Aries New Moon: Healing as inspiration.

Here we are again, on the brink of a new lunar cycle. Close to midnight, on the evening of March 31st, the moon will be born again in the sign of Aries. Each year, I find myself looking forward to this fiery lunation. It is the first new moon of the spring season, and it tends to open up all sorts of refreshing possibilities. The sun finds its exaltation in Aries, and thus inspires us to express ourselves authentically and creatively in new ways. I believe I'm partial to the sign of Aries due to its ability to shine purely and without the worry of judgment.


Aries is ruled by the warrior planet Mars and is known for its bravery and passion.


This Aries new moon is unique, however, and has its own special magic in store for us. Chiron, the wounded healer, is less than one degree away from the new moon. The fiery seeds of Aries are somehow being sewn into the soils of our wounded selves. Don't worry, this is not as scary as it sounds. Chiron is a meteor/asteroid body known for showing us our insecurities, our traumas, and woundedness. Not only does Chiron show us our wounds, but Chiron has a wonderful way of showing us our way to healing and our ability to heal others.


By our own process of healing, we gain certain unique gifts.


Thus, at the start of this lunation, we may be faced with a part of ourselves that is asking for healing. Being that we are in the sign of Aries, our struggles may stem from a lack of confidence or fear of acceptance. Pay attention to when you feel yourself pulling back in expressing yourself fully. Notice if you are hiding a part of your true nature, and give yourself tenderness as you seek clarity around any past wounds.

More simply put, we may be questioning our current path or experiencing a creative block of some kind. Mars, the ruler of this lunation, is about to meet up with Saturn. The next couple of weeks may have us feeling frustrated with achieving anything with speed. We may also feel a bit lackluster and be questioning our direction. I can reassure you, however, this period is a simple slowing down. There is likely no need to abandon a project or start over.

If during this time you find yourself feeling less inspired than you would like, I have this to offer. This lunar cycle is not about starting something brand new; it is about building on the mastery and blessings you already possess. I believe this Aries new moon is revealing to each of us how we continue to hold ourselves back or avoid what we truly desire. What we desire might be right in front of us, but we feel blocked from attaining it. You may even realize you are filling a void with material 'things' instead of the meaningful experiences which deeply fulfill you.

Chiron itself may serve as inspiration on this new moon. As we pursue healing, we may feel more inspired to share our own experiences with others. When we acknowledge our wounding, we allow ourselves to become more whole. None of us get through life without injury, but few of us allow for the acceptance of those parts of ourselves. Chiron shows us our process of healing gives innumerable gifts, including inspiration to create.

As I was writing this newsletter, I was reminded of my own woundings in early childhood, attributed to my Aries moon. Though I was a shy child, I was fiercely independent and somewhat rebellious. My father often told me not to be 'so sassy'. He couldn't understand why I wanted to stand in the ocean without holding his hand, even when it meant falling beneath the waves. My father was extremely strict with me as a result, and we had a tenuous relationship. The funny thing is, the more my father struggled to 'reign me in', the more independent I became. I was determined to create a life for myself where I had as much freedom as possible, which meant I became resilient and self-sufficient. As an adult, my father is now extremely proud of me. It's funny how these things work out, isn't it?

If nothing else, I believe this is a beautiful time to quiet our minds and let go of negative self-talk. As we rest our minds, we free ourselves to the exciting possibilities of this Aries lunation. We have an opportunity to express ourselves more wholly and to reach a higher level of mastery on whatever path we are on. As you sew your own seeds on this new moon, acknowledge and celebrate all of your accomplishments.

Please do write me about any experiences you have that feel connected to this Aries new moon. I love hearing your stories. This is our last new moon before the spring eclipse season begins, so it feels especially important.

ARIES NEW MOON: Tending our inner flame.

Artwork by Oriol Angrill.

Tomorrow at 2:05PM, the moon blossoms in the sign of Aries. Historically, this is one of my favorite full moons all year. My own moon sits at the top of my chart in the sign of fiery Aries, and this full lunation brings me much inspiration, excitement and thrilling fulfillment. This year I am still filled with eagerness for this full moon, but I am also facing a particular heaviness.

Yesterday, on Tuesday, the day of Mars brought much unrest. Retrograde Mars made an exact square to Saturn, creating all sorts of heat and friction. The winds were hot and brought back the awful wildfire smoke that day. I heard from friends and family about their awful hardships. The day ended with a ‘debate’ between two men battling to rule our country, which resulted in an embarrassing brawl. Right before I went to bed, I looked out my window with worry at a reddened nearly full moon.

As we look to what this full moon promises us, we must look to Mars. It is likely that you’ve already been feeling the tension Mars and the square to Saturn are bringing. Like being in a pressure cooker, this can create feelings of anxiety and frustration. Saturn puts the breaks on Mars, and Mars keeps wanting to persevere. The end result can be feelings of burn out and exhaustion. You may notice your body telling you it needs rest, but for some reason it feels difficult to turn down the adrenaline.

On a positive note, a lot of amazing break throughs can happen under this pressure. Aries is the sign of the ‘trail blazer’ and is motivated to break down barriers. This full moon may embolden you to stand up for yourself or for your values. The Mars retrograde journey allows us to get in touch with what truly excites us. We can get to the core of our passions and our inner drive. This full moon is a dramatic one no doubt, and can act as a major agent of change in our lives.

Venus is traveling through the last degrees of Leo and is making a beautiful trine to this overheated Mars. Thank you Venus! If anyone can temper the flames of Mars, she can. During this full moon we may experience some much needed support from our relationships and from women in general. This trine is also likely to fan the flames of passion and allow for some healthy outlets for our ambitions or frustrations.

We cannot forget Saturn, however, who is showing us our limitations. We may feel like there is never enough time or support from others to complete our mission. My advice is to pace yourself, or your inner flame will burn out too quickly. Recharge your inner spark of inspiration and excitement by taking breaks when you need them. Take part in activities that inspire and uplift you in order to stay positive and motivated. We are likely to be battling these limitations and bouts of exhaustion till the end of the year, so we must make self care a priority.

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

--Thomas Edison

The Aries full moon may tempt us into thinking that our suffering is ours alone, and that we must face our challenges independently. If I’ve learned anything in the year 2020, however, it’s that we are not alone. We are all facing big challenges and we need each other’s support more than ever.

With that, I leave you one more quote. The Aries full moon seems just right for inspirational wisdom.

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.

--Confucius (551-479 BC)

May this full moon bring you great inspiration and many blessings!

The New Moon in Aries + Saturn enters Aquarius

Greetings dear ones,

This has been an eventful past week, hasn't it? Each day and each hour has brought new information, and the reality of the severity of the situation gradually sets in. Most of us around the planet have been affected by the pandemic in one way or another. Plans have been canceled, jobs lost, freedoms restricted, and many lives put in jeopardy. All of this happened while leading up to one of the most beautiful times of the year: the spring equinox.

Through all the heaviness of the Capricorn transits, the planet Venus has been a savior during these difficult times. Venus entered the sign of Taurus on March 4th, where she will remain until April 4th. She is very much at home in this earth sign, and often offers us refuge with good food, cozy homes, and beautiful nature. If you are feeling fearful right now, which many of us are, you can look to Venus for comfort. Venus shows us how to nurture ourselves and others with beauty and pleasure, and no one knows how to do this better than the sign of Taurus.

The spring equinox arrived the evening of the 20th, and the next day Saturn made a major leap into a new sign -- from Capricorn to Aquarius. Since the end of 2017, Saturn has been slowly moving through the sign of Capricorn. As Saturn neared Pluto this year, we began to experience many of the foretold 'challenging' experiences. Pluto represents shadows, fears, transformations, and what is hidden deep away. Saturn creates restrictions and boundaries. The combination of these two planets, along with Jupiter and Mars, have unearthed many of the shadows we are experiencing now. I knew this year would be difficult, but I had no idea it would be like this. 

The year 2020 is a deeply transformational period, and one with plenty of growing pains. Saturn's role in this transformation is pivotal, as Saturn has great strength in both Capricorn and Aquarius. As we look to the changes Saturn will continue to bring, we have to think long term. Saturn recognizes that sacrifices must be made, along with lots of hard work, in order to arrive at any worthwhile goal. Additionally, Saturn knows that big changes take time to fully develop. 

Saturn in Aquarius is the ultimate reformer, and looks for how we make the necessary improvements in our society that benefit us all. This is my hope for the long term view of this transit. The sign of Aquarius understands that the rules need to change. The inequality that exists among humans, animals and all beings is not sustainable.

After a retrograde period, Saturn will return to Capricorn on July 2nd. Not until this December, will Saturn return to Aquarius again. Then on Winter Solstice, Saturn and Jupiter will meet in the sign of Aquarius. This is known as the 'GREAT CONJUNCTION', and it is as major as it sounds! We will officially begin a new 20 year cycle, and a new 200 year 'air cycle' as well. A new era begins. I will be following up with more information on this later. 

So what can we expect in the coming weeks, you may ask? Well, let's start with the Aries new moon, which occurs in the early morning on March 24th. This particular new moon can be an excellent re-start button, and a time where we go deep within to seek inspiration. The beginning of Aries season is a time of renewal and a time to begin new projects. 

The last part of March and the first part of April look to continue to test our strength in the pandemic situation. On March 31st, Mars joins Saturn in an exact conjunction that squares Uranus. This is likely to be a very challenging time in particular, which we will feel the days leading up to it and afterwards. This transit reflects more restrictions on our movements, likely because of a continued increase in the spread of the virus. I'm guessing this is no surprise to any of you at this point. Mars has a 'martial' attitude as it joins Saturn in creating more boundaries, which threatens the freedom seeking Uranus. 

On April 4th, we have the Jupiter - Pluto conjunction. I discussed this in my last newsletter/blog, and you can refer back to that for more details. In general, it looks like all of these heavy transits are playing out in late March and early April. The destabilization and fear is likely to be at its peak, and then we can welcome in some much desired stability. On May 11th, Saturn will station retrograde. I'm hopeful this will mean the fierce borders and regulations will lessen or subside. This looks to be a 'cooling off' period. In no way am I saying the pandemic will be over, but everything points to improvements at this time.

In the previous newsletter, I mentioned the Temperance card as a powerful message for this time. This card continues to show up in almost every reading I do for myself and others. Sometimes a card will show up like this if there is an underlying message that is trying to make itself known. In this case, the message is addressed to us all.

As I was driving back to my house this Friday, I was meditating on this card. I understand that Temperance means we should be kind to ourselves and others, and remain calm in the face of difficulty. But what else? As I was pondering this, I hear Jane Goodall speak on NPR. You can listen to her interview here. She spoke of the imbalance in our world and the consequences that has on conservation. We cannot rely on an economy to continue to endlessly grow, when the earth's resources are finite. If allowed, large corporate greed will eventually tap our resources, and that will be the true tragedy for our planet and our species. Not to mention. the stark disparity that currently exists between those who have access to resources and those who do not.

The Temperance card showing up at this time, I believe, is reflecting our collective need to find harmony and balance with our relationship to mother earth. How do we truly live sustainably and how do we support one another? We have a long way to go, but I am hopeful that this is the way we are going. Whether we can see it yet or not, a great transformation is taking place that future generations will see fully unfold. Jane Goodall mentions how eager young people are to work on conservation.

Further, I believe the Temperance card is reflecting our collective need to attune to spirit. In any difficult period, a spiritual practice can offer us strength. In more traditional tarot artwork, the Archangel Michael is depicted. This angel's message is: be self-loving, have faith, and stay dedicated to your personal truth.  If you treat yourself and your situation as you'd want to be treated, profound transformation and great healing will occur.

Often times when I see the Temperance card, I'm reminded we are not alone. Like a guardian angel, we are supported in so many ways unseen. I want you to know, I also support you at this time.


Happy new moon! And wishing you all good health and blessings. 



Spirit + Home,
Suzy   

New Moon in Aries: Paving our unique path.

Mercury has been direct for a few days now and it feels as if spring has truly begun. The next new moon occurs on April 5th at 1:50AM PT in the mighty sign of the warrior. Two weeks ago, the equinox occurred with a full moon in Libra and now we welcome the new lunation at the very center of Aries. 

As we plant the proverbial seeds this spring season, we are being asked to show up with courage and bravery. Aries beckons us to embark on a new and exciting journey. We must pave our own path in a unique and authentic manner. What is this new path you may ask? It should be whatever we are feeling most excited about right now. What is lighting you up most? Perhaps we have been putting off starting something new because of all sorts of excuses. During Aries season, however, there is a passion brewing within us. May this fiery passion ignite this new path and give us the courage to finally take the next steps. 

The new moon has a fiery optimistic side to it, as Jupiter in Sagittarius makes a joyous trine. It's as if our enthusiasm is boundless and our creativity has no limits. Depending on where this new moon occurs in your chart, you may be enthusiastically opening up to a new love relationship, a new home, a new child, a new job, learning a new skill or some other exciting new beginning. We should all be taking advantage of this prosperous Jupiter energy, and allow ourselves some time to follow our 'bliss' during the week following the new moon. 

I'm sorry to say, but this time is not all about what brings us joy. At the same time as the new moon, we will also experience a Pluto, South Node and Saturn conjunction in Capricorn making a hard square to the lunation. I've spoken about all the Capricorn activity before, and now we get to experience the rare occurrence of these planets finally meeting the karmic south node.

First of all, this may feel a bit uncomfortable for many of you. It may feel very uncomfortable, in fact, depending on how it occurs in your own personal chart. For example, some of us born around 1982 will have this Capricorn flurry meeting their natal south node. Hey that's me! This time will be extra potent for releasing old karmic cycles. In general, for all of us, we will be going through a period of transformation of some kind. The universe is asking us to release what is no longer working for us. To let go of what is keeping us from paving our new path to our more authentic selves. 

Pluto shows us what must be sacrificed and released for our well being. The south node confronts us with a certain truth from our karmic past, and a pattern that must be broken. Saturn, the wise one, teaches us that we are stronger than we know. We must accept the necessary changes in order for us to continue to grow and be prosperous long term. 

In summary, we are being asked to release the old in order to usher in the new blessings into our lives. The Aries new moon may give us the courage to make a difficult decision or to view this time as a creative opportunity. We will be experiencing the impact of these occurrences for a long time to come, and the positive steps we take now will make a difference. So make sure to take advantage of any positive momentum during the week following the new moon, and begin paving your unique path!

Spirit + Home,

Suzy

Aries New Moon: Unleashing our inner Rebel

This evening at 6:57 PT, we welcome the New Moon in Aries. We have reason to feel celebratory about welcoming this new chapter. Over the past 4-6 weeks we have experienced several ups and downs with several challenges in our path. We have worked extremely hard to keep up with the pace. And if you kept up with the fast pace, all the while keeping your health and well being in check, you deserve a little celebration!

Mercury has been retrograde for several weeks and turns direct today, the very day of the New Moon. During these retrograde periods we often re-visit old lessons and experience old challenges in new ways. Mercury retrograde gets a bad reputation, but there is a purpose behind this planet of communication. During retrograde periods we get another chance to get things right and improve ourselves in deeply healing ways. Mercury is actually retrograde in my natal chart, so I tend to think that I have a kind of respect for these necessary periods of retraction. 

Directly after my return from a vacation in Thailand this early March, Mercury began its retrograde cycle. It was a tad difficult coming back to 'real life'with multiple demanding deadlines, and all the while combating jet lag and missing the glorious sunshine. What I've learned over the past few weeks is I don't have to come back to my 'old self'. I need to continue to develop ways of working and living my life that are healthier and more productive. I've tapped into some practices that are allowing me to be more in flow with myself and with my work. This is Mercury providing its medicine. 

The New Moon in Aries marks our true beginning to the Astrological new year, and it sits conjunct Uranus. What does that tell us? What we are beginning now feels fresh, creative and very alive! Uranus is a peculiar planet and does not like to adhere by the rules, which further stokes the fires of rebellious Aries. We may feel a burning fire within us, calling on us to move outside of our usual boundaries. Perhaps outside of the boundaries that society and good manners dictates. One of my favorite archetypes for Aries is in fact 'The Rebel'. 

Saturn, Mars and Pluto are all residing in steady Capricorn, and thus squaring this New Moon energy. This conflict in energies shows that in order to break free and express ourselves authentically, we will perhaps need to upset the status quo.  Most likely there will be an ongoing process in dismantling old ways and behaviors. There is a new and more authentic you working its way through to be made free. 

On this New Moon day, take a moment to reflect on the lessons over the past Mercury Retrograde cycle. See what new tools can serve you in moving forward in this new lunar cycle. And if it serves you, don't be afraid to embrace your inner rebel as you look towards achieving your newest goals. Let the Aries fire inspire you!