Earth Hour 2009

New Moon in Aries

by Barbara Hand Clow

It is the New Moon in Aries: the time to start new things that have promise and to end things that are just going nowhere. The Spring Equinox occurred just a few days ago, and so we are really feeling like getting moving. The central issue with using Aries power is: to do our utmost to be clear about what we want, and to think about how our lives would change if we did get what we want. If you're not careful, with strong Aries aspects, you can become a rampaging car that is out of control because nobody's at the steering wheel. Think about that.

This New Moon in Aries is especially fine for getting going with Mercury and Venus close to the New Moon. Of course, during the New Moon we integrate our feelings (Moon) with our central purpose (Sun). Adding Mercury, which rules our mental functioning, and Venus, which rules what attracts us and is attracted to us, this is a very functional and alluring lunation. It will be easier than usual to be clear about exactly what we want. Then, Pluto in early Capricorn squares this intimate group in Aries, which intensifies the meaning, integrity, and seriousness of our intentions. Pluto will retrograde on April 4, so this is the last chance to use Pluto as a tool in ordinary reality until he goes direct in mid-September. On April 4, you will move the deep issues you have been working on into your private zone to consider whether you can actually handle what has been coming up. With some thought, you can better comprehend the things that seemed so urgent. The great revolution going on in the outer world will slow down for just a little while, and then personal and collective agendas will charge forward like "a bull with laser vision" in the fall.

This Aries New Moon is a great time to take some fundamental actions on big issues you have been hammering away at because, in a few weeks, a pause will come. The stellium in Aries trines the lunar South Node in Leo, which is also very favorable for completing some things; you can cap off the job, so to speak. The stellium sextiles the lunar North Node in Aquarius-making it easy to assess the value of things in our lives, and to just let them settle in if they are right on. Meanwhile, the subtle player in the group is Venus retrograde in Aries from March 3 until April 17. Venus retrograde in Aries encourages us to assess relationships, values, resources, and material needs. What, and whom, do we really love so much that we will even change ourselves to keep the bond going? This Venus retrograde is tense because Venus is dissatisfied in Aries; she scans for variety and something different. With Venus retrograde in Aries, the most exquisite and cherished person in your life may seem to be a bloody bore-or worse. But, watch it, because you may be seeing yourself in the other person!

Venus retrograde came on strong March 3, and it is going to hit like a bomb during this New Moon. If you dump someone on the day after the New Moon, you may feel like you had a case of temporary insanity when Venus conjuncts the Sun. This New Moon, so close to Venus, asks us to get real about strong attachments because Venus in Aries makes us feel like getting real and being honest. This can propel a deep relationship into a new and more honest phase, or push it right out of existence. Either way, it would be wise to assume that difficult emotions coming up in relationships right now are happening because you're not getting something that you desire, something you are afraid to ask for. You are being challenged to choose love over discord, or to see that the love is not strong enough to handle conflict. Hold with this energy and be as patient as you can because Venus retrograde offers you great clarity within complex relationships when she turns direct April 17. Also, you will have a better perspective on your situation on May 21 when Venus passes its March 3 retrograde point (15 Aries); so if your theatre of conflict is marriage or a committed relationship, it would be wise to wait before you do anything drastic. On May 21, you will see the situation clearly, and it will not be as difficult to change things. .

Mars-in-Pisces transforms take-charge impulses into a desire to go sit on a park bench, stare at a wall, or just turn the phone off. Mars-in-Pisces generates lethargy and ennui. When Mars is in Pisces, many people wonder why it is worth doing anything at all, and even if it seems to be worth it, they still just can't get motivated. The constant energy loss and drag with Mars in Pisces is a very difficult thing in general, and a great challenge for those who have it in their natal charts. So, even though you will a big charge from the stellium in Aries-"I should, I must, I will"-like Inspector Clouseau, you might just peek around the corner, tap your umbrella, and go off in the other direction. Saturn in Virgo exactly opposes the midpoint between Mars and Uranus in Pisces, which hints at snafus and odd turns of events in the larger world and in your life. This is because Mars (action) and Uranus (transformation) are deactivated, and then challenged by Saturn in opposition. This amusing and owl-like configuration feels like a leaky energy that will confuse people about what and who is on top. Meanwhile, it is an excellent aspect for the big boys to play shell games, especially regarding "where did all the bailout money go?".

I am suggesting that things may not actually be as they appear to be, with many people charging around looking like they are doing many things, but much of what is going on is hot air. Like the moment when a pillow breaks open and the chicken feathers fly all over the place, you may wonder what's making you sneeze. This is really an oddball New Moon, and I noticed that the other astrologers didn't know how to read it, so they talked about everything but this chart! Well, the key to how the energy can be used if you are wily and smart lies in the close quincunx from Jupiter in Aquarius to Saturn in Virgo. This is a major case of "The buck stops here!" aspect that will force cheaters and thieves out in the open, if anybody is watching.

Jupiter in Aquarius inspires us to revolt: first, in the privacy of our minds, and then, by joining together to change reality. It wants assets to be fairly delegated, and you can see that a revolt against the "Bailout" abuses is building. Jupiter in Aquarius wants money to be used wisely to create valuable things. Saturn in Virgo loves order, efficiency, and the creation of good systems. Saturn in Virgo is constant, dedicated, and determined-and yes, it is often obsessive. Watch out for Saturn in Virgo when it gets thwarted because it will come out fighting. Jupiter in Aquarius agrees with that, and with this tight quincunx, they'd better put Bernie Madoff in isolation, while Fed Chairman Bernanke does some new thinking.

Saturn in Virgo is the master key that reveals how this great Aries stellium can be used at its highest potential. Uranus/Mars opposing Saturn in Virgo pressures for persistent change, and the quincunx from Jupiter in Aquarius is like the lever, the crowbar. It will continue to expand the issues and dilemmas-until new winds of change blow in and topple the blocks. In that sense, this should be a nuanced and subtle month, a time when many things are happening that are invisible.

Venus/New Moon/Mercury in Aries squaring Pluto proudly announce that it is time to be clear about what we want and go for it, but Uranus/Mars in Pisces opposing Saturn in Virgo will create odd and circuitous methods. Meanwhile, Chiron is in close conjunction to Neptune in Aquarius, and we hear a new siren: a siren that wails for us to heal our spiritual crisis and become whole again. Neptune/Chiron in Aquarius for the next few years is going to push us hard to process our inner wounding, to face our shortcomings coming from past pain. Chiron/Neptune in Aquarius is the signature aspect for the end of the Mayan Calendar; they form a conjunction that guarantees we are going to stop limiting ourselves. The point of this New Moon in Aries is to direct the great pressure we feel for change right into healing ourselves, healing all the complexes and limitations that got us where we are now. So, when you see things collapse this month that you were sure are very important for you, consider that old and useless things are collapsing so that you won't collapse.

Consider the following: assume that what actually happens is just what it is supposed to be, regardless of what you thought should be going. Aries does not do well when Mars is in Pisces, yet we are in a collapsing environment that is recycling old paths; we are finally letting go. The surest advice for this month is to be prepared to just move on if something doesn't work, just kiss it goodbye. After all, Mars in Pisces is always happy to sit on the park bench or stare out the window-a perfectly good choice while old worlds are quickly passing away.

It's YOUR Life

by Neale Donald Walsch

Your life has very little to do with what occupies
most people's "day-to-day" experience.

The purpose of your life is to express and experience
who you are. That is, to know yourself as an aspect
of the Divine. There are a thousand ways to do that
every day.

Look for the most exciting way for you to do it today.
What do you think it might be?

The Spring Equinox Has Arrived!

by Barbara Hand Clow

The spring equinox has arrived, and it is time to decide what we want to create during the rest of the year. As most of you know, the ancient goddess wisdom-Goddess Alchemy-is still available to us now. It teaches us how to use the powers of the four seasons. Many of you have discovered that you can create what you want in your life by utilizing this knowledge. So, now you are anticipating the return of this potency during this spring. I created this website to disseminate this seemingly simple but very potent knowledge, so please review the preceding section-Seasonality-if you are a new reader or just have forgotten how to use seasonality. This method is the greatest individual tool that we have; it can overcome any system or control program.

During the last 100,000 years, humans venerated the goddess, the feminine intelligence of Earth/Gaia, by aligning themselves with the seasons. While the patriarchy attained domination during the last 5,125 years, this sacred knowledge was almost lost. Now, during the great awakening, millions are remembering how to co-create with the Divine by using this natural method. As the patriarchy rapidly disintegrates during the end of the Mayan Calendar, you can work directly with the planetary mind by using seasonality as an essential survival skill. Choose three carefully crafted intentions during the Spring Equinox-and this will push you fast-forward into the stream of evolution, since time acceleration is exponential. If you utilized Goddess Alchemy last year, then since December 21, 2008 (Winter Solstice), you have been reflecting on last year's creations to see how they are part of the collective flow.

Some of you may have manifested one or more of your intentions only during the last few months of the '08-'09 solar year-when normally it would have happened earlier in the year. In my case, my third intention manifested only a few weeks ago; this has not happened for me before, and it was like giving birth. I was amazed by how easily my intention pushed me into manifesting my goal-the one I thought I just didn't have the time for, didn't feel like, just plain ignored. Nevertheless, that spring 2008 potency just shoved me over the top during the 2009 winter! I felt good doing something that I was sure was important last spring-but then just couldn't handle during the year. If my final choice hadn't come through, this would have been the first intention during thirty years of this practice that did not work out. I continue to be impressed with the potency of this teaching-and perhaps it is the same for you?[Last spring, I chose to take Alchemy of Nine Dimensions to its highest potential level, which I thought involved improving how we teach our Activations. But suddenly instead, I am writing a revision of Alchemy, which the publisher is very excited about and will release this summer. As the winter deepened, I realized that Alchemy is flawed because Carl Calleman's time-acceleration hypothesis is not included, and it is the essence of the mysterious ninth dimension.]

Have some of you also been late bloomers this year and then were recently prodded by unseen levels of creativity? If so, something new is going on this year. This could be the heavy influence of Chiron/Neptune traveling together in Aquarius, Uranus in Pisces, as well as Pluto's ingress into Capricorn. During this last year, these transformative transits were hard to utilize, and now these powers seem to be releasing by the ingress of many inner planets into Aquarius and Pisces. And, Pluto in Capricorn means we are being prodded to transform our basic operational systems. Therefore, in my interpretation of the 2009 Spring Equinox, we need to watch for the influence of all these planets in Aquarius and Pisces as well as the aspects to Pluto in early Capricorn.

The spring equinox occurs when the Sun goes into Aries every year and we focus on "getting the job done" and making the most of our opportunities. The equinoxes are like a teeter-totter, the playground apparatus that teaches children about balance, geometry, and physics. Weight and distance on the fulcrum is affected by which end of the board is up or down. To achieve balance, weight must be factored with distance. Playing with it reminds you that if you are fat you will sink to the ground if you sit on the end, or if you are thin you must go way out to the end. The secret is, all the energy and potency exists at the fulcrum point, which is exactly what happens to human potential during the equinoxes. During the spring equinox we have the greatest potential to birth something new, and during the fall equinox we naturally balance our new creations with the rest of our reality. If you don't balance new creations, you may feel like a boa constrictor that has partially swallowed a goat. Whether you are fat or thin, you still need to balance things.

As the Sun moves into Aries this year, it closely squares Pluto in 3 degrees of Capricorn; therefore, Pluto is the motivator for new creation this year. Thus, each thing we manifest individually is going to become part of the new systems that are coming in. This year many of you will feel yourself creating the greater reality, which will be a profound and encouraging experience. After all, the collective mentality has been afflicted with a severe lack of ardor and connection during most of the Galactic Underworld-AD 1999-2011. [See The Mayan Code: Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind.] Soon after Jupiter conjuncted Saturn in May 2000 (a Trigon), a dominant and bizarre political program was created by the Bush/Cheney regime that dominated the collective mind until November 4, 2008. During that time, as Bush put it, "Things just happen!" On the day Barack Obama was elected, Saturn opposed Uranus for the first time, and the idea returned that we are here to create our own realities. The Saturn/Uranus oppositions will occur repeatedly through July 2010, and with the assistance of Pluto in Capricorn, they are breaking down the pattern that was imposed in 2000. Whether you like it or not, collective themes-financial renewal, the end of war, the ascendancy of kindness over cruelty-are going to be parts of your personal creations. For example, if you intend love and art, there will be more love and art in the world.

If you are still unclear about what you created from your intentions back in March '08, your new equinox intentions for '09 will not be well formulated. Normally I do not need to harp on clarity just before the spring equinox. However, we need to come to a clear place because all the planets in Aquarius and Pisces have confused most of us, and many of us hate the feeling of Pluto in Capricorn. Everything that you have ever known in your life is going away, and though something entirely new is coming in, you can't see what it is yet. To appraise your '08-'09 creations, let me make it easier: whether you got something you intended, or not, just view what you've been doing as beautiful and desired by Nature. Your works are so much more wondrous than you are able to see right now, so paint them with shimmering light and refracted colors and accept how they have arrived and exist now. You must do this because Pluto in Capricorn rules ethics, truth, practicality, real need, and hard appraisal. Respect what you have created, since your works are seeds for a new universe that is just coming into form.

As you honor your '08-'09 creations, consider what you want to create this year, since the Sun going into Aries on March starts to square Pluto-and then goes into an exact square on March 23. This cardinal square is going to activate power struggles in the collective mind that will be sourced in your very own creative intentions. I am not suggesting that any of you need to manifest things to aid and abet the collective, since you will do that anyway. For example, if you want to create a financially secure home, then you will be participating in the global housing issue.

As you begin to sense of the influence of the Sun-square-Pluto during the equinox, let me explain all the other aspects. We go right to Mars, which rules Aries, and Mars will be in early Pisces sextiling Pluto. This is interesting, because generally Mars does not do well in Pisces, whose Neptunian quality does not favor action. This suggests that there will be difficulties getting things done this spring; planets in Aquarius and Pisces favor spiritual transformation, not what works in the material world. Mars in Pisces in a close sextile to Pluto, and this tells us to utilize intuition and higher guidance for our actions this spring-which actually fits very well with the spiritual honing we've experienced during the winter. As you work to change difficult and stuck situations, open the gates of change by asking for higher guidance. This potential is fascinating to me because this seems to be how Barack Obama gets things done. Then his spiritual direction flows right through him to the people.

Neptune draws close to Chiron in Aquarius after moving closer and closer all during 2008; and now we are on the verge of a series of five exact conjunctions into 2012. This conjunction of two great spiritual and healing powers encourages us to take the next evolutionary leap-to heal ourselves from being a multi-traumatized species. [See Clow, Catastrophobia: The Real Truth Behind Earth Changes]. The two planets will be exactly conjunct in mid-April, when few will be able to resist Neptune's influence in Aquarius. Chiron operates like the perfect homeopathic remedy because it is small and has an elliptical orbit. Neptune is in Aquarius from 1998 through 2012 (the whole Galactic Underworld), and therefore is the signature aspect of the Mayan Calendar's completion days. Now Chiron is activating it by coming into conjunction-and this will end Earth's quarantine within the universe. [See Exopolitics by Alfred Lambrement Webre.] Our species will begin to re-enter the Universe in stages that will begin this April.

Mercury in Pisces is close to Uranus, and their exact conjunction is March 24. This is a great clarifier, because Mercury rules our basic mental functions and then Uranus rules our higher minds. When Mercury and Uranus are conjunct, we fuse our basic thoughts with higher mentalities, and this allows us to be instant philosophers. The Mercury/Uranus conjunction will intensify the building Sun/Pluto square, which is exact on March 23. Since Sun-square-Pluto is pushing us into alignment with greater possibilities, we will tend to have amazing illuminations from Mercury/Uranus in Pisces. There may be something you just know, which should be taken very seriously. Of course, the time around the equinox is a great period for contemplating time-acceleration theory, such as brushing up on the importance of Day Six of the Galactic Underworld and the previous Day Sixes of the earlier Underworlds. I've already written about the previous Day Sixes and how we took significant evolutionary leaps during each one, such as during Day Six of the Tribal Underworld when our hominid ancestors separated from apes and chimpanzees. [See my new DVD, Exponential Evolution: A Day Six Lecture, c/o www.wiseawakening.com.]

During the equinox, Mercury/Uranus oppose Saturn retrograde in Virgo, which creates a greater awareness about the effects of Saturn opposite Uranus. During the March 10/11 Full Moon in Virgo, the Full Moon was right on the Saturn- opposite-Uranus axis, and the results posted by failing banks were positive; the word was that the banks can not fail. So far, the Saturn/Uranus oppositions have not been chaotic, and they seem to be opening new ways of doing things in a quiet way. The degree of change is very profound, but not violent. Mercury and Uranus in Pisces sextile the Spring Equinox Moon in Capricorn, which suggests the public mood will be very serious. Personal desires to create will be grounded and very intentional. The Moon in Capricorn closely trines Saturn retrograde in Virgo, which adds significant control and opportunity for wisdom and well-planned actions. This is an exceptional spring equinox for manifestation, and I, for one, am going to take full advantage of the opportunity this year. Just look at Saturn, the grim reaper, opposing Mercury/Uranus, trining the Moon, and then being in a wide quincunx (150 degrees) to Chiron/Neptune! This means the deep spiritual healing of Chiron/Neptune is encouraging wise old Saturn to loosen up and release old pain. You might want to use it for that reason yourself!

Jupiter is playing an interesting role this spring. Jupiter is in a close quincunx to Saturn, which is exact March 22, and this is a great tool for utilizing Sun-square- Pluto. Quincunxes to outer planets (Saturn) from inner planets (Jupiter) push the outer planet to a greater degree of potential. Jupiter quincunx Saturn is very significant because a Uranus-ruled Jupiter breaks open Saturn's tendency to limit things. Of course, Saturn is retrograde, and so it is processing events that have been taking place since December 31, 2008, when Saturn retrograded at 22 Virgo. Thus Jupiter is asking Saturn to widen its perspective and allow bigger things to occur, at least in our minds, and this is a great relief for the tight Sun-square-Pluto. This quincunx will also help you to admit if you are wrong about something in your life, and to make changes this spring in new directions.

Venus-retrograde-in-Aries may be a bit of a troublemaker this spring, since Venus is uncomfortable in Aries, and its retrograde motion forces us to take stock of significant relationships in our lives. Venus will be retrograde in Aries until April 17, and many of us will need to come to terms with violence and/or aggression in our personal relationships. I strongly suspect it will inspire a great deal of confusion about being in the military and being involved in continual wars. Venus widely sextiles Jupiter in Aquarius, so perhaps many people will have more and more trouble with spending money on war when their country is bankrupt. In the chart cast for Washington, DC, Venus hovers right on the rising sign, and so I expect to see more and more questions arise about flagrant military spending while Americans are losing their jobs and homes. Venus retrograde may be the aspect that can shift using priceless resources in dubious wars. Venus also sextiles the lunar North Node in Aquarius, which invites Americans to make the connection between their personal needs while resources are wasted in wars. If anybody out there is inclined to do a manifestation for peace this year, the Spring Equinox 2009 chart calls for it.

To complete this examination, I have a simple idea. Think of the lunar North Node/Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune as the disorienting qualities this spring, and allow your confusion to "just be". Think of Mars/Mercury/Uranus in Pisces as the illuminating and dreaming qualities this spring, and allow this powerful knowing force within you to flow. Think of Sun/Venus in Aries as tools for action this spring. Of course, you all have a good feel now for the power of the Sun going into Aries, which opens all fields for quick action. Venus retrograde in Aries is trickier because most of us do not like to face our inner demons, our own proclivities for violence. Yet, facing these things is what will end war and the shocking wastage of precious resources on a planet in such dire straits. If you are sick of your money devaluating, your job opportunities shrinking, and your home being threatened, consider looking to the cause-fear of others-and just stop it; we are all members of the same species.

Have a great spring and watch for my reading for the New Moon in Aries that occurs on March 26!
For more: Visit Hand Clow 2012: Astroflash!

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Stress is Optional

The Angel's Guide to Healthy Stress Management

by Doreen Virtue

One day as I was complaining to the angels about a stressful life event, I heard their collective voice say: "Stress is optional." This startled me so much that I stopped my complaining and asked them to elaborate.

"Stress is optional," they said, explaining that there were no outside forces causing my stress. I was perceiving the situation as frightening, and imagining what I might lose, or what pain I may experience. The angels gently nudged me to recall other stressful situations from my past. "Always, you’ve learned something valuable, and have made healthy life changes in response to that stress," they reminded me.

And it’s the same with you! Every part of our life movie has a happy ending, as we find hidden blessings and lessons within each change that occurs. Since change is a constant which we can count upon, the angels have suggested these ways to ride the flow in non-stressful ways:

Take a Nap – Give yourself permission to rest when you need it. A well-rested mind and body can find and act upon creative solutions to any problem.

Turn it Over – Are you stressed because you’re battling something single-handedly? Prayer is a powerful process to bring solutions to light, as you work in concert with the Divine. Let go and let God handle the details, by praying about the situation. Remember: worry never helped anything or anyone, but prayer always helps everything and everyone.

An Apple a Day – Healthful, balanced eating keeps our moods stable, so we’re more apt to see situations as opportunities instead of obstacles. And when you’re energy’s high because you’ve eaten meals with vitamins and minerals, you’re more apt to take positive action steps.

Hit the Road – Sometimes the best solution is to walk – or run – away from a problem by going for a stroll or a jog. The endorphins generated by exercise help you to see the possibilities and opportunities, instead of focusing upon the issue-at-hand.

Squeaky Clean – Chemicals (alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and drugs) make for wavering energy levels and rollercoaster mood swings, which isn’t fun for you or the people with whom you live and work. Detox yourself of chemicals, and you’ll be better able to focus, concentrate, and feel the beautiful range of life’s emotions (especially love!).

Phone a Friend – We all need support, especially during life’s darker moments. Book an appointment with a counselor, join a support group, put your name on an Internet prayer request site, call your best friend . . . and talk with God and the angels about your situation.

Look Over There! – If you’ve been obsessed with an issue, it’s often a good idea to take a break and think about something else for awhile. Create a healthy distraction that will put your mind upon something else. Then, when you go back to thinking about your situation, you’ll have gained a fresh perspective and new insights.

Unleash Your Inner Picasso – There’s no better outlet for stress than creativity! Do something colorful, fun, and artsy. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, as long as you enjoy yourself in the process.

Ahh . . . Fresh Air! Nature’s healing properties are profound, immediate, and all-encompassing. Get outside, open your windows, feed some birds, sit at the park, or stroll by a lake. You’ll be interacting with the nature angels, who are famous for clearing away stressful energies from our auras.

Ask, Ask, Ask – Ask for human and angelic help, and then accept it when it’s offered . . . guilt-free! We’re all in this together, and there’s strength in asking for other people’s help. After all, when you ask someone to help you, you’re giving them the opportunity to be a giver . . .which is Divine.

Interview the Issue – Ask the situation the following questions, either out loud, silently, or in writing: Why are you in my life? What are you here to teach me? What is the blessing within this situation? Listen to the answers, which will come to you as thoughts, feelings, or visions . . . because they contain helpful nuggets of healing truth.

Change

from Neale Donald Walsch, author of "Conversations with God"

"I believe God wants you to know...

....that change is the natural order of things and not
something that you benefit from resisting.

We live in a time of enormous upheaval on a global
scale, and more and more people are seeing huge
changes in their personal lives as well. It is the
nature of the world in which we live

Move with grace in the face of these changes, for
every change brings you an incredible opportunity
for growth. Breathe, relax, and know with confidence
that all things will work out for you."

A New Earth: We are Awakening