Aries – Free to be Me!

My next workshop April 7 is perfectly timed to help you find healing and resolution to relationship and identity issues that are surfacing during this intense eclipse season. After reading this blog you will understand why you won’t want to miss it!

Learn More or Sign Up Now

Two times a year there is a Lunar Eclipse on a Full Moon, followed two weeks later by and a Solar Eclipse on a New Moon. We can feel the ‘eclipse season’ start several weeks before and culminate shorty after the eclipses.

Eclipses signal major turning points in our lives. We are at a crossroad, which often requires a leap of faith to take a big step forward.

Eclipses take place close to the Lunar Nodes, which are points in the sky where the orbits of the Moon, Earth, and Sun intersect. The Nodes represent the point where our soul converges or intersects with Spirit (non-physical reality) and physical reality.

Core issues in our human and spiritual journey command our attention, challenging us to deal with and release past programming, so we can move forward into the future with less emotional baggage.

Eclipses make things happen. We often experience unexpected developments and twists and turns, the purpose of which is to help us move forward in life.

Eclipses also open space for us to take action and take advantage of opportunities that magically arise. We may feel that the universe is conspiring against us. Or we may feel that it is magically supporting us. In either case, the Universe works in mysterious ways. Life often unfolds in unpredictable ways that often only make sense later.

The eclipse season bubbles with the potential for unexpected openings and delightful serendipities. Currently Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, and Taurus energies are especially active. In a previous blog, we discussed the new 20 year context set by Pluto in Aquarius.

In this blog we examine how the eclipses and planets in Aries are supporting us to heal wounds related to our identity so we can experience personal freedom both within ourselves and in our relationships.

March 20 – Sun Entered Aries and Spring Equinox

A new journey through the zodiac began March 20, when the Sun entered Aries.  We can press the reset button and welcome in fresh energy and a new chapter in our lives.

The Sun, Mercury, North Node, and Chiron are moving through Aries, urging us to boldly claim our personal power as we step forward on our path.

Aries Fire Energy

Aries fire energy is restlessness, impulsive, and even reckless. Aries fire energy always feels compelled to ‘do something’ – anything. Aries’ theme song is “just do it” – follow your instincts and take action.

Aries’ challenges come from not being aware of what drives our impulses, when we are reactive without knowing why. Our reactions can escalate into obsessive urges that turn our lives upside down. We believe that we are right and that we have a natural right to do, say, and be as we please. Our stories and rationalizations focus on being confined or victimized. We want to break free of limitations, which can be both real and imaginary.

With awareness, we can identify what needs to change within ourselves, to set ourselves free from our own mind and unconscious reactions.

March 10 – May 15 – Mercury Entered Aries

Mercury represents our mind’s capacity to perceive, process, and share information. With Mercury in Aries, our communication is direct, assertive, and focused on taking action. It does not dwell on details or overthinking. Mercury is in Aries for almost 10 weeks from March 11 – May 15.

April 1-24 – Mercury Is Retrograde in Aries

Mercury takes on a reflective role while it is retrograde April 1- 24. Our attention turns inward. Our mind becomes more intuitive. As our inner awareness increases, we are able to identify patterns of thought that run on automatic pilot. Mercury retrograde translates what is in our unconscious. While Mercury is retrograde it will be easier to make sense of our ‘story’, and to identify what we have overlooked, misinterpreted, or found confusing. Pay attention to where your mind goes when it wanders, when it is having a conversation with itself.

Mercury retrograde verbalizes our feelings, exposes our recurrent thoughts, and brings up memories that keep wounds alive. Mercury retrograde is good at recalling hurtful situations from our past. So don’t be surprised if you start thinking about events that you wish you could forget.

Now is a good time to revisit old wounds and to rewrite our life story. Optimally we will use this time to identify self-sabotaging patterns and the thoughts that they keep alive, and we will rethink the validity and usefulness of our way of thinking. We can heal karmic patterns by embracing new perspectives that bring to light the phases and lessons of the evolutionary journey of our soul this lifetime.

March 20 – Mercury Was Conjunct Chiron at 18° Aries

On March 20 Mercury was conjunct Chiron at 18° Aries. Due to Mercury going retrograde, there are 3 conjunctions (also April 15^th at 20° Aries and May 7 at 21° Aries. In other words, this transit lasts for over 6 weeks. While the exact dates mark the energy peaks of the transit, Mercury conjunct Chiron is active for the whole period – from now until mid-May. We are all influenced by this intense transit.

The universe is offering us an opening to dig deeper into the root causes of our anguish related to our relationships and self-worth and to reframe our understanding of ourselves and our life situations and experiences. We can identify self-sabotaging patterns and understand the root causes of our emotional issues.

Mercury retrograde will spend an unusual amount of time close to Chiron and the North Node, both in Aries. Mercury retrograding over Chiron and the North Node helps us untangle past stories, break the cycle of conditioning, and rewrite our future. This time we can truly break the repetitive cycle and the imprint of past programming. We can discover the gifts that come from the wisdom and self-appreciation, which we gain from our evolutionary growth.

Our Identity Wound

In Aries, the Mercury-Chiron conjunction triggers our identity wound. Everyone, no matter how ‘successful’ or self-confident, has a deeply felt identity wound. We have all suffered from some form of rejection, abandonment, or self- worth issue, which leads us to question our worthiness, and even if we have the right to exist. .

The existential issues include “Who am I?”, “Does my life matter?”, and “What am I supposed to be doing with my life?’

Mercury represents our mind and how we make sense of our life. In Aries, Mercury narrates our story of who we are. We try to figure out who we are in the world. What we tell ourselves is what we believe is true. The problem is that what we tell ourselves may not be true. Chiron reveals not only our story, but what caused us to adapt this interpretation of who we are and our worthiness.

The story of our wound can often be traced back to our family lineage, even spanning generations and past lives.

South and North Nodes – Past and Future

Mercury conjunct the North Node is important because the North Node represents our future, the opportunity to change our karma, and to rewrite our inherited biography. The South Node represents our past karma, which needs to be resolved, released, and transformed,

Mercury aligning with Chiron and the North Node gives us a unique opportunity to

1. identify deeply ingrained and inherited family patterns,
2. understand how they have affected our sense of identity, self-worth,  and purpose, and
3. change the narrative of how we talk about our life.

Negative Identity Stories

Some of the negative identity stories we tell ourselves include:

1. Something is the matter with me. I am flawed because of my gender, appearance, or nature. The experience of rejection drives us to try to conform to what is expected in order to be accepted and loved.
2. I am inherently bad or a sinner. We feel guilty for having sexual desires, natural impulses, and seeking pleasure.  Social, religious, and culturally instilled sexual repression, and the righteous imposition of restrictive norms lead us to believe that our innate instincts and desires are sinful and morally wrong.
3. I am not wanted, a mistake, and an obstacle to my parents’ happiness. We also feel like an outcast and a burden to society. We feel alone and rejected.
4. I am supposed to be different than I am. I should be like my family and live up to their expectations. Any deviation on our part from expected norms are considered betrayal. We compensate by adopting the family expectations, social values, or religious beliefs to be accepted and fit in. We are lead to believe that our existence is validated only within the context of the imposed ‘story.’ We do not ‘exist’ outside this story.

These Stories Do Not Need to Continue

There are many versions of the above, but in all cases our unique individuality is invalidated and denied. We can’t challenge the story without being disloyal, discredited, or denied the freedom to ‘be me.’ Even when we rebel, we still suffer from these insidious beliefs that rumble in our unconscious and poison our relationship with ourselves.

The internal conflict in our relationship with ourselves prevents us from fully embracing life, trusting our instincts, and realizing our full potential. Whatever our narrative, our self-expressive Aries qualities related to self-trust, self-worth, assertiveness, and independence are stifled.

Identifying these stories is not intended to anchor in more resentment or validate being a victim. Becoming aware of these family and cultural dynamics help us understand the deep roots of these patterns, which have been passed on through generations.

The important thing for us to realize is that these stories do not need to continue to control us. And we do not need to pass them on to the next generation.

Healing Our Identity Wound

The Mercury-Chiron-North Node transit is a unique opportunity (1) to understand the deeper dynamics of our identity issues, and (2) to rewrite our story. We can change the script that has shaped us. It no long has to define who we believe we are. Below are loving and authentic ways of relating to ourselves.

1. We are not flawed. We are each a unique individual, who may or may not be what our family or society expects or thinks it wants or needs. We each have our own inherent worth that is not defined by or dependent upon others’ preferences, perceptions, or opinions.
2. We are each our own special miracle. We are each here for our own soul reasons. Being born in difficult circumstances does not invalidate our existence, value, or worthiness. It makes us human.
3. We each have our own path, with our own lessons to learn and life to live. We must each expand beyond the confines, expectations, and limitations of our circumstances to find inner freedom and happiness.
4. The indoctrination of born in sin is an abusive control mechanism. Experiencing pleasure and happiness in physical reality is a portal to our soul essence and personal creativity. Following our heart and our instincts with integrity awakens our creative genius and makes fulfillment, satisfaction, and authenticity possible.

Chiron Directs Our Healing Journey

It is normal to wonder why there are so many challenges in life. The best answer starts by simply acknowledging and accepting that this is the nature of our human journey. The Chiron archetype tells us that we are here to find the hidden treasures within ourselves. What we do to heal, the lessons we learn, and the internal strength that we develop along the way unleash our potential and activate our gifts.

Our Chiron healing journey is about decoding what we are here to learn. It is about identifying our wound and realizing that it is not the truth about who we are. We realize that if we keep repeating the same victim story, we can’t expect things to change. We stop making our wound into a mantra or affirmation that defines our past and present and determines our future. We realize that not only do we deserve more, we ARE more! We start to believe, act, and speak from this truth.

In sum, the combination of the following transits immerse us in a healing journey. Layers of our wounded story are being revealed so that we can rewrite our story from a perspective of self-empowerment and self-love.

(1) Mercury- Chiron conjunction on March 20

(2) The Lunar Eclipse in Libra on March 25

(3) Mercury retrograde conjunct Chiron and the North Node

(4) The Solar Eclipse in Aries is on April 8, exactly conjunct Chiron.

This period is a rare opportunity to break the cycle of karmic patterns and to rewrite our script so we can move into another chapter of our lives without the debilitating baggage of the past.

March 25 – Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse at 5° Libra

The Libra Lunar Eclipse, which is in a favorable trine aspect with Pluto at 1° Aquarius, helps us recognize what has been hiding in our subconscious and motivates us to break free of old patterns that hold us captive.  We are being given an opportunity to dive deep into the karmic dynamics of all our relationships, our one-on-one connections, and our partnerships, and to transform them from our core.

In our romantic, friendship, and reoccurring encounters, we engage in interactions that can help us understand ourselves, and see what may not be obvious to us without interpersonal interactions that bring our patterns and our wounds to our attention.

Lunar eclipses activate our emotional body, making it is easier (and more painful) to recognize our unconscious patterns. We can be easily triggered as our suppressed fear, anger, and sadness (and the stories that they tell) demand our attention.

The lunar eclipse in Libra focuses our attention on our relational patterns. The South Node eclipse in Libra invites us

1. to reflect on issues in past and current relationships,
2. to find resolution to lingering conflicts, and
3. to release attachments so we can move on.

Reoccurring Patterns

Our adult relationships often reproduce the patterns we witnessed early in life between our parents, caregivers, and family members. We unconsciously re-create the same or similar dynamics or patterns of behavior in our adult relationships.

The ‘games’ we play are unconscious and include an emotional agenda. Manipulation and power struggles are part of the ‘game,’ but the drivers are

1. how we try to compensate for feeling inadequate or not good enough, and
2. how we try to get our unconscious needs met, which  were not fulfilled when we were little.

When we are not aware what we are doing, we feel justified in ‘trying to get our needs met’. The emotional need to be loved, acknowledged, validated, or supported can never really be met from someone outside ourselves, however the unconscious drive to keep trying is tenacious. Thus we continue to repeat the same conditioned behavior and attract the same types of relationships into our lives.

The same needy emotional and psychological drivers continue to dominate until we become aware of them and consciously change our relationship with ourselves and how we interact with others. To heal an unavailable partner/parent dynamic, we have to become emotionally available to ourselves.

The Truth Behind the Facade

Identifying the truth behind the facade of our dysfunctions and disappointments can open up the conversation for positive and heart-felt change. It can also confront us with a painful realization, which could lead us to everything from an amicable separation to figuring out how to ‘run for your life.’

Understanding why we cling to abusive and co-dependent relationships opens up the possibility and permission to change.

Epiphanies about our partnerships are gateways to liberation. But our pass through the gate of liberation requires understanding and being honest about

1. the dynamics at play,
2. the lies we tell ourselves and each other,
3. the games we are playing, and
4. the subconscious motivations that determine the above.

Can two “me’s” operate as a “we”? Are we obsessed with or abused by narcissistic identity imprints?  Can we address our issues with Libra’s standards of balance and fairness?

It is Time to Move On

Eclipses often coincide with times in our lives when we have had enough. This happens with the awareness that if we continue to repeat the same scenario and react in the same way, we will attract the same situations that result in the same outcome. In other words, our unconscious conditioning and how it has influenced of life becomes conscious.

When we realize that dwelling on, and clinging to the past, ends up recreating the same pain and dysfunctions, we are ready to make changes. Ruminating on why things are as they are, what we don’t like and why, are a waste of time and energy. There IS another way if we cease letting the past control our mental and emotional energy. We have to focus on what we can change – ourselves!

Letting go and forgiving are not about trying to convince ourselves that the past was OK and our pain is not real. Forgiveness is ‘for giving ourselves space’ to move forward without the baggage – the boulders in our backpack. The South Node Eclipse in Libra helps us to let go of old relationship patterns that do not serve us or give us the results we really want.

A Key to Healing Our Identity Wound

To recap, eclipses come in pairs. The first South Node Lunar Eclipse defines the issue to be addressed and helps us understand, finish up, and learn from the past. The second North Node Eclipse provides us with the solution and propels us forward.

The Nodes of the Moon provide us with the key to healing. The answer to a South Node Libra (past) eclipse can be found in the North Node Aries (future). In other words, Aries can help Libra resolve its relationship issues.

The Libra/Aries Dynamic

Libra is good at keeping the peace and making sure everyone is happy. Libra is not very good at asserting herself. Our inner Libra can overthink and try to manage others to maintain peace. And end up creating resistance or conflict.

One problem in the Libra/Aries dynamic comes from the belief that there are winners and losers. If we get what we want, the other person loses. ‘Working things out’ doesn’t result in ‘working out’, if we are simply trying to defend our position. But our authentic Aries is not about winning at someone else’s expense. Aries is the fire of being, our unique spark of life that is unique, authentic, and real. Aries’ first relationship is with itself.

When we are not happy with ourselves or what is happening in our lives, we unconsciously find fault with and blame others. Judgment and self-criticism are symptoms of an unhealed identity wound. Judging and criticizing ourselves is invalidating our own existence. Judging and criticizing others is invalidating their existence.

Our Aries authenticity and integrity comes from being in touch with our instincts, with our aliveness that is present in the moment, that grasps the essence of a situation and knows what to do. Deep healing happens when we listen to and follow our inner knowing, and trust others to do so as well. Our relationships can magically transform when we validate our own truth and allow others the space to be honest and feel validated as well.

April 8 –North Node Solar Eclipse in Aries, conjunct Chiron

This whole process is going to find resolution on the Solar New Moon Eclipse April 8.

In the meantime take advantage of the powerful cosmic backdrop of the moment to claim your birth right to ‘Be ME.”

The key to healing our identity wound is deep, authentic self-love and self-nurturing.

---