Earth

Let’s begin by taking a moment to call ourselves fully present and give thanks to the spirit of place - anchoring our awareness to our place in the cosmology of everything

Let’s then orient our star stuff …

ORIENTATION & SIGNIFICANT TRANSITS

Lunar year of the Wood Snake (Air serpent)

Venus Retrograde 1st March - 12th April (Plus retroshade)

Mercury Retrograde 14th March - 7th April (plus retroshade)

Pluto in Aquarius (19 more years)

Neptune moving into Aries (First time since 1875) (14 year cycle)

Season: Aries

Energy: Cardinal

Element: Fire

Elemental Themes: Activation

Women’s wheel: Maiden

Mother Earth: Rising

ASTROLOGY

Notice that the zodiac turns in a wheel with twelve signs which also group in threes as the Seasons

Cardinal ~ Initiator energy

Fixed ~ Immoveable power

Mutable ~ Impermanence

Beginning of the Zodiacal Year: SPRING Cardinal - Aries, fixed - Taurus, mutable - Gemini; SUMMER Cardinal - Cancer, fixed - Leo, mutable - Virgo; AUTUMN Cardinal - Libra, fixed - Scorpio, Mutable - Sagittarius; WINTER Cardinal - Capricorn, fixed - Aquarius, Mutable - Piscies - End of the Zodiacal Year

Of course as with trying to map anything in nature - we fall short - there are no straight lines, only a flowing current of overlapping and ever unfolding energies

Eclipse Season

We have begun the Astrological new year with the new moon in the first zodiac sign of Aries in the Season of Aries as a partial solar eclipse. The solar light, this outward fire energy will be obscured. In Astrology Aries rules the first house energy of self. How things appear and are expressed will be given a partial chance for re-evaluation. An opportunity for clarity of self before we initiate what has been moving through us but needs our added agency to take off.

Eclipses offer restructuring energy and it is the slow integration that is needed to receive these codes and feel the fullness of the slowing down to really enable us to get clear.

Eclipses bring with them a wild card energy and coupled with the thrust of Aries fire in the dark moon there is a sense of revisiting - particularly in terms of love and communications. Often there is an unveiling. This re-veleation will bring awareness in to what has been suppressed and offer up the work that needs to be met within us. Aries warrioress will add a thrust to renew our steps in courage to be bold, embodied and move forward.

Aries activates our warrioress and our primal ‘I am’ survival mode as the sun (this governing body of solar self expression)

With eclipses the energies will fly around and encourage you to be anchored in nothing but your truth.

Our ancestors (before those diligently plotting these events and the knowledge being widespread) would have likely been quite fearful of this sudden event in the sky (if they were within viewing range). Perhaps an echo of that in our epigenetic make up still dominates how we meet this phenomenon. I like to think of it as a great reminder that we are subject to the mystery, madness and magic of great mother. I also feel that the majority of people will be challenged when there is a big consciousness shift. They fear it rather than see it as an opportunity to shed old skins and outdated modes of being. Most aren’t comfortable in general with Rebirth being a natural process of our lives, over and over again within them and in the great scheme of our souls.

What is potent in this Eclipse as it falls in Aries Season with an Aries new moon is that Chiron is conjunct the North Node in Aries. In other words this is a catalyst for us to move towards our destiny in this lifetime. That is our purpose - what we came here to do, learn, be, see. To embrace what we are here to embody and ensoul. Chiron is the wounded healer so this transit calls forward the deepest wounds from the depths of our psyche and asks for us to catalyse them into powerful alchemy. To transform that which has been a tight knot binding us in fear and use it to call forward potent potential in the way we see our selves, the way we see the world and the way the world sees us. How are we expressing ourselves in the world, or are we gagged from doing so. This is asking us to step further into the deepest embodiment of ourselves unashamedly. Chiron is the key for the self.

Sharing with you here one of my fathers favourite quotes:

“Our deepest fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasure” Rainer Maria Rilke

PLANT ALLIES

What stirs? What life wants to be birthed through your consciousness? Is there an intent that coupled with your agency and will power can be made manifest? Is there a particular plant ally that you could honour in simple ceremony and offer gratitude for its gifts in your life? The dandelion is now fully available in all of its medicinal and therapeutic glory. Dandelion is one of the most well known ‘weeds’ much overlooked given it medicinal properties. It begins to shine its yellow beacons during Aries Season and supports our systems to flush the stagnancy of winter and support our liver. It asks us to shine unapologetically in our solar self.

JOURNAL REFLECTIONS

How can I cultivate a loving anchor in myself when there is so much shift, flux and instability? How do I cultivate resilience and find balance in the face of relentless movement? What burns within me to shine in the light of day and in what way am I hiding that light?

OFFERING

Make an offering of gratitude and a commitment to the earth

Enrich the soil for the coming cycle: This could be your moon blood, a song, a connection of your attention and time - feel into what the earth around you needs. Beyond imposing your mind machinations - ask to hear from her and directly tell you what she needs

Consider the circle of reciprocity - perhaps there is nothing you need to take but a gift in your being able to receive the present

ALTAR

Change your altar to reflect the Spring and create a fresh new energy to carry you forward

PRACTICE

Embody the Warrioress. How can you act in ways that embody your solar fire in a rooted and powerful way. This is not the uninitiated Warrioress who is hungry to strike out. This is the Warrioress who knows how to weald her energy and power in a sustained and loving way

WARRIORESS

Andraste, Badb, The Morrigan, Morgana, Freya, Maeve

The quickening newness of Aries and Spring Equinox motion. The Eclipse is our ‘thresh hold’ how are we tying the old and the new together and unearthing the magic of what is being born through us. This portal of soul rebirth is most often the bit we want to escape from. Navigating the fire means allowing the brilliance of its warm glow to be fully felt - letting it all be here so that we can gradually tend to that pieces of mending, smoothing and gently holding. Dream into that part of you that wants to hide behind excuses and unworthiness - re-vision how it might look at this powerful juncture of the year

In the wheel of the zodiac we are powering up in the mystery school into the archetype of the Warrioress.

There are many maps that make up the journey - they overlay and intersect in ways that you will experience throughout this journey. The only navigating compass needed is the one that resides within ~ and with that a willingness to wander off the beaten track and into the mystery. Being lost is often only a state of perspective and one that can change your trajectory if you learn to trust that the journey path will be revealed as you step forward. This is a dance between agency, will and surrender

For our very distant ancestors the dark moon was understood as a time of in-sight, gradually as time went on, we learnt to fear the absence of the moons light in the darkness. It is in the dark moon we practice harnessing our own light in the darkness. We call on our inner re-source and we meet the fear with our inner light

Without the reflection of the moon we are left in present darkness to earth in our temple bodies - there is no light shone elsewhere to distract us

For some, this experience may touch a deeply primal and ancestral fear point in our bodies. A subtle shift into darkness with no discernable navigation point, leaving us potentially adrift. The dark moon of the crones winter time asking us to stop seeking or looking up and out and trust that we will find our way home when we listen to our bodies call

Beginning our journey together, and any journey, it is important that we are resourced for what lies ahead. The journey guided with emphasis on our moon mother is a journey of the subtle sub conscious realms. The Sun, the centre, the bold I am energy, is mirrored an reflected by the diffuse quality of the moon’s reflection - who am I?

The Moon is always full and so it is like ourselves vital to remember that the quality of the reflection is always going to change depending on the clarity of the reflector. Seeing ourselves through a partial lens will never give a full picture. It is useful to remember what lens we are peering through

Confucius, an ancient Chinese philosopher and teacher is credited with the quote “Wherever you go, there you are” and on this journey I want us to set the intention that we are looking to meet and integrate all of ourselves and each other with compassion and love. That is to integrate the full spectrum of ourselves. To honour the emotional body and yet allow it to move through us. To not surpress our feelings or desires but learn to wield them in a way that supports our growth.

A very brief word about working with guides, guardians and spirit guides - in support of our work we need to be asking for guidance from benevolent ancestors and trusted allies - if a new guide comes in, it is wise to challenge them three times to confirm that they are in fact who they seem to be

As we become the women that the earth needs we need to focus on anchoring the light from within. There are many traditions and practices that would have us drawing light down/from elsewhere - this can create issues. I would encourage you to consider that beautiful light inside you and how you tend it to enable it to emanate outwards

In the way of the priestess we must discern when to walk openly and when to cloak ourselves - I would encourage you to feel into what your own cloak of protection for your journey would look and feel like - what would it be made of

As we begin our tender emergence we are somewhat vulnerable in the burgeoning maiden Spring energies. To really take part in the rebirth cycle it is necessary to de-armour our hearts and see into our own purity - to play with this vulnerability. This is where the closed online container can really support us. To practice, play and feel in a safe place. To sit in circle in an unrecorded call that is Sub Rosa (under the rose - held as secret and sacred witnessing)

Our great grandmother earth can support us in very Earthy and practical ways if we are finding working with the spirit realm some what challenging. As we journey we will work with the brilliance, strength and resource provided by the plant kin

RITUAL

Do you see that you are capable of so much ~ that was never in doubt ~ but in order for you to sustain this work of loving and giving, being and creating, you must honour and feed the soil that will produce. Without considered ground work, the foundations can not support strong, healthy and abundant growth. It is all in this slow sustained work that depth is forged

Intentionally carve out some time to pause - to really stop and marvel upon all the processes that are currently happening silently under the soil of your skin

Turn off your phone

Lie down

Place your hands on your body

As if you were outside discovering a new piece of land - Allow your eyes and hands to come into contact with different surfaces in your own nature playground. Allow the exchange of energies be felt. Notice not only the textures, but intuit the feelings of the living landscape that is you

Give thanks for your body and consider some ways that you can show your gratitude - consider perhaps how you are going to nourish this precious earth temple with fuel for the work ahead. Your precious energy deserves to be created from a powerful source of a healing nature

SACRED ADORNMENT

Warm some natural body oil - you could consider infusing some bay and rosemary oil for their warming and protective qualities but work with what you have for now - create a post shower, bath, sea or river dip ritual where you adorn your body with warm oil maintaining an attitude of thanks for supporting you through the winter months and supporting your skin to receive warmth. The energy of this year is serpentine and mercurial so be aware that as Neptune - this vast cosmic oceanic energy moves into Aries there is a desire to seek and go beyond

ARIES JOURNAL REFLECTIONS

Am I in touch with my desires?

Do I allow my will to be present?

How am I powerful?

(What am I working towards activating, enriching and earthing)

PRACTICE

Bare earth walking

As often as possible - place your hands and feet on the earth - enjoy the transference of energies as you allow yourself to connect back in with the great and true grid of the earth mother - with the soil that contains enzymes to support your equilibrium. If more steadiness is required tap into the deep roots of tree kin and see what medicine they wish to offer you