New Moon in Aries
On the 21st of March, 2023, the Astrological New Year kicks in with the Sun changing signs into forward-thinking, brave and indomitable Aries. On this very same day, there’s a bold New Moon in this selfsame sign, and of course, it’s also Equinox. This triple-whammy of new beginnings urges us all to start afresh and realign our intentions for the rest of the year.
Admittedly, it’s been a wobbly start for most, what with 2023 beginning on a Mars and Mercury retrograde, not to mention Pluto being in the Anaretic degree of Capricorn. When a planet transits the Anaretic degree (otherwise known as the ‘Fate’ degree, which is the 29th degree of any sign), there’s an energy of change and crisis. Structures are being demolished now, and there’s a sense of urgency building. The Aries New Moon offers the cosmic opportunity to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
This lunation also sits at the very sensitive degree of 0 Aries, which is the number of manifestation. This invites unlimited potential that we can all tap into. Like the Fool in the Tarot, we might be invited to initiate an adventure, to trust and freefall, whilst having faith in the Universe that our spontaneity will be rewarded. After all, Aries is the very first sign of the zodiac, and is known for boldly going where angels fear to tread – and yet, their instincts are often right on the money.
However, when any planet – especially the mighty Sun and Moon – is at 0 degrees there is a gentle warning from the cosmos. The less-developed traits of the sign often come forth at these early degrees. In this case, it could be the recklessness of Aries, self-absorption or naivety. None of these qualities are ‘bad’. In fact, they are resources that we can draw upon, when we choose to transmute them into courageousness, self-consideration and trust. But we’ll have to be sure to discern and choose.
Speaking of discernment, the ruler of this New Moon – Mars – is also sitting very close to the Anaretic degree of Gemini (28 degrees). Having recently squared Neptune and still feeling the vibrations of that aspect, it’s important that any intentions we sow or new journey we set out upon now, are done with clarity. Chaos still abounds, and we need to be entirely sure of our direction, lest we end up with confusion or the feeling that we’ve ‘flaked out’ on a commitment that we know we needed to follow through on.
How do we get such clarity? We take the time to pause, consider and rest before we take the action that Aries demands. We journal our options and make a list of pros and cons of the various paths we may find ourselves on. We communicate with trusted friends. We feel into our soul’s yearning. And finally, we act with utmost integrity, and walk in the pure light of Arie honesty – even if that doesn’t please everyone. What we can all learn from Aries is how to truly put ourselves first and to have our own backs. This is just one of the many surprising and spontaneous gifts of this memorable New Moon.
