Imbolc Iron Rabbit ~ New Aquarius Moon 2011

When Spirit Sun zapped into Aquarius at the tail end of our most recent Super Full Moon (the 19^th of January), it joined forces with dynamic Mars for daily life to speed up to warp factor five. Personal projects are particularly subject to being revved-up. On a collective level this Aquarian Sun is equally busy, activating a global connection with the Aquarian brotherhood of man, energizing ‘the will of the whole’. Now, two weeks later, we are at the Aquarius IMBOLC NEW MOON, when there are no less than six heavenly bodies in the sign of the water bearer, four planets, a planetoid, and the all-important healing asteroid Chiron, activating ‘the light that shines on Earth across the sea’, and igniting the light of Spirit that illuminates hopes and dreams.

In esoteric astrology, the sign of Aquarius ‘shines the light within the darkness, cleansing with healing rays until the darkness is dispelled’.  In Buddhism we can dispel obscuration by generating light in Tantric deity meditation practice, as well as being kind to others, and generating the altruistic intention in body, speech and mind, i.e. word, thought, and deed. 

As an intellectual air sign, Aquarius tends to rationalise and contain emotion (as symbolised by the human carrying the pot of watery emotions); not only does Aquarius therefore objectify individual emotions, but in doing so it can also understand how feelings connect ‘One’ to the Universal Whole; thus Aquarius accents the significance of the Central Spiritual Sun, recently activated by the Cardinal Cross. At the risk of being too technical, for our current Imbolc New Moon on the 2^nd - 3^rd February, the Aquarian astral line-up reads thus: Earth Mother Ceres, Spirit Sun, soul Moon (who are both at a mid-way 13 degrees), warrior Mars, oceanic Neptune, and healing Chiron.

With such a Martian Aquarian emphasis (accidentally exalted), the current energy is fired-up to become potentially hectic, wiggy and unpredictable, so we may need to adjust any grand plan (that came about from having five planets in the sign of Capricorn, the master builder (destiny fulfilling NorthN, sacred Vesta, transformational Pluto, stratigest Pallas Athena, and Mercury, as messenger)). 

Note how the astro-symbols I read (others read more, and some less) are now concentrated into a 60 degree slice of the zodiac pie, with weighty Saturn as the outsider making hard aspect to Neptune and Chiron – triggering the challenge for collective psychic healing (Had any good dreams lately?); but Saturn is also trine to the Sun & Mars conjunction, suggesting its easy for authorities for to be formidably assertive, particularly while Aquarius is also the sign of rebels and revolution.

There are also other astrological features to observe while Saturn in Libra is this important singleton, however, as it is also exalted – meaning that authority has to find a point balance (in the heart); but is also retrograde (until June), so it needs time to find the balance. Saturn retrograde tends to slow down the ability to come to any conclusion on important issues, such as appraising the karma in relationship, peaceful resolution, or law.  So as we enter into the Chinese New year of the white Iron Rabbit– aka ‘the metal cat’, it’s also worth bearing in mind how this exalted Saturn in Libra is linked to no less than eleven heavenly markers, because Saturn is the traditional day ruler of Aquarius and the night ruler of Capricorn. So while the overall gentility of the rabbit expands yinwards, the heaviness of the times resonates strongly with everyone.  But let’s not get too gloomy, as Aquarius is also the sign of wishes. This is therefore the wishing moon.  My intention over this moon is to nicely ask the kindly bunny to hop to it, and help attain (global) peace of mind.  

This is one of the many years when the Tibetan Lunar calendar is out of synch with the Chinese animal Solar calendar, because the Tibetans doubled the 11the month (!) so Losar, Tibetan New Year of the Female Iron Rabbit, is on the Pisces new Moon, March 4^th. That the Chinese and Tibetan New Year do not always dance together is a common occurrence. 

The pagan festival of Imbolc also coincides with Chinese New Year. Imbolc ignites the light of the fixed  cross, and  is otherwise known as the feast of CandleMas, whose benefactor is Brigianta, Bride or St Brigit, the Lady of the Hearth (i.e. the spark of warmth and light now returning to the northern hemisphere); she is the patroness of poetry, craft and smithies. With this last honorific, until the light of the Leo Moon shines brightly (and when I will be back online), I leave you with a poem from the Upanishads, called

‘Illuminating Light’

“There the sun shines not, nor the moon and the stars,
nor the lightning, let alone this earthly fire.

Only when illumining Light shines,
everything else shines;
the self-revealing Light illumines the entire universe.”

Thank you Ximi for the Bhutanese protector_/\_♥ ૐ and to all other unknown photographers.