New Moon for the month is at 6:04 PM PDT at 23 Taurus 09. Nothing falls in aspect within our usual 2 degree orb (in fact, nothing falls within 3 degrees, either!) So, derivation of meaning falls heavily on the Sabian Symbol for the meeting of Sun and Moon, and on a couple of configurations. The Sabian is, ‘An Indian Warrior Riding Fiercely, Human Scalps Hanging From His Belt’ http://www.cafeastrology.com/sabiansymbols_degreemeanings.html

Zow! What a symbol to kick off the Lunar month! It sounds enormously aggressive, until we inspect it a little more closely. This is, more than anything else, a picture story that must be interpreted within a cultural context, within the norm and standards for a lifestyle other than the one to which we’re attuned as members of Western society. Within a Native American framework of the past, this is a picture of a real go-getter, of the most virile member of the social order, acting his part in the group to the hilt. Again, within the cultural context, this is certainly a male, and so represents the animus, the part of the psyche that is the doer, that acts, that’s very Martian in nature; so what’s this symbol doing in Venus-ruled Taurus?

What he carries on his belt is key: human scalps, which within the culture were not so much proof of ferocity (though the taking of them was meant to convey complete seriousness to the takee! who, by the way, did not always die from this procedure); instead, they are status symbols, and as such align perfectly with the Taurean emphasis on the material world and one’s assets and talents. The scalps show one’s bravery, one’s formidable willingness to act, in no uncertain terms. They are irrefutable proof of our ability to ‘go out and get’-which is the mandate of this New Moon.

Taurus, above all, makes use of what it has; it’s not just about possession, but about exploitation, and this is the message of the New Moon, in my opinion: Go fiercely (with energy and exuberance) toward what you want to create, particularly in the way this will make use of talents and assets, and raise status. Be unashamed of your goals-do not feel pressured to search for and dress them up in altruistic motivations-all that we do, want, and be has an effect on the world around us. Wanting a million dollars so you can give generously to charity is no more noble than wanting a million dollars so that you can travel, buy an island, build a business, or throw a giant party, simply because in any case the money flows back out to others (even held in a bank it is being used)-and this means that no matter what, both your desires and the social order are being served (here we enter the consciousness of money, of choosing where to spend or give as an expression of our values-Taurus, again).

Now you may object that status is more a Capricorn thing, but no energy functions in a vacuum, and Taurus works in a world filled with what we have, and what others have, both tangible (possessions) and intangible (talents, skills, and love)-it’s human nature to compare and contrast, and to want-without desire we’d have no reason to do much of anything-so, when we see what we have, and see what others around us have, it’s quite natural to draw from this experience concepts of what we would like to have-and this New Moon is meant to bring realization of what those concepts are, and to put those concepts into action, to seed them quite aggressively (and don’t be hatin’ on the idea of aggression-it’s simply ‘forceful energy,’ and whether you know it or not, you use it all the time-otherwise there wouldn’t be an open pickle jar on earth!)

A Grand Square at the time of the meeting of Sun and Moon, consisting of Venus, Saturn, Ceres, and Uranus, suggests that the New Moon intention will be forged and tested in an atmosphere of status, rules, and how we can play them (Saturn), accepting of our own or others’ authority as the ultimate authority (Ceres-I didn’t say this would be a cake walk!) also rebellion, innovation, sudden ‘moves,’ and reaction of/ place within the group (Uranus), and all of it over reward, over what may be gained, over what we treasure or desire (Venus).

PS Did manage to ignore Sedna’s conjunction–seems appropriate!–but since it only makes the effects difficult to see, and I’ve talked about it so much lately, I don’t think there’s much more to add.

There’s also a Mystic Rectangle; but that’s only discussed in ‘What You Won’t See on the Blog’ in the current issue of ECLIPSE http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com/new-eclipse-spring-2010/ Purchase comes with a free, mini-reading on Ceres in your natal chart by me; just contact me at juliedemboski@hotmail.com post-purchase with your birth data–spell out the month, date, local time at birth, and place name, not co-ordinates-you may substitute someone else for the reading, but only one reading per purchase, please. Men may prefer a look at their Zeus, star of the Winter issue. Submit your data with a good dose of patience; I’m working quickly, but I still can’t fly! For all other reading requests, please see the WANT MORE? page-Please DO NOT contact me until you have looked there, under services-Thank You!

Today’s Link: an article I wrote about 10,000 years ago! http://www.dellhoroscope.com/feature/