status quo. He is able to see a different way of being that does not conform to what we have been taught by our parents and society. Aquarius is highly individualistic and unconventional and encourages us to nurture our own unique natures and to dance to the beat of our drum, even if it makes us feel a little insecure at first. It is time to figure out what works for us, rather than forcing a round peg into a square hole. We have tried that and it didn’t work. Now we have a chance to create a vision of the way we would like our lives to be. It is not a time to dwell in the past, for that is done with. It’s time to look forward with hope in our hearts. The rules are changing and we must adapt and change with them.
 
This Moon will help us to release ourselves from the shackles of the past and to shed old patterns, beliefs and habits that are simply not working for us anymore. Aquarius wants us to free ourselves from anything holding us back from our truth so that we can blossom and grow. This is a time when we might have insights and epiphanies that guide us towards our future, and this really is a perfect opportunity for setting intentions and contemplating what we really, truly want for ourselves. We all have a purpose in this world; a gift to offer that is unique to us. It is time to walk our own path and realise our full potential.  It doesn’t seem like we have much choice in the matter anyway, so better to just go with the flow! Aquarius helps us to find like-minded people who share our vision and are walking a similar path to our own.
 
The two rulers of Aquarius, Saturn and Uranus, are both forming positive aspects to the Sun and Moon, which brings the potential for constructive, positive change that has the possibility of actually sticking. Uranus helps us to think outside of the box and contemplate ideas that help us stretch and grow. Saturn helps us to actually make sense of them and see how we could make them into reality. Uranus awakens us to our true potential while Saturn brings the focus and discipline to realise this potential. Uranus can help us to break old, ingrained patterns and habits, while Saturn in Sagittarius helps us to recognise what beliefs are holding us prisoner and keeping us small. Uranus challenges the status quo and helps us recognise where we might be stuck, or staying in a situation simply for the sake of security. We have the opportunity to make some positive changes here, whereby we take the initiative rather than change being forced on us. And Saturn is here to encourage us to stay grounded and sensible about the whole thing as well as helping us to put in any hard work needed to make the necessary changes.
 
Mars in Scorpio is challenging the Sun and Moon, urging us to dig deep and truly transform. Uranus and Saturn are gently urging us to make constructive, positive change, while Mars is challenging us to be brave and face ourselves so that we can fully transform our lives. We may feel urges and desires that come from the depths of our beings, forcing us to face the truth and also to have the courage to live by that truth. Scorpio is a very intense, passionate and wilful place for Mars to be, so we might find ourselves being driven by something bigger than ourselves which forces us to act on the prompting of our souls. There is nothing half-hearted about Mars in Scorpio! He is very present during this Moon as he is forming aspects to many planets, including the Pluto Uranus Square. It’s time to be brave and be truly willing to face the truth so that we are able to release ourselves from the old story and birth the new. Chiron the Wounded Healer is helping him along, bringing the potential for deep healing and fierce compassion.
 
In the meantime, the Jupiter North Node conjunction in Virgo remains. We are being called to move forward on our soul’s path, both collectively and personally. This is a time of reckoning and massive growth, when much is being asked of us so that we can grow spiritually and realise our full potential. It is time to let go of being the victim, at the mercy of fate, and to take responsibility for who and what we are. We are all being guided forward on our journeys at the moment and are in the midst of a massive shift in consciousness. It is important that we embrace the Virgo archetypes of discernment and discrimination and make some solid decisions about what we need in order to grow, and what simply needs to go. It is time to separate the wheat from the chaff so that we are able to grow and evolve.
 
It is also the Chinese New Year! The year of the Yang Fire Monkey begins on exactly the same day as the New Moon. We are just coming out of two Wood years, so this represents a big shift into the element of Fire. Whatever we have been working on or chewing over in the past couple of years now has the potential to really take off. Fire has a tendency to really make things happen. This is a year of dynamic action, as the Fire Monkey is very clever, forceful, inventive, energetic, creative, relentless, resourceful, playful and extremely powerful! This year we really have the opportunity to put our plans into action and it seems that anything could happen! Monkeys are full of trickery and magic and are known for being wizards of the impossible! This is a year to take the initiative and use our imaginations and then light the match and see where our ideas take us! The Fire Monkey is full of vitality and is very determined, so let’s see what this year brings! It seems like we might have a lot to process and life could move at quite a fast pace. My Chinese Medicine friend told me that it will just be a baby monkey at the beginning, but by the Summer Solstice it will be a “big fat baboon”! Exciting times!
 
The Sabian symbol for this New Moon is “A large white dove bearing a message”, and Dane Rudyar says of this symbol “The answer of spiritual agencies to thorough, sustained and victorious individual efforts. The individual who has gone courageously and with indomitable spirit through his crucial crisis receives, as it were, a deep spiritual blessing from the Soul-realm: “Mission accomplished. Peace be with you.” And in this blessing a secret prophecy of what is yet to come may be seen by the perspicacious and spiritually sensitive mind of the recipient. Every real spiritual step a man takes in his development is the result of a victory over forces of inertia or destruction. The Divine is totally “present” in the heart of all true victories.”
 
This feels like we are being rewarded for all that we have been through in recent times; for being brave enough to confront our shadows and face the truth. It takes courage to heed the calling of our souls, especially when it threatens our sense of security and rocks our world. Possibly, now we will receive a message that makes it all worthwhile, so that we know that it has not been in vain. Doves are a symbol of love and peace, of inspiration and divine guidance. It is likely that whatever message we will receive will reassure us that we are on the right track. On the other hand, if we have not been heeding the need for change in our lives, the message may force us to face up to something we would rather not. The messages can come from anywhere, so be alert for them. There is a sense that we can now breathe a sigh of relief. All will be well.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Photo: Dove, by Unknown.