Around this time every year, I start looking at the year to come. This means pouring over a few trusted sites and my personal ephemeris (a giant book that charts the planetary movements for the next century) to handwrite all the critical New and Full moons, retrogrades, transits, and aspects, etc. for 2021. I did this activity with an elevated flurry of anticipation, excitement, and trepidation. 2020, though anticipated by astrologers to be ‘intense,’ has proven to require additional adjectives. Since I get flagged for colorful language on social media, I will refrain from getting too descriptive and instead let you fill in the blanks. I’m sure you have some words of your own to epitomize 2020.
The good news? Beginning in late December early January, the energy will really start to change. Air signs, especially Aquarius, will replace the heavy earth slogging of 2020. Things will begin to move forward. Some solutions found. That doesn’t mean we will be challenge-free, of course (the Pluto return for the US is only getting more exact). I will be mapping it all out as we go along, of course. What it does mean-things will begin to feel different than they have.
Not sure about you, but I’m ready for some different.
But, and it is a rather large but here, we still need to get through the next few months, and the astrology suggests rough weather ahead.
Which brings us to the October 16th New Moon at 23° Libra. It is dancing with some heavy hitters. The Moon and Sun in Libra are opposed by Eris and Mars (still retrograde) in Aries. All of that is squaring that Capricorn cluster (aka the COVID cluster) Pluto, Jupiter, and Saturn. This is also a Super New Moon and the strongest of the three we will have all year. So, the word intensity comes to mind. Also, truth, justice, honor, integrity, karma, and power. Don’t even try to keep secrets at this point. It’s useless. The more we deny, the greater the revealing.
What makes all this especially potent is the nature of the conversation between forces that are occurring. In astrology, as in life, some conversations are easier than others. Sometimes we are more receptive and open. Some people just get us and are on the same page. Astrologically speaking, we call those aspects between forces trines or sextiles.
Sometimes we have difficult conversations. Maybe we are exhausted and out of patience. Maybe what we are talking about riles us up, and we have a hard time not reacting strongly. Maybe the topics require some soul searching, honesty, and accountability we would rather resist. Maybe they call for some assertion or boundary setting, provoking our esteem and worth. These are more challenging but no less important. In fact, one might argue, these conversations are the ones we REALLY need to grow or evolve. Astrologically speaking, we call those squares or oppositions. They are the conversations we may not want to have but cannot ignore.
The latter is where we find ourselves now.
In fact, the specific aspect pattern of this New Moon is called a T-square. Visually it is like a right triangle with two squares and an opposition. There is tension pulling our world in many directions. Fires to attend to. Choice points on top of choice points. Where do we put our focus? There is an air of immediacy and stress, but no real direction. Everything feels like a crisis. And it might be.
So, what is the remedy?
Astrology, again, like life, is all about balance and integration. In the case of a T-square, the medicine is found in the ’empty leg’ or the point that, if present, would make it a perfect square or box shape. You see, boxes have a solid structure. The walls, roof, and floor hold each other together. Boxes have balance.
Just what is the ’empty leg’ in this case? What needs a reset in our current experience? Where is the focus needed? What is the specific medicine for the required chaos right now?
It would be the point opposite all those Capricorn planets. It would be Cancer.
Cancer represents our force of empathy. Nurturing. The feminine genius within all of us. We have been walking this correction for over a year now, re-balancing the roots of toxic masculinity and patriarchy that need attending.
Clearly, we still have much to learn.
As we navigate this time, I urge you to evoke the main practice Cancer offers.
Empathy first.
For racial divides and inequality? Empathy first.
For the viral pandemic? Empathy first.
For the political polarity? Empathy first.
For our climate crisis? Empathy first.
All of the issues we are facing personally and collectively. Empathy first.
This means we listen to understand. That we feel into the rightness and wrongness of a situation. That we are accountable. That we respond, not react. That we find ways to help, not judge, shame, defend, or condemn.
Empathy is a challenge, though. It is a skill that requires constant awareness and honing. It is also in strong opposition to the current definitions of success in our collective culture. To many, empathy is seen as a weakness, a liability, or a failing. Instead, we seem to revere dominance, avarice, and dominion. We deem feelings as useless, impractical, or unproductive.
Which is ironic, of course, because, in truth, REAL strength is the ability to feel. It is also the force that offers wisdom our logical mind cannot.
Because empathy requires we step outside our own story and willingly and compassionately step inside the story of another, which means we will likely face our own demons along the way. It requires control and maturity over our emotions and reactivity. It means we stop needing to prop up our egos with righteousness and domination. It is showing up even and especially when we are exhausted, saying, “how can I help?” It is to admit, even embrace our uncertainty and imperfection. To make amends. To own our errors. It is to do better when we know better. It is to welcome our feelings for the knowledge they hold.
Empathy takes work, stamina, wisdom, and grit.
Nothing weak about that.
Data has shown that systems, from families, to businesses, to corporations, to governments that utilize empathy fare better financially, psychologically, and emotionally. Empathy doesn’t denote a lack of boundaries or inaction. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is simply about realigning the intentions of what we are doing. It simply means empathy first and THEN action.
~If faced with a decision between what is right for you or for all, choose all.
~If faced with a situation where you can be divisive or kind, choose kindness.
~If faced with a situation where you can be served or serve, choose service.
~If faced with a situation that isn’t “affecting” you (yet) but seems to be greatly affecting others, choose to help anyway.
~If faced with a choice point between standing up in defense of hurt or ignoring it, stand tall.
~If faced with a decision to honor leaders with or without empathy, choose the ones with empathy.
Empathy is the opposite of selfishness. The opposite of greed. We are living the karma of that correction now. This current reality is what a lack of empathy looks and feels like. Where success is defined by money, where beauty is defined externally, where what we have somehow defines our worth, where ‘winning’ is vital at all costs, and where the end justifies any means. Regardless of who or what it hurts.
This New Moon combines Libran of scales of justice with the guiding light of empathy. It highlights the importance of honesty, integrity, honor, principle, and sincerity. Where we seek to understand, not dominate, and unite, not hate.
This kind of intention isn’t easy. Doing what is right often isn’t.
But it is worth it.
“An authentic and genuine life grows like a sturdy tree. And like a tree, it grows slowly. Every time you make a different and better decision, it grows a little. Every time you choose to do the right thing, even when nobody would find out otherwise, it grows a little. Every time you act with compassion, relinquish your right to strike back, take a courageous stand, admit fault or accept responsibility, it grows a little.”
― Steve Goodier
Want to know what this New Moon is asking of you? Contact me for a astrology reading.
Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash