This is the day of the New Moon in Aquarius, which arrives at 4:46 pm in my Eastern time zone. Sun and Moon will meet at 4 Aquarius. As I write this morning, the Moon has entered Aquarius and applies to square Uranus, which the Sun has already done.
This New Moon brings fresh air into a landscape heavy with earth.
We’re still in January and already we’ve been through some of the year’s weightiest transits, particularly the Saturn–Pluto conjunction following the Full Moon eclipse. This New Moon offers glimpses of new horizons emerging from the rubble of the old.
This is the Lunar New Year, celebrated throughout Asia and in many communities around the world that follow a lunar calendar. This year, all of us can welcome this New Moon as a significant shift, not just for this year, but for many years ahead.
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We are not (yet) putting Capricorn behind us. Saturn and Pluto remain in Capricorn. Jupiter will be traversing Capricorn territory for the remainder of this year. Mars will take his turn in this sign as well.
Yet signs of change can already be seen.
The Nodes of the Moon will transition out of Cancer and Capricorn, shifting into Gemini and Sagittarius. The focus on tradition, the sense we’re being driven by the past, and an emphasis on authority and structure will ease. Gemini and Sagittarius are more flexible, optimistic, and ready to explore new options.
Saturn will dip his toes into Aquarius this spring, a first look at his lighter side. The old devil won’t get jolly, exactly, but he is less dour and more forward-looking in this second sign of his rulership.
At the end of this year, on the Capricorn Solstice, Saturn and Jupiter will move in Aquarius together for a Great Conjunction that decisively moves us into an Age of Air. This conjunction at 0 Aquarius will trine today’s New Moon.
Does this sound too far into the future for January’s New Moon? It shouldn’t. Forecasting is an Aquarian strength.
Aquarius is the fixed Air sign whose ancient ruler is Saturn and modern ruler is Uranus. These two planets may seem ill suited to share a sign, almost antithetical in their orientations to the way things have always been done (Saturn) and let’s try something completely new (Uranus).
The fixed nature of this sign holds the key to their connection. Aquarius, as an Air sign, deals in thoughts, ideas, images, and language, yet loves structure. This is where we build grand theories, create visions than inspire, and develop systems of thought to guide our actions.
This Aquarian Lunar New Year is a wonderful time for looking ahead.
Predictions abound at the New Year. This is an Air word: We say ahead, pre-dict, what we think will happen in the future. How else can we plan or commit to a course of action? Somehow, our understandings of current trends and innate forces combine themselves into visions.
Despite everything we know about the unpredictability of the world, we love forecasts. We want to be able to say, to know, what is coming. This very human desire is the heart of the Saturn–Uranus paradox.
Saturn wants a track to run on and that track begins in the past and is defined by pragmatic reality. “Life’s a bitch and then you die” is a very Saturnian statement. You can’t argue with Saturn’s view. Whether you find it comforting or chilling depends on your character, and of course, how strong your natal Saturn is.
Uranus wants us to be in the moment, to hold onto wildly open-ended possibility, to understand we are always and only in this one present moment, and in this moment, anything can happen. This is also true. Living with an openness to possibility is enlivening but something many find deeply unsettling. Uranus’ placement and strength in our chart offers clues to how easily we welcome the unexpected.
These two come together in divination, something that happens a lot at new beginnings. Divination is another word for prediction or forecasting. The difference is, when we say, or use, divination, we acknowledge the divine or magical. We admit that we, on our own, don’t know.
Divination has many forms and traditions, all of which are based in our desire to know what will happen in the future. To ask a question is to invite in the unpredictability of the present moment. We pull a card, toss yarrow stalks, watch the sky. Yet our questions and interpretations are bound by the past, by our context.
A paradox. Like Saturn and Uranus.
The key aspect of this New Moon is a square from the Sun and Moon to Uranus in Taurus. Again, we need ways to combine pragmatism and vision, what is and what might be.
Astrology is itself a kind of divination in that we look to patterns in the sky for information. Even if we no longer link planets and stars directly with gods and goddesses, the archetypes and symbols remain relevant and alive.
At this New Moon, keep your awareness open. This Aquarian moment will offer previews––predictions––for themes and trends that will be important for you this year. Especially look for glimmers of new ideas, fresh perspectives, unexpected moments of grace.
New Moon wishes and intentions might include:
☆ Anything in the realm of Air: thoughts, ideas, communications, visions, planning. This is a great time for vision boards and other visualization techniques.
☆ Checking in with your personal vision and core principles. What does your vision for your future hold now? Do you need to recommit to your principles? Do you need a new vision?
☆ Making wishes for your community and world. Aquarius is community-oriented. As we enter a new Age of Air, what do you want for the world?
Difficult terrain lies ahead. In times like these, visions, ideals, principles, and hopes are what get us through.
All astrological charts are my own. The images in this post include the title,
adapted from the galaxy by Andy Holmes,
and the following images:
fireworks by Vernon Raineil Cenzon, and
eye close up by Jonathan Borba