New Moon in Aquarius 21st January 20:53 (GMT)
Full Moon in Leo 5th February
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change” – Einstein
We stand in the ballroom, drinks in hand, waiting for her entrance. There is a swishing sound – cloth over cloth – as she approaches the door and the muffled murmur of excited voices begins. The first New Moon of 2023 enters the ballroom, a grand and beautiful lady, surrounded by movement and drama, dressed in black and purple velvet. She trails a conjunct Pluto behind her. He’s small, dynamic and obviously powerful, dressed also in black. Together, they are a formidably potent opportunity for new and transformative beginnings. The air quivers with anticipation and excitement.
The New Moon in Aquarius is trine Mars and sextile Jupiter. She is a Drama Queen extraordinaire! She impresses everyone with her charisma and shining vitality. Obviously there will be no lack of action with her in the room. Any lingering post-Christmas lethargy flees rapidly like a trail of smoke to the fireplace and vanishes up the chimney. We see ourselves mirrored back in the luminescence of her energy. We ponder who we are and, even, what our role is in life. How can we match up to this individual? Mercury, direct in Capricorn (18th), had a word with her before she entered. She is clear about her mission. We recognise the fresh ‘difference’ of her energy and how she changes the ambiance of the room. We sense that massive change is about to happen and covertly watch her every move. This could be fun – even frightening. It will definitely be intriguing and will surely bring some chaos.
This New Moon in Aquarius is the perfect emissary for the next two years before Pluto finally moves into Aquarius at the end of 2024. We are being primed for rapid successions of change. The new atmosphere/flavour/sound will spread quickly, like scented vapour, throughout the world, changing attitudes and perceptions for ever. This year marks the true beginning of transformation from Pluto in Capricorn into Pluto in Aquarius. Our concepts of ‘power’ are likely to change completely. Capricorn is an old-fashioned, all powerful and traditional dictator with ‘speak when you are spoken to’ attitude. Aquarius Pluto will bring more laid back power concepts – younger, fresher, innovative and more decentralised leadership power style based on equality and fairness is his ambition. In March, Pluto takes a step into Aquarius, gently – or not – giving us a taste of what is to come. Saturn approaches Pisces too (March), within which structures will function with a sense of more spirituality, nevertheless keeping us grounded. The Aquarius New Moon heralds the nature of new beginnings.
Aquarius is an Air sign, ruled by Uranus and Fixed in quality. He is innovative, a thinker and a rebel, his awareness extending way beyond his own boundaries. He rules new scientific innovation, alternative thinking, community awareness and inner and outer space. He is concerned with the environment and humanity as a whole. He can float on air currents like an eagle, viewing ‘the broader picture’. He is detached and free and yet can be stubborn about moving and shifting until he is ‘sure and ready’. There’s an innate contradiction in the energy: will it manifest as fierce rebellion or stubborn overthinking and pedantic lack of action – or both? When a planet first enters a sign, its characteristics are intensified. The New Moon will have metaphorically one toe in Aquarius (01:32˚). Uranus encourages big changes and Chiron square Mercury encourages the disadvantaged to speak up and to clearly state their case. Venus conjunct Saturn in Aquarius encourages fairness and restructure with an eye to rebalance and equalisation – and the New Moon, Pluto, Mars and Jupiter are working together with ‘soft’ and powerful aspects between them, forming a formidable ‘A’ team to lead us into a new future.
Jupiter is moving quickly through Aries, sparking off expansive and explosive events throughout the world and also in our personal lives. Jupiter brings positivity, joy and abundance – but obviously there’s a potentially negative side to rapid growth in that ideas can be blown out of proportion or get out of control. During this Lunar Moonth, the rest of the year and beyond, new ideas are likely to bring great joy but could also create overblown, unrealistic hopes that might lead to disappointment. All planets in our solar system will be moving direct from the end of January through most of April. The juggernaut moves for a while relentlessly forwards.
While we adjust to this new energy it’s a good idea to practise ways to keep our own feet firmly on the ground within what might be a maelstrom of activity. We have the power to create our own autonomy, and even though it would be easy to feel overwhelmed by what might be happening around us, we have a chance to develop our own brand of stability, finding ways to stay centred within this storm of potential activity and emotions. We focus on Truth and Love, formulating firm, airtight intentions that help us to adjust to potential cyclonic energy bombs falling around us!
As we enter a potential ‘storm season’, we exercise care in our preparations and plans for this Lunar Moonth! Here are some suggestions for focus as we form our wishes and intentions, remembering that emotional preparation is as important as practical plans!
Suggested Meditation:
As the dynamic changes and shifts in energy start to flow around you, breath deeply into your heart centre and create a peaceful, calm and loving imaginary space that you can return to during the Lunar Moonth to come – and beyond. We manifest an inner virtual space which is filled with love and equilibrium. What does this personal space look and feel like? What objects, colours, textures, scents and sounds will help you retain your individual inner state of calm? Take time to make this as perfect as possible.
From this Heart Centre:
Over the next two years, we’ll be on a (virtual) train journey into new territory. While Pluto was in Capricorn, we travelled through familiar, traditional landscapes and we passed cities that contained old and familiar sights. We saw traditional structures and walls separating one building from another. Now the view will begin to change. We hear loud noises of demolition as we pass. We see ruined buildings, less walls – and billboards announcing new estates, environmental initiatives and conservation sites. We may feel disturbed by the changes but – after the train stops at the New Moon Aquarius station (“Gateway to the New World”), we might begin to enjoy seeing innovative constructions that we’ve never seen before. They look futuristic – and some might house new research and initiatives for the future. As our train gets further away from Capricorn familiarity and closer to ‘Aquarius-Land’, we will watch in amazement as old structures fade into obscurity and incredible new landscapes and communities start to grow into reality. As leviathan Pluto shifts heavily closer to Aquarius, the approaching changes will become more difficult to ignore. Nothing really changes without a lot of noise! We will adjust!
Aquarius energy brings increased consciousness of individual autonomy, mutual nurture and the necessity of communal cohesion. We develop more awareness of the importance of emotional and mental health in order that physical needs can be sustained. We will hopefully move towards a humanity that is healthier and more balanced, holistic and decentralised within its structural paradigms. This is a special moment in time where we have an opportunity to take stock and take deep breaths as we re-consider, re-group and re-balance ourselves before we can welcome the future. We are becoming more aware of being part of one Humanity, one World, one Universe and one Life force. Uranus, stationary direct on 22nd, encourages us to take the time for our reconsiderations before we leap forward. By the end of this Lunar Moonth, we might understand our purpose a little better.
“One of the hardest things to do in life is letting go of what you thought was real.” Anonymous
Jaki Miles-Windmill D.F.Astrol,S
www.starshineastrology.com
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