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The New Moon seeds February with Aquarian energy. This is an auspicious New Moon, taking place on the exact midpoint between winter and spring. The Celts honored these midpoints with “the Fire Festivals”, marking them as important ‘cross quarter points’ of the year, when the Sun reaches 15 degrees, midway through the fixed sign. Here, the fullness of the season expresses itself. The Celts called this cross quarter day, “Imbolc”. We, too, have names for this day, with an overlay of different traditions. We use the name Candlemas, as well as affiliate this day with “Ground Hog Day”. Astrologer, Palden Jenkins, writes about the energy of this time, “Our beingness and acceptance of winter realities are giving way to an urge to become something else, to change things, to move toward the springtime mode.” (“Living in Time“).
There’s a tension between anticipation of change, and the need to be with what is, holding the energy, so transformation and change will occur. The Aquarian energy focuses us on our relatedness with friends and community, highlighting the possibility of the new. We might ask ourselves at this New Moon time, how can we cultivate masterful awareness and communication with others, while engaged through our differences? Can we realize – as above so below, as within so without – and understand how we teach and mirror each other?
Not only is Aquarius ruled by both Saturn and Uranus, the New Moon is being aspected by Saturn and Uranus, doubly emphasizing Aquarius’s inner polarity, showing the layered complexity and paradox in the sign. This New Moon brings out and intensifies the contrasting range of differences the sign embodies. We experience the extremes we are collectively involved in. On a personal level we might ask ourselves, “How are we experiencing the polarities within our selves, the contradictions within our own psyches, and within our personal experience? Now we get a good dose of awareness in this area.
Affirmation for the new Moon in Aquarius
“May I cultivate equanimity through change and may I be guided on my journey, trusting in life’s purposeful unfoldment”
The year of the Water Tiger in Chinese astrology (begins with the 2nd New Moon after the Winter Solstice, January 31, February 1st in China). Imagine the grace, strength, and alertness of the noble Tiger.
Tiger is a powerful force, dynamic, passionate, and creative. Tiger years are known for creating dramatic social change, introducing bold new ideas. How do we ride the Tiger? This year is a fast moving, changing year. Imagine jumping atop the tiger. It takes cultivation of our presence, courage, and attunement to our own inner leadership. The Water element of this year tempers the fierceness and impulsiveness of the Tiger, allowing openness to new ideas and experience. (For the Planetary Alignments for 2022 read more here)
Mercury goes direct on February 3rd while it conjuncts Pluto. It’s station near Pluto can intensify our scheduling challenges, or take us into deeper review of the things that have been hidden from view. Suddenly we are free to move forward with no retrograde planets in the heavens since April of last year! When we take the time, before the 3rd, to look over our last six months, viewing our new insights from both our successes and challenges, we support our movement forward.
Venus and Mars are traveling together in Capricorn, conjuncting exactly at 16 Capricorn, on February 16th, and at 27 Capricorn, on March 3rd, while conjuncting Pluto. Our instructions are to transform our relationships, or experience upheavals that set the stage for transformation. We can also initiate our creative juices when Mars and Venus meet. When they meet with Pluto’s archetypal forces, we can release the old patterns, and negative self defeating scripts to embrace transmutation of those powers. On March 5th, and continuing through March 10th, Mars and Venus conjunct in the first 3 degrees of Aquarius. This is a rare opportunity to wed our deepest values with our action, seeding the powers of creativity, as we move forward.
With the North Node now in Taurus simplicity is the key. How can we simplify our lives to be more fully present? With the south Node in Scorpio, dramatic interpersonal interactions are to be released. “The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions”. Thich Nhat Hanh
Celestial Events for February
Jan 31 – Feb 1 – New Moon in Aquarius, conjunct Saturn and squaring Uranus – This New Moon highlights polarization between old and new, or it highlights flexibility to meet the present with stability in one’s core, grounded, and stretched to new possibilities.
Feb 3 – Mercury goes direct at 24 Capricorn – release of energy into forward movement. No retrograde planets now (at least one planet has been retrograde since April 2021).
Feb 4 – Sun conjuncts Saturn at 15 Aquarius – stay steady, grounded, organized and clear to resonant with Saturn’s gifts manifesting our long term goals.
Feb 14 – Mercury enters Aquarius – gather with others to share insights and clear information – supports learning and broadening one’s perspective – an intellectually growing time
Feb 16 – Venus conjuncts Mars – yin meets yang – a new cycle of creativity begins – Invoke the creative, renewing forces of the cosmos, passion in relationship
Feb 16 – Full Moon at 27 Leo – the expressive Leo full moon calls us out to perform and to exchange heart felt communications. This full moon squares the nodes, balancing extrovert and introvert, expressing outwardly and with heartfelt enjoyment while keeping simply in the present, not identifying with emotional intensity, letting it pass through us as waves that pass over the ocean.
Feb 17 – Jupiter sextiles Uranus – Jupiter enlarges with imagination and compassion Uranian innovation, revelation and inspiration. Imaginative thinking and collaboration are highlighted. (last time they sextiled 2012).
Feb 18 – Sun enters deep feeling, mystic Pisces – Aquarian quick mental astuteness gives way to open hearted empathetic and imaginative Pisces
Feb 24 – Mercury squares Uranus – Unexpected twists and turns in communication. Keep centered and grounded to stay present while unexpected communications take place. Broader perspectives can be cultivated.
The Twelve signs will return in March newsletter
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