New Moon, New Manifestation Cycle, New Year, New World
Today, the new moon, the Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and a retrograde Mercury are all in Aquarius, the sign that rules both change and the humanistic future. In Aquarius, these planets serve to inspire and impel us to imagine and embrace all that lies just beyond the horizon, all that may be possible. If that weren’t enough, it is also the Lunar Imbolc (the first of the annual planting festivals) and the Chinese New Year. Additionally, the grace and reflection of the Lenten season is just ahead. The possibilities of moving society and humanity forward toward a more perfect union, one that serves more of us, are very real now. We can get there from here.
Can you see how?
I can.
As always, let’s look to our ancestors and to the stars for guidance, and chart a course from there.
The Spirit of Aquarius
Humans have always looked to the sky for answers—or at least clues—as to how to better navigate life on earth. Over time, it became clear that there was a relationship between what happens up there and what happens down here. The saying for this, “as above, so below,” is a phrase so old scholars still haven’t determined its origins with any confidence. How very... Aquarian.
Ruler of astrologers and astrology, the heavens, and the vast reaches of space, Aquarius invites you to look up and out, to imagine and then create a bigger, better world. The tricky part is Aquarius does not rule patience. If you don’t think big enough fast enough, boy does he let you know it. Aquarius also rules surprises and the spastic, uneven sort of energy that can often seem, on the surface, to drive them. When you look underneath the surface, however, you see that these seemingly sudden events are generally the release of something that has been pent up for far too long.
Fortunately, Aquarius is an air sign. It rules logic and rationality, science, higher ideals, as well as the foresight and dedication required to implement them. Its constellation is called the water bearer, and for good reason. The mind, ruled by the air signs, is the bearer of the emotions, ruled by the water signs. Given that, Aquarius rules the process of properly applying mental processes and techniques to appropriately harness the emotions, so they drive us forward at a sustainable pace, without dominating us or others.
Ruled by Uranus, Aquarius is the ultimate manager: of emotion, of risk, of processes, of change, and of humans. As such, the realm of Aquarius is vast and ethereal, but also quite concrete. Aquarius rules governance, and everything that makes it possible, including charters and constitutions, congresses and councils, democracies and democratic institutions, elections and elected officials, governments and governing documents, leadership, logic, and the love of humanity.
By the same token, when change doesn’t happen, or happen appropriately, Aquarius rules the consequences: revolts and revolutions, rebellions and treason, insurgencies and insurrections. Aquarius is the ultimate change agent: it knows that change will always happen, one way or the other. It’s just a matter of choosing how. Astrological transits like this are an object lesson in the ways that small actions, made consistently over time, can and do have a massive impact. What’s more, these transits offer you the opportunity to develop that ability—to change and to be an agent of change—so forward motion becomes more of a way of life and less like a moment in time. Take advantage of this transit. If you play your cards right, you can not only make the reality of your daily life look a lot more like your personal Utopian vision, but you can develop new habits, raise your vibration, and make your vision your new normal. Consider making that your intention, say your prayers and invocations, and double down.
Not an Aquarius? No worries. Everyone has Aquarius somewhere, and if you don't already know where yours is, now is a good time to find out. Because where Aquarius lives in your natal chart is where you have the capacity to be unbreakable: to have unflappable calm, unshakeable focus, and unassailable logic—things we could all use more of right now. A lot more. So find your inner Spock, unleash him, and be the change you want to see in the world.
Where Aquarius lives in your natal chart is where you are bold, tenacious, and crystal clear about what we all need to do to move society and humanity forward. Equally as important, it is also where you are not usually a worker bee. This is where you’re the visionary, the brains of the operation, not the one who makes it happen. Where Aquarius lives in your natal chart is where you need an army of detail-oriented minions to do the footwork. Gladly, willingly, and con mucho gusto. Give yourself permission to ask for help, but be smart about it. Read the room, and listen. Where Aquarius is in your natal chart is also where you are the most logical, linear, and likely to forget that not everyone else is like you. Cultivate the discernment—and the kindness—necessary to communicate in ways that are more likely to be heard and less likely to offend.
Remember, too, that Aquarians can be very Avant Garde. Sometimes that forward-focused vision falls on blind eyes and deaf ears: sometimes you will be just too far ahead of the crowd. When that occurs, the priority becomes keeping yourself positive and positively focused, marching to the beat of your own proverbial drummer, until the rest of the world catches up. Other times, you will be the one who is resisting and rebelling against reality, quixotically wedded to your paradigms and point of view despite all evidence to the contrary. In these moments, you will need to rely another crucial aspect of Aquarius: your friends, community members, and networks—the family you create for yourself. These are the folks upon whom you rely to light the way when things get dark, and to provide the discernment you so desperately need to fulfill your role in the revolution.
When there are so many planets in Aquarius at one time, there is an emphasis on connecting, connection, and connectivity. The tricky part is how. Aquarians often define connection differently than the rest of us. While Aquarians cherish connection, they cherish their freedom more. So the challenge becomes consciously creating some semblance of balance that works for everyone. Case in point, the diametrically opposed ways that different factions of our nation have been attempting to address and solve our common problems at local, regional, and national levels.
This month’s Aquarian transits highlight the importance of staying positively connected and engaged. Aquarius wants 5G-caliber, constant contact, but not for contact’s sake. Ever the free and forward thinker, Aquarius wants us —no, expects us—to communicate about meaningful things in meaningful ways. That is the only way we will be able to work together and move the ball down the field.
On a good day, Aquarian drives can make us smart, spiritual, and focused on the task at hand. On a bad day, Aquarius will get a little fond of his own opinion. Sometimes overly fond. When that occurs, downshift into some serious Buddhism and recommit to having a beginner’s mind. Talk less, listen more. And when you do speak, don’t speak to share, speak to ask questions. Demonstrate intellectual curiosity. Focus on the higher octaves, the positive attributes, maximize the opportunities they provide, and be grateful. There are too many opportunities for you, here and now, that you don’t want to miss.
Especially now.
Why, you ask? First, Aquarius. Ruler of insight and the ways in which it can strike like lightening—where and when you least expect it—Aquarius abounds right now. Make time and space for it: insight is worthless if you are not listening. So get quiet and listen.
Second, it's Imbolc, the first planting festival of the annual manifestation cycle that is the wheel of the year. Review your goals and plant wisely. Third, Mercury is in retrograde in Aquarius until February 20th. Absolutely everything is up for reevaluation, reexamination and revision. Be fearless and through. Fourth, it’s the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Metal Ox - providing you with an opportunity to begin again, especially if you can recommit to using that fixed, focused Aquarian energy to maintain a laser focus on the solutions that move humane society forward.
And last, we’re in virgin territory right now on so many levels: as individuals and families, as communities, as states and nations and races, as a planet, and as a people on the planet. We have never needed innovators and trailblazers the way we do now. So listen up, lean in, and rise to the occasion, or at least find some way to start listing in that general direction. And if you get stuck, call me. We’ll figure it out.
Calendar
Below are some of the dates where your opportunities for wizardry, magic, and alchemy will be the greatest.
February 11: Lunar Imbolc; the Chinese New Year; new moon in Aquarius
February 14: Saint Valentine’s Day
February 15: Presidents’ Day
February 16: Mardi Gras
February 17: Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent
February 18: Sun moves into Pisces
February 20: Mercury goes direct in Aquarius, its 21-day shadow period begins
February 21: Feralia
February 25: Venus moves into Pisces
February 27: Full moon in Virgo, also known as the Snow Moon, the Ice Moon, and the Hunger Moon
March 3: Mars moves into Gemini
March 8: International Women’s Day
March 12: Aztec New Year; 21-day Mercury retrograde shadow period ends
March 13: New moon in Pisces
March 14: Daylight savings time begins
March 15: Mercury moves into Pisces
Everybody’s natal (birth) chart is different. These differences reflect our individual souls—their journeys and evolution, their triumphs and their tragic flaws. As such, the specific impact of each of the following dates will hit each person differently. But there are some general themes.
Holy days, holidays, and astrological transits are opportunities for us to experience grace. But remember how grace happens: sometimes it comes through discomfort. The gifts aren’t always immediately apparent. All of the days on this list ask you to be more compassionate with yourself and others, to try and be more awake, and to be more open to synchronicity and messages from Spirit. On days when more than one astrological event, holiday or holy day occurs, know that the power of that day will be even more profound. The more events in a day, the more powerful that day is, and the more intentional you should be.
Again, in general, full moons are a good time for ending things, wrapping things up, conclusions, and closure. New moons are opportune times for new beginnings: starting a new chapter of some aspect of your life, tackling a new project, or launching something new. Retrogrades are always about slowing down and paying more attention to aspects of your creative, spiritual, and social lives. The eclipses always reveal; sometimes it is something others have hidden from you, sometimes it is things you have hidden from yourself. Usually, it is a little bit of both. To go deeper, look to the planetary signs and the houses they fall in, and, of course, to your natal chart. Or give me a call. I can help you with that.
Retreats, Rituals, Services, Ceremonies and Journeys
Choosing the best day or days is a very personal thing. You have to feel your way into it. But there are some generic rules that can help you in your decision-making process. Full moons and new moons are considered the best. Holidays and holy days are powerful, as well. Full moons and new moons that occur during or over a period of holidays and holy days are extraordinarily powerful.
Factor in a retrograde or two and you pretty much cannot avoid leveling up and becoming a much more masterful magician. Especially around anything that has to do with your faith, your trust in it, your ability to serve your faith and serve with it. Seriously.
With that in mind, in the next month, the best days for deep, transformational experiences are: February 11, 16–18, 20, 25, and 27; March 3, 12–13, and 15.
“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
The Mystery School Guidebooks
For as long as humans have traveled the earth, we have turned to the cycles and movements of the natural world and celestial bodies to guide us. Over time and across cultures, the art and science of navigation has provided powerful tools to ensure safe passage through the mysterious currents of life's more difficult moments. Now, by combining ancient practices with modern modalities, you can chart smooth and successful routes through the most important journeys of all: the integration of your internal landscapes, your relationships, your spiritual and professional paths.
The Mystery School Guidebooks are the culmination of my 30 years of dedicated research and practice as a business consultant, astrologer, and intuitive. I am currently offering six guidebooks: Mars Retrograde, Level 1 and Level 2; Mercury Retrograde, Level 1 and Level 2; and Venus Retrograde, Level 1 and Level 2, with more in the works. Each one is a magical combination of information and experiential exercises, designed to provide you with the tools that mean the difference between falling prey to your innermost demons—fears, outdated behaviors and belief systems, and long-buried traumas—and discovering, perhaps for the first time, greater joy in relationships, success in career, and increased self-confidence, access, and flow in your personal and spiritual lives.