|
|
 © Alessia Giangrande | Dreamstime.com
The flavor of the New Moon at 2° 34′ Capricorn on 24 December 2011, 10:07 AM PST is decidedly cardinal earth – controlled, traditional and determined. The fire and flourish of Sagittarius is put firmly behind us under this lunation with only Mercury remaining in the previous sign.
This is a good time to take another look at Capricorn and remember it is a receptive/feminine earth sign whose natural inclination is to be responsive. In the northern hemisphere this is the time of year when nature is resting and the landscape appears serene. However there is plenty going on beneath the snow and ice in the fertile soil where nutrients are being broken down to prepare for the spring growth spurt. The god Pan is associated with Capricorn and he rules the deep forests and mountains where we can easily lose our way if we don’t stay calm and focused. Traditions can be useful guides as we forge ahead.
The Capricorn New Moon is an excellent time to sit down and look inward to lay the groundwork for the coming year. The trine from Jupiter in fertile Taurus is still in effect and will get a boost on Christmas Day when it stations direct. Taurus strongly favors putting together a solid, consistent plan before taking the first step – something Capricorn favors too. I realize not everyone will be able to ignore that electrifying square to the New Moon from Uranus in Aries, so just do your best to incorporate the driving energy without going overboard. Please keep in mind jumping into a new situation too quickly is not a good idea at this time because you could end up jumping back out just as fast . . . a huge waste of time and resources, something Capricorn frowns on.
There are a couple of semi-sextiles of interest: Sun-Moon in Capricorn semi-sextile Venus in Aquarius and Mercury in Sagittarius semi-sextile Pluto in Capricorn. When it comes to love and romance, Capricorn prefers to take it slow and, at least in public, behave with decorum. Aquarius likes open relationships with plenty of opportunities to experiment. I recommend following Capricorn’s rules in public and Aquarius’s urges in private. 
Anytime Mercury brushes up against Pluto it can mean obsession time. Sagittarius is fond of being right and Pluto in Capricorn is willing to take this waaaay too far. If you want to still be on speaking terms with your friends and family after the holidays, squelch the need to be right for now. Good time to practice your active listening skills?
Read my take on the Solstice to learn about the wonderful Saturn in Libra trine to Neptune in Aquarius!
Even though Mars in Virgo is unaspected, it is still the “handle” planet of a Bucket Pattern and consequently gains a great deal of influence. Thankfully Virgo’s willingness to handle all the important details without much fanfare feeds nicely into the planning mode of this New Moon in earthy Capricorn.
Slow down, relax and breathe in the possibilities, always present on the New Moon. Take time to enjoy celebrating with friends and family and hold off on making big changes for now. This is a perfect time to feed your unconscious and let it do its work. Have a fantastic Christmas!
On a personal note: The New Moon falls in my second house semi-sextile my natal Venus in Sagittarius, making it even more important to reflect on what I truly value. Jupiter is poised once more on the cusp of my sixth house, so the trine between the New Moon and Jupiter links two of my earth houses. With a little luck and some careful planning I may start to see improving income in the months ahead.
Chiron in Pisces in my third house of communications is sextile both the New Moon and Jupiter . . . reminding me to take care in my writing to uplift rather than tear down.
 © Dean Pennala | Dreamstime.com
The second of a pair of eclipses, the Full Moon at 18° 11′ Gemini on 10 December 2011, 6:37 AM PST will either encourage wisdom and generosity of spirit or overblown rhetoric full of hot air and righteousness. Lunar eclipses always are aligned with the Moon’s Nodes, bringing into focus both the best and worst of both signs involved.
Ceres in Pisces and Mars in Virgo both square the lunar axis though those two do not and will not form an exact opposition. Mars squaring the Luminaries makes for a testy atmosphere where people may be quick to take offense. Please watch your step and your tongue if you are out shopping for gifts in crowded stores. Ceres in sensitive Pisces has an earnest desire to help those in emotional crisis but there is a good chance she will be overly sensitive now and make matters worse instead of helping sooth tangled emotions.
And then there is Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius, making it much, much more tempting to shoot one’s mouth off in righteous indignation – usually without checking the facts first. Foot in mouth disease is going to run rampant on this lunation! Helping Mercury do this are several aspects: a semi-sextile to hardcore Pluto in Capricorn, a square to Chiron in Pisces (see above), a trine to “shoot first and ask questions later” Uranus in Aries and an inconjunct to Sagittarius’s ruler, Jupiter in stodgy Taurus. We may win the battle but lose the war. Please, please take lots and lots of time to think before speaking or risk alienating your nearest and dearest. After all, it is our loved ones who usually end up on the receiving end, isn’t it?
Fire, air and earth dominate the sky with only Chiron and Ceres in Pisces serving as water’s representatives creating a hot, dry, arid atmosphere. Sensitivity to other people’s feelings may be noticeably lacking. Cancer and Pisces folk are the ones most likely to suffer under these conditions and make themselves scarce as a result. Scorpio, who is much better equipped to defend themselves, will not only strike back on their own behalf but defend others as well.
Uranus in Aries stations direct just hours before this Full Moon at zero degrees. Those of you who have planets and Angles at 0 to 1 degrees in the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) will receive one last blast of this extremely potent energy. Think back to March of this year and what was set into motion at that time and brace prepare yourself for more of the same. For better or worse, this is the last time Uranus will visit the critical degree point in Aries for many, many years.
Don’t worry, there are a couple of bright spots too. *grin* A lovely, soothing trine between Mars in Virgo and Venus in Capricorn will encourage lovers to offer tangible expressions of love and affection. Perhaps a nice meal and wonderful foot massage after a long day of shopping? The waxing trine between Saturn in Libra and Neptune in Aquarius is also super for demonstrating warmth and caring in tangible ways, not only to those closest to us but to others in need of food, shelter and clothing during the holiday season. Be generous with your time as well as making donations of all kinds to your favorite charities.
Eclipses have a way of doing really odd things to our sense of time and generally turning our lives inside out for an extended period of time both before and after they occur. Mercury Retrograde overlapping both our current eclipses makes this a very poor time to make critical decisions about future directions. We literally may not know whether we are coming or going. For now I suggest we concentrate on behaving with kindness and courtesy towards all we come in contact with, reserve judgment if at all possible and play nice with the other children!
On a personal note: Mercury Retch is trudging back through my first house and the Nodal Axis is within a degree of my natal Nodes, just in reversed signs. Perhaps these transits will help me figure out a better way to interact with the world at large . . . lots of re-thinking in any case. Mars in Virgo exactly conjoins my Midheaven for the first of three passes on this lunation and gives me an abundance of energy to pour into practical and career decisions. Saturn in Libra is steadily approaching my Chiron-Sun conjunction in Libra and here’s hoping the trine from Neptune in Aquarius will actually prove helpful for a change.
It looks like it is my public face and persona that will be getting the most attention as a result of these eclipses. Interesting . . .
 © Diane Lang
This could very well be the most positive, dynamic New Moon of the year at 2° 37′ Sagittarius on 24 November 2011, 10:09 PM PST due to a trine from Uranus in wild-eyed Aries and an inconjunct from Sagittarius’s ruler, Jupiter in cautious Taurus. We get extra razzle dazzle from this lunation because it is a Solar Eclipse, the first of a pair followed by a Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Gemini on 10 December.
One thing I’m sure of is this New Moon will inspire people everywhere to get out and get moving. Coming so close on the heels of the Sun leaving introspective Scorpio for outgoing, genial Sagittarius, the urge to explore wide open spaces is very strong. Sagittarius likes to laugh and enjoy life without constantly examining one’s motivations. I often have the sense of being released from confinement at this particular juncture.
I’m not kidding about the wild-eyed, manic energy Uranus will generate when added to the mix. The only factor slowing this show down some is Jupiter in deliberate Taurus – part of a Grand Trine with Pluto in controlling Capricorn and a meticulous Mars in Virgo. Fire and air signs dominate with only these three planets in earth, translating into plenty of hot air. There is great potential here for generating brilliant ideas and if we remember to always build from the ground up, it may be possible to sort out the best of those ideas and bring them into manifestation. If generous doses of common sense aren’t applied, those dreams will fade into nothingness like fairy gold.
Saturn in Libra makes a waxing trine to Neptune in Aquarius and a sextile to Venus in Sagittarius – a winning combination for creative types everywhere. The combination of inspiration, appreciation of beauty and grace plus the willingness to work hard to make it all come together is unbeatable. Artists, musicians, writers of all kinds and ordinary folks coming up with original ideas for holiday gifts all get a big kiss on this New Moon.
An interesting aspect is the exact sextile between Jupiter in Taurus and Chiron in Pisces. Chiron in Pisces is very, very hard to pin down. It yearns for the transformative spiritual experience but can end up wallowing in self-deluding behaviors and denial. In theory Jupiter in well grounded Taurus can help keep the worst of this Chiron’s tendency to wander off the edge in check. However, Jupiter is also noted for exaggerating existing conditions. Those with planets and Angles at 0-1 in the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) will be affected the most by these two planets.
I suppose I need to mention the fact Mercury in Sagittarius is retrograde on this lunation. It stations retrograde about 24 hours before to the New Moon and won’t be stationing direct until 13 December. It is the loose cannon in this chart making no close aspects to any other planet. I wince to think of all the unvarnished opinions being aired during this particular Mercury Retch.
This New Moon happens to coincide with Thanksgiving Day here in the USA. For those who celebrate by watching football and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade it will be a grand time. Fire and air sign folk will be full of energy, enthusiasm and have plenty to talk about. Earth sign people will be thankful for the great food and drink whilst water signs everywhere will probably head out the door for a long walk to help settle their meal and seek a little solitude.
In the days leading up to this powerful New Moon, it would be a good idea to organize your thoughts and put together a solid plan, ready for launch. The New Moon is considered the best time to start something new and this one has this quality with bells on. Look to the house this New Moon falls in to help determine what aspect of your life can benefit the most. Or if you want . . . just have lots and lots of fun having a good time with friends and family!
On a personal note: At this point I have no real idea of how I want to capitalize on this New Moon but since it exactly conjoins my natal first house Venus in Sagittarius, I better get serious figuring out where to direct the buzz! I do anticipate feeling charged up and very chatty. I also have no idea how many people I will be feeding turkey and the trimmings to either. LOL
The small triangle of Saturn in Libra, Venus in Sagittarius and Neptune in Aquarius directs its creative drive to my Libra Sun. That I’m really looking forward to! Exciting times.
 © Marilyn Barbone | Dreamstime.com
There is a feeling of disconnect between the Full Moon at 18° 05′ Taurus on 10 November 2011, 12:16 PM PST and what is going on in the rest of the chart for this lunation.
For those with planets and Angles from 15° to 20° in the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) that connect with the Taurus-Scorpio lunar axis, the rich, deeply sensual energy will dominate and they will enjoy this lunation. Tactual pleasures rather than intellectual ones will be more rewarding and spending time in silence will prove relaxing. Avoid loud, noisy places and raucous debates if you can. If you enjoy music, choose something peaceful and soothing rather than edgy and stimulating.
If you have plenty of fire in your charts, Mercury and Venus are conjoined in outgoing Sagittarius and ready to talk around the clock. The catch has to do with Venus being Taurus’s ruler and in a sign inconjunct to Taurus creating a sharp dissonance. Sagittarius generally regards Taurus as a stick in the mud and Taurus sees Sagittarius as footloose and lacking a sense of duty to the status quo. My guess is natal charts has more fire and air, will be able to tune this out and go on their merry way and vice versa for those with earth and water. It is those caught between the two who will need to consciously decide what appeals the most.
Then there is Mars in Leo opposing Neptune in Aquarius and Chiron in Pisces. The message here involves keep a close eye out for people who leech energy from others. If you know people who always leave you feeling drained after even a short conversation, these sorts are the ones to avoid. If you have planets and Angles from 28° to 1° maintain vigilance in this regard. Contributing to this opposition is an inconjunct from Uranus in Aries to Mars in Leo, suggesting it might be the unexpected encounter we need to watch out for. I would like to note Mars in Leo is the handle of a Bucket Pattern meaning there is an inclination to make life swing around some special activity, which is characterized and controlled by Mars.
The Jupiter-Pluto trine is still in effect but beginning to fade for now. Still favors making sound financial choices though. The orbs connecting Saturn in Libra to the Mars-Neptune opposition are just a little too wide for me though Saturn may be able to keep the worst effects of that opposition in check. One can hope.
What all this boils down to is how the planets on this Full Moon in Taurus aspect your natal chart. That will make a big difference in your personal experience. In general we are better off staying with the tried and true because of the fixed sign preponderance. It certainly won’t hurt to treat others with respect and consideration and to think before speaking . . . just saying.
On a personal note: The closest aspect of this lunation to my chart is an exact sextile of Mars in Leo to my Sun. The Mercury-Venus conjunction is in my first house and the Sun in Scorpio is within a couple of degrees of my Mars. Overall, I’d say I get a nice shot of energy out of this one with little downside. Sounds good to me!
 © Timhesterphotography | Dreamstime.com
We will have opportunities on this New Moon at 3° 39′ Scorpio on 26 October 2011, 12:56 PM PDT to remember why Scorpio deals with rebirth and regeneration rather the darker side of life often associated with the eighth sign of the zodiac. Please recall the many wonderful healers and caregivers born with Scorpio prominent in their charts also.
Jupiter in fecund Taurus sits opposite the New Moon and Pluto (Scorpio’s ruler) in Capricorn adds richness and diversity via a supportive sextile. This is a very fruitful time to develop new ideas and set plans into motion though it might be awhile before these new seeds start to sprout. The more care you take setting your priorities and making sure you have everything you need to see your project through to fruition the better. We’re talking Capricorn and Taurus who both keep a VERY close eye on the bottom line and Scorpio is no slouch in that department either.
How do we determine what we value – the tangible or intangible? If tangible, does it have to do with monetary value? We may have the perfect opportunity to explore this area on this New Moon with its combination of a preponderance of fixed signs and planets in earth and water signs. In general, the trine between Jupiter in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn comes down firmly on the tangible side and this is no bad thing. We need to make sure basic needs are met before haring off to save the world or retreat from it altogether in a search for inner peace and harmony. A little healthy pragmatism is very much in keeping with the Scorpio New Moon and Mercury conjoined Venus in Scorpio. Scorpio tends to be very clear about only fighting battles it can win . . . unlike Aries, the Don Quixote of the zodiac.
Something else to keep in mind is the futility of persuading others to change their opinions right now though with Mars in flamboyant Leo squaring the Mercury-Venus conjunction in Scorpio, we’ll probably make the attempt anyway. I’m just saying it will likely be a complete waste of time, energy and money because minds are made up and that’s that! Furthermore Saturn in Libra is exactly semi-sextile Mercury-Venus causing people to see their position as the most fair and equitable one. Like I said . . . waste of time.
Speaking of Mercury conjunct Venus in Scorpio, this pairing will withdraw rather than confront. If it was aggressive Mars conjunct Mercury, you would probably have a fight on your hands but that’s not Venus’s style, she is receptive rather assertive. Scorpio is noted for pulling their energy back when irritated with someone so be prepared for plenty of “no comments” or people flat disappearing when confronted. Strive to be kind, thoughtful and non-judgmental in your communications for best results.
Mars in Leo does have support from a sextile to Saturn in Libra. What this suggests to me is people will respond favorably to those who trot out their best manners and play by the rules. No pushing, shoving or swearing to get your way allowed. The most effective plan of action will take into account what each individual has to offer and utilize that as fairly as possible.
Uranus in Aries does have a say in what happens on this New Moon, mostly by being an irritant. Whether that will be productive or simply annoying is up to the individuals involved. Neptune in Aquarius is sitting this one out, all to the good in my opinion because there will be less confusion.
As long as we allow others to have their opinions, this New Moon is one of the most pleasant we’ve had in quite awhile. It is perfect for generating ideas and putting together plans for long term projects as well as learning about patience and delayed gratification. The art of non-verbal communication is another skill this is a wonderful time to practice and very much needed when so many use texting instead of meeting face to face.
Celebrate the rebirth of possibilities and Life!
On a personal note: I get the full effect of the Mars in Leo square Mercury-Venus in Scorpio because the latter conjoins my natal Mercury-Mars conjunction in Scorpio. I have a choice between going with Mars and using the knife or withdrawing my energy and input altogether. Or perhaps using a combination . . . meh.
The New Moon is within a few degrees of my twelfth house Jupiter in Scorpio with Jupiter in Taurus opposing natal Jupiter from the sixth house. Looks like I will be reviewing my best options of how I may best serve others whilst simultaneously making sure my needs are met. Finding a healthy balance here is essential for accomplishing what I need to do in the months ahead. With Pluto in Capricorn in my second house continuing to pare away the non-essentials, hopefully there will a breakthrough regarding income and financial concerns in general. One of the key components for serving others is to be able to free up the resources to do so. If every scrap of time and energy is going to keep food on the table and a roof over one’s head, it is very hard to help others isn’t it? Anyway, that’s what I’m thinking about these days.
|
|
