NEW MOON – 15 DEGREES PISCES, 6 MARCH 2019 (16h04 GMT)
March’s New Moon in Pisces is a wonderfully liminal – and magical – affair. Occurring on the same day as Uranus switches signs and Mercury changes direction, this particular soli-lunar event has a mysterious and mutable Neptunian quality to it that calls on us to have a little faith and surrender to what occurs between now and the Equinox Full Moon. The core message of the Pisces New Moon seems to be that appearances are deceptive: even if nothing seems to be happening on the surface of things, or we don’t have all the facts, we need to trust that everything is at it should be. An unusually fruitful and subtly effective configuration of planets in earth and water signs at the New Moon suggest that synchronicity and serendipity will be hard at work behind the scenes over the next two weeks to bring events to an unexpectedly positive conclusion. So if we can bring ourselves to resist the promptings of our inner control freak and go with the flow during the upcoming confusion of Mercury retrograde, then things will probably work out far better than we could have planned – or hoped for.
SIGN
The March 2019 New Moon takes place in sensitive and mystical Pisces. Pisces is a mutable water sign, which makes it extremely emotional and impressionable – able to tune into the energy of others and in fact, everything around them.
People with the Moon here can be very perceptive when it comes to psychic undercurrents and subconscious cues, but they may also lack boundaries. This thin membrane between themselves and others can make them both victims of their situations, as well as masters of manipulation, because they don’t always respect other people’s boundaries.
Psychosomatic illnesses are also a distinct possibility if they are unable to contain their strong emotions or find ways to protect themselves from toxic environments, so good emotional, spiritual and physical hygiene is an absolute must. It’s no coincidence that a lot of Pisceans suffer from allergies.
If they don’t practise scrupulous self-awareness and take measures to protect themselves psychically, Moon Pisceans can often find it difficult to discern their thoughts and emotions from others, which can generate a great deal of confusion, especially in relationships. This fluid, dualistic quality is symbolised by the sign of Pisces, which is made up of two fish swimming in opposite directions – think of the 🙂🙃emoji’s and you get the idea. Logic is not their strong suit which may be Mercury, which is exalted in precise and orderly Virgo, is considered to be in fall here. (Worth bearing in mind during the upcoming March Mercury retrograde which starts on the same day as the New Moon.)
The mutable quality of this sign also gives them a certain plasticity – that pliable, chameleon-like ability exhibited by actors and shamans to shape shift easily between different bodies/forms/structures/worlds and inhabit different roles/identities. While this can make them very adaptable and empathic, it can also make them lack self-discipline and struggle to maintain a solid identity, which is why many of them develop reputations as either talented geniuses or deceptive tricksters.
Self-destruction and self-sabotage is another big theme around Pisces, as is a tendency to romanticise and over idealize. While the latter are wonderful qualities to cultivate when it comes to creative pursuits (which many of them are often very good at) it can cause havoc in their personal lives if they refuse to see people or situations as they are – or constantly choose to take the easy way out rather than be honest or act from a place of integrity.
That being said, Pisceans can be extremely empathetic, compassionate, kind and giving – they just need to take a leaf out of their Virgo counterparts and learn to be more discerning about who they choose to devote their time and energy to. They also have an innate drive to be part of something bigger than themselves and so are natural psychics, visionaries and altruists who love to be of service – something that needs to be channelled into constructive outlets, whether this be a regular meditative practice or volunteering at their local charity.
In general, the March 2019 New Moon in Pisces is likely to trigger in us some of the following themes:
POSITIVES TO ENCOURAGE
- A longing for more magic and flow in your life
- A desire for closer communion with something greater than yourself
- Increased receptivity to creative or spiritual inspiration (see the Sabian symbol below)
- Increased psychological flexibility or emotional fluidity
- The uplifting power of the imagination
- Increased empathy, compassion, selflessness and feelings of universal love
- Faith or belief in a higher power or the benevolence of the universe
- A penchant for romance, acting, poetry, film or photography
- Activities related to religious or charitable organisations
- Gradual cycle change
THINGS TO GUARD AGAINST
- Refusing to take personal responsibility for your mistakes, flakiness, insincerity, a lack of self-discipline
- Insecurity, self-doubt, self-destructive behaviour
- Emotional confusion, game playing, being deliberately vague/obtuse
- A penchant for escapism, addiction or flights of fancy
- Victim/martyr complex: self-sacrifice, playing helpless, use/abuse, self-harm
- Identity crises: A lack of self-awareness, self-delusion,
- Grief, loss, sacrifice, self-denial
SABIAN SYMBOL
The March New Moon takes halfway through the Pisces. The Sabian symbol for the 16th degree of Pisces is:
In a quiet moment, a creative person experiences the flow of inspiration.
This symbol really hones in on one particular aspect of Pisces – their creativity. This stems from an openness to all there is, as well as an innate ability to let go and surrender which makes them receptive to whatever chooses to come their way.
The symbol therefore points to a really good way to navigate the upcoming uncertainty and slowdown of the March Mercury retrograde – taking an emotional, spiritual or creative retreat until things return to normal or become clearer.
It evokes images of activities such as meditation, contemplating art, reading inspiring literature, listening to uplifting music or soulfully communing with the beauty of nature. In other words, unplugging from madness of the world for a while in order to get some R&R, restore oneself after burnout or simply give oneself the mental space in order to cultivate a receptive frame of mind that it is open to the flow of inspiration.
The words ‘quiet moment’ also highlight the need for peace, tranquillity and centredness. Or , as Lynda Hill suggests, a willingness to become still and present in order to find solutions to nagging problems or questions:
One’s whole life can be changed, in a ‘Moment’, when the mind is stilled and creative solutions are allowed to come through….. If things have been hectic in your life and you’re looking for guidance, hope and inspiration, try spending a ‘Quiet Moment’ by yourself and allow your intuition to come through. This Symbol shows that no matter what the problem, it will be resolved in time spent contemplating it with the right attitude.
The Sabian Oracle also offers us the following suggestions for how to consider the hidden significance of this particular zodiacal degree:
Keywords: Creativity inspired from above. Openness to higher forces and ideals. Realizations. Dreams. Channeling thoughts and feelings. Messages from one’s higher self. Finding solutions. Moments of calm leading to resolutions. Free flowing thoughts. The gift of inspiration. Turning on the tap of creativity. Blockages unblocked.
The Caution: Being too tired to meditate. Choosing to be unaware or to sleep instead of thinking purposefully. Not talking about what needs to be said. Having a lot of ideas that don’t translate into reality. Shutting off from others. Loud voices in the head. Schizophrenia.
KEY ASPECTS
This is another really auspicious New Moon that brings together yin and yang in an almost effortless way. The Sun (YANG) & Moon (YIN) in Pisces (YIN) will not only be conjunct Neptune (ULTRA YIN), but all three planets will be making a mini grand trine to Mars (YANG) and Saturn (YANG) in earth signs (YIN).
While we will go into each combination in more detail, its fair to say that this particular New Moon is urging us all to slow down, go with the flow and trust in a higher power to resolve all current questions or niggles over the next few weeks.
While Neptune does dissolve boundaries, ties and situations, it can also loosen knots and smooth out kinks gently and naturally over the course of time – like water flowing under a bridge.
And while Saturn and Mars may traditionally, be malefics, they are both doers – these two planets make things happen (albeit usually at very different paces). Worth noting – both are in very solid, pragmatic and patient earth signs, which will help to add a degree of sense and stability to whatever unfolds now. What’s more, they are in POSITIVE ASPECT, both to each other (their trine reaches exactitude on March 14) and the Pisces stellium, which should help to structure and contain all the watery energy being released by the Pisces New Moon.
The message of this New Moon therefore seems to be to leave trust, have faith and surrender (Pisces-Neptune) and GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY. Instead of wanting to interfere, control or micro-manage, you need to let go, surrender and allow things to take their natural course.
Doing so promises to bring about just the right mixture of progress and stability required to create impressive – and lasting – results. Big things can happen now – you just have to have a little faith – something worth remembering when things get a little muddled by this month’s Mercury retrograde, which is bound to release a lot of fears and anxieties around the unknown due to the confusion and doubt it generates.
Sun-Moon-Neptune conjunction
The ethereal and enchanting energy of the Pisces New Moon will be amplified by the presence of its ruler, Neptune, which will be conjunct the Sun and Moon as we begin this fresh lunar cycle.
Neptune is the planet par excellence of enchantment, romance – and mirages. It’s conjunction with the Sun & Moon could evoke themes such as :
- Truth vs. lies
- Confusion vs. certainty
- Dreams/visions/imagination versus mundane reality/execution of that vision
- The physical/material world vs. the spiritual dimensions
Unlike the previous New Moon, this particular soli-lunar conjunction offers us the potential to tap into very subtle levels of creative emotional and psychic perception. Inspiration and spiritual insights will readily flow into our psyche, provided we give ourselves the mental and emotional space to receive it.
The key with Neptune is to cultivate what the Chinese would call the ‘way of yin’ – allowing ourselves to be malleable, go with the flow and open to our connection with the web of life without actually pursuing our goals actively or forcefully.
However, we shouldn’t be so open that we leave ourselves susceptible to manipulation or harm by others. Psychic protection, stabilising personal routines, strong mental self-discipline and psychological boundary management will therefore be important.
Mini grand trine to Mars and Saturn
Luckily, a mini grand trine between the Sun-Moon-Neptune conjunction and Saturn and Mars in earth signs should help to keep things on a nice, calm even keel and avoid many of the pitfalls mentioned above in relation to the Neptune conjunction to the Pisces New Moon.
Mars in Taurus is very patient, consistent and prefers to takes things slowly and minimize risk – the perfect energy to help us cultivate the way of the receptive – the yin path of attracting things to us, and going with the prevailing currents, rather than trying to swim uphill.
Sun-Moon-Neptune sextile Saturn
In traditional astrology, Saturn was always considered to be a stabilising influence. And in its ‘natural’ sign of Capricorn, its sensible, down to earth, determined energy is very strong at the moment.
An aspect to steady Saturn by this month’s Full Moon should provide us all with just the right dose of stable, grown-up energy needed to avoid the usual pitfalls associated with Neptune-Pisces energy over the two-week waxing moon phase. This is especially true of boundary control and ensuring we stay down to earth and in touch with reality. However, Saturn is also about endurance – thinking about the end goal and not giving up on reaching it just because of a few niggles or short-term setbacks.
It will also help us to avoid the selfishness and impulsiveness of Mars when it is in full on yang, foot-on-the-accelerator mode and so keep us in balance during what could be a fairly destabilising Mercury retrograde when our mind (read: ego) is likely to play all sorts of tricks on us. Remain respectful, act with integrity and honour your commitments to others, even if you feel temporarily anxious, confused or even a little depressed.
Saturn is also the sign of maturity and old age, so it may be wise to seek out the advice of someone older or more experienced now if you feel confused or unsure of what to do for the best. Saturn is the constant – the rudder that will help you to maintain your course in navigating the stormy seas of your emotions, worries, fears and insecurities, and help you reach the other shore in the end.
The important thing is to stay the course: keep chipping away at your work, problem or spiritual discipline without losing faith, because it is the sum of these small but cumulative acts of making an effort to move forward a little each day that will help us all to move through difficult times.
