New Moon in Capricorn - New Year, New You, New World

 Right as we exit the old year 2024 and enter a new one 2025, we get a New Moon at 9 degrees of Capricorn. New Moons are the beginning of the lunar cycle and offer us an opportunity to start anew and set goals for the coming lunar cycle ahead. We have both the Sun and the Moon working together in the same sign, this time in ambitious Capricorn. The sign of the goat is all about our worldly goals, particularly when it comes to career and our public face. What better time of year than the New Year to set some intentions in this area. Think of the nimble and courageous goat who cleverly scales mountains and hillsides. We too can climb any mountain now as long as we take it one step at a time with confidence. As Capricorn is an earth sign ruled by Saturn, we are urged to think about our material goals and to take practical steps toward them. How can we break our big ambitions down to step by step achievable actions? 

Moonology Oracle

 

This New Moon does not have any major aspects to any of the other planets. This means that while it is not getting a lot of support from the other planets, it is also not being held back or challenged either. This  means that it is up to us to achieve our intentions in the Capricorn area of our chart. There can be freedom and a sense of pride in knowing that you did something all by yourself, or at least mostly by yourself (it is okay to ask for help too). You know that it was the steps you took that are leading you towards your dreams.

The Sabian symbol for this New Moon is "An Albatross Feeding From the Hand". This symbol is about trusting in life and radiating peace to others. This New Moon brings with it a sense of trust and optimism for the future. By extending a hand towards others with patience and love, we win the trust of others. This New Moon symbol reminds us that when making our goals and setting intentions to do so with a pure heart. To remember that it is not just about making our own lives better, but about making the world a better place for all. 

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Full Moon in Gemini - Fantasy or Delusion?

On Sunday December 15, we have a Full Moon at 23 degrees of Gemini. Full Moons occur when the Sun and Moon are in opposite signs, so are a time when we have to make a choice or find a balance between two opposites. The Sun in Sagittarius has us focusing on the big picture, on overarching themes and big plans and goals for the coming year. The Moon in Gemini reminds us that we need to look at the details. Do the facts back up our theories? Do we have the details in place to make our big dreams real? Both Gemini and Sagittarius are geared towards learning, teaching and travel. This can be a good time to decide on what we want to learn more about in the coming year and to think of some adventures we’d like to have. 

Moonology Oracle

 

 Full Moons are also a time when emotions can run high as the Moon, who rules the emotions and the subconscious is at her height. While Gemini moons tend to be more cerebral and less emotionally intense, this can be an increased time for communication and sharing ideas. One thing that may cause some complications, is that we also have Mercury retrograde ending on this day. Mercury has been retrograde in Sagittarius since November 28, and on December 15 he will station direct. After this day you may find there is more clarity and less disruptions, however on this day you may still feel the effects of the retrograde period. So there may be increased communication now, but it may be unclear and mistakes are more likely to be made.

 

The only major aspect this Full Moon makes is a square with Neptune in Pisces. Squares show tension, and with dreamy Neptune in watery Pisces, this adds another layer of delusion and deception to this day. Neptune can be great for fantasy, imagination and a sense of spiritual oneness, but can also lead us astray with delusions and in extremes bring up issues around addictions or mental health. Watch out for misinformation or even disinformation around this time. This Full Moon can be great for creativity and daydreaming, just don’t take your dreams for certainties now. Also beware any big promises or making deals now as not all the facts are in and you may not be seeing things clearly. 

 

The Sabian Symbol for this Full Moon is “Children Skating on a Frozen Pond”. This imagery contains the potential for both fun and danger, which I think is apt for this lunation. Skating can be fun and a great way to enjoy the winter season, but if the ice isn’t thick enough it could lead to disaster. It’s important now to assess any risks now and not just jump into things trusting that everything will be fine. It might be, but it also might turn into a disaster. It is important now to use caution but not to be so timid that you miss out on enjoyment and fun. In short, use your head and be creative this Full Moon but don’t make any major decisions or get carried away with what may prove to be a delusion down the road.

 

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Five Tips for Navigating the Mars Retrograde

On Friday December 06 Mars retrograde begins at 6 degrees of Leo. Mars retrogrades are not as common as Mercury retrogrades, which happen 3 times a year. A Mars retrograde occurs every 26 months, and this one lasts until February 23 2025, where he will retrograde back to 17 degrees of Cancer. Mars is the planet of war, fighting, desire and action, and when he moves backward, it can cause frustration and a slow down in the forward momentum in our lives. Mars retrogrades ask us to slow down and to reflect on past actions. This is not a time to rush forward or to initiate action. 

 

Astro Codes Oracle

This retrograde starts in the sign of Leo, but moves backwards into Cancer on January 06 2025. Mars in Leo is leadership and charisma but also can be forceful and bullying. When in retrograde, trying to force your point of view on to others or to strong arm them to get your way will end up backfiring. It is more likely that you will look like you are overreacting and being a bully and you won’t get your way. When Mars moves into Cancer, we become more protective of who and what we love. We can also use emotions or guilt to try to passive aggressively control others. During the retrograde these efforts are more likely to backfire on us and be ineffective. We are also more likely to withdraw in an effort to protect ourselves now. 

The Mars retrograde, just like the Mercury retrograde, is challenging, but offers us an opportunity to reflect on past actions and to slow down and rest before moving forward again. If we can work with the energies of the retrograde we can benefit from these retrograde seasons. Below are 5 themes of Mars retrograde to help you navigate the next three months.

 

1. Slow down. Mars is about forward motion and action, and during his retrograde cycle, we want to act but feel stopped by outside forces or lack motivation from within. This will be even more powerful during the first two weeks of December, as we have a Mercury retrograde going on now too. Expect an increase in delays along with transportation issues, as Mercury rules travel, and Mars rules action and movement. This is also a time when we are more likely to have accidents or injuries if we are rushing. Mars retrogrades are a reminder to slow down. Things will go better if we go with the flow rather than trying to push against things.

 

2. Don’t Start a Fight. Traditional advice for a Mars retrograde is to not start a war as the aggressor will lose. This isn’t just good advice for armies, but in our own lives, don’t start a fight now as it is more likely that you will lose. It’s okay to defend yourself if attacked, but make sure to take considered action. We may feel annoyed, frustrated, or even downright angry with others, but knee jerk reactions will not serve you now. Remember that it is best to think things through before jumping into action.

 

3. Underdogs are more likely to win. Another common theme of Mars retrograde periods is that underdogs tend to win during these times. If someone is a favourite  and looks like they will easily win, whether in battle or a sports competition, they are more likely to lose to a less favoured opponent now. These time periods have seen champions emerge out of seemingly nowhere, and turn arounds in what we may have thought was certain victory. Don’t take it for granted that those who have always been on top will continue to be so. This can be good news or bad, depending on what side of a competition you are on.

 

4. Enemies and rivals return. A Mercury retrograde can bring back an old friend and a Venus retrograde and old lover, but Mars is a fighting planet, so brings back enemies and rivals. While not always pleasant, sometimes it brings them back to us in order to resolve and heal issues or at least to come to terms with what happened in the past. Sometimes it is not an enemy, but rather a fellow competitor or colleague, especially if we are involved in sports, gaming or the military or police force. 

 

5. Review past actions. Part of the lessons of the Mars retrograde is to slow down and look at how we acted in the past so that we can learn from our successes and failures before we move forward again. A Mars retrograde shows us where we get frustrated and where we are overconfident in our abilities. If we have been avoiding conflict it will force us to confront the issues we have been ignoring. Conversely, if we have been too pushy, it will blow up in our face now. Mars is not subtle and he is showing us now how we can take action more effectively. 

 

All in all a Mars retrograde can de disruptive and frustrating, but can also be an opportunity for us to slow down and reflect on things before we rush forward again. If you would like more astrology, you can sign up for my free newsletter on my website. I also have detailed weekly astrology reports on my Patreon and you can book a personal reading on my Etsy shop