Overview of this New Moon chart

There is a sense of inevitability in this chart. Although times are strange and, for many people, very hard, there is no outright conflict about that. But depending where we are focussing in the world, there is a difference in attitude. In each Time Zone around the world the New Moon moment happens at a different time of day, so there is a different Zodiac Sign rising in the east, and different Sign on the meridian overhead. This indicates local, or national, differences in reactions and events, something that is true in every cosmic moment.

National difference, and the timing of events, is an entire area of astrological enquiry called Mundane Astrology. I haven’t studied it, but I bear it in mind when watching the news from different parts of the world. The feel of the time worldwide may be acceptance, but behaviour in every country may not reflect that in the way you might expect.

Capricorn

This month we have the New Moon in Capricorn accompanied by four planets in this same sign. Pluto and Mars are at the beginning, very close to the Sun/Moon. Jupiter, which is towards the end of Capricorn, will enter Aquarius on 5 January. And Mercury in Capricorn will enter Aquarius on 1 January, only to move retrograde on 11th backing into Capricorn on 21st for a further 25 days. This is a tremendous emphasis on the qualities and concerns of Capricorn in our daily lives.

It is an opportunity to take a fresh look at the way things are in the practical world, and in our personal lives, and decide what changes would be most useful and personally do-able – because Capricorn takes note of our personal resources as well as the circumstances we need to respond to. Those resources we need to check out include our financial needs, our health and strength, our emotional support system, our understanding of the situation we are responding to. Capricorn chooses carefully, and acts with deliberation and awareness, which usually succeeds.

The push to transform versus resistance

With Mars lending its energy to Pluto’s intensity, any transformative efforts we make should go even further than we envisaged. And, as is always the case, when you make a push to change something, you meet the inertia of what was there before, in our own habits, and in those people around us who do not want to change in the same direction we do. This resistance can be frustrating, but where there has been an accepted way of being, any change feels unsafe. There is usually something of the past that can be used as ground, so that change can at least begin. But with Pluto in Capricorn, we are asked to let everything go.

Trust in the birth process

We need a sense of safety to relax and allow movement. What creates a feeling of enough safety? Perhaps it is trust in the natural process of birth. At present, it is as though we have been in a womb that has been our world, and the moment of birth has arrived. We are being squeezed in the birth canal and it can be alarming.

When in the birth canal, we don’t know how long it is, or what we will be when we are out at last. We are taking our umbilical chord (our support system) with us, sure that life is impossible without it. Check to see what you have assumed is necessary for your life to be OK. Do you rely on a belief in the financial system, on the welfare state, or your savings or your family?

We don’t know where we are going, but birth is a natural process, and we will come through this into a new way. It may seem as though everything is falling apart, but after this kind of change, we will find that some of what we thought was gone has returned, better and more alive than before. It is best to allow that anything may have to go - what we find is that all we need is there when the birth is over. We have all be born before!

Steady effort works better than force

With Mars on Pluto, the push may be too forceful to manage smoothly, creating frustration, anger, or even rage. So if you notice any of this in your space, whether yours or someone else’s, remember to ease up on the pushing, and breathe for a bit – there may be a better way, or a better time, to continue the change. Some people will be using this energy to hold the past firmly in place – not generally a good idea when change is what’s happening. If this is you, remember Capricorn moves steadily and firmly with due caution, and generally succeeds because of this, so movement can be quite safe as long as sufficient aware consideration is given as you adopt each shift.

Taking time to choose our words

Mercury has just passed a trine to Saturn, so plans, carefully made, are being communicated, but there is still more time for discussion, as Mercury retrogrades from 11 January to the end of the month. Saturn will retrograde from 31 December for the next four and a half months, bringing the potential wisdom of history - it’s not as if birth is a new phenomenon! Checking back, we have survived transformations before in our lives – this is meant personally, as well as globally - and we are responsible for the bits of history we choose to emulate.

Opportunities for loving community

Venus is already in Aquarius, the brilliant Evening Star calmly presiding over fiery sunsets. In the New Moon chart, she occupies exactly the same degree as Neptune. Friends connect across the world, a network of like minds trusting in, and thereby attracting, spiritual harmony. On 5 January, Jupiter also moves into Aquarius, for the rest of 09, encouraging collaboration on humanitarian projects, making it clear that the principles of equality and respect are more important than material gain.

The person to respect first is one’s own self. Without self-respect, it takes the ego’s pride to hold up our heads, and from there we look either up or down at others. Self-respect tends to reflect in respect for others, which brings a sense of humility into our relationships. Self-respect includes an acceptance of all our gifts and limitations, without judgement. When we respect ourselves, we listen to our inner responses and needs from a place of equality with others. We stand up for ourselves calmly, so that there is no need to fight for what we want, because we attract respect from others.