Aries New Moon: March 26, 2009

Aries New Moon: March 26, 2009
Barbara Hand Clow

It is the New Moon in Aries: the time to start new things that have
promise and to end things that are just going nowhere. The Spring
Equinox occurred just a few days ago, and so we are really feeling
like getting moving. The central issue with using Aries power is: to
do our utmost to be clear about what we want, and to think about how
our lives would change if we did get what we want. If you're not
careful, with strong Aries aspects, you can become a rampaging car
that is out of control because nobody's at the steering wheel. Think
about that.

This New Moon in Aries is especially fine for getting going with
Mercury and Venus close to the New Moon. Of course, during the New
Moon we integrate our feelings (Moon) with our central purpose (Sun).
Adding Mercury, which rules our mental functioning, and Venus, which
rules what attracts us and is attracted to us, this is a very
functional and alluring lunation. It will be easier than usual to be
clear about exactly what we want. Then, Pluto in early Capricorn
squares this intimate group in Aries, which intensifies the meaning,
integrity, and seriousness of our intentions. Pluto will retrograde on
April 4, so this is the last chance to use Pluto as a tool in ordinary
reality until he goes direct in mid-September. On April 4, you will
move the deep issues you have been working on into your private zone
to consider whether you can actually handle what has been coming up.
With some thought, you can better comprehend the things that seemed so
urgent. The great revolution going on in the outer world will slow
down for just a little while, and then personal and collective agendas
will charge forward like "a bull with laser vision" in the fall.

This Aries New Moon is a great time to take some fundamental actions
on big issues you have been hammering away at because, in a few weeks,
a pause will come. The stellium in Aries trines the lunar South Node
in Leo, which is also very favorable for completing some things; you
can cap off the job, so to speak. The stellium sextiles the lunar
North Node in Aquarius-making it easy to assess the value of things in
our lives, and to just let them settle in if they are right on.
Meanwhile, the subtle player in the group is Venus retrograde in Aries
from March 3 until April 17. Venus retrograde in Aries encourages us
to assess relationships, values, resources, and material needs. What,
and whom, do we really love so much that we will even change ourselves
to keep the bond going? This Venus retrograde is tense because Venus
is dissatisfied in Aries; she scans for variety and something
different. With Venus retrograde in Aries, the most exquisite and
cherished person in your life may seem to be a bloody bore-or worse.
But, watch it, because you may be seeing yourself in the other person!

Venus retrograde came on strong March 3, and it is going to hit like a
bomb during this New Moon. If you dump someone on the day after the
New Moon, you may feel like you had a case of temporary insanity when
Venus conjuncts the Sun. This New Moon, so close to Venus, asks us to
get real about strong attachments because Venus in Aries makes us feel
like getting real and being honest. This can propel a deep
relationship into a new and more honest phase, or push it right out of
existence. Either way, it would be wise to assume that difficult
emotions coming up in relationships right now are happening because
you're not getting something that you desire, something you are afraid
to ask for. You are being challenged to choose love over discord, or
to see that the love is not strong enough to handle conflict. Hold
with this energy and be as patient as you can because Venus retrograde
offers you great clarity within complex relationships when she turns
direct April 17. Also, you will have a better perspective on your
situation on May 21 when Venus passes its March 3 retrograde point (15
Aries); so if your theatre of conflict is marriage or a committed
relationship, it would be wise to wait before you do anything drastic.
On May 21, you will see the situation clearly, and it will not be as
difficult to change things. .

Mars-in-Pisces transforms take-charge impulses into a desire to go sit
on a park bench, stare at a wall, or just turn the phone off. Mars-in-
Pisces generates lethargy and ennui. When Mars is in Pisces, many
people wonder why it is worth doing anything at all, and even if it
seems to be worth it, they still just can't get motivated. The
constant energy loss and drag with Mars in Pisces is a very difficult
thing in general, and a great challenge for those who have it in their
natal charts. So, even though you will a big charge from the stellium
in Aries-"I should, I must, I will"-like Inspector Clouseau, you might
just peek around the corner, tap your umbrella, and go off in the
other direction. Saturn in Virgo exactly opposes the midpoint between
Mars and Uranus in Pisces, which hints at snafus and odd turns of
events in the larger world and in your life. This is because Mars
(action) and Uranus (transformation) are deactivated, and then
challenged by Saturn in opposition. This amusing and owl-like
configuration feels like a leaky energy that will confuse people about
what and who is on top. Meanwhile, it is an excellent aspect for the
big boys to play shell games, especially regarding "where did all the
bailout money go?".

I am suggesting that things may not actually be as they appear to be,
with many people charging around looking like they are doing many
things, but much of what is going on is hot air. Like the moment when
a pillow breaks open and the chicken feathers fly all over the place,
you may wonder what's making you sneeze. This is really an oddball New
Moon, and I noticed that the other astrologers didn't know how to read
it, so they talked about everything but this chart! Well, the key to
how the energy can be used if you are wily and smart lies in the close
quincunx from Jupiter in Aquarius to Saturn in Virgo. This is a major
case of "The buck stops here!" aspect that will force cheaters and
thieves out in the open, if anybody is watching.

Jupiter in Aquarius inspires us to revolt: first, in the privacy of
our minds, and then, by joining together to change reality. It wants
assets to be fairly delegated, and you can see that a revolt against
the "Bailout" abuses is building. Jupiter in Aquarius wants money to
be used wisely to create valuable things. Saturn in Virgo loves order,
efficiency, and the creation of good systems. Saturn in Virgo is
constant, dedicated, and determined-and yes, it is often obsessive.
Watch out for Saturn in Virgo when it gets thwarted because it will
come out fighting. Jupiter in Aquarius agrees with that, and with this
tight quincunx, they'd better put Bernie Madoff in isolation, while
Fed Chairman Bernanke does some new thinking.

Saturn in Virgo is the master key that reveals how this great Aries
stellium can be used at its highest potential. Uranus/Mars opposing
Saturn in Virgo pressures for persistent change, and the quincunx from
Jupiter in Aquarius is like the lever, the crowbar. It will continue
to expand the issues and dilemmas-until new winds of change blow in
and topple the blocks. In that sense, this should be a nuanced and
subtle month, a time when many things are happening that are
invisible.

Venus/New Moon/Mercury in Aries squaring Pluto proudly announce that
it is time to be clear about what we want and go for it, but Uranus/
Mars in Pisces opposing Saturn in Virgo will create odd and circuitous
methods. Meanwhile, Chiron is in close conjunction to Neptune in
Aquarius, and we hear a new siren: a siren that wails for us to heal
our spiritual crisis and become whole again. Neptune/Chiron in
Aquarius for the next few years is going to push us hard to process
our inner wounding, to face our shortcomings coming from past pain.
Chiron/Neptune in Aquarius is the signature aspect for the end of the
Mayan Calendar; they form a conjunction that guarantees we are going
to stop limiting ourselves. The point of this New Moon in Aries is to
direct the great pressure we feel for change right into healing
ourselves, healing all the complexes and limitations that got us where
we are now. So, when you see things collapse this month that you were
sure are very important for you, consider that old and useless things
are collapsing so that you won't collapse.

Consider the following: assume that what actually happens is just what
it is supposed to be, regardless of what you thought should be going.
Aries does not do well when Mars is in Pisces, yet we are in a
collapsing environment that is recycling old paths; we are finally
letting go. The surest advice for this month is to be prepared to just
move on if something doesn't work, just kiss it goodbye. After all,
Mars in Pisces is always happy to sit on the park bench or stare out
the window-a perfectly good choice while old worlds are quickly
passing away.