A Call to Action with an Aries Affair
The Aries New Moon takes place at 27° 28' on Friday, April 17th, 2026 at 4:51 am Pacific & 7:51 am Eastern.
‘Strike while the iron is hot!’
This phrase has been been coming to me often lately, and it feels more than appropriate for the times. I bet you sense it too. What I didn’t know is that it’s been credited to the 15th century and the tradition of blacksmithing, referring to the need to form and meld metal at exactly the right moment, which means while it’s hot enough to do so. Otherwise, it grows too cold to do anything useful with, and the process must necessarily begin again. Apparently Chaucer even references this in his work The Tale of Melibee!
I consider Aries energy to be typified by this sentiment. The first sign of the zodiac, it is the place where we initiate movement forward in our lives, shaking off the slumber of winter to take steps in the direction that will most bear fruit in the specific cycle we’re in. It asks that we heed its fiery guidance, utilizing our energy to shape our destiny and make what was once a dream into a reality.
I love that it follows Pisces, the last astrological sign, for it is here that we actually dream reality into being, getting ‘cosmic downloads’ that invite us to remember exactly why we came here and what we’re meant to be doing while we’re in a human form. Pisces loves hanging out in the mystical places where much meditation and connecting with celestial consciousness happens, but on its own, it’s not known to be an active, get-things-done energy. Thankfully, Aries is, and as reality is birthed through its portal of Spring here in the Northern hemisphere, we’re asked to hold the energetic imprint of Piscean dreaming in our awareness while embarking on the heroine’s and hero’s journeys it beckons us to.
Traditionally, Aries gets a bad rap for its impulsiveness, but when this impulse is in alignment with the bigger flow of life, it really must be acted upon. This is the nature of the first sign, and if it holds itself back (highly unlikely, but possible), or someone else does (more likely), frustration builds, possibly turning to anger, maybe even to rage, and the outcome is not something anyone wants to be a part of. Yet when it naturally goes with its desire to actively create in the world and bring an important thing to life for itself, the energy continues moving in the way it’s meant to, and courage is often created in the process. It learns to trust its impulses and the way it instinctively moves with life, knowing itself to be the heroine of its own story.
Aries is gifted with the laser-like focus needed to actualize its potential, and its boon of moving forward with purpose and direction is meant to be harnessed at this phase of both the annual and the cosmic cycle. This is definitely not a time of dilly-dallying or lazing about—that will come later! Now we are invited to show up fiercely for all that appears on our paths, honing our decision-making skills, acting swiftly and deftly when it is time to, and using our effort in ways that align with the bigger force of life that’s all around and deep within us. Aries calls us to action, encouraging us to connect with the powerful will inside of ourselves, moving it outwardly into the world. As co-creators of our own destiny as well as the collective one we share, this is a vital reminder to weave our own magic into the threads of reality rather that sit on the sidelines for any reason at all.
With Chiron and Eris forming a tight conjunction with the New Moon in the latter degrees of the sign, and Neptune, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn all forming tight conjunctions with each other in the early degrees, we’ve got ourselves a super Arian affair, parts of which will continue for a few months to a few years. Mars will be in its home sign for about another month, Chiron until April 2027, Saturn until April 2028, Neptune until May 2038, and Eris until mid-2044. In other words, the sign of the Leader, the Warrior, the Dare-devil, and the Pioneer will be ignited in the cosmic and collective consciousness for some time, and learning to move skillfully with it will be a must!
Chiron as the wounded healer reminds us that we have all given a part of ourselves away when it felt necessary, moving into survival mode rather than thrive mode. In Aries, we are meant to bravely reclaim the gifts of assertiveness and courage, knowing that while the energy of ferocity isn’t healthy as our daily defaulted resting place, it is one that we must learn to use when necessary, for it gives us the capacity to actualize and make happen whatever is needed in the moment. And tightly conjunct Eris, we are reminded that having the conviction to face and integrate the wounded divine feminine in ourselves not only allows us to be whole, integrated beings, but it heals the collective in a way that benefits everyone. For more on Eris, please see the Libra New Moon article from last Fall here: https://lilapiercebrown.substack.com/p/a-near-initiatory-cross-and-out-of. If we want to move in the world in ways that are unhindered by our shadow selves, freeing up our energy to do just this, facing Eris and the unique way she works within us is key. This New Moon will be an opportunity to do just that. The shadow of Eris, on the other hand, invites us into a cycle of jealously and unhealthy competition, pettiness and toxic talk about others, and is reminiscent of the worst kind of high school experience but as adults.
Neptune keeps us tuned into the inherent intelligence alive within all things so that we don’t constantly experience ourselves as separate entities in a world that has no congruence. It reminds us that the numinous is just a breath away, a thought away, a moment away, and the more we connect with this actuality, the more supported we are in bringing our unique dreams to life in the world we share. In Aries, we are now ready to act on what for the past twelve years has literally been a dream. Its shadow expression would have us merge unhealthily with our anger, using it as vitriol against all those we perceive to be our enemies, whether it’s true or not.
With Mercury and Mars close by, it becomes more important to stay open and receptive to, then connect with and harness, the life force within as part of the plan to make our visions real. Mercury gives us vital information if we stay available to its message, and Mars gives us an unstoppable will that knows how and when to act on its instincts. Their conjunction gives voice and power to what is now ready to be brought to life, while their shadow keeps us in the perpetual cycle of blaming others, enacting violence upon those we deem the wrongdoers in whatever means we can, be it verbal or otherwise. It keeps the finger-pointing and scapegoating alive, unable to put it down or shift its focus to a more healthy understanding and expression.
Saturn in the mix slows down the process that might otherwise be quicker than lightning, allowing us to understand how our actions in the present can lead to an even brighter future. It encourages us to do what is in alignment for the now and the later and reminds us that these things are meant to support one another, that living in the present can still be done with an eye on what we’re calling in years down the road. In shadow, we stay rigidly stuck in a rage that shuts us down, and again, keeps the blame game alive.
Pluto sextiles Neptune, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn from Aquarius, adding a bit more intensity to the mix, as he’s apt to do. Another reminder to face our demons and integrate our shadows so that we can truly embody our most authentic selves, we reclaim our power when we make this conscious choice. We remember who we are at our core and become able to live this truth in a way that preserves our sovereignty no matter what is happening at large. We become the alchemists that our souls already know we are, and everything that comes our way is fuel for the transformation that’s possible in each moment.
I wish you a New Moon that is filled with movement toward your most expansive dreams and most inspiring aspirations. May your capacity to ‘strike while the iron is hot’ be strengthened, your courage cultivated, and your ability to trust yourself deepened. Until next time!
