New Moon in Pisces: Shiver Me Timbers

Dreaming of Pomegranates, Felice Casorati

New Moon in Pisces
March 1, 2014
3:00 am EST / 8:00 am GMT

We're in a time of dreams and while some may not be "good" ones, they all offer hope and healing. That's what needs to be said about the soon-to-arrive New Moon in Pisces, and if I were really cool like that I'd stop now and sail away ...

... but Mercury is implicated. As I write, the Moon and Mercury are conjunct in Aquarius, as Mercury slows, to stop, to turn back forward. (Back forward? Do I mean that? Well, I do, actually. A good subtitle for this New Moon is: The Myth of Straight Forward.)

Mercury does direct tomorrow. (Brief pause for cheers from everyone experiencing communications and technology issues.) You know, there's so much hoopla about what Mercury does, we forget all the planets are dancing in loopy circles. So as an aide-mémoire, allow me to mention that both Mars and Saturn are turning retrograde right after the New Moon.

Yes, we're trading one direct Mercury for two retrogrades, in Mars and Saturn. Well, a few days later, Jupiter turns direct, so maybe it's more like two-for-two, but you see me point, right? It's not about getting everyone lined up and heading in the same direction. That's not even on the menu. It's about learning to dance in the rain, wind, sunshine, and whatever ever else shows up.

At this New Moon, the paired luminaries are nestled between Neptune and Chiron. If you want to press reset buttons in areas of dreams, visions, lyricism, contemplation, spirituality, poetry, imagery, deep healing, empathy, and swimming, this would be the opportune moment.

If you need to ask for healing in areas of distraction, addiction, magical thinking (the not-so-good kind), sensitivity (as in, too much), and believing you need to sacrifice everything you are to help others, this New Moon is also really good for that.

The thing is, though, parts of this New Moon will be happening offstage and outside our conscious awareness. The New Moon is dark for a reason: We cannot see what's happening inside the chrysalis, inside the seed, inside the egg, without destroying the outcome.

This New Moon features a transformation T-square in which Jupiter retrograde in Cancer opposes Pluto in Capricorn while Uranus squares them both. The forces of tradition, the way things have been, the way we assume they would always be, are undergoing radically profound and surprising changes. 

Likewise, Venus in Capricorn is squaring the Nodes of the Moon in Taurus and Scorpio. She's pushing us to find a balance––a pragmatic, workable balance––between inner and outer, body and soul, the apparent and the hidden.

We're wrapped up in a package of who we think we are, who everyone else thinks we are, who we could be maybe someday, and lots of other selves. The question now, leading into this New Moon, is, how much can we let go of agendas and plans and lists and ... and ... and watch what wants to be born. 

I know, it's all very metaphysical. This New Moon is like that, though. Even the most hard-headed among us may be drawn to the beauty of a sunset, or caught in a memory. It's OK. Just go with it.
    

Falling, then Flying: The Waning Moon

flying free

Disseminating Moon in Libra
February 18, 2014
6:41 pm EST / 11:41 pm GMT

Last Quarter Moon in Sagittarius
February 22, 2014
12:15 pm EST / 5:15 pm GMT

Balsamic Moon in Capricorn
February 25, 2014, 9:41 pm EST
February 26, 2014, 2:41 am GMT

Mercury Stations Direct
February 28, 2014
9:00 am EST /  2:00 pm GMT

New Moon in Pisces
March 1, 2014
3:00 am EST / 8:00 am GMT

The burst of creative passion released at the Leo Full Moon turned out to be brighter and less explosive than I feared––I hope the same was true for you. Since then, we've moved into the waning phase of sharing, releasing our creations into the world. With tomorrow's Last Quarter Moon, the Sun–Moon square, we shift into the winnowing time.

We're looking around at a new landscape now. There've been losses, significant and surprising. Changes still come quickly, in the weather if nowhere else. At times we turn a familiar corner and a whole new landscape unrolls before us. Tricky to navigate.

The Sun's in misty, magical Pisces now. (See Blue Moon Astrology's post for a great overview.) Landmarks shift and transmute. Mercury Retrograde adds his own mischief to the mix, not above changing signposts just for a laugh.

(As a small example, my blogging was delayed this morning when I suddenly looked at all the charts I'd created and thought the time zone was wrong. Impatiently, I deleted them all and emptied the trash, then realized they'd been right ... too late. I had to create then all again!)

So, how do we move through this time?

... Easily, dreamily, intuitively, and creatively. We've been invited to step off into thin air, only to find we are held and supported. Then we discover we have wings.

The Disseminating Moon in creative, charming Libra set the stage. The passion of the Full Moon became something more lyrical. Mars in Libra aligns with the North Node in Scorpio, promising depth and beauty if we do the work. That Moon celebrated the Sun's arrival in Pisces, a time of big dreams.

Tomorrow's Last Quarter Moon in Sagittarius pushes us to spread our magical wings. Squaring the Sun and Neptune in Pisces, the Moon opens the window and say, Look out! Try it! Pallas Athena in Virgo turns this square into a T-square, giving just enough caution and care to keep us from falling too deep.

The Balsamic Moon of February 25 is conjunct Venus in Capricorn, aligning dreams, creative vision, and careful, persistent work. Yes, this Moon says, you can do it.

Balsamic Moons bring us into the dark before the next New Moon, and often carry feelings of nostalgia, loss and regret. This time around, the sky seems to promise reward rather than sacrifice––Just enough glimmer of the magic ahead so we're ready to let go of what we don't need, gently and easily.

But wait––a Capricorn Moon gentle and easy? How can that be? Yet Moon and Venus together can hardly be harsh, no matter what their sign, and the Sun–Neptune–Chiron conjunction in Pisces offer great support for intuitive guidance, magic, and dreaming.

This combination holds the potential––almost the promise––of giving us the strength to move past blocks and barriers, and feel ready to trust in what lies ahead.

And look! Mercury stations direct just a few days later, another burst of brightness in a dark Moon time. When Mercury stops in Aquarius to turn forward, the Moon is also in Aquarius, in the final, strongest degree, flowing energy with Mars and Vesta in Libra, and the North Node and Ceres as well. There's much creative energy here if we (you'll pardon the expression ...) go with the flow.

The coming New Moon will be in Pisces, flowing with Neptune, Chiron and forming a bridge of sorts between Uranus and Pluto. I'll say more about the New Moon later; for now, know we'll be spreading our wings in amazing new ways at that time.

If it feels like we're falling at times, it's because we are ... falling into a new way of being, of experiencing our lives. But it's not freefall, or doesn't need to be. We have wings, bright shiny ones we (maybe) haven't even tried yet. During this waning Moon cycle, we gently let go of our old familiar perch. We find the cage door magically open. With more eagerness for what's ahead, than regret at what's behind, we flex our wings and fly.
    

Full Moon in Leo: Center Stage!

Full in bloom!

Full Moon in Leo
February 14, 2014
6:53 pm EST / 11:53 pm GMT


Oh, the Full Moon in Leo! In any year, this is the Full Moon illuminating our passions, creativity, and personal expression. Are we living from the heart? Are we courageous where we need to be? Can we take the lead? And ... can we be playful, living in the moment, alive in the juiciest way possible?

This year's Full Moon falls toward the end of Leo, 26 degrees, with the Sun at 26 Aquarius. See where that falls in your birth chart, as that area of life will be highlighted.

And ... hmmm ... look there by the Sun. Mercury Retrograde is conjunct the Sun, opposing the Full Moon. And, wow, there's Saturn in Scorpio squaring Sun, Mercury and Moon, turning this Full Moon into a challenging T-Square.

So, bring up the spotlights, get ready for your moment in center stage––and keep a weather eye out because it could be a bumpy night.

IF we are in our hearts, allowing this Mercury retrograde to bring us into inner, reflective spaces. IF we've been traveling with Saturn in Scorpio, finding the rough spots, working through deep issues, willing to learning. IF we've been open to transformation (for Pluto and Uranus and Venus are also in this Full Moon picture) ...

THEN this Full Moon can feel like a big, fat red rose bursting open, gorgeous to see, redolent with beautiful rose for the nose, full of creative possibilities. Oh! we might say, that's me!

On the other hand, this Full Moon does carry the potential for miscommunication (Mercury Rx) especially involving groups or technology (in Aquarius) that leads to hurt feelings and drama (Full Moon in Leo).

With Saturn in Scorpio squaring, issues could arise around the difference between what we thought was going on and what's really going on. Or, perhaps, something from the past we've not completely worked through could reappear (maybe in a new guise).

Since tomorrow is also Valentine's Day, which, whether you're celebrating, avoiding, or ignoring, gets us thinking about where we are in the realms of love, the call to stay in the moment, listen carefully, and communicate clearly, and remain compassionate and kind is there.

It's all about transformation, the signature energy of our time. The message there could not be more clear: A second T-Square has Uranus the revolutionary squaring Pluto and Venus in Capricorn, and Jupiter retrograde in Cancer.

We are deep into processes of assessing old relationships of all kinds, choosing to take (or having to take) hard looks at what's working, what's not working, and what needs to happen. Venus in Capricorn can be very pragmatic––willing to work hard, there for the long haul, but at some point, ready to say, look, this isn't going anywhere.

Pluto and Uranus are ALL about our need to change, and Jupiter in Cancer is highlighting our needs for security and nurturing. Uranus is there to push, prod, and sometimes light a fire: The past is fine as far as it goes, he says, but look at what's happening NOW. Shifts happen.

We're not without resources here. Mars in Libra trines the Sun and sextiles the Full Moon. He's ready to act, and brings charm, diplomacy, and skills at finding the win-win to the table. And these are good energies, overall; they really are. There's a lot of power flowing with this Full Moon.

The challenge will be to stay with the heart, stay with what we're truly passionate about, avoid shifting into places of hurt and misunderstanding, and being open, open, open to creativity and passion. It's going to be an amazing show. I can't wait for the curtain to rise...