First Quarter Moon in Aries: Bold Alignment with Truth

The recent First Quarter Moon, having taken place late evening January 13th/ early morning January 14th, represents an exciting lunation. With the Sun in close conjunction with transformative Pluto, and the Moon in square, personal change is in the air. This phase in any case denotes the time each cycle when the Moon is waxing (growing) from dark into light, and comes to the halfway point between the dark of the New Moon and the brightness of the Full Moon. Symbolically this time of the lunar cycle is likened to the phase in a growing cycle when the plant sprouts its first leaves. The intentions and seeds of vision planted at the New Moon begin to grow, and as they do, effort and will power are required to help move the process into fruition (symbolized by the Full Moon.) This First Quarter Moon in Aries is potent, in that it falls between the Capricorn Solar Eclipse New Moon of January 5th, and the coming Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Leo/Aquarius on January 20th. This midway point between eclipses can mark a time when big choices need to be made, and informed, aligned action is ready to be taken. At this point it is good to stop and take stock of your New Moon Intentions and what is shaping up there, and if you hadn’t set intentions, to look back at the time period from January 5th until now, reflecting on what has transpired, being prepared to go into inquiry about the larger arc of progression that is now taking place in your life. Because Pluto is such a prominent player in this lunation, just two degrees from conjunction with the Sun and his square with the Moon, this powerful factor ratchets up the naturally transformative and heightened energy of eclipse season even more, asking us to lean into the process of change that is happening in our lives, in order to see where we can align with new ways of being that are asking to come through us. We are being challenged to recognize that change is not to be feared, but to instead embrace the possibility of a new dawning that can become available to us as we move beyond our former selves into an entirely new era.

As layers of identity, conditioning, life circumstance, and relationships fall away, it is a very normal human response to feel fear of the uncertainty that comes with that. Yet there is such tremendous energetic support, now, to get with the program, feel and acknowledge the fear and resistance, and feed your passion and inspiration for what IS working for you and where you DO want to be and see yourself. Surrendering to big Plutonian energy really can feel like aspects of the self are dying. While this can be painful, it can also be an exquisitely profound and beautiful process. Rather than getting lost or wallowing in the suffering, instead allow yourself time and space to really grieve the parts of your life that are transforming,.

We started this new year with a heavy dose of Saturn and Capricorn energy, asking us to get our ducks in a row in a very pragmatic way, so that we may live our most aligned and purposeful lives. That Saturn presence is now making a conjunction with Mercury, bringing structure and diligence to our mental spheres and communications. This indicates an invitation to really get a handle on our mind’s true power. It is not helpful to entertain runaway trains of thought, or waste precious mental energy on fear or disempowerment. Instead, you win when you learn to utilize the power of your mind to get organized, contemplate sincerely on what is and isn’t working in your life, and even go to the step of writing down the actionable goals and steps that will get you closer to where you want to be. You benefit from taking responsibility for your thought forms. If you have an ongoing story running through your mind that disempowers you, then cut that sh*t out and write a new story; one in which you are powerfully aligned with your highest good and deepest gifts.

Another very powerful aspect of this First Quarter Moon is the heightened presence of Eris, Feminine Warrior archetype representing soul-aligned stance for Truth, coming into square alignment with transformative Pluto. Eris is conjuncted by this First Quarter Moon within a degree, indicating that this midway point in the eclipse window is asking us to be unflinchingly clear on what it is we truly, above all else, stand for and value in this lifetime. Embodying truth unapologetically is called for now, and this is a brave act, especially for those who identify as female. The message of prominent Eris is that we place priority on being authentic. While we may create ripples in doing so, this is a small price to pay for being true to ourselves. In honoring your most authentic self above adhering to norms or social expectation, you come into yourself in a new way that more fully encapsulates who you really are.

The Sabian symbols for this First Quarter Moon provide further insight: for the Moon, in the 24th degree of Aries, we have “An open window and a net curtain blowing into a cornucopia.” Of course, being open to new possibilities is in part what this time of change truly represents. This symbol, as described by Marc Edmund Jones indicates “the mutual prodigality of [an individual] and his [or her] world, whenever he [or she] retains his uninhibited enthusiasm, and so welcomes every… opportunity opening up before him [or her].” This signals for each of us that as we open ourselves to the greatest possibilities of good fortune, we must also remain keenly aware of how we are relating to resources along with their distribution and use. For the Sun, in the same degree of Capricorn, the symbol is “A woman entering a convent,” and this speaks to the individual Self’s relationship to the interconnected vastness of the Cosmos. Satisfaction in life can only be had when one’s endeavors are in service to a greater whole. Jones writes: “Man’s [and woman’s] talents are exalted only by a dedication to eternal ends.” Both of these symbols reflect the immense opportunity we have in this time of evolving consciousness, as well as a reminder of the intrinsically connected nature of all things and how we can thrive when we endeavor to serve the greatest good of all beings. As we navigate this intense territory between eclipses, may we each remember our inherent connection and support from the Divine. May we trust that life is delivering us to our highest good, and actively get on board with that process. And may we be open to life pouring itself through us with all of its passion, inspiration, and deep purpose.