New Year, New Moon, New You

On January 2, 2022 at 1:33 pm, the Capricorn New Moon offers all of us an opportunity to plant a seed of growth and intention for the new year ahead. 

The New Moon marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle, and is a period of time when the moon is completely dark in the sky.  No light from the Sun is reflected off her surface.  

In astrology, the moon represents our unconscious mind and emotions, and the sun represents our conscious mind.  The total darkness of the New Moon offers us an opportunity to go deep within to connect with a place that can be felt, but not seen.  Some may call this our intuitive mind, our nature, our instinctual self, or our true self.  It doesn’t matter what you call it, it’s quite accessible at the New Moon.

The New Moon is a great time to make space to be alone with yourself and connect with your intuition.  I like to journal at the New Moon and come up with intentions for soul growth, the deep kind of growth that doesn’t happen overnight.  The kind of growth the universe guides us toward over the course of our lifetimes.  And the kind that can be boosted with a little extra intention and self-reflection at pivotal times like the New Moon.

Capricorn Energy

The first New Moon of 2022 is in Capricorn – a cardinal earth sign which carries a very strong energy to initiate new things, and the discipline and practicality to accomplish that which you set in motion.  Whatever area of your life is ruled by Capricorn is a very serious area, where you must do your work alone, follow the mature path, and put in the time and effort to develop mastery.

Integrity is paramount with Capricorn.  To me, integrity is achieved when our beliefs, our words, and our actions are all in alignment; when what you believe, what you say, and what you do, are all the same.  

Capricorn energy asks us to spend some time alone, determine what’s inside us, what beliefs and words make up our inner nature, and then merge that inner truth to our outer reputation.  Capricorn asks: Do your outer words and actions match your inner words and beliefs?

Capricorn energy is also very solitary, in the sense that this responsibility to be in integrity, is for you and you only.  Of course, any healing we undertake on a personal level has benefits to others, but this Capricorn New Moon is here to keep us in alignment with ourselves. 

Capricorn’s strong-willed, desire-to-make-things-happen energy has a shadow that we must also be aware of.  Notice when you are seeking public approval for what is true inside you.  Notice when pessimism and fear are driving your words and your actions, or keeping you from being in integrity with yourself.  Notice if you find yourself scheming, or trying to control situations to your own advantage.  All of these shadows of Capricorn can creep up on us when we’re not aware. 

New Moon at 12 degrees Capricorn

This New Moon is trine Uranus, the planet of truth, freedom, radical change.  Uranus plays the role of waking us up to where we need to be in integrity.  Chiron (the Wounded Healer) in Aries square the New Moon brings in new healing solutions, showing us where we must work to take action with integrity.  

There are two other energies at play at this New Moon in Capricorn that are quite important.  After spending much of the last year in the humanitarian sign of Aquarius, Jupiter has recently moved into Pisces, and is asking us to dream big, bigger than we ever have before.  

And Venus conjunct Pluto in Capricorn brings intense emotions, deep transformations of our values, and deep transformations of our relationships.  This energy supports us in bringing our outer reputation into alignment with who we really are deep, down inside.

Intuitive Journaling Prompts

If you know which house of your birth chart is ruled by Capricorn, you may find it helpful to answer these questions with that area of your life in your heart.  If you don’t know which house Capricorn rules, just write what you feel. 

Keep in mind that the energies at play are not limited to Capricorn alone, so feel no need to limit yourself to the area of your life ruled by Capricorn when answering these questions. 

I recommend answering within 8 hours of the New Moon to get the answers that reflect your deepest intuitions, with minimal influence from your conscious mind. 

• In what areas of your life have you worked hard to develop self-discipline?  In what areas are you being called to develop more self-discipline right now?

• Have you made any commitments to yourself or others that you haven’t kept? Have fear or pessimism gotten in the way of your commitments?

• What are your biggest dreams right now?

• Do you feel that you are being called to be an authority, a master, or an expert in any area of your life?  What steps have you already taken to become an authority?  What steps must you continue to take?

• What aspects of your inner nature are already merged with your outer reputation? Are there any parts of your inner nature that are asking to be brought to your outer reputation right now? 

• Let’s talk about integrity.  Where in your life do your beliefs match your words and your actions?  Where in your life could what you believe, what you say, and what you do be better aligned? Be honest with yourself here.  You are the only person reading this.  

Intention Setting

 The Capricorn New Moon is an opportunity to get into integrity - to align your beliefs, your words, and your actions - and to initiate a new pattern of energy to take practical, mature action to make serious accomplishments in your life. Dream big, be open to new and innovative ways of accomplishing your goals, and be open to your changing values and beliefs as you move throughout this process. 

Keep in mind that the first full illumination of these intentions will become clear at the Cancer Full Moon on January 17th.  Six months later at the Capricorn Full Moon on June 14th, 2022, we will see how the energy of this intention has continued to unfold and what has blossomed from the intentions we set today.

Here are some questions to guide your intention-setting:

• Based on what came up in your intuitive journaling and the area of your life ruled by Capricorn, to what are you committing yourself today, with serious ambition and intent?  List one or several commitments that you’d like to make for this moon cycle.  Keep them simple and straightforward, and don’t write down anything that doesn’t feel absolutely good and positive in your heart when you write it (i.e. if you’re feeling pessimistic about them already, they aren’t the right goals!) “Today I commit myself to…”

• Why are you absolutely committed to these goals?

• Now consider simplifying your goals into just one or two words that you can carry with you throughout the moon cycle to remind you of your goals or the intent behind them.

• If fear or pessimism creep in this moon cycle, how will you notice them, and how will you correct course?

Wishing all of you a healthy, happy New Year, and a fabulous Capricorn Moon Cycle!