California poppies in bloom (Eschscholzia californica); photo by Elston Olloqui; April 2023.
New Moon @ 29 degrees Aries 50'
April 19, 2023
9:14 PM PDT
April 20, 2023
12:14 AM EDT
This month's New Moon in tropical Aries is the second New Moon in Aries this year and a total solar eclipse. The eclipse will be visible in the southern hemisphere, such as over parts of Australia, the Phillipines, and New Zealand, but eclipses are symbolically correlative worldwide and thus have significance for everyone. This is also an anaretic eclipse, meaning it occurs on the last degree of a sign and on the technical cusp of Aries/Taurus. This gives this eclipse the theme of a 'final push' or breaking point that leads to important shifts and systemic changes.
As I discussed in the last newsletter, eclipse season (broadly defined as the two weeks before and two weeks after an eclipse pair; in this case, about April 5 through May 19) is a period often of accelerated change and an intensification of all that we've been involved in. Eclipses both deepen and speed up the normal pace of life, and so they are periods favorable for going further and more substantially into what lies before us.
With this anaretic Aries eclipse also squaring Pluto, this is not a moment for superficial glossing over life's intricacies. This eclipse correlates even more with this deepening theme and challenges us with some degree of 'uncomfortable truths,' realizations, and perceptions. Yet, if looked at through a more meaningful lens, this eclipse is one of many doorways in life that offer us valuable wisdom which we can apply to potential future challenges and difficulties to avoid other pitfalls, dead ends, or threats.
Sometimes with Pluto, we realize some unconscious pattern lies at the heart of our troubles, and it can become painfully or perhaps just inconveniently obvious. Self-sabotage is never fun to admit to. Other times, we awaken to something that lies out of sight for various reasons, such as intentional avoidance, and other times, just simple ignorance. Whatever Pluto brings to light, have compassion for yourself and others, and embrace your shadowy imperfections with love.
Aries, the warrior and trailblazer archetype ruled by the planet Mars, speaks to existential issues involving, of course, our willpower and our capacity to claim some piece of life. Aries also is about setting boundaries and defining what experiences we want and those we don't. Consider this eclipse also a transformative drawing of lines in the sands of life, in which we deepen our boundaries a little more and gain clarity about where to say yes and where definitely to say no.
Jupiter's conjunction to this eclipse is also helpful, as it assists in reframing mistakes, hurtful truths, and personal shortcomings as opportunities for change, correlating with an emboldening of our courage to confront what lies in the shadow. Yet it also stands as a real symbol of expansion, as all experiences, no matter how painful or uncomfortable, reflect the eternal growth of consciousness and awakening.
Lastly, Mercury's retrograde cycle is upon us as it begins its backward track through Taurus on April 21, shortly after this eclipse. As we then rise with the waxing lunar cycle to the Full Moon/eclipse in Scorpio on May 5, we also fall back into introspection, revision, and careful re-assessment of material affairs, resources, and bodily needs. This opens space for strengthening our physical bases and firming up our values. Mercury turns direct on May 14. Rise strongly with this New Moon/eclipse, and remember to be forgiving.