Aries' Moon:
The Festival of the Risen Christ [part 2]
Aries Solar Festival 2009
Malvin Artley concludes his esoteric analysis of the Festival of the Risen Christ, arguing that, despite the widespread anxiety, powerful cosmic aspects make this is a time of tremendous creative potential. The Full Moon of Aries (the Full Moon at Libra 19º 53') takes place on the 9th of April 2009 at around 14:57 UT (GMT) or just before 1 AM on the 10th, Sydney time.
The full moon takes place in Australia on the 10th of this month at 00:57 PM AEST (14:57 UT on the 9th). The Sun is at the 20th degree of Aries, the Sabian symbol for which reads:
“A young girl feeding birds in winter.” – 20 Aries
This symbol says a lot about compassion. Food is scarce in the wild during winter and the young girl in the symbol is showing care for the less fortunate creatures in her vicinity in the act of feeding them. If we remember from the previous letter, though, the symbol for the Sun in that letter was also about a young girl and a white lamb. The feminine is emphasized in this figure, the same as in the one for the full moon just passed. In this symbol, though, we are not told how cold it is, if there is snow, or anything else, other than the fact that it takes place in winter. Winter is a time of retreat and seclusion, a time when we are more prone to reflect upon things rather than go outside and involve ourselves in activity. Winter can be a frustrating time of year for many because they do not like or wear the cold very well and they get cabin fever from having to stay indoors too much.
The same is true of the mind when one is confined and it has no engagement with the 'outside'. In the symbol the young girl goes outside and feeds the hungry birds. She performs a constructive and caring act. If we are confined in our mental space we have choices to make about what to do with our thoughts. Thought must lead to some sort of activity – to a manifestation of some sort. We need to do something with what we think. Will it be constructive? Just ticking over? Self-destructive? It is up to us, but in times of seclusion we have to especially guard our thoughts well.
If we look at the world today we are being faced with certain decisions. Many have lost their jobs and livelihoods and some have lost their homes. Certainly for most of us, finances are stretched. The world is a worrying place. These worries cause a sense of confinement for many people. Hope is lost very often when the cares of the world overtake us. What will we do? What do we do with our thoughts? Do we try to escape the negativity we could so easily experience? Most people have families to care for in some way or another. The clear indication in this symbol and a theme which is so often repeated in these times is that we need to show compassion and care toward others in hard times. We have to get out of the comfort zone, into the cold reality of life and transform negativity, if there is any, into care for others. The symbol for the Moon in this figure goes along the same lines. It reads:
“A rabbi performing his duties.” – 20 Libra
There is not a lot to be said about this symbol as it is really self-explanatory. The rabbi is serving and seeking to inspire his charges. He draws upon the age-old traditions of his faith and dutifully, even joyfully, performs his tasks. This symbol says a lot about the application of inherited or ancestral wisdom. Between the two symbols the message for this full moon and for the year in terms of new ideas and projects initiated is plain enough: we have to motivate ourselves toward compassion for others and application on our spiritual lives, whatever our tradition. There is something quite unique about this full moon, though, because the ways this will all work out will hold hidden gifts or twists of fate. There are regular and enmeshed geometric patterns of quintile series aspects in this figure.
Powerful Aspects
There is a quite powerful triangle formed of said aspect series by the Sun and Saturn, with Pluto at the midpoint in tredecile aspect to both planets. This configuration will give rise to the need to change one's entire value system. Quintiles, if you might recall, need crises to activate their potential. The Moon and Venus are the 'release points' for this triangle, further emphasizing the power of the feminine in the reorganization of people's outlooks. The women of the world have a huge role to play in the coming world order, equal in every way to the role of men. It is generally women who keep the family and community stories alive and pass on the accumulated wisdom through the generations. Women are also generally more geared to the role of caregivers. Of course, it is not the sole role of women to do so, but they generally play more of a part in that than do men. This triangle also warns of the threat of loss in relationship or health. If so, the loss would occur due to some psychological reason – a projection, unaddressed problem or self-sabotage. Guilt has to be watched any time Pluto is active in a configuration, too. Venus squares Pluto in this figure, so the threat of affairs is very real as a reason for the breakdown of already established relationships.
Added to the preceding sentence is the fact that Venus also forms a small stellium with Mars and Uranus, Uranus being the midpoint of the stellium. This is a configuration that can denote dangerous liaisons, but at the very least, intensified passions of all sorts. It is an aspect that speaks of high nervous tension. There is a quintile rectangle formed by the full moon axis and the nodal axis. Ordinarily, this would be a configuration that would indicate meetings with people, but since it is formed out of quintiles, such meetings will likely be between quite unusual or gifted people and there may be major flare-ups of issues between people with the initial meetings. Any time one finds this many quintiles in a chart there is always the possibility of sexual issues arising, for the aspect is often implicated in such issues. Coupled with what we just saw with the Venus/Mars/Uranus stellium, sparks could fly!
Creative Potential
There is tremendous creative potential in this chart. This is a year that will see the development of ideas that might seem totally out of left field, so-to-speak. The creative potential is amplified by the fact that the full moon axis forms any 'easy opposition' with Jupiter, the greater benefic. Jupiter, as well, is conjoined with Chiron and Neptune, an alliance which the Magi astrologers would say is quite magical and magnetic in its own right, even though the orbs are a little wide for their liking. In all, then, this is a figure which speaks to the very heart of everything we have discussed in this letter: seclusion, the fermenting of ideas, crisis, the discovery of new ways of thinking and doing things and the absolute necessity this year of getting out in the world and applying our spirituality, whatever it is, to the fullest. Take time for yourselves. Ideas will come to you.
True solitude and seclusion is really only a state of mind and has nothing to do with physical surroundings. The times when I have acted best in times of tension are when I knew I was 'centered' and the results have almost always been good. Eventually, when crisis comes, we learn to step back a bit in that moment and take even a brief moment and simply observe. The best idea in the world might come in the blink of an eye if we can do that, and they often do. I am not always able to do that but it gets better over time. Even so, regular times of quiet during the day are a huge help if we can set them aside. We don't write symphonies, poetry, compose letters, tinker with our inventions or anything else constructive when there is a fire on the stove or when the kids are screaming in our ears. We all need peace. We all absolutely need inner peace.
The Soul may call forth what is best in us at times on the burning ground of life, but we seldom if ever hear the voice of the highest except in times of stillness. Sit with yourselves until your mind cannot take it any more, then see what comes to you. I have the feeling you will be most pleased and surprised at what dawns on you if you can channel that energy into something good. There is so much locked away in us of which we know little. And, if what you think seems absurd, give it a try anyway – within reason, of course. You never know, though. If you try, you may actually find that something you thought not very likely before – that absurd thought you had – is actually the very thing for which you had been looking for some time. And, if people don't like it – well – too bad! :-)
I look forward to hearing about what all my strange friends have been up to!
Blessings, and Happy Easter.
Malvin
8 Apr 2009
This is the end of the article
 Return to the start of The Aries Solar Festival
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 Malvin Artley is an accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers. His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His special interests in those fields are the human subtle energy system and all the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all aspects of Chinese occultism.
He sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. These letters are sent out as a gift and a service. If you wish to be added to or deleted from the mailing list please let me know. If you feel inspired to pass them on please do so, but do so without alteration or charge. They are sent to people of many persuasions, not just astrologers. Blessings. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.
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