New Moon in Pisces
The New Moon in Pisces exacts on February 27 at 5:44 pm MST - Sun and Moon will be dipping below the western horizon together, and as the light disappears, Jupiter, the traditional ruler of this lunation, will be shining brightly above us - just look straight up. Jupiter sits at a square with Sun and Moon, and although squares can be uncomfortable, confronting aspects, a square with Jupiter still instills optimism into the viability of the seeds we plant with devotion at this time. Jupiter is in Gemini, so our communications, both given and received, could feel inflated, grandiose, loud. Gemini is interested in the details, the logic, in understanding. Pisces communicates in a different way - it seeks to hear what is unspoken, to behold the unknown, the inexplicable… How can we find a balance in the knowing and not knowing, and be ok when we don’t fully understand, or are not fully understood?
Pisces is Mutable Water. It is the end, and also the beginning. It is the dark, endless, ever mysterious ocean. Pisces represents the Cosmic Soup, our connection to everything, held together by Love. Pisces is the threshold to the other worlds, both above and below. They are the psychonaut, bravely swallowing the dose that will show them God. Pisces also acknowledges the productivity of rest. We can’t always think or do our way to a solution - sometimes the answer lies in rest and reflection and trusting in the Divine Unfolding, in recognizing that we are not in control, and we can let go of it. The New Moon in Pisces is generally a time of connecting with a Higher Power, and/or your Higher Self, through a spirituality practice. It’s a portal into the dreamspace, and also a time where you can more clearly see what fears may be getting in the way of your own self-actualization, if you choose to face them. Pisces is about forgiveness, about compassion, about recognizing that we are all one, and that we really all are stardust just trying to make our way home.
Pisces is also a sign associated with art, specifically with music, but also anything visionary. With Saturn in Pisces, we are blessed with the discipline we need to actually do the hard work to pull into reality what we have created from our imagination. The obstacle to overcome is our fear. Our fear of failure, our fear that it won’t be good enough, or that people won’t like it. Pisces is also a sign that struggles with perfectionism - we must humble ourselves and understand and truly believe in the importance of our vision for our collective unfolding. The world needs you, your art, your dreams… sometimes you just have to get over yourself, choose vulnerability, and do the damn thing.
Mercury recently made a pass at Saturn in Pisces, on the 25th of February, inviting us to be more cautious with our words. Carry this energy with you on the New Moon as you set your intentions - your words are your magic. I get made fun of a lot by people that don’t really understand me, and they will ask me what my “best spell is” in a mocking sort of way - I always remind them that they cast spells all the time with the words they speak. Consider even the word “spell” - magic comes from an intention, something that we think, write, speak, and a willingness to engage with some sort of power, internal or external, to assist in the unfolding of that wish.
As Mars in Cancer slowly inches into a trine to Saturn, the planet of discipline (which will be felt from now until the days following their exact trine on April 4th), we may feel a growing inspiration to manifest our fantasies into reality. What is more threatening to the status quo than a visionary with the discipline to make their dream a reality?
The shadows of Pisces are disillusionment, martyrdom, escapism, self-righteousness… it can show up as fantastical, dogmatic religious thinking. It can show up as spiritual bypassing, that it’s all just “light and love” and we can just “think more positively” to make it all better. I believe that these are manifestations of fear, of protecting the ego at all costs so that it doesn’t “die” (so dramatic, I know). Our ego is tricky like that, it will play all sorts of tricks on our brains to keep it “safe.” What is really the ultimate goal with this archetype is ego death. There is always a moment of crisis before we are willing to let go. If you find yourself gripping onto particular ways of thinking or being because you think it is going to “save” you, can you challenge yourself to surrender, even for the pure sake of adventure to see what might be on the other side?
Venus and Mars Standing Still
If you choose to gaze at the sky and behold the wandering stars, do not confuse Jupiter with Venus, who will be following the setting of Sun and Moon a little more closely than Jupiter - you will see Venus shining incredibly bright in the western sky after dusk, much brighter than Jupiter, and she will set around 8pm MST. Jupiter will continue to be visible into the later hours… and you can find Mars traveling 30 degrees behind (or east of) Jupiter.
Venus has slowed to the degree where she will begin her retrograde journey. This moment marks a time where we are being called to something - you can liken it to the Hero’s Journey, where we receive a message, a sign, or a life event that calls us to take an unfamiliar path, for the growth of our soul. I find this so apropos to the energy of a New Moon in Pisces, where we are being invited into the dark, mysterious waters of the unknown. Venus calls our attention to our creative energy, and creators are what we came here to be. Venus calls attention to love, and what is a greater purpose in life than to love? As Venus slows in the sky, and heeds her call to her underworld journey, to be stripped of her amulets and adornments, what is calling to you? What are you carrying with you that is not really *you*? On this journey, you will undoubtedly have to leave some things behind…
Mars has just stationed direct, and is also standing still, at 17 degrees of Cancer, where he will remain for another week - it is interesting that both Mars and Venus are standing still in the sky at the moment of this New Moon. The masculine and the feminine. The planet of war, of severing, of conflict, and the planet of love, connection, beauty, and art… I think this is an important moment to take pause, perhaps sit with yourself with your eyes closed during this New Moon, either at the exact moment, or within a couple of hours after the New Moon (you can also do this the night after) - I find it really potent to gaze at the planets with my own eyes, and ask these energies what they would like me to know. What lessons am I learning right now? How can I make them conscious so that I can transcend them on my spiralic journey?
Take some time to consider what you have been shown in the last 3 months during Mars’ retrograde. What themes around power have come up? What sorts of conflict have you been confronted with? How do you feel about how it was resolved, or if it was left unresolved? How have you been showing up in general when faced with uncomfortable situations, or conflicting ideologies? Mars retrograde could also have been a time where you were reflecting a lot on how you want to assert yourself in the world, in your career, in your relationships, in your art, in community… as Mars gains momentum in his forward motion, you may feel more motivated to start the projects or initiatives you’ve been dreaming of.
As Venus starts her retrograde journey in Mars’ home sign of Aries, we will continue to be faced with Martian themes, but with a Venutian twist. How can we use art and love as advocacy, as a means for fighting for what we believe in? How can art and love be a tool for the revolution? The last time Venus went retrograde in Aries was in March of 2017… what was happening at that time that we are currently being faced with? I’ll give you a hint… Well, we were in the beginning of the first Trump presidency, for one, AND ALSO, reflect back to how you were personally feeling back then, about Trump or otherwise (a Trump presidency does not trump your difficult experiences). What were you fired up about during that time? What intentions were you setting then? Have you followed through? Maybe there’s something you put down then that you are ready to pick back up now. Venus retrogrades always put our relationships up for review, and also have us looking at the ways in which we show up in relationship - we might realize that we are not who we used to be pre-relationship. Sometimes this is a really positive thing, and sometimes we realize that we are waayyy off track and need a recalibration. Venus retrogrades are a time where we strip away all of our protections, and we are left bare and raw, ready to let what we no longer want to carry forward die, and to be reborn to a version of ourselves that feels more authentic, more vital to our beingness.
Be so freakin gentle with yourselves, friends. These are really exhausting times. Rest. Take a bath. Gaze at the stars. Let your mind wander. Make aimless art. You are doing f*cking great.
The shop is a bit bare right now, but I do have a fresh batch of Juniper Oil in the store. This Juniper Ritual Oil is grounding and centering. Incorporating self massage of this highly aromatic, warming oil is so nourishing in these times. Take 10% off with code PISCESMOON ♡
