March 12th ~ 19th
“Koi” by Utagawa Hiroshige
Do not look back my friend
no one knows how the world ever began.
Do not fear the future, nothing lasts forever.
If you dwell on the past or future,
you will miss the moment.~
Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don't open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down the dulcimer. ~
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
~ Jalal-ud-Din Rumi
The New Moon in Pisces is on Saturday, here in the Eastern US, March 13th, at 5:22 AM (EST). Closely conjunct Neptune, the modern co-ruler of Pisces, and Venus which finds its exaltation in this sign, the New Moon in Pisces is asking us to seek and find our bliss. And this is in whichever way is most relevant to each of us. It is a mystery, so profound, it is not to be discovered outside of ourselves. It is within. And in order to connect with that part of ourselves that resonates with this Piscean, diluvian God essence, we need to pause, find some space, turn down the noise, and tune in with ourselves.
What we are being asked to cultivate at this time of year, is that subtle part of ourselves that speaks in whispers and signs. That voice that peoples our dreams, and brushes our senses with meaningful gestures. It is so subtle that it is easily drowned out in the hubbub and excitement of our daily lives. Yet it is this part of us that is the very essence of ourselves, that is closest to what we term divinity. And if we were to make it a practice to connect with that divine spark within, and allow it to not only speak to us, but through us, even in times of uncertainty, even when we cannot see one foot ahead of us, it will guide us in all of our endeavors. This is that which we call Intuition, or Conscience. It is also our connection with that higher consciousness that allows us to Visualize and Imagine. It is that connection to the divine within us.
But perhaps more than that, when we connect with that divine spark, it is also that which permeates all that we touch and do and say and see and hear with meaning. It’s that feeling you get when you stare in awe at a sunrise, when you hear the laughter of your child, when you do a good deed, a kind act, a charitable gesture; when you sing your song, or add the final gesture to your drawing. That welling in your heart and the pit of your stomach. That realization that there is so much more.
It is a place of vulnerability, so we often protect it with a shield, and hide it away. But it’s that willingness to be vulnerable, to feel empathy, sadness and compassion, that makes us human. For this is also that part of us that is not truly our own, but is shared by one and all. Without this part of us, we would not be able to connect with each other. We would not even be able to communicate. When we ignore, refuse to connect with, or despise this part of our nature, it will always feel as if something deeply significant is missing from our lives. The New Moon in Pisces each year is a reminder of the importance to reconnect with this essential, mysterious, subtle part of our nature.
There are many ways to cultivate our connection with this higher aspect of ourselves. Some refer to this part of our minds as our Higher Self, our Divine Essence, our Inner Guides. And one of the most common ways to do so is to stop and pause. Turn down the noise of our chattering minds, and listen. The more we are willing to do so, the stronger will be the connection. There are practical ways to do so as well. Those activities that help to cultivate and help us to align with this divine center are:
Solitude: Turn down the distractions, and the noise without, in order to calm the chatter in your own mind. Create your own sacred space where you will feel comfortable to do so. Take walks on your own away from the crowds. You need to be alone with your own mind.
Meditation and Reflection: The idea is to settle the mind. That part of your mind that is constantly trying to analyze, label and explain. There are different ways to do so. Sometimes all it requires is to make space each day for quiet reflection, and opening yourself up to being present in the moment. Not thinking about what you have to do next; not worrying about that last thing on your mind. Which brings us to:
Mindfulness: Being present in the moment. Allowing the thoughts in your mind to move through without clinging to them. Just observing. See how the breeze touches your skin; how the buds are emerging from the plants in spring. Listen. See. Feel. Our physical senses are the organs of our inner senses that allow us to see beyond this reality, hear more, feel more.
Create: When we do creative work or projects, we are also opening up channels to the divine. Ursula K. LeGuin once wrote: I do not say that artists cannot be seers, inspired: that the AWEN cannot come upon them, and the god speak through them. Who would be an artist if they did not believe that happens? If they did not know it happens because they have felt the god within them use their tongue, their hands?
Wonder: To make space for the imaginative quality of your life. To daydream, to wonder. To reflect on the way the light shines on the water, or the green shade of the leaves. There are different ways to make space in our lives.
Divination: There are different tools we can use in order to connect with our Higher Self, our Divine Guides. That part of ourselves is constantly trying to speak to us, through our dreams, thru our intuition, symbols and feelings. Some tools people have used throughout the ages are counting stones, reading runes, the I Ching, the tarot, pendulums, scrying, seeing, sensing. All of these are instruments that can be used to connect with ourselves, and that part of us that speaks into the silence.
And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it. ~ Roald Dahl
For this week’s horoscopes, click below: