Aries New Moon #2

For this second new moon in Aries, we'll be delving deeper into the story of Jason, the Argonauts and the quest for the golden fleece.  What does it take to be king? And what is the price of unbridled desire? 
We'll also explore a local folktale featuring the heroic feats of St George, take some time to journey inwards through a meditation, and make the most of the season by setting our intentions for the year ahead. Spring into it!

Transcript

 Welcome back to The Moon and you the podcast that's all about the signs of the New Moon and how we can attune ourself with the seasons to unlock our own potential. My name's Jonno. I'm an Aussie living in South London, and this is the second Aries New Moon of the year. Last month we explored a few of the myths and legends that surround the sign of Aries exploring the Golden Fleece, its Origins, and how it relates to the themes of leadership, ambition, and destiny.

I hope you like me, have been practicing your mindfulness exercises and reflecting on what you would like to achieve in the year ahead. We're lucky enough to have two areas new moons this year. So in today's podcast, we're going to go a little further into the myths and legends surrounding it, and also reflect on some of the other more local English myths that relate to the season.

To start with, I've noticed that the season has definitely changed over this past month. It's a lot wetter, it's a lot warmer, and it's made a huge difference having daylight savings come into effect. I feel like spring is definitely. It's April and the origin of the word April comes from the Latin word , which means to open, which makes sense when you consider all of the colors that are coming forward from people's gardens and the weeds and the cracks of the concrete.

There have been a few plants that have really caught my eye this season. Um, the first one is the beautiful golden yellow of forsythia. Um, there's quite a lot of it growing around these parts of South London and um, there's something so like vibrant and bright and sunny about it that just, uh, really tickles my pickle.

Out of towners will have probably recognized that it's gorse season. And you'll see across all of the sort of newly, tendered grassy planes that,  they're speckles of yellow gorse bushes growing around. And I was reading about the history of gorse and apparently when it was first discovered, You know, in bunny ears., Dutch botanists and settlers they were so, amazed by it in a way that confused the locals because it's so common here. Um, and everyone's so used to it. But I guess there's a lesson there about appreciating what you have and what, what you don't have. Um, and the grass always being greener. The trees are also noticeably greener. And I think the sort of king of the season is definitely the willow because it's one of the first trees to sprout. Um, and it's got these beautiful like hairy new leaves that I really enjoy. And, uh, I would say that probably the second runner up is the birch tree. Um, And you'll notice if you've got any birch trees around you, that they grow these amazing little seed pods that kind of look like caterpillars and, uh, definitely give everyone hay fever.

But, um, again, there's like just such a joy in seeing all of these, uh, these trees wake up after what feels like a really, really long and cold and wet winter. There's also an explosion of color from more domesticated plants. Lots of the spring bulbs are, are sort of showing their faces right now. Um, and if you walk across, uh, sort of parks and gardens here in South London, you are, uh, sort of like assaulted by these colors of, of sort of red and yellow tulips of junk walls that are still blooming, um, of blue bells that are starting to show their face as well.

And, uh, and lots of high senses too. And I feel like there's something about, um, the, the wind and the air that kind of smells and tastes different at this time of year, probably all of the pollen. Um, but it, it's like that, that feeling of spring is like definitely very, um, palpable and, um, very sensory right now.

And uh, that is definitely a big noticeable difference over the past four weeks in. So last time we explored some of the stories and legends that surround the Golden fleece itself. And what I want to do today is to go a bit deeper into one of those myths in particular. And that's the story of Jason, um, and his quest of the golden fleece.

But then also, um, I really wanna share a, a story I came across that's about St. Georges day, which is happening on the 23rd of April. Um, a willow tree features in it. So obviously I'm obsessed with it, but I feel like if you look at these two stories in parallel, you can definitely pick up on, um, again, those themes of leadership of, um, bravery.

What I wanted to do in this, uh, podcast in particular was, uh, think about some of the warnings that come along with Arieas energy and unbridled desire. And I feel like the perfect story that, um, that captures this is that of Jason and the Golden Fleece. Um, and of course everything that happens after he attains it.

So starting from the very beginning, Jason was Royal by Blood. He was the son of the king. Um, However, he wasn't raised in the kingdom. He was actually sent off to be raised by Chiron, the Centor. Um, and if you know anything about Greek mythology, uh, Chiron plays a really important role in a lot of heroes journeys, and it's a name that you should definitely remember because he too has a place in the stars that we'll be exploring when we get to Sagittarius.

But basically he's, um, he's the ultimate mentor, the ultimate guide. He knows a lot about, um, the stars. He knows a lot about nature, and he knows a lot about the qualities that heroes need to cultivate to succeed and thrive. And this is what Jason grew up with. So as a young man, Jason's sovereignty was usurped by his uncle.

Um, and a whole series of things went down. Um, and the uncle tried to throw Jason under the bus a bit by saying, well, if you wanna be king, you need to, um, test your sort of kingly qualities. And he set Jason the seemingly impossible task of attaining the golden fleece from, from a far away kingdom called cul.

And Jason being young and almost like being the fool in the hero's journey said, yep, if that's what I need to do to, to claim my space on the throne, then I'll go ahead and do it. Jason, like all of the heroes of his time, knew that he couldn't do this alone. So he, uh, assembled a crew of Mary men called the Argonauts, and they all boarded his ship, the the Argo.

And um, this story is one of the most, uh, Long-winded stories in classical mythology, so I won't go into all of it, but, uh, what I will say is that to get from A to B is in to get from his home kingdom to cols. There were a series of trials and tribulations that tested Jason's mites that tested his wits, um, and also tested the skills and qualities of the people that he surrounded himself.

There were a number of very famous heroes that joined Jason on his quest and were part of the Argonauts. Uh, firstly there was Hercules who was the world's strongest. He has his own stories and myths behind him. Um, secondly, there was Orpheus who, uh, is a really interesting character, but he had the sort of magical power to tame beasts with this liar he had.

So he was kind of like a bar and a storyteller. Um, and, uh, used his talents and gifts to tame wild animals, um, and also do sneaky things and slip between. Some other names that you might recognize are the Boad, so the Sons of the North Wind and also the twins. Castro and Pollocks. Remember that because again, a bit like, um, Kyron, they have a, a tale to tell.

Um, and their legends and myths were too implanted in the stars in the sign of Gemini. So it took Jason and the Argonauts a long time to actually reach Cols. And there's a number of trials and tribulations that they faced as a collective. I won't go through all of them, but some of the standouts include, uh, an island where there were six armed monsters that were trying to hurt them.

Um, another example was, uh, trying to get through these cliffs that like clapped and crunched all of the ships that went between them. When he was faced with these challenges, Jason relied on the skill of, of himself, but also his, his mates to overcome them. Uh, so reaching, reaching the Kingdom of Caucus was in and of itself a massive achievement.

On arrival, Jason granted himself an audience with the king, uh, and he asked, uh, quite directly if he could have the golden fleece, which as we know from the last episode was hung high on a tree in a grove, sacred Aries, and protected by a dragon. The king. A bit like Jason's uncle said, yes, you may have the golden fleece, but only if you come these seemingly impossible.

What the king didn't know were that there were bigger twists of fate at play because Jason had fallen immediately in love with Madea, the king's daughter. She was a priestess of hacker, the sort of, uh, goddess and titan of witchcraft and sorcery, and she too had her own aims and ambitions. Jason had made a pact with Madea and promised her that if she was to help him attain the golden.

He would make her his bride and she would be queen of his homeland. The first of Jason, seemingly impossible tasks was to plow a field that was littered with fire breathing oxen to keep Jason safe. Madea prepared a magical sal, an ointment that he rubbed all over his body. This ointment granted him immunity to fire, so he achieved the first task.

Jason's second task, now that the field was plowed, was to plant the teeth of a dragon or a ser. However, as he did so, warriors sprung up from the soil. However, Madea had forewarned him of this. So rather than take on the Warriors directly, he picked up a stone and threw it as a distraction. This tricked the Warriors, and instead of going for Jason, they turned on each other.

Having survived this, Jason was now ready for the final task, and that was to claim the golden fleece. As I'd mentioned earlier, the fleece sat in the grove sacred to Aries and was protected by a fearsome fire breathing dragon. Jason was no match for the dragons strength or power. Knowing this, Madea used her power, her knowledge of sorcerers herbs, to love the dragon, to sleep.

As it rested, Jason climbed to top the bows and claims the golden fleece for himself. It was done, the impossible was achieved. Thanks to the help of made. The king was enraged and the king and his son sought after Jason to bring back what they thought was rightfully theirs. Little did they know Madea was on Jason's side.

She murdered her own brother in cold blood and to buy Jason and the AL'S time to escape. She severed her brother into several pieces, scattering them across the sea so that the king would have to stop and collect them so that they could fulfill the burial rights of their custom. Jason and Madea lived.

But their story is a sad one, littered with misdeeds and misfortune brought about by their own fate. So what wisdom do we gain from this? What does Aries teach us in this story? Jason's quest to get to caucus is a story of friendship, of reliance, of togetherness. Underpinning all of this was the Warriors code of Honor, aal.

Jason was ultimately successful in his goal of attaining the golden. There are some eerie for tellings of misfortune that had repercussions for the rest of his life. The three trials set for Jason mimic some of our most popular coping mechanisms in facing our own fears. We can put on false armor, we can throw stones to distract, or we can ignore the beast and go about our business.

I think the lesson here is that to achieve our goal, sometimes we need to conquer our fear, but importantly, we need to reflect on what the goal. Jason wanted the fleece, but at what cost did Jason end up a king? Yes. Did he end up happy? No. Did he exhibit the qualities of a good king? No. It's that age old proverb.

Be very, very careful what you wish for. Unbridled ambition. If it's not anchored in honor, can be a man or a woman's. So let's switch lanes now and go to the story of St. George. I mentioned earlier that St. George's Day is on the 23rd of April, and if you're not aware, St. George is the patron saint of England.

There are many stories of St. George, but this one is an English folk tale about how St. George tamed a dragon. George himself was not English. In fact, he was born in Turkey and a member of the Roman. St. George came across a town full of men and women who lived in fear of a dragon that demanded the sacrifice of a young maiden Each and every spring, the maidens wore a blue sash, and George agreed that he would go in place of the maiden this year and confront the dragon on his own.

So with the sash on his shoulder and a sword by his side off, he went on his way. He came across a sacred spring that was shattered by the bows of a willow. There. He prayed for wisdom and guidance and poured some of the holy water into a bottle. He then marched to the den of the fearsome dragon whose fiery breath melted the stones at the cave's lip as the dragon lunged for George.

He reached not for his sword, but for the bottle of water, and he dowsed the dragon with its contents. Peace came over the dragon, so George took off his sash and put it around the dragon's neck and walked it back to the village. The dragon became the protector of the village, keeping all of its inhabitants safe in time.

The dragon became the very hills that surrounded the village and its breath became the wind. In this story, we see the hero take the path of least resistance and turn what was a monster into a treasure. So when we're tapping into areas and thinking about our own aims and desires, let's keep that in mind.

Last month's meditation was all about mindfulness and connecting with our body so that we can think. This month we're going to connect with our mind and create a place of sanctuary that will revisit multiple times over the year. So get yourself comfortable and find a nice quiet place where you can relax.

We'll start by closing our eyes and taking a few deep breaths to connect ourself to the present moment. Allow your body to be. And feel yourself ease into the present moment. As you breathe in, observe the ebb and flow of your diaphragm in through your nose and out through your mouth. Repeat this and become fully aware of your body.

Draw your attention to the skin that surrounds you.

How do you feel? Are you warm? Are you cold?

Notice the feel of fabric against your skin and how your breath stretches and expands your body and then winds it. Now draw your attention to the base of your spine. Imagine within it is a seed, a seed to the tree of life that connects all things. The same tree that housed the golden fleece, the same tree that leaned over the spring, we St.

George prayed. Imagine your breath is nurturing the seed, watering it, and encouraging it to. Feel it expand at the base of your spine and with your mind's eye, let it unravel and let tiny roots form. Imagine with your breath that the roots grow bigger and stronger. Reaching down into the earth. Feel the move through the floor beneath you, whether it's wood, stone, or.

Feel it Crawl through the foundations at your feet into the cold, dark soil. Keep breathing and nurturing the seed. Feel it reach deeper through layers and layers of the Earth's crust, growing longer and stronger until it reaches the heart of the earth. Mother.

Feel that wrap around her molten core and draw energy, strength, and vitality from this source. Draw this energy up and let it mingle with your breath. Now see the seed start to grow sprouts from the top, climbing up your spine like a vine. Up, up, up to the crown of your.

Drawing on that energy from the earth mother and from the air around you. Nurture that seed, nurture that sapling, and let it grow beyond you. Growing tall from the crown of your head towards the heavens. See bows and branches start to form as it grows taller and taller. Climbing towards the sky, opening its branches like fingers.

Let it brush the clouds and reach into the stratosphere. Putting you at the center of all things. See leaves un fell, see buds and flowers, and feel the vitality of the universe around you.

Let that cool dark energy trickle down. Mixing with the red hot energy of the earth beneath you, contained within your breath and within your body.

See yourself apart from space and time in a void that is entirely your own. A universe within you,

in your mind's. Let the tree bear fruit.

Let the fruit open and inside find a tiny seed.

Imagine yourself stepping outside from this tree knowing it is all you, your body and your mind, but finding duplicity within it. Grasp that. And plant it in the void with your mind. Nurture that seed with the energy of your breath, with the energy of the earth mother, and with that dark energy of the universe above you, and see it grow in parallel.

The same, but separate.

What should grow as a landscape forms around it in your mind's?

Let it unfold naturally. A scene of peace and serenity with your mind's eye. Call in animals, plants and flowers to surround the tree and build your own sanctuary.

Let it grow. Let it grow, and allow your. To feel it and to sense it. What is the smell on the air? How does it feel at your feet and what grows there?

What birds and insects surround you?

Paint your perfect paradise. Anchoring yourself in this tree that is a part of you and separate from you at the same.

Know that this is a place of sanctuary you can revisit whenever you want or need. It can offer you quiet places of peace of reflection, and it can also be a place of building and strength.

For now, we'll slowly bring our awareness back to our body, paying attention to the crown of our. And drawing that attention down further and further to your shoulders, becoming fully present of your form, your hands, your abdomen, your hips, your legs, and your feet.

Leave the tree in your mind's eye, but know that you can visit it anytime you want or.

But return your consciousness to your form, your waking self.

Draw your attention again to your breath and the heaviness of your body. Draw your attention again to the feeling of your skin and what is around you and surrounding you. And when you're. Open your eyes and return to the waking world.

We'll be revisiting that place a few times this year, but to close every season off, I have one important task, and that is goal setting. What I want you to do is to get a piece of paper and write down your goals for the next year. My challenge to you is to reflect on the lessons of er. Of leadership, of determination of will.

The power of areas lies in the power to transform oneself. It's not just about securing a golden fleece at all costs. So if your goal is to secure a higher paying job, rather than setting that as your intent, perhaps your intent is to cultivate a stronger work ethic or to find pleasure in your work, so much so that other people pick up on that energy and offer you more and more opportunity.

Once you have set your goal or your goals, write them down on that piece of paper and keep it somewhere special. Or you could do what I'm doing and take a photo of it with my phone and bury that list so I can really take advantage of that growth energy of spring. And that brings us to the end of every season.

I hope you've enjoyed. Join me next month as we explore the sign of Taurus, the Bull of Heaven, and learn what it means for us.