This is a supercharged New Moon, as we have no less than seven celestial bodies in feisty, brave, impulsive Aries right now! This is the first New Moon of the astrological calendar, signifying new growth and new beginnings. Much like a shoot making its way out of the hard winter ground, Aries is that part of us that isn’t afraid to venture into new territory and start fresh. Aries is very instinctual and known for acting on impulses which are sometimes not very well thought out but take us to places we may not have gone if we thought about it too much! As the first of the fire signs, Aries represents the initial spark that starts things off and gets the proverbial fire going. This is where we get our courage, our enthusiasm, our motivation and the desire to make things happen. This certainly does feel like a good Moon to start anew and initiate anything that we may have been putting off!
Aries can also bring up anger in us, and in the extreme it can be rather forceful, reactive and confrontational. However, this can be quite helpful if there is a person or situation that needs confronting or standing up to! Aries helps us to draw that line in the sand and say “No!” when we have been pushed too far. It also helps us to say “Yes!” to life and to step out of our comfort zone, like that shoot bursting out of the ground! As the Chinese proverb says “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. We could find ourselves having the courage to take that first step during this Moon.
We currently have Mercury in Aries, which is ruled by Mars, and Mars in Gemini, which is ruled by Mercury. This is known as mutual reception, when two planets are in each others sign at the same time, making the energy doubly potent. This could help us to say when we mean and mean what we say! While there is the potential for blurting things out that we can’t take back, we may also find that we have the courage of our convictions and the capacity to voice our opinions and express whatever we may have hitherto been afraid to say. This certainly could help us to make decisions that we have been putting off, which could be helpful as long as we aren’t too impetuous! Of course, with Aries and Mars involved, there is the potential for heated discussions, arguments and confrontations, as we may be a bit more forceful and reactive than usual.
However, Neptune is forming a challenging square to Mars during this Moon, potentially zapping our energy, courage and motivation and making it hard to act directly and overtly. Indeed, this combo could even bring some disillusionment, depression and hopelessness, making us feel a bit apathetic. We may feel a bit low, with a sense of “What is the point?”but this too shall pass, as this aspect is exact on Friday 9 April so the energy will be waning by the time of the New Moon. This will have a greater impact on anyone with planets or angles around 21° of a sign, especially the mutable signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
Eris is a huge part of this Moon, as the goddess of chaos, strife and discord is joined by the Sun, Moon and Venus in Aries. Eris, as the sister of Mars, is the part of us that is not afraid to fight for what we believe in. With Eris involved in this Moon we may find ourselves having to confront the harsher side of nature and fight for our survival. Eris is an agent of evolutionary change and the goddess of chaos, who can push us to take radical action and start off a process that has the capacity to take on a life of its own. She can tend to spark unrest and when she is involved things tend to go viral and can even spiral out of control.
This is a strong, powerful female energy that calls for us to wake up and open our eyes to what we don’t want to see, to take our power back, to take action and set a ball in motion for change and transformation. She is no wilting flower, that’s for sure, and is a powerful aide for those who are somehow outcast, rejected or misunderstood by the mainstream of society, calling them to find their voice, stand up and be counted.
Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, is also sitting close to the Sun, Moon and Eris, making her a big player as well. Venus in Aries is no wilting flower either, although far less forceful than Eris. It is interesting that these two female energies are joining together for this Moon, possibly calling for us to stand up for what we believe in in a peaceful, harmonious, subtle and more “yin” manner, or possibly calling us to confront any issues we may have around rejection or abuse by the patriarchy. Venus in Aries can help us to have the courage to initiate new relationships and also helps us to get things out into the open within our current relationships. Venus in Aries encourages us to be open, honest, direct and forthright in the way we relate, and can also bring out our more confrontational, independent nature.
Pluto in Capricorn is forming a challenging square to this little Aries cluster, which could have a powerful impact on this Moon. While Aries is the part of us that kicks back against authority and asserts our own will and independence, Capricorn represents authority, government and societal structures. This square could bring some kind of power struggle between the two, as people find the courage to rise up against those in power, while those in power may feel the need to quell the uprisings, either through force or manipulation.
Pluto is exactly square Venus, as both are sitting at 26 degrees, so it will be interesting to see who will win the battle, the God of the Underworld or the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Harmony? The crumbling patriarchal power structures or the brave, feisty, Aries-style Divine Feminine?! This combination has the capacity to transform our relationships, values and/or finances, potentially bringing some kind of death and rebirth in this area of our lives. It could also bring some hitherto hidden or buried material out of the shadows to be confronted. Pluto can force us to be very honest and reveal some of the not so pretty aspects of ourselves and others, which could bring greater intimacy but could also leave us feeling quite exposed and vulnerable.
Mars and Jupiter are in harmonious aspect to one another and are both forming helpful aspects to this Moon and the Aries cluster, which could help to counteract some of the darker aspects of this Pluto square. This helps bring the courage of our convictions and the self-confidence and faith needed to stand up for ourselves and speak our truth. Mars and Jupiter working together in the air signs makes me think of a clever superhero who is brave, mighty and fearless!
Jupiter in Aquarius is currently helping us to change any outworn or rigidly held beliefs and to think outside the box and question the mainstream, as is the Aquarius way! Jupiter in Aquarius encourages us to think for ourselves and question any ideologies, rules and regulations that simply don’t make sense. Mars in Gemini will help us to act with intelligence upon our beliefs and convictions and to spread information like wildfire.
The Sabian Symbol for this Moon, at 23° Aries, is “A woman in pastel colours carrying a heavy and valuable but veiled load”, which Rudyar describes as “Fecundity” and goes on to say “Masculine aggressiveness and the woman’s desire for fulfillment are integrated and realised in the expected child. Man – at the receptive “woman” level – reaps the fruits of his dynamic activity”. This certainly does seem to signify new life, but what of the veiled load? Why is it hidden? Why would we be trying to conceal something so important and valuable? Why might we not feel able to fully reveal this thing of value to the world, especially when it is so heavy to carry? What might be being covered up or concealed from us? Are we being asked to act covertly, in a more subtle, feminine, “yin” way rather than overtly acting or speaking out? Is concealment a strength or weakness in the situation we face? In the words of Martin Luther King, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”.
This Moon certainly does have some interesting nuances! While we do have a lot of very assertive, courageous, willful Aries energy around, it does seem to be tempered by the softer, more feminine energy of Venus and the need for intelligent, strategic action rather than brute force. Neptune square Mars could also be dampening our spirits slightly, causing us to act in indirect ways and to feel quite apathetic and flat. However, with Pluto involved in the picture we may experience some kind of cosmic kick up the bum that compels us to act and brings up some dark subject matter that is quite exposing. Whenever Pluto is involved there is the potential for soul growth, although it often isn’t easy!
Ultimately this Moon brings the potential for a new spark of life, a burst of new energy and the courage to initiate action. There is also the possibility of unrest and the need to step into our power as we stand up for what we believe in. We are encouraged to harness the very best of Aries, which is courage, honesty, self-love and the capacity to draw a line in the sand. It is time to break new ground and bravely yet gently assert ourselves. It doesn’t need to turn into a battle, as there are ways to stand one’s ground in a firm yet kind and loving manner. It’s time to make love, not war.
Much Love
Amy
xoxo
Picture: Seed of Renewal - Pyro Helfier
My website: www.amybirdartandastrology.com