New Moon in Aquarius and Chinese New Year of the Sheep

   (Painting by Tammy Heintz)

Current Planets Sunday

18-Jan-2015, 15:24 UT/GMT

Sun 28 Capricorn 12'15" 20s31

Moon 1 Capricorn 59'46" 18s29

Mercury 16 Aquarius 15'36" 15s36

Venus 18 Aquarius 47'37" 16s42

Mars 4 Pisces 51'35" 10s37

Jupiter 20 Leo 3'51"r 15n40

Saturn 2 Sagittarius 30' 3" 18s44

Uranus 12 Aries 53'54" 4n30

Neptune 5 Pisces 53' 0" 10s02

Pluto 13 Capricorn 46'35" 20s36

TrueNode 13 Libra 16' 8"r 5s14

Chiron 14 Pisces 29'53" 1s54

(From Astrodienst.com)

The next week promises to unfold as a critical and crucial time for much-needed and long-awaited change. With the New Moon and Sun aligned at 0 degrees of Aquarius, and the Chinese New Year of the Green Wooden Sheep beginning, it is time to be open to positive and healthy changes. 

The Sun’s transit through Capricorn is nearing its end. Early in the week, on January 20, the Sun enters Aquarius. Mercury and Venus are already occupying Aquarius, Mercury at 16/59 Aquarius and Venus at 18/47—forming a conjunction between the planet of Love and Beauty and the planet that rules communications. On Tuesday, January 20, the New Moon in Aquarius ushers us into a lunar phase beginning at 4:43 A.M. GMT/8:43 PM PST in the evening of  January 29. As the Sun slips into airy Aquarius and the New Moon sits in the shadows, we head over the threshold into a time of innovative and unexpected changes and surprises. 

The Sun and Moon at 0 degrees Aquarius, allow us to feel the full spectrum of this Aquarius transit. When the New Moon and the Sun align at 0 degrees of a sign, a new beginning is indicated. The contemporary ruler of Aquarius, Uranus and the ancient ruler Saturn, highlight the polemics we are faced with at this new beginning. On one had, Uranus in Aries forces the issue, making us more aware than usual, of what needs to change and how. Things happen suddenly and unexpectedly, and challenge how we generally approach transition in our lives. Saturn, the Great Teacher can be a slow learner, but with the energy of Saturn in Sagittarius now, combined with the influence of Uranus, we are ready to take the leap and make some major changes. 

Uranus in Aries sits atop the lunar South Node releasing us from the need to hang on and continue in unfulfilling or fruitless experiences, relationships, or directions. Decisions that we may have been afraid to take, now seem more likely to happen. While there may be some conflict, we approach change with an element of grace, compromise, and compassionate cooperation. Saturn in Sagittarius, having transited deeply into Scorpio (the unknown, the unconscious, the heart of hearts), now releases into actions, energy that we can direct in our choices, decisions, and direction.  Part of what is happening is that we are now able to see more clearly, how our past choices and experiences have prepared us for the gateway that is opening now. We have reached a point of resolve, resolution, and now feel ourselves released from karmic debts and old patterns of behavior and commitments. Whether or not you believe that the soul continues healing, learning, and growing, surely within any one lifetime we are given many opportunities to grow, learn, and move toward greater autonomy, growth, and independence. Because of what we have learned, accomplished, or developed, we now see more clearly new choices and alternate ways of living our lives. 

This New Moon in Aquarius brings with it  completion and cleansing at whatever area of your chart/life you find Aquarius. Notice where Saturn and Uranus also are in your chart, for those planets indicate the types of energy and experiences that are likely to have a great impact on the choices you make where the New Moon and the Sun in Capricorn align at the threshold. The first decan of Aquarius is ruled by Venus, so expect whatever changes take place, to happen in the realm of your relationships, marriage, and sense of harmony and beauty as it applies to the house the Sun and Moon are transiting now.

The New Moon in Aquarius also falls on the fixed star, Altair in the constellation Aquila. Aquila is a constellation found in the Northern sky. Altair is the brightest star in the constellation. Aquila comes form the Latin word for ‘eagle’. http://stardate.org/night sky/constellations/aquila With this alignment we can expect a break with the past. Our interest and connection to the past now brings us a crisis where we are challenged to align our expectations with the current reality. Whatever it is we are seeking in life,  whatever we need to make us feel at home with the life we are living, we will be able to make the necessary changes in order to live the life that more clearly aligns us to what we seek and what roots and grounds us in our own Truth. 

New Moons are times when we can plant the seeds, set the intentions, and release ourselves from whatever chains or beliefs have worn us down and allowed us to prevent ourselves from growing and moving in the direction we have longed for. The next couple of days during the dark of the moon, we feel at peace and close connection to that which matters most. We have a good idea of what we want to set into motion. Whether we are planning a major change within the next 6 months or so, or whether we are setting a more short term plan into motion, this is a crucial time for focusing on the areas of our experience that matter most.  For some, this can be a major shift, the influence of which will last for years if not a lifetime.  

At the New Moon in Aquarius, Saturn in Sagittarius is in sextile. A harmonious aspect, yet Saturn has its ways of stirring up melancholy or making us doubt our resolution.With the moon in an air sign, there is a tendency for us to intellectualize, rationalize, or dismiss our true feelings when the melancholy or fear arises from Saturn’s angle to the Moon.  There is a great deal of nostalgia connected to the New Moon and the Sun’s entry into Aquarius at 0 degrees. We have a deep, inner longing that cannot be easily dismissed, nor should it. Expressing and allowing ourselves permission to feel the full weight of decisions now, it is a necessary part of making change.  

The ongoing square of Uranus in Aries to Pluto in Capricorn, forces the issue, bringing us to a crossroads or turning point—choices will have to be made. The New Moon and Sun’s entry into Aquarius occurs the day before Mercury enters its retrograde cycle. That means we will have time to reflect, reconsider, and regenerate energy that is linked to whatever issues, areas of our lives, or choices that are arising now. We are at a special point where if we choose to resurrect what has slipped away or seems lost, this is the time to do it. First, be aware of your true feelings and that voice within that tells you what you really want. Then consider whether or not your future is in the past or is opening up in a new direction? 

This is a potent time, and you need to make certain you pay attention to your intuition and make certain your boundaries are strong. Be aware of unhealthy influences, inappropriate relationships, or unrealistic expectations. Use your spiritual practices, reliance on Divine direction and guidance, and your own intuitive knowing to guide you and protect you as the changes come to you this time, unfolding and appearing without warning. Change is afoot, and the best way to be prepared, is be in alignment with your true self. You and you alone know what you need or want, and what your dreams and hopes are telling you. Be at peace with yourself, and know that what is meant to open up in your life, will flow to you without your needing to push, plan, shove, or rearrange a thing.  Allow the Divine flow of life to operate and reveal to you the answers and direction you have  been seeking. Have a wonderful week, and celebrate the turning of the times. 

This New Moon in Aquarius opens the Chinese New Year celebrations. We are completing the Year of the Horse and entering the Year of the Lamb/Sheep/Goat (depending upon which culture you follow). This new year will be the year of the Green Wooden Sheep. This year promises to be more favorable than the last. Political and economic conditions and the chaos of the last few years is beginning to level out. It is a crucial year for making the choices of what we are going to nourish in our lives in the future, and what we are going to leave behind. We need to pay attention to the hopeful signs for the future. The kitchen is ruled by the energy of this new year, so it is also a good time to gear ourselves to better nourishment on all levels—body, mind, spirit. With tensions easing,  awareness  clearer, and prosperity on the rise, it is time to engage in a fruitful, enjoyable, and meaningful life.