The awakening light
Yesterday was Spring Equinox, when the light and dark come briefly into balance. Now the light is in the ascendant, and the days will grow longer and brighter until the Summer Solstice. The concept of balance might seem static and calm, but it is actually a process. A constant ebb and flow as two opposing principles fight it out. In astrology, an opposition aspect (an angle of 180 degrees apart) between two points in a natal chart is seen as challenging, and usually symbolises an area where we struggle to integrate two very different aspects of our selves.
Equinoxes can be dramatic times, with the old resisting change and the new eager to begin. We can see this in nature, as spring rains and the strengthening sun bring the clashing elements of fire and water together. This year the energies of the Equinox are strengthened by Saturday's full moon, a so-called super moon as the moon is at perigee. This means that she is at the closest point to the earth in her oval orbit, and indeed Saturday's moon was the closest to the earth for around twenty years. The full moon spring tides (named for their height rather than for the season) are even higher than usual, as the full moon only coincides with the perigee moon every seven and a half lunations. As the light grows and nature begins to wake from her winter dormancy, the changeable weather and the bright moon in the sky make us even more aware than usual of our natural surroundings.
Spring Equinox is the astrological new year, as the Sun moves back into Aries, first sign on the round of the zodiac. The awakening light shines on our individuality and our power to initiate new growth. This is a time for leaping into action, for seeing both light and shadow clearly and seeking our own inner balance. It's a time to do whatever puts a bounce into your step, be it stopping to gaze at the bright yellow flowers, hugging a tree and feeling the rising sap, or simply digging out your inappropriately short shorts. Summer is coming!
Equinoxes can be dramatic times, with the old resisting change and the new eager to begin. We can see this in nature, as spring rains and the strengthening sun bring the clashing elements of fire and water together. This year the energies of the Equinox are strengthened by Saturday's full moon, a so-called super moon as the moon is at perigee. This means that she is at the closest point to the earth in her oval orbit, and indeed Saturday's moon was the closest to the earth for around twenty years. The full moon spring tides (named for their height rather than for the season) are even higher than usual, as the full moon only coincides with the perigee moon every seven and a half lunations. As the light grows and nature begins to wake from her winter dormancy, the changeable weather and the bright moon in the sky make us even more aware than usual of our natural surroundings.
Spring Equinox is the astrological new year, as the Sun moves back into Aries, first sign on the round of the zodiac. The awakening light shines on our individuality and our power to initiate new growth. This is a time for leaping into action, for seeing both light and shadow clearly and seeking our own inner balance. It's a time to do whatever puts a bounce into your step, be it stopping to gaze at the bright yellow flowers, hugging a tree and feeling the rising sap, or simply digging out your inappropriately short shorts. Summer is coming!