March 20th/21st 2019
Here are some insights into Spring Equinox – the opening up of a new phase of the year today.
This is a time of richly potent forward motion dovetailing with a need to complete processes and lay issues of the last cycle to rest. With a nod to humility and greater powers than ourselves.
May this be inspiring, useful and supportive on your Life journey!
Spring Equinox is when the day and night are of equal length, and the Sun bursts forth into the Zodiac sign of Aries!It marks the beginning of the new astrological year – and Spring. The essence of Spring Equinox is a balance point which inspires us with urgency to cast off winter’s cloak. Earth energy bursts upwards into visibility. This follows the deep nourishment of the Earth during winter’s hibernation, laying the ground for the new growth cycle of spring. Buds are opening, birdsong shifts in tone and volume as they busily build their nests. There is a great rising of Eros and a rampant and urgent drive to begin and create, to move forwards with fiery enthusiasm and courage. This year, a Full Moon accompanies Spring Equinox, occurring only a few hours after the Sun moves into Aries, together with Chiron being in conjunction with the Sun, and a retrograde Mercury in Pisces. So, let’s unpick this particular accompaniment to Spring Equinox, to support our knowing how to best engage with the present energy-weather.
Full moon – Sun in Aries, Moon in Libra 01.44hrs GMT, 21st March
Full Moon is when the Sun and Moon are exactly opposite one another. It is when the Sun shines directly onto the Moon, hence the Moon being bright and visible as a full circle in the opposite sign of the Zodiac. At Full Moon time in the Lunar cycle, things tend to reach a peak. The revving up towards this point is often felt during the two days before exactitude. Energy is building: dreams, hopes, issues and plans (both conscious and unconscious) which were set in motion two weeks ago on the Pisces New Moon, now reach a flourishing full blossom. There is a feeling of being on the crest of a wave about to break. The trick is to ride the wave, as with the grace and skill of a skilled surfer, going with and adapting to the power of the wave. Energy can be high and at a peak or running riot during the run-up to a Full Moon. Many people experience a feeling of being ‘wired’. For some, there is a feeling of being edgy, speedy, with diminished sleep, impatience and sometimes headaches. If this is so for you, consider this: find the dates of the Full Moons in your diary or calendar, and see if you can possibly ‘deschedule’ during the couple of days preceding Full Moon. Or simply make a note to be extra kindly and compassionate towards yourself! The essence of this week’s Full Moon is one of finding a way to dance with and between the opposites of individual drive to power forwards on an independent trajectory, whilst attending to the needs of relationship and considertion of others. We find we need to attend to negotiation and co-operation with others – to look before we leap, taking stock and carefully considering the short and longer term impact and potential consequences of our intents and actions upon both ourselves and others. It’s an act of honouring both Self and Other with power and grace.Chiron conjunct Sun in Aries
This cosmic conjunction is simultaneous with Spring Equinox and Full Moon. It stimulates our awareness of where we may feel a sense of flaw or lack or wounding in our personal power; in our ability to push our lives in the direction in which we believe we should be going. Our Soul holds a deep wisdom as to our life direction, meaning and purpose, and we sometimes move into a collision with this when we try to push in a direction which is directing ourselves away from where we really need to be going! Our Soul is at all times whispering directions and encouraging us to keep us ‘on track’, and there are times when we each stubbornly refuse to read the signs and take notice! Chiron holds a golden key (this is visible in its planetary symbol), a key which turns at just the point in time when we ‘give up’, fed up of wrestling with an issue to no avail, humbled or even experiencing a feeling of quiet desperation. So there is a magic here, which comes into being at just the point we really feel our incapability. In this space, we ‘give’ up and open up, as it feels there is nowhere else to go. In turn, if we are willing to dwell in this uncomfortable place, we may discover the gift of being guided by an invisible hand and a sense that we are not alone after all.Mercury retrograde in Pisces
We are at this time within a Mercury retrograde phase (5th-28th March). Mercury retrograde is a much maligned phase which seems to inspire fearful anticipations, being used as an excuse for flakiness as well as some amusing memes!!It is a phase where communications and plans do sometimes go awry. But the reality beneath this so often comes from our trying to push or gallop off in a certain direction which we are not yet ready for. We may need to stay still and gain clarity first, by sorting out issues which need to be addressed, before we can move ahead. In some ways, Mercury retrograde is rather like a cosmic holding pen where we are waiting for the next ‘bit’ to happen, but first, we need to stop, look and listen – which of course can be very frustrating! So if you are feeling frustrated in your personal direction, maybe take some time out to pause, make a cup of tea, sit outdoors and bask in the wonder and beauty of Spring. Look back over your shoulder at things in your Life which may need attention in order to lay them to rest…before you can power forwards with maximum velocity!It’s a dance of many varied steps. As Mr.Booja-Booja says: “What else might be possible that you haven’t considered yet?” And, last but not least, check where you can let your dreams, hopes and wishes for a compassionate world, infuse and inspire your life, in any ways you are able. This Mercury retrograde is conjuncting Neptune in Pisces!Questions and enquiries to keep us on track
- Consider any areas in your life which may be out of balance. (Clues to this are spotting areas of life which are irritating or bothering you, or simply feel clunky or ‘wrong’!).
- Look at what you may be able to adjust, accept what you can’t adjust and make any necessary adaptations in your attitude to heal the situation.
- In which areas of Life are you feeling you want to fire ahead? What can you begin to put in place here?
- What might be holding you back…or exerting a pull-back force? Look closely!
- What needs clearing away in the Undergrowth?
- What’s inspiring you…driving you…pressing upwards into your consciousness?
- What needs expressing? Go for it!
