New Moon in Aries

New Moon in Aries – March 24 2020; 2:28am PDT

For years my sister encouraged me to write a newsletter. I was always resistant to the idea because, well, it’s a lot of effort and what did I have to say anyway. But as I watched the astrological energy building in 2018 and 2019 and could see what would happen in January of 2020, I decided that I needed to share what I saw with others and try to describe the significance of what was coming.

On January 12, 2020, two powerhouse planets, Saturn and Pluto, came together in the sign of Capricorn. This hasn’t happened in the sign of Capricorn since 1518 and some pretty bizarre things happened in that year. Google it! It’s a big deal and it marks the beginning of a New Era.
More recently, Saturn and Pluto came together in 1982/1983 when we had a severe economic recession in the United States, in 1947 right after World War II when the US was experiencing a boom in the economy, and in 1914 when the First World War began which dramatically changed the structures of Europe. I could trace countless Saturn/Pluto conjunctions back in time, each one bringing a significant societal impact.
Why??? Well, Capricorn & Saturn represent the structures that we live by; our bones, teeth, and skin; our homes; our societal rules and laws; our governments; and how we restrict or limit ourselves. Pluto represents transformation; some might call it the energy of death and rebirth. How this plays out on the World Stage is the need to ‘transform’ the ‘structures’ we live by.
Though astrologers yammered on about the ‘changes’ that were coming and some even ‘predicted’ what would happen – certainly, we knew there would be major ‘shake-ups’ – nobody really could see how it would all manifest.
I could tell you the locations, by degree and minute, of all of the planets at the time the general public became aware that the COVID-19 existed, but – so what? The important thing to understand is that change is upon us. One way it’s manifesting is in the form of this virus which is making the world CRAZY and if you are directly affected by it, my heart goes out to you. But this ‘transformation of our structures’ is also manifesting in other ways – subtly and below the surface of our awareness. Yes, we need to be attentive to the virus and keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, but we also need to stay alert and pay attention to the ‘Man behind the Curtain’.
Sunday, March 19th we have an important aspect between the Sun at 29 degrees Pisces and Saturn at 29 degrees Capricorn. In Astrology, 29 degrees is considered a critical degree and speaks strongly of endings and completion. In this position, the Sun is at the very end of the astrological year. It has completed its progress through all of the signs and is preparing to move into Aries. With Saturn in aspect to the Sun, there is the sense of wanting to get something done; to complete something. This energy can be very stabilizing and it also points out a responsibility or duty that needs to be upheld. There is the understanding that it’s time to put a lot of effort into something that will give a long-term payoff. This energy is not about immediate gratification. With this Sun/Saturn combination you may also feel the need for solitude and separation. This can be vital for completing a project or just to recharge your batteries. Spend time alone just for a day or two. If you need to make a decision, this will give you the space to do it. This can also help you get back on track if there is something you’ve been pulled away or distracted from. It reconnects you to what needs to be done.
The Equinox occurs when the Sun moves into Aries on March 19th at 9:27 pm PDT. This is the beginning of the Astrological New Year. It brings the feel of new beginnings and a fresh start. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is Spring time and there can be a quickening in physical energy and vitality. For the next few weeks, tap into that sense of ‘I can do anything’ and move forward toward your goals. The Sun really likes being in Aries so it will shine more brightly there. It brings a cosmic dose of courage, confidence, enthusiasm, and bold leadership energy.
The most impactful astrological event for the month occurs March 21st when Saturn moves into the sign of Aquarius. Saturn has been in Capricorn since December of 2017 and we’ve all been dealing with the ‘heavy’ energy that this represents. Capricorn is the sign ruled by Saturn so the planet is at its strongest in this sign. As I said above, Saturn represents the structures in our lives – physical, societal, and governmental. It is strongly imbedded in the ‘status quo’ and not all that excited about change. We can all attest to the weighty, sometimes melancholy, and restrictive experience it has brought us. Over these last two years, we’ve been asked to carry a load, step up to the plate and accept responsibility, and grow up. All important things but it gets to be a bit much. Now, with this movement into Aquarius, Saturn eases up and shifts our focus from the old cycle we’ve been in for the last 2 ½ years to a new cycle of awareness.
The energy of Aquarius is quite different than Capricorn. It’s lighter and more forward looking. It asks us to look for new solutions to old problems, is very nonconforming, and wants us to embrace change. It is an air sign which allows for things – thoughts, ideas, communication and also sneezes, coughs, and air born germs – to move faster. Saturn will be in Aquarius until March 7th 2023 and from March 21st to July 1st 2020 we’ll get a sense of what Saturn’s transit through this sign will feel like. We’re not entirely done with this Saturn in Capricorn energy because the planet will retrograde back into Capricorn in July and we may be asked to take a second look at issues that still need to be resolved or choices that we’ve made, but the next few months give us a taste of the future. This happens globally, but from an individual perspective it shifts energy to another area of your life. Where this falls in your chart is where you will be asked to take responsibility or make changes. Saturn transits always bring a time to reap the rewards of past effort or a time to put in effort that you’ve been avoiding. This can bring a bit of a wake-up call, reality check, or a shift in priorities.
We may not notice any changes right away, but within a week we’ll notice that new parts of our life are calling our attention. Knowing what house in your chart has Aquarius on the cusp will help you understand how this energy will affect you.
On March 22nd we have Mercury in a fun aspect to Uranus and Venus in a similar relationship to Neptune. The energy of these planets is very different but the combinations will produce a social, fun-loving quality. You may receive sudden and unexpected news or a surprising ‘aha’ download from Source. It gives us the ability to see a situation in an entirely new and freeing way. It’s very positive and helps to shift us out of a situation or a stuck pattern of thinking. Intuition, insight, and innovation are all highlighted during this time. This is the 3rd aspect Mercury has made to Uranus over the last six weeks and this final time can bring a huge breakthrough or the ability to truly use the energy in a positive way. Take time during these few days to stimulate your mind and follow your curiosity.
The Venus/Neptune combination has a ‘longing for love’ feel to it. It brings up the desire for connection and closeness. This also triggers a huge amount of creative energy. This is a wonderful time to be working on an artistic project, listening to music, or just living your life in a more creative way. You can expect that dreams, your intuition, and spiritual energy will be heightened.
March 23rd, we have Mars interacting with Pluto. These two planets are both about power so this is a very intense combination. It’s about the will, specific drive, and determination. It’s time to make progress on a substantial project. You may also experience power dynamics, control issues, and power struggles. The question of who is really in charge of your life may surface. But if you can get past the power struggles it can be very productive energy for both the completion of something or setting out to pursue a long-term goal.
The New Moon at 4 degrees Aries occurs on March 24th at 2:28am PDT. This is the perfect time to set intentions for the next twelve months. This New Moon will bring enthusiasm, light-heartedness, and courageous energy. The New Moon is ruled by Mars in Capricorn so there’s a real sense of potency, drive, and power with this fresh start. Take steps to move forward, initiate something, activate progress. Chiron is tightly involved with this New Moon and this can bring the awareness of new healing methods. It can also bring our suppressed wounding closer to the surface which can be a painful thing. However, if our awareness becomes focused there, we can also use it as an opportunity to transmute those wounds.
March 26th, we have one of the best aspects of the year. Venus in Taurus will be in a very positive aspect to Jupiter in Capricorn. Venus and Jupiter are both beneficial planets and they are coming together in one of the best aspects. This energy offers support and boosts us along our life path. There is a sense of collaboration and of things coming together or falling into place. It’s an exciting, happy, and lovely aspect. This is an excellent time to get together with family and friends as long as everyone is healthy. Take some time to pamper yourself, do something for fun or for personal growth. There’s a lot of luck and hope. Because both of these planets relate to prosperity, there can be a financial windfall when they interact like this.
Mars moves into Aquarius on March 30th. This is a lighter, more intellectual version of Mars than what we have been dealing with. It will be curious and you may have a compulsion to gather information or share your ideas. It can be very innovative so capture what comes to you. This energy can give us a spur of needed motivation where we can use words and ideas to our benefit.
On the last day of the month, Mars interacts with Saturn. This energy is a bit like driving with the brakes on and produces a bit of a roadblock or speed bump. It’s asking us to slow down even though we don’t want to. No worries! It’s just a temporary pause, delay, or detour that asks us to reassess what we are pushing forward. Make sure you’re on the right path, that you clearly see the goals, and understand what you are trying to accomplish. Mars combined with Saturn is a challenge between short-term and long-term plans. Have you thought everything through – done your due diligence? If not, some adjustment may be needed.
The following is paraphrased from a Facebook post by my friend and colleague, Reena Kumarasingham. www.reenakumarasingham.com. I believe this gives us another important view about the changes that are happening.

“We are heading into the New Consciousness and this virus is ripping through the old Fabric of Consciousness like a bullet – splitting some threads, and weaving through some others.

The virus is impacting the Global Consciousness indiscriminate of gender, sexual orientation nationality, race, indiscriminate of climate ‘activists’ or climate ‘deniers’, vaccers or anti-vaccers, indiscriminate of socio-economic status …. It has blown through any ideological rhetoric that carries the illusion of division and it has brought to the consciousness that ALL life matters, and that we are not so different after all.

So, this is where we come in. As we head into the New Consciousness, we can slowly create a new way of being.

We can stop engaging with and pouring our energy into the judgements and divisiveness and the shaming and the fear and the bitterness – and pour our energy into creating and breathing life into what makes us happy, hopeful, peaceful.

The threads we weave now will impact the New Consciousness

Shakespeare apparently wrote 154 Sonnets during the Bubonic Plague. Can you imagine what we can do if we shift and pour our energy into creating what we want?”

There’s a song that I love by Bonnie Tyler ‘Holding out for a Hero’.

It’s true – we do need a hero, but why do we have to ‘hold out for one’? I don’t think we should abdicate our hero-ness and wait to be saved. We can all step into the role. The other side of this astrological coin involving the conjunction between Saturn and Pluto is that it brings us an intense opportunity to manifest and create a new reality. If we can write history, let’s make it fantastic. Let’s create a new and beautiful world.

— Beth Lauderdale ~ Evolutionary Astrology