Aquarius New Moon: The Upside of Being Sick

Last week, I had the flu. One of the new dreaded strains going around. One minute I felt fine — just coughing a bit — and the next I was suffering from fever, chills, intense muscle aches, a migraine, a deep painful cough …  and, as if that wasn’t enough, depression. All my negative thoughts and beliefs joined together to form the infamous “itty bitty shitty committee,” which insisted that my life has been a series of failures and bad decisions, and that I am, pretty much, doomed.

The feeling of relief, as I started to get well, was overwhelming (in a good way). I felt grateful to simply be able to sleep at night without breaking into a cold sweat and needing to change my pajamas ten times while hacking up a lung. My cats, who are used to me sleeping through the night, stared at me as I paced (more like, limped) around the apartment at 2 am because I could not even sleep upright.

Sometimes, we need an unexpected or disruptive event to shake things up in our lives and get us moving in a better direction. As I continue to regain my energy each day, I feel a sense of renewal, gratitude, and hope — and those are some of words we can use to describe the Zodiac sign, Aquarius.

Tomorrow, Saturday January 20th, the New Moon will be in Aquarius (3:53 pm EST), a sign that represents renewal, forward thinking, progress, friendships, groups, and working for a cause that betters humanity and the world (to name a few things).

Getting sick exacerbated some of the issues I have been facing in my life because I was in a weakened and vulnerable state. It felt like a warning — a signal to deal with and bring into balances certain aspects of my life to create more security and stability (Taurus North Node) before it’s too late, and to pave the way for my future (Aquarius). The South Node of the Moon in Scorpio (until July 2023) points to deep fears and old patterns, or stuck energy, that hold us back. Taurus, the sign the North Node currently resides in, wants us to build something practical in the “real world” (e.g., a business, a career, a home, a family) that will ensure future security and stability. With this in mind, as of of January 22nd, all planets in the sky will be in direct motion through April 21st, making it a potentially fruitful period for progress and forward momentum. Since Aquarius represents friendships, groups/community, and working for ‘the greater good,’ progress in life may involve any of these themes. The Chinese New Year is also on January 22nd, beginning the year of the water rabbit, which is said to have the potential to turn around unfavorable circumstances and can bring a feeling of peace. 

As if feeling depressed while I had the flu wasn’t difficult enough, I was also restless and on edge; you know that feeling when you no longer want to be where you are? This was alarming (lots of strong feelings at once) since I just moved to a new state last August. Being cooped up in my apartment for several days was undoubtedly at the root of this feeling, and the feeling has, indeed, since lessened, however there is something within the feeling to pay attention to: the seed to break through stagnation. The 10th house of my Natal Chart, the area that symbolizes career and social standing, is where I need to open the windows and let in fresh air. The Aquarius New Moon lands in my 3rd house, the area of the chart that reflects communication, and so this is also a part of the picture for me. Aquarius season can trigger feelings of restlessness and a strong desire to move on from what is not working in your life. It may not be possible or practical to make a change immediately, but working toward it can help to alleviate the unsettled or “on edge” feeling. If you don’t know where the Aquarius New Moon will be in your Natal Chart, you can create your Transit Chart with Astro Charts. 

So, what is it in your life that could use innovation?

You can start small by, say, reading an article or taking an online class that focuses on the themes you want to work on. Aquarius wants you to break free of old patterns to align with a sense of freedom and independence in the area of life being highlighted. And sometimes, an event or set of circumstances shows up that is unwanted and feels bad, like getting the flu, but has the potential to re-inspire you.

 

/by
,

There’s No Place Like Home: Full Moon in Cancer (January 6th, 2023)

“The home we are looking for in this world is within us all along. The lost home that we are seeking is ourselves: it is the story we carry within our souls.” – Michael Meade

When the Full Moon makes its home in the sign that symbolizes home, emotions come to the surface more readily; we feel more fully and express more easily (even us Capricorn folk). Themes of home, one’s tribe/family, the past, roots, security, support, connection and belonging are in the air now.

This morning, the Kindergarten students I have been working with for the past several weeks formed their morning circle on a big mat that lies on the ground in the middle of what we call “the forest meadow.” It is, indeed, a forest; and it serves as an enchanting outdoor classroom filled with grand and tall tropical trees that meet in the sky to form a ceiling of canopies, their vines cascading, like rope swings, down to the earth (we often have to remind the children not to tug or swing on the vines because they are a part of the trees), and a yurt with tables and chairs and cubbies. It is no exaggeration to say that these are the some of the happiest children I have ever met.

When the students joined hands on their mat this morning, they had an idea: they asked the teachers to watch them do their morning circle routine all by themselves. “We will be your audience,” I chimed in, backing away from their circle to take my seat on a rock, knowing they’d love that word and, indeed, I saw eyes light up as they prepared to serenade us and perform for us. “Good morning dear earth, good morning dear sun, good morning dear trees … good morning to you and good morning to me.” They touched their feet and stretched their arms. They jumped their feet wide and spread their arms like stars. They made bird shapes with their hands and brought their hands to their hearts. Their bodies moved in unison as they sang the songs and chanted the verses that have been an integral part of their days since last August. They have become a family, a tribe, and these early experiences are a part of their foundation.

The sign of Cancer represents both physical home and inner home, or foundation. I see a foundation as the experiences and environments that have shaped us, as well as what is passed down from one generation to the next; the unresolved stuff gets passed on like a hot potato until someone does the hard work of sitting with the pain. When we reach adulthood, our foundation consists of a lifetime of beliefs and patterns and values, stemming from not only parents/caregivers, family members, and teachers but our ancestors.

One of my favorites parts of the children’s morning routine is this: one child turns to the person next to her or him in the circle and with cupped hands extends an invisible gift as everyone sings “Good Morning, dear … (fill in a name). The child receiving the offering in their cupped hands turns to the next student to pass on what they have just received as everyone sings “Good morning dear …” to that person. And on it goes until they reach the end of the circle. Watching them do this without the teachers is what got my tears started.

January marks the midway point of the school year and so it’s a pivotal time for students emotional/mental growth, which was on display today during this impromptu full moon ceremony. Although I have not been working with this group for very long, I have developed a bond in our weeks together and I felt my eyes watering as I watched these small beings reflect back to their head teacher what she has taught and shared with them. I glanced at her and saw that she, too, was deeply moved: her students were mirroring back to her not only the words and tunes and movements they have absorbed but the beautiful community she has built.

Cancer symbolizes our roots, our families and the people who become our family.

For those of us who don’t have an immediate family or are disconnected from family, feelings around belonging may surface. At the end of the school day yesterday, I watched longingly as one of my colleagues was picked up by her partner; she slipped into the passenger’s seat and I envisioned what it would be like, at the end of a long day, to get a ride home and to, perhaps, even have a warm meal waiting for me. I thought back to my grandparents’ home, filled with family members and my Yiayia’s home-cooked meals and fresh apple pies, and I missed the feeling of togetherness and connection from those early days of my life.

I like to share Micheal Meade’s words during Cancer Moons: “The home we are looking for in this world is within us all along. The lost home that we are seeking is ourselves: it is the story we carry within our souls.” Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, who had the power to travel back home at any time in her journey by, simply, clicking together her red sparkly shoes three times, you can create the feeling of home wherever you are in the world and your life story … like Dorothy, we forget we possess this power to return home.

The family members that came before you helped to create your foundation and may have contributed to a sturdy or crooked foundation but, either way, there is at least a part of it worth keeping (or learning from), even if it needs rebuilding or restructuring. During this Cancer Full Moon, you can nourish your roots in whatever way you are drawn to: cook a meal like your grandmother or grandfather used to make, look through old photographs, do a “flow-y” yoga (or movement) practice that helps you connect to your body and emotions (your body is your spiritual home), take a bath or go swimming, reconnect with family members or family-like friends, whether they are on this earthly plane or not (you can light a candle for someone who has passed and bring their memory into your heart, and you can also ask for signs from them). Any steps you take to nourish yourself will be part of the new, strong inner foundation you are creating and, sometimes, boundaries (a Cancer theme) are a necessary part of this — anyone with the sign Cancer strong in their natal chart knows the pull of wanting to be there for everyone, but this can be depleting and you can lose yourself along the way. So, what do you need during this full moon to feel nourished and supported?

 

/by