PISCES NEW MOON - 23 February 2020

Exact at 5.47pm GMT, 12.47pm EST

This New Moon has quite an energetic, exciting feel to it, as it is helped out by a harmonious trine between Mars and Uranus which can help us to have the motivation and courage to release ourselves from stifling or stuck situations or patterns of behaviour. Indeed, Mars is rather a big player in this Moon, so it is possible that we are currently being called to step into our sacred warrior energy and stand up for ourselves. In the meantime, however, the Sun and Moon have just moved into spiritual Pisces as well as Mercury being retrograde in Pisces, so we can all benefit from turning inward and listening to the subtle whispers of our soul. This is a perfect Moon to open ourselves up to guidance, meditating and tuning into spirit so that we allow ourselves to be shown the way. As we move towards the New Moon on Sunday we are invited to rest in the dark of the moon and reflect on what we might need to leave behind us so that we can start anew.  

Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac and we are also in the final phase of the moon, so this is a very Piscean time! Pisces energy dissolves any barriers within us that might prevent direct contact with spirit. As such, this Moon has the potential to make us feel quite sensitive, as if our skin is somehow a bit thinner than usual. Pisces is the part of us that feels compassion and empathy for one another and, indeed, all of creation. We are reminded that we are not separate beings, but rather we are all connected by a giant invisible web. What happens to one affects us all. Pisces also teaches us acceptance, which is truly a gift. As such, this Moon could be a very good opportunity to contemplate upon whatever we might be struggling with in our lives and see if we can reach a state of acceptance of what is. There are some things that we find challenging either within ourselves, other people or the world, and while it may be hard to forgive, we at least have it within our power to accept “that which we cannot change”. This can bring a greater sense of peace and serenity that makes it easier to cope.

Pisces also represents the act of surrender. Many of us have had that moment in our lives when we have literally had enough. We are at the end of our tether, with nowhere else to turn. At that moment we give up, let go, we surrender, we “crack open”. It is the moment when we give ourselves up to something larger than ourselves and admit that we can’t do it on our own. We might fall on our knees and “pray”, surrendering to forces larger than ourselves, reaching out to whoever and whatever might be out there to help, hold and guide us. In that moment of darkness, when we have lost all hope, we crack open and allow the light in. This Moon could be a reminder to tap into that force, surrendering our will and allowing ourselves to be guided to wherever we need to go and whatever we need to do next. This Moon invites us to let go and allow ourselves to simply go with the flow of the river instead of fighting it. The path of least resistance!

Mercury is currently retrograde in Pisces, which really is a perfect opportunity to allow our rational,analytical, logical, conscious minds to take a break and to tap into the subtle realms. Forcing ourselves to focus too hard on the mundane, nitty gritty details could be a fruitless exercise with the planet of the mind and communication going backwards in intuitive, imaginative, dreamy Pisces! There is the potential for overwhelm if we push ourselves too hard, so it might be good to allow time for meditation, reflection and giving our minds a bit of a rest. Pisces can be a bit confusing at times, as it is hard to know what is real and not real. Our imaginations can run wild, and all in the wrong direction at times!  

Mercury Retrograde is known for bringing miscommunication and misunderstandings, and in Pisces it could become downright confusing! This is a perfect time for reflection, retrospection, review, re-visiting; anything that involves going back and looking over things. It is quite possible that our blind spots could be revealed during this time, as anything we may have pushed into the back of our unconscious may pop back up to remind us that it is there and still needs dealing with, rather than pretending that everything is perfect and rosy. Mercury went retrograde on Monday 17 February and will turn direct on 10 March.

Mars and Uranus are helping out during this Moon, as they are working well with each other, and not only harmoniously aspecting the Sun and Moon but also the Nodes of the Moon, which makes it very significant in terms of our soul growth and evolution. The combination of Mars and Uranus could help us have the courage to revolutionise our lives and release ourselves from any stagnant ruts we may have fallen into. We are less likely to just “put up with” situations that are unhelpful or unhealthy. Mars is also sitting right on top of the South Node in Capricorn, and so we might be called to recognise any unhelpful habits, patterns or conditioning around Mars issues such as anger, how we assert or stand up for ourselves and our attitude to authority and the “system”. Do we control our natural impulses and suppress our anger and rage, or is anger something that need to harness in a healthier way? What messages have we received around anger, sexuality and assertion?

With Uranus in Taurus, which is calling us to make rise up and find solutions for the ecological crisis we are facing, aspecting  Mars in Capricorn, the sign of government, the patriarchy and societal structures, are we being called to find our righteous anger and stand up to “the system”, demanding action? Are we being asked to find our courage and motivation to make the changes we know must happen? With Mars on the South Node, are we being shown how history is repeating itself?  Mars in Capricorn could bring out the aggressive side of those in authority. Indeed, it could bring up our anger AT those authority figures! There are already five celestial bodies in Capricorn, including Pallas Athena, and now the warrior planet has been added to the mix! This could definitely heat things up, as it brings the potential for some strong battles and anger to come to the fore in the world arena.

Mars in Capricorn calls for us to act with integrity and also to have the courage to step out of our conditioning and embrace the Cancer North Node. The Cancer North Node is calling us forward, teaching us to express our emotions instead of repressing them, to ask for help when we need it instead of feeling like we have to have it all under control. It takes courage to be vulnerable, and Mars is here to assist with that. It is hard to unravel our conditioned responses and try something else on for size, but the help is here at the moment for us to do exactly that. However, we may become all too aware of our old habits and tendencies, especially within the realm of anger, assertion, sexuality and having the courage to express our needs.

Chiron the Wounded Healer is also forming a challenging square aspect to Mars and the Nodes of the Moon, which is significant indeed. It is interesting to note that Chiron has been forming a square to the Nodes of the Moon during the coronavirus outbreak, highlighting Capricorn South Node issues around hard control, boundaries, barriers, suppression, government, judgement, intolerance and prejudice. The square between Chiron and Mars is exact on Friday 21 February and is particularly potent because Chiron is also in Aries, the sign ruled by Mars. It is a call for courage and action. This combination could call for us to be really honest about our core wounds, as they could be brought to the surface in no uncertain way.

Who and what are we angry at? Do we repress this anger or do we have a healthy outlet for it? What still needs healing within us? Are we dealing with unresolved trauma around violence or sexual abuse? What might we need to stand up for in our lives? How good are we at expressing our needs? What is our conditioning around anger and assertion – do we direct it outwards in a destructive way or turn it inwards in a self-destructive way? Who and what do we need to forgive? How might we take a more active approach in our healing process? How might our repressed anger, both personally and collectively, be showing up in the physical realms, in the form of illness, for instance? This is a very good opportunity to look into our relationship with all things Mars related. It seems like this is important work right now.

There is definitely an emphasis on all things Pisces during this Moon, encouraging us to find a greater acceptance of what is and to turn inward, allowing spirit to guide us. This is an ideal time to meditate, spend time in nature and to nourish our spirits. However, this is set against a backdrop of a plethora of Capricorn energy, which is very different energy from Pisces! Pisces is boundless and knows no barriers, while Capricorn is structure itself, and is that part of us that can be judgemental and needs to feel like we are in control. Indeed, an excess or distortion of Capricorn can be very controlling indeed and bring about repression and suppression of natural emotions and instincts. Pisces encourages us to simply surrender and let go of this illusion of control, allowing ourselves to be swept along with the natural flow of the river. It reminds us to have compassion for all beings, including those who it is easy to judge as being “evil”, “bad” or “wrong”. They all have something to teach us, and when we hate the only person we are really hurting is ourselves. The most important message of a Pisces Moon, however, is to find compassion for ourselves.

“There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in”

Leonard Cohen

Much Love

Amy

xoxo  

Painting: Spirit of the Night - John Atkinson Grimshaw

My website: www.amybirdartandastrology.com