by Michelle McClunan

MERCURY RETROGRADE, MARS IN CAPRICORN, NEW MOON 23 FEBRUARY

New Moon February 23

There’s a lot going on astrologically during this next week and some of the alignments are truly beautiful, particularly if we agree to stop paddling upstream, against the current.  Firstly, Mercury has just gone Retrograde (more about that below), Mars has just joined the rest of the planetary party in Capricorn and we have a beautifully gentle, feminine, artistic, mystical, spiritually connecting New Moon in Pisces on Sunday.

This New Moon is gracefully and gently supported on one side by Uranus, the planet of change in earthy (Feminine) Taurus, and on the other by goal-orientated Mars in earthy (Feminine) Capricorn.  This makes it a powerful, fertile time to plant seeds , provided they are planted in the soil of beingness and not doingness.

Uranus and Mars both being in Earth signs, provide a container for and bring structure to, all the Pisces water.  If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, confused or out of sorts, make sure to ground yourself more regularly, by spending more time in nature (barefoot if possible), eat nourishing foods and check in regularly with how you’re feeling and what your body needs.  Writing a journal is a great way to channel and understand what’s going on in those deep unconscious waters.

The way I read the energy  for this New Moon and the next two weeks is that we are being encouraged to slow down, soften, connect more  deeply and release whatever  is no longer  serving us, in preparation for the new Astrological year. If we are able to do this, we open the tap to new ideas (Mercury), innovative, sustainable  ways of bringing change into our lives (Uranus) and sensible,  committed ways of moving forward (Mars in Capricorn) .

NEW MOON FEBRUARY 23 IN PISCES – THE OPENING

On the day of the New Moon, we have no less than 4 planets in Pisces.  Let’s plunge into those oceanic waters a little more deeply. Firstly, when the Sun makes its way through the sign of the fish each year, it marks the end of our Astrological year. Although New Moons are always the time to plant fresh new intentions, this one (particularly with Mercury Retrograde being so close to it) encourages us to press the pause button on our ever-changing analytical minds . We’re urged to spend more time going within, re-visiting and re-visioning our dreams, ideals, aspirations, and spirituality and setting intentions from a much deeper, more feminine heart-based place.

Pisces is a mutable water sign (the symbol is of two fish swimming in opposite directions) – representing the healer, the mystic, the artist.  We might see it as one fish giving us access to the dreamworld,  imagination, intuition, Divine Connection and calling upon us to surrender to the flow of life.  The other fish however, might urge us to separate from the flow of life, swim upstream, or numb ourselves out if it gets too hard. The latter options generally lead us to feeling more depressed,  overwhelmed,  confused,  deluded, addicted or  victimised.

The next few weeks will be very supportive  for dream-work, art, meditation and reaching expanded states of consciousness.  If you feel a wave of emotion, or overwhelm, stop, take three deep relaxing breaths, drop your shoulders and OPEN your heart. (The tendency is to close it – so do the opposite)

When we are able to do this, we heighten our extra sensory perception and intuition and receive healing and direct guidance from Source.

If however, we persist in closing, forging forward, ignoring our bodies and disregarding our intuition, this can be a time of confusion, fogginess, feelings of victim-hood, and misunderstandings with others. Our bodies will be more sensitive too, so we need to pay more attention to what they are communicating to us and what we’re ingesting.  This is the  time of the year to detox on all levels, release, surrender and flow with what is arising. Any resistance to what “is” is only going to make it harder, so why resist… right?

 

 The only thing you have to know is that opening allows energy in and closing blocks it out. All you have to do is decide whether you are willing to stay open, or whether you think its worth closing. Closing is a habit and like any other habit, it can be broken. If you like energy, and you do, then don’t ever close. The more you learn to stay open, the more energy can flow into you. If you want, you can learn to stay open no matter what happens in the world. You make a commitment to explore your capacity for receiving unlimited energy. You simply decide not to close”.

From the excellent book, The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer.

 Take a few moments to watch this (short), exquisite heart opening VIDEO.  You will experience your energy shifting as you watch it and listen to the music.   

 MERCURY RETROGRADE UNTIL 11TH MARCH

As you are probably aware, during Mercury Retrograde, travel plans and communications of all kinds can and often do, go awry. I highly suggest that you double check any travel bookings, vehicle road-worthiness, back up all your data and be very clear in your communications with others.  Read the fine print on any contracts carefully over the next few weeks and if you’re unsure, get a second opinion.  The best way by far,  to align with this Mercury Retrograde (in Pisces) is to stay open, make time to turn inwards and allow the answers to come to you, when you’re in a place of presence and awareness, rather than trying to chase them down with your rigorous, incessant analytical mind.  Journalling is a really good idea, to help bring the unconscious into the light of conscious awareness.

Questions to ask yourself as we enter this new Moon Cycle

  • What do I need to clear in my life, in order to make room for the new? (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual)
  • Am I hanging onto any feelings of victim-hood or resentment and how might this be affecting me?
  • How much time do I spend in an open state, flowing with Life?
  • When and how do I shut down and close myself to the flow of life?
  • What or who, in my life, am I invested in tightly controlling (Hint you’ll feel a contraction when you think about this area, situation or person)
  • On what occasions have I surrendered my preferences and allowed Life to run the show and what happened?
  • How often do I allow myself to just “be” and to listen to Universal guidance?
  • What practices could I introduce into my life which would help me to do more of this?

In life and light

Michelle

 

UPCOMING WORKSHOP & HOGSBACK RETREAT

 We still have some space left on our 2 day workshop in Stellenbosch this weekend and on our Hogsback Retreat at the beginning of March. 

We have a special offer for Hogsback – Bring a friend and they pay half price (for the Retreat)

FREE ONLINE CALL

John Homewood and I will be doing three Free Online Calls, where we will discuss the Power of Presence. These calls will include opening and closing meditations, Wisdom Teachings, Questions and Answers and Practical tools to carry with you into your life.

Please email us to let us know which date you’d like to join us.

JOURNEYS OF AWAKENING ONLINE

Launching April

In April,  we will be launching Journeys of Awakening Online, an ongoing inspirational Mentorship & Guidance  Programme to help you change your paradigm, SHIFT YOUR LIFE and sustain it.

We’re still busy building and gathering all sorts of amazing treasures, but please email us and let us know if you might be interested in joining us. 

Our FREE Live calls will give you a taste of what its all about.

 

ASTROLOGY / COACHING SESSIONS

 The major transformational planetary alignments are  still working with us all at a deep level and triggering different areas of our lives, depending on our birth charts. Please email me if you’d like to schedule an astrology or coaching appointment.

 

Our beautiful image was photographed by Peter Nelson on Unsplashr t