New Moon in Sagittarius, Dark of the Moon Precedes

December 9-15

Which Way?                                                                                Catherine Al-Meten

Moving into then energy of the New Moon in Sagittarius,  means the next few days  are the Dark of the Moon, time to put things in perspective, reflect, release, and finish up whatever needs to be completed. It’s a time when we appraise what has recently transpired, and what we are hoping for. This week includes some interesting and powerful transits and changes as well, making this a significant New Moon lead in. What happens as we prepare to cross a new threshold requires transition and reflection in the passage.

The New Moon in mutable fire sign, Sagittarius, peaks  on Thursday, December 13  at 3:45 A.M. EST (12:45 PDT A.M.).  The archetypal qualities of Sagittarius, the Archer, call us to DREAM BIG! Adventurous and energetic, Sagittarius sparks us to take our dreams into more realistic forms. Depending upon where the New Moon is transiting in your life/chart, you will now feel both more energized and inspired to bring your dreams to life. The Sagittarius Moon at 21/45 degrees most powerfully affects those of us who have planets and points anywhere from 18-26 degrees of the mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. 

The Sun in Sagittarius until December 21, awakens us to our needs and desires for intimate connection within and with others in our lives. It is during this period of time when our lives and our emotional well being may depend upon our awakening to our own need for combining what we know and feel about life with our dreams and plans to actualize ourselves through activities, projects, creativity, and long-term plans. We feel more hopeful, and rely more on faith than we might ordinarily do. We allow ourselves the freedom to use our imagination and to envision ways to solve what seems like, intractable problems, issues, and challenges. Now is the time the veils are lifted and we are once again able to see our way into a brighter, more uplifting future.

Mercury continues in its retrograde phase through Scorpio until December 10th (tomorrow). As I write, we are ready to begin to take steps to make things happen. The antsyiness or edginess we may have been feeling over  the last few days should be relieved somewhat once Mercury goes direct. We continue to probe the depths with Mercury in Scorpio, and may find that what has been hidden is revealed once the retrograde phase ends. We are more sharply focused than we have been for quite some time. Our analytical and profundity in conversations, and all other forms of communication, result in in-depth developments. Our thoughts may border on obsessive if we fail to take action, communicate with others, or somehow channel our thinking, ideas, and learnings into some physical form. It’s a wonderful time for great depth in personal conversations. It also is a time when we generally get to the heart of the matter in all areas of communication.  Mercury in Scorpio has been about plumbing the depths, and expressing insight, intuitive learnings, and concrete plans for change, development, and transformation.

As Mercury enters Sagittarius (December 10-31) we lighten up a bit. Our thoughts and interests expand and broaden. We find newness intriguing, and we look to discover and awaken on a more experiential level than we have been. We tend to allow our faith and beliefs to lead us, directing more energy and time to living out our ideals. We seek justice and equality, and take actions to meet the needs of others. 

Venus has been in Scorpio, November 21-December 15, and life and relationships have been deeply passionate. Nothing short of real communication, true love, and the merging of body, mind, and spirit will do for us. Our passions however, are not of the idealistic brand. In fact, we are likely to be more aware than ever before of the very real nature of our experience and understanding of love and particularly love in intimate relationships. Our vulnerabilities have been on the surface of our consciousness, and we have been challenged to discover what it is within ourselves that compels us to love as we do. When we identify our inner needs, desires, and motivation, we release some of the harmful aspects of how we relate so as to move into more healthy, healing, nurturing, and mutually connected relationships. If we have not reined in our passions and attempted to understand the depth of our feelings, we may have created for ourselves more drama than we needed to.  Fear, anxiety, panic, and worry all create stress and work against any true connection. Not that we ever are totally free from feeling these emotions, but when we do, we must have ways to release ourselves from the hold we have allowed them to take on us.  Anyone can tell you by now, that stress is the leading cause and complication in most illnesses. Anyone can also tell you how to establish ways to release and counter stress. The real challenge is to take constructive steps to channel stress through meditation, exercise, prayer, and all manner of ways to alleviate stress from your life. Most of us ‘know” what to do; the key is actually doing something about it.  The transit of Venus in Scorpio, along with all the other water sign transits, have brought emotions, deep concerns and issues up to the surface of our being and consciousness. If we have felt overwhelmed, it is because we are experiencing the extremes of our lives in order for us to learn what we are capable of doing, being, changing, and adjusting to. Notice over the next week as Venus finishes her transit in Scorpio, just what is screaming for attention in order to bring you more into harmony in all areas, but particularly in your relationships and your relationship to your own inner love of life. What is it that you truly desire, and what are you doing to block that or to allow that to be born?

Venus is making some transits this week (semi-square to Pluto on the 10th; Square to Neptune on the 16th) both making us more susceptible to negative thinking like jealousy, suspicion, or irritation.  When we feel deeply passionate, it is difficult to see beyond the romantic illusions, masks, or simply inexperience that Neptune’s shadow casts. While we do not have to succumb to the effects of these transits, it helps to be aware of the kinds of energy that is circulating. Forewarned is forearmed. See things for what they are, not what you hope or expect them to be. 

Mars continues on its journey through earthy Capricorn (November 15-December 25).  Mars, a fiery element, transiting an earth sign, slows and calms our temperament. We become more cautious and staid in relation to any actions we take.  The fiery energy is tempered in an earth transit, making it possible to get a lot more done in very precise ways with much concentrated effort and focus. 

Uranus which has been retrograde in Aries, goes direct on December 13 at 7:02 A.M (EST); 4:02 A.M. PST. Dreams or early morning awakenings may reflect a sudden change shining into whatever are of life Uranus transits in your chart. When Uranus turns direct, she trines Mercury, indicating surprising good news. We all need some of that. And since this trine occurs on the same day as the New Moon, it’s very auspicious, and may have some very long-reaching effects.

We are also beginning to feel the influence of the Jupiter yod on the 13th. Jupiter in Gemini moves into conjunction with the fixed star, Aldebaran (one of the four royal planets of ancient Persia).A yod is formed when Jupiter aspects Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto and the Sun in Capricorn on December 21. The yod begins forming this week, and we will probably notice major changes in the making. On December 21, Venus will be opposite Jupiter, causing a point of reaction. It’s as if the pressure has been building in some area of life (personally and collectively), and we find we have reached a point where something has to give to release the pressure, to relieve the stress.  A good metaphor is reaching a turning point or fork in the road. Which way we choose to move, depends upon the choices we make.  On the world stage, it appears some of the areas of stress and conflict may meet with a time of reckoning.  

One of the ancient indigenous prophecies foretells our reaching a point when we begin, en masse, to work more for the good of all rather than from the point of individual greed and reward.What we have observed over the last couple of year has shown us that we are, as collective whole, capable of caring for and working for the common good. We also are capable of isolating, creating stand offs, and pitting ‘us’ against ‘them.”  Our choices become so much more important as our world shrinks and we become much more interdependent. For the health and good of all, we have arrived at the threshold of a new era.  What we do, will matter for the good of the whole planet. The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas quotes Jesus as saying:

“What you bring forth within you saves you; what you fail to bring forth destroys you.”  Give yourself the gift of Life, and move toward greater compassion, love, trust, and fulfillment of the Divine Goodness. Live from the Divine center and spark within you.