December 12 6:32 PM EST
This is an auspicious and optimistic new moon that, nonetheless, requires close observation and attention to detail, especially around communication issues. The sun and moon meet at 20 degrees of adventurous Sagittarius. The Sagittarius new moon is always one of excitable momentum which fits nicely with the holiday season in which it falls. New treats! New gadgets! New gifts! New social connections! And new vision for the year ahead! By the time we get to the domain of more sober Capricorn, during the winter solstice on December 21st, certain persistent “realities” begin to set in. Yes, our annoying relative is going to continue their annoying ways. No, that new gift or gadget won’t magically “fix” your life.
But while we are still in the thrall of Sagittarius season, and especially around the Sagittarius new moon, anything and everything feels possible. This is partly due to the inherent positive and trusting outlook of Sagittarius’ ruler, beneficent Jupiter. Jupiter in astrology is known as the “great expander” and the “bringer of gifts”. Indeed Jupiter has a very Father Christmas / Santa Claus feeling about him. Good will is his domain and his gifts aren’t just material but rather they are the gifts of self-belief and confidence, and trust in life itself. They are the gifts rendered through a “pay it forward” mentality.
So here at this new moon we are encouraged to lean into generosity and the spirit of optimism that Jupiter and Sagittarius encourage. In fact we may be leaning in more strongly than ever! This is on account of the rather auspicious placement of Jupiter at the time of the new moon. Jupiter, at 6 degrees of Taurus is in close opposition to magnetic and sensual Venus at 9 degrees of Scorpio.
Jupiter in Taurus began in May 2023 and last until May 2024. It is a 12 month period characterized by a deep willingness to root down into what we care about and value the most, to dedicate our good will and attention to helping the seeds of our deepest dreams and desires truly take root and bloom in our lives. This period climaxes on April 20th 2024 when we have the rare Jupiter Uranus conjunction at 21 degrees of Taurus. That is a time we can look to see some of the fruits of our efforts materialize, perhaps including some of the dreams we are sowing around the time of this new moon.
Venus, as the ruler of Taurus, is important here too. Venus is opposing Jupiter, the ruler of the new moon, who as discussed is currently residing in her sign of Taurus. While sometimes an opposition like this can create conflict, in this case it is mutually supportive. It’s almost as though Venus in opposition to Jupiter is “re-fueling” Jupiter in Taurus, checking in on it’s progress, offering encouraging observations or course-corrections. “Is that *really* what you most want and desires?” whispers Venus. In Scorpio she is connected to some of her most intense and primal needs and urges. Jupiter, for all its good will and optimism can also sometime suffer from over-enthusiasm and get on auto-pilot, careening carelessly towards its oversized vision and future dreams. Venus here in Scorpio in opposition offers an “emotional check in” point to help Jupiter narrow its focus and up its potency. This is also indicated by the fact that Jupiter is retrograde, getting very close to its station point at 5 degrees of Taurus, where it will turn around and go direct on December 30th.
After Jupiter goes direct on December 30th it steadily builds speed and starts flying fast through Taurus making it all the way to 21 degrees by mid-April for the Jupiter Uranus conjunction! So this moment of rest and reflection here, before it goes direct, during this Sagittarius new moon, will serve us well. We can contemplate any shifts of direction, vision or plan (Jupiter is forward thinking) that we may have had since Jupiter went retrograde on September 4th.
What has been coming up for us this autumn? How have our plans for the future changed? Perhaps we have realized that we prefer tending to certain parts or our garden rather than others. This is useful information! Then we can adjust our ‘garden design’ moving forward so that we can use the fast forward momentum of Jupiter in Taurus this winter and spring for maximum benefit.
For example, perhaps we had thought that we wanted to take a class or learn a skill and that was a big part of our ideas about what was “next” for us. But in the past few months we have gotten very into a creative project and realize that it is actually a fertile time for making and not necessarily learning. So we can have the foresight now to recognize that and honor it. We can reverse our commitment to the class before we have wasted unnecessary energy. We can reorganize our time and routine to honor our creative project.
These are the kinds of pivots this new moon is encouraging. Especially because Mercury is just hours away from going retrograde. On December 13th, Mercury goes retrograde at 8 degrees of Capricorn. While this can spell drama for logistical issues such as travel, shipping, paperwork etc, it is also a highly effective time to pivot and course-correct. When we change our plans, such as might be the case with some of these Jupiter Rx realizations, then we can shift the details accordingly during/with Mercury Rx. Both Jupiter and Mercury come out of their retrogrades relatively simultaneously, on December 30th and January 1st respectively, so there can indeed be quite a few realizations and pivots these last few weeks of December. And we may not feel fully “re-planted” in new territory until after Mercury comes out of its shadow zone on January 21st. After that we are plowing forward into the new! Especially because January 20th is also when Pluto re-enters futuristic Aquarius.
The Sagittarius new moon at 20 degrees is also conjunct fiery Mars at 13 degrees Sagittarius. Mars has been traveling closely with the sun and has been very present during the past few lunations. This has also been part of what has recently been prompting us to “get on with” things that we want. Mars has momentum and can be impatient. So even while Jupiter has been retrograde since September encouraging revisions, Mars has been fueling the fire of our inner drives and desires. “The heart wants what it wants!” cries Mars. So again, we have been recognizing what projects, people, places, relationships are *really* lighting us up, and not just the ones we “thought” we wanted. Mars wants us to lead on instinct and desire. So we are encouraged now to keep going in that direction.
Finally, the new moon is also squared up to nebulous Neptune at 24 degrees of Pisces. When we combine this with the immanent Mercury retrograde, we also get a caution about confusion, delusion, miscommunication and sloppy mistakes. Sagittarius can be over-enthusiastic, and with Mars right there leading the charge, some things can move speedily without appropriate reflection or situational appropriateness. We can be blind to the recklessness or confusion of our actions and their impact on others.
With Mercury retrograde everyone can be left scratching their heads. And Neptune can simply invite us further into our unrealistic delusion where it feels dreamy and possible, except that all the facts of the situation say that it isn’t. So we have to be careful now that Jupiter / Sagittarius’ positive outlook and optimism is not overly skewed by wishy-washy Neptune inviting us on an exciting trip to nowhere. The antidote here is resolving to see things clearly even if its not what we had hoped or had in mind. THEN Jupiter/Sagittarius optimism can step in and guide us happily to the right pivot or course correction or next step. Not farther down the path of drama or confusion.
If we can walk this fine line between revising our plans to honor our excitement and highest vision, while also not falling into the trap of unrealistic expectations or blind confusion, then we can come out the other side of this lunar month with a stronger and clearer sense of purpose and direction than we have had in quite some time.
*art by @seamless0
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