Aries Solar Eclipse 20th April 2023
New Moon in Aries 20th April 05:12 Solar Eclipse 05:16
Full Moon in Scorpio 5th May
“Shock is still fun. I will never shut the door on it.” Nicholas Cage
The second Aries New Moon (conjunct the North Node) forms part of a T square opposite the South Node and square Pluto in Aquarius. A Total Solar Eclipse occurs with it. Four hours later, the Sun moves from Aries (symbolised by ‘the Ram’) into Taurus (the ‘Bull’). Shift, reboot and start again! Fun and games are on their way. This is very powerful. The New Moon in Aries, Total Eclipse and the Ingress of the Sun and Moon into Taurus are all within hours of each other. In addition, there is a dominating T square in the sky involving the Nodes and Pluto which will mess with our emotions almost like a motivator employed to throw a firework into our global midst to shake us up and to force us to change our habits and move on. Intense drama is bound to follow! How can we best use this powerful, shocking opportunity for a new beginning?
This is extreme energy, from which positive outcomes are more likely to come with careful thought and integrity. We may feel the urge to spontaneously move forward in an impulsive, Aries way without much thought! However, on the 21st, Mercury turns retrograde just a day after the New Moon which will make us pause as communications become complicated! All the astrological factors involved within this Lunar moonth are contributing to this unusually powerful opportunity for a new beginning – but we might sense that we still need space to think about the best way forward. Thank you, Mercury! He turns direct again on 15th May. If we didn’t understand the insights and attitudes we were offered on the last Aries New Moon on the 21st March, we are being presented with a second dose of Aries energy in the powerful last few hours of the sign on 20th April. The Cosmos underlines the intensity of the energy with a Grand Finale explosion of multi-coloured fireworks – a total Solar Eclipse thrown in for good measure.
An Aries Moon, closely square Pluto could bring on disasters that have been ‘waiting to happen’. We should gird our loins to expect the unexpected. There will be no way of avoiding the possible magnitude of events that could occur at this significant astrological moment. Pent up energy needs release. Pluto, newly in the Air sign of Aquarius, will inevitably burst any over-filled balloons of tension, being in such a challenging square with the Aries New Moon/Eclipse. Armed with this knowledge, we can prepare for shocks which might help us cope with ‘shell shock’ like after-effects. Incidents are likely to surprise on both global and personal levels. Build-ups of tension concerning earth faults could suddenly shift causing volcanic or earthquake activity, tense relationships between countries and opposing people could reach crisis points and personally, we could experience unexpected emotional outbursts and confusions in areas of our lives we might have thought were under control.
Added to this, the squares between the Nodal axis points and Pluto (T Square) will put focus on the opposing tensions between present and future structural paradigms – and the champions of each. Need-for-change-Pluto will take no prisoners. He is determined to move us into an Aquarian ‘new future’ and will create events that force us to either resolve issues or lose parts of our lives that we thought were secure and constant. We will be compelled to cope, understand, learn and move on – or fail. Sudden new technologies are likely to challenge, more Truths will emerge and changing realities will force themselves into our consciousnesses. (On a personal level, this energy will be most active according to where the T square occurs in our natal charts.)
Fiery, determined and courageous Aries energy has been present since the Sun entered Aries on 20th March and, even though he exits Aries four hours after the New Moon/Solar Eclipse and slides bombastically into earthy, fixed, Venus-ruled Taurus, he nevertheless still has influence. The fiery energy of Aries must co-exist with earthy Taurus throughout the approaching Lunar moonth, bringing sparks of energy to her mission to focus us on the quality of our lives, what we need and the health of the environment. Taurus is a fixed, Earth sign. She is the cow in the field, slowly and steadily digesting grass and enjoying the stillness of her environment. In effect, Aries energy can help galvanise our awareness of the importance of nurture, nature, family and our need for peace and balance.
The New Moon is conjunct Jupiter in Aries, adding to the expansive nature of this New Moon – and vitally contributing a keener awareness of the importance of justice and philosophical thought. Jupiter brings showers of stardust and ‘luck’ to the world and a sense of benevolence to resolutions. At New Moon, Jupiter is also conjunct Chiron in Aries, focussing on victims and the oppressed. How can justice be restored – or perhaps fairness be reinvented? Chiron square Mars in Cancer brings challenging opportunities to ‘heal the world’ by increasing our awareness of the importance of empathy and compassion.
Mercury, conjunct Uranus in Taurus and sextile Mars, brings increased energy for communication on all levels, outbreaks of rebellion against unfair practices – and a change in the quality of communications. Retrograde Mercury (next day) will refuse to let unfinished matters lie, quite prepared to ‘go over old ground’ and to slow life down, forcing a re-examination of duplicitous communications until he turns direct again! Solutions that focus on human movement and the distribution of wealth and essential commodities could become more innovative. The growing gap between rich and poor, the ‘haves and have nots’, rattles cages on both sides of the political abyss and hidden corruption becomes increasingly and undeniably ‘on show’. Selfishness is less easy to hide and the demand for transparency increases.
Saturn in Pisces, (trine South Node/sextile North Node), continues to morph our attitudes towards responsibility, structure and authority as he continues on his journey to meet Neptune. Concepts and structures are inevitably becoming less ‘earth bound’ at this time and more in tune with our individual responsibilities towards the collective – developing more awareness of the ‘higher purpose’ of our existence. Native American teaching sometimes references the ‘broken Sacred Hoop’ – the idea that the physical and spiritual parts of our lives have become separated from each other. We need to heal the Sacred Hoop if we are to advance positively and holistically into the future.
This is a wonderful opportunity to make new beginnings. As we form our visions, intentions and wishes in preparation for the powerful, uncertain, and intense Lunar Month ahead, here are some suggestions:
Visualisation: In a quiet place, focussing on a candle flame, imagine a hoop of light that is suspended in two distinct halves in front of you. Imagine the top half as spirit and the lower half as the physical world, where we exist as matter. Visualise mending the hoop in any way you want – glue, string, the power of your mind. Now imagine that you can see Light energy moving easily in a clockwise direction around the hoop. This could be the energy of the world and we might be healing the sacred hoop together!
Consider these suggestions:
- What can you practise in order to become more fully aware of the quality of your own truth and integrity? (eg. state 3 basic beliefs you have about yourself – and then question your answers!) How could you work on any insights during this Lunar moonth?
- Do you feel fully responsible for yourself, in your interactions with other people and towards the environment around you? What intentions and wishes can you make to adjust your sense of integrity in your daily routines?
- What intentions can you make for the coming Lunar moonth that will reflect your respect, concern and compassion for others and for the Earth?
“No one owns the water, no one owns the land,
No one owns the oceans, no one owns the sand,
These are given by our Mother, the planet provides for free
Only by the hands of the greedy, does the Earth require a fee.”
Poet Christopher (Native American)
Jaki Miles-Windmill D.F.Astrol,S
www.starshineastrology.com
