New Moon, New Eclipse, New Vision for the Future
Today, the new Moon is conjunct Mercury and the Sun in Sagittarius: the sign that is both the herald of winter and the fiery light that warms and illuminates it’s coldest, darkest days and nights. Also today is a Total Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius, the second eclipse of a pair occurring this holiday season. Because of them, there has been and will be a lot of new information coming your way. Normally, we begin the visioning process this time of year: assessing what we have accomplished in the last year and what we want to accomplish in the next one. This process is always intense. This year it is much more so, as it is interwoven with the tangled threads of the ongoing global pandemic, the resulting social and economic crises, and a world struggling to find its way. The information provided by these eclipses, and the new beginning afforded us by the new moon, can make this a powerful and empowering time.
Are you ready for that?
If you’re not sure, I can help.
It starts with your dreams and visions
and then you chart a course from there.
Here are some helpful insights...
The Spirit of Sagittarius
One of the things I love about astrology is the annual touchstones provided by its archetypes. They can be so helpful in anchoring and grounding into whatever the reality of the current moment happens to be, and in determining the best response. So often, the characteristics and attributes of a sign are the perfect antidote to the challenges of season. And now is one of those times. Historically, abundance and trust, love and light, truth, ideals and integrity have been component parts of the winter celebrations of virtually every culture. This time of year, we are called upon to take those values – those Sagittarian principles – to the next level. Here is why.
Most of us don’t really come close to understanding the concepts. Far fewer have working definitions they can access and utilize in their daily lives, especially in times of distress or crisis. For most of us, these two notions are a part of our fair-weather faith: easy to access when everything is going well, but when fecal matter starts hitting fans, our faith is harder to find, much less deploy. Very few can honestly say we have mastered it. Those who are close to owning some real estate in this neighborhood usually have a lot of Sagittarius in their natal charts. Ruler of psychological and spiritual concepts, ministry, philosophy, shamanism – and journeys towards them - Sagittarians are the ones voted most likely to be able to trust that the proverbial slings and arrows of outrageous fortune are getting them somewhere. Somewhere fun.
Normally, as the Sun and the smaller planets move into Sagittarius, the parties and the politics of the holiday season are both incredible mirrors AND a good place to practice. Or at least begin to begin to play around with it. As Sagittarius rules learning – especially the learning that comes from playful discovery – you absolutely have to find ways to make it fun. This year, we are building on what we learned last year and are required to continue to re-envision and reinvent how we are connecting and celebrating during the holidays. While the Sagittarian opportunities remain the same, the stakes are higher than ever, which can create an awful lot of pressure. Be mindful, rise to the challenge, but try not to dwell on it – nothing fun happens there.
Remember today is also an eclipse. The purpose of the eclipses is to reveal; they educate and enlighten. They invite us to stop, to step back and to use a much, much wider-angle lens. They give us the big picture, in exquisite detail, ready or not. These transits require us to open our hearts and minds, our eyes and ears in order to see and hear more, to connect the dots better, to learn faster, and to show up differently, especially in our relationships – thanks to the looming Venus retrograde. Regardless of our personal specificities, the generic point of this little astrological and astronomical exercise is the same: to develop greater skill at assessing the people and situations we encounter and making better choices (for both the long and short term) in real time.
Hopefully, the data these transits provide will give you the inspiration and the means to create the sense of connection and community you seek, as well as some new and better habits. A word of caution: remember the archetype of Sagittarius. Half human and half horse, the centaur is the learned healer whose higher intelligence forms a bridge between Earth and Heaven. A male, mutable, fire sign, don’t’ forget for a minute that Sagittarius is smarter than you, can have a fiery temper, and is not known for its patience. Given that, be gentle with yourself and others, especially when the humans in our world are simply being human and a little less than inspiring. It’s a process. For most of us, we just have to put the time in. Practice makes perfect, right?
As the visionary and the seeker, Sagittarius is always on some sort of a righteous quest. Sometimes it's for justice, fairness, and equality. Sometimes it's for education and enlightenment. Sometimes it's for travel and a heart-stopping adventure. And sometimes, it's just for one helluva good party. Yes, on a good day, those drives can make Sagittarius absolutely epic: smart, spiritual, and fabulously fun. And on a bad day, Sagittarius will get a little busy. Unfocused and overextended, perhaps.
So, let’s make it a good day. Prioritize, plan, stick to it, and find a way to make it fun. Ruled by Jupiter - the god of fun, luck, windfalls, and expansiveness - Sagittarian transits like this give you the capacity to stay more optimistic, hopeful, inspirational, and genuinely happy. Not only that, but you also now have the opportunity to develop that ability, so it is more of a way of life and less like a point on a line, or a moment in time. Take advantage of that. Now would be a really good time to revisit key components of positive psychology, and the Buddhist concept of finding the divinity in all things. If you play your cards right, you can not only learn a lot of new things (which is practically orgasmic for a Sagittarius) but you can develop new habits, raise your vibration and make that the new normal. Let’s Make that our intention.
Not a Sagittarius? No worries. Everyone has Sagittarius somewhere, and if you don't already know where yours is, now would be a good time to find out. And here's why. Where Sagittarius lives in your natal chart is where you are undeniably the fire starter, the spark plug, the light in the darkness. It is where you are not only good at those things, but you also came here to be those things. Which means now is THE TIME to give yourself permission to step up and into the karma and the dharma of it. Especially now. Given all we are going through as individuals, as families, as communities and nations and as a species, you and your gifts have never been so needed. You are being reminded of how your singular gifts and the ways you can use them can educate and enlighten yourself and those you love. Today, use the power of this new moon and this eclipse to spend a little time revisiting your core strengths; set your intentions, say your prayers and invocations, and double down.
Why, you ask? Part of it is the upcoming Venus retrograde in Capricorn. Occurring on December 19th – at the Full Moon and the same day the Chiron goes direct- it is also just days before the Sun moves into Capricorn at the Winter Solstice on the 21st. Capricorn rules goals and ambitions, especially material ones. And on a bad day, it rules greed, selfishness and the lines we will cross (or have crossed) to get what we want. Needless to say, lately I am seeing a lot of clients having all sorts of revelations and epiphanies about that. Sometimes it is that we didn’t realize what we were signing on for. Sometimes we truly did not understand what it would take to achieve our goals. Sometimes it is the realization that the goals we were pursuing have become obsolete. Sometimes they were the wrong goals all along, and you simply have to acknowledge and let go of that delusion. Sometimes it is more that the goal is sound, but the route by which we had hoped to get there has been revealed to be faulty, more complicated or in some way inadequate, and we need to find an alternate route.
Here in the Northern hemisphere, the weeks between the time the Sun and smaller planets move into the sign of Sagittarius and the time they move in Capricorn at the solstice often highlights the places where the world and its people can seem decidedly darker and colder. Even without all the issues we are currently up against. We are being asked to remember there is always light. We are being called to find it, and let it shine. So listen up, lean in, and rise to the occasion – or at least find some way to start listing in that general direction. And if you get stuck, call me.
We'll figure it out.
Calendar
Below are some of the dates where your opportunities for wizardry, magic, and alchemy will be the greatest, and some conventional wisdom about them:
December 1: Neptune goes direct in Pisces
December 3: New Moon in Sagittarius; Total Solar eclipse with the Sun and Moon conjunct at 12° Sagittarius
December 6: Hanukkah ends
December 13: Mars moves into Sagittarius; Mercury moves into Capricorn
December 18: Full Moon in Gemini, also known as the Cold Moon, the Long Night(s) Moon, and the Moon before Yule
December 19: Venus retrogrades in Capricorn; Chiron goes direct in Aries
December 21: Sun moves into Capricorn; Winter Solstice
December 24: Christmas Eve
December 25: Christmas Day
December 26: Kwanzaa, through January 1; Boxing Day
December 28: Jupiter moves into Pisces
December 31: New Year’s Eve
January 1: New Year’s Day; Mercury moves into Aquarius
January 2: New Moon in Capricorn
Everybody’s natal (birth) chart is different. These differences reflect our individual souls: their journeys and evolution, their triumphs and their tragic flaws. As such, the specific impact of each of the following dates will hit each person differently. But there are some general themes.
Holy days, holidays, and astrological transits are opportunities for us to experience grace. But remember how grace happens: sometimes it comes through discomfort. The gifts aren’t always immediately apparent. All of the days on this list ask you to be more compassionate with yourself and others, to try and be more awake, and to be more open to synchronicity and messages from Spirit. On days when more than one astrological event, holiday or holy day occurs, know that the power of that day will be even more profound. The more events in a day, the more powerful that day is, and the more intentional you should be.
Again, in general, full moons are a good time for ending things, wrapping things up, conclusions, and closure. New moons are opportune times for new beginnings: starting a new chapter of some aspect of your life, tackling a new project, or launching something new. Retrogrades are always about slowing down and paying more attention to aspects of your creative, spiritual, and social lives. The eclipses always reveal: sometimes it is something others have hidden from you, sometimes it is things you have hidden from yourself, usually it is a little bit of both. To go deeper, look to the planetary signs and the houses they fall in, and, of course, to your natal chart. Or give me a call. I can help you with that.
Retreats, Rituals, Services, Ceremonies, and Journeys
Choosing the best day or days is a very personal thing. You have to feel your way into it. But there are some generic rules that can help you in your decision-making process. Full moons and new moons are considered the best, as are holidays and holy days. Full moons and new moons that occur during holidays and holy days are extraordinarily powerful.
Factor in a retrograde or two, and you pretty much can’t avoid leveling up and becoming a much more masterful magician. Especially around anything that has to do with your faith, your trust in it, your ability to serve your faith, and serve with it. Seriously.
With that in mind, the upcoming best days for deep, transformational experiences are: December 3rd, 6th, 13th, 18th – 19th, 21st, 24th – 26th, 28th, 31st – January 3rd, 6th.