This month's New Moon in Pisces at 2 degrees brings not only the Sun and Moon together for a new cycle of the Moon, but Mercury, Chiron, Pallas Athene and Neptune are all in Pisces and conjunct the Moon/Sun. This makes for a lot of Neptune energy. Think spacey vs. focused, spiritual vs. material, escapist vs. responsible, cosmic vs. 3D Earth, chaos vs. order.

For those comfortable with the higher vibrations this should strike a resonant tone and make for some significant dreaming and sweet meditations. I belong to a shamanic journey circle, which we hold on New Moons. This energy should be perfect for travel by trance to parallel worlds.

Several days ago as I began anticipating the focus of this blog I began to think about the qualities of water. Pisces is one of the three water signs: Pisces, Scorpio and Cancer. And Neptune, ruler of Pisces is traditionally considered the God of the Sea. I was never too comfortable with a male God ruling the feminine element of water. Not sure what the Greeks were thinking?

While water seems weak at first glance, over time it can erode rock. It has magical healing properties and has been used for ritual showering and soaking of human bodies throughout history. We humans originate in the watery world of our mother's womb, making for "home" feelings when in or near water. Our bodies are mostly water, making it essential for life. And then there's the famous "flow" of water, symbolic of the flow of opportunities, gut feelings and passions that, if listened to and followed, provide the most energetic path for life's choices.

When it comes to setting intention on this first day of the moon's cycle I suggest Neptune topics such as: how much chaos vs. order is correct in my life? my relationships? my work? Should I examine my tendency to over-control? In what way do I escape the pressure of responsibilities in 3D reality? Is this an issue, an unhealthful addiction? Do I have a habit of exaggerating or bending the truth so as to present a better image of myself than I feel inside? What about "connecting,"? Do I feel separate, alone, unsupported, or do I know I belong to a larger, connected reality?

Mars is still retrograde in Aries and this seems to support the energy of this New Moon as it slows down the ability of Mars to take assertive action. This situation continues until mid-April and tends to leave us working with issues that are more internal than external. Even the Spring Equinox a month from now will not be able to affect this slow-down of forward momentum.

Since our theme is water and we are anticipating the end of winter in a month I am picturing our personal seeds (which we have been transforming through inner work this winter) are ready for the application of the water element that will trigger them to start the sprouting process. Just yesterday I noticed some aspen tree buds swelling toward opening. There is no holding back Spring's urges. Let's take this last opportunity to linger with winter's inner focus, to use this Pisces New Moon to savor that inner "joy without reason" that can only arise from our depths.

For my collage I chose water as it's main element. The sea turtle lives with the flow of currents in the ocean. The boat could be a symbol of our human world and its means of transportation between worlds, seen and unseen, spiritual and material, life and death. The mysterious blue face in the sky feels god-like to me, but always energetically feminine and very loving. She could be the Divine Peace that is our ultimate mother/home, the end of each human's life journey, the way back that on some level we all know and trust.