Photo: Bruce Lhuillier
The Sun is in Aries, the Warrior King. The Sun likes to be in this sign of spring energy. He shines well from Aries, and it’s not surprising that this is the full Moon, which marks Easter and Passover, holidays of rebirth which take place after containment and suffering. The symbol for Aries is the Ram’s horns. This is a full Moon often associated with war as we have seen over the last days. We entered the war with Iraq (March 20, 2003) just as the Sun entered Aries at the time of the full Moon. But that war energy can always be transformed into other more constructive forms of life energy, if we have the patience and consciousness.
The Sun is jostled and pressured by Eris and Uranus, or Chaos and Revolution. They are a potent combination for a shake up, both collective and personal. Like clay and bread dough, our Sun is everywhere being pummeled, kneaded, wedged into new shapes.
‘There is no place where those striving after consciousness could find absolute safety. Doubt and insecurity are indispensible components of a complete life.’ (Carl Jung)
Photo: Bruce Lhuillier
Like this much-weathered bit of wood, the forces at work on the Sun, and so our consciousness are many. Yet this is the basis for new life forms like the moss to flourish.
Uranus is not the only revolutionary in the chart of the full Moon. Pluto, the Lord of the Underworld, is in a square to this spring time Sun. He turns over the soil to expose what is buried beneath, because that is where his kingdom is located. Pluto doesn’t let us forget what we can’t see or would rather not see. Bugs and grubs are probably feasting on this log where it still has moisture and life. The waves and tides of what shaped the bones of a living tree remain in a beautiful design.
‘A complete life does not consist in a theoretical completeness, but in the fact that one accepts, without reservation, the particular fatal issue in which one finds oneself embedded, and that one tries to make sense of it or to create a cosmos from the chaotic mess into which one is born.’ (Carl Jung)
Photo: Robert Fuhro
Venus, traveling in reverse is feeling the power of Saturn. These two are often in conflict and many stories tell the repressive power of Saturn (patriarchy) upon Venus. Yet the signs of these two planets might tell of another story, perhaps the basis for Merlin and Nimue. Each taught the other their style of magic, which gave immortality to both.
Saturn in Sagittarius is the wise philosopher. Venus in Pisces so very close the Chiron the healer, might actually be an expression of love at a higher level of expression. Pisces and Sagittarius are in charge of universal love, a steadfast love that exists from one lifetime to another, but always in a different form.
Photo: Bruce Lhuillier
This is the season when the Maiden, Persephone returns from Pluto’s kingdom in the Underworld. Held captive by the Lord of Darkness, she is now Queen of the Dead, except when she returns to greet her mother the Earth.
Aphrodite Sarah Fuhro
In the core of our apple,
we call the planet earth,
dwells the great polestar
of the underworld-
Lord of Change,
Transformer eternal,
Hades himself.
With each breath
he draws into his lungs
the Universe is born anew.
His trumpet voice penetrates
where justice has been forgotten.
Hades alone has the key
to every rusted lock.
Why then,
did Lady Aphrodite,
bright and beautiful
among all the gods,
so lightly appoint
dark scowling Hades
for the maiden,
Persephone–to be her
chosen spouse?
Whoever has walked
across a freshly plowed
field at twilight
and raised loving eyes
to see the crescent
Moon adorned
by the evening star,
you are entering
the drama which
has no beginning
and knows no end.
Once more the Maiden
returns pure and slender
to be gathered like wheat
in the brown arms
of her grieving mother.
Once more we are freed
from the dark shelter
of womb and grave,
because the Maiden has
risen to embrace and dance
upon the greening earth.
Photo: Bruce Lhuillier
But what of this full Moon in Libra? She is more than a reflection of the beleaguered Sun in Aries. She watches with Jupiter from across the chart and across the sky. If the sky is clear they will be visible as they travel together the next few days.
Photo: Bruce Lhuiller
Jupiter like the Lady Venus is also in retrograde. He went retrograde in February opposite those two change agents, Uranus and Eris, who at this full Moon nestle up to the Aries Sun. Jupiter in Libra, ‘Cosmic Optimism’ for the besieged Aries Sun has kept some balance in a world of uncertainty. But now the Moon must hold that balance.
Photo: Bruce Lhuillier
The Moon is the point of an astrological pattern called a Yod or Finger of God. Creating the energy for this Yod are the Venus/Chiron combination and Mars and Demeter in Taurus. This powerful combination of Venus in conjunction with the healer, Chiron and Mars in partnership with the earth mother, has the potential for a very focused ritual of Earth love and healing.
Photo: Robert Fuhro
The Sabian Symbol for this lovely Libra Moon is: ‘A child giving birds a drink at a fountain.’
It seems like a perfect combination with the Symbol for the Sun in Aries: ‘The gate to the Garden of all fulfilled desires. Abundance made possible by human togetherness and cooperation. Cosmic optimism.’
Photo: Bruce Lhuillier
With each turn of the cosmic sky we have the opportunity to enter a new gate, and discover new worlds of possibility!
At Chanukah there is the potential to connect to our inner light. Darkness gives us that opportunity to know our own brightness.
Is your interior a place of sun lit domesticity? Is Apollo your god, or do you acknowledge another deity? Uranus and Jupiter, are in opposition. Life is blessed by Jupiter, but jolted out of peaceful order by Uranus. When these two interact, as they do at this new Moon, you can expect: sudden and surprising news. Jupiter’s famous thunderbolts combine with the electric excitement of Uranus. It’s a great combination for a new Moon at a NewYear. You know you must take an entirely different course in life, to dare and dream in new ways, perhaps secure in the good foundation you have built over the past year.
But for these few days around the New Moon, it’s difficult to materialize the Jupiter Uranus drive because Mars, who is energy and vitality is about to mix with Neptune, the dreamer, the illusion maker, the oceanic blend. Mars and Neptune are in the same degree with Moon and Sun. The new Moon is always a great time to begin a new project, but plans sparked by Jupiter and Uranus will have to meditate, or marinate for a few days. The angry energy of Mars may soften into a spiritual force, instead of an explosive fury. Listen to your dreams (Neptune) as they speak through Mercury.
The serpent is part of the symbol of healing as we see in the Two of Cups. It is a reflection of our nervous system and way it wraps around the spine. But healing can only happen when there is balance. This morning a quote in French arrived in my email. The quote was by Dr. Edward Bach, the English physician who developed flower essence therapy. I was startled because it seemed so much in tune with this full Moon chart. ‘La santé dépend de notre état d’harmonie avec notre âme.’ (Health depends upon upon our harmony with our soul.)
suggests both imagination (Neptune) and focused effort (Saturn) are involved. And then there is love, and with Venus in the sign of balance, Libra, we can take what we have learned from pain (Chiron and the Moon) and transform it through our own creativity and love. This Venus is opposite the energized combination of Uranus and Eris. We must heal our own way, despite what may feel like chaos.
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, West in South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica will see this lunar eclipse. But we all know its power to make us feel wounded and vulnerable (Pisces Moon) and powerfully healed (Virgo Sun). The Virgo Pisces Lunar Nodes are found in the charts of many healers, Dr. Bach was one of them. He gave up a powerful practice and reputation to go into the countryside and developed the healing power of flowers, something simple and available to the poor folk of depression eara Britain. He believed all illness began at the etheric (emotional) level, and must be healed through the soul power of flowers and sunshine.
Like the sphinx we are heart and head, lion and lady.
Virgo and Neptune in Pisces. Virgo is deeply concerned with the health of the body, and most especially digestion and nervous systems. This is a good time to care for and honor the reality of our physical needs. Virgo energy is focused on carefully choosing what will be kept from the harvest for eating now, for winter storage and for spring seeds. This is a matter of life and death in an indigenous society. How we eat, what we store in our body, and how we value our physical health are all Virgo concerns.
nce it through dreams and waking imagery, but we must be willing to listen and honor the message. Our culture is so bombarded with messages that we can lose track of any kind of inner dialogue. During an eclipse, with neither Sun nor Moon to guide us, we will have to be our own guide, our shining light. Our self acceptance has to be developed to lead the way in dark places. This is especially true because Mars and Saturn hold the reins on the opposition between Sun/Moon and Neptune and the Lunar nodes. With no inner guidance fear and anxiety take over at this time. But if we are self aware, we can use the energy of these two ‘malefics’ to carry us into new and powerful experiences.
A new Moon involves a meeting between the Sun and Moon, and begins a new cycle of association between the two luminaries of our sky. Whatever our personal story, they represent cosmic ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’ and their relationship is a monthly journey we all take together.
is palpable. The planets are in a tight square between Sun, Moon and Venus in Gemini, opposite Saturn in Sagittarius, in square to Neptune in Pisces, opposite Jupiter in Virgo. This gives full Moon tension and excitement to a new Moon moment. These four signs, Gemini, Sagittarius, Pisces and Virgo are called ‘mutable.’ They are open to possibility. The planets involved carry a message about love with many possible expressions and facets.
Earth based spirituality is symbolized in the equal armed cross with the four elements and the four directions acknowledged and called upon for their particular gifts. This chart like every moment has all twelve signs in the four elements. This particular moment, a time of new beginnings contains this powerful cross within the circle of the ecliptic.
Aquarius is a constellation in the zodiac with two ‘rulers, ‘ Saturn and Uranus. Both are very active in this chart. Rulers give a clue as to the nature of the energy for the signs. Aquarius has a Saturnic, i.e., manifesting talent, but unlike the previous sign, Capricorn, also ‘ruled’ by Saturn, Aquarius is more likely to create something in a new way or new realm. Saturn, as ruler of Aquarius is influenced by the quirky and revolutionary nature of Uranus. He’s not his Capricorn solid and traditional self. It’s as true with planets as it is with humans that our companions change our rhythms viewpoint.
The IX of Wands has a picture of this state of affairs. This man
has successfully fought off all attacks and has neatly arranged the trophies of his victories in a protective wall around him. Yet the protective wands keep out friends as well as enemies. He is waiting for the next attack, rather than looking for new possibilities. He might need to add some of the hospitable warmth of the IX of Cups to his expectations. Maybe we could all learn to forget the source of our bruises and focus on generosity at this new Moon.
Uranus is also making a friendly sextile to Sun and Moon. This means Saturn and Uranus, the planetary rulers of Aquarius are in trine; they share the Fire element, but express it quite differently. Fire from the Jungian point of view is the element of intuition. It jumps from place to place, and cannot be contained.
