New Moon and Solar Eclipse in Pisces

New Moon and Solar Eclipse in Pisces
This month’s new moon is doubly emphasised, as it’s also a solar eclipse. This means that not only is an old chapter closing and a new one beginning, as with all lunar cycles, but we’re also receiving a burst of energy from the Universe wherever the eclipse falls in our chart to say “hey, look at this!” The New Moon in very late degrees of Pisces seems to tell us that we still have chance to find some kind of unity with the world around us, if we let ourselves be part of a greater whole. Then wham! the Sun moves into Aries early on March 21st. Aries is probably the most ego-oriented sign of the zodiac! So much for becoming part of the greater whole, then? There seems to be a mixed message in this symbolism, but life isn’t by any means cut into convenient chunks. As soon as we think we’ve made peace with one part of ourselves and can heave a sigh of relief, the next challenge comes along to shake us up … this is reflected in the stars, where patterns don’t always follow on in neat succession, but bring new events and ways of thinking just when we believe we can sit back on our laurels. To be sure, there won’t be much of that going on this lunar month, with Pluto making a challenging aspect to the Sun and the Moon in Pisces. This energy is asking us to transform the way we see and express ourselves in the context of the society we live in and the beliefs we hold. It is demanding that we adopt a broader, more inclusive approach, especially where different cultures and religions are concerned – this is definitely a theme Pluto has been reiterating for some time now as we’ve seen in the news headlines in recent years. Pisces is a sign that can be sinner or saint, lost cause or champion of a cause. This month consider where you might be feeling vulnerable and what you can do to transform that vulnerability from defensiveness to openness, without compromising your personal integrity.

Sun moves into Aries, Spring Equinox, March 21st
At the same time, we’re celebrating the astrological New Year! Aries signals the start of spring, the thrust of new life, the renewal of energy and growth after winter. Equinox means “equal night” and on this day every year the length of night and day are equal. Whichever house Aries, the sign of the spring equinox, occupies in your chart is where you are being asked to push forward, assert yourself and achieve. Your approach in this area of life is likely to be more thrusting and confident, or alternatively where you encounter conflict and challenge, especially if you have planets in Aries aswell.

The First House
Which brings me on nicely to an area of astrology I’ll be introducing you to over the coming months, the astrological houses. This term describes the space in the chart occupied by planets, representing principles (e.g. the sun is self identity, the moon is your emotions and instincts etc) in their different signs, representing modes of expression. The houses are the area of life in which the planets play out their energies. For example, the fourth house represents home, family and your roots. If your Sun is placed in this house, your sense of self identity will be closely tied to home and family. The tenth house is career, life goals and the way society sees you, so if your Sun was in this house these areas of life would be important to the development of your self identity.

The house that is associated with Aries, and shares some similarities with the sign of the ram, is the first house. This is the house of the ascendant, or rising sign, which represents our “front door”. The sign on the ascendant plus what is in your first house in the birth chart is pretty much what comes to the surface as your first reaction to the world around you, and is what people are most likely to see when they first meet you. This doesn’t mean that what’s behind the front door has to be “more of the same” – the rest of your chart can reveal very different sides to your personality. Planets in the first house don’t necessarily have to be in the same sign as your ascendant, but in combination these factors generally embody your approach to the world and others around you.

Movie star Marilyn Monroe was born with the sign of Leo rising and Neptune in the same sign in the first house. What people saw was definitely not someone who could be ignored, but a woman with a larger than life personality but who also craved attention. In addition to the Leo signature on her front door, Marilyn also embodied many of the traits of Neptune. These included her status as an international movie icon and fantasy pinup, none of which brought her happiness but lead to her succumbing to its more negative potentials. These included crippling self doubt, and a constant but unfulfilled search for recognition as something other than just a pretty face. She lives on today in the collective memory as embodying the two sides of her first house Neptune, at the same time both icon and tragic figure.

Another star who embodies her first house characteristics is Kylie Minogue, who was born with cancer rising and Jupiter in the 1st house. Cancer is the sign of the feminine, of womanhood and fertility. It is also the sign of caring and nurturing and Ms Minogue has certainly been taken into the hearts of many people the world over, both men and women, as the epitome of womanly sex appeal but at the same time as someone to be treasured and nurtured. Jupiter, known as the “Great Benefic” by medieval astrologers, gives the potential for great success, and confers the capacity for worldwide fame and fortune in her case, which most probably derives from a very optimistic and rather ambitious outlook on life.

Lastly, I’d like to mention the chart of Margaret Thatcher, who beautifully illustrates how your first house attributes can make for success. As the first female Prime Minister of Great Britain and with a nickname like “the Iron Lady”, love her or hate her, you cannot deny the extraordinary achievements of Mrs T. Scorpio is the rising sign, one of the most determined, perceptive and political signs of the zodiac. This is someone who can see with piercing clarity through any hidden agenda and knows just what to do to manoeuvre herself into a position of power. This, along with Saturn on the ascendant representing authority, control, self-discipline and stamina, begs the question how could this woman fail once her political career was set in motion?

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