A New Moon of Intensity and Nuance, bringing Healing

Friday’s Aries New Moon, taking place on the morning of April 17th at 27° of the sign, is quite an event, most notably because of the accompanying stellium of no fewer than eight planets in Aries! This bespeaks tons of energy as another of these powerfully extreme lunations that we have been seeing recently spearheads our activities. We also in this New Moon have Mars almost exactly sextile Pluto, adding considerably to the archetypal intensity. The New Moon is conjunct Chiron, the Wounded Healer, which in turn is still in close conjunction, on the other side, with new 21st century planet Eris, and while concerning, this can be an optimistic combination. Mercury is conjunct Neptune by less than one degree. Neptune and Eris are additionally quite closely contra-parallel to each other, with interesting implications for Neptune's spiritual side being made prominent in this way. The New Moon is also semi-sextile Uranus; surprise events are again almost normalized. This is a heady stew of astrological indications being delivered in this prominent Aries New Moon energy.

Mercury with Neptune could bring a dreamy quality to our thought process, with the potential for idealistic ideas, also illusion, self-deception, or even deception practiced upon us by others. With Venus right there as well, there is an emphasis on Neptune. We also have in this timing Uranus about to re-enter Gemini, and thus coming into closer trine to Pluto, who is also next month stationing at 5° of Aquarius, with Neptune in early Pisces approaching quite close to their midpoint. Once again, all three outer planets are highlighted, and moving toward being configured closely together over the upcoming summer months, indicating trans-personal themes of transcendence plus personal as well as societal transformation being – once more – quite substantially in the works.

The eight planets currently in Aries within this New Moon configuration are clustered into two distinct four-planet groups: Neptune, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn, at 2°, 3°, 5°, and 7° of the sign and then near the very end of Aries we find Eris at 25°, Chiron at 26°, and the Sun and Moon at 27° so that these last four are quite close together, within about two degrees, and are therefore consequential in their alignment.

Chiron, associated with inner wounding, and Eris, the planetary archetype of Feminine Warrior in support of soul intention, are thus massively triggered in their conjunction by this New Moon, and by an exact parallel of Chiron with the Sun, so that the angst of these times – leading toward a dramatic summer – might be called out by the close proximity of these two important planetary archetypes to the New Moon degree. We might look to this Chiron presence as ultimately significant; using our understanding of this highlighted conjunction of Chiron with Eris to call our attention to inner wounding within us, perhaps only dimly recognized, of which we can choose to become more fully conscious. It is true that these hurt and walled-off places deep within our psyche that Chiron in our natal chart may indicate, can manifest as hidden complexes that deeply affect us. With Eris invoked along with Chiron in these April skies, it is an indication also that our inner wounding is cathartic, vital to be acknowledged and accepted if we are to continue in our personal evolution during these times of challenge as we proceed along the lines of our intended destiny.

Another important feature of this dynamic New Moon in Aries is the factor of Mars in partile or same-degree sextile to Pluto. This can manifest on a number of different levels, and one is the tendency for hidden anger to surface. A friend once told me that “you’re never angry for the reason you think you are,” and this might be a good thing to keep in mind in case you feel your temperature rising over the next thirty days of this coming lunation cycle. Rather than “You make me so mad!” as an utterance, try thinking to yourself “this is my anger coming up, triggered by the person standing in front of me.” You might start to wonder where inside yourself this emotion is coming from. Often it is inner wounding from the past that is arising as anger. This may also be seen a useful signal for yourself, or for someone you know, to take a long, deep, look inside.

This symbolism of Mars sextile Pluto can also manifest as the transformation (Pluto) of our inner anger or our action-orientation (Mars) into something more in keeping with our soul intention for growth in integration and authenticity. This could be the same for our changing society as it contemplates war as a solution versus the concept of peace, compassion, and understanding to accomplish the same strategic goals. I believe that this is basically where we as a country would like to actually be heading, as far as our highest aspiration for ourselves and for our world.

Mars in this New Moon configuration is also semi-square to Venus, with Venus quintile the North Node. And this symbolism, too, brings loving connection plus peaceful and deliberate action into the picture of what is being indicated by these archetypal presences, with implications as well for our personal relationships.

There is also the Pluto square with the new 21st century nature planet Haumea, ongoing for the past year or more, with Haumea currently located at 3° of Scorpio and thus in square with Pluto at 5° Aquarius. This is accentuated in the New Moon chart by Neptune and Mercury at 2° and 3° Aries, so making an inconjunct (quincunx) alignment to Haumea. The symbolism of the Pluto-Haumea square, as I have mentioned in previous writings, is truth coming out, in spite of every attempt at prevarication, distraction, or gaslighting. We can see this playing out on the world stage, as various powers grapple for success in their geo-political maneuvering, and as lies become contrasted with the actual truth of the matter.

We are these days living through such difficult and fearful times, with the rise of authoritarianism which it seems necessary to counter both here in the US and abroad. There is also, in opposition, the rise of democracy and the determination of numbers of citizens and residents to band together and insist on action in a fervent push for their ideals. In all these cases what we must attend to, each and every one of us, and now more than ever, is that we take our stand for whatever we can determine to be our own individual values.

In this regard, I keep coming back to that pithy statement by anthropologist Margaret Mead who said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” This is our task, and in taking it up we can relish the opportunity to give voice to what we most deeply believe. Blessed be!