On March 20th, 2019 the Sun enters Aries and we have the Northern Equinox.
Sun’s entrance in Aries – or Sun at 0° Aries – represents the beginning of a new astrological year. The Sun starts a new journey around the zodiac. No matter where you live on the Earth, the day is equal to the night.
Equinox (‘equi’-’nox’) literally means “equal night.” At the Spring Equinox, day and night are the same lengths.
The reason why the Equinoxes are so powerful is that they are the only times of the year when the day is equal to the night.
No matter where you live, you experience the exact same amount of light and darkness. The Sun and the Moon share the sky as equals.
And it is only when the day and the night are equal, it’s only when the sacred masculine (the Sun) and sacred feminine (the Moon) are in perfect balance, that life can emerge.
It’s this perfect equilibrium that allows new life to be created, that allows creation to set forth its marvels.
Why The Spring Equinox Is The Beginning Of A New Astrological Year
What does the equinox mean from an astrological perspective? As you know, in a year we have 2 equinoxes and 2 solstices.
The equinoxes happen when the Sun is at 0° Aries and at 0° Libra. The solstices happen when the Sun is at 0° Cancer and at 0° Capricorn.
The 4 degrees mark the “cardinal cross” and represent the 4 points in the sky where the Sun changes direction (as seen from Earth).
All these 4 points are extremely important, but 0° Aries is the most relevant from a “new beginning” perspective because this is when the Sun rises North of the equator (and North = ascension, initiation).
No matter where you live on Earth (in the US/Northern Hemisphere or Australia or Southern Hemisphere), on March 20-21st, the Sun will rise North of the equator. By June 21st (when we have the Cancer solstice) the Sun will reach the Northeast point, and after June 21st, the Sun will start descending or start going South.
Because the Northern Equinox happens when the Sun starts its ascension, we consider the Northern/Aries equinox (March 20-March 21st) the beginning of a new Sun (yearly) cycle.
In many traditions, the time around the Spring/Northern equinox marks a new beginning. The Easter is in fact calculated based on the Equinox. The Easter takes place on the first Sunday (‘Sun’-day) after the first Full Moon after the Northern Equinox.
The Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ (the cardinal cross) in the same way the Sun is ‘resurrected’ from the Southern descent and crosses the celestial equator going from South to North.
What To Expect From The Upcoming Northern Equinox On March 20th, 2019
In 2019, the equinox takes place on March 20th. That’s why March 20 will set the tone for the new astrological year.
If we look at what’s going on in the sky on March 20 (what transits we have) we will know what to expect in the upcoming 12 months.
This year, the equinox point is conjunct Chiron. This conjunction stands out because it is very tight. Chiron is a symbol of holistic healing. This means that 2019 will be the year of holistic healing.
The term holistic or “wholistic” implies that there is an inherent fragmentation that keeps us broken. There wouldn’t be a need to “make whole” something that is already whole.
In Shamanic tradition, illness occurs when someone’s spirit is fragmented. The Shaman is a healer with special spiritual powers who is able to travel in between worlds. In Shamanic tradition, there are three worlds: the lower world, the middle world, and the upper world.
The Shaman is able to make the spirit whole again. In astrology, the Sun is a symbol for the Spirit (the divine spark of consciousness in the center of our being).
Because the spirit is broken into pieces, the person cannot function properly. This is when illness – physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual – occurs.
The Shaman will then go on a journey (in the lower world, middle world and the upper world) to find the broken pieces of the Spirit. Once the Shaman finds all the broken parts and brings them together into a whole, healing takes place.
Chiron is a symbol for the Shaman. Chiron orbits between Saturn (the lower world) and Uranus (where the upper world begins). That’s why Chiron in astrology represents the Shaman, or the ‘mediator’ between our animal side and our divine side. Chiron is half-horse (animal), half-God after all!
A Journey To Wholeness
The Northern Equinox conjunct Chiron means that at a collective and individual level, this year we will have the opportunity to restore our wholeness.
The journey won’t be easy. We will have to go down in the lower world and face what’s in there. We will have to open ourselves to the mysteries of the upper world, and embrace the unknown. Yes, the journey will not be easy, but it will be totally worth it. There is no greater gift than restoring one’s wholeness.
No matter what needs healing in your life, in the coming year you have the chance to finally restore your balance and become whole again.
This year you can become a Shaman or you can meet one. A literal Shaman or a teacher, a priest, a healer or a medicine man or woman. Chiron is also a symbol for mentors, so you can expect to find a mentor that will stir your life in the right direction.
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