The Moon's cycle begins with the new Moon, which grows through the first quarter Moon until it reaches the full Moon phase. After that, the Moon begins to wan through the last quarter Moon phase to the new Moon once again. Since we live under a solar calendar instead of a lunar one, every year or so the Moon cycle flips and we end up having a full Moon in a sign coming before its new Moon.
We are in that part of the cycle now. Symbolically, it means that we have to bare the tension of opposites (opposite signs comprise the full Moon), then try to integrate their meaning before we can plant the new seed. This is especially important for this Libra Full Moon, because the upcoming new Moon in Aries is the real beginning of the astrological year.
The Libra Full Moon comes within a week of Spring Equinox, so I'd like to mention this important point in the Sun's journey. In astrology, the 0*point of the zodiac is the beginning of Aries. The whole zodiac begins again. We get to start afresh each year.
The Spring Equinox marks the day on which the hours of day and night are equal. The darkness and the light are balanced. As with the Earth, so goes it with us. Since we are affected by the cycles of the Earth, this time of year can become a time of psychic balance for us.
This Spring Equinox is especially important, because when the Sun moves into the sign of Aries, it will connect to the three planetary energies that helped shaped the 60s and which are shaping our times as well in this next phase of their evolutionary cycle.
Pluto, Saturn and Uranus are all dancing around 0* of the cardinal signs Capricorn, Libra and Aries. Cardinal signs move things forward, and they are the zodiac signs that rule the change of seasons. These three planets are in tense, challenging relationships to each other, forcing us to redefine ourselves and our culture. These planetary aspects announce that we are all at a crossroads, and through this tension, they will work on us to make radical changes in our personal lives as well as our collective lives.
It is time for "teen-age' Aries to grow up and take some responsibility for our cultural dilemma. It's time to make changing our culture a personal matter.
The Aries Sun will first oppose Saturn in Libra, the energy that demands we face our relationships realistically and responsibly. This gives us the opportunity to become aware of how we deal with our relationships. Are we selfish? Too giving? Unsure of ourselves? Needy? Controlling? We need to find the right balance between self and other, and the best way to do that is to know who you are so you know what you can give or not give in your relationships.
Then the Aries Sun will square Pluto in Capricorn, the energy which is re-constructing our government and financial systems. How are we facing the re-structuring? We can no longer sit back and expect that either government or corporations will take care of us. It is time to figure out how we individually want to create our life in this time of change.
The Sun connected with the third planetary energy, Uranus in late Pisces on Tuesday, March 16, right after the new Moon in Pisces. Uranus is the Awakener, the energy of sudden change, revolution and freedom. If you haven't opened to this energy before, you're probably finding it uncomfortable. But real freedom is uncomfortable.
So you see this Spring Equinox will become an important marker on our way into the future. Aries is about discovering our Identity. We can do that each year at the Spring Equinox. But this year, the Cosmic Story is asking us to discover our identity in relationship to the larger forces at work in the world.
How are we going to change our world?
You can't change anything if you don't know who you are. Aries is all about the search for self-identity. We often describe Aries as the teenager of the zodiac, with all the angst and uncertainty about Identity that marks this time in our lives.
Remember Aries is courageous, and its ruling planet Mars has just turned to direct motion in Leo, so these two fiery energies will work well together, helping you discover your identity. While Mars dove into the Leo fires to discover his archetypal identity during its retrograde phase, now he has the opportunity to put what he discovered into practice.
My daughter's little sister Ava will be 5 years old next week. They were walking down the street last year and Ava walked over a grate in the street, very slowly and full of fear. My daughter asked her why she was doing it. And Ava said, "I have to learn to be brave." That's an Aries for you!
I'm asking all of you to be brave for the sake of Ava and all the children in the world. They need us to be brave and to step forward and help create the change that our society and our world need if these children are to have a good life. It is our job as adults to be responsible for the future.
