NEW MOON IN PISCES:
The New Moon falls on Sunday February 23rd at 10:32 A.M. EST at 4 degrees Pisces 29 minutes. This is the last New Moon of the astrological year and as such represents the end of some issues. For the coming month we all should be looking at the projects, relationships and ideas that have been lingering for some time, especially those that feel like they’re in a kind of limbo. Anything that has outlived its usefulness must be let go. That doesn’t mean that you “throw out the baby with the bathwater”. Some things may just be in a state of hibernation awaiting new energy that may occur as the New Year begins, so try to be clear about what is and isn’t working out. But wasting too much time or energy on worn out concepts will only frustrate you and distract you from directing your force into new and expansive projects. Remember, all gardens must be pruned and the old growth uprooted to make way for new sprouts. As we end this zodiac year we are putting the finishing touch on some things in preparation for a new beginning. Prepare and don’t be afraid to look ahead at the untapped potential. All New Moons offer us an opportunity to begin a new cycle, and while this Pisces New Moon does represent the closure of certain issues, it is still a time of fresh beginnings and a chance to take a step onto a new path. Be optimistic and farsighted and don’t be afraid of the unknown.
Many people are scared of the Coronavirus and don’t quite know how to deal with that fear. Pisces has much to do with illness and healing, the two sides of the same coin. While Neptune, Pisces’ ruler controls infections and the undercurrent of our basic health, it also rules drugs, medicine, doctors and the elimination of those infections. When this energy is activated we often encounter problems with contagious diseases. With Neptune now transiting its ruling sign of Pisces and the Sun, New Moon and retrograde Mercury also in that sign we are confronted with the Coronavirus and the panic that is ensuing. Is this the next worldwide pandemic, or just a passing phase? Only time will tell. The early reports are quite frightening and of course the world is on edge. While efforts to contain this disease seem to be failing rather dramatically, we won’t know for some time how widespread or how virulent it really is. To put things in perspective, it’s estimated that the flu infects about 42 million people and kills more than 600,000 a year. So far it is confirmed that the Coronavirus has killed about 2,400. Of course that number could be very unrealistic and it could explode at any moment, and if this is a true pandemic it could be a worldwide catastrophe. Again, only time will tell.
For now we are all on edge waiting to see just what this will turn into. Is it frightening? Of course. Only a fool wouldn’t feel some trepidation. It’s impossible to find face masks in any CVS or Walgreen’s. Even the stock markets have begun to react negatively. Is this the destructive promise of the Saturn-Pluto-Jupiter-Mars conjunct in Capricorn creating a massive stellium that will test the very foundation of our society and resources? Will this be the moment in history that astrologers in the future will look back upon and in the coming decades lecture to students of the celestial arts pointing to the unheard of numbers of victims as devastating as the Spanish Flu of 1918-19? Or will this be another passing fright similar to SARS and Ebola? I know there are some who are hoping for some colossal event that will turn humanity on its head. But believe me – you don’t want to live through a World War, a complete financial collapse or a plague, no matter how angry you may be or what your circumstances are. It would be ugly and painful beyond your imagination. So as we continue through this time of uncertainty I wish for us all a calm and clear focus and a secure future so we may deal with our self-important crises of family, love, career and the disappointments that come along with our personal struggles. With this huge buildup of restrictive Capricorn energy, and the Sun, Moon and Neptune all transiting Pisces with Mercury having just retrograded in Pisces with all of its confusion we are all holding our collective breath. Try to have a little faith and let’s see how this plays out. And always remember to love one another. That may be the best medicine there is. Love to you all. Mitch.