Hello friends and clients! I am writing my take on what is going on with planets and their messages on the day of a New Moon and Chinese New Year. There are two aspects of these I have chosen to highlight.
This Chinese year of the water snake has a very different atmosphere to last year’s dragon year. It is more subtle and flexible and encourages us to psychologically shed skins – as snakes do physically. To me it feels linked with finding new pathways with greater ease and seeing the beauty under our noses as we go along. The flip side of this is to not get too entranced by the appearance of things and their opportunities and then blame life for the delusion! With anxieties /paralysis re money and security we can easily neglect the Free beauty in our lives. It is under our noses and in what we touch and create in small and precious ways.
The Aquarius New Moon today is quite a special one as it is free of major aspects to the planets and stands alone in its message for the month ahead. It can highlight feelings of loneliness and, uncomfortable though that is, we get the opportunity to be with ourselves more and explore. With both the Sun and Moon in Aquarius we are encouraged to understand the meaning of freedom for ourselves. One could of course write a book about what freedom is but as it means different things to each one of us and this New Moon asks us to keep things simple, in these coming days you might like to get clarity on your relationship with freedom and its possibilities. To be curious and free of the prisons we collect inside us which seem to hold us back from scary changes, is an interesting conversation we can have with ourselves.
Aquarius mythology from star lore is directly entwined with the ‘Forerunner’ archetype. We all have that in us in some way and seeing the bigger picture now as well as seeing with clearer eyes what is under our noses can energise us at a time when things can feel stuck and uneasy materially. To honour the expectancy of the unknown and rely on internal cues rather than external pressure and habit is liberating. Also to know no one can damage our inner freedom unless we allow it.
Astronomically until 2016 we are living through a challenging angle – quadrant – between Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) and Pluto. Uranus is the sky god and Pluto is the god of the underworld and the unseen in mythology. Uranus wants change and disrupts unexpectedly when we are stuck and won’t grow! It rules earthquakes. Pluto dis-members in order to re-member and represents our fear of endings. It rules volcanoes. The 90 degree aspect between them creates tension and forces decision. It is not an angle found in nature and is uncomfortable. Something has to give. The feeling of unpredictability and chaos which seems almost a common theme nowadays in the world, can make us edgy and we all know when we get edgy we step back from the edge or distract ourselves! Allowing ourselves to take risks when necessary from an inner balanced place can serve us.
So, yes at this time and in the coming few years, we are faced globally and personally with decisions we can no longer put off and even if they are not perfect, give us a sense of relief once made. We realise we had been living with too much tension up till then. Sensing the birthright of our inner freedom and its autonomy these decisions come more easily than in the past and are born not out of fear, or the ‘hoping things go away’ if we ignore them or put off for another day but by thinking outside the box and knowing there is always a solution! Einstein in his writings wrote about that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same result…
Talking of angles between planets – difficult and easy ones – let me turn your attention to an easy one! There is a rather lovely trine – 120 degrees – in the element of water, between Saturn and Neptune now and into the autumn of this year. Saturn in Scorpio ( and Scorpio is ruled by hidden Pluto) can try to bury feelings and guilts and wounds, but, with Neptune god of the oceans and tides in its own sign of Pisces, we are sensing emotional flow and inspiration permeating defenses and blockages. Consciously and unconsciously this planetary angle is engaging us to clean up our inner toxins and rubbish which impede the flow of healthy feelings.
We can physically forget the taste of clean water if we have a diet of not so clean water and we forget how lovely clean and happy emotions feel like if we have got used to toxic situations. This links directly with my thoughts earlier on inner freedom. So… Saturn, the contract maker, commits us to being available to our inner world.
This month of February sees no less than seven planets in air and water zodiac signs. A lot! And what this tells us is there’s a plethora of ideas and dreams and their potential abounding. Great stuff, but remember of course to ground them, and focus your intent.
On February 23rd at 9.41 am GMT we have Mercury going retrograde until March 17th. This three week passage can confuse us somewhat in areas of left brain activity and plans and travel and technology. It is a fascinating time for resurrecting unfinished projects and re visiting the past and places and relationships. And resolving them. The prefix- ‘re’- holds the reins and is worth working with. Its pre shadow period from the 9th to 22nd February can give us clues to the areas that will figure prominently for rectification when the retrograde starts on the 23rd. It is in the sign of Pisces so be extra clear with your plans and wishes as Pisces can get a bit lost in imagination. A desire to connect more with your spiritual side will be present, as well as your artistic and romantic side. Give them time and space .. Remember, seeing Beauty in life around us is empowering and is free…
On the subject of planets retracing their steps, Saturn is going retrograde on 18th February till July 7th. Another chance to put our lives in order better and repair and restructure our commitments and healthy obligations is presented to us during this time. Your inner authority combined with inner freedom could become pleasant bedfellows!
Wishing you lovely days ahead! I shall be travelling to Chicago and Oregon to run workshops and do astrological sessions in March, Should be exciting as some of my work will be with actors and youth and astro theatre. And a lovely opportunity to see close friends and make new ones!
With my Warm Wishes
Ysanne
