If there ever was a time to check our expectations and assumptions about love and romance at the door, the New Moon on February 13 is it (February 14 in the Eastern Hemisphere).

The Sabian symbol for this New Moon, at 25°17′ Aquarius, is “a garage man testing a car’s battery with a hydrometer.” This image is very descriptive of what we need to do to find our way through the pitfalls of our expectations of others and how we think our beloved should behave on Valentine’s Day. Is it so hard to simply tell our sweeties what would please us the most?

By communicating our wishes, we can reduce the possibilities of a breakdown considerably due to a dead battery in the romance department. For example, my husband knows I can’t eat chocolate anymore but that I do love flowers, and I know he appreciates a nice card and a homemade Valentine’s gift.

The stellium of the Sun, Moon, Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius closely semi-sextile Uranus in Pisces puts a strong emphasis on all matters related to Aquarius, the eleventh house, the collective, and thinking outside the box. Allies, associates, peer group, and our favorite charities and organizations are the focus now.

This also is a wonderful time to search for original solutions to existing problems or puzzles, and perhaps we will see some innovative ideas emerge in the near future to resolve issues facing us as a whole. That said, don’t forget to double-check your facts before launching your grand crusade for the betterment of humanity, because it is easy to overlook the practicalities under Neptune’s influence.

On the Full Moon at the end of January, Venus and Mars were opposing each other aligned with the Sun and Moon. This time around, Venus has moved into Pisces inconjunct Mars in Leo, and both planets receive extra attention as the apex of two different Yods. Suggesting that there are plenty of pitfalls on the path to true love is an understatement.

Keep in mind that Saturn in Libra is still squaring Pluto in Capricorn. Saturn is sextile Mars with Pluto sextile Venus, creating little to no wiggle room when it comes to commitments. The Saturn-Mars sextile is the base of the Yod, with Venus conjunct Jupiter in Pisces at the apex. Pluto sextile Venus and Jupiter is the base of a second Yod, with Mars retrograde in Leo at the apex. I could go over this in greater astrological detail, but the essence is this: Pre-nuptial agreements will come with the engagement ring, conservative marriage vows will be back with an emphasis on respect, honor and fidelity, and being less than honest in any way will be dealt with ruthlessly – all of this played out against the candle-lit, rose-colored background created by Venus and Jupiter closely conjunct in romance-loving Pisces.

Mercury in Aquarius opposes Mars in Leo and has a role to play, too, because it falls midway between Pluto and Venus. Having Mercury as the release point of a Yod (the point directly opposite the apex) in this case suggests that the best way to handle disagreements and conflict is through very carefully worded communications. Cool, rational Aquarius will help up to a certain point, but since both Leo and Aquarius are fixed signs, if no compromise can be found, it may be wiser to wait and give all parties a chance to cool down.

My suggestions for making this a New Moon Valentine’s Day one to remember happily is to take time to talk over your plans with your sweetheart and listen closely to what they have to tell you. Listening with love, your complete attention and willingness to compromise is recommended for a happy ending.

For those who do not enjoy Valentine’s Day and prefer to ignore it altogether, this New Moon is also an excellent time to launch new projects, especially those benefiting humanity as a whole. Just apply all the above to working with friends and colleagues!

Good luck, and remember always to be kind to those who cross your path.

posted by Diane . . .