CAPRICORN NEW MOON - 29 December 2016

Exact at 6.53am GMT, 1.53am EST.

This New Moon allows us to look back over this year we have just had and to contemplate what needs to change in our lives and what we might want or need for ourselves moving forward. Retrograde Mercury is sitting right next to the Sun and Moon in serious, structured and disciplined Capricorn, so this is a good moon to review and reflect on what has led us to this point. This has been quite an intense year for many, so it is not surprising that this New Moon would have a certain retrospective element to it. We have a chance to release old habits and patterns to make space for new ones to come in and to do some serious contemplation on how and with whom we would like to move forward. It’s a perfect Moon for New Year resolutions! Capricorn likes to make long term plans and goals and is adept at the art of discipline and commitment, so whatever decisions we make for ourselves during this time have a good chance of actually sticking! As ever, it is important to remember that New Moons are a very potent time for setting intentions, so be careful what you wish for! In my experience, what we ask for can be taken quite literally so it would be advisable to use the Capricorn energy to carefully pick our thoughts and the words we use to set our intentions. Ask with our hearts, not our heads.

The New Moon is also supported by Mars and Neptune, who are joining forces in Pisces and not only that are also sitting next to the South Node of the Moon, which represents our past. This brings even more of a sense of looking back and releasing old patterns. While Capricorn likes to be in control of the outcome and can even be a bit rigid, Mars, representing our actions and desires, and Neptune, the planet of oneness, unity and connection to all that is, both  remind us to loosen our grip on the reins somewhat. Mars and Neptune together represent intuitive, inspired action and encourage us to trust our instincts and allow ourselves to be guided by something bigger than ourselves. They remind us to remain flexible and simply let go of any resistance to what we want; to seek the path of least resistance, so to speak. If we have to fight and push to achieve our goals then it is quite likely that they are not quite right for us, whereas if the path opens up before us with no effort then we are most likely moving in the right direction.  Sometimes it is best not to get too attached to a specific outcome but rather to have an idea of which general direction we are going. Instead of fighting the current we are encouraged to let go and go with the flow.

The ruler of Capricorn is Saturn, who is very active during this Moon. He is forming a supportive trine aspect to Uranus and a challenging square aspect to Chiron, and both of these aspects are coming to a head around the time of this Moon. The trine to Uranus gives us an opportunity to come up with some new solutions to old problems and to release ourselves from old, stuck patterns and conditioning that have dominated our lives for far too long. Obviously, this can feel a bit uncomfortable, as we are very used to these patterns and ways of behaving. They are very familiar, but are also holding us prisoner and often affect our lives and relationships in adverse ways. Uranus, otherwise known as the Great Awakener, is stationary during this Moon, getting ready to turn direct after having been retrograde since 29 July. As such, his rebellious, electrical, changing energy will be very strong indeed. It is quite possible that we will feel a strong urge to bust out of our moulds and break the rules somehow, whether these rules are imposed on us from without or from within ourselves. Uranus likes to shake things up a bit and release us from our cages so we are free to be exactly who we are, rather than what we have been told we “should” be.

At the same time as Saturn is working with Uranus to release us from old patterns, he is also in challenging aspect to Chiron the Wounded Healer, making us all too aware of how these old patterns are hurting and hindering us. The energy of the Saturn Chiron square has been quite heavy and has brought our vulnerabilities to the surface in no uncertain terms in recent times. Saturn has a testing quality to him, and so this month has been quite a trying and even painful time for those lucky enough to have this square aspecting their personal planets! The expression “no pain, no gain” comes to mind here! Any old, ingrained, chronic beliefs and behavioural patterns have been brought to light so that we and our loved ones can scrutinise them and we can be more aware of how they are running the show. We all have our shadows and our Achilles heel, and it will have been hard to hide them from the harsh light of Saturn’s glare in the past few weeks. However, what a gift! If we are willing to face ourselves honestly and do the inner work, this will have been such a valuable time.  This energy peaks exactly on the New Moon.

This is a good New Moon to end 2016 with. It gives us a chance to gently reflect on the year we have had and to look forward to what we might want for ourselves for 2017. It has been a tough year for many, both personally and collectively, but there is always so much potential for growth within the challenges we face! The aspects to this Moon are gentle and supportive, so we have the opportunity to review this year and take what we have learned so that it can help us to move forward with greater wisdom and strength. Capricorn is a very patient and persistent sign who sets his eyes on what he wants and moves steadily upwards towards the final destination. We are just reminded not to be too rigid or set on a specific goal, but rather we should trust our intuition and hunches to send us in the right direction. Even when things seem to go against us it is important to have faith and trust in the bigger picture and a grand design that will reveal itself in the fullness of time. We are not in control! Our thoughts and words carry considerable weight during this Moon, so it is important to be conscious and aware of any intentions we are setting, whether they are deliberate or not.

Wishing you a truly wondrous 2017!

Much Love

Amy

Picture: Mystical Illustrations by Alexander Jansson