the astrology of endings
Let me start with a disclaimer: the following is written for my own personal processing and healing, and I also hope you receive something from reading these words, written on the approach to the Pisces full moon 2022.
What a time! These last two and a half years have been intense for us all, no matter our personal beliefs, choices and opinions, but it’s important for each of us to also take a moment to reflect and honour our individual journeys. How far we each have come. How different does life look for us now? What can you truly celebrate in how you have shown up and faced in such challenging and uncertain times?
Whatever happens in the skies affects us all in some way, but whenever it touches on our personal points or planets, the astrology will work with us and be felt more individually. Full moons, exactly opposite the Sun, are known as release points, where we can acknowledge what is coming up to be seen, then forgiven and let go so we can move onto the next cycle.
Below, I am using myself as a case study to show how this particular full moon is playing out perfectly (on 10th September, 2022) to illustrate these themes.
The Pisces full moon will be sitting exactly on my South Node point, that is to do with where we have come from on a soul level, whether that is considered through past lives, or even how ancestral DNA has been passed down and is living out through us, however unconsciously. The South Node is a place of karma, that is both positive gifts and talents we have brought into this life, but equally where there has been wounding and pain, whether from the hands of others, our own, or a mix.
The full moon is also what astrologers call ‘conjunct’ (or close enough to sitting on top of) my Sun, the part of us that shines our true self, personality and who we are, out into the world. Our Sun and ‘star sign’ are the same thing, and essentially I see it as a part of us that we are actually learning to grow into. Yes - truth be known I’m a Piscean, even though I may seem more like a Gemini when you first meet me!
Finally, it’s also sitting near my Midheaven, which is at the highest point in our chart, reflecting how we’re seen by the world at large, and often relates to our career, vocation and wider reputation. The MC is a big part of our true north, particularly with regards to how we came here to serve the world or how our soul chose to show up and express itself in this life.
Not only will the full moon be in Pisces, but at this time the modern ruler of Pisces, Neptune, will also be making his way back to being very close to this same degree point, giving the full moon energies of Pisces an extra dose of the dreamy, spiritual, illusory, compassionate or emotional. Just like the king of the ocean, the vastness of all that water is certainly bigger than us, and if you’ve ever found yourself in a powerful current, you know all you can really do is surrender, as fighting it will do nothing but wear you out.
When Neptune slowly makes his way over any personal point or planet in your chart, he is known as the great dissolver, just as salt water eventually breaks down matter and rocks over time. It may be a gradual process, but once he is finished with you, you’ll never ever be the same again in that particular area of life!
Pisces being the final sign of the zodiac is also symbolic of completion, endings, retreat, the void, death before the rebirth, the unconscious and also institutions.
So it’s not surprising that the following events have culminated this week in line with this particular completion point:
I have officially decided to step down from my 20+ year teaching career as a drums and percussion teacher, the last 18 of those having been employed permanently by the WA Department of Education’s Instrumental Music School Services, teaching at countless schools across Perth and more recently the South West. While I will retain my formal teaching registration, this decision is for the foreseeable future, as my life takes a new direction. The number one reason for my decision was due to the recent medical mandates, where I realised I was merely a faceless number in a great institutional government corporation. Although the mandates have now been revoked, it has created a complete loss of trust. Seeing the truth of how narcissistic the whole system has been operating, based on the hamster wheel of never-being-good-enough-no-matter-how-hard-you-try, is another Piscean theme of disappointment and disillusionment playing out.
Without going into too many details, there have also been massive family patterns coming to a head with close relatives regarding the negative effects of codependency, substance addiction, abuse, victim consciousness and boundaries being crossed (all very much lower level Pisces themes.) While these have been long running stories, that I have previously managed to distance myself from physically, there has been a new version of events unfolding. I have realised I need to let go not only of the situation itself at a deeper level, but also in thinking that I know best what another person I love should choose. It’s an interesting line to walk, where I know I need to separate myself energetically from the toxicity and protect my own family, but to also be able to surrender to what is outside of my control. Choosing instead to forgive and have compassion for another’s actions and choices, being able to love them, rather than perpetuating further trauma.
Ever since the start of the year, myself and my partner Ty have been studying with renowned astrologer, Daniel Sowelu, and just this Wednesday evening gone have completed three extensive modules of astrology training, being blessed with such an experienced teacher also covering the goddess asteroids and other specialised techniques. Being in this container has been deeply transformational and I know many old wounds and soul clearing will continue as we’ll be attending our second live experiential astrology workshop with Daniel within 3 weeks this weekend, right on the full moon!
I have just heard the sad news of an old friend’s unexpected and literal death. We had ancient history from my late teens but had loosely stayed in touch with the occasional message. Again, this karmic element and the themes of ending and death, feel loud at this time, especially when they are of souls that have crossed ours path for a reason and had an impact on us at a deeper level. It also highlighted where it had been long overdue to cut old energetic cords with that time so all could move on for the highest good.
Pisces is also known for it’s magic and synchronicity, which is a reminder of the lighter and more bliss-filled aspects of the fish. While staying with family last weekend, I happened to pick up a book on the bedside table from one of my all time favourite spiritual teachers, Dr Wayne Dyer. I actually feel his energy strongly and have always genuinely felt him as one of my ‘spiritual posse’ guiding me from the other side. He himself actually passed on peacefully in his sleep seven years ago on the Pisces full moon (followed a couple of years later by his friend and another great author and teacher, Louise Hay.)
The book, his memoir, called ‘I Can See Clearly Now,’ was the perfect reminder for me that everything is connected beyond time and space and there are so many notable mentions of his life that feel directly related to what I am living out right now. Stories of synchronicity, about his unwillingness to go along with the crowd and instead thinking for himself, the fight against ego-being kind instead of right, family patterns and forgiveness, and indeed giving up on an institutional teaching job, because it was stifling his soul.
A quote from the book that I feel sums up this timing and everything playing out for me at this pivotal moment - and perhaps even you reading this - is as follows:
"I am in the throes of a shift that I cannot and will not ignore. I do not want to do the same thing over and over, compiling a resume of repetition. I need to expand. I need to call the shots. I especially need to be free of the stale, insipid requirements that are imposed upon me as a requisite for the privilege of being employed as a university professor.”
This Pisces full moon may or may not hit on your chart personally, but no doubt we are all being asked to let go, make space and surrender to something greater than who we are right now and who we have been previously. May we each have the courage and faith to take each step, knowing there is a higher power that loves us unconditionally that is guiding us and wanting the very best for us as we live from our full power and sovereignty. I am wishing you a very happy Pisces full moon, filled with ease and grace in the release that best serves your soul path.