By William and Alana Fennie

From William:

The peak of this cycle is 30 April, 1-2 May. The day leading up to the New Moon, April 15, saw ferocious storms across the United States with unusual cold and snow on the northern Great Plains, tornadoes in the Southeast, and a heat wave in the Southwest. The mid-Atlantic region around Washington DC saw temperatures around 90 degrees followed by plunges to near freezing and a slow return to seasonal temperatures. This corresponds appropriately with a conjunction of the New Moon pair with Uranus as the latter prepares to make its first foray into Taurus on 16 May where it will remain until November, going retrograde around 8 August.

Two days later Southwest Airlines flight 1380 experienced a mid-air engine failure that killed one passenger, the first air-related death in the U.S. since 2009.

Some of the biggest news comes from abroad with the Trump administration and North Korea making big promises about a sunny new future on the Korean peninsula. Let's remember that MW can bring resolutions to long-standing conflicts (1918 Armistice) as well as unleashing the dogs of war (First Gulf War).

I have found Uranus by aspect to bring outrageous and exciting experiences but not necessarily long lasting satisfaction. If the energy is to be productive then the calm, patient-builder quality of Taurus will be essential.

New Moon chart for 15 April 2018 - click to enlarge

The New Moon chart (see illustration) for April 15 provides the context for interpreting this MW cycle, and it is again heavily weighted with Cardinal Earth and Fire, the chart ruler, Mars, in Capricorn in the second house suggesting an emphasis on issues of personal security or, in this case perhaps, the financial markets. The stellium of Saturn, Mars, and Pluto in Capricorn does not put the mind at ease, and the square to the new moon pair suggests a period of tension and challenges to leadership. The emphasis on martial energy ameliorates somewhat a strong tendency toward overindulgence and excessive word games that are marred by heavy-handed criticism. A little bit less “communicating” and a little bit more responsible education could go along way toward moving productively through this cycle.

Despite the news of unexpected advances in foreign affairs, this chart suggests that all the action is at home with only Jupiter above the horizon, in the 12th house. Hard work is in fact taking place, but not in the public eye.

Those with important factors in Taurus, Leo, or Aquarius may find themselves resonating with this erratic and highly charged "weather." The cycle brings disruption, of course, but can also enable a needed clearing out of the old and a re-vision of routines, goals, and hopes.

Alana has some exercises to help with identifying the relevant issues for you, personally.

Aloha. . . .

Exploring Moonwobble Energy: Journal Prompts

Because the nodes of the Moon do not change sign quickly, a Moonwobble Cycle will often share the same nodal access as its previous cycle. This phenomenon may make it seem that during a Moonwobble Cycle issues and patterns you thought you completed or “dealt with” already seem to resurface. You’ll often find some twists, though, as the New Moon which initiates the current Moonwobble Cycle will likely be in a different sign, often bringing with it a new polarity, elemental and modality. The New Moon offers context and context is everything.

Let’s examine what that means with the current cycle, since its nodal axis recalls the last two Moonwobble Cycles, including the very noteworthy July – August Moonwobble Cycle from 2017 – noteworthy because that cycle included the “Great America” Eclipse of August 2017. Patterns that began in those cycles are being further worked on with new energies.

So, in all the last three Moonwobble Cycles, the Moon’s Nodes fall across the Leo-Aquarius axis, with the North Node in Leo and the South Node in Aquarius. The New Moon in July-August (2017) was in Leo, a yang or masculine, fiery, fixed sign. In the last Moonwobble Cycle (what were the dates for this cycle?), the New Moon was in Capricorn, a yin or feminine, earth, cardinal sign. Our current Moonwobble Cycle occurs under a New Moon in Taurus, an earth, yin sign like our last cycle, but fixed recalling the energy of the Leo New Moon of last July-August.

It’s likely that in July-August 2017 – especially in anticipation of the “Great American” eclipse – you may have been inspired (a very fiery feeling) to review your approach to the world or your identity in that world. In an outgoing, extroverted sign, Moon in Leo may have nudged you to think of ways to present yourself or express yourself in some external way, possibly in art, social media posts, writing, or even in how you groom yourself or do presentations at work. Likely, this energy focused on expressing a self you already claim as yours, rather than encouraging you to change or think deeply about your identity.

Whatever new ways you dreamed up to present or express yourself in the summer of 2017 likely clamored for more structure during the last Moonwobble Cycle. You may have asked yourself, What is my plan for implementing a sustained creative practice? How might my output or my self-expression move beyond the personal to help lead the changes that I would like to see in the world?

The current Moonwobble Cycle asks you to now make a sustained and sustainable plan to stay the course on your creative process. You’ve had the inspiration; you’ve organized your ideas and made a plan to bring them into reality. Now this Cycle is testing the strength and viability of your plan.

One final note before some simple exercises to help you strategize. Unlike the previous two Moonwobble Cyles, the current Nodal Axis configuration during the New Moon is unaspected! It’s possible that instead of experiencing direct challenges to your plans, you are feeling an intense distraction. You may feel incredibly passionate about the changing stories that appear in your news feed. You may intensely want – or even feel a deep need – to act, but you cannot determine if that need comes from a genuine feeling or if it’s a product of external stimuli. You may further feel a contradictory sense that time is passing by so quickly, too quickly, and yet you are not accomplishing anything.

Consider any of the following reflective exercises as a way to connect with the energetics of this Moonwobble cycle.

We recommend keeping your insights private until this Moonwobble cycle is over, since one of the lessons of the fire Trine here is to consider when, with whom, how, and how much we share of private self and creativity with the outside world.

1. Internal versus External

Spend a day tracking how often you feel compelled to comment on some social issue or news event, as well as what the topic is. Before you do make a comment to the world via social media or even to the people in your “real life” (IRL), consider whether the impulse comes from within or is a reaction to external stimuli. Do you have a position to share that comes from deep within your philosophy or your spirituality – or are you adding noise to the social sphere without making a point you’d want your grandchildren to read?

By no means does every post, conversation gambit or offhand comment have to have a larger point or connect to something greater. However, we are so often encouraged to “share your thoughts” or “share your feelings” about a topic du jour that we often don’t consider whether we want to share.

Saturn square Mercury in this cycle may already be making you feel constrained in your expressions and thoughts, but this may be a blessing in disguise. Keep in mind that Mercury is in Aries this Cycle and may speak without thinking of the (especially long-term) consequences, and the restraining power of Saturn in Capricorn (this Cycle) may actually be helping you from making lasting damage to your reputation.

Saturn in Capricorn also gives the pause that may help you disconnect from the noise around you and connect back into the ideas generated during previous Moonwobble Cycles. Since the Nodes are unaspected this Cycle, their “voice” may be harder to hear at this time.

2. Inspiration and Structure

Take 30 minutes or so to reflect back on the brainstorming you did during the last Moonwobble Cycle. During that time, we suggested that you brainstorm what needs to happen to make your creative idea(s) a reality. Did you brainstorm various steps – and equally importantly – did you schedule the steps into specific dates on your calendar?

It’s time now to evaluate your progress. What worked and what just led to procrastination? Most importantly consider why you were able to complete some tasks, but not others. Sometimes it truly is out of our control, but in other instances we just lose steam.

Once you’ve done an initial evaluation, it’s time to think sustainable progress to project completion! Consider working with a friend who can truth check you for how realistic your plans are. If a key word comes up about why you aren’t making progress, great! You’ve got the topic of your next translation! If a memory comes up, consider doing an RHS.