Monthly Astro Forecast - New Moon in Capricorn
This is the last dark moon of 2016, a year many may be glad to see gone. When the moon is new, she is invisible for a few days, too close to the Sun for us to see. The dark moon is a time to retreat, to take stock and review this lunation, until the Moon reaches the Sun - the exact point of the New Moon, at almost 8 degrees of Capricorn on December 29th (GMT). Once the Moon has passed the Sun, the energy shifts and we can consider this the new Moon, setting our intentions for the next cycle. A dark moon in Capricorn asks us to be realistic, to face facts. Where are we now, and what is really happening, beyond all the media posturing, scaremongering and divisiveness. As the sign of cardinal earth, Capricorn isn't interested in ideas, debate, or theories, but simply wants to know what we are doing about it? What action are we taking, what mountain are we climbing? And what steps do we need to take to get there? Capricorn is an ambitious sign, propelling us to reach for our wildest dreams, but reminding us at the same time that only hard work and disciplined effort will get us there.
This New Moon is conjunct Mercury, retrograde since December 19th, keeping us quiet and grounded in the weeks following the Solstice. This is actually the perfect time of year for a Mercury retrograde, asking us to review and consolidate our knowledge before we move forward. Although Solstice has passed and the light begins to increase, Mother Winter still has the upper hand, and any shoots venturing above ground need to be hardy enough to withstand several more weeks, or months, of cold and frost. We make our plans and set our intentions for the new year, but we will only be able to move forward with them if they are carefully thought through, and grounded in our current reality.
The New Moon is also sextile Mars in Pisces, a helpful aspect suggesting that as long as we apply ourselves, and don't get lost in Piscean daydreams or escapism, we can achieve a lot at this time. After the chaos and upheavals of 2016, Mars sextile the New Moon gives us an opportunity to start 2017 with determination and focus, but also compassion and adaptability. However Mars in this chart is also conjunct the South Node, where we tend to stay on our comfort zone and act according to habit. Mars in Pisces can be confused and accident prone, and the South Node may exacerbate these tendencies - the caution of Capricorn can serve us well right now.
As you can see from the chart above, as well as a cluster of planets in Capricorn there is also a lot of activity in watery Pisces at the moment. Mars is already there, and Venus moves into Pisces on January 3rd. Slow moving outer planet Neptune is there too, along with Chiron, one of the larger and more influential asteroids. As the faster moving inner planets move past these two, we get a "ping" of Pisces energy, bringing the symbolism of the outer planet into our consciousness. According to modern rulerships, Neptune is the ruler of Pisces, strengthening the influence of this mysterious, misty planet. As the final sign of the zodiac, Pisces is where we merge back into the oneness of the universe, and both Neptune transits or planets transiting through Pisces can often bring confusion, and a lack of boundaries. We yearn to be united with something greater than ourselves. and a positive manifestation of this energy can bring deep spiritual connection. But it can also mean escapism, addiction, or simply losing ourselves.
Mars meets Neptune on January 1st, ideally bringing a chance to put our ideals into action and to fight for the underdog. But we may need to be careful of passive aggression, or of making ourselves the victim. When Venus passes Neptune on the 12th, we can reach for an ideal of universal love - or fall prey to romantic illusions and dreams. Later in the month, on the 17th, Mars catches up with Chiron, once again raising issues of victimhood and hidden destructiveness.On the other hand, if we harness the strength of Chiron as a bridge between spirit and matter, between the personal and the collective, we can use this energy for positive and decisive action carried out with empathy. When Venus reaches Chiron on January 25th, we may become especially sensitive to issues of peace and harmony, and our urge to stand up for what we value will be brought to the fore.
At first glance practical Capricorn may seem to have little in common with flowing Pisces, but these two signs of the zodiac can work well together. The watery energy of Pisces enriches our Capricorn ambitions with spirit, emotion and imagination. It may take some adjustment to get the balance of these two elements right (nobody wants to live in a swamp!), but if we do, the resulting mud can be one of the most fertile materials on our planet.
As the month progresses, we begin to see more clearly. When Mercury stations on January 7th, it will be back in Sagittarius, and so we look back at the vision behind our plans one last time, reminding ourselves why it is meaningful, where it fits into the bigger picture. Then as Mercury begins to move forward, back into practical Capricorn, we can begin to establish a solid foundation for change. Meanwhile on the 7th, the Sun passes Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, illuminating the shadow and showing us the darkness that needs to be faced. By the time the Sun moves into airy Aquarius on January 20th, we will be starting to see beyond our personal ambitions to what we can do to benefit the collective. Mercury's sextile to Neptune on January 23rd helps us to communicate our dreams, ready for the New Moon in Aquarius on January 28th.
The New Moon is also sextile Mars in Pisces, a helpful aspect suggesting that as long as we apply ourselves, and don't get lost in Piscean daydreams or escapism, we can achieve a lot at this time. After the chaos and upheavals of 2016, Mars sextile the New Moon gives us an opportunity to start 2017 with determination and focus, but also compassion and adaptability. However Mars in this chart is also conjunct the South Node, where we tend to stay on our comfort zone and act according to habit. Mars in Pisces can be confused and accident prone, and the South Node may exacerbate these tendencies - the caution of Capricorn can serve us well right now.
Earth and water
As you can see from the chart above, as well as a cluster of planets in Capricorn there is also a lot of activity in watery Pisces at the moment. Mars is already there, and Venus moves into Pisces on January 3rd. Slow moving outer planet Neptune is there too, along with Chiron, one of the larger and more influential asteroids. As the faster moving inner planets move past these two, we get a "ping" of Pisces energy, bringing the symbolism of the outer planet into our consciousness. According to modern rulerships, Neptune is the ruler of Pisces, strengthening the influence of this mysterious, misty planet. As the final sign of the zodiac, Pisces is where we merge back into the oneness of the universe, and both Neptune transits or planets transiting through Pisces can often bring confusion, and a lack of boundaries. We yearn to be united with something greater than ourselves. and a positive manifestation of this energy can bring deep spiritual connection. But it can also mean escapism, addiction, or simply losing ourselves.
Mars meets Neptune on January 1st, ideally bringing a chance to put our ideals into action and to fight for the underdog. But we may need to be careful of passive aggression, or of making ourselves the victim. When Venus passes Neptune on the 12th, we can reach for an ideal of universal love - or fall prey to romantic illusions and dreams. Later in the month, on the 17th, Mars catches up with Chiron, once again raising issues of victimhood and hidden destructiveness.On the other hand, if we harness the strength of Chiron as a bridge between spirit and matter, between the personal and the collective, we can use this energy for positive and decisive action carried out with empathy. When Venus reaches Chiron on January 25th, we may become especially sensitive to issues of peace and harmony, and our urge to stand up for what we value will be brought to the fore.
At first glance practical Capricorn may seem to have little in common with flowing Pisces, but these two signs of the zodiac can work well together. The watery energy of Pisces enriches our Capricorn ambitions with spirit, emotion and imagination. It may take some adjustment to get the balance of these two elements right (nobody wants to live in a swamp!), but if we do, the resulting mud can be one of the most fertile materials on our planet.