On Solstice Day, Jupiter
stationed retrograde in Pisces.This
Full Moon in Capricorn, coming just a few days after Solstice, is in a
beneficial sextile with retrograde Jupiter.With JupiterRx in Pisces re-envisioning the parental axis of
Capricorn-Cancer where the luminaries reside, this Mead Moon is illuminating
how to bring back more joy (JupiterRx) into how we nurture (Cancer) and
structure (Capricorn) our lives.
The opposition between Cancer
Venus and Capricorn PlutoRx is still weighing on the heart and soul at this
time.Their opposition colors the
feeling of this axis with a heavy dose of value and depth.We’re digging under the surface of what we
care about…finding some hidden gems and maybe even some shadowy feelings to
address.
A Full Moon in Capricorn does
bring up our responsibilities, as well as a need for practical action.It can be weighty, even without the influence
of Venus opposite Pluto weighing in.It
is because it illuminates Saturn’s nocturnal domicile, which is opposite the Moon’s
domicile of Cancer.So it’s not really
about feeling comfortable…it’s about doing what needs to be done.
Fortunately, we have that big
jovial influence of JupiterRx in Pisces to help keep us afloat.There’s a big-picture optimism that brings a bit
of ‘whistle while we work’ into the mix…if we choose to engage with it.And if we do, we’ll find some creative inspiration
to make what feels hard seem a little easier.
With Saturn in Aquarius
guiding this Full Moon, we’re prepared to do the work that Saturn’s square with
Uranus requires of us (even if we don’t like it).This square is the theme of our year, and we’re
still in the 2nd of 3 phases of it this year.Essentially, it is the long process of
grueling change that follows a hard year bookended by Saturn conjunctions.In one way, it requires us to make difficult
changes after better understanding the gravity of a pandemic…but it is much
deeper than that.2020 brought us
face-to-face with so many more of humanity’s collective fears and systemic
issues than we could ever acknowledge otherwise.And 2021 is in response to that…because it’s
all out there now to be dealt with.There’s no sweeping it all back under the rug.The rug was pulled out from underneath us, as
you may remember.
And at the same time as we’re
all collectively feeling that square, each individual is feeling it on a
personal level in some way that relates to our own responsibilities as human
beings.This Full Moon shines a bright
light on providing for our own needs and how that can reflect on the needs of
those we provide for.
So those ‘shoulds’ that have
been building up on your shoulders lately…like a parental voice within cutting
through all of our excuses for procrastinating…yeah, they’re only going to grow
in intensity if we keep ignoring them.Mars in Leo is building toward an opposition with Saturn and a square to
Uranus by the last quarter of this Mead Moon cycle.There’s really no hiding from the imperative
energy of this season.Can we, maybe,
just try to access some of the Brightside of the practical efforts we’re
putting forth?
Not everyone will, of
course.Jupiter’s sextile and trine to
our luminaries are much more subtle influences than the squares and oppositions
we’re all feeling loud and clear.But it
really is the key to working well right now with these harder activations
pressing us to change.I hope we can all
find that silver lining in the bigger picture of things.
Annular Solar Eclipse/New Moon
in Gemini: New Pathways of Thought
Moon conjunct Sun- 6/10/21 @
5:52am CDT
The cycle of the Mead Moon
begins while eclipsing the Sun in the northern latitudes.Along parts of the mostly arctic path of this
‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse, this lunar cycle has been known as Hunting Moon.For our Northern friends, the Moon near her
apogee will show a halo of sunlight around her for a few minutes as our
luminaries join together.And though
many of us will not be in that path…we’ll all feel the effects of New Moon near
her North Node.
'Annular Solar Eclipse' by Richard Bizley
A North Node Eclipse brings
the unfamiliar shadows of our future into our immediate present.This is the opposite of the familiar shadows
of the past that confronted us during the South Node Eclipse of May 26th.Now a glimpse of our future is revealed…confronting
us with more choices for accelerated change.Dispatches from the next eclipse of this Saros Series 147 (on June
Solstice, 2039) are calling us to choose from the many possibilities our future
holds.And the only way we can do that
is to move beyond habitual thought patterns to create new pathways.It is a shift into unknown territory.And though the Mind is most comfortable with
what it knows, it needs new ideas to grow.It’s time to explore our possibilities through imaginal ideas we’ve yet
to understand.
The strongest aspect to our
luminaries is a conjunction with retrograde Mercury, the ruler of Gemini,
relaying the messages of this season.Less than 15 hours after Moon conjoins Sun and MercuryRx, the Interior
Conjunction of Sun and MercuryRx begins a New Mercury cycle.At New Mercury (8:10pm CDT), we all receive a
thoughtseed that grows throughout the Mercury cycle.This thoughtseed is planted in our Gemini
house, and it is potent with curiosity and a fascination for ideas.So as we rise from this Eclipse Season, we
head toward new pathways for the Collective Mind.
But these initiations in
Gemini are in a square aspect with Neptune and Pallas in Pisces.We’re pressed to negotiate our differences
between what is thought (or said) and what is felt.Pallas Athene, showing us the patterns and
shapes of our mindscape, weaves her wisdom through intuitive strategy.Neptune guides us through his otherworldly
realm where seemingly disparate parts dissolve into one another.Together they speak with inspired, big-picture
vision…all while challenging the influx of information in Gemini.A square is an aspect that demands change,
and the vibration of it can be used creatively or destructively.There’s never an easy fix, which is why
negotiations worldwide feel blocked but imperative.Within
yourself, a stalemate will also need to be moved through.There is an invitation here to take action
and move forward into the new, no matter how uncomfortable it may be at
first.
Sabian Symbols of the Solar
Eclipse
North Lunar Node in Gemini
11:‘A New Path of Realism in
Experience’
'Pathway' by Kalfy
The head of the Nodal Dragon,
whether it ascends in the Northern Hemisphere or descends in the Southern
Hemisphere, leads us to our unknown future…where destiny calls.In this degree, the Collective Soul is avidly
incorporating an influx of new pathways to future potentials.So much possibility is open to us, it might
feel overwhelming.Currently, we are
learning to trust that the experience of something new will ultimately lead to
our growth.Behaviors, attitudes, and
thought patterns must change in order to embrace a new way of being.This future orientation is full of
opportunity to realize our potential.An
uncharted step requires a choice within us to take the leap…so the shadows of
this eclipse will confront us with that choice.You might ask yourself, ‘what am I afraid will happen if I choose this
new path?’.Because a revelation is
within your response.
Moon-Sun in Gemini 20:‘A Cafeteria’
When we look at food as
energetic information that we digest through our bodies, we may understand the
cafeteria symbol as an abundance of information from many different parts of
the world.Prepared for our consumption,
many varied ‘Thought Cuisines’ are available to us.The thing about a North Node eclipse is that
it tends to amplify both the energy and the appetite for it.We may be more prone to overloading our
plates…or taking in more information than our systems can handle.Take time out to empty the mind for a
spell.As we move through this
collective shadow of Overabundance and Waste, we’ll need to temper our desire
to know it all.And if we fill ourselves
too full with other people’s ideas…we don’t leave room for our personal piece
of Mercury’s message.
MercuryRx in Gemini 21:‘A Labor Demonstration’
Nurses strike in New Zealand for fair pay and safer staffing
In the same degree where Sun
and MercuryRx will meet several hours after the eclipse, Mercury is
highlighting an important conflict that inspires the action of this new
beginning.That which has previously
been ignored arises in this energy to confront our consciousness.The demand, for all of us, is essentially
that something must be done to address our future.For some, it may be very personal…like the
need to replace an unhealthy habit with a healthy one.For others, it may be expressed in the social
sphere…a strike or a protest, for example.Either way, the thought or idea comes into form as a response to the
conflict.And, through its
demonstration, it encourages more response and more consciousness to address it.
Love and Gratitude,
Felina Lune Kavi
"I'd rather meet the Me down the road, to lead me through the fog...wouldn't ask for more." -Brittany Howard, 'Future People'
When Mercury is in the mutable
air sign of Gemini (May 3rd to July 11th this year), the planet of
communication is at home…multi-tasking with the myriad of fascinating ideas and
ways of conveying them.Mercury’s
Trickster/Sacred Clown archetype is active in this sign, where important
messages are often relayed through humor and opposites…often so that we may
better think on them without absorbing them through emotional reaction.Appealing to our sense of humor during heavy
times is a clever trick, and one that better stimulates the thought process.
And from May 7th to May 30th,
Mercury the Magician has been travelling out-of-bounds from the
ecliptic…inclining us to follow our curiosity off the beaten path of where
rational thought would dare go.With
this boundless Mercury in Gemini inclination, the Collective Mind is exploring
and expressing much more freedom of thought.With curiosity piqued, we may follow many fascinating avenues of thought
at once…trying to learn as much as we can at this time.
The Gemini influence invites
us to share ideas with our brothers and sisters, network in our immediate
environment, and communicate as we learn.Throughout this long stay of Mercury in Gemini, it may feel to some like
too much mental activity to sift through.For others who work well with a lot of mental stimulation, it will be a
breath of fresh air to ride this wave of information.
What is the purpose of a
Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury, the Messenger, has a
gift for storytelling. The Mercurial function is to spell the
message out in various ways to get the point across…usually from point A (let’s
say that’s you) to point B (let’s say that’s me). But in transit,
bearing the collective message, sometimes Mercury loops or zig-zags back and
forth from point A to point B three times. It is a message so
important that it needs repeating from multiple
perspectives. A Mercury Retrograde expands the message into a
3-part storyline.
From my view as an Astrology
Writer, Mercury’s first direct pass of the coming retrograde degrees is the
Prologue of the story. During this time (May 14 – 29), Mercury
introduces us to the world and the main characters of the
story. There are hints of what is to come, but much of the detail is
left out. Mercury catches our attention, and promises to reveal more
throughout the retrograde. It is a time where, because we were
speeding along in our everyday lives, Mercury invites us to slow down and pay
attention to something we all zipped past without giving much time for thought.
Mercury Retrograde, the heart
of the story, is the Deep Think we all need (multiple times a
year). This part of the story begins during Mercury’s station…when
our Messenger planet appears to slow down to a halt and change directions in
our sky. This, of course, only appears so from our view on
Earth…which is why these messages are so poignant to us
Earthlings. Mercury is also closer to us in proximity during
retrogrades, so it feels more like an intimate Storytime for all of us. And
the closer the degrees to our natal storyline by dynamic aspect, the more
intensely we feel the story and take it all in (as it inspires us on a personal
level).
Because this is true, it means
that the lessons contained within each retrograde storyline are not always so
specific to us. But they will be specific and personal to many…so
the more we interact with others during this time, the more we can learn of the
message. Contrary to popular belief, Mercury Retrograde is not a
time to hide under a rock and cease all communications. Our communication
may not be operating the same as usual, but connections with others bring out
more meaning to the story. However, there is definitely an inward
journey happening during any retrograde. And with Mercury as the
guide, there is great potential to shift our inward thought patterns into
unexplored territory.
Throughout this apparent
backtrack through what was hinted at in Mercury’s Prologue, every aspect (new
or repeated) is given a fuller description. There is time to go
deeper and develop a different perspective on the story. It becomes
more meaningful to us…just as a reader falls in love with or increasingly
identifies with a character. We become more engaged with the
story. We are immersed in it. Mercury has a multitude of
gifts for keeping our attention stimulated throughout.
Within the Retrograde
storyline, there is an Interior Conjunction between Sun and Mercury (June 10th)
that plants the new thoughtseed within each of us that grows, gives, and
composts through the rest of Mercury’s cycle. In a way, this is the
main point of the retrograde…to finish one cycle of thought so another can
replace it. However, the Retrograde story doesn’t end here.
The Retrograde concludes when
Mercury carries our awareness all the way back to the degree where we missed
something important as the Prologue began. This happens during
Mercury’s direct station. The Messenger planet once again slows down
to a halt and shifts directions…but not before pointing us to a priceless
message we need to retrieve and integrate for ourselves.
The Epilogue, where Mercury
describes the events in the story after all plotlines are revealed, is the 2nd direct
pass of the degrees Mercury has traveled thrice. During this time (6/22
– 7/7), we are offered an opportunity to integrate the meaning of this story
into our lives. The events that play out during the epilogue are
signals on how to move forward with what we retrieved of the meaning.
What is the collective theme
of this Mercury Retrograde in Gemini?
Collectively, we’ll all be working
with a theme brought up thrice by the Gemini Mercury square Pisces Neptune
transit. When that transit was first exact, during
Mercury’s prologue, I wrote:
These dynamics can create the
kind of cognitive dissonance that Alice experienced when she encountered
Wonderland. She followed the rushing rabbit (who was full of square energy
imperatives) into a world where everything seemed illogical to what she has
been taught. But in this confusing Wonderland journey, she found herself
changing in imaginal ways.
A square urges us to make
change a necessary action…like the Caterpillar must become the Butterfly. There
is some urgency within a square dynamic, and it is ultimately creative. But it
will also bring up a clash of energy to inspire a turning-point shift.
Just as Mercury and Alice, we
release some of the insistence upon logic, detail, and knowing. And just as
Neptune, we allow for Knowledge to take a trip through our Otherworld realm,
critiquing and questioning until arriving at an expanded awareness from what
was known.
Give yourself more room to
explore the dream you sometimes mistake for reality. Is it really what it
seems? You don't have to answer that definitively...just follow where it leads
you.
Currently, you may be swimming
in the unknown. Find beauty in the weirdness, then let it inspire you to learn
from a different perspective. Follow your curiosity into ‘curiouser and
curiouser’ concepts. You may arrive at something magical beyond the looking
glass.
Have a conversation with what
is otherworldy. Yes, it might be riddled with uncertainties...but the journey
is worth the bewilderment it takes to arrive at a shift of consciousness.
How do I know if this
retrograde relates to me, personally?
'Music of the Spheres' by Fiona Watson
Not everyone speaks the
language of Astrology, I get that. There are ways to learn these
things…but most prefer to just consult an Astrologer for such
advice. That is my job, and I love it. However, I was
born in the Aries season so I also tend to champion the way of
self-reliance. If you’d rather learn to fish, I’m willing to teach
that. But since I have a mixed group of readers and clients (from novices
to professionals), I’ll include more detail than the general
information. I was born at Mercury Cazimi (the Exterior Conjunction
of Sun and Mercury), so ‘show and tell’ is a big part of my personal
toolkit.
If you are familiar enough with
your natal chart, you can first look to the part of your chart where Gemini 17
– 25 is. This will show you the area of life (the Astrological
House) where this story will be set. For example, this retrograde
takes place in my 2nd House…the House of Resources and Values. Then
you may notice if you have any planets or angles in this part of your natal
chart. If you do, you will have some distinctly personal lessons
throughout this time. If you don’t have anything in this part of Gemini,
as it is in my case, you’ll see the lessons playing out by other aspects with
your natal chart.
The next thing to look for is
whether you have natal planets or angles in any of the other mutable signs (Virgo,
Sagittarius, and Pisces) between 17 – 25 degrees. In this case,
Mercury will bring up dynamic square aspects (to Virgo or Pisces) or a tense
balancing act with your personal Sagittarius lessons. For me, transiting
Mercury is very close to opposition with my Sagittarius NeptuneRx, but it turns
retrograde before reaching that degree.So, that opposition will resonate on May 29th, when Mercury stations
retrograde…but it is something that comes up stronger once Mercury’s epilogue
ends.
For those of us who have it
relatively easy this time, and Mercury is not making any dynamic aspects to
your natal energies, you may find trines or sextiles to natal planets in other
air or fire signs (Aries, Leo, Libra, or Aquarius). In that case of
only harmonious aspects, you may find you float along during this time with a
great deal of ease where nothing pushes you to engage with this
story. It is possible, then, that you will be the one who falls
asleep during this Storytime and you miss the message. Or, if you do
respond to the creative flow and the opportunities this story presents for you,
a lot of good can come from your participatory engagement. For me, transiting
Mercury will be providing some beneficial hints to my natal opposition of
Sun-Mercury in Aries and SaturnRx in Libra.
Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, and
Capricorn are the parts of your chart that might not relate to this Mercury
Retrograde storyline much at all (as they are non-aspects to Gemini)…but it is
highly unlikely that everything in your chart is only in those signs.
And if you want to get really
Astro-geeky with me, you may find my outline of this Mercury retrograde journey
to be useful for timing purposes. I’ve included Sabian Symbols of
the degrees that will be highlighted throughout as well…which can give you some
clues to the story’s action.
Keep in mind that the degrees
listed are rounded up. So, where the Mercury retrograde station is
in 24.43 Gemini, it is considered the 25th degree of Gemini.
5/14 – 5/29:Mercury’s Prologue (GEM 17 – 25)
5/22:Mercury square Neptune (part 1) (GEM/PIS 23)
Mercury- “Three fledglings in a nest high in a tree”
Neptune- “Spiritist phenomena”
5/29:Mercury conjunct Venus (GEM 25)
“A gardener trimming palms”
5/29:Mercury stations retrograde (GEM 25)
“A gardener trimming palms”
5/29 – 6/22:Mercury’s Retrograde in Gemini (GEM 25 – 17)
This total eclipse can be viewed from the Western Americas, the Pacific, Australia, and South-East Asia. (Eclipse Art by Donia Lilly)
Total Lunar Eclipse in
Sagittarius: Tangled Up in Old Ideals
Moon opposite Sun- 5/26/21 @
6:14am CDT
The Full Flower Moon blossoms big
and red in some parts of our world, as perigee Moon conjunct her South Node
will edge into our Earth’s umbral shadow for 14 minutes and 30 seconds of Total
Eclipse.A South Node eclipse carries
the shadows of our past into our immediate present…confronting us with the need
for rapid change.Transforming old
karmic lessons into newly discovered wisdom is never easy. We can neither
escape the confrontation nor erase what has brought us to this point in our
evolution.The nodes are knots of fate where
all kinds of storylines become entangled over time…yours, mine, and everyone else’s.But every once in a while, an eclipse will
draw out a thread from the knot so that we may make a significant change to the
collective story.But like with the
Wheel of Fortune, the results can go either way.
At the apex of a T-Square with
our luminaries, Jupiter in Pisces is pressed to find peace in our conflicts…but
inclines us to either expand upon it or escape entirely into a dreamscape.Jupiter is strong in Pisces, where our largest
planet is traditionally in his nocturnal rulership.And such strength while at the apex of a
T-square can certainly amplify things.Essentially, Jupiter has a benefic and jovial influence…yet, when
stressed, it has the inclination to increase the stress.Jupiter can also bring about ‘too much of a
good thing’.So with the Piscean desire
to escape this ‘Mad World’…we may see significant shadow effects of ‘Spiritual
Bypass’.
But there are more subtle
energies aligned at this time to provide a bit of a safety net for our
experience.Saturn in Aquarius sextile
Chiron in Aries bring opportunities to work with the lunar nodes in beneficial
ways.Saturn’s influence reminds us to
establish Aquarian structure with a more humanitarian and progressive
approach.And Chiron’s influence reminds
us to tap into Arian self-reliance and heal ourselves to heal the whole.Together, they are calling for integrity
through responsible healing.
Saros Series 121:The Shadowlands of Utopia
Thomas More's 'Utopia'
This is the last of the Total
Eclipses from this Saros Series 121…as the ones that follow in this series will
recede from partial to penumbral for centuries to come.In 1516, when the first Total Eclipse of this
series happened, Thomas More completed and published his book ‘Utopia’…a
fictional and socio-political satire that has had significant impact upon humanity
ever since (even influencing those who have never read it).The name of this fictional island, Utopia, is
derived from the Greek prefix ‘ou’ (meaning ‘not’) and ‘topos’ (meaning ‘place’)…together
meaning ‘nowhere’, as in the place does not exist.Yet because the pronunciation is the same as ‘Eutopia’,
which is Greek for ‘Good Place’, the word Utopia is more often considered now to
be an ideal place, or a paradise, where everything is perfect.And the reality is that, because humans are
fallible, such a place cannot exist under human rule…and especially with our ways
of settler colonialism still taking up space across our lands.
Fast forward to the last time
we had a total eclipse from this Saros Series, in 2003, and a U.S.-led
coalition began the invasion of Iraq…the first stage of the Iraq War.In the same month of that eclipse, George W.
Bush gave his infamous ‘Mission Accomplished’ speech, assuring that “major
combat operations in Iraq have ended.In
the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed…” and
televised in front of a banner that read ‘Mission Accomplished’.This stunt was heavily criticized as
premature, at best, especially later as the guerilla war began.It is no coincidence that hints of false,
utopian idealism were present during that eclipse season as well…when the
reality was that ‘nowhere’ prevailed with this controversial conflict.
Today, the long-standing conflict
between Israelis and Palestinians is heightened after attempts were made by
Jewish settlers to evict Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem.Jerusalem has long been a divided, disputed
city (though it was captured by Israel in 1967, the year of another Saros
Series 121 total lunar eclipse).Its
ownership is still disputed, but Israeli officials claim it as the undivided
capital of Israel.And though the Trump
Administration showed a formal recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by
moving the U.S. Embassy there in 2018, most nations do not acknowledge the city
as belonging to either Israelis or Palestinians.In the future hopes of those in conflict,
Jerusalem has long been wished for like a type of Utopia.Politically, it is like a ‘nowhere’ land that
cannot be claimed by any of its occupants, and yet the on-the-ground
experiences of it is something much more dystopian.
At this time, we’re being
asked once again to take a hard look at the shadows brought about by our
collective and national quests for the utopian ideals of humans.In almost every instance of a people or
nation trying to prevail as bigger, better, faster, or stronger…it is at the
expense of other people, the wildlife, or the Earth as a whole.
And though these are some of
the larger, collective threads being pulled at from the knot of the South Node…there
are individual threads we’ll each be discovering in our personal
experience.We may ask ourselves about
our own Sagittarian ideals…what ideological, philosophical, political, or
religious remnants from our ancestral past are asking for release and
transmutation in our own lives?In your
natal chart, the house where Sagittarius is will show where the eclipse shadow
will show up to be confronted.And if
you have any planets in close aspect to the 6th degrees of
Sagittarius or Gemini, they will give you more clues about the lessons you’re
working with at the beginning of this Eclipse Season.
At the opening of this Flower
Moon cycle, we are preparing for Eclipse Season (which begins during the Full
Flower Moon, a Total Lunar Eclipse on the 26th).What we are seeding now will bring
significant change as it blooms.But
right now, we are feeling Moon at her most subtle influence on our Earth…even
as she is exalted in the Venusian Earth sign of Taurus.
The path the Moon describes
around the Earth is in the shape of an irregular and constantly changing ellipse.At the farthest point in this path, Moon is at apogee (Black Moon).During Lunar Apogee, we Earthlings are
feeling the lunar influence more objectively.When at perigee, Moon is closer to Earth and the lunar influence is
amplified in more personal ways (as it was around the time of our previous Full
Moon).This New Moon in Taurus is near apogee…so she is not only invisible to us while conjunct Sun,
she is also farther from us.Her
influence may be subtle…but this New Moon seed of the Flower Moon cycle allows
for us to experience the other transits at this time with greater emphasis.
Aiding us in that extrasensory
feeling sense of this time, our Luminaries are sextile Neptune in Pisces.This is an invitation to explore the mystical
and magical Dreamtime of this lunar initiation.Neptune is also conjunct Pallas Athene, which allows us to better understand
the patterns inherent in the Dreamtime influence of Neptune in Pisces.The Taurus-Pisces connection is fertile and
full of opportunity for creative growth.Both signs are traditionally ruled by the two benefic planets (Venus
rules Taurus, Jupiter rules Pisces).So
this sextile, subtle as it is, holds a wealth of good fortune when we tap in.Neptune (considered the modern ruler of
Pisces) is resonant with this water sign…and invites us to swim into the waters
of the Unconscious.Dreaming, listening
to music, creating art, connecting with Spirit…all of these things can help you
benefit from this influence.
And because this New Moon is
in Venus’s nocturnal sign, Venus acts as guide to how we may nurture this seed
as it releases its taproot.Venus is in
her process of Heliacal Rise as Evening Star, when she begins to be visible to
us again on the Western horizon after sunset.Some have had the good fortune of viewing her rise as early as Beltane
(May 1st), though others of us may still be waiting to see her…depending
on our location.Currently in Gemini,
Venus teaches us the value of communication and networking.So as she keeps rising into the evening sky,
she encourages the roots of this New Moon seed to branch out and connect with
what nourishes us.In a couple days, Moon
will meet up with her in Gemini and Venus will begin reclaiming her new life as
Evening Star after months of Underworld transformation.
The main aspects emphasized at
this time involve Chiron, the Wounded Healer.Mercury conjunct the North Lunar Node in Gemini is in a beneficial sextile
with Chiron in Aries, while Mars in Cancer is moving into an exact square with Chiron.We will be feeling that square most, as it is
dynamic and applying.The Mars square
Chiron influence in Cardinal signs may feel like a sharp blow to what we want to
initiate at this time…forcing us, instead, to care for our wounds.But it is in the act of caring for these
wounds that we may continue to make better use of the Mercury sextile,
strengthening our mental health as we attend to our physical health.This healing emphasis fortifies us for the
Eclipse Season ahead.
Moon-Sun in Taurus 22
(Sabian Symbol:“White dove flying over troubled waters.”)
Art by Anastasia Zabrodina
There is a peaceful message of
hope in this symbol highlighted by our luminaries.This is a symbol of spiritual guidance, where
we can benefit more from looking to universal signs than to our own subjective
understanding, which may be too unsettled at this time to bring clarity.We may be asked to simply have faith in the
process currently unfolding…relax into our bodies to calm the troubles of our
emotional mind.The healing involved now
reminds us to take some time to tune out the emotional and mental disturbances
of the current human experience. In this
initiation, we may feel the direction of the energy that guides us through our
troubles.
It’s my birthday today.A new year for me, and a new lunar phase for
all of us.There is something about the
New Moon in Aries each year that stirs up the seeds of creation and sets things
in motion…even as that lunar motion is imperceptible to our ‘see it to believe
it’ views of life.
Most would never equate the
Cardinal Fire energy of Aries with stillness.There is an initiatory spark to it.It inspires movement, liveliness, creative action.And yet, within the silent song of Sun’s exalted
rays, there are unseen elements in pregnant pause…growing in meaning before
being revealed.
Venus, who descended into invisibility
behind the Sun this February, has only just experienced her Exterior
Conjunction with Sun on March 25th.She is still transforming in the Underworld before she reveals herself
as Evening Star next month.Like the
unseen Moon at this time, the stillness inherent in this pregnant pause is that
we cannot yet see what will be birthed from this Aries initiative.We may be ‘expecting’ new life…but we are in
the ‘waiting womb’.
And it isn’t easy to wait for
anything during Aries season…especially while all planets are moving in direct
motion.It isn’t easy to wait for things
when you were blessed with Aries energy at your birth either.There’s always this desire to launch into new
endeavors, to blaze a trail, to express boldly from the ‘I Am’ of our
existence.
But the quality of time, the
Kairos, we are feeling at this lunar initiation is so weighty and purposeful
that even an Aries native will want to take this time to consider the way ahead
before jumping into action.For anyone,
it can be fearful to not see the path ahead.What if we fall into a chasm and the Underworld swallows us?I mean, that’s extreme…but extremities are
part of the larger lesson of these times.This Aries season confronts us with our own edges, and we must engage
the inner strength to pass through them.
The seeds are stirring…but
they’re underground.We need only to
shoot our roots down to find support. Tapping into the underneath is crucial to
the integrity of what we grow from this beginning.
The Aries Stellium and the Plutonian
Underworld
Art by Sandara
Full-speed-ahead as most other
planets are now, Pluto has been slowing down significantly in Capricorn and
will station retrograde by April 27th.And this already slow-moving outer planet is in
a 90 degree square with this New Moon.But it’s not just the luminaries coming into square with Pluto.It’s Venus, Persephone, Eris, and Ceres too…all
of them in Aries, conjunct our luminaries and squaring off with Pluto at this
time.All we can see of this square in
our sky is the brilliance of our shining Sun…but there is so much happening
behind the scenes.
Pluto square Eris is
definitely an enduring undercurrent of our times…we already experienced 3
exactions of that square in 2020.And
the next exactions occur surrounding Pluto’s direct station in October this
year.Because both are slow-moving outer
planets…they’ve been within the orb of influence with this square for a while
and will continue to be as we navigate a time where ‘heavy discord’ that
demands purposeful action seems part of the ‘new normal’.
Less than an hour after New
Moon, Venus exacts this square with Pluto.As Venus’s cycle relates to the mythic storyline of Inanna and
Ereshkigal…this Underworld part of Venus’s journey is where Inanna learns the value
and meaning of death from the Chthonic Mysteries taught by her older sister,
Ereshkigal.The Queen of the Underworld (Pluto)
confronts the Queen of Heaven (Venus) with her own shadows and her own death
(Sun conjunct Venus).And yet, there is
a revivification process taking place now.Ereshkigal has had her redemption for her sister’s involvement in her husband’s
death.She is weary from her own
pregnancy with Ninazu and allows the galla to take Inanna’s corpse in her
gratitude for their help through her labor.Now Inanna is redeemed as well by being slowly brought back to life…but
there are still a few weeks before her return to the sky (Heliacal Rise of
Venus in early May).
There are many correlations
between the Chthonic Mysteries of Inanna and Ereshkigal and the Eleusinian Mysteries
of Demeter/Ceres and her daughter Persephone/Kore.And, at this New Moon, Ceres and Persephone
join Venus/Inanna in her Underworld transformation.All of them are at a turning-point crisis
with Pluto/Ereshkigal.In this turning-point
we see the seasonal shifts that these stories reflect.In the Southern Hemisphere, Ceres is mourning
her daughter’s return to the Underworld as this hemisphere experiences the
introduction to their colder months.In the
Northern Hemisphere, Ceres is rejoicing in the return of her daughter…and the
growth of the warmer months springs forth.Persephone conjunct Venus at this time really highlights the power of
the Queen of the Underworld, and the important decisions she must make in those
depths.
And all of these celestial
bodies, along with Eris and our luminaries, are square to Pluto…adding quite a
bit of weight to an enduring dynamic echoed from last year.So while it is a collective Soul Crisis we’ve
been moving through for over a year, we may each be feeling it very personally
now.Something is transforming deep
within us, and we are pressed to make important decisions that could alter our
course.The planets suggest that, in
this process, we don’t disregard the parts that are hidden beneath the
surface.Those are the crucial elements
in what we need to process (sometimes from fear into fuel) throughout this
lunar month.
Aiding us in this task is a
sextile opportunity between this Aries Stellium and Mars in Gemini.Mars is out-of-bounds from the Sun’s path,
and bringing in a rogue energy to guide all that is in Aries into new
territory.Mars has been offering a lot
of information to act upon.And all that
is in Aries asks us to move only toward what, of many options, is in integrity
with us.There is also a mutual
reception between Mercury in Aries (Mars’s diurnal domicile) and Mars in Gemini
(Mercury’s diurnal domicile).This mutual
reception will be growing into a sextile throughout the week ahead, building
opportunities to put our ideas (Mercury) into action (Mars).
Adding to this opportunity is
that Jupiter in Aquarius is in harmonious aspect as well, creating a Blessing
Triangle with a trine to Mars and a sextile to the Aries Stellium.Yes, there is a great blessing in all that is
stirring within us right now.We may not
see it at first, but we are supported in this Aries initiation.As with Inanna/Venus…there is promise of new
life.
New Moon in Aries 23
Sabian Symbol:“A woman in pastel colors carrying a heavy
and valuable but veiled load.”
'The Blessing' by my friend, Shannon Bagley Hilson. Gifted to me when I was pregnant with my daughter.
In this symbol that the luminaries
highlight now, there is lightness and heaviness co-present.In Dane Rudhyar’s interpretation of this
symbol, he specifically defines ‘a pregnant woman in a light summer dress’.The symbol is about inner fulfillment, as
well as the weighty value in the task of creating something meaningful.Both versions of the symbol are protective about
what is being carried.It also suggests
that what is currently veiled will soon be revealed.So, whatever it is that we each are carrying…whether
it be an idea still forming within, a new venture awaiting its proper timing,
or even a heaviness we are transforming (maybe all of those things and more)…may
this Aries New Moon bless us through our Sun’s rays.
