February 2012 New Moon in Pisces: Realities. Responsibilities.

New Moon effects can build from around three days before exactitude

 and may be triggered within the lunar month ahead.

Certain people/places/events are more accentuated than others due to individual resonance with the prevailing pattern. Personal birth chart analysis is needed to see if this month's effects are impacting you personally in a significant way in addition to universal themes in operation. 

 This New Moon (21st in UK or may be 22 Feb in your location) in Pisces is accentuated by Neptune also now in early Pisces,  Uranus in early Aries, as well as Saturn's connection to Neptune.

Pisces is our potential for humanitarian, compassionate and universal spiritual connectedness. When those channels are blocked or poorly formed, illumination is masked by degradation: the suffocated human spirit manifests through all manner of escapist, fantasy-ridden and addictive activities, ranging from drugs and alcohol to gaming and pornography addictions and living a low-life opportunistic existence where fraud, deceit and crimes of dishonesty prevail.

Our challenge is to extract ourselves from the siren calls of the lower realms of Neptune/Pisces and to listen to the purity of the spiritual dimensions of life found through the natural world as well as our own human potential for goodness.

Humanity en masse is a far way off being balanced towards the good in each of us, but a start is to be made during the longer term Neptune in Pisces passage, which extends until 2025. This month's new Moon is a flicker, a little step forward but there are conflicts and complications to resolve.

Uranus in Aries will raise issues of - what about me? The part of us that wants the collective to improve, can also be afraid of personal losses or sacrifices, of being overlooked, or being victim enough to feel a little cheated by the suggestion of looking after others. So there is a conflict there, perhaps a rebellion, a need to be a bit selfish that may arise when faced with a pressure or opportunity to help others or show some extra kindness. Even just a flicker of resentment.  Aries is a child-like stage in the psychological unfoldment of the soul, whereas Pisces is the last stage in the cycle before rebirth.  This type of conflict can be seen in elderly with long unmet needs who still carry child-like hurts and anger.
Saturn in Libra  brings the added dimension of a nurturing, parental and guiding voice to the issues of compassion and kindness. The Saturn energy is capable of generating in people, a mature response, as you would observe in a well developed, unconflicted adult. It seems we have few role models in this respect, in western society where parents can behave as immaturely as their children. Nevertheless there do exist well-balanced adults, raised with the right ingredients by caring and mature parents.  This mature parental and guiding archetype is bringing an important aspect to the humanitarian drive of Neptune(especially January-February 2012) in respect of how to relate in that sort of way to people on a collective, compassionate, humanitarian level. This many lead some to be very philanthropic or charitable - to set up trusts, donate funds etc to assist people in need. For others it could be a mentoring or support role that is taken up with a clear sense of trying to help, to be a responsible citizen, to see what you as an individual might be able to do to contribute to the betterment of our world, even by a small effort. My personal example is providing this free online service and guidance, to enable people to make more sense of our rapidly changing existence, to see how astrology provides a template for analysing patterns of energy and to understand the larger collective evolutionary forces that unfold in our world.

Those who are not ready for the ultimate opportunities offered by this New Moon are likely to deal at the very least with issues regarding the needs of the self vs needs of others and/or addressing more reality factors vs fantasy or illusions regarding a partner - starting to see who that person actually is, rather than a false impression that has served up till now; starting to see the real nature of a relationship instead of being in denial.
So realities and responsibilities figure prominently in respect of others, whether that is one-to-one in your private life or on the larger collective level.
Here is the chart for Christchurch New Zealand since this New Moon coincides with the anniversary of the M6.3 destructive quake which happened in 2011 at 12.51pm  -one in over 10,000 in the region since the September 4 2010 sequence unfolded in west Canterbury.
Large scale commemoration services have been scheduled.
A more detailed look, using this chart, is very relevant.

click to enlarge

With the New Moon encased at literally at the midpoint of Neptune & Chiron, this brings a deluge of sentiment, compassion and empathy to the fore in the context of personal, local, national and global circumstances. For Christchurch it is about the suffering of those who have lost people, lost communities and lost lifestyles and who may find some spiritual peace through collective, public ceremonies. As religious and spiritual perspectives are always brought to the fore in times of this kind of crisis, this will be a time for those connected to Christchurch to ponder their beliefs. for some this may make them question mainstream teachings about the work of god, for others it may strengthen their need for that form of communion. The hand of nature has a powerful role to play as well in altering people's perception of reality, their relationship to life and their overall state of mind.
Pluto in strong connection to Venus-Uranus  indicates the powerfully changed relationships affecting many already in Christchurch as well as indicated globally in this lunar month.
Saturn in Libra strongly placed on the horizontal axis reinforces in Christchurch the significance of the comments made earlier. In addition this placement brings forth the reality factor of the loss of a loved one. Their death was real and now that truth or fact is confronted.

This lunar month does indicate both the spiritual dimensions and the grief associated with loss. With Pisces-Neptune emphasised there is potential for a significant tragic event involving water especially in a maritime context.
[updates March 15 - Report of a boat carrying 9 family occupants capsizing in Foveaux Strait Soth Island, NZ, around midnight Weds March 14. To date one survivor found and one deceased. This tragedy rated as major in the NZ context - report
 The widespread flooding disaster continues in NSW Australia - now sustained over several weeks
[ updates Feb 22: the big freeze thawing along the Danube is causing destructive flooding and damage to boats moored along the river - UN issues warning report ]

The mighty Danube

A weather change to wet conditions around New Moon in New Zealand

Also:
Water in the News:
Auckland Library sprinkler system fault caused a flood with rare books at risk of damage - news Feb 24 2012
Maritime News - Ports of Auckland workers strike for 3 weeks from Feb 24.
Also, US concerned re labour conditions in fisheries in NZ waters - report 
Sea Shepheard tweets re Japanese killing of dolphins at sea off Taiji Feb 24 2012
Hector's Dolphins die in illegal set net NZ - reported Feb 23 2012
Oil News - Greenpeace protestors including Lucy Lawless, Warrior Queen boarded a Shell Oil Rig over plans to drill for oil in the Arctic
Drug News: sleeping pills are reported as placing people in a greater risk of early death

p.s. an added dimension for those who want more..
this lunar month is an excellent time to activate the potentials of the rest of the mutable signs who share the same group as Pisces -
Virgo ( daily diet/nutrition, general work & health issues)
Gemini ( reading, writing, messaging, short journeys, local travel)
Sagittarius ( self development via sport/recreation/exercise/exploration/travel or study)

More comments may be added as thoughts arise

Further Reading:
Neptune in Pisces
Press Quake Anniversary Special