New Moon & Solar Eclipse in Aries
an ode to the battle cry in your throat right now.
Hey witchy kids,
I hope this finds you hanging in there. There’s something to be said about emotionally charged skies providing a karmic backdrop to the rise of fascism, ethnic cleansing, erosion of free speech, environmental catastrophes, and generally unlivable conditions, but we persist. The spirit of this eclipse axis, courage and justice, demands we stand a little straighter in the face of what’s coming and all we’ve survived to arrive here. The warrior spirit of a double Aries sky cannot be denied in the times we’re in, nor does astrology exist in an echo chamber outside the context of society and the world around us. (If you disagree, then I say with love: I am not the astrologer for you.)
My reflection prayer, ode, and heart song for the past two years is that each of us are more in touch with the warrior within. We know her, love her, and call upon her with ease. She is unafraid and righteous. She knows her worth, questions baseless authority, and roots for the underdog. She sets boundaries in relationships, gives only what she can, and never brews resentment from unmet needs or lack of personal ownership. She is the everywoman and the one in a million. She is us, and divine Aries lifts her shield while Libra slams her gavel for justice. Only from our most autonomous selves can we meet others with grace and patience.
These signs have taught us that compromise without an ironclad self is a procrastination of personal authority, like building a wooden fence to cage a wildfire.
True peace understands the currency of rage, that anger is sacred and must be tended to, not ignored or denied. The integrity of the warrior is that she always knows what she’s fighting for, and when to lay her weapons down. Words are meant to clarify, not wound. Actions are signals, beacons, flares in the dark. There is no glory in burning just to see the flame; there is always a truth being illuminated, which is to say — may you burn and forgive and burn and rewrite and burn and trust and burn and love. May we know the battle cry in our own throats that is needed to know peace.
It has been 710 days of learning, smelting, evolving, and loving on the eclipse axis of Aries and Libra. Did you notice any big lessons or situations that have clustered around the following days?
April 20, 2023: Solar Eclipse at 29° Aries
October 14, 2023: Solar Eclipse at 21° Libra
March 25, 2024: Lunar Eclipse at 5° Libra
April 8, 2024: Solar Eclipse at 19° Aries
October 2, 2024: Solar Eclipse at 10° Libra
March 29, 2025: Solar Eclipse at 9° Aries
The end of an eclipse cycle feels like the final season of a messy television show.
The ones that were doing way too much each season, switched show runners, recast main characters, and thought you wouldn’t notice. What felt make or break in season two isn’t even a plot point anymore, and everything is coming full circle… kind of. It’s okay to feel bittersweet right now.
If the dust hasn’t yet settled, that could be thanks to Mercury and Venus simultaneously retrograde. Your head and heart might not be totally on the same page yet, and lessons around independence are often double-edged. The choices that are best for you, are not always what is best for a relationship. What a relationship needs, is not always what you are able to give. This is the dance, and you’ve been learning the steps for the past two years. Surprise! You were cast on Dancing with the Stars, literally.
These last two years have asked us to master the difference between compromise and concession. Between being independent and running away. It’s very likely that you’ve learned the cost of keeping the peace beyond reason, self-sacrifice, staying where it is safe, and keeping others happy at your own expense. You’ve felt the glimmer of who you could be if you put yourself first, the roar of old dreams coming back to life, with new ideas demanding you to be their champion — an urge to go full speed ahead without anyone or anything holding you back — and still, despite it all, choose love. An opposition asks for a mastery of the impossible, and here you are, with a torch in hand and heart on your sleeve.
Eclipses operate like karmic checkpoints and the themes are based on the signs they are in. In the past two years, have you…
Entered or left a major, significant relationship that felt karmic?
Found greater independence in your life, relationships, or career?
Come face-to-face with some of your biggest recurring relationship wounds or patterns?
Grappled with either hyper-independence or codependency depending on the situation?
Learned the importance of setting boundaries and saying no?
Got tired of people pleasing and started taking your power back, bit by bit?
My hope for each of us in our own way is that we now feel more comfortable walking our own paths with the conviction, clarity, and stamina of Aries… So that we know exactly who we’re showing up as and what we have to offer to the people and situations that are worth the investment of Libra’s care, consideration, and commitment.
You might’ve heard before that eclipses aren’t for intentions — there are too many karmic cooks in the kitchen to make anything edible right now. Instead it’s about reflection, doing the proverbial dishes, throwing away the moldy greens in the fridge to create room for what’s coming.
So, in lieu of New Moon intentions, here are my suggested tarot and journal prompts to reflect on the lessons of the past two years.
Seek out the house of 9° Aries!
1st house: how have I embodied independence more deeply?
2nd house: how have I created greater security for myself and others?
3rd house: how have I learned the ways I am meant to use my voice?
4th house: what have I championed for my family and inner child?
5th house: how have I initiated on my projects and enjoyment of life?
6th house: what progress have I made in the building blocks of life?
7th house: how have I grown in my relationships and boundaries?
8th house: how have I been my own self-growth champion?
9th house: what goals and dreams have I insisted on seeking out?
10th house: how have I bet on myself in work and career?
11th house: in what ways have I spearheaded community and stood apart from the crowd?
12th house: how have I pushed my own spiritual path forward and faced my subconscious conditioning?
Let me know of any patterns or full circle realizations coming up for you right now in the comments, and as always,
To the moon and back (pun intended)!
Ocean Pleasant
3rd house with Mercury and Chiron at 12 dergrees...I still haven't learned how to use my voice, it's a struggle for me. The biggest lesson I learned the past two years is to learn setting boundaries. I tend to give away too much of myself in relationships and become the constant helper, the therapist, the activities planner and so on to the point of making myself drained and even sick. I realized this had to stop doing this and I'm getting better at it. But this week I found myself reverting back into old habits and was left feeling those all too familiar feelings of giving too much, anger and resentment. This made me reflect on this particular friendship and how dysfunctional it is at the moment. I can only take responsibility for my feelings and actions and stop giving away my power. Also , this friend has a stellium in Virgo and i am Pisces.....
In your newsletter you mentioned "The Artist's Way", so I got it and wow, exactly what I needed! I've only just started reading it but have had several aha moments already. So thank you for that!
Phew!
Think I can check all the boxes these last two years (thanks for that reassurance gift!) and 5th house eclipse feels on, for sure. Ready to initiate so many projects! But just two to start, and then another two later in spring/early summer. Phew.