ENERGY MAGIC
By Pythia Peay

It's a spring new moon, arriving on the heels of the March 21st solstice. Along the astrological wheel, the Spring Solstice marks the zero degree "Aries point"-the beginning of the zodiacal journey through the signs. To accomplish this heroic adventure, Aries has the help of its planetary ruler, the warrior god Mars-symbol of courageous action and assertive will. Thwart a person's natural expression of individual authenticity, for instance, and Mars energy turns violent, destructive, or depressed. The wheel of life grounds to a halt. But if conditions allow a person's true self to flourish forth, then the wheel of life turns and energy and the life force flow in creative and healthy abundance.

Energy: Where to find it, how to grow it, how to conserve it, and how to channel it: that is the spiritual task for this month's new moon in the sign of impulsive and life-loving Aries. As all true magicians know, the secret of magic lies in the skillful use of one's life energy-for where we choose to put our energy is a powerful force that shapes our lives.

To begin your meditation on energy, settle yourself into a reflective meditative pose. Allow your breath to become still and even. Let your mind follow the rhythm of your breathing, becoming calm and detached from everyday worries and concerns. From this perspective, observe your energy level. Are you tired and drained, or brimming with enthusiasm? Or, are you somewhere in between, enjoying a stable and consistent level of energy?

After you have ascertained your individual energy level, examine where and how you use your energy. To do this, imagine that you are sitting beside a river, watching your life flow past you. Reflect upon the events that fill your days. Take note of how you spend your time. Where is your physical energy going? Cleaning house, taking care of kids, dancing, sitting in front of a computer or driving long hours in a car? Observe your emotional energy-is it directed toward a negative relationship, a child you are raising, or drawn down by a deep-seated psychological issue? In the same way, take note of what gets the lion's share of your mental energy, whether a demanding job, money worries, or a creative project. Likewise, examine where your spiritual energy is absorbed-do you have time in your life to pray, dream, or reflect, or do your soul needs take a back seat to the daily stresses of everyday life? 

Now that you have reviewed your life with an eye to where your energy goes, consciously decide what in your life is either a negative or positive use of your energy. You may be tired, but for a good, creative cause. Or, you may have high energy levels that are being funnelled into meeting someone else's demands. Next, determine whether your energy is funnelled into fulfilling the kind of destiny you have imagined for yourself, or whether it is being diverted into activities or relationships that are leeching you of precious life force. Discriminate between the healthy use of energy that opens up new paths to adventure, or the negative use of energy that leads down a dead end road. 

Now, consciously and masterfully direct your energy toward your life vision for yourself. First, as you breathe in, inhale the life force that pervades the universe. Feel filled with energy; let your cells dance with animation and vitality. At the same time, experience the new life stirring beneath the surface of the earth-the green shoots thrusting up through the cold ground, and the insects hatching from sleep. Let the joy of springtime and new beginnings fill your heart with the energy of creation. Then, as you exhale, breathe this energy into those areas of your life that you have chosen. See a child growing to maturity; imagine the book that is finally written. Watch a garden blossom, a job expand, understanding deepen, or a relationship flourish. 

Whatever it is, remember-you are the magician of your own life. Wherever you choose to put your precious energy, there magic-black or white, positive or negative-will happen. With the Aries New Moon, life begins anew all over again.