Freedom is just another word for
nothing left to lose. So says one of the better known Aquarian
children, Janis Joplin. It's very true. The sign of Aquarius, itself,
relates to the concept of freedom as well as that of independence.
Yet at its highest expression is also concerned about these concepts
within the collective as a society...as if it were a completely
interconnected network which Aqua studies through the laboratory of
life by experimenting, gathering data, analyzing the results under a
constantly evolving hypothesis. Aquarius thinks a lot. They do love
an intelligent conversation. But, of the Air signs, they are the
least talkative. Don't let that quiet fool you, though. These folks
carry on conversations in their head continually.
The New Moon in Aquarius comes forth
following the ecliptic, shortly following Imbolc and a day before the
Lunar New Year. Aquarius season in the Northern hemisphere is a known
as a season of ice. And, par for the course, there is talk of a wave
of deep artic temperatures passing through our sphere as we make our
way to her. However, Imbolc celebrates the SPARK within the Earth
that ignites to generate new life. Outside and on the crust there may
be an icy tundra. But, deep within the core flickers hope and promise
of new growth that will follow the thaw.
This type of cold crust combatted with
a warm spark buried deep within the core is metaphorical for how we
know Aquarius. Often accused of being aloof (and sometimes guilty of
it) they are astute detached observers (frozen crust) of the dynamics
of human behavior while keeping the tender “spark” within their
cores very well protected. They usually do have a concern over the
concepts of truth, freedom, independence, justice, social welfare and
equality. Yet, how that goes is dependent upon a lot of things...as
in what their personal concept of those words mean and what type's of
conclusions their analytical brains have drawn.
Coming on the heels of the eclipses,
the type of freedom, truth and liberation we find ourselves left with
may NOT be something we would have readily chosen for ourselves if we
had been given the opportunity. Eclipses represent a shuffling of the
deck. Folks are ushered quickly in and out of our lives for various
reasons. Career paths/financial conditions take unexpected swings.
Accidents or medical events happen that change our actual body.
Relationship dynamics shift. Relationships break up or form anew
(liberating you from being single). Deaths and births also do their
fair share to create or alter ties. Sudden and abrupt stoppage and
change is seemingly indiscriminately delivered as eclipses unfold.
Eventually, our lives move forward and away from that abrupt change
that cut your ties rather harshly, suddenly and often not without
pain be that physical or emotional. Yet, there is also an in between
time before we even begin to adjust to being rudely “liberated”
from our old life. There is a little span of time that we wander
around half in shock and dazed while trying to figure out how to
function in what seems to be a rather “alien” world to us. The
New Moon represents day one in that alien territory. It may feel
cold, lonely and definitely rather uncertain. We may feel the need to
put up some very thick boundaries and withdraw a bit more than
typical in an effort to protect ourselves from the harshness of our
icy environment. And, in our withdraw we will try to figure out what
it all means. How the pieces fit together. Riddling ourselves with
“why.” Yet, each time we do dare to venture “out there”
whether driven by obligation or curiosity, we have our eyes wide
open trying to discern the layout of this foreign territory. We are
mindful and careful in our initial steps. As it should be in an season
of slick under-footing. We are well guarded. Rightfully so. The body
human is fragile in extreme cold and feels vulnerable in light of
severe change.
As the last Moon phase wanes in lead up
to this New Moon, we meet with quite a bit of intensity. On 1/31,
Saturn and Neptune meet officially by sextile. This is not the
“intensity” of which I speak but more of a peaking of an energy
that will wax and wane as the year moves forward. This set up allows
us to reshape the routines in our lives in an effort to accommodate
change while also helping us become more flexible as well. It creates
atmosphere that is relevant for what occurs next. On February 1, Mars
will square Pluto in Capricorn. That is intense enough. But, when you
add to that the fact that Mars in the following few days, will bridge
and activate a square with Pluto, the nodal axis and Uranus until
passing the gas giant on February 13; then, it's fairly easy to
assess the hang time of this intensity that is going to seek a release
in that pressure. That “point of tension” and release comes as
Mars grows more near Uranus under the First Quarter Moon of this
cycle.
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| The New Moon in Aquarius occurs on 2/4 at 4:04 AM EST at 15 Aqua 45 |
On top of that, Mars isn't the only
body in the sky and the rest of them stay fairly busy during this
time as well. The day before this New Moon Venus enters Capricorn
following a square with Chiron the same day. I adore Venus in
Capricorn. However, the square from Venus to Chiron as she leaves
Sagittarius is quite indicative of a difficult transition as Venus
moves from being ruled by Jupiter toward answering to Saturn. It's
ouchy, hollow and. to be honest, can feel quite lonely. Again,
occurring at a time when Mars is also under pressure.
In the very middle of that transition
of Venus from the sign of Sagittarius to Capricorn (on 2/3), Mercury
in Aquarius will also sextile Jupiter. That by itself is a beneficial
aspect. Promising and hopeful. But, it can also skew our perspective
in that we are prone to make information bigger or smaller than it
need to be in order to glean clarity from it. Yet, the signs this
sextile fall in are also quite indicative of “big news” being
released unto the public sphere. While our hearts are breaking and
while we are also dealing with the testing of Mars. In order to use
this sextile to your advantage, use it to look beyond. Out into the
bigger picture. Take a longer view of your life as a whole. In speech
be truthful and keep things as light as possible.
Moving further forward under this Moon
cycle, on 2/7 under a Void Moon in Pisces, the Sun in Aquarius finds
Jupiter in Sagittarius by sextile as Mercury in Aquarius finds Mars
in Aries by the same. This is a bucket load of beneficial energy that
is best used when our intentions and information we are operating
under are clear. Our motivations and ability to handle more malefic
Mars impulses are really going to need to be on point and properly
assertive. Mars and Mercury in sextile is a mark of absolute clarity
and brilliance. Mind and body are operating in harmony. And, we will
have that energy hanging with us as the Moon reignites in the sign of
Aries at 9:30 AM on 2/8. These are sextiles. So it is energy there
that we can put to deliberate use.
At the same time, Sun sextile Jupiter
can be indicative of judicial or legislative announcement that bear
impact upon the collective in general and it waxes in under a Pisces
Moon which is known to be more sensitive than most...meaning,
emotions are already at threat of being muddled or swampy. Then,
under that Moon in Aries, we've certainly been primed to “do
something.” Which is fine as long as you are clear about what it is
you plan to engage in and why while making sure you are looking at it
all through the proper lens of perspective. The sextile of the Sun in
Aquarius to Jupiter in Sagittarius is very much a stereotypical
marking of a superhero. But, it may be necessary to keep our egos in
check as we are flying about saving the world.
On 2/10, that whole dynamic shifts more
under our Aries Moon. She will receive assistance from Jupiter and
the Sun in Aquarius but will be in conflict with the bodies in
Capricorn (Saturn, Pluto) and the nodal axis on her way to meet up
with a conjunction to Mars and Uranus. Mercury in Aquarius sextiles
Uranus and then shifts into Pisces. It's actually a lot of forward
moving energy that can be used to achieve quite a bit in our personal
lives. But, that is going to be dependent on your ability to hold
yourself on point and target while disallowing whatever drama happens
to accompany it within the collective to usurp you. If you are over
and unconsciously knee-jerk reacting to the stuff happening “out
there” then this is going to be more difficult to manage. But, if
you can keep your eyes in your own lane and your actions/thoughts
fully under the umbrella of your own self control you can, indeed,
make a lot of progress. Some folks are gonna run off the rails. You
don't have to be one of those folks but do know it is going to take a
whole lot of steely self control in an effort to avoid following the
lemmings off the metaphorical cliff. Plus, regardless of your own
ability to self-control/direct, we are also going to want to be alert
to folks potentially going off the rails so we can get ourselves out
of the way.
Under the Aries Moon and the following
Moon in Taurus, it is Mars who is getting all the press as he meets
with Uranus under a Void Taurus Moon on 2/13 before entering Taurus
under an active Gemini Moon on Valentine's Day. But, from there,
Venus re-enters the picture as relevant once again. On 2/17 under a
Void Moon in Cancer, Venus in Capricorn sextiles Neptune in Pisces.
The fact that Moon is Void during this sextile is really kind of
irrelevant given prior to the Moon will make contact with the
involved bodies linking it all up early. On 2/16 the Moon will oppose
Venus, trine Neptune and then oppose Saturn throughout the meat of
the day. That's what the entirety of the 16th will be
about. It ends as the Moon goes Void in opposition to Pluto on the
night of 2/16. Then, it is followed up by Venus sextile Neptune and
the Moon conjunct the North Node.
On 2/18 after the Moon has entered Leo,
more activity springs forth in the form of the Sun in Aquarius
sextile her ruler at the 29th degree of Aries as Chiron
shifts into that sign leaving Pisces at 4:31 AM. Venus in Capricorn
meets Saturn by conjunction at 5:52 AM. The Sun, himself, enters
Pisces that evening as Mercury also finds Neptune late that night
(1:37 AM on 2/19). The Leo Moon is active throughout. She is not Void
until a trine with Uranus at 8:51 AM on 2/19. By then, the Moon is
fat and her next passage brings her into fullness from the sign of
Virgo. She enters there at 9:47 AM on 2/19 with that Full Moon
cresting at 10:54 AM the same day.
So much of this tells us that this
incoming lunar cycle has the potential to be rather dynamic.
Rightfully so as the ruler of the New Moon (Uranus in Aries) is a
very relevant player and is found sitting on that critical 29th
degree (which is a tedious and itchy place anyway) of Aries for the
duration. All planets will remain direct. That delivers to us a
chance to kick off/initiate a lot of projects we plan to work on for
the duration of the year. The time period sets our course trajectory
for the future. Much of the energy is geared to help us progress in
that direction. That is the perspective we need since much of what
happens in the public realm will attempt to drag us into potential
immediacy of response or, even, cause distraction. “Eyes forward
with a broad perspective” is the favored way of going about things.
Stay mindful and in the present but don't allow yourself to be
derailed in light of things you are really unable to do anything
about in the first place or that have nothing to do with your longer
term goals for the future. Stay focused on your true realm of
influence. That's the biggest push here. Remember how I said that
Aquarius has this cool and non-expressive crust forming in protection
over the the inner fire they are kindling? That's what we need to
keep in mind for ourselves. And, that fact leads us to our guide for
this lunation, the Three of Swords.
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| From Ciro Marchetti's Legacy of the Divine |
The Three of Swords is a card that no
one looks forward to receiving. It can be indicative of heart break,
triangulation in relationships, betrayal...not really fun stuff. I
can't say the edges soften very much when the card flips up as
advice, either. What the 3 is suggestive of is Venus to Saturn
energy. Looking at it from that perspective does help us to see how
it plays as relevant here especially given that Venus falls freshly
under Saturn rulership as this New Moon transpires. That much tells
us that the suggestion from this card is (boiled completely down) a
nudge toward accountability, healthy boundary and maturity in the
realms of money (or resources) and relationships. Additionally, 3's
are indicative of learning and it is through the 3 of Swords that the
heart instructs the mind. So, we are learning about things that may
be heart poking. Plus, the circumstances we encounter under this moon
phase could be uncomfortable as well as lean. We are learning how to
cope with feelings of being lonely and learning more fully about our
personal vulnerabilities. The ability to endure in times of perceived
lack of resource, pleasure, comfort,love and appreciation or delayed
gratification is also something that will likely be tested. Folks may
feel shut out of paradise to a degree be that due to businesses
having to close due weather (earnings decrease) or your flight is
canceled and thusly so is your vacation due some unforeseen thing. Of
course the feeling could also come forth merely due the post-ecliptic
and the losses endured there be that the loss of a loved one, a
relationship, a source of finance...whatever. Either way, this tender
territory to navigate and many are wounded which points us right back
to the weather of Aquarius and the timing of this Moon in the first
place.
It's a frozen tundra out there whether
literal or metaphoric. But, deep beneath that crust lies a tiny spark
of hope. Not only is Saturn the planet of restriction, he is also the
wall of boundary, direction and personal protection. Not only do we
need to dress in layers to protect our vulnerable human bodies from
the arctic temperatures, we also need to bundle up the boundaries
around our own hearts so that we can heal. As we step into this
crunchy, tedious, post-ecliptic Alien-to-us territory it is suggested
we do so after having first recognized our own vulnerabilities and
boundarying those wounds up from further attack or manipulation. We
could end up on the end of heartbreaker or heartbroken...maybe even
both. Either way, it's ouchy and uncomfortable out there. An
atmosphere that encourages us to build healthy coping mechanisms
which is on the agenda of our North Node in Cancer. Yet it is our
most lean times that we learn what kind of support system we truly
have. Don't wall folks out. But, do hold your “no” if you mean
it.
Of course the nuance of Venus/Saturn
echoes with Venus' transit into Capricorn. She can be used to usher
forth a long term plan for your heart and your resources. She can
endure more lean times because she knows that if she keeps to her
goals (savings plan, long term relationship) they won't last forever.
She has great integrity and healthy boundaries in relationships. At
times, it may seem as if she runs her heart and relationships as if
they were a business. Periodically reviewing them for their return on
investment and growth potential. This doesn't mean that she is cold
or uncaring. As as matter of fact, she is a very reliable friend and
independent but mutually supportive partner in relationship. Yet, she
maintains a sober view of the entire dynamic of relating. She is
looking for relationships that add quality to her life instead of
drain it from her. She is comfortable alone and willing to wait for
the “right” one instead of just falling head over heals for the
“next” one that comes along. She has a certain set of qualities
in folks she is looking for and expects the exchange to be mutually
beneficial. Because, that's how the business of her heart runs best.
So, in essence, we have a lot of energy
that can help us move forward under this Moon cycle. The only problem
with that is we are dealing with collective distraction and heart
break at the same time. We are encouraged to set our sites on the
long view and embark on plans that lead to more comfortable and
self-supportive end. We are encouraged to look for and pay homage to
that which deserves our appreciation even if the areas of
disappointment may seem as if they need more of our attention. It's a
time to boundary and ground ourselves in a healthy way as there will
be periods of collective angst and chaotic swirl putting us at risk
of being “sucked” in and distracted. At the same time, we are not
the only one's suffering the impact of the post-ecliptic. Others are
tender too and we need to maintain empathy in that instance while
still allowing our own selves to heal as well. Again, a nudge toward
healthy boundary when in relation with others. It's not soft and
cuddly, really. But, that doesn't mean we have to turn cold. It
certainly is an indication to boundary up for protection and to
adhere to long term goals. It is also a time to learn to sit with
discomfort, loneliness, loss and heartbreak while attempting to build
stronger coping mechanisms. This is a time to learn what it is these
things may teach us.
There is also a chance to set year long
Lunar intentions at this New Moon. It occurs the day before the Lunar
New Year and just as the Solar New Year is used to set goals or
declare “Solar” themed ambitions, this Lunar New Year can be used
to set emotional development intentions. This means if you have
specific emotional areas of vulnerability or what have you, you set
forth intention to strengthen in these areas over the course of the
next year. This can also involve intentions that revolve around the
concepts of family, home, diet as well as basic emotional health.
Plus, with Mars in square to Pluto, it's a great space to set
intention to deal with phobias and/or fears. Given that this Moon
hints at some rather ouchy personal circumstances, it would also not
be a bad idea to look at our personal emotional health care routine
and see how we may feather it a bit. It is great energy for
initiatives that better support your physical health too. The better
you are at dealing with your emotional body the more able you will be
to monopolize on the forward moving energy at hand. And, you
know...moving forward is important. Progress and goal
setting/tending...equally important. But, in order for that to go
well? We, first, must deal with the softer parts of ourselves. As the
Aquarius presents a protective crust. As the crab wears a protective
shell. Tend to your inner spark and nurse your vulnerabilities first
while giving other folks plenty of room to do the same.
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