Posted on December 22, 2022 in Configurations
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By Leslie Benson for ASTROGRAPH Horoscopes
The New Moon arrives in purposeful Capricorn on December 23rd at 2:17 am PT, inviting us to wind down the year with a balance of contemplation and celebration. This New Moon strides into its exact position just after the Capricorn Solstice of the 21st, the turning point of the seasons and an important juncture. In this subsequent New Moon, we find the Sun and Moon at 1º Capricorn, and still making a very close square to Jupiter, himself just arrived in the cardinal Fire sign of Aries, signaling abundance. Although at this time we can also see a mood that is sober-minded, peering inwardly toward contemplation and healing, with this major aspect this New Moon timing is yet also refreshed and looking with expansive eyes toward future possibility.
This time of the year brings the celebration of important milestones, and while we look backward to what we have achieved and conquered, or perhaps as well to things yet to accomplish, the strong Jupiter presence brings a future orientation that might represent a pleasant shift from the turmoil of the previous three years of relative difficulty. This aspect is a powerful early-degree cardinal square, speaking of new beginnings where we can have our feet squarely planted in the now of our situation, paired with a high-minded eye for what new energy and excitement we may have for ourselves and our lives. There is also a possibility to fall too far in either direction, so the invitation is to embrace the dynamic tension that lives between the two. Jupiter’s re-entrance into Aries – where it will now travel for the next five months – signals a fresh start for our morals, sense of abundance, and higher truth, and also offers up some energy that has a palpable excitement and vitality to it. As the New Moon transmits this energy to us through a Capricorn lens, it lends itself well to grounded practicality as a channel for this fresh energy to pour through and make a real difference in our lives.
At this point it’s important to note that this lunar cycle also features Chiron prominently, as he stations direct in Aries less than an hour prior to the New Moon, giving extra weight and potency to his Wounded Healer archetype. Chiron is opposed by the new planet Makemake as it stations, and is sextiled by retrograde Mars, bringing him to even greater prominence. Given Jupiter’s co-presence in Aries, as well, and the ruler of Aries, Mars, still in retrograde in Gemini and in aspect to Chiron, this is a recipe for inner healing work around agency, willpower, anger, vitality, and the beliefs we hold around such topics. If you find old wounds rising to the surface of your awareness, you may wish to welcome them as opportunities to bring love and support to these factors of your experience. As always, we offer an encouragement to lean into your support network and trusted allies, as healing processes can often be more effectively traversed with the loving guidance of another.
Another important note for this end of year timing is about the personal planet retrogrades. Mars continues its retrograde through Gemini, turning direct on January 12th at 8º Gemini. Mercury will take its retrograde through Capricorn from December 29th through January 18th, afterwards only escaping its retrograde shadow in early February. These both have their own distinct flavors, and also equally point to an inward turning, slowing down, and things not going in the fashion of business as usual. There’s a strong emphasis on re-orienting around communication styles, as well as our thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives, especially as they relate to our behaviors and the actions we take.
Speaking of our choices as we enter into this New Year timing, it is also of interest to note that new ‘dwarf’ planets Haumea and Makemake are prominent as well in this New Moon, having to do with connection to Nature and to natural law, right action and right relationship. Haumea, newly entered into Scorpio, is sextiled by the New Moon and closely aspected by Jupiter, while Makemake is trine retrograde Mars, and opposed also by a stationing Chiron, as indicated above. This prominence suggests that as we navigate a thoughtful time throughout this lunation cycle, and, indeed, to the end of the January month, we might well be considering our internal moral compass, the sense we have internally of our Truth, as we plot our eventual pathway forward.
May this last New Moon of 2022 and the month that follows bring thoughtful consideration as well as plentiful blessings, healing, and newfound joy into your life and world!
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