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ARIES NEW MOON / TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - 20 April 2023

4/17/2023

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Picture
Exact at 5.12am UK time (BST)
 
This is a highly charged and incredibly potent New Moon, and is also quite rare, being the second Aries New Moon of the year. We usually only have one new Moon in a particular sign, so this is quite unusual! The New Moon occurs at the very end of the last degree of Aries, which is a highly critical degree that can bring a sense of urgency and could mean that we make hasty decisions that are not thought out, especially in the impulsive sign of Aries! This is a sign that acts first and thinks later. However, sometimes we have no choice but to think on our feet and make quick decisions based on whatever life is throwing at us. And this Moon in the final degree certainly does hold the potential for us feeling some strong impulses that propel us forward on our mission!
 
We are now entering Eclipse season which is a powerful period of time when we could experience profound changes both on a personal and collective level. Eclipses bring about a new chapter, and with every new beginning there must be some kind of ending. Eclipses activate the Nodal axis, which is currently coming to the end of its stay in Scorpio and Taurus, the signs that represent the economy and banking system. As such, between this Eclipse and the Lunar Eclipse on 5 May, we could witness some kind of shift in the financial arena and the potential for something to pass away so that something new can take its place. Solar Eclipses can bring about sudden opportunities and challenges that change the status quo and can bring about profound soul growth. However, as we all know, growth is not always easy! This Eclipse does hold the potential to somehow put us back on the right path, if we happen to have strayed off it somehow.
 
Wherever the last degree of Aries is found in our charts is where we will be feeling the energy of this Eclipse. Aries calls us to be brave and try something new on for size, stepping into the unknown and doing something for ourselves. This is warrior energy and asks us to take charge of our lives and contemplate what it is that we personally need. Aries encourages us to be true to our own individual path and to be a bit selfish if necessary. We all have our own unique purpose here on earth, and this could be a good time to make sure we are aligned with that path and not being side-lined or distracted. It is a very good Moon for setting intentions, so it might be helpful to contemplate and to be really honest about what it is we truly want and need for ourselves. Indeed, we may feel compelled to take action and make changes based on some powerful impulses that seem to take us over.
 
Of course, Aries does also bring the potential for anger, reactivity, self-serving behaviour and even aggression. Mars, the ruler of Aries, is currently in Cancer, forming a dynamic, challenging square to Chiron in Aries. Mars in Cancer can mean that we may go after what we want in a bit of a sideways manner, much like the crab, but could be fiercely protective of our family and those closest to us. Cancer is a very emotional sign, so we could find ourselves acting and reacting quite defensively and experiencing fluctuating moods. However, we may also feel that we might fight somehow for home and hearth.
 
Mars square Chiron could mean that we are more easily triggered than usual, as someone or something could inadvertently prod at our sore spots, causing our core wounds to be activated. It is important to watch how we respond, and how we handle our anger. There is the potential for irritability, defensiveness and confrontation with this combination, although whatever comes up could also bring about healing. This aspect with be exact on 27 April but will be building in strength during this Moon. Anyone with personal planets or angles around 16/17° of a sign will feel the energy of Chiron and Mars the most acutely, especially the cardinal signs Aries, Caner, Libra and Capricorn. We may need to find the courage to bring some challenging material out into the open for it to be healed.
 
Pluto is forming a very strong, out of sign square to the Sun and Moon and is also squaring off against the Nodes of the Moon for most of the year, although it will be strongest up until July. This certainly adds to the potency and the transforming potential of this Eclipse! On a personal level this brings the potential for exposing our shadows, bringing out into the light the parts of us that we might prefer to deny. Pluto can bring a tremendous amount of psychological insight, and although it is not always comfortable, it helps us to evolve and understand ourselves better. Pluto in Aquarius helps us to undo any unhealthy programming and conditioning that simply no longer serves us, and in aspect to the Nodes can help us to step out of our comfort zone and recognise what might be holding us back from moving forward in our lives and living our full potential. It is much easier to just play it safe, but it feels like there is a giant cosmic prod urging us to make a shift forward right now!
 
On a collective level, Pluto in Aquarius has the potential to bring profound changes in the social order in the next few years. Aquarius doesn’t believe in hierarchical societies, so it will be interesting to see what will happen as the planet that destroys in order to build anew moves through the sign of freedom and revolution! We may have to go through a collective reprogramming, as a new world emerges to replace the old order that is crumbling before our very eyes. With Pluto forming a square to the Nodes right now, there is the potential for truths being exposed that are not very pretty, especially around the financial world and the banking system. It is quite possible that we experience some kind of irrevocable change to the social, political and financial system in the coming months and years, and this Eclipse season could be a part of the process.
 
There certainly is the potential for some turbulence, so it is important to keep an open mind and heart in the next year or so, and to be willing to be flexible and able to embrace the necessary change. With Pluto in Aquarius the potential for technological advancement is profound, although Pluto could also make us more aware of the dangers that it could bring in the wrong hands. Indeed, we could experience some kind of detoxification in the tech department! We can certainly see how compulsive the use of technology has become when walking down the road and seeing so many people glued to their phones! Those of us with personal planets or angles in the first degree of a sign, especially the fixed signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, will feel the powerfully transforming energy of Pluto the most acutely, which could bring about an enormous amount of soul growth, deepening and empowerment.
 
Mercury is getting ready to turn retrograde in Taurus from 22 April until 14 May, which means that we are encouraged to go back over old ground and see what we might have missed in the past month or so. Indeed, there is always a retrospective element to a Mercury retrograde, when people from the past could resurface, especially if we have unfinished business. This is a time for reflection, review, re-thinking and re-assessment.  Information could come to light that we may have missed, both personally and collectively.
 
Mercury is very close to Uranus, the Great Awakener, during this Moon, which could bring shocking revelations, surprising insights, wake up calls and information coming from left field. We could be called to think outside of the box in some way, looking at things from a different perspective. The conjunction is occurring in Taurus, the sign that represents survival, money, Mother Earth, values and the economy. As such, it is quite possible that we could receive some shocking news around the economy, especially as this Eclipse is highlighting the Taurus/Scorpio axis. The Taurus part of us likes things to stay the same, while Uranus likes to shift us out of any comfortable rut we might be in! It is important to keep an open mind during this Moon, that’s for sure!
 
This certainly is an incredibly powerful lunation! There is so much going on, and Pluto’s presence compounds the potential for us taking a step forward in our evolution and soul growth. However, growth isn’t always easy, and Pluto demands that we face ourselves honestly and find the courage to confront our shadows and bring whatever lies in the darkness out into the light. This is a time for uncovering the truth, even if it isn’t pretty, and becoming more conscious of what might be holding us back from growth – what outworn habits, patterns and tendencies we cling into while resisting what we know we need to move forward. In fact, wherever we feel the most resistance points towards our greatest area of growth! There is no coincidence that we have a second New Moon in Aries for this Eclipse – the sign of the warrior that calls for us to be brave and step out of our comfort zones, willing to slay our demons and confront our fears so that we can move on and thrive.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Picture: Solar Eclipse – Alessia Sissa

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LIBRA FULL MOON - 6 April 2023

4/1/2023

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Picture
Exact at 5.34am UK time (BST)
 
Well, there certainly is some powerful planetary energy swirling around during this Full Moon, as we prepare ourselves for the upcoming Eclipses on 20 April and 5 May. Full Moons do tend to bring things to a head, as whatever has been building since the New Moon comes to fruition. Emotions can run high, and this Moon is no exception, as Chiron the Wounded Healer is in on the act! The theme of this Moon is our relationships, as Libra seeks to find justice, fairness, peace, balance and equality, especially within relationship, while the Aries Sun encourages us to take care of our own needs and focus on our own path. Somewhere in the middle of Aries and Libra lies the balance that the Libran part of us so dearly desires.
 
Chiron is sitting right next to the Aries Sun during this Full Moon, opposing the Libra Moon. This could be a healing time for our relationships, but also has the potential to bring up some pain or discomfort and expose our vulnerabilities. Indeed, we could find ourselves better able to express our pain than at other times, as this does hold the potential for some raw, open honesty.  It is possible that those closest to us could help to activate our sore spots, which could be healing, but could also trigger defensiveness, anger or hurt feelings. Aries is a very direct, honest, candid and forthright sign that likes to get the cards out onto the table, so we may find that our woundedness is somehow brought out into the open, which could be both painful and healing at the same time. It certainly helps to know where we stand, even if it does hurt a little. However, Chiron in Aries can also encourage us to align with our higher self and have the courage to express our true purpose in this world.
 
In the build-up to this Moon, we could become more aware of how we sacrifice our needs for the sake of being in relationship, or, conversely, how we have been too focused on ourselves. In an ideal world we would have a nice balance between Aries and Libra, so that we are able to truly listen to the needs of our loved ones, tending to the relationship while also recognising, acknowledging and expressing our own needs and desires. So often relationships involve one partner being dominant, while the other person loses themselves somewhat as they bend to the other’s will. This could be a good time to recognise how we might need to take something back for ourselves and assert our own needs and individuality, or, conversely, how we might benefit from developing more awareness of what our nearest and dearest need from us.   
 
The Libra part of us seeks peace and may avoid confrontation, shying away from ugly or harsh expressions of emotion, while the Aries part of us isn’t afraid of bringing up thorny subjects, even if it means having an argument. Aries can be quite brusque and trigger an angry response, while Libra is more adept at the art of diplomacy and reasoning. Somewhere in the middle is the answer! With Chiron involved in this Moon it might be hard to find the balance, as emotions could ride high, especially for those of us with personal planets or angles around 15/16° of a sign. The Cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn will feel the energy of Chiron and this Moon most acutely. This certainly could be a good Moon for getting things out into the open to be healed, and Libra can hopefully help us to find the middle ground.
 
Venus, the ruler of this Moon is in Taurus, as well as Mercury, Uranus and the North Node. We may be in Aries season, but there is also a lot of emphasis on Taurus, the sign that represents survival, money, self-worth, the economy, the senses and Mother Nature. With the North Node currently in Taurus and Pluto squaring the Nodes, the spotlight is on the economy, the banking system, cryptocurrency and survival. Let’s see what happens in the coming weeks, as there does seem to be a lot going on in terms of technology, AI and the banking system. It is interesting to see how much AI has been in the news since Pluto, the planet of power, went into Aquarius, the sign of science and technology!
 
One of Pluto’s tasks, as it moves through Aquarius, is to expose the rot within the technocracies and highlight the potential pitfalls of this technological age that we seem to be hurtling towards with great speed. It is important to be very aware of how technology, with all its conveniences, could also work against us in the wrong hands. As Pluto squares the Nodes during the next few weeks, we could experience some fateful events around finance and could also see alternative solutions and innovations around the economy revealing themselves, especially since Uranus, the Revolutionary, is also in Taurus. There is also the potential for a shake-up of the power structures, revolutions and uprisings, especially closer to the middle of April as Jupiter, the Sun and Eris, the goddess of discord and strife all join together in Aries. People could be a bit hot around the collar from mid-April into May, as Eris is the part of us that is not afraid to stand up for what is right and shake up the status quo.
 
During this Full Moon, Mercury is sitting right next to the North Node, with Pluto forming a square to it. We could receive a message or information that is very revealing, both personally and collectively. We might also have some very deep and penetrating conversations that could expose some hitherto buried material. Pluto strips away self-deceit and helps us to gain psychological insight into our subconscious patterns and complexes, which could be both uncomfortable and very helpful! It will be interesting to see what comes to light during this time, both personally and on the world stage.
 
Pluto does seem to be prompting us to look at our shadow, both personally and collectively, and to recognise how we might be resisting the growth needed to step up to the next level. This is helped by Saturn in Pisces, forcing us to take responsibility for whatever we may have been avoiding or denying in recent times, burying our head in the sand and pretending it doesn’t exist! It does seem like a time to face ourselves and step up to the plate, so it is important to watch where we feel the greatest resistance, because that is probably exactly where the growth lies! What makes us squirm, because that is where we will find the buried treasure! Those of us with personal planets or angles in the first degrees of a sign, especially the fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius will be feeling the transforming power of Pluto the most acutely, as it forces us to look into our shadows and confront ourselves so that we can evolve and grow.
 
The Sabian symbol for this Moon, at 17° Libra, is: “A retired sea-captain watches ships entering and leaving the harbour”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The capacity to gain an objective and calm understanding of human experiences in which one was once deeply involved. Old age may or may not bring to man this objective and calm understanding as one remembers the crises overcome and the quiet enjoyment of great life vistas or “peak experiences,” but wisdom and inner serenity can hardly develop save on the basis of the overcoming of struggles and conflicts. The “sea captain” sailed his ship through storms and still waters of consciousness, his mind perhaps battered by gales, his ego-crew perhaps in revolt. Now there is peace and quietude. Another generation is sailing seas better charted perhaps, yet inherently nonrational and at times savage in their fury. He watches. He knows. Others are learning. At any age the ego-will may “retire” and contemplate, and be at peace before a greater voyage over even more poorly charted seas”.
 
Libra is the part of us that seeks peace, harmony and justice. Perhaps this Full Moon will bring a moment of quiet, calm, objective perspective in the midst of the potential upheaval and unrest that the presence of Pluto in Aquarius and Eris in Aries can bring. With Venus, Libran’s planetary ruler being in earthy, stable Taurus, we are certainly encouraged to delight in life’s simple pleasures, taking time out to “smell the roses”! However, Chiron’s presence during this Moon certainly does have the potential to make us feel somewhat vulnerable as we may need to confront any unhelpful sabotaging patterns, although it could also help us to have the courage to express our vulnerability in a way that could be incredibly healing. It will be interesting to see what comes up during this Moon, especially in the realm of our relationships. May we find the balance that Libra seeks!
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Picture – by Cosmic Collage
 


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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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