The sun has set on the Southern Alps in the Arthur’s Pass National Park, on New Zealand’s South Island. A new moon appears as the thinnest crescent, contrasting with the silhouetted mass of the mountains. Composite image with added stars.

On April 1, a new moon will form in the courageous and determined sign of Aries. Even though the start of Aries season is technically the astrological new year, it’s really the new moon that sets off the true celestial new year.

This energy will light a fire inside us and inspire us to boldly forge new paths in our lives, according to Madi Murphy, co-founder of the CosmicRx. She says now we will “see with pure clarity what brings us sheer joy and what ignites our self expression.” It’s time to go after our wildest dreams — the super potent energy of the new moon is behind us.

As you may know, new moons are a time of new beginnings and clean slates — and this luminary is extra intense, thanks to Aries. “It does bring the perfect time to plant a seed of intention, as projects we begin around this time have the possibility of having success,” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Inner Luminary Power. “At its highest vibration, Aries is the unapologetic leader, ready to charge ahead on its goals. We should all strive to embody this archetype when chasing some of our loftiest goals.”

Although the sun loves being in the sign of the ram and Aries season is the perfect time to take initiative, Yana Yanovich, an astrologer at Nebula, says we should still practice some caution around this new moon. While this new moon will push us to try new things and jump into exciting opportunities, sometimes, impulsive decisions don’t always work out in our favour. “Aries is a good and harmonious sign for the Sun to be in because it is a fire sign and is natural for the hot, burning Sun, which is connected to a person’s will, rational mind, and creative spirit,” she says. “But for the cool and moist Moon which rules our emotions and is a place of quiet comfort, the sign of Aries is too harsh and abrasive.”

This new moon will be forming a sextile with Mars, the Planet of Action, and Saturn, the Planet of Karma. “These two connections hint at rewards coming our way if we put in the effort to go deep and heal,” says Montúfar. “Together, Mars and Saturn are all about long-term achievements, so the progress we make in our healing will have a ripple effect in the other corners of our lives.”

Specifically, the moon’s connection with Mars will “give us a big burst of mental energy, and perhaps the willpower to tackle things we might not normally be able to accomplish with as much ease as the new moon will provide,” says Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer at Keen.com. Ask yourself, what would you try if you knew you’d accomplish it?

Another planet involved with this new moon is Mercury, the Planet of Communication, a celestial body that will also be in Aries. “This is a wonderful chance and time to express our innermost sentiments,” says Lisa Stardust, author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck. “The caveat is that Aries is a passionate sign, which means that we may say impulsive things that we don’t need.” Since this new moon is on April 1, it also falls on April Fool’s Day. Stardust says to be wary of this, since Mercury is often known as a trickster. “It’s important to not take pranks to the extreme and yell if we don’t like the games played on us,” she says. “Take a breath, think about what you want to say, then react.”

Overall, this is a positive and upbeat moon that will cause our confidence to soar. “Under this moon, we may feel inspired and ready to begin a new year with a new or greater purpose than we have felt in a while,” says Hale.

Channel that sense of purpose into action. “Take a leap of faith. Go on an adventure. Express yourself boldly,” says Murphy. “You have everything you need within you.” Even if you feel like you’ve been in a rut, Murphy says this is a time to bust out of it and experience all the vivid beauty life has to offer you. Who can argue with that?

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