NEW MOON IN CAPRICORN

The New Moon in Capricorn arrives late on Tuesday night in a conjunction with Pluto. Not only is a New Moon a time of renewal and of rich dark tilled soil, Pluto is a planet often associated with rebirth and transformation. The deep cathartic changes brought by Pluto are usually pretty painful and often not by choice. Changes brought by Pluto are slow and far reaching. There cannot be renewal without death and fundamentally when we enter the realm of Pluto we are never far from the process of decay and death which feels unfair, unjustified, difficult and mostly outside of our control. (Ask anyone who has experienced a Pluto transit)

Pluto is a slow moving outer planet which means its influence slow, and is a generational and collective one before being a personal one. The sign of Capricorn has received a lot of attention in the last few years with Saturn transiting here along with the eclipses taking place on the Capricorn/Cancer axis. Last year began with an epochal conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn which occurred on January 13th, 2020 at 22 degrees of Capricorn – one degree away from the New Moon in Capricorn coming up tomorrow exactly a year after the powerful conjunction of Saturn and Pluto. Capricorn is often compared to the systems and hierarchical structure of societies. I could spell it out for you but its becoming increasingly clear to everyone that we are currently undergoing very big societal changes that will be far reaching.

On a personal level you can look at where Capricorn sits in your chart to understand where something new is ready to emerge from the ashes of an old way of being. The New Moon is a time of obscurity when the light of the Moon is faint and the night is dark. This is not your average reset but a profound surrender to a new flesh that is waiting to emerge. The renewal taking place is profound and still invisible; things will be slow and the transformation far reaching.We can get close to the mysteries of death but no one knows for sure. There is also no possible spiritual mastery without mastering death or at least our fear of death. Death has such a powerful hold on us that it holds us inside our limited, restrictive and controlled lives. Pluto initiates us to the darkness of the unknown and the power that comes from transcending what has an invisible power over us. To transcend your fear of death means to live in the totality of your life and power.

This world is shrouded in darkness. Here, only a few can see their way free. These few birds escape from the net, and fly away.

Uprooting beauty

DARA SCULLY

”The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.” 
-The Bible, King James Version, Song of Songs 7:12–13

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The upcoming trine between Venus and Pluto will be exact right after the New Moon in Cancer on June 24th. This aspect conjures up the rich scent of the earth exuding from freshly pulled roots. The hands are dirty and have been working hard.

On a table laying in broad day light is a collection of various treasures dug out of the ground; buried objects carrying with them long forgotten stories. To keep or to discard?

Destruction and beauty are an odd pair. 

Craving more ease, you might get excited at the sight of the decaying past – hypnotized by the promises and possibilities of new beginnings. Suddenly the forbidden becomes alluring; desiring something that is denied to you.  Can it be yours? 

Be warned that the price is steeped but it’s already too late.

What was unearthed is taking hold.

The distant lure of beauty animates you and you keep digging in the hopes of finding more.

The process is difficult but you cannot back down. You know how important this is for your well-being. Feeling good might even sting a little but you keep digging. The sight of beauty hurts your eyes. Your heart is pounding in your chest.

Don’t stop now.

Tectonic shifts are happening.

Your heart wants more, aching for new intensity.

Renovations are well underway and you must get rid of some things to make space for what you have discovered.

Introducing more beauty, more love, more pleasure is an arduous task and things will need to be destroyed.

Be willing to leave the comfort of your garden and trade-in all of your jewels for that gut feeling.

 

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Venus @ 18 Taurus 30 trine Pluto @ 18 Capricorn 30 on June 24, 2017  @ 3:59 AM EST    

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“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.” ― Jalaluddin Rumi

 

Power & Revelations

The Moon in Capricorn will shortly join Pluto and trigger the current Mars/Pluto square. Mars is at home in the sign of Aries which means it can fully express its martial qualities while Pluto is often compared to the latent powers hidden in the underworld.

When these 2 powerful planets are in a difficult aspect we can expect themes associated with anger and frustration to surface. We can also expect hidden or secret information to be revealed. Pluto often serves as a difficult catalyst for transformation while Mars pushes our instinctual and animalistic side to fearlessly assert itself.

A lot of power and stamina are available right now to help us succeed. The urge to transform and let go of stale modalities could feel urgent.

What irritates us could be extremely obvious now and this awareness can be used to bring the necessary changes. However it is very likely that we perceive our currant limitations as outside of our control which will result in anger and confrontation.

Things have the potential to escalate quickly today so stay cool and level headed and avoid charged situations if possible!

Crossing the swamp

Mercury conjunct Pluto today while the Moon has just entered Pisces and is moving towards a conjunction with the Tail of the Dragon or more often called: the South Node of the Moon.
These aspects can be compared to a crocodile in a quagmire; his tail dredging up all sorts of old sediments from the bottom of a dirty pool.

Unpleasant situations will need to be dealt with, secrets could be revealed and powerful opinions will collide.

Anything that has to do with communicating and processing information is receiving a dose of steroids (Pluto) which in turn magnifies the outgoing and incoming messages.

The Moon in Pisces approaching a conjunction to the South Node could mean that we feel helpless or victimized by something out of our control. The South Node is sometime compared to a bottomless pit where we tend to get stuck and where we can feel great dissatisfaction.

This dissatisfaction in turn serves as impetus for change.

The great waters are churning. As we become aware of all the darkness in the world we must not lose faith but push beyond the unpleasant truths emerging at the moment.

The Sun in Aquarius serves as a guiding light shining on our ideals.

The Dawn of the New Moon in Aquarius

The Moon this Week

The Sun just entered the sign of Aquarius on January 19 where it will stay until February 18.

Before the New Moon in Aquarius on January 27, the Moon will travel through Sagittarius and Capricorn. We can expect the next few days to be full of heated debates and self-righteous dialogues as the Moon applies to a conjunction with Saturn. At its best, Saturn in Sagittarius can be about having faith in our convictions which help fuel our ideas and bring some structure to what we believe in. At its worst, Saturn in Sagittarius becomes dogmatic and fanatical, imposing its point of view in a one way preaching of its truth, testing the solidity and validity of our faith. Since the ruler of the Moon in Sagittarius is Jupiter in the sign of the scales (Libra) the debates and conversations will most likely revolve around equality and inequality, justice and injustice, right vs. wrong, relational issues and the delicate balance of it all.

The Moon will also briefly square Mars at 29 degrees of Pisces as it prepares to ingress in the sign of its rulership of Aries. Note that both the last decan of Pisces and the first decan of Aries are ruled by Mars – emphasizing the martial qualities of this time period.

The Moon moves into the sign of Capricorn on Wednesday January 24 at 17:43 EST and will make some lovely aspects mainly a sextile to Neptune in Pisces and a conjunction to Mercury in Capricorn which could bring some conversations around the topics of healing, compassion and mercy. Thursday promises to be a day filled with challenges as the Moon in Capricorn conjunct Pluto in the early morning hours and then square Uranus in Aries and Jupiter in Libra. Thursday evening the Moon sextile Venus in Pisces, applying a balm on the heat of the last few days.

With the Sun in Aquarius, the desire for freedom and independence is very strong. Freedom of thoughts, freedom of speech and the tendency to rebel against the existing structures while also wanting to reform and bring about new and better ways of doing things. Feeling left-out of the conversation and the impression of not belonging anywhere could permeate the next month while the Sun travels in Aquarius. Themes of exile and frontiers could set us apart which in turn could create a state of disillusionment and alienation.

Take a Breather

The time preceding the New Moon is called the Dark Moon and it describes the Moon when it is invisible against the backdrop of the Sun. It is the last phase of the lunar cycle before it begins again.

Astrologically speaking, the last 3 days before the New Moon represent a time of rest, of letting go, of sorting out and making space for what is ready to begin in the upcoming month. The days leading to the New Moon are best spent nurturing and resting the body in preparation for the month ahead. One of the best way to spend the next few days, is to seek space and get out for a hike, stretch and relax. Stretch the mind, stretch the body and seek openness. The desire for change is strong but judgmental and self-righteous behaviours might be even stronger, creating division and arguments instead of unity. This can be depleting or draining instead of being productive. Use this Dark Moon period to regroup, tie-up loose ends and finish things. New ideas and new ways of doing will naturally start emerging in the process and you will be fresh and ready to tackle February which promises to be a big month.

The New Moon on January 27 at 19:07 EST is in the sign of Aquarius and its ruler Saturn in Sagittarius will be square to Venus in Pisces. This indicate tension between certain structures in our lives, our beliefs, our values and our ability (or inability) to find sweetness amidst the harshness and difficulties of these times. Feeling limited and opressed while seeking or craving beauty and exaltation. Our ability to find what brings us together (Venus) versus what divides us (Saturn) will set the tone for the month ahead. Since Aquarius is linked to innovation, perhaps now is the time to begin applying new and better ways of doing things.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
-Alan Kay

Moon in Cancer Musing

Find your sanctuary
the quiet space between
your roots 
and your heart
where the creative center reside
within the safety of yourself

There you will find the endless memories
of all who came before you
Hopes and wishes on a silver thread
will lead you back
to the treasures
of what really matters and what can be buried.

 

Painting by Aron Wiesenfeld

HADES

We will be entering some dark territories over the weekend. Our relationships will be the prime battle ground for the darkness that is trying to emerge and come into the light. Remember that precious gems are not found above ground. Keep that in mind and take a step back from whatever is happening. There is a New Moon on Monday and a definite shift for the better.

The Revenant

Live for the next 2 days: Mars in Scorpio sextile Pluto in Capricorn.

Welcome to the big league if you can handle it.

Warrior planet Mars is super strong in Scorpio and his power is doubled when backed up by Pluto.

Think: Regeneration.

Regeneration means that you are able to renew where loss has occurred AND you become stronger in the process.

Use the next few days to reaffirm your goals. There is much determination AND POWER available to us at this time.

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The image is from a novel called: The Revenant which recount the true story of adventurer and frontiersman Hugh Glass.

”With shocking grit and determination, Glass sets out, crawling at first, across hundreds of miles of uncharted American frontier after being left for dead by companions, following his mauling by a grizzly bear.”

 

The Art of Dying: Until the New

“We may idealize freedom, but when it comes to our habits, we are completely enslaved.”
―Sogyal Rinpoche

Dedication and Destination

Uranus going direct at the end of December really got us all fired up about the upcoming possibilites in our lives in the New Year. Saturn in Sagittarius ruled by Jupiter in Virgo is offering the possibility to have an organised outlook on the horizon and a good idea of the work that is required get beyond our current situation. Our faith is turning towards the satisfaction that comes with the dedicated attention of working and being useful. We could feel ambitious and work hard to see concrete results down the road. This is a great time let go of instant gratification and integrate systems in our lives that can bring a lasting legacy.

2016 starts with Mercury retrograde at 1º of Aquarius tantalising us with a glimpse of the possible future. Mercury going backward in the sign of Capricorn is like the mountain goat walking the treacherous path of a mountain side: every steps are carefully calculated. With the Sun also in Capricorn and a recent conjunction to Pluto, we could feel extremely ambitious and ready to tackle pretty much anything. Mars in Scorpio is also supporting us with the staying power and resilience needed.

The year 2016 starts with an opportunity to review our values and what we consider important. There is an emphasis on all the little things that makes up the whole. Our attention is on analysis and perspective. The small but important details and the patience required to achieve mastery. The idea here is not to become a martyr but to find greater satisfaction through dedicated awareness in our everyday actions. Negotiating a chosen path requires a little give and take at every moment as we learn to develop a more efficient strategy. Success demands effort, commitment and nerves.

NEW MOON IN CAPRICORN ☾♑︎

The New Moon is at 21:31 EST on January 9th at 19º Capricorn and is carrying with her clues about our role and responsibilities and the place we want to occupy in the grand scheme of things. There might have been some difficult realisations brought up in the recent days around our relationships and habits that no longer serves you. Since this New Moon is ruled by Saturn she brings with her an awareness of time passing and our own or others mortality.

Saturn is currently conjunct Venus which confuse work with pleasure, labour with leisure. Even more so with the square to Neptune which can act as a distraction and a desire to avoid reality all together.

Jupiter just started its retrograde motion through the sign of Virgo and will only turn direct 5 months from now. *Special attention to the nitpickers and perfectionists out there, the possibility to get lost in the never good enough labyrinth is real.

Those planetary aspects, can indicate that we are aligning our work and our beliefs into a more unified version. If only we could find the simple formula that would allow us to combine the obligations of our reality with our inner truth. There is great need to adjust what we do on a daily basis with our beliefs and vice versa. This can create a sort of cognitive dissonance if our words do not match our actions. We are learning to walk the talk and we need to let go of certain habits, situations or people who might be holding us back.

The New Moon in Capricorn supports fresh ideas and concepts that are grounded and achievable. Since Mercury is retrograde for most of January, I would suggest focusing on restructuring the systems you have in place that will allow you to become more efficient.  Favour concrete, step-by-step approach and let-go of time-wasting habits without becoming too obsessive.

Modern Vanitas by Kalico the Kat

 

We are weighed down, every moment, by the conception and the sensation of Time. And there are but two means of escaping and forgetting this nightmare: pleasure and work. Pleasure consumes us. Work strengthens us. Let us choose.
-Charles Baudelaire

 

 

 

Exposing the Abyss

Today the Sun meets up with Pluto and illuminates the depth of our debts, the dead ends and the crumbling foundations built on borrowed wealth. This is one of the big opening act of the year triggering the recent Uranus/Pluto square. The Sun/Pluto conjunction in Capricorn reflects images of environmental crisis, excessive consumerism, corruption and unsustainable economies. The Earth’s resources are being depleted for the sake of objects with a planned obsolescence. We are escaping from the natural world and into a virtual refuge where we can be heroes of our made up reality. If we can’t find peace in our physical environment we can certainly get lost in the fantasies of the stories we tell ourselves through our phones, televisions and the ever present interweb. (The ongoing Saturn/Neptune square for most of 2016 will confuse boundaries between the real and the virtual increasingly)

The Sun meeting Pluto in Capricorn to begin the year warns us that there is a price to pay for our excess as we trade the wealth of the earth for an ephemeral one. The rot is showing. Our comfort is built not only from unsustainable practices but also on the sweat and blood of millions.  Are we willing to pay the price with more wars and less water and air? Everyday we vote with the choices we make.

On a personal level, the Sun/Pluto conjunction can bring up and exposed subjects that had remain hidden until now. Digging within to find some buried treasures could be a painful and healing process all at once depending on how many secrets you keep from yourself. There could also be an underlying desire to have more personal power or control over something or someone. Awareness is the key.

Panel of hell (detail), Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1480-1505