NEXT MOON UPDATE: Be sure to watch for the next Moon Update, which will be coming out on Friday, December 29. I will cover (1) the Full Moon on January 1, 2018, (2) an overview of the major astrological events occurring in 2018, and (3) the year 2018 from a numerological perspective.
In the Pacific Time Zone, the New Moon will occur at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 17. This New Moon finds the Moon and Sun in conjunction (0°) at 27° of Sagittarius. To further clarify how this New Moon will impact you on a personal level, locate 27° of Sagittarius in your birth/natal chart. The issues associated with that house are going to be most influenced by this New Moon’s presence.
New Moons always provide us with opportunities for new emotional starts in the areas associated with the sign involved. New Moons in Sagittarius usually bring in a lighter than usual energy, filled with idealism and optimism. This is a playful time, and we need to surrender and allow our inner child to have some fun! We would do well to find ways to bring some laughter and lightness into our lives, which is excellent timing given it occurs right before or during many religious and secular holidays around the world. It’s a nice way to “kick off” the holiday season.
Sag is a fire sign in the mutable modality. Fire brings passion and energy, and the mutable energy supports our ability to adjust and flow with any changes that occur. Actually, we will be experiencing a great deal of fire and mutable energies at the time of this New Moon because the Sun and Moon are conjunct (0°) Venus and Saturn in Sag. These four planets are close enough to form an astrological configuration called a stellium. A stellium means that (a) the energy of all the planets contained within the stellium are magnified and (b) the importance of the sign involved is also amplified.
And we can’t forget that Mercury retrograde is also in Sagittarius, which likely means that our inward focus will involve exploring Sag-related topics, such as our goals, visions for the future, morals, and personal truth. Saturn is located in the last degree of Sagittarius (29°) within the stellium. The 29th degree of any sign is very powerful. It’s like the planet at that location is being given a “last chance” to “do the work” of that sign before moving onto the next one. (See more on Saturn later in this Moon Update.) Venus’s involvement in the stellium encourages us to expand our understanding about how sensual pleasures and pursuing our desires can bring us closer to our spiritual goals. It may also bring opportunities for pleasant social adventures, although we still need to make sure that we have adequate “alone time” to do the inner searching required by Mercury retrograde.
Additionally, Chiron in Pisces will be squaring (90°) the Sun, Moon, Saturn, and Venus at the time of the New Moon. Pisces is another mutable sign, so this adds to the abundant mutable energy. Chiron, the healer, is asking us to look at what we need to change within ourselves in order to maintain that Sagittarian optimism as we move toward our goals. Chiron in Pisces often means that our healing journey could involve intense emotions; and in order to heal, we may need to deal with some events in our past. The most effective use of the Piscean energy is to move toward compassion, faith, trust, acceptance, and emotional healing. We also need to remember that in order to heal our emotional wounds, we must feel our feelings and not use defense mechanisms to quiet them (e.g., withdrawal, denial, victimization, addictions).
It should be emphasized that with all the mutable energy swirling around us, we need to all be flexible. By trusting and allowing Spirit to guide our next step, the energy of the Sagittarian archer will be supported in shooting his/her arrow up into the cosmos, allowing it to explore new territories, and then come back to us bearing great insights and spiritual wisdom. However, because Mercury is in retrograde, this exploration will likely be best supported by focusing our attention inward. Activities such as meditation, journaling, creative endeavors, or walking in nature can be helpful.
Those same four planets in the stellium (i.e., Sun, Moon, Saturn, Venus) are also trining (120°) Uranus in Aries (another fire sign). Uranus is all about change, and a trine always provides supportive energy. The fiery energy of Aries and Sag may cause us to feel ready to physically and/or emotionally start something new or we might receive some insights “out of the blue.” But in order to tap into Uranus’s energy, we need to stay flexible and adaptable, which is reinforced by all the mutable energy. We also need to not resist change when it presents itself.
Right after this New Moon, a major astrological event occurs. Saturn leaves Sagittarius on Wednesday, December 20, and moves into Capricorn, where it will remain for almost 3 years. Saturn has been in Sagittarius since December 2014. During this time, we were being asked to make sure our efforts were aligned with our personal ideals, values, and integrity. We may have faced some important issues regarding what we see as the “truth” for ourselves, which may not have matched the truth of those around us or even the society in which we are living. We also may have begun the process of formulating a new dream or vision for our future, which could have required eliminating any beliefs that might have blocked our forward progress.
And now, Saturn makes the profound shift into Capricorn, which will influence us individually and on a global level. Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn, so it’s very happy to be back on its home turf. After all this visioning while in Sagittarius, Saturn in Cap is now ready to take action on those dreams. Capricorn is an earth sign, so we will now begin the process of bringing those new visions of the future into fruition in practical ways. In order to do all this, the next couple of years will likely involve being disciplined and taking on new responsibilities. In some areas of our lives, we may be ready to let go of what hasn’t been working and start over.
The next day (Thursday, December 21) is when the Sun moves into Capricorn, marking the official start to winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere (i.e., the Solstice). During the month-long transit of the Sun through Capricorn, we all tend to become more responsible and ambitious. We want to complete things so we can feel a sense of accomplishment; or at the very least, we want to make significant progress toward a long-term goal. To do this, we are more willing than usual to work within standard procedures or rules, take on new responsibilities, and recognize and respect the need for order and organization.
Whatever is happening astrologically on the day of the Winter (or Summer) Solstice is believed to predict (in a broad way) what might happen during the next three months. The most telling aspect occurring on Thursday, December 21, is that the Sun will be in a very close conjunct (0°) with Saturn. Over the next three months, many of us may find that we need to clarify what practical accomplishments we want to achieve and then use discipline and maturity to move toward those goals. This is a time when we will all be asked to “get real,” get organized, and get down to work. This could lead to feeling overworked, although we will likely feel disinclined to slow down. It should also be noted that this 3-month period may not be the best time to start something new. Instead, this is an excellent time to finish up old projects or commitments to make room for what is coming up later in 2018 (lots of transformation!).
Then right before the Christmas holiday on Saturday, December 23, Mercury will go direct in Sagittarius and will remain in lighthearted Sag until January 12. If we’ve been doing the inner work of reviewing our values, beliefs, and ideals, then we will have increased clarity by the end of the month. As with all Mercury retrograde periods, it may take a few days before it picks up speed, but we should all experience increasingly clear communication and have to deal with fewer “snafus” in our lives. We will also find we are better able to tap into the full range of advantages provided to us when Mercury is in Sagittarius, which includes exploring our interest in a wide range of subjects, feeling more optimistic, and experiencing increased faith.
On Sunday, December 24, Venus leaves Sagittarius and moves into Capricorn, where it will remain until January 19. Having Venus in Cap can herald a time when we get serious about our relationships, desires, and finances. It’s a good time for business partnerships due to positive relationships with co-workers. We may even form connections with someone who will support our ambitions in some way. During this time, we prefer to form long-standing relationships that are based on being reliable, responsible, and practical.
A conjunction (0°) between Venus and Saturn (the ruler of Capricorn) the next day (Monday, December 25) reinforces the need for seriousness in our relationships. Unfortunately, this may lead to some disappointments that for those getting together with family and/or friends on Christmas Day. This aspect can produce an emotional “coolness” that doesn’t quite match our often-idealized vision for that special day. But if we know about it in advance, then we can manage our expectations. The best possible use of this aspect is that it can help us gain a clearer perspective on people’s intentions, including our own. In fact, this may be the day when we gain clarity regarding whether (a) we are ready to solidify a commitment or (b) a relationship has run its course.
One final astrological event is worth noting before the end of 2017. On Wednesday, December 27, Mars will be in a supportive trine (120°) to Neptune. Mars will bring energy and courage to any creative endeavors. We may also be able to take actions that are very aligned with our spiritual goals and life purpose. This aspect supports us in being brave enough to take steps toward our dreams. Our intuition will be very active, and it’s a good day to go have some fun and let Spirit guide us toward our next adventure.
Overall, this New Moon is bringing in an influx of Sagittarius, fire, and mutable energy into our lives, which we can tap into by consciously staying lighthearted, adaptable, and flexible. We have the opportunity to open our minds and hearts to new possibilities and potentialities. However, we do need to be careful not to miss signs that we aren’t taking “reality” into consideration. Idealism is fine, as long as we don’t become blind to signals from the Divine that we may need to slow down, reconsider, or revamp, all of which is consistent with the fact that Mercury is still in retrograde at the time of the New Moon. With Saturn moving into Capricorn just two days after this New Moon, we are being reminded that our visions can become reality but only if we are practical, responsible, and resourceful. So remember, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world!” (Joel Arthur Barker)
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THIS BLOG POST WAS WRITTEN BY
- Anne Reith, Ph.D. (AnneReith.com)
- For information about Dr. Reith’s downloadable ebooks and meditations, feel free to visit her online Store
SOME INFORMATION TAKEN FROM
- The Mountain Astrologer (magazine)
- Various online sources (e.g., www.cafeastrology.com)
REMINDER
- New Moons and Full Moons often influence us for the 3 days before and 3 days after the actual event.
NEW MOON
New Moon at 27° of Sagittarius
- Sunday, December 17, 2017, 10:30 p.m. PST
- Monday, December 18, 2017, 1:30 a.m. EST
- Monday, December 18, 2017, 6:30 a.m. GMT