April 6: Full Moon
April 20: New Moon and Solar Eclipse in Aries
April 21: Mercury Retrograde through May 14th
April 2023 is a month for new beginnings! The energy is all about new opportunities and fresh starts. It’s early spring. Each day in my area I can see new growth on the trees and soon we’ll see plants emerging from the soil. What’s emerging for you? Are any new beginnings, projects, opportunities, or insights capturing your interest and attention?
This season is supported cosmically by the sign of Aries, which marks the beginning of a new astrological year. This year we are blessed with two consecutive new moons in Aries. New moons are about new beginnings. The March 21st new moon was at the very beginning of the sign (zero degrees) and the April 20th new moon is at the very end of the sign (29 degrees Aries, 50 minutes, out of 30 degrees), along with a solar eclipse. A second new moon in the same sign, in the same month, is a unique situation.
This month is a good time to:
- Reset
- Look at things differently
- Set intentions for a fresh start
- Plant seeds for what you’d like to draw into your life
- Identify habits, patterns or goals you’d like to change
- Bring in fresh, new energy
- Take steps toward self-empowerment and self-mastery
- Try something new
- Be more assertive, more confident
- Take charge of your life
- Start a new project
- Make important changes
- Clear obstacles
- Clear emotions that are holding you back
In your home, the area to work with is the Career gua. This is the front-center of your house, every room in your house, your desktop, and your land, when you place a tic-tac-toe board or a grid of nine spaces over your floor plan or plot plan. If you’d like to a experience a welcome shift in your life, catch up and/or continue to work with this part of your space prior to the April 20th new moon. If you worked with the front-center of your house last month, go a bit deeper this month and shake up the front-center area (also the Career gua) in one or more rooms in your house, or even your yard.
April 6th Full Moon … Notice What’s Happening and Release What’s Not Working
If you set intentions related to your passions, work, or career with the March 21 new moon, tune in and pay attention to what’s emerging around the April 6th full moon. Look for small signs that indicate something is changing or has already changed. This is also the best time to let go or release what’s not working for you. You can do this in a meditation by placing what you’re releasing in a balloon, blessing it, and sending it off into the ethers. You can also do clutter clearing, space clearing, and/or an emotional release. Letting go of physical and emotional excess or clutter creates space for you to bring what you want into your life.
Prepare for the April 20th New Moon and Solar Eclipse
Continue to refresh the multiple locations of your Career gua throughout April. The areas are the center-front of your home and the center-front of every room in your home, as well as your workspace. Basically, you overlay a grid of nine blocks over your space, like a tic-tac-toe board. The middle block closest to you, or at the bottom of the grid is the Career gua. You can set this on your house, every room in your house, your land, and your workspace.
The new moon in Aries on April 20th, marks the beginning of the astrological new year. This is an ideal time to bring something new into your life. Pay attention to new opportunities that come your way as well as messages that come to you in your dreams. It’s a time for new growth and new initiatives. It’s a time to rekindle your passions.
Revitalize the energy in the center-front of your house, every room in our house and your workspace. Spring clean these areas throughout your home. Remove accumulated winter dust, vacuum deep into the corners (high and low), wash your windows and curtains or drapes, clean your mirrors and the glass in picture frames. Put away items that may be sitting out of place. Remove clutter. Dislodge paper piles. Clear tabletops and counters. Return misplaced items to their proper home or location. Toss out trash, recycle, give away or donate what you want. If you have more time, adjust additional areas, as well as the front center of the outside of your house and your yard.
The interior of the majority of my house will be repainted prior to the April new moon. To accomplish this, we’ll be moving everything around in our kitchen, dining room, living room, two bathrooms and my office. Initially I though this project might happen in May or June. It’s coming together quickly though, and it will happen in April. Although it’ll be a lot work, the end result will be well worth the effort. The painter was referred to us by neighbors. He did a great job for them, and they sent him to see us. It was so easy!
The Career Gua and Water
The Career area is associated with the Water element. The archetype for Water is the Philosopher. The Philosopher explores deep mysteries, searching for the truth. In the process, ignorance takes a back seat as new knowledge is uncovered. What role does “the Philosopher” play in your life? Is there something you’d love to learn or discover either about yourself, your work, or your life? In what areas do you embrace mystery or delve deeper into a topic? Where do you yearn to spend more time, scrutinize the meaning of the topic, or gain insight?
In balance, Water flows easily, without interruption. Water energy is curious, clever, candid, insightful, spiritual, and thinks things through. When Water energy is deficient, you might feel irritable, stingy, critical, fearful, superficial, or dry. Excess Water energy expresses itself as a lack of enthusiasm, depression, self-pity, stagnation, and being too blunt, detached, insensitive or lonely.
Years ago, I had a client whose center-front door, was blocked from the inside as well as the outside. A couch was placed across the entrance inside and snow blocked the door from the outside. The client called because they were experiencing low energy and lack of motivation. Soon after moving the couch and shoveling the snow, they got back on track. When you are in the middle of a situation, it is a challenge to see your way through it. If is vital to your overall well-being that you maintain clear and open entrance to your home. Blocking it limits you and the opportunities that come to you.
Career Gua and your Health
Healthwise, the Career gua aligns with your kidneys (your life-force center), bladder, and your ears, which are also linked to your kidney meridian. If you have related health concerns, adjust the Career guas (front-center areas) throughout your house to strengthen your health.
Over the years, I’ve had clients who were unhappy in their Careers and also had ear and/or hearing problems. When they removed blockages in their Career guas, their hearing improved. Your kidneys are also associated with fear. If you’re feeling fearful about anything, adjusting the Career gua of your house and every room in your house can help get things moving forward for you.
A Repeat from last month … Nine Tips to Revitalize Your Career Gua:
- Hang a beautiful mirror in the center-front are of your home or any room in your home; make sure you can see your full head in it.
- Add a symbol that reflects your passion, your work or calling, something you enjoy doing, perhaps a service you provide, or a hobby. I have a picture of the kanji symbols for the Five Elements over the door to my office, which is in the Career gua of my office.
- If you want a new job, place a reminder of what you’d love to do and/or for whom.
- Make a Vision Board and place it in a Career gua in your house or your office.
- Add a water feature. Keep it clean and keep the water flowing.
- Hang a windchime to activate energy.
- Hang a crystal. Crystals regulate and also activate chi.
- Light a lamp regularly, with intention.
- Add a black or dark colored floormat for center-front entrances.
Water and The Five Elements
In the Five element system, each of the five elements have symbiotic relationships with each other. There’s a push and pull, of sorts. One element always strengthens another, while the remaining elements wear it down or deplete its energy to one degree or another. Water energy is supported and strengthened by Metal. Simultaneously, Water corrodes Metal or wears it down. In other words, it consumes it. In turn, Water feeds the plants and trees. In excess, floods and runoff occur. Water also extinguishes Fire and washes away Earth. Thus, Water is strengthened by Metal and depleted, consumed, or used up by Wood, Fire, and Earth.
Emphasize Metal and Water energy to create more flow.
If your Career or Life Path could benefit from more insight or use a boost, or you’d like to create more flow in your space, balance the area using décor that emphasizes Metal and Water elements. This can help provide a breakthrough and gets things moving in a new direction. Metal strengthens clarity and Water brings flow. If you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or in fear about things, you may have too much Water energy. In that case, tone it down by removing Water or Metal or adding Wood, Fire or Earth energies.
Harmonize your space by playing with the Five Elements. In my space, we’ll use Metal colors to support the Career gua … either white or gray. Here are some suggestions for working with the Five Elements in your Career Gua:
Water energy enhances flow and reflective, philosophical qualities. It is represented by:
- Water features and water itself
- Mirrors, windows, glass, reflective and shiny surfaces
- Black and very dark colors
- Free form, wavy and symmetrical shapes
- Pictures of lakes, rivers, harbors, ocean views
Metal energy helps bring clarity to a space. Metal items include:
- Physical metal: gold, silver, brass, aluminum, etc. (pots & pans, lamps, picture frames, art and sculptures)
- Marble, granite, flagstone
- Natural crystals, gems and rocks dug from deep within the earth
- Circles, oval and arch shapes
- White, gray, and pastel shades.
Wood energy is about vibrancy, growth and expansion. Wood is represented by:
- Fresh flowers, plants, and trees
- Floral fabrics and patterns
- Vertical stripes and tall columns
- Green and blue
Fire brings dazzling, sparkling energy to a space. It is represented by:
- Fire, flames, lights, sunlight, candles
- Triangles, pyramids, diamond, and cone shapes
- People and animals, as well as pictures and sculptures of people and animals
- Electronics and electrical items
- Red, burgundy and the red palette
Earth energy grounds and anchors your space. Earth items include:
- Wooden furniture (because it’s harvested wood)
- Pottery, earthenware, bricks, and clay
- Seashells and natural items
- Square shapes
- Oversized or heavy furniture that hugs the floor
- Yellow, gold, brown and autumn/earth tones.
Set Your Intentions with the April 20st New Moon
Do a meditation on April 20th to initiate your intentions related to your career, work, life opportunities and activities you are most passionate about. New moons are the best times to set your intentions. You plant the seeds or your ideas, and then allow them to take root for the next few weeks as the moon grows in intensity and light each night.
Are you currently living a purpose-driven life? If so, what keeps it going and motivates you daily? Do you yearn for something different? Perhaps you want a change, but you’d like more inspiration to guide you as you recharge or redirect your energy. Is there anything that you’d love to Do, Be, or Have that you’re not seeing on your horizon?
See your wishes taking root underground. Seeds take time to develop and grow. Honor the gestation time and trust the process. Two weeks later, check how they are coming along as the light of the full moon (April 6) lights the sky. I’ll include a reminder about this in the May newsletter.
Your intentions could relate to:
- Involvement with new projects or activities
- Learning about new topics or initiatives
- Discovering more or deeper purpose and meaning in your life
- Doing work you love
- Finding a new job
- Improving health related to your bladder or hearing
- Releasing deeply held fear that is holding you back
- Honoring your truth.
If you have a center-front door, activate it this month! It’s the main entrance into your house and the main mouth of chi, even if you don’t use this door. Clean, sweep or vacuum the area inside and out. Refresh the paint if it’s needed and if the weather cooperates. Hang a spring wreath or welcoming door decoration. If it’s warm enough, place some spring flowers and plants.
April 20th Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse accompanies the April 20th new moon. Solar eclipses happen with a new moon and lunar eclipses happen at a full moon.
The April 20th eclipse occurs at 29 degrees Aries, 50 minutes. If you have important planets within 5 degrees of this (24 degrees Aries 50 minutes to 4 degrees Taurus 50 minutes), this eclipse could impact you more than others. According to Madeline Gerwick, this eclipse is associated with expressing your passions and desires. A secondary meaning is related to nurturing your family and the responsibilities, joys, and challenges of looking after others. Remember to care for yourself, so that you’re in a better position to care for others.
The accompanying lunar eclipse occurs on May 5th, in Neptune.
Summary
The Career gua of your space holds energy for your work and passion-driven projects and activity. Energetically, this area is related to the Water element. So first, balance your space for your Career and Life Opportunities and then enhance it for additional pursuits.
If you’d like some ideas and suggestions of ways to adjust the Career gua of your space, contact Peg at peg@fengshuiconnections.com.