CAPRICORN NEW MOON - 16 / 17 January 2018

Wednesday  17 Jan, exact at 2.17am GMT, Tuesday 16 January, exact at 9.17pm EST!

As Capricorn New Moons go, this one is particularly Capricorn in flavour! We have the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Pluto all in this earthy, responsible and disciplined sign. New Moons are a time when we let go of whatever isn’t serving us, leaving it behind in the dark of the moon and shedding old patterns, beliefs and habits. It is an incredibly potent time energetically, which gives us an opportunity to set positive intentions for ourselves  so that whatever is bubbling away in our subconscious has the potential to blossom and grow over the course of the month until it comes to full fruition around the time of the Full Moon. This Moon has a powerfully transforming quality to it, as Pluto, the planet of soul and transformation, is very much a part of the picture and so is Uranus, the planet of sudden change and wake up calls. This truly is a Moon of endings and new beginnings, which is calling for us to step out of our safety zone, letting go, allowing in change and embracing a new perspective.   

Capricorn asks us to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions. In its highest form it brings emotional maturity and a willingness to be reflective and do the inner work that will allow our inner and outer life to change in a positive way. Capricorn can help us to change or eliminate any part of our consciousness that might be too rigid, outdated or is preventing us from growing. Capricorn also represents our parental and cultural conditioning, and  we all know that it is very hard to undo old, familiar patterns that have become crystalised and set in over the years. However, with Pluto and Uranus so heavily involved in this Moon, we are currently being asked to do exactly that. It’s time to be accountable and to recognise how we are holding ourselves back from realising our full potential. Any outworn structures in our lives need to be broken down so that something new can take their place. This whole month seems to be a time of shifts and transformation, so it is important not to cling too tightly to what needs to go. All will be revealed in the fullness of time. That is another gift of Capricorn – patience!

Capricorn encourages us to step up and be counted, taking on our own authority and becoming responsible for the gifts we have been given, finding our rightful place in the world. With Capricorn we develop structure, discipline and the ability to commit to whatever path, relationship or course of action we have decided on.  With Pluto and Uranus challenging the Sun, Moon and Venus, it is quite possible that we could experience a shake-up within our emotional lives, our relationships and our sense of purpose in life. There is an echo of the Pluto Uranus square that was so prominent for so long, breaking down outworn structures and forcing us to be absolutely true to ourselves and our soul’s journey. We may be encouraged, or even forced, to let go of anything that might be impeding our growth and preventing us from living from a place of integrity and authenticity.  Integrity is a big one for Capricorn. It involves being honest with ourselves and doing what we know is the right thing to do, even if it causes pain or discomfort.

The Mars Jupiter conjunction in Scorpio is waning now, but with Mars forming a positive aspect to this Moon and Jupiter to Pluto, it still has a big part to play. The combination of Scorpio and Capricorn feels very karmic, and we are continuing the theme of the Cancer Full Moon, which has been helping us to be brave enough to face those parts of ourselves that we are not proud of.  There is the potential for amazing soul growth this month, as we dive into our shadows and fearlessly face what we find there. This can bring considerable psychological insight and help us to recognise aspects of ourselves that we have hitherto denied or suppressed. What a gift we are being given here, in this first month of the year! It is as if we are being given the opportunity to clear the decks so that we can become more aligned with our true nature. It involves us having to be very honest with ourselves, and possibly even making some difficult or painful decisions, but if we can do this then we could be opening ourselves up to something that could surprise and amaze us!

There are a few interesting Sabian symbols in this Moon, so I will describe them each briefly. Firstly, Jupiter, at 20° Scorpio: “A woman draws away two dark curtains closing the entrance to a sacred pathway” about which Dane Rudyar says: “Courage is needed to go through the veiling darkness – the courage to venture beyond the familiar and the traditionally known, to PLUNGE AHEAD INTO THE UNKNOWN.” And Mars’s symbol, at 25° Scorpio, is an incredibly powerful one: “An X-Ray Photograph” which Rudyar describes as “The capacity to acquire a knowledge of the structural factors in all existence. The true philosopher is able to grasp and significantly evaluate what underlies all manifestations of life. His mind’s eye penetrates through the superficialities of existence and perceives the framework that gives an at least relatively permanent “form” to all organised systems. Thus, if the structure is weak, deformed by persistent strain, or unbalanced, the basic causes of outer disturbances and dis-ease can be discovered”. This symbol certainly gives the sense that we will be able to see beneath the surface of reality and gain considerable insight as to what might be out of alignment!

Chiron the wounded healer is forming a positive aspect to the New Moon, bringing the potential for healing, compassion and forgiveness for ourselves and others. Chiron not only promotes healing but also helps us to embrace our Higher Self and abilities. The Sabian symbol for Chiron, at 25° Pisces, speaks for itself: “Watching the very thin moon crescent appearing at sunset, different people realise that the time has come to go ahead with their different projects.” The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon itself, at 27° Capricorn, is “Pilgrims climbing the steep steps leading to a mountain shrine”, about which Rudyar says: “The shrine is built by the unceasing dedication of perhaps generations of men. The pilgrimage is hallowed by the devotion of many, even though each person finds on his own mountaintop what to him seems a unique and transcendent revelation.” This symbol has an upreaching quality about it and a sense of a rise in consciousness, as well as being  a reminder for us to keep striving to do better and follow our true path and vision. As Rudyar says: “It is man’s supreme task to rise like fire, impelled by a vision he shares with his companions.”

This New Moon definitely has a karmic feeling to it, bringing with it the potential for tremendous wake up calls and transformation, as well as the possibility of letting go of anything that might be holding us back from our soul growth. There is an interesting configuration between Jupiter, Pluto and the Vertex – a Yod, or a Finger of God. Jupiter, the planet of growth and expansion is joining forces with Pluto, the planet of soul, power and transformation, bringing the potential for soul growth and helping us to move forward on our path with faith, honesty and integrity.  They are both pointing the Finger of God at the Vertex, which symbolises a karmic or fated connection and can signify a major turning point, when an important event can occur or someone significant can come into our lives. The Vertex is thought by some to be a point of “wish fulfilment”. The Yod itself also has a fateful, karmic quality to it. It’s interesting to see this on what is already such a powerful and potentially transformative New Moon!

Much Love

Amy

xoxo

Painting: Path to the Mountaintop – Joseph Parker

www.amybirdartandastrology.com