New Moon in Aries, Tuesday 21st March at 5.23 PM

“Know yourself + Own yourself + Be yourself = the Authentic Life” Professor Stephen Joseph

Our world is made up of different layers of multiform rhythms and pulses. From our heartbeat to sunrise and sunset to the shifting seasons, our lives on this planet depend on these temporal sequences. Our very existence is entwined within them. The cycle of the moon – starting with the new moon and culminating in the full – has always had significance for us. Many spiritual traditions and faiths use the lunisolar calendar, which measures time according to the phase of the moon and the time of the solar year. And, in terms of agriculture, biodynamic farming considers lunar and astrological influences on soil and plant development.

In astrology, the new moon is a fertile moment for planting seeds of intention for our lives; a time to identify what new dreams and desires we want to bring into existence. Aries – the boldest first sign of the zodiac – is all about this initiatory force. Its energy is primal: a Big Bang energy. The Big Bang theory states that the universe came into being from a single, unimaginably hot, dense point (Aries is fire) - that is, a singularity - more than 13 billion years ago. The original beginning; one that initiated the expansion and cooling of space itself.

The day before this new moon in Aries, we had an equinox: an equal moment of night and day; of dark and light. In the Northern hemisphere, this moment marks the coming of spring, rebirth, growth and the return of the light. It is a new chapter. It is a potent moment of creation. During an equinox, the solar declination is 0°. Solar declination describes the latitude of earth where the sun is directly overhead at noon (and the Equator is 0° latitude.) So, equinoxes are the only times of the year when the subsolar point is directly on the Equator.

This new moon is happening at 0° of Aries. In astrology, the 0° is referred to as a ‘critical degree’ (the other being 29°). Furthermore, 0° (along with 13° and 26°) is considered to be one of the critical degrees of the cardinal signs, which are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. What does all 0° emphasis mean? A significant amplification of the energy of new beginnings, initiation and springing forth. Think big, bold changes, innovation and potent fecundity. Think high-level creativity springing from raw authenticity. It’s about to get fertile! This is also the first of two rare Aries new moons; the second taking place on April 20th. This further augments this initiatory, creative force where anything feels possible.

Authenticity is a key theme of this new moon. How do we define our own authenticity, or authentic living? On one level, it is the correlation between what is happening internally and how we express, or honour, that externally. The moon relates to the internal (inner landscape/true self) whereas Aries is the external representation of ‘I am’. Are we expressing our core selves truthfully? Are our lives a true expression of what we are? Are we being real, or are we performing? When we are authentic we feel an ease and freedom in mind and body. Tension is absent and we are present and energised. If we are not being our trues selves, then we may feel our heart rate increase, tension in our muscles, or our nerves jangling. If we listen, there is always some indication, however small. This moon invites us to really listen in. Explore consciously how we are being in the world. If we are not being real, our own rhythms are thrown out of balance. This moon wants us to notice this.

There is something wonderfully childlike about Aries too, in terms of its relationship to the world. Aries is honest and transparent. This is where much of the daring and boldness comes from. The mind of a young child doesn't perceive limitations like the adult brain does. Limitation is learned. Limitation is a construct. This moon asks us to look at our lives through the lens of ‘why not?’; channelling a ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ vibe. Remember that, like a child, Aries doesn’t care about societal constructs and can be fiercely independent. A child is also far more able to be vulnerable. And authenticity and vulnerability are intrinsically linked. In Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, Brené Brown defines the powerful link between authenticity and vulnerability: “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity”. If we can dare to be vulnerable enough to see ourselves – really see ourselves – during this new moon, then we can discern what is authentic and what is not.

How to work with the energy of this new moon in Aries? Feeling into, and connecting with, our authentic selves is really important. This is place we want to initiate from. From a place that is open, alive and awake. Feel into the energy of new beginnings and allow this to be a new beginning. If you feel called to, this meditation by Justin Michael Williams, on Insight Timer, will guide you through an intention-setting practice. “Taking time to evaluate whether your current lifestyle is aligned with your dreams is the first step to take when embarking on a journey of growth. This powerful tool will help you to zoom out and see the bigger picture, and set a course for this journey.”

intention setting meditation

Image credit: Rohan Makhecha on UnSplash