This Friday, at 12:22 pm PDT, the Sun and Moon will conjoin at 22 degrees Aries. This is the first New Moon of the spring in the Northern Hemisphere and a time to celebrate the change into a new cycle of the zodiac. Like the New Moon, spring is a time of fresh new beginnings when there is the possibility of renewal and rebirth. In the Christian tradition, this is celebrated in the recent Easter holiday, honoring the resurrection of Christ. Resurrection really means coming alive again and this time of the year presents the possibility of reopening our hearts and releasing any old attachments and pain that we may have been carrying around.

Aries, Sexuality and Creativity

This morning I went walking around a park near my home in Portland, Oregon. Starlings and juncos flew overhead in the trees, gooseberry flowers and cherry blossoms were bursting with color and vitality. Fiddlehead ferns were just beginning to unfurl their leaves and open up into the sky like a cat yawning and stretching its legs in the early morning. The sounds, smells and colors in the spring time are overwhelming and intoxicating.

Humans are not immune to the hormonal changes that affect animals in the natural world. As animals, we too feel the instinctual urge to run and play, to bask in the Sun and feel sexually attracted to the people around us. The sign of Aries is associated with libidinous impulses and the desire to direct our energies forward and outward. The ruling planet of Aries is Mars, the ancient Roman warrior god. The glyph for Mars is the symbol for man-a circle with an arrow pointing up to the right. In this glyph you have the symbol for unity and wholeness, the circle, as well as the symbol for sexuality and directed action, the arrow.

In many religious and spiritual societies, there is often an emphasis placed on denying or sublimating this sexual and directed energy. In some puritanical sects, this instinctual impulse is seen as dirty and degenerative and should be repressed at all costs. All of the main religions have defined parameters around the use and expression of this "Martian" energy. In the Catholic tradition, priests must sublimate their sexual energy and devote their energies towards the service of God. In some Hindu and Buddhist traditions, periods of celibacy are called for as a way of deepening spiritual growth. Some religious sects require that sex only happens for procreation. Premarital sex, homosexual relations and adultery are taboo in many spiritual systems.

The reason there is such a great degree of emphasis placed on the expression of sexuality is that it is intensely inherently powerful. Sexual expression has the possibility of creating new life through pregnancy, establishing powerful bonds and stirring up a cauldron of emotions that run the gamut from ardent undying love to fits of jealous rage. Our sexual and "Martian" energy is a deeply creative and propulsive force that helps us to express ourselves in the world. The way we dress, the way we talk and act and how we are creative in our lives are all related to this aspect of our nature. Just as peacocks display their feathers and robins puff their shiny red breasts, humans often express themselves as a way of being attractive, gaining attention and perhaps to attract a mate. These ways of acting are not wrong and should not be denied. They are a healthy and normal part of our human nature. In fact, if we do try and suppress our sexuality, we may find ourselves experiencing it in more secretive and damaging ways such as through affairs and illicit relations. Honoring our sexual energy does not mean that we should take up with anybody we meet. It only means that it is healthy to find others attractive and to play and flirt. This is what the entire animal kingdom is doing this time of year. If you are already in a trusting monogamous relationship, there is no harm in playful flirtation. It only becomes unhealthy when we cross the line into physical advances. This is the point where we are playing with fire (Aries is a fire sign) and can get burned if we are not careful.

This New Moon in Aries during the spring is a perfect time to express ourselves creatively and sexually. Being bold and playful builds our confidence and helps us to feel happy and healthy inside. There are many ways to honor our sexuality, some are healing and some are destructive. Finding out what is healthy is unique for each person. Dancing, sports, playing music, going to a party, dressing up and going out on the town are all ways to encourage and support that Aries energy inside us. Flirting with friends and neighbors, being bold enough to ask someone out on a date and making love with someone you are passionate about also helps us to channel the energy of the season right now. Through opening up this channel, we can raise our libido and our spirits, bringing more joy and ecstasy into our everyday life. Blessings!