by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this New Moon Solar eclipse happening April 19. This begins to remove limits and boundaries we no longer need while offering a concentrated dose of spiritual energy, so be receptive!
The last decan of Aries is about the promise which follows new beginnings, with glimpses of the future and a concentration of potential. Everything’s in dynamic motion right now, as Aries seeks action to fulfill the impulse to grow into unknown new areas, and takes the initiative on its own without needing or asking for permission from others. With Mars as the ruler of the Lunation and the Moon in Aries ruling Mars, this month is all in for sensitive and courageous Aries impulses.
Long Term Effects of the Capricorn and Aquarius Compressions
Everything that’s going on has to be referenced within the larger Capricorn and Aquarius cycles set into motion in early 2020, as two are in play for 12 years and one is going to last 33 years! Each year January and February have been the period when a series of Great Compressions have brought all the planets together in a relatively narrow span in 2020, 2021, 2022, with the last one in 2024.
This explains the four year sequence of The Great Compressions of Early 2020, 2021, and 2022. The first was in early 2019 when all the planets were bundled in about one third of the sky, called a Bundle pattern, which is the rarest of all. While the inner planets transited through all the other signs after that, we again hit maximum compression again in March 2020, and then expanded through the rest of the year.
This clustering happened again in 2021 in the last half of January into early February, with maximum compression was around January 19-21 when all of the planets were within a 101 degree span, creating a very intense zone of activity wherever we have late Capricorn through early Taurus. Four planets in Aquarius and two in Taurus made for a very crowded house, with 10 distinct energies occupying less than 1/3 of the total space.
In 2022 we hit maximum compression in early March, with all planets between 28 Capricorn and 12 Taurus, only 104 degrees. In June we left the Bundle, it won’t return until late January 2024, when all the inner planets plus Mars occupy Capricorn and the span approaches 120 degree total, which closes to 108+ degrees by late February!
The Planetary Spread
In this chart, because the inner planets are in Aries, Taurus, and Gemini in a 40 degree span, we’re still experiencing a concentrated span of activity. We now have all the planets in the 162+ degree span between early Aquarius and Mars in mid-Cancer with Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer all occupied by at least one planet.
Depending on the position of the Moon and the inner planets relative to the outer planets, different months bring us different Jones Patterns. These patterns operate their own independent influence, regardless of which planet is in which sign.
Currently, as just noted the outer planet occupied span begins with Pluto in early Aquarius, and proceeds through Saturn in early Pisces, Neptune in late Pisces, Jupiter in late Aries, and ends with Uranus in mid-Taurus. (We don’t include TransPluto, since Jones didn’t use it in defining his patterns). Because we have 6 signs represented between Aquarius and Cancer, and the planets only occupy about half the signs, this chart is a “Bowl” Jones Pattern.
So What is a “Bowl” Jones Pattern and how does it work?
This type of spread, with all the planets occupying approximately half of the signs with an empty half opposite the occupied 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.”
Pluto at 1 Aquarius is the leading planet on a degree of “an immortal vision of an ideal,” showing the seeds of transformational greatness of vision lead into experience. This entry to the Bowl tells us we are now sprouting the seeds of the Aquarian vision begun at the Grand Mutation at 1 Aquarius, transforming our world forever. With Mars in Cancer closing the Bowl, we’ll finish experience with a sense of how to nurture what needs nurturing with wisdom, tenderness, and courage. So we open with the seeds of a vision and finish with decisions which stabilize our new life.
This leads with actional and material contribution, and closes with feelings to be externalized through wise actions. Because the leading edge is Aquarian Air, approach experience with a pragmatic detachment, friendliness, and broad vision of how to make a greater contribution to your world. Because the closing edge is Cancerian Water, by the time you’re done with a given experience, you’ll know wisdom, courage, and timeless truths.
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 30 Aries, and it is said that the third third (decan) of any sign deals with the individual, mental, and spiritual levels of life, and being the last decan of Aries it has a sub-influence of Sagittarius with an added dose of Venus. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The symbol for the 30th degree of Aries is "A duck pond and its brood.” In the original Jones notes published in The Astrology of Personality, Rudhyar says this symbolizes "essential social cooperativeness and appreciation of selfhood," and "contentedness" perhaps associated with "a sense of inner restriction."
We are told in the Astrological Mandala that this degree follows our "glimpse of universal order" and requires grounding and focus through "peace and inner contentment with (our) essential destiny," also known as Dharma. Here our concrete action and effective activity, focused through accepting natural boundaries, brings the message of harmony (we have) heard inwardly down to (our) karmic field of operation.
He offers that if our potency would be substantiated, "Power must accept the principle of focalization." He says it falls in the Span of Examination, Act of Differentiation, and Scene of Potency on the Individual-Mental level.
Dr. Jones says this is a degree of our need to "take the fullest advantage of the cosmic ordering." Here we can demonstrate our "ability to establish (our) world of experience according to (our) own needs" by aligning ourselves with our genius and seek satisfaction in being ourselves.
He gives us the keyword RELIABILITY. He states that when operating in a positive way, it's said to be a degree of "an accustomed competency or ease in dealing with immediate circumstances."
So the specific theme of the next month (and 5 years) involves the Light of prior and current ways we accepted certain limits in our area of effective function, how we fit into the larger scheme of things, and focus our power to achieve a contentment in doing our thing in our natural way with others who we can play and work with. Perhaps as this is an eclipse, we’ll have an old focus and/or an old restriction fall away, or the end of something we’ve relied on which will lead us to gifts and unique specialized life circumstances.
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. Partile separating aspects show what’s been going on in the Now. This section covers only forming and partile separating aspects.
The Lunation is novile Venus, quintile Mars, sextile Saturn, vigintile Uranus, elftile Neptune, and out of sign square to Pluto. Mercury is quindecile Venus, quintile Saturn, conjunct Uranus, septile Neptune, and tredecile Pluto; Venus is elftile Mars, semisquare Jupiter, quindecile Uranus, quintile Neptune, and quadraelftile Pluto; and Mars is binovile Jupiter, sextile Uranus, and tredecile Neptune.
Outer planet aspects feature the powerful ongoing Jupiter septile Saturn and quindecile Uranus; Saturn is quintile Uranus and decile Pluto, and Uranus is septile Neptune and tredecile Pluto.
Special Configurations in Evolutionary Astrology
This month we have only 2 evolutionary configurations in play.
1) We have Mercury conjunct Uranus with both quintile Saturn and tredecile Pluto, and Saturn decile Pluto. This triggers a “10 Pointed Star of Serendipity,” with zones where we may find unique personal and interactive gifts and circumstances which are perfect for our own gifts. Affected areas are around 1 Leo/Aquarius, 3-7 Pisces/Virgo, 9-13 Aries/Libra, 15-19 Taurus/Scorpio, 21-25 Gemini/Sagittarius, and 27-30 Cancer/Capricorn. Gifts and blessings are coming your way as a result of this New Moon Solar eclipse!
2) As mentioned, Mercury is triggering the Grand Irrationality through its conjunction with Uranus and septile to Neptune. The Uranus septile Neptune has been the primary activator of the irrationality of recent years, and the anchor of the configuration. This aspect creates an invisible spiritual field of “fork in the road of destiny” type of energy which triggers any planet or point in any of the 7 active zones. This long wave configuration has affected all of us for the past 30 years. At the present time, choices and changes are activated for those who have planets or points near any of the 7 affected “hot zones” around 3-7 Aquarius, 25-29 Pisces, 16-20 Taurus, 8-12 Cancer, 30 Leo-4 Virgo, 21-25 Libra, and 12-16 Sagittarius.
Explaining Harmonics
This month we have a lot of aspects with a generous helping of those in the various spiritual series and just three frictional aspects. The friction is provided by the Lunation square Pluto and Venus semisquare Jupiter. We won’t have a non-Lunar opposition until May when Mars opposes Pluto at 1 Aquarius in a major T-square with Jupiter at 1 Taurus!
In the 7th harmonic aspect series of “destiny,” we have only 3 septiles. In the 5th, 10th, 15th and 24th harmonic specialization series, we have 2 vigintiles, 3 quindeciles, 1 decile, 4 quintiles, and 3 tredecile. The 9th harmonic gives us 2 noviles and 1 binovile, and in the 11th harmonic faith series there are 3 elftiles and 1 quadraelftile.
The novile (9th harmonic), septile (7th harmonic) and elftile (11th harmonic) series all feature spiritual aspects. All novile series (9th harmonic) aspects indicate things which need to be put on the shelf for a while, or that which has been gestating can now move forward. They represent gestative energies that can lead to great spiritual realizations. Septile series aspects represent forks in the road of destiny, while the 11th harmonic elftile series indicate that faith is required to deal with transcending some dualities, issues and points of evolution where we confront the need to resolve some sort of duality by making a leap of faith to attain a form of mastery over that type of duality. This series tests our faith. Both the 7th and 11th series involve non-rational aspect values, bringing an element of irrationality in behavior and circumstances.
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 – The Quintile and Biquintile, and Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Part 2 – The Decile, Tredecile, Quindecile and the Vigintile.
You can find out more about the spiritual aspects (septile, novile, and elftile series) by referencing this brief overview of Astrological Aspects – the 7th, 9th, and 11th Harmonic Series Aspects and their Symbols.
Element Balance and Who’s Leading the Sun
This month indicates a slight imbalance in the elements, with the 10 traditional planets occupying 6 signs. We have 3 planets in Fire (inspiration and warmth), 2 planets in Earth (practical grounding), 2 in Air (relatedness and communicating), and 3 in Water (feelings and experiencing). This month we have half the signs represented.
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, it’s slightly more heat than cold, with all the fire provided by Aries and all the earth provided by Taurus! With the preponderance of Fire and Water, it should be good for inspired feeling, but could get volatile. Fire and Water make steam, which can be used for power, but the two elements must be handled correctly so the water doesn’t evaporate or boil over and put out the fire.
Because the New Moon falls at the last degree of Aries, Jupiter is the planet leading the Sun. This is the “gateway to the Light” showing we need an adventurous, open, and humorous approach to the Light, as well as an experience of a truth we can identify with personally before we see the Light in events. Be expansive, seeing the humor in events. Laugh as things leave and come, as humor heals many things. The study of which planet leads the Sun is a crucial but often overlooked part of understanding how the planets work in sequence.
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. This Lunation continues a pattern which will hold sway through the coming Inferior Conjunction on May 1. For now, as a process of moving through events, the most effective “firing sequence” for approaching life and experience over the next four weeks involves leading with our decisions and actions, followed by thinking, communicating, envisioning and finding a new view of things, and then feeling what we’ve done and seen.
This pattern is powerful and decisive, and leads with deciding and then acting. They assess what needs to be done and then do it. Efficient, practical decisions and actions lead the way, followed by new information, new understanding, new vision, new communications, and new ways of interacting that helps us get clear about something. This is a “get it done” pattern which acts decisively to get to a vision or understanding.
Following this thinking and envisioning function, we will need to reference our feelings and what we’re experiencing as a result of those insights, memories, understanding, or vision. After we decide or act and then think, we then need to go deep within to feel the implications of those ideas and visions. This is a highly effective pattern but tends to blow through experience without taking time to feel it.
So get it in gear, act on the facts at hand, and then go get new information or new ways of seeing things. After that, feel your feelings and check in about how you’re experiencing those thoughts, or that information or vision. Make a decision, get the view you need, and then name how and what you’re feeling. If you’re in doubt as to what to do, reference your feelings and not your ideas.
Summing Up
This New Moon is going to accelerate and stabilize our Aries and Taurus sectors even as we begin to move toward new areas of effective enjoyment in the future. We are now moving fully forward at maximum speed, renewed the long wave Aquarian pulses for 2023, and now get to move that energy into new directions and new manifestations.
All that is stripped away by this eclipse will show us a greater truth, a more enjoyable way to “do our Being,” receive more concentrated doses of spiritual energy, and give us time to catch a breath as we take a look back via Mercury’s coming retrograde. Keep moving forward with new adventures, new truths, and new initiatives as Mars gives us a vast and deep view of “the Sun of our Sun” and the source of all Ageless Wisdom teachings on Earth. Venus is also opening new lands for us to explore, so this eclipse should be very beneficial for our spiritual growth, even if some old self-identifiers are taken away.
The pace begins to quicken from here on. We now have a new effectiveness in some way, and this launches us into unknown zones. Remember the year’s theme involves understanding old answers can’t confirm the new conditions of existence, and old approaches won’t get the job done. Re-evaluate whatever you need to, allow Spirit to act through you, and accept your inner knowing.
In 2020 we entered a transition phase in human history. While we still have to function within the Capricorn cycles we began in 2020, we also have crossed the threshold of an era unknown to humanity since the 13th and 14th centuries. Even then, we were still in the depth of the Age of Pisces, so the awakening of new ideas then were relative to the old era, whereas what’s coming involves wave after wave of Aquarian energies, pushing us to the coming Great Age emerging in the second half of this century.
The long wave Aquarian pulses were initially set into motion by the Mars conjunct Saturn at 1 Aquarius on March 31, 2020, marking the initiation of archetypal Aquarian preliminary structures offered by Saturn. The promise and potential of the new Aquarian pulse then began to expand into a greater social and cultural vision beginning at the Jupiter conjunction with Saturn, the Grand Mutation of the Solstice also at 1 Aquarius. So we have 20 years of Aquarian energies set into motion by that conjunction!
When Venus and Mars conjuncted at 1 Aquarius in March 2022 it gave a new impetus and new expression to the Aquarian structures which took shape in 2021. The next time Mars transits Aquarius will be in February and March 2024, when it conjuncts Pluto at 1 Aquarius in February about 3 weeks after Pluto’s first ingress into Aquarius. That begins the Pluto in Aquarius “generation” of the 21st century which lasts until 2043. As there will be a Jupiter conjunction with Pluto at 15 Aquarius in 2033, we’ll see the “expansion of the Angels of the Age of Aquarius” at that time.
2021 opened a new adventure for all of us, and the long term “metamorphosis” we went through showed us what the beginning of the coming Age of Aquarius is about. Last year helped us remember we are Beings of Light, a Superstar shining the Light of our Eternal Love into our world. We’re now expanding our spiritual knowledge, understanding, and effective forms of service, and will enter the next phase in May when Jupiter moves into Taurus and Mars enters Leo.
New groups of Spiritual communities formed last year and will continue to form this year, and those which are Aquarian in nature were “lifted on the wings of angels” in 2021. Trust the process. We are learning not to play to the generic confusion, irrationality, and misleading notions. Revolution is in the air! And when you find things and people of eternal worth, value them with all your heart.
Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend
Saturn is now at the front end of its time in Pisces. This helps us to a deeper feeling of connection with others and Source. Because Saturn plays such a large part in our lives, if you haven’t gotten your copy already, please give yourself the timeless gift of my book, Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend. This book shows you the way to take command of your power to steer your life in a conscious way, using Saturn’s strengths and skills to master life on your own terms. It was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers, and will help you understand how your life experiences assisted your Soul growth and your power to change negative karma to positive karma. Each time you re-read any part of it you’re sure to find undiscovered gems of insight helping you throw off attitudes which frustrate your ability to live your higher Purpose on your own terms.
And now, on a related note….
Because Venus is a major player in helping us open to new vistas of development as we revise our view, clean out our mind, let some air into our lives, and follow dissatisfaction to its source so we can purify our perception. Because it’s quintile Neptune, we should be getting gifts of intuition wherever we have mid-Gemini and late Pisces. If you want to know more about how Venus works its magic to bring us the people and things we need to find spiritual understanding, you can get a deeper understanding of you power to shape your future by getting your copy of The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and offers a multi-faceted view of why we attract the people we do, as well as how to re-shape our inner Venus to create more satisfying relationships in the future.
This work is an in-depth examination of the psychological dimension of Venus, the spiritual dimension of Venus, and the astrological dimension of Venus. It offers practical techniques for changing your image of what you want to attract your heart’s desire, and how to make your relationships more fulfilling because you are living a Soul-ful life. You’ll find out about why you like or don’t like people and things, why you’ve attracted who you have in the past and present, and how to make those attractions more aligned with your Soul purpose in the future. A major theme weaving the various dimensions together is understanding why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, Venus retrograde, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
Previous articles in this series:
The Hybrid Solar Eclipse of April 2023 at 30 Aries Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
Astrology in April 2023 - On The Threshold of a Hybrid Solar Eclipse at 30 Aries
What Are Solar Eclipses and Why Are They Feared?
© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson
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