New Moon in Aries | April 15th - rising from the ashes, expect the unexpected, new territory, playing the long game, new Lunar Year begins, Mercury direct, the wait is over, make a vision board!

We kick off the Lunar Year with a New Moon in pioneering Aries (Sun and Moon at 26 degrees Aries) at 9:57PM EDT on Sunday.

This is the first New Moon of the astrological year AND in the take no prisoners, get fired up, let's start something NEW sign of Aries. The space of 26 degrees Aries in our natal chart is going to be where we are ready for change NOW. This is impulsive, fiery energy.

Normally at the New Moon, dark skies energy, we take baby steps in a new direction. With this one, I would suggest kicking it up a notch, and actually, if we are impacted by this, we probably won't be able to avoid the extra notch even if we wanted to!

Years ago I heard an astrologer say that for Aries life is like, "Ready. FIRE! Aim.".

This is what we need to be cautious of here.

So we will think before we act (and speak). Although there are no planets in air signs now. Hmm, what are we thinking? Maybe we won't be! Wait, there is Pallas in Gemini - she is strategic and Gemini rules choices, so there's that!

This New Moon is all about Aries energy. What is Aries? Aries energy is very self sufficient. This is the energy of "me". The baby of the zodiac, Aries can't always see the other person's side of things because if they did they wouldn't be able to take quick, decisive action and that quick decisive action is what they are here to manifest.

So, the Aries New Moon in a year with a North Node in Leo - this truly, is a time to put the oxygen mask on our own face first! This is about what we want now (and with Uranus conjunct, it will be different than what we wanted before) and should provide the courage and determination to get something going. We may not have a single minded focus (Pallas in Gemini) - but our actions will speak louder than our words now anyway.

Aries doesn't have the staying power of some other signs (although Saturn's position at this New Moon will help us with this) because he doesn't need it. Aries isn't the cross country race. Aries is that first powerful kick off at the starting line.

Aries energy isn't about winning or losing (maybe don't tell that to an Aries sun sign!) - Aries is about daring to start that race in the first place. Aries supports jumping in and taking action. He doesn't promise us that we will come out a winner or even come out alive (yes he's ruled by Mars and he's totally bad-ass), but he does promise us we will have evolved from the experience.

And that's what we're here for. We didn't come for the outcome, the outcome has already been decided. We all win in the end. We came for the experience. Aries knows this.

Now let's look at the connections the New Moon is making. Remember at the time of the New Moon, the Sun and the Moon are at the same degree. Every connection the Moon is making the Sun is making, too - so everything is amplified.

Don't be distracted, or lulled into complacency by the dark skies - the energies are uber powerful now.

The Sun and Moon are conjunct "anything-can-happen" freedom-loving Uranus, sitting at 24 degrees Aries, just a few weeks from his move into Taurus.

When a planet conjuncts another planet it's like a guest comes in from out of town and takes over.

Maybe they put their feet on the coffee table, toss their coat on our favorite chair and polish off that bottle of wine we'd been saving. Maybe they clean the kitchen and cook us dinner. Either way, they are hard to miss.

Uranus is the planet of genius and rebellion and 'anything can happen'. Uranus is charged with shifting us from point A to point B via the fastest possible route.

Uranus gives the energy at this New Moon some unpredictable electricity. Something can come from out of nowhere - all the i's are not dotted and all the t's are not crossed now.

What is actually going to happen is we have the New Moon - the Sun and Moon meet in Aries at 26 degrees - then a few hours later - SURPRISE! - the Moon (our emotions) meets Uranus ... then because the Sun moves much slower than the Moon - the Sun (the light) will meet Uranus on Wednesday.

With Pluto sitting with Mars - the ruler of the New Moon - maybe something we thought was 'dead and buried' will rise from the ashes.

Mars' trine to benefic Venus and sextile to dreamy Neptune should help.

The sextile (opportunity) with Neptune could mean Pluto's resuscitating efforts come through our imagination.

MAKE THAT VISION BOARD!

And we can't ignore the elephant in the room - powerful Saturn sitting almost still, preparing to go retrograde in a few days, and conjunct the Moon's ruler Mars.

Now, remember Mars has already gotten past Saturn before this New Moon! And this matters. We are further ahead than we think we are now.

Saturn isn't really a stop-sign here. He's more of a drag on our wheels that prevents our fast acceleration, some added weight in the trunk - that yes, slows us down, but also helps moderate our balance/speed in bad weather (there are always two sides!) and over uneven pavements.

He is the sign in the road that tells us SLOW DOWN - CHILDREN AT PLAY

(except with Saturn everyone is old and no one is playing).

Results from whatever this New Moon gets started will be hard earned and pay off OVER TIME.

That's OK.

We are playing the long game. We are building something to last and when Saturn and Pluto meet up at the end of 2019 and into 2020 our results will be clearly visible!

At the same time as this New Moon, Mercury, retrograde in Aries since March 22nd, will station direct at 4 degrees.

So, whatever we have been re-viewing, re-doing, re-vising, re-visiting is apt to SURGE forward - or at the very least because Mercury is still squaring that serious stop-sign otherwise known as Saturn (and Mercury IS going to meet Saturn again) - the "re's" will END.

With Uranus activated, things could turn on a dime. Get your roller skates ready.

The New Moon is squaring Pluto (in Capricorn).

This is more of this April's Aries/Capricorn battle - keep in mind that next month when the planets start to move through Taurus, these squares will turn into opportunistic sextiles (YAY) - that's why I have been saying we can't just sit this energy out and avoid it. We need the tension/challenges of the squares. We need our rough edges smoothed out by rubbing them against other rough edges. With Aries/Capricorn - something wants to go and something is making it stop or slow down. This is the impulsive, inexperienced son vs the serious, experienced father.

This ties in to last Wednesday's square between Pluto and the Sun - that power play energy with the hidden agenda. What was that all about for you?

At the same time Jupiter (in Scorpio) is sitting across the sky from Venus (in Taurus).

Anytime Jupiter opposes anything we can be assured something is being stretched.

This can be a good thing - think of your favorite yoga pose or the $5 you turned into $10 with that half-off coupon. Or a stretch can be a bad thing - think about that stretch that threw your back out, that bounced check or when the truth gets stretched into 'alternative facts'.

Venus rules love, our money, our resources, our values, women, beauty and our self-esteem. Taurus and Scorpio rule our money houses. With that Jupiter opposition maybe there is something here about someone getting wedded to their position and not wanting to negotiate. There could be something about excess and wanting too much. With Jupiter retrograde and going to return to these degrees again - it could pay off in the long run to keep some skin in the game.

Don't burn any bridges here, but don't over extend yourself financially or over-commit your time/resources either. If you have already overpaid, overspent - there could be a bill to pay now. With Venus interacting with Mars and Jupiter (and Pluto!) at this New Moon there should be actions you can take to make this situation better. Maybe especially financial situations.

And this means - better over the long haul - remember Saturn is in Capricorn until 2020 - the LONG GAME IS THE ONLY GAME. Even as the first spring blossoms break through the ground - winter is here.

New Moon Affirmations

This New Moon is an excellent time for energetic support to make changes with things ruled by Aries - the head (headaches, acne, eyes, brain), the overall physical self, exploration, initiative, courage, leadership, strength, stubbornness, impulsiveness, temper tantrums, anger, stress from inaction - what do we need more of in our lives, what are we needing to release.

AFFIRMATION TIPS: get into a calm, centered frame of mind - always make affirmations from a positive (meaning certain) space - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud - with a fire New Moon maybe write your affirmations on strips of paper and burn them - now release your attention from these things knowing that your intention is known.

Know these things are already yours.

The best time to do your New Moon affirmations and make your vision board is after the New Moon and before the Moon goes void of course (don't do this while the Moon is void!).

Since this is a late degree New Moon we don't have much time this month to get the best results.

So, do your affirmations and/or your vision board on Sunday night after 9:57PM EDT but before 1:50AM EDT.

xo all

Don't miss doing your affirmations this month. This is the perfect time to make a vision board for 2018, too!

Also, keep in mind if you are a last minute tax-filer and putting your energies this weekend into that, this will influence the New Moon energies and your month/year ahead. Which could be a good thing - taking your money/resources seriously, being organized, being appreciative - or not such a good thing - stressing out about any lack, giving your power away, being unorganized.

Get clear on what you are setting up energetically now because you are putting it into play for the long haul.