Stargazer Astrology > new moon update

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stargazer new moon update

This monthly newsletter looks at the next New Moon and the main astrological activity over the coming lunar month. Note that the 24-hour period immediately following any New Moon is a very powerful time for manifestation – so put out your intentions!

Stargazer Astrology -

New Moon in Aquarius 2012

NEW MOON in AQUARIUS: Mon 23 Jan 2012, exact at 5.39pm Queensland time (AEST) at 2 degrees Aquarius

FULL MOON in LEO: Wed 8 Feb 2012, exact at 7.53am Queensland time (AEST) at 18 degrees Leo

Skywatching

Venus twinkles brightly in the west after sunset as the Evening Star, while Jupiter can be seen as a large bright star overhead at sunset, moving westwards through the evening.

Chinese New Year & Mars retrograde …

The New Moon in Aquarius on Mon 23 Jan brings in the Chinese New Year. Like many traditional cultures, the Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, and this New Moon marks the beginning of the Year of the Water Dragon.

A New Moon always represents the beginning of a new cycle in some aspect of our lives, and this New Moon in Aquarius signifies a renewed focus on authenticity (being true to oneself) and our connection at the level of mass consciousness. Aquarius is an air sign, loving to debate ideas, the more original and inventive the better. It is a sign which loves freedom and equality, at both the personal and the collective levels, is very sociable and is strongly focused on global humanitarian concerns.

This New Moon is not without its challenges though. Mars slows to a standstill at this New Moon, stalling all forward momentum at this time, and likely to result in considerable frustration from a sense of getting nowhere … take a deep breath as patience is called for, and radical trust in the way that the Universe unfolds its divine plan (see more below). This New Moon is in a challenging pattern with both Jupiter and Saturn, asking us to find a balance between the over-optimism of blind faith, and fear-based limitations – a balance that includes a reality check, a kind of cautious optimism that doesn’t go overboard in its confidence or enthusiasm.

Wherever you have 2 degrees of Aquarius in your chart, this is the area of life that will be affected by this New Moon – for example, if this is in your 7th house, this brings an opportunity to begin a new cycle in your partnerships (not just intimate partners but including business partners) and your relationship life.

If your birthday falls close to this date, this is the beginning of a significant new cycle in your life in terms of your identity and sense of purpose in the world. If any of your planets fall at 2 degrees Aquarius, that planet indicates the part of your psyche affected.

There is a 24-hour window for you to put out your New Moon intentions from the time the New Moon is exact at 5.39pm Queensland time.

Mars goes retrograde on Tues 24 Jan – this often coincides with delays and setbacks to projects and other undertakings, with all the attendant frustrations …. Mars is retrograde for around 3 months, and this retro period can be used productively if you can be patient, slow down, revisit your plans, and look for ways to revise and improve on what you were intending to do – especially as Mars is retrograde in Virgo, so pay full attention to details. Mars is retrograde until Sat 14 April.

Neptune re-enters Pisces on Sat 4 Feb, after its brief sojourn there last year. Now it is here to stay for the next 14 years, happy in the sign that it rules. Under this influence, spirituality is likely to see a huge upsurge, as more and more people become sensitive to subtle energies and maybe even psychic phenomena. This period is likely to be a hugely inspirational time for art and music, as the creative genius of Neptune is unleashed. Holistic right-brain approaches are energised now – whether this is in healing or even in the world of international finance – in all areas, there is the potential for new and highly creative holistic solutions to be found for age-old problems. The downside of Neptune is that it can be hugely idealistic, and quite out of touch with reality. This can easily give rise to illusion, fantasy, deception, and delusion – so there could also be a strong potential for all kinds of scams, deception on a massive scale, and an invasive kind of energy where there are no boundaries at all – like gas seeping into a house, diffuse but everywhere. Neptune in Pisces also resonates with the current thinking around moving from 3rd dimensional reality into higher dimensions, the long-awaited “ascension” or shift in consciousness.

Saturn turns retrograde on Tues 7 Feb, just before the Full Moon, encouraging us to review the recent past and assess our ability to take full responsibility for our actions. It also urges us to re-examine the way we have structured our lives. This is a good time to look at the ways we limit ourselves, and bring our fears to the conscious light of day. This is also a good time to review our ability to say ’No’ and ensure that we can maintain healthy boundaries in our lives, particularly in our relationships.

The Full Moon falls in Leo on Wed 8 Feb, bringing a sense of fun and enthusiasm for life – a great party time! This Full Moon highlights the need to balance self-interest with concern for the community. It falls at 18 degrees Leo, so if you have this degree strong in your chart (either 18 Leo or Aquarius, its opposite sign), you are likely to be strongly affected by this Full Moon.

At the time of the Full Moon, Venus is at the very end of dreamy, devotional Pisces, but in the late afternoon she moves into the warrior sign of Aries, slipping into her role of Amazon Queen, the warrior goddess who is fearless and assertive in her relationships, fun-loving, action-oriented, and who loves a challenge. Relationships are likely to become a competitive arena under this influence!

Don’t be surprised if Valentine’s Day Tues 14 Feb gets a little tense this year - Mars retro is shy and withdrawn (and possibly even a bit nit-picky) in Virgo, while Venus in Aries won’t take kindly to any criticism. Sparks could fly …meanwhile the Scorpio Moon that day invites the lovers into a place of deep emotional connection, but be wary of any attempts at subtle manipulation.

Looking ahead to next lunar month

The next New Moon falls on Wed 22 Feb 2012, at 2 degrees Pisces, exact at 8.34am Queensland time.

With love

Chirone

Stargazer Astrology -

New Moon in Capricorn 2011

NEW MOON in CAPRICORN: Sun 25 Dec 2011, exact at 4.06am Queensland time (AEST) at 2 degrees Capricorn

FULL MOON in CANCER: Mon 9 Jan 2012, exact at 5.30pm Queensland time (AEST) at 18 degrees Cancer

Skywatching

Saturn is visible in the east before sunrise,with Mars a reddish colour higher in the sky. Venus twinkles brightly in the west after sunset as the Evening Star, while Jupiter can be seen as a large bright star overhead at sunset, moving westwards through the evening.

New Year’s resolutions on Christmas Day!

The New Moon in Capricorn falls on Christmas Day, Sun 25 Dec. Although Christmas is traditionally associated with feasting and over-indulging, the invitation with the New Moon in Capricorn is always to begin a new cycle of self-discipline – so this year, the best time for making your New Year’s Resolutions is actually on Christmas Day! There is a 24-hour window for you to put out your intentions from the time the New Moon is exact at 4.06am.

A New Moon always represents the beginning of a new cycle in some aspect of our lives, and a Capricorn New Moon signifies a renewed focus on self-discipline, responsibility, dealing with material reality, improving time management and introducing more structure into our lives – all in the service of moving forwards on our chosen path – remember the image of Capricorn the goat, moving slowly but steadily up the mountain, one step at a time.

Wherever you have Capricorn in your chart is the area of life that will be most strongly affected by this New Moon – for example, if it is on your 6th house cusp, this is an opportunity to bring more self-discipline into your daily routine and health regime; if it falls in the 2nd, this applies to your finances. If you are not sure where Capricorn falls in your birth chart, think of the area of your life that could most benefit from some self-discipline right now – you will probably tune into it intuitively!

If your birthday falls close to this date, or if 2 degrees Capricorn is strong in your chart, this is the beginning of a significant new cycle in your life in terms of your sense of identity and purpose in the world. If any of your planets fall at this degree, this indicates the part of your life affected – eg if you have Venus close to 2 degrees Capricorn, then this signifies the beginning of a new cycle in your relationships.

Jupiter goes direct on Boxing Day, Mon 26 Dec at zero degrees Taurus, indicating that the restraint and apparent lack of progress of recent months can now be resolved, and renewed hope and optimism emerge as things start to move forward once more. Ongoing reviews of injustice and other legal matters are likely to be brought to resolution now. At a personal level, if you have been questioning your beliefs or dealing with issues of faith or trust over the last four months, Jupiter’s direct motion is now likely to bring resolution and more clarity.

The Full Moon falls in Cancer on Mon 9 Jan. This is likely to be a nurturing time, focused on home and family. The Cancer Full Moon invites us to find a balance between work and family, between material achievement and deep emotional connection. At the same time, this Full Moon highlights our emotional attachment to the past – a time when deep feelings may be stirred again, giving us the opportunity to release the past. It is also an opportunity for us to reassess our unconscious, “autopilot” responses, and change any behaviour that is no longer appropriate. The Full Moon is exact at 5.30pm AEST.

Venus moves into Pisces on Sat 14 Jan, bringing a dreamy romantic feeling to relationships. If unconscious, this energy can manifest as escapism of one kind or another, yet more positively, this same energy can bring a more transcendent, spiritual element into a relationship. There is a deep desire to merge into oneness - this is great when there is a good basis for the relationship, but if things are a bit uncertain, be careful of seeing your partner (or even friends) through a rose-coloured haze over the next 3 weeks - and be careful not to dissolve all your boundaries!

Looking ahead to next lunar month

The next New Moon brings in the Chinese New Year – falling on Mon 23 Jan 2012, at 2 degrees Aquarius, exact at 5.39pm Queensland time. Like many traditional cultures, the Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, and this New Moon marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon.

And advance warning that Mars goes retrograde on Tues 24 Jan – this often coincides with delays and setbacks to projects and other undertakings, with all the attendant frustrations … so complete whatever you can beforehand, the earlier the better!

Enjoy the festive season and New Year celebrations!

With love

Chirone

Stargazer Astrology -

Solar eclipse/New Moon in Sagittarius 2011

SOLAR ECLIPSE / NEW MOON in SAGITTARIUS: Fri 25 Nov 2011, exact at 4.09pm Queensland time (AEST) at 2 degrees Sagittarius

LUNAR ECLIPSE / FULL MOON in GEMINI: Sun 11 Dec 2011, exact at 00.36am Queensland time (AEST) at 18 degrees Gemini

Skywatching

Saturn is visible in the early morning sky in the east before sunrise. Jupiter is visible as a very bright star in the east just after sunset this month.

Eclipse season, the solstice and Mercury retrograde …

The New Moon on Fri 25 Nov is a partial solar eclipse, intensifying its effects. This New Moon falls in Sagittarius, bringing a fresh burst of enthusiasm for adventure and exploration, as well as the need to enjoy life to the full. This is a good time to start on a spiritual quest, a programme of study or overseas travel - anything that expands your horizons. If your birthday is close to this date, this will be a particularly significant new beginning for you with regard to your sense of purpose and identity. The New Moon is exact at 4.09pm Queensland time.

If your birthday is close to this date, this marks the beginning of a major new cycle in terms of your individuality. If you have planets close to 2 degrees of Sagittarius, this marks the beginning of a very significant new cycle in terms of what that planet represents in your birth chart.

As this lunar month starts, we are in a Mercury retrograde period, so remember to double-check any messages you leave and any details you write down. Don’t be surprised if appointments are changed and plans are altered. Be careful making major purchases and don’t sign any legal documents unless you really have to – really scrutinise the fine print if you can’t avoid it. This period can be used productively to catch up on paperwork and clear out your old files. Mercury is retrograde until Wed 14 Dec.

The Full Moon this month is a total lunar eclipse, falling in Gemini. This eclipsed Full Moon invites us to find a balance between logic and intuitive knowing, so that any action we take integrates both polarities, aware of relevant information while inspired to find deeper meaning in life. The eclipse intensifies the energy of this Full Moon, which is exact just after midnight on Sun 11 Dec (effectively the night of Sat 10 Dec).

This lunar eclipse is likely to be memorable – not only is it a total lunar eclipse which often correlates with a higher incidence of earth changes around the world such as earthquakes and volcanic activity, but it also coincides with Uranus stationary turning direct at zero degrees Aries after its recent retrograde period.

Uranus is the Great Awakener, shaking up any sense we have of security or permanence. Uranus forces us into unexplored territory, and as it turns direct again for the next 7 months, that’s where we’re heading. Uranus brings new insights and a higher level of awareness, so this is part of the intensity of this eclipsed Full Moon. However Uranus can also be disruptive, shaking things to their very foundation - sometimes even bringing down the whole structure in the urge to bring about revolutionary change. In the words of Leonard Cohen “there is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”. The more conscious we can be, and the more open we are to the changes that the Universe is demanding of us, the less disruptive this energy is likely to be.

As Uranus rules Aquarius, people born under this sign might feel like they are going nowhere for a while until Uranus picks up speed towards the end of the month. If you are born around 21 March, this Uranus standstill is likely to affect you deeply – a time to reflect on your own truth and integrity, and a cosmic opportunity to reinvent yourself.

Relationships take on a much more serious tone now that Venus is in Capricorn, yet this goes well with Mars in Virgo, both Earth signs so the lovers are sensuous and grounded, moving at a slower pace and taking time to smell the roses. On Wed 21 Dec, just before the Solstice, Venus moves into quirky Aquarius where she will want a lot more freedom to do her own very unique thing.

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year (and shortest night) in the southern hemisphere, the traditional mid-season time of celebration and feasting – reverse that for the northern hemisphere where it is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and the longest night. This year the solstice falls on Thurs 22 Dec as the Sun moves into Capricorn, exact at 3.30pm Queensland time.

Looking ahead to next lunar month

The New Moon falls on Christmas Day, Sun 25 Dec, at 2 degrees Capricorn, exact at 4.08am Queensland time.

With love

Chirone