by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this Pisces New Moon chart. This Lunation will help us achieve closure in many things, give us blessings to do what we have to do, show us how to tune into angelic helpers, and give us glimpses of our ultimate fulfillment. It’s transformation time!
As you understand by now, different months bring us different Jones Patterns, depending on the position of the Moon and the inner planets relative to the outer planets. These patterns operate their own independent influence, regardless of which planet is in which sign.
Currently, the outer planet occupied span begins with Jupiter in Scorpio, and proceeds through planets in Capricorn, Pisces, and Aries. This is a hemispheric distribution, with all the outer planets in about half the signs (excluding TransPluto, since Jones didn’t use it in defining his patterns). That means the pattern du jour is primarily influenced by the position of the inner planets, shifting the pattern every so often.
At this time all the inner planets are moving through the span defined by Scorpio through Aries. That means we’re in the heart of a constant Bowl Pattern, except when the Moon is in late Gemini, Cancer, Leo, or late Virgo. The Virgo New Moon was the last to feature a Locomotive Pattern until June 2018, though we had a Locomotive at the late January Total Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Leo, with the open trine between the Moon and Uranus in Aries.
Long term, as Jupiter closes in on its conjunction with Saturn during the next few years, there will be times when most of the planets will be compressed into very narrow spans centered around Sagittarius and Capricorn. Though the outer planets have been expanding out to a wide spread these past 20 years since the last Saturn conjunct Uranus, the outers are now compressing, with Jupiter and Saturn headed to a karmic rendezvous with Pluto and Neptune over the coming years. Due to the compression, by early 2020 we will see the first “Bundle” in many years, since the planets will all be within a 120 degree span.
The Bowl is now close to an ideal pattern, since all of the planets are in half the zodiac, with the other half unoccupied. This is important, since it will dominate the next 4 weeks.
The Bowl Pattern and how it works
This type of spread, with all the planets occupying approximately half of the signs with an empty half opposite the occupies half, creates a “special type of conscious selfhood,” which Dr. Jones says “marks the Bowl type of temperament. He goes on to state “Fundamentally it is an extreme self-containment,” which “holds things, and a Bowl individual is one who always has something to bear.”
He goes on to state that with the Bowl, “the whole dynamic of man, his total power of achievement, arises in his instinctive realization that he is set off against a definite part of the world, that there is a complete segment of experience from which he is excluded in some subtle fashion. The Bowl not only holds something, but also places whatever it holds into relationship with a larger consideration.”
Dr. Jones continues that “the occupied segment of the Bowl horoscope reveals the activity and organization of the self, since planets are significant according to their place by sign and house, and the unoccupied segment becomes a challenge to existence, or the need and emptiness to which the native must direct his attention. The outstanding characteristic of the Bowl temperament is its marked sense of what is self-contained in contrast with what the self cannot hold, and this take an everyday form in an advocacy of some cause, the furtherance of a mission, an introspective concern over the purpose of experience.”
He concludes his explanation of how the pattern works with “The Bowl native always has something to give to his fellows, whether literally or psychologically, whether constructively or vindictively, because his orientation to the world arises from division; that is, frustration and uncertainty. The leading planets, determined in exactly the same way as for the Locomotive pattern, give a point of application, and shows where and how the native seeks to carry out his mission or gain his everyday justification for existence.”
He brings up another important point of analysis, as he states “the leading planet is of secondary importance in the Bowl pattern, unless it is found in a strong opposition or cosmic cross. The fundamental attack on the problems of life by the Bowl individual is indicated more significantly by the tilt or house-position of the Bowl-segment.”
He concludes this section by stating “the Bowl character is definitely more self-expending, or self-seeking, and more practically interested in what things mean and what they are. It continually throws the emphasis from the signs into the houses. It a general way the Bowl tends to ‘scoop up’ things and initiate experience when the position of the leading planet ranges from the fourth cusp, up and over the ascendant, to the Midheaven cusp, and then inclines to “capture” things or consummate various phases of life when the leading planet is placed similarly from the tenth angle down over the descendant to the nadir.”
With Jupiter in Scorpio leading this Bowl pattern, it shows us to need to take an expansive view of how to concentrate, eliminate all that is unnecessary or obstructive, shed skins we no longer need, and be aware of the magnetism around what we want and why we want it. If you’re unhappy or discontent, ask yourself why, and if you really need to go there. Learn to detach, and flow with what attracts you and what you see could lead to a form of liberation or opportunity.
This month Jupiter shows us the need to incorporate inspiring experiences and spiritual knowledge to transform our everyday lives. Be open to a greater adventure, be precise in your thinking and thought forms, and you can see them made manifest this year. Allow your inspiration to take shape in a practical way, and accept any and all challenges which can eliminate the obsolete detritus of your past.
In this New Moon, the most intense occupied span (in this chart Neptune, the Lunation, Venus and Mercury) is 5 planets in 30+ degrees, making that the major focus. Adding Uranus at the back end expands the span to 42+ degrees, showing a LOT of activity wherever this span falls in our chart. As I noted last month, all the planets are in a span of 153+ degrees; this will shift as Jupiter retrogrades and Venus moves into Taurus, widening the occupied span.
This month we have the 10 traditional planets occupying 5 signs, showing a widening hemispheric distribution with an intense cluster noted above. This month we have Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Pisces, and Aries represented, with no planet in the other signs.
The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon
A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following month will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 27 Pisces. It is said that the last third (decan) of any sign deals with the individual, mental, and spiritual levels of life, and being the third decan of Pisces it has a sub-influence of Scorpio. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The symbol for the 27th degree of Pisces is "A harvest Moon.” In the original Jones class notes, Rudhyar says this is a degree of “the power of creative visualization by which great dreamers transcend outer reality,” and “complete dominance of circumstances.”
In the Astrological Mandala, he goes on to say that this degree symbolizes “the light of fulfillment that blesses work well done.” He goes on to state this symbol “brings us the message that the time has come to reap what we have not only sown, but also cultivated – or failed to cultivate.”
He says this symbol represents a consummation, a karmic moment, where “the seed of the new cyclic manifestation is already latent.” He says this degree falls in the Span of Protection, Act of Capitalization, and Scene of Perpetuation on the Individual-Mental level.
Dr. Jones says this is a degree of “life’s moments of culmination as the threshold of new achievement,” emphasizing “the fact that nature in her immeasurable prodigality is forever showing (us) with the products of her untiring creativeness.” He says this shows us our productivity is as rich as Nature’s, “and that the highly concentrated resources of the world are at the immediate service of anyone who will put them to use and so facilitate their replacement.”
He offers us the keyword BENEDICTION. He states that when operating in a positive manner, this degree “is self-consummation which is successful beyond any possibility of measure.”
So the theme of this New Moon shows the Light for the next 4 weeks is illuminating our ability to use imagination to “dominate circumstances,” showing us the work we’ve done well. Obviously this is a consummation Full Moon, where many things will be blessed to leave and to come. Many will show their creativity is more than they believed before now.
Important Aspects
Remember that in reading a Lunation chart (as well as a horary, inceptional, electional, or any event chart) the forming aspects show things to come, while separating aspects show things already past. This section covers only forming aspects.
As mentioned in part 1, the Lunation chart has a mixed bag of aspects. We have four significant forming or partile separating frictional aspects at work, those being Moon and Sun square Mars, Jupiter semisquare Saturn, and Uranus semisquare Neptune. The rest of the aspects are favorable.
The 2 semisquares are of two qualities; The partile separating Jupiter semisquare Saturn is a waning semisquare, showing a crucial point in the end phase of their long cycle as described in an earlier article; Uranus waxing semisquare Neptune shows a crucial point of shift in the opening of their cycle.
Uranus semisquare Neptune is an indicator of our unsettled times, and specifically impacts those with planets near the late degrees of the Cardinal signs and any of the middle degrees of the Mutable signs. This very frictional energy has been with us a while and will continue to be with us a LONG time! That aspect anchors a very frictional configuration that is kicked into play whenever planets pass through late Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, as well as mid-Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. It is especially powerful when a planet transits mid-Virgo and late Libra.
As the planets make various octile aspects to these Uranus and Neptune, those phase shifts generate a LOT of tension and friction in the atmosphere, creating a grind for us wherever we have mid-Mutable and late Cardinal sectors. I believe this semisquare is entirely behind the inner hard choices all of us are considering right now in how our individuality fits into the collective atmosphere, and why there is so much friction between the transpersonal Uranian forces and the transpersonal Neptunian forces at this time.
During the Autumn transits of the mid-Virgo and late Libra zones, a “Rhombus Diamond” octile was created. This created a “cutting, grinding, and polishing” type of energy that is frictional and can lead to awareness and the ability to act productively even in impossible conditions.
As I told you in the Rhombus Diamond articles, we can expect solar flares and plasma eruptions, warping in the electromagnetic field, breakaway impulses, sideways explosions, and all equivalent human behavior symbolized by these octile aspects testing our clarity. It has presented all of us with certain questions. What is your role as you would define it? Reject timidity and uncertainty, and find your place in the larger scheme of things.
Besides the semisquares listed above, the Lunation square Mars is a gear grind, but can release powerful blessings at the transition from the old to the new. We must focus, get a grip on our energies and enthusiasms, and find the self control that keeps us focused and not distracted by passing distractions. Mars in Sag can jump at a whim in several directions at once, and squares to and from Pisces do NOT yield a lot of clarity!
The best use of these squares is to get focused, keep your eyes on the prize, be natural in your expression, not get overwhelmed by too much going on, not waste time battling straw men, and keeping details related to the larger issues. Be precise, remember this is a refining period where our thought forms are more important than usual, and the next step in our “escape from a narrow destiny” adventure we began in August-September 2016. Follow the longing for a greater life while aspiring to a higher better standard than you have before now.
Besides the aspects listed above, inner planet favorable forming (and partile separating) aspects include the Lunation vigintile Mercury and bielftile Pluto; Mercury conjunct Venus, biseptile Mars, biquintile Jupiter, and trielftile Saturn; Venus vigintile the Sun, biseptile Mars, and conjunct Uranus.
Outer planet favorable aspects include Mars decile Jupiter, conjunct Saturn (out of sign), and quintile Neptune; Jupiter is triseptile Uranus and sextile Pluto, and Saturn is tredecile Uranus and bielftile Neptune. Again, partile separating aspects are still powerful, since they indicate the period immediately past which led to the NOW.
Mercury and Venus biseptile Mars is a really big deal, since it puts the rulers of 6 houses in our charts at an emergent fork in the road of destiny involving Aries and Sag energies. This is the emergence of a future vision of some action to be done to allow ourselves to be vehicles for a higher power, and in “getting out of our own way” we may catch glimpses of our “ultimate fulfillment.” Zones most affected include 29 Sagittarius-3 Capricorn, 20-24 Aquarius, 12-16 Aries, 3-7 Gemini, 25-29 Cancer, 16-20 Virgo, and 8-12 Scorpio.
That Jupiter again forms a triseptile Uranus is huge! This aspect indicates cooperative-collective “forks in the road of destiny” involving the planet of expansion and the planet of revolution, the planet of protection and truth in a by the last Solar eclipse, it’s a player for quite a while.
The first triseptile happened in January and February. That period brought crucial choices and changes in our trajectory, giving us clues about what to expect during this second forming triseptile. The third and final one will be in mid-October when Uranus is in Taurus. For now, hot zones include 22-26 Scorpio, 13-17 Capricorn, 4-8 Pisces, 25-29 Aries, 17-21 Gemini, 9-13 Leo, and 30 Virgo-4 Libra. If you have a planet or point in these zones, you’re sailing a spiritual tide into your destiny!
Saturn tredecile Uranus is an aspect of serendipity, so the understanding you got between these principles of bondage/liberation and responsibility/individuality during their trine last year should bring unique circumstances perfect for your gifts, and blessings perfect for your circumstances. Be cautious as you move into a more electric individuality and a new life order. Zones most affected include 1-4 Gemini/Sagittarius, 6-10 Capricorn/Cancer, 12-16 Aquarius/Leo, 18-22 Pisces/Virgo, 24-28 Aries/Libra, and 30 Taurus/Scorpio.
Taken together, the harmonious aspects outweigh the frictional. We also have a very high number of specializing and spiritual harmonic aspects. Of the specializing aspects, we have 3 vigintiles, 1 decile, 1 quintile, 1 tredecile, and 1 biquintile. Of the spiritual aspects, we have 2 biseptiles, 1 triseptile, 3 bielftiles, and 1 triraelftile.
The novile (9th harmonic), septile (7th harmonic) and elftile (11th harmonic) series all feature spiritual aspects. All novile series aspects represent gestative energies that can lead to great spiritual realizations. Septile series aspects in this New Moon, they represent forks in the road of destiny, while the elftile series aspects represent issues requiring we resolve some sort of duality by making a leap of faith to attain a form of mastery over that type of duality.
The quintile and biquintile (5th harmonic) and related 10th (decile and tredecile), 15th (quindecile), and 20th harmonic (vigintile) aspects are all specialization aspects. You can find more by going to Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Pt. 1 – Quintile, Tredecile, Decile, and Biquintile, and Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Part 2 – The Quindecile and the Vigintile.
You can find out more about the spiritual aspects (septile, novile, and elftile series) by referencing this brief overview of the Spiritual aspects, complete with glyphs for all of them.
Element Balance
This month we move back into a very skewed element balance, with two signs overrepresented. Of the traditional 10 planets, in this chart there are 4 planets in Fire signs, 4 in Water, 2 in Earth, and 0 in Air. That indicates a very heavy emphasis on inspiration and warmth (Fire) and feeling/experiencing (Water) slightly in emphasis, with a slight deficiency of practical grounding (Earth) and a total lack of relatedness/communication element (Air).
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, things will run extremely hot, with only the power of Saturn in Capricorn to keep it all grounded. Fire and Water make for a very volatile combination that creates steam power when focused or fogs and mists when uncontained.
This is especially true since we have Mercury and Venus in the “Electric Fire” of Aries and Mars in the “Distributive Fire” of Sagittarius combined with the major Water pressure of Jupiter in Scorpio supported by the Lunation, Neptune, and Chiron in watery Pisces! Keep the boiler hot, but don't let it explode! Use the strong Mutable sign emphasis to keep things distributed.
Because Neptune in Pisces leads the Lunation, the Light is being led by the Transpersonal Unifier using its dissolving energy to broaden our feelings. This ushers in Illumination through our ability to tune into the collective field, and get clear about what we’re feeling apart from what we’re picking up in the generic feeling field. Disregard appearances and address the real necessities.
The current sequence at present of Deciding, Feeling, and Thinking
We’ve been through several different sequences over the past few months. There are six patterns, and each has their strengths and weaknesses. As a process of moving through events, this New Moon has shifted again, showing that over the next 4 weeks the most effective “firing sequence” for approaching life and experience involves approaching all experiences with an eye to what must be decided and/or done, which will lead us to an experience of how we feel about what we’ve decided and/or done. Then, after we’ve felt how we’re experiencing our decision, then instead of more deciding, move into a learning adventure to find newer, more up to date information so we can get a new way of viewing those actions and our experience of those actions.
So be decisive, get it in gear, and then go to your feelings and check in with yourself about how you’re experiencing those decisions and actions. Then go find a new view, a new understanding, new information, and new interactions that can help you see clearly what next step must be done and how. After you’ve done the next step, again feel what you must on the basis of that action. Periods of solitude may be required after a critical decision or action. After that direct experience of feelings the results of your decision and action, then find the information from which a new understanding will arise, or a new way to communicate, or a new vision. Allow your feelings to follow your actions, and allow your mind to follow your experience, and all will be in proper sequence.
Summing Up
Now that we’ve been through 2017’s Saturn in Sagittarius trine Uranus in Aries, we’ve stabilized our unique forms of heart expression, love, or creativity, and learned how to move out of the old into the new with calm confidence. We now have had opportunities to structure “the future in the making” into our life evolutionary process while “escaping from a narrow destiny.” That trine is done, but as Spring approaches the trine will form anew, this time from Saturn in Earthy Cap to Uranus in Earthy Taurus.
Much has been quickened since last Spring, and we have been eliminating all that would prevent our spiritual Self from demonstrating itself with ease. This is the third New Moon of the Saturn in Capricorn era, showing us “promises to keep, and miles to go before (we) sleep,” to quote the legendary Frost. We trained in 2017, and each will reap a promised blessing in 2018.
This is the sixth New Moon with Jupiter in Scorpio, and you can bet that as Jupiter transits the various Scorpio eclipses, Lunations, and planetary stations over the next 7 months, many things promised by those events will become blessings, opportunities, and liberating factors in life. With Jupiter in Scorpio leading the Bowl for many months to come, it’s clear our approach to life will have to become laser focused and as efficient as we can be as we live a grand adventure in going deeper and experiencing a greater intensity in our lives!
Because of the Bowl, things may seem very “divided” in many ways, but keep referencing your passion to “break on through to the other side” to find your way to embrace the adventure into a deeper Soul connection, faith in action, and courage as a magnetic force in your life. This Lunation moves that powerful magnetic “pulse” into a larger vision which prepares us for the future and allows us a deeper connection with Nature.
This New Moon allows us to bring forth a greater, deeper compassion and forgiveness, for ourselves and others, leading to a major transformational process in action now and in the future. Use your imagination to bring forth abundance at this “end of the end” and “beginning of the beginning.” Growth is to be found by “putting on the show” through proper planning and execution.
This one continues to take us deeper into the magnetism of our Mystery, our “hero’s journey” and Quest for Self-Realization thanks to Jupiter. This will be great for seeing how eliminating past patterns clears the space for future patterns to emerge, and with Mars and Jupiter in mutual reception amping up both Scorpio and Sagittarius energies, let the blessings stream forth while allowing the karmas of the past to flow down the time stream.
Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend
Because Saturn is now in its home sign of Capricorn for the first time since 1991, it is the final dispositor of all planets transiting Capricorn and Aquarius from now through 2023. It was the ruler of the last two eclipses, making it an important factor for the next few years, and it will continue to play a different and powerful part in world affairs between March and November because Mars will be transiting those signs during that time. That makes Saturn a major force to be reckoned with in 2018!
Add the fact that it’s doing a very interesting dance with Uranus all of 2018, and once they come back into trine between May and October involving Capricorn and Taurus, and it will be the next chapter in us learning how to blend past and future together and craft your future destiny. After the 2017 Fire trines between these planets stabilizing Electric Fire and distributive “Fire by Friction,” this will provide practical grounding to our efforts.
In 2017, we stabilized Electric Fire, harmonized with Distributive Fire by Friction, and learned to express it in loving, creative forms of Solar Fire between July and September during the Grand Fire trines, as well as every month when the Moon was in Leo. 2017 was the next step in understanding the movement of Fire in our lives, which will yield to Earth understanding in a few months!
This will help us organize and simplify our Saturn-Uranus “dance of individualization” in our charts. You can learn more about cooperating with Saturn and Uranus to create your future destiny by taking a look at the material in my book “Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend.” Saturn helps us give form and structure to our quest for Self-realization, and in Capricorn, will help bring an “organized personal structure” to the Uranian energies infused with concentrated doses of spiritual energy that is making our spiritual life come alive.
Our inner Saturn gives us the power to take command of our lives and destiny. Saturn shows us how to become spiritual adults and fulfill our purpose for being alive on Earth. By knowing our Saturnian strengths, we can overcome fear and any sense of victimization or powerlessness.
It was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers, shows why some things happened when they did. Even those with little or no understanding of astrology will benefit from understanding why they had to make certain choices at crucial times that shaped their lives in profound ways.
Each time you read any section of this book you will find new insights about your power to steer your personal evolution. You will understand how to throw off all the attitudes and memories which have held you back from finding and living the life and purpose. Through your journey of self-discovery, you can find ways to live your life on your own terms, and fulfill your purpose for being alive as an Eternal having human experiences!
Please order your copy today! You can go to the Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend page on Amazon and this should be all you need to order your copy. The ebook is available through Kindle. Also, I’ve been told people who live overseas get their copy much faster by going through Amazon. And if you would, please write a review on the Amazon site, since the more reviews, the bigger the boost on their site.
© Copyright 2018 Robert Wilkinson
Thanks Robert, great information indeed.
Blessings be to all.
Posted by: Nic | March 17, 2018 at 10:14 AM