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ARIES NEW MOON - 24 March 2020

3/21/2020

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Picture
Exact at 9.28am GMT
 
I apologise in advance for the length of this post, but there is so much going on right now, and it all feels very important!
 
This is the first New Moon of the astrological new year, as the Sun and Moon are now in Aries, the very first sign of the zodiac. This the ultimate New Moon, a time of new beginning, symbolising the start of a new chapter of development. It certainly feels as if this is the beginning of something big, as we are very much in uncharted territory, in a place we have never been before, facing challenges that we couldn’t have even imagined up a few months ago. There is a sense of this being the beginning of a new world, with all the uncertainty, curiosity and fear that comes along with facing something that we have never come across before.
 
Aries is the trailblazer, the pioneer that is brave enough to venture into places others may shy away from in terror. This is an impulsive sign that isn’t afraid to start things, although the follow through can sometimes leave something to be desired!  Aries is a sign that struggles with anger on one level or another and can be quite aggressive. Ares is the Greek God of War, representing the violent and untamed aspect of war. Pallas Athene, on the other hand, represents miltary strategy and generalship and, interestingly enough, she is currently in Capricorn, the sign representing, government, society, authority and power structures. Not only that, but she is in exactly the same degree of Capricorn as the Saturn Pluto conjunction of 11 January, which many awaited with curiosity and dread because Pluto represents power and transformation while Saturn represents control, karma and authority. A powerful blend of planetary energy! Both planets represent endings and a death of sorts, and in Capricorn it seems that we could indeed be about to experience the collapse of society as we know it. We, as a civilisation, are currently reaping what we have sown.
 
Pluto has slowly but surely been exposing the rot within our governing structures since moving into Capricorn in 2008 (which, interestingly enough coincided with the a global economic crash), and has been slowly but surely making us all too aware of just how dark the obsession with greed and power can and has become. Pluto is the planet of death and rebirth, so it has always had the potential, before it moves into Aquarius in January 2024, to bring some kind of a “death” or purification of government, society, the power structures and, indeed, the structures of our own lives, so that something better can take its place. It brings the potential for some kind of societal rebirth - a purification process. The question for a while now has been “But how will this actually happen?” Combine this with Uranus in Taurus, which holds the potential for some kind of a financial revolution and a massive shift in values, plus the need for a radical change in the way we approach the ecological crisis we are facing, and it is clear that something needed to happen. But what? What was not clear was what form this death and rebirth would take, and how the financial system and our values could actually change so radically.
 
What is perfectly clear is that the obsession with “success”, money and power has reached a peak in our society and has taken us away from what really matters in life. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and this is the way it has been for centuries. Consumerism is rife, as is the desire for success. The rat race is a hamster wheel that is very hard to get off of. The Nodes of the Moon have been in Capricorn and Cancer since November 2018, where they will remain until the beginning of June this year, and have been trying to push us, both personally and collectively, away from the darker side of Capricorn towards the energy of Cancer. Now we have Chiron the Wounded Healer in fast moving, pioneering, aggressive Aries forming a square to the Nodes, which is literally forcing us towards the Cancer North Node and making us take care of each other, stay at home, focus on community, leave the rat race behind, drop the striving for success, working so hard and nurture ourselves.
 
This virus, as symbolised by Chiron in Aries, the “violent and untamed aspect of war”, is an aggressive and virulent virus that is literally being labelled as a “war against humanity”. No matter where it came from (and there are so many theories being thrown around at the moment), this virus is forcing people to remember what really matters. People are coming together, despite any physical distance, and coming up with imaginative and  innovative ways to help one another get through this. People are offering their services from free. Governments are forced to admit that they are vulnerable and don’t have the answers. The rich and poor alike are experiencing the impact of this - no-one is exempt. It is an equaliser, a great leveller. Finally, just before the Nodes leave Capricorn and Cancer, humanity are really, truly learning that “getting ahead in life” and “keeping up with the Jones” and accumulating wealth, working crazy hours and not seeing family, and being “successful” in the outer world is not actually what it’s all about.
 
And it is scary. And it is ok to admit that. The Capricorn part of ourselves may try to suppress these feelings, or do something to distract ourselves, or pretend we have everything under control while even judging others for the way they are handling their fear.  The Cancer North Node encourages us to simply feel the fear, to own it, to admit it, and by so doing we are not pushing it away but allowing it to just be. This can help take its power away. It is human nature to feel fear in the face of the unknown, especially something of this magnitude. How we respond to the fear is something else altogether.
 
There are so many things happening that could make us feel fearful at the moment, and with Jupiter and Pluto coming together this week we could experience a magnification of fear as well as a feeling that the problem is spiralling way beyond our control. Jupiter is the largest planet - the planet of excess! All sorts of things could get blown out of all proportion. Not to mention that there are so many opinions and beliefs being thrown around that we have absolutely no idea what the truth is anymore. There are also so many  theories around regarding the origin of and reason for the virus that also have the potential to bring up fear and paranoia. Jupiter and Pluto in Capricorn also bring the potential for people being extremely self-righteous and sanctimonious, not to mention incredibly judgemental. We really need to watch ourselves right now and be careful of what we say and  also who we listen to and believe. This conjunction will be exact on 5 April, but the energy has been building all week. Jupiter can make everything much more extreme, including the widespread panic that is rife at the moment.
 
Naming it and admitting our fear and letting go of control can allow tears to fall and grief to surface instead of being “rigid with fear”, or acting and reacting with anger, or putting up walls and shutting others out. Showing our vulnerability can also allow others to help so that we can all come up with solutions and comfort each other. We are all in this together! Fear is in the collective right now, there is no doubt about it. This situation has the potential to really show up people’s discomfort around illness and bring up anger that blocks compassion. This situation could definitely bring our shadows to the surface, as we see the best and the worst in ourselves and each other, not to mention making our not so pretty coping patterns and conditioning very obvious indeed! However, there is the potential for enormous growth if we allow it. It can be very powerful to look fear squarely in the face and peer into our own shadows. We are experiencing a powerful shift in consciousness right now. However, change and growth can be extremely uncomfortable and even painful.
 
This is where Neptune in Pisces comes in. Neptune is in its own sign, reminding us that we are all in this together in a very tangible way. Neptune knows nothing about boundaries between people or countries anyway, as essentially we are all the same - rich, poor, black, white, Muslim, Christian. This situation that we are facing has the potential to be profoundly unifying, as all the countries of the world and their citizens are facing exactly the same problem. It can bring a greater sense of empathy and compassion for others, providing that we don’t allow fear to cloud it. This situation certainly has an equalising quality to it. It also brings an opportunity for a giant pause for humanity. The imposed or self-imposed isolation brings the potential for turning inward and spending more time meditating and praying or doing mantras to help the earth and humanity. As we have less distraction we are forced to spend time in quiet and solitude, not to mention that crisis can literally bring us to our knees as we ask for help and guidance in this time of need. And this is not a time to be selfish or self-serving. All for one and one for all. We are being asked to act with consideration for everyone.
 
Of course, Neptune in Pisces is not without its pitfalls. It can also cause us to want to “numb out” and escape reality, which can take many forms, including losing ourselves in television, movies, drugs and alcohol, reading novels, sleeping too much or endless hours of computer games - there are many different ways we can “exit stage left” and go into La La Land! Which is all absolutely fine and completely understandable, but if taken to the extreme could also be a waste of an opportunity to step up our spiritual game and really work through whatever is coming up for us. Isolation can make one feel a bit unhinged, especially if we are not used to being alone and are used to having a lot of interaction and distractions in our life. Neptune can literally blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy, making everything very unclear and confusing. Indeed, it is hard to know what is real and what is illusion at the moment, as Neptune is the king of smoke screens. However, we also have an opportunity to use our imaginations in very creative ways to help one another and to dream up a better future.It really is possible that a profound and global awakening could come from all of this.  
 
With Uranus, the Great Awakener in Taurus, the sign of Mother Earth, this could bring a huge wake up call regarding our values and our attitude towards this beautiful planet we live on.This could be seen as Nature’s rebellion; a revolt against humanity and our terrible treatment of this planet, enforcing the changes that are needed to slow the ecological crisis that we are facing. If we won’t do it voluntarily then Gaia will make it happen anyway! As human beings slow down and stop travelling, the Mother Earth heaves a huge sigh of relief!  This is showing itself everywhere, as skies clear and nature ventures back into the empty spaces left by humans. Not to mention the fact that nature herself can offer solace and the ultimate “chill pill” during this time, for those who are still able to take advantage of it. It is the best antidote for stress that there is.
 
In the meantime, Saturn has just moved into Aquarius. This represents an energetic shift. Saturn tends to shine the harsh light of reality onto the sign that he is in and also bring a sense of limitation and some profound lessons. Aquarius is the rebel, the revolutionary, the humanitarian, representing brother/sisterhood, liberty and equality. On the one hand, we could be called to take responsibility for our sisters and brothers and really understand what it means to be a citizen of the world. It is a time to truly be accountable in terms of making this world a better place to live in. On the other hand we could find our liberties and the right to rebel/revolt are somehow squashed or limited by those in authority. Lessons around equality could come up as those in control are forced to act in ways which take into account the rights of everyone rather than favouring the rich. However, this could go the other way as our freedom is somehow curtailed or squashed by those in authority. We are moving into the age of Aquarius, and Saturn could show us the reality of what this all means. Are we moving towards utopia or dystopia? All shall be revealed in due time. And possibly it is all a question of attitude.
 
One thing that is interesting to note is that some of the current astrology is very similar to 9/11, which was a time when the whole world changed completely. Pluto was opposite Saturn then, while they are conjunct now, so this could be a continuation of what started then - another phase. The Nodes were also in Capricorn and Cancer, which is interesting considering that the situation then also made people more nationalistic and travel more challenging. It also brought about extreme  paranioa and a closing of borders, not to mention heightened control. During this New Moon we have Pallas Athena (military strategy), Jupiter (beliefs, magnification), Pluto (Power/transformation) and Mars (anger, war, aggression) all joined together in Capricorn, the sign of society, control, fear, authority, government.This is quite a party! On a personal level it brings the potential for rage, fear and feelings of powerlessness to come up, as well as the death/rebirth of the way our lives are structured. Not to mention that it is hard to know what to believe! We do have a chance to powerfully transform ourselves at this time, there is no doubt about it. It also brings the potential for the power structures and those in authority coming up with strategies to gain a greater sense of control. They may also need to use force (Mars) to enforce this control.
 
The Sun, Moon and Chiron the Wounded Healer are all sitting together in Aries for this Moon, so Chiron is very much the focus. This is no surprise whatsoever, given that the very Chirotic corona virus is the biggest focus in the minds of the whole world right now! The New Moon is in 4° Aries, and the Sabian Symbol is very interesting and also quite comforting: “ A triangle with wings.”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The capacity for self-transcending. This is the symbol for the desire to reach a higher level of existence, of pure aspiration or devotion, of bhakti. The principle of “levitation” is seen as one of the two essential factors in evolution. The emergent being glorifies and deifies it, but it is still only an ideal. At this stage, nevertheless, the whole being experiences a childlike longing for its eventual realisation. A NEW DIMENSION of being is envisioned mobilising creative endeavours.”
 
This is a beautiful, incredibly “uplifting” symbol, which brings the sense that we can utilise the situation we now find ourselves in to rise above it all to a place of greater spiritual connection, inner peace and joy. This symbol brings the sense that all that is happening is ultimately for our greater good, helping us to purify our karma and find greater meaning in our lives, beyond the mundane, materialism, greed and striving for power. The triangle is the strongest shape, reminding us how strong and resilient we are. It represents mind, body and spirit, mother, father and child, past present and future, and is a very spiritual symbol indeed. The ancient Greeks saw it as a doorway. It might be useful to visualise a triangle with wings whenever we feel the fear rising in us, as a reminder.We have a chance here to find a greater sense of connection, peace, compassion and Love than we have ever known before.It is up to us to make the most of this time, this giant collective pause, and remember what is most important. It is so important to be incredibly mindful of how we act and react. May love, not fear, prevail.  
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo  
 
Picture by Marino Peccinetti
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
    
 
   

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VIRGO FULL MOON - 9 March 2019

3/5/2020

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Picture
Exact at 5.47pm GMT, 12.47pm EDT
 
There surely is a lot going on in this cosmos of ours at the moment! This Virgo Moon very much highlights health and healing, as it is in the health-conscious sign of Virgo. The Sun is currently in sensitive, compassionate, empathetic Pisces, directly opposite the Moon in humble, health and service oriented Virgo, the sign that seeks purity and perfection. This is the healing axis, and so the focus during this Moon is on our spiritual, physical, mental and emotional health and well-being. It is interesting that we also have Chiron, the Wounded Healer forming an exact square to the Nodes of the Moon, which puts even more emphasis on health and healing. This is also a supermoon, which means that the Moon has an even greater impact on our mind, body and spirit than your average Full Moon. There certainly is a sense of things coming to a head as the Moon reaches its peak on Monday.
 
Virgo is that part of ourselves that is aware of what is going on in the body and seeks to find ways to cleanse, purify and heal ourselves and also help others do the same. In the extreme this can bring hypochondria, as we imagine all sorts of things wrong with us that aren’t even there, simply by being close to someone who is ill or because someone tells us that we don’t look well. It is amazing, the power of the mind over the body, and Virgo is a sign that knows this all too well. We all have the power to invent symptoms in our minds that then become reality, and equally we have the power to heal ourselves with a mixture of love, faith, diet, healthy routines and the power of positive thinking and creative visualisation. Pisces represents the power of our imagination, which can help or hinder, depending on which direction our minds are running in! Pisces is the part of us that connects to spirit and prays for help when all else has failed. Pisces also dissolves boundaries, which includes our immune system. People with a lot of Virgo/6th house and Pisces/12th house energy in their chart tend to be more sensitive to toxins and have a weaker immune system than most.  
 
Virgo is the part of us that seeks to improve ourselves, always striving to do better, although in the extreme this can manifest as being intensely self-critical, perfectionist and always feeling like we need to do better. Virgo is the sign of crisis, which is sometimes needed to wake us up and make the necessary changes that we may have been resisting or denying. Crisis can come in many forms, although a health crisis is a very effective way of helping us to see the bigger picture and remember what is most important in life. A crisis can really help to put things into perspective and put us back on the right path. It can also ignite our empathy and compassion for others, which are some very beautiful Piscean traits. It is interesting that we are experiencing a global health crisis just as we approach the Virgo Full Moon. There is certainly a huge amount of focus on Virgo cleanliness, purification and healthy routines at the moment, while Piscean issues around boundaries, immunity and vulnerability are also very prevalent right now.
 
Neptune, the ruler of Pisces, is also right next to the Pisces Sun during this Moon, which greatly emphasises Pisces sensitivity and vulnerability, and can also bring the potential for confusion, illusion and smoke screens, making it hard to know what is real and what is made up. Pisces and Neptune represent the collective unconscious, and with Jupiter in Capricorn forming an aspect to Neptune there is the potential for paranoia and fear being used as a tool for control. There is a huge amount of planetary energy in Capricorn at the moment, the sign of authority, hard control, fear, limitation, power structures, societal rules, boundaries and judgement, and with Jupiter in this sign there is the potential for an exaggeration of this energy and for people espousing some more conservative, prejudiced and intolerant beliefs and opinions. Jupiter is the preacher, the planet that represents our beliefs and that which we put our faith in, and it is currently in Capricorn, a sign known for its conservatism. This is the biggest planet, so it has a tendency to magnify the energy of the sign it is in, and so we may find ourselves dealing with a magnification of fear and realism which can easily turn into pessimism. Jupiter in aspect to Neptune can also make our imaginations run wild, all in the wrong direction! This combination brings the potential for fear and control based paranoia and hysteria.It is important to be as self-aware as we possibly can at the moment, as it may be very difficult to know what is real and what is simply our own fears.
 
Chiron, the Wounded Healer, is also forming an exact square to the Nodes of the Moon, which brings great potential for growth and healing, both personally and collectively, although not without bringing up our weak spots and vulnerabilities. Chiron represents “the wound that cannot heal”, so we may be more aware than ever how our core wounds and insecurities keep tripping us up and hindering our growth. This is a time when we are asked to try to let our protective walls down, however, and try to express how we really feel. Instead of being defensive when we are triggered, or going into fear and withdrawing, we are asked to embrace the Cancer North Node and allow ourselves to be vulnerable enough to express our true emotions. We are encouraged to ask for help instead of putting up the brave front and suppressing our feelings. Instead of trying to keep it all under control we are asked to admit that we are struggling. We may find ourselves more easily triggered during this time, but amazing growth can come from reacting in a different way, rather than from our old conditioning.   
 
It is very clear how Chiron square the Nodes is manifesting in the world arena, with a Chirotic health crisis that is bringing the Capricorn South Node sharply into focus as we are witness to the extreme conservatism and fear-based control on the part of certain power structures, with walls and borders being strengthened and intolerance, bigotry and judgementalism becoming more and more rife. Chiron, in the form of this virus, is bringing up a huge amount of Capricorn fear, Virgoan hygiene concerns and Neptunian paranioa, but it is also propelling us towards the Cancer North Node, which represents our growth potential at this time. The virus is bringing up some important issues and helping bring a change in priorities and behaviour. The Cancer North Node asks us to focus less on the external, such as getting ahead in life and keeping up with the Joneses, and more on our inner sanctum, such as home, family and our emotional health. We are, quite literally, being forced into a more simple way of living, as people are staying at home and not travelling so much at the moment.
 
It is interesting to note that Chiron and Uranus are working in tandem at the moment, so the two are very much playing off each other. Uranus is currently in Taurus, the sign of finance, values and Mother Earth. At the same time as Chiron is forming a square to the Nodes, Uranus is forming a harmonious trine and sextile to the Nodes. Uranus is in Taurus for seven years, during which time we have the potential for a complete overhaul, or revolution, of our financial system as the old, outmoded, antiquated way of doing things is swept away, making the way for a system that reflects our changing needs and values. It also brings an opportunity for some amazing change and innovation in terms of the ecological crisis that we are currently facing. This Chirotic health crisis is literally triggering a financial crisis and could bring a change in values that is much needed as people are now being forced to stay more local (Cancer North Node) and travel less frivolously. It is quite likely to trigger an “eat and shop local” movement, with less reliance on foreign trade, as well as an examination on the way we treat animals and a rise in vegetarianism. Mother Earth herself is forcing us to wake up!
 
It will be interesting to see the effect that this health crisis has on the financial system in the long term and how a financial crisis might bring a change in our behaviour, priorities and values. It is also important to note that all of this is occurring under the backdrop of Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn, exposing the rot in our power structures and potentially bringing a detox and transformation of the patriarchal system. We are currently seeing the darker side of Capricorn being revealed, in the form of nepotism, extreme conservatism, hard control and a divide and rule mentality within many of our power structures. Saturn is forcing us to see things as they really are, without the rose tinted spectacles, while Pluto brings any material out from under the carpet that we may have been in denial about before now. There is no escaping the reality of whatever we are facing right now, and it is so very important not to succumb to fear. Fear is an incredibly destructive force indeed. If we can be mindful and keep a close eye on ourselves, making sure that we do good things for ourselves that generate a healthy outlook, love and positivity, this can really help.
 
Mars, the warrior planet, is marching through Capricorn as well at the moment, which could also bring the cards out onto the table. Mars is the planet of anger, assertion, action and aggression, and in Capricorn it could mean that we put a lot of energy into achieving whatever goals we may have set for ourselves. Mars in Capricorn is very disciplined, focused and achievement oriented. We may find ourselves reining in our natural impulses and recognising how we are held back from acting on our desires. Indeed, we may literally be prevented from acting or asserting ourselves, and physical activity may be limited or restricted.  We could also find ourselves quite angry at those in authority, as hypocrisy and double standards are more in our face than usual .Indeed, those in authority or power may literally use Martian aggression or force. It is also possible that material could come out that has hitherto been repressed or suppressed. Mars is good at getting things out into the open, although with a sextile from Mars to Neptune, hopefully this will be done with kindness and compassion, for the good of all.
 
Mars is going to join forces with Jupiter on 20 March at 22 degrees Capricorn, the same degree as the Saturn Pluto conjunction back in January. This brings the potential for the Mars in Capricorn energy to be magnified and exaggerated, and for people to bravely or aggressively assert their beliefs. Things can get a bit out of control when Mars and Jupiter get together, although it could be good for self-confidence in achieving our goals. Mars will then move on to join Pluto on 22 March, which could either be amazingly transforming as we bravely face all that we have been hiding from, finding the courage to act on our soul’s desires, or could be bring up some rage and be quite volcanic and destructive. Pluto is the planet of power, the God of the underworld, and if you combine this energy with Mars, the warrior planet, we have the potential for the use to force or aggression to gain power and control, or to bravely confront our shadows, both personally and collectively.
 
This is quite a Moon! Wherever Virgo and Pisces are found in our charts is where we find the focus of this Full Moon. Similarly, with the Sun at 19 Degrees Pisces and the Moon at 19 degrees Virgo, anyone with personal planets or angles between 17 and 21 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces will feel the energy of the Moon most acutely. However, anyone with personal planets around 4 degrees of the fixed (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) or cardinal (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) signs will be feeling the energy of Chiron the Wounded Healer and Uranus, the Awakener and harbinger of change. It is quite likely that this Moon could bring a lot of material for us to look at, including some of our more sensitive, vulnerable-making issues. It is important to remember that a crisis can be very helpful, as it can help to put us back on the right track if we have strayed away from it for whatever reason. It can force us to make changes, adjustments and improvements to the way we live that we may have been too apathetic, scared, lazy or selfish to make before, even though we knew we needed to. It can reveal the cracks that may have been covered over as we looked the other way. It can wake us up.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo

 
Photo by Amy Bird
 
 

 
 
 
   
 
      
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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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