Aries New Moon

April 3, 2011: Aries New Moon (exact at 7:32 am PDT)

Since Aries and the New Moon both symbolize the ushering in of beginnings, this lunar event is an auspicious time to start a new project. If you’re looking to kick off a diet or amp up your exercise regimen, the exuberance of palpable energy that the Aries New Moon affords may be a great motivator. Also, if you’ve wanted to tackle a problem but found yourself lacking in the moxie department, the Aries New Moon may give you an infusion of courage and daring that can help you persevere.

A caveat, though. With so much initiating energy around, it may seem as if everyone wants things to happen now, or even before. Since Aries prizes immediacy, impatience and/or bursts of anger—within your self or expressed by others—may be heightened around this time. While the go-get-‘em energy instilled by this New Moon can help motivate us into a challenge, rushing can often lead to rashness, a surefire prescription for stress and accidents.

This may be especially noticeable in that warrior Mars, the planetary ruler of Aries, is uniting with Uranus. The planet of liberation and revolution, Uranus also inspires erratic behavior and out-of-the-blue actions. When Mars and Uranus come together—today in the sign of Aries, nonetheless—people may act in unexpected ways. There’s a fierce surge of energy, a desire to assert one self in the moment—we do what feels right, what feels like needs to be done, without necessarily considering the outcome or consequences beyond the moment.

This, of course, can be incredibly powerful. The aim of Uranus, after all, is to liberate a sense of imposed restraint that keeps us from individuating, so that we can tap into our core uniqueness. It’s just that the path to freedom oftentimes involves shocks and surprises, since this is what helps us to break free of patterns, the “shoulds” that we have picked up along the way.

Adding to the mix is the prominence of the planet Saturn, which opposes the New Moon. Some may experience this as a sense of frustration and limitation. We want to express ourselves, to break out of old ways. Yet, Saturn reminds us that we can’t throw all caution to the win, that there’s a need to respect responsibilities and natural law.

So how does initiation, raw drive, and a renegade spirit express itself when there are boundaries and limits, without feeling incredibly frustrated? Instead of Saturn being a negative, the “you can’t do this” archetype, consider it to be a valuable teacher that can help you shape what you are creating. Have it help you consciously approach the available energies of the day, allowing you to consider how to build structures in your life that allow you to connect to your authentic self. Use its energies to help you carve out a path that lets you express your individuality. Connect into the time-keeper element of Saturn to inspire you to figure out how you schedule your time so that you can actually enjoy more freedom each day. Instead of feeling a great sense of frustration and/or defeat today, do the work you need so that you can truly forge something new, something that isn’t just momentary but which will serve you for as long as you choose it to.

As if this weren’t enough to consider for the day, there is yet one more incredibly important influencing factor. Tomorrow, Neptune moves out of Aquarius—where it has resided since 1998—into its home sign of Pisces (it’s here for a few month, formally entering the sign again for an extended stay in February 2012).

And with this planetary shift, we may feel as if we’re floating in a sea of unboundedness. One manifestation of this energy is spaciness and confusion, or the desire to escape, to not want to deal with things that seem unseemly. Yet, the Neptune in Pisces energy can also serve as a reservoir for open-hearted compassion and a deep and unwavering sense of love. If things seem intense today (and actually even if everything seems to be flowing pretty wonderfully), connect into this aspect of Pisces Neptune—open up to the notion of the abundant beauty, grace, and love that resides within and connects us all.

This month’s New Moon falls at 14 degrees of Aries (the location of both the Sun and Moon). While everyone experiences the energies of the New Moon, if you have planets or pivotal points (i.e., Ascendant/Descendant or Nadir/Midheaven) around this degree in Aries or the other cardinal signs—Cancer, Libra, Capricorn—it may impact you more intensely.

New Moon Apothecary Suggestions

Aries rules the head, muscles, and circulatory system. Pay extra attention to these parts of the body around the time of this New Moon.

Impatiens flower essence: As its name implies, Impatiens flower essence help quell impatience, one of the premier characteristics associated with Aries. So, if you find yourself being overly impetuous or running a short fuse, consider this remedy. Take a few drops several times a day until you feel the impatience lifting. (Flower essences are made from flower-infused water and work energetically to restore emotional and mental balance. You can find them in natural food stores or holistic pharmacies.)

Scalp massage: Start your New Moon morning with a scalp massage. It’s simple to do and only takes a few minutes. Just take a nourishing oil (such as coconut or avocado) and rub it into your scalp before you shampoo your hair. Start at your hairline and work backwards toward the nape of your neck, rubbing your scalp with moderate pressure in small circular motions. For additional scalp-health benefits, add some rosemary essential oil to the massage blend. Regular scalp massages—which you can even do without the oil—can help stimulate circulation, alleviate tension, and reduce flaky scalp conditions.