Pisces New Moon: Dressed in Faith
Sometimes other people have faith in you, before you have faith in yourself.
The description for the class recommended wearing loose-fitting clothing.
But when I arrived, I saw that most of the students sported white jackets tied at the waist and wide drawstring pants – the traditional karate uniform, or gi.
I was a few minutes early, and as I glanced around, I found that the space – the dojo – wasn’t fancy. Get the ornate karate classrooms that you’ve seen on TV shows out of your head; this wasn’t that. This was a community area – a rec room or gym, really – with painted, cinder-block walls and cute kid art adorning the digs.
I liked that; this was a class for everyone, from the beginner to the advanced student, and everyone in between, no matter who you were or what martial arts level you had achieved.
As the students milled around, there was a sense of friendly interconnectedness to the space. Some people were chatting it up, and others were in various poses, stretching. There were a few folks without the preferred attire, and as I introduced myself, I learned that they were new students, too.
My life had been in flux for a few years. I was in the midst of starting a nonprofit, and had suddenly become the parent to a teenager; trying to balance the personal with the professional had become challenging.
Martial arts had always intrigued me, so when I saw the ad for this class, I figured I’d give it a shot. At worst, it might be good exercise. At best, maybe it would help me focus and connect to my inner voice.
As class began, the head of the school – the sensei – and his second-in-command took turns teaching us how to properly kick and punch. And although I felt like a toddler learning to walk when I tried kata – choreographed moves, like a dance – I enjoyed the workout and their patient, knowledgeable teaching styles. I later learned that our two leaders had been best buds since forever, and they exuded wisdom, calm, strength, and clarity.
I wanted that, too.
When class ended, Sensei approached us newbies with extra gis in his arms. Would we like to buy one, so that we could come to class in uniform next week? I understood that the outfit would officially make me one of the community, and although the clothing wasn’t expensive, I hesitated… when your job is finding and supporting families for teens in foster care, a lot of time is spent putting out fires. Who knew what would crop up between this week and next?
The other students lined up to purchase their gi, and I hung back. When my turn came, I explained that if it was okay, I’d rather purchase one at a later date.
Sensei paused to consider my words.
“I’ll tell you what,” he said, handing me a cotton uniform and a white belt, “Pay me when you quit.”
He had faith I’d come back, even when I didn’t have it myself.
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“It's funny to think about the things in your life that can make you cry just knowing that they existed, can then become the same thing that make you cry knowing that they’re now gone. I think those things come into our lives to help us get from one place to a better one.”
- Ted Lasso, Season 2, Episode 1
The New Moon arrives at 1° Pisces just after midnight on February 20, 2023 (12:05am CT).
New Moons always happen when the Sun and Moon come together in the sky, urging us to start something from scratch. Oceanic Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, and represents endings and culminations. But all New Moons begin a new 4-week, 6-month, and 2.5-year cycle – so they’re important times for planting seeds for the future. What will you begin?
The first degree of any sign has a feeling of initiation, like a fresh-faced student ready for anything, not yet sure exactly how things will play out, but ready and eager to give it a try. Compassionate Pisces paints a picture of empathy, dreaminess, transcendence, spirituality, creativity, and allowing things to end so that the new can arrive.
The benevolent water sign, represented by two fish swimming in opposite directions but held together by a string, suggests that we’re all somehow connected as we swim along, even when we’re headed in different directions. Enchanting Pisces understands that from the waters of creation we come, and back to the waters of creation we will eventually go. So why not love everyone while we have the chance?
Sensitive Pisces is also the sign of grief, loss, fog, deception, and confusion – but it’s also one of healing. As such, we are being encouraged to compassionately consider: How do we hold fast to our expansive dreams? What promising future can we envision when there are so many challenges? How can we take our collective sadness, and lovingly release it? Can we believe in our ability to heal ourselves and the world?
With one global crisis after another, it’s no wonder that so many people are feeling overwhelmed and caught in life’s undertow.
How can we rely on faith, when it’s hard to know where we’re going?
If you’re feeling lost at sea, can you find a steady point on the horizon, fix your gaze there, and start moving toward that stationary goal? This New Moon encourages facing forward and letting yourself drift… but having a focused point to aim for.
That’s because serious Saturn is grounding this lunation, shouting from the end of visionary Aquarius. The school principal of the zodiac is about to move into seafaring Pisces in a couple of weeks: How can you dream big while putting structures in place to support your goals? What small, practical step can you take to begin to turn your hopes into reality?
Additionally, buoyant Jupiter – the ruler of Pisces – is in fired-up Aries and offering a little bravery to get you moving on your visions and plans.
These are challenging times, but if you are able, slow down a bit, and leave space for dreaming and feeling. Try tapping into meditation, breath work, creativity, uplifting music, or spirituality (whatever that means for you). How can you nurture yourself and those around you?
While the Sun and Moon sit at the first degree of boundless Pisces, tender Venus is at the very last. Here, the planet of love and worth is pulling focus and asking: How can you show goodwill, without being taken advantage of? How can you heal your relationships, without sacrificing too much? What are your values, and how do they impact the world at large?
We’re on the precipice of something new, but not quite there yet, as the sign of the Fish winds down the astrological year.
Can you dream big, while making a little headway on some plans?
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Sometimes others trust the path ahead of us before we do.
“I’ll tell you what,” Sensei said, handing me a gi, “Pay me when you quit.”
And I did eventually pay for my uniform, although when I offered compensation, the implication wasn’t that I was quitting.
Rather, it was as if I were dressing myself in faith. Faith in myself, that I’d keep showing up to class. And faith in my teachers and peers – that we were an interconnected team, and that they’d help carry me forward on the waves of practice.
In time, I went on to earn my black belt.
Where is your horizon leading you? And what do you have faith in?
Are you able to believe in the process, even if you’re not sure where you’re going? And can you extend goodwill and fellowship to others while you’re transported by the tide?
During this Pisces New Moon, we are seafarers, casting our eyes to the horizon. We feel joy. We grieve. We look for a steady point to focus our gaze.
And in the midst of it all, we trust that we are being carried from one place to a better one.
Essay ©2023 Jen Braun, JJ Boots Productions LLC
Photo ©Bob Wolfe, taken during Kata Saifa
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