MOUNTAIN CLIMBING WITH DESIRE

Resolutions be gone! This Capricorn New Moon, the first New Moon of the year on Jan. 16/17 is instead turning thoughts and hearts to goals. In down-to-earth Capricorn, it’s calling for concrete, practical, achievable, meaningful goals. And work.

Sound boring? Hardly.

“This New Moon is exciting and generates a sizzling aura that is constantly on the verge of discovering something novel and unique.”

Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology

Let’s look at how astrologers across the Web are mapping this Moon.

Capricorn New Moon: Just the Facts

This is not only the first New Moon of the year, but also the first Capricorn New Moon since 1991 with its ruler Saturn in the sign. They’ve got a workforce, too. Mercury and Venus are also in the Capricorn, for a total of six bodies in the sign. (The New Moon counts as two, because it contains the Sun and the Moon.)

The New Moon is also the last lunation before the next round of eclipses. This position, says Jamie Partridge, Astrology King, adds a kick to Capricorn’s steadiness.

“It creates a rush to finish long-term projects you began within the last five months.”

You Gotta Have Heart

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The Moon’s closest companion is Venus, ruler of love and pleasure. Her presence is coloring the goals we’re setting and infusing them with desire and heart.

“The focus is love and harmony, especially in your home and family life. Strong primal urges and passion will help you solve any crisis.”

Jamie Partridge, Astrology King

Venus is not a fool for love in Capricorn, though. Sober-minded and business-like, she wants results.

“New beginnings will be focused on money, relationships, values or self-esteem. Venus in Capricorn wants the real thing, and she wants the achievements that go with it. This Moon could deliver.”

Nadia Gilchrist, Ruby Slipper Astrology

Hang tight to that business-like attitude. Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology, cautions:

“New Moon conjunct Venus expects a life of luxury and abundance and usually gets it. BUT, with all this passivity, the New Moon wide open to being exploited and manipulated by the Svengalis of this world.”

Just Do It

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We’ll have both incentive and opportunities to move on goals. Capricorn’s self-starting nature has an assist from the Moon’s helpful sextile to action-hero Mars in Scorpio.

“Deeply committed actions will be right in line with what you want.“

Nadia Gilchrist, Ruby Slipper Astrology

“New Moon sextile Mars is, as you would expect, an extremely passionate aspect. But it needs to express this energy physically or sexually, otherwise anger-management can become a big problem. The mood can change very quickly, but the frantic tide can be very creative. Moon sextile Mars makes us passionate about our artistic products and very driven towards projecting them out into the world.”

Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology

If a relationship is in your goals, a bridge or doorway is here. I address the relationship potential in my own forecast:

“While a sextile is an opportunity aspect that must be grasped to activate, the subliminal stirrings of this particular configuration may well get us moving without hesitation.

“Or conscious thought. Venus and Mars are the cosmic lovers, predisposed to engaging in a dance. That’s heightened by Mars being in the sign of sexuality and amped up by expansive, boundless Jupiter. The sextile offers a key to igniting relationships, even in the cold of Capricorn.”

Passion and love could result Jamie Partridge, Astrology King, says:

“New Moon and Venus sextile Mars is excellent for socializing and passionate romance. The perfect blend of sexuality and affection will make you look and feel sexy. You should feel confident and assertive without being threatening. This balance also means you are ready to give and receive love and adoration.”

Wild Cards & Lightning

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Another trigger for action is the square from the New Moon to the disruptive genius of Uranus in Aries.   The pressure promises to reshape our goals – or how we proceed – in unpredictable, unexpected, inventive ways.

My forecast explains:

“Breakthroughs and tweaks will further shape our project management. Uranian bolts could knock out an impediment, break a situation open or reshape a goal/desire/step into a form more appropriate for us.”

Jamie Partridge, Astrology King, foresees relationship shake-ups.

“New Moon and Venus square Uranus can challenge stable love relationships through unexpected urges or events. An increased need for freedom and excitement can test your patience.”

Serious Thoughts

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Consequences and ramifications are in the air. Aspects to cosmic messenger Mercury in Capricorn make our information flow serious, sober and, maybe, sobering.

One reason is a conjunction to Saturn, the grown-up of the sky. My forecast:

“We’re inclined toward diligence, seriousness, practicality and responsibility, with Saturn whispering wisdom and caution to Mercury, ruler of our minds and information streams.”

More More More

Any action we start will only grow bigger and bigger, even in Capricorn’s stony terrain. That’s because Mars is conjunct with Jupiter and his powers of optimism and expansion.  The pair promises to keep moods up while noses hit the grindstone.

“Mars conjunct Jupiter is perfect for your New Moon new start because it gives energy, initiative and courage. It gives the self-confidence to succeed in any area of life from career to relationships, especially anything physical. This is not only the spark to ignite romance but also fuel for the fire.

“New relationships will get a kick-start from your extra charisma and sex appeal. Your passionate desires will not get much stronger than this and you must do something physical. Your directness and courage will win you favors, whether it be in your love life or at work.”

Jamie Partridge, Astrology King

Seeds of Success

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Positive growth, expansion and renewal are at our disposal, via a sextile between Jupiter and Pluto. They’re offering a buffer to activity in the sky that might induce whiplash.

“Jupiter sextile Pluto is extremely fortunate and extremely powerful, reaching exactness less than 24 hours before the new moon. It brings success through positive change and this will consume much of the challenging Uranus energy. You will not have to force change or have to react to unexpected change.

“This is a natural development in your life associated with increased power and influence, spiritual and personal growth, wealth creation and professional advancement. Even better news is that this big time success aspect occurs again in April and September 2018.”

Jamie Partrdige, Astrology King

Other Considerations

Beyond the visible planets and major aspects, over the centuries astrologers have considered numerous other factors to add more nuance and detail to their interpretations.  Not all astrologers agree — or even use — these elements in charts, but they certainly provide food for thought.

Fixed Stars

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The Moon is near Terebellum (a misspelling of the Latin for “Earth war”), in the hindquarter of the horse part of Sagittarius.

Fixed star maven Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology, describes its properties:

“This star speaks of the need to come back down to Earth and not lose touch with it. Runaway technology that keeps us out of tune with natures cycles can result in us becoming unsympathetic to flora and fauna. Earthy folk will take it upon themselves to campaign to bring this Earth-connection back and this goes a long way to redeeming the negative aspect of this star. So conservationists will be active at this time just as much as those who are destructive towards nature.”

Jamie Partridge, Astrology King, paints a darker picture:

“[The conjunction] gives a fortune but with regret and disgrace, cunning, a mercenary nature and repulsiveness. … If you have felt smothered, confined or bored, you may lash out in anger that would cause regret and disgrace.”

Minor Planets, Asteroids & Centaurs

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With our modern telescopes, we’ve now observed tens of thousands of other small bodies in the solar system. Thousands even have names; some astrologers explore ways to weave them into their forecasts.

The Moon is conjunct the asteroid Hestia, goddess of homefires. Jamie Partridge explains her influence:

“The focus of the Venus love and harmony is very close to home. The name Hestia means ‘hearth, fireplace, altar.’ Hestia is the ancient Greek virgin goddess of the hearth and she rules domestic order. This is a New Moon for renewing your love for home and family, for sharing the warmth and love of a well-cooked meal.

“Altogether, the New Moon with Venus, asteroid Hestia … is a good omen for starting a new love relationship and for renewing your love for your partner and family. Like Venus, Hestia has a passive, non-confrontational nature so peace and harmony will help new and old love flourish. The flame of Hestia and love of Venus create the Flames of Love.”

The Moon is also conjunct the asteroid Bacchus, named for the Roman god of agriculture, wine and fertility. According to Jessica Adams, he represents “the pure pleasure principle,  Hedonism and indulgence” – traits that echo Venus’ recent conjunction with Pluto, and suggest what’s on offer in her current sextile to Mars.

The centaur Chiron is in Pisces, where he’s making a sextile to the Moon and trine to Mars. Nadia Gilchrist, Ruby Slipper Astrology, counsels:

“Actions will be most successful if they are compassionate, empathetic or about more than getting the desired thing. Something about this new beginning can be healing (for you or others). Maybe taking steps to get what you want is a crucial part of healing the wound/confronting the insecurity.”

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Innovation, bucking convention and just plain shattering are equally likely. Nadia Gilchrist also expands the discussion to the asteroid Pallas, also in Aries conjunct Uranus.

“Pallas in Aries is the bold, new strategy (the battle plan) and Uranus makes this an unusually gutsy move. Impulsive/bold strategies will either fuel this Moon (you’ve run out of patience and you want it NOW) or will deliver a surprise … Maybe you get what you want in unexpected ways. … The traditional definition will be broken, and this could work for or against you, depending on how attached you are to the rules. It’s possible that what you want will shatter those rules.”

And Nadia notes that Ceres in Leo is poised to help with attaining our goals, making the second of three conjunctions to the North Node. (Dec. 2, 2017, and Apr. 30, 2018, are the others.)

“Ceres/North Node is the moment when that special creation or area of confidence/joy can open a door to the future. Maybe you’ve nurtured a project/purpose to the point where you can see the next stage of its growth. Here’s the opportunity to take it further – take it into the spotlight, where you’ve always known it should be.

“Ceres is Rx at this time, so despite the New Moon vibe, you are returning to an issue from Dec. 2. This will be your second chance to move forward with/spotlight what you’ve been nurturing.”

Minor Aspects

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Teamwork between Mars in Scorpio and Uranus in Aries is also keeping us on our toes. The first responder and quick-change artist of the sky are in a quincunx or inconjunct, an minor aspect which is said to suggest a need for adjustments between the planets involved. This quincunx is especially powerful, since by Aries and Scorpio are ruled by the planet Mars.

“The karmic adjustment comes with Uranus quincunx Mars, an unexpected spanner gets thrown into the works. It is a rapid response and shocking. But somehow there is an impassioned resolution.”

Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology

“Mars quincunx Uranus will encourage action, but there is danger of acting too impulsively. The key is to experiment and find original ways to resolve whatever drama you face from Uranus, without adding fuel to the fire. Sexual experimentation suits this aspect but you should stop very quickly if ‘ohhh’ turns to ‘ouch.’

“Physical action and attraction are one part of the equation but using the internet and even astrology will help you resolve a crisis. To get from the unpredictable and unsettling Uranus state to the passionate and confident Mars state will take courage and ingenuity but also patience and common sense.”

Jamie Partridge, Astrology King

Lunar Nodes & Apsides

Together, the lunar nodes and apsides describe the Moon’s orbit around the Earth.

The nodes are the two places where the Moon crosses above (north) or below (south) of the Sun’s apparent path across the sky.  Evolutionary astrologers sometimes call this the destiny line.

Amid this Moon’s mix of goals, desire, pressure and volatility, cosmic hands are pushing us steadily forward.  My forecast points out that Jupiter is at the midpoint, or “bendings,” of the lunar nodes:

“Adding to the urgency is a tight T-square from the Moon’s Nodes to Jupiter, who’s passing the pressure on to nearby Mars. Action, movement, progress; it’s time.”

The apsides, on the other hand, mark the Moon’s perigee and apogee points. At the perigee the Moon’s closer to the Earth, so it moves more quickly and appears brighter in the sky (aka Supermoons); at the apogee, the Moon’s at its furthest from the Earth, slower and appears smaller (aka Micromoon)

Darkness and potential danger lurk in Mercury’s conjunction to the Moon’s apogee, which some astrologers also call Lilith, writes Mariano Macario, Darkstar Astrology:

“A trap could be set, with penetrating words from Mercury conjunct Lilith on vicious star Facies. Could be some revenge here.”

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Decans

Each astrological sign can be divided into three sections, known as decans (10 degree divisions of the Zodiac). This Moon is in Capricorn decan 3, which is ruled by the Sun and Mercury.

Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology, calls this decan “Noble Savages” and “All-Seeing Eyes.” She describes the decan’s influence:

“This decan successfully combines artistic and musical ability with a great business mind. These arty goats are aspirational and think very highly of themselves, but don’t brag about their talents. They are far too elegant for that brash type of behavior and they will always have enough admirers to blow their trumpet for them.”

She also points out that this decan has been associated with the Four of Pentacles in the Tarot, a card of fear of scarcity.

Sabian Symbols

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Over the years, astrologers have devised systems to assign meaning to each degree of the Zodiac. The most popular of the past century has been the Sabian Symbols, proposed by Marc Edmund Jones.

The Sabian Symbol for the 27th degree of Capricorn is: “Pilgrims Climbing the Steep Steps Leading to a Mountain Shrine.”

In his commentary on the Sabian Symbols, astrologer Dane Rudhyar says, “We hear a great deal now about ‘peak experiences,’ but the symbols tells us that they depend to a very great extent upon following a path which many have trod before, under the inspiration of the great Teachers and Sages of our race…. 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.”

 Lunar Mansion

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The Capricorn New Moon falls in Lunar Mansion 25, which the Arab astrologers called Al Sa’d al Su’ud (The Luckiest of the Lucky). Donna Woodwell of Donna Philosophica nicknamed it “The Mother.”

The mansion’s purpose is to nurture yourself and your projects.

Donna counsels: “Ask for support. Take care of yourself.  Acknowledge your desires and allow others to assist you. But don’t expect someone to rescue you.”

Summing It Up

This New Moon mixes long-term goals with heartfelt desire and uncontrollable motivators. My forecast pulls the influences together into a game plan:

“The Capricorn New Moon is delivering the goal-setting and new-beginning boost we generally feel at New Year’s. The Moon is also putting within reach the get-up-and-go to, well, get up and get going.

Your goals and desires are already firmly in your head and heart. Take a step, and then another, and work them.”

And be open to the unexpected. It’s a given.

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Lunaria Datebook

Last Moon Phase: January Full Moon in Capricorn
Next Moon Phase: February Full Moon in Aquarius

January New Moon Times and Dates:

San Francisco: Tuesday, Jan. 16, 6:17 p.m. PST
New York: Tuesday, Jan. 16, 9:17 p.m. EST
São Paulo: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 12:17 a.m. BRST
London: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2:17 a.m. BST
Istanbul: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 5:17 a.m. TRT
Mumbai: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 7:47 p.m. IST
Tokyo: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 11:17 p.m. JST
Sydney: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1:17 p.m. AEST

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1 Comment

  1. Autumn Moon on January 17, 2018 at 4:42 am

    Hello!
    I run a new age/spiriruality/astrology page and a group 9n facebook and I regularly share astrological posts from several different sites that I enjoy. I was searching around tonight for good New Moon posts to share, and stumbled onto your page here for the first time and just felt inclined to say how much I love your post! Then on top of it, I noticed a quote you shared from DarkStar, one of my favorite sites, and it’s a quote I literally just shared on my own page minutes ago, (about being “left wide open to the manipulation of the svengalis of this world…” as my bank out was hacked a few hours ago and i watched almost in real time on my phone as someone was on a shopping spree all over the city with my debit card number :/ )…point being it’s always an accurate and well-done site, and I loved that you quoted the same piece I found to be a strong statement too! Anyway, again, love your beautifully done page and astroligical write up here for the New Moon! Thank you!
    Moon Blessings!
    -Lisa

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