New Moon in Aquarius Opens Lunar New Year of the Horse

Sunset                                                                                                                  Catherine Al-Meten

As the Year of the Snake winds down and the third quarter square of the Moon to the Sun has taken place (Saturday), we are moving into a place of deeper reflection. The edginess of the third quarter square resulted as whatever was needing attention in our personal and collective psyches made its way out of the dark places of our denial, shadows, or unexamined desires and conflicts.  On Thursday, January 30, 2014 the New Moon in Aquarius opens a new cycle and a new lunar new year. 

The Moon and the Sun join in the first decan of Aquarius at 10/55 degrees on Thursday. Look to see where the fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Aquarius, and Scorpio are in your chart, and that will give you some idea of the areas of your life that will be strongly affected by this New Moon. We all have these signs somewhere in our lives/chart, and when we pay attention to how  transits, including New and Full Moons affect our lives, we can gain greater understanding and take actions to cope with and take advantage of  such transits. 

Both the Sun and Mercury are already transiting Aquarius, and the New Moon awakens us on an emotional level. We recognize our thirst for knowledge, desire for greater fulfillment, and need for developing new perspectives to help us deal with outmoded thinking, and patterns of behavior that are  passé. Our need for personal freedom, independence, and innovative thinking strengthens our desire to make changes and take steps into new directions. Whatever we have been sorting through over the past year or so is finally being infused with energy to motivate, trigger, or propel us into areas where our intentions and focus now direct us. We break away from rigid structures, and find ourselves thinking outside the box for answers, direction, and support. 

Aquarius energy  takes off the blinders for us. We are lifted up to a new level of understanding, ourselves and others, as we are urged to let go of egocentric holds we have on others. We are capable of seeing not only our own life choices, but also those of others, from a new perspective, with greater tolerance and acceptance as we realize our position in life is due to our own choices. Letting go of those we have trapped in our own perceptions and need to connect, allows us to break out of unhealthy and lifeless connections. All facades, masks, and outlived aspects of our identity now break up, and whatever complexes have driven, blocked, or distorted our view of how others ‘should’ or ‘should not’ treat us, begin to crumble. When we fail to see how we are repeating patterns that no longer fit for our stage of life or level of maturity, we either find once again, the tests arise to challenge what we say we are trying to change, release, or stop allowing to govern our thinking and behavior. 

Mercury’s transit of Aquarius propels us to seek and find that which has eluded us before now. Again, our thinking goes beyond the normal boundaries, boxes, and limitations that we or others attempt to use to control energy, activity, and the willfulness of others. No one is free from the need to control, and Mercury’s Aquarius transit shows us where we are in need of finding resolve and  inner strength through greater clarity. We must be honest with ourselves, and face that in us which rejects, projects on others, or places the responsibility for our present emotional state on anyone but ourselves. Where am I attempting to control others through my own needs, and how am I avoiding seeing the truth of who I am and what I need to learn about getting along with others.  

Aquarius energy seems to bring our emotional children to the surface, for us to see how we are in need of identifying how we allow the shadow elements, the undeveloped or suppressed aspects of our identity, to take us down dark paths or direct our attention into areas where we are fighting losing battles---primarily with ourselves. Thinking must change; communication now is full of ideas, expressions of outrage or disappointment, as well as cries for help, support, and full disclosure of what is really at the heart of our sorrows, anger, frustrations, or unfulfilled desires. We are in search of answers, wherever that may take us. 

With Aquarius energy, we are more prone to throw off the old and jump into something new, sometimes just for the sake of taking a stand or avoiding further confrontations. This may not be the most helpful choice, for allowing ourselves the emotional catharsis that comes with feeling our feelings, helps us live more consciously aware of how we are affected by our past. When complexes begin breaking up, we may need more guidance and help, and find that we will be seeking answers and new ways to grow, heal, and confront that which is calling for attention. Not the time to go it alone, as that is a sign that we resisting assistance and help, and digging ourselves into a deeper hole. 

With the Sun, Mercury, and the Moon now coming together in Aquarius, we can be assured that what needs to come to the surface will come to us one way or another, and we will discover, in unconventional and surprising ways, that we know what we need to do, and will shorten the transition when we see our life unfolding as it is meant to be. Mercury is in the 29th degree of Aquarius on the day of the New Moon. The anaretic degree is the degree of completion, finalization, epiphanies, and awakenings. Coming as it does on a New Moon in Aquarius and the start of  the New Lunar New Year, all the releasing, growing, and shedding we have been doing during the last year, now frees us to soar. 

On Friday, Mercury dives into the waters of Pisces and goes underneath our psyches to flow through into the deeper levels of our consciousness. Before that time, expect something to fall away, die of natural causes, or simply cease to be important. Mercury in Aquarius has been freeing up space for deeper and more rewarding connections. Mercury in Pisces will allow for deeper, more creative, imaginative, and more sensual forms of communication. Our intuition will be heightened, and our connections will grow from the depths  of our heart and soul. 

Venus and Pluto in Capricorn remain in close conjunction at 13 and 12 degrees respectively. Venus is nearly at the end of her 40-day retrograde cycle, and  we are deep in the heart of connecting to those areas of our lives where we need to grow in love, relationship, and in our ability and willingness to give and receive love. 

On Sunday, January 26, Mercury in Aquarius forms a semi-square to Uranus in Aries creating a somewhat jarring effect in our thinking. Fire and Air flame the fires but do little to bring peace, serenity, and harmony to our thinking.  The shadow side of this may be letting our tempers simmer over, being critical and spiteful, or harping and complaining to ourselves or those around us.  Like crows cawing and fighting over bread crumbs strewn on the ground, we find no peace when we give in to this kind of emotional energy.  Channel your frustrations, anger, or edginess into some small, manageable tasks or activities. Avoid pushing the limits or straining your body or mind.  Take tangible steps to nourish yourself with light but nutricious  meals, and get plenty of rest. Clean up your environment, slow down and do some breath work or meditation. Make a God jar, and write out your problems, and then fill the jar and symbolically let the issues go. Continue taking small and meaningful steps to clear out and clean up for the transitional period ahead.

Mercury also semi-square Pluto in Capricorn, may add to the anxiety and deep-seated angst on Sunday. Stress, lack of trust, and ongoing issues related to feeling at home with ourselves and our environment, now make us want to dig deeper to discover what we can change or do to restore some level of security and balance in our lives. The answers may not be readily available; the search however is of paramount importance to some today. Again, rushing, pushing, or banging our heads against brick walls results in deeper frustration and very little resolution. Instead, channel the thoughts, energy, emotions into creative or cathartic channels. Avoid projecting our own issues onto others either through blaming or complaining, or through trying to fix everyone else’s ‘business’--not your job today unless you are able to support, serve, or be present for someone else without feeling the need to fix them or figure them out. Those are not questions you can do anything about. 

From Sunday until Tuesday night, the Moon is transiting Sagittarius, adding more emotional fuel to the fires that are smoldering or burning out of control. From Tuesday night through Thursday, the Moon grounds our emotions in its passage through Capricorn. On Tuesday, the Moon squares Uranus in Aries, semi-squares Mercury and conjuncts Pluto, both in Capricorn, and opposes Jupiter in Libra before it conjuncts Venus. Needless to say, the Moon most affects our emotional and physical bodies. We watch as the tides rise and fall, within us, in our waters, and in our emotional and psychic energies. Whenever we are preparing for or are anticipating major changes, we begin sensing and receiving information from our intuitive minds and our physical and emotional senses. 

What is Rising to the Surface? Notice what is rising up within you, and what is happening with those around you and the general collective consciousness of your community, the environment, and the universal ethos of the planet.  Just before going to bed late Tuesday night, Mercury semi-square Pluto may weigh us down with heavy thoughts, or conflicts we are not able to release easily.  Establishing some kind of bedtime ritual, and avoiding late night conflicts, negative input, or energizing and arousing influences, aids in releasing toxins and anything that we are hanging onto at the end of the day.

In the middle of the night on Wednesday, the Sun’s sextile to Uranus in Aries,  may bring us flashes of insight in dreams or may trigger a sudden deepening of some level of awareness that allows you to process some  of the harsher or more difficult energy of earlier in the day. Mercury also forms a sesquiquadrate with Jupiter, turning garbage into gifts in some deep, unconscious level of communication. May be  an overload of information and stimuli. Be receptive to guidance, changes of perspective, or  some form of a personal revelation. 

You are likely to wake up in a better mood than the one you had when you went to bed. Imagination is running wild. Head off allowing yourself to fall into the trap of letting energy pull you down. Counter negativity with positive practices and by recognizing that much negativity arises from our fears and insecurity.   

Again Wednesday night, the Moon in Capricorn squares Mars just before midday, a very strong type of energy that affects us emotionally more than anything else. This happens just after the Moon squares Saturn, so we look to see how the lessons we are learning now are showing up as actions, changes, or sudden emotional insight.  Thursday the Moon enters Aquarius in the afternoon, ushering in the Lunar New Year of the Horse.

Mercury semi-square to Venus in the middle of the night on Thursday may lead to dreams or middle of the night epiphanies over issues, problems, and the dynamics of significant relationships that affect our experiences of loving and being loved.  As the new lunar year celebrations begin on Friday morning, Jupiter in Cancer opposes Pluto in Capricorn. We may feel ready to burst forth with new ideas, activities, and head off in new directions, however, we are likely also to meet with some resistance from those who misunderstand or disagree with our viewpoints, opinions, or direction. 

Be forewarned: temper your opinions, tread lightly, and accept the fact that you are not going to change anyone else nor are you likely to curry favor and gain acceptance or respect by railroading others in reaction to differences of opinion or conflicts over methodology, philosophy, or beliefs. When we are so wrapped up in what we want and in looking at the world through the lens of our own perceptions without regard for others, we are likely to run into opposition and also likely to lose power, position, and the authority we seek. Jupiter in Cancer emphasizes the importance of considering our security needs and overall health (body, mind, spirit, and emotions) when we make decisions and when we interact with others. Be respectful, and maybe ask yourself why you are pushing too hard about some things that might if you eased up and took a break from all the emotional push. 

Mercury enters Pisces early Friday (middle of the night), so watch for a shift of energy in our dreams, deepening of our sleep, and infusing us with  a lighter and more imaginative kind of energy. Direction change, movement picks up speed, and we may look back and wonder, what took so long?

Venus Stations Direct on Friday mid morning, signaling the movement in her orbit from retrograde. For the last 40 days Venus’ orbit has taken us on an introspective journey into the areas of our lives that pertain to how we enter into, maintain, and grow in relationships and in love. As this happens as the New Moon and Lunar New Year begin, this indicates a very auspicious shift in the way we look at ourselves in relationship and in how we love and are loved. Venus’ journey through Capricorn continues now, making her way back over old territory, but with greater and deeper awareness of the dynamics of love, connection, and relationship as it manifests in how we live, and work, and understand our purpose in life.

Finally, the week ends with the Sun in Aquarius quincunx Jupiter in Cancer. We are in the first stages of making changes, adjustments, and of maneuvering through the rapids of new and exciting territory. We open up to new experiences, and move forward to meet the challenges as we temper our expectations with a great deal of hard-earned insight and understanding about what it is we really need, desire, and are meant fulfill as our life purpose.