Ready for some Spring cleaning? Because a “clear it out and clean it up” attitude is the best way to deal with this powerful New Moon eclipse that will continue to reverberate over the next 6 months.
Extreme power struggles, exposure of secrets, spiritual empowerment, intellectual breakthroughs, emotional gut punches, and identity crises that lead to phoenix-like transformations will all be part of our collective experience. This does NOT mean you personally will experience all of these things, but if you know what to expect will be happening around you, you can make the most of this time of shifts and changes.
In my last post, I noted that we’d start seeing the “end of ineffective hand-wringing and the beginning of some serious pushback against the forces of authoritarianism and theocracy.” Happily, there are definite signs of that, and I expect the pushback to continue.
I’ll give a few paragraphs over to the astrology (skip past the italics if you don’t speak the language), then I’ll look at how this eclipse is likely to affect us personally and nationally.
(Astrologers: Cast the chart for April 20th 12:13 AM, EDT, Washington, DC to make it applicable to the USA. Here’s what I’m looking at:
New Moon eclipse at the anaretic degree of Aries. Think endings, and probably not the gentle riding off into the sunset kind. They are likely to be loud, sudden, and possibly destructive. Some of them will be welcome. Then the new beginnings will quickly follow.
Speaking of endings and new beginnings, Pluto is square the eclipse, less than 1/2 degree to partile, but still over the sign line. It is also square the nodes by sign and degree. This Pluto-into-Aquarius business is intense, and it’s tightly tied to this lunation. Think necessary destruction in service of rebuilding better social and economic systems.
A stationary Mercury in Taurus is very close to its conjunction with Uranus, but it will go retrograde first, and won’t make the exact conjunction until early June. It is in mutual reception with Venus. Watch the money, — particularly crypto. Expect (hopefully minor) financial convulsions in various places. Also strong storms and possible earth movements of one kind or another.
Mercury has also just passed a sextile to Mars, and heading back for a rematch. Mars, the ruler of this eclipse, is struggling a bit in Cancer’s waters, but it’s pulling power from every one of those Aries planets and will put that power to work in defense of emotional and homeland priorities. Chiron is also square Mars, suggesting that issues of deep wounds and healing may need to be aggressively addressed.)
This eclipse presages an intense time of change that will have broad-ranging effects. Take charge of what you can in your life, and be ready to make some positive contributions to the world you share with your family, friends, and communities as we all travel through these next few months.
When I say “take charge”, I don’t mean get all grasping and controlling, locking down everything in your life so you can resist changes. I mean assessing, evaluating, and owning your life as it is right now.
Which also does not mean taking blame. There are things in our lives that we cause, things that we simply allow, things that were done to us, things that happened by chance. Accept what is, and look to how you can change the future. Looking back and assigning fault is rarely productive, and our attention is needed elsewhere now.
If you want your life to improve, first you need to claim it. To accept that this is what your life is right now, and know that while you can’t change everything, you will make choices in the present and those choices will blend with the unfolding of the world around you to create your future. If you move towards the future with an attitude of creative authority, you can embrace and help direct the currents of change instead of being swept away by them.
Making the Most of It
Here are some thoughts on how we can manage the inevitable changes:
1) Chart a course. Where do you want your life to be heading? What’s your plan to get there? What does the plan tell you about what your current priorities need to be? What needs to be done? For instance, if you want to have less stress and more time for important hobbies or other pursuits, then your plan might have to include, first and foremost, finding a less stressful and demanding job. Or it may mean setting boundaries with your current one about the time you have available for work.
The astrology is definitely in favor of a new start, so make a plan. The “Oh, my life’s OK. What movie do you want to watch tonight?” approach to life is unlikely to be supported by surrounding conditions. Turn off the TV. Instead, update your resume, go to a meeting, DO something to get your life moving in a better direction.
2) Clear the decks. Yes, this can mean sorting and getting rid of stuff, but it also means assessing and changing habits that might be draining off or mis-directing your energy. Look at your habits and routines, pick one or two that need changing, and change them. Do you always check social media as soon as you get home from work? Can you take 10 minutes to meditate first? Can you make a habit of cleaning the kitchen after dinner so your mornings aren’t dragged down by a pile of dirty dishes? The small habits matter.As Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
3) Pay attention to the winds and weather. There’s a lot going on in the world, and things are getting more chaotic and confusing. Political, sociological, and ecological realities impact us every day, whether we pay attention to them or not. While I’m more than sympathetic to the urge to disengage from the rat race, you can stay at least marginally aware of the larger issues that impact your world and take action as necessary — preferably before the world ends up on your doorstep.
There’s a lot of strife happening right now. Like it or not we live in a time of far-reaching changes, and change can be difficult and contentious. We are at a pivotal point in the evolution of humankind and the web of life on this planet. Your voice, your actions, are needed.
This is not a time to hide away. It’s a time to emulate the Warrior archetype of Aries by gathering your courage and claiming your place in the world.
Blessings of this Beltane season to you,
