It’s another new moon: when the magically minded make wishes and astrologers attempt to divine this cycle’s intentions. But fates are personal. Even if a new moon chart could be forced to describe them all, no single astrologer could tell that many stories. The wishes you make now may indeed be super-powered, but if you don’t have a strong relationship with the archetypes, don’t expect special favors. If you rarely visit your cranky Uncle Gerald, he’s got little motivation to put you in his will. New Moons are potent times to forge alliances with the gods. Visit the invisible world. Bow and open yourself to their touch. Make an offering. Humans have been rendezvousing with these archetypes for thousands of years. When you call out to the gods, they do respond!
Calling Capricorn
Think of a solitary mountain goat, deftly leaping from stone to stone, in the high altitudes, while below, lies the vast snowy theater of the world. This New Moon become the goat. And let your life be the breath-taking, intricate, and treacherous mountain. Your focus? Keeping your balance, of course!
According to the Austrian philosopher-clairvoyant Rudolf Steiner, balance is the psycho-physical sense we must develop in Capricorn. When we steady ourselves, we steady the world. If we slip and free fall, the world goes spinning. The alliance you forge with Capricorn now can strengthen your footing for the entire year. Capricorn is a climber, inspired by high goals. But nothing is gained without first achieving balance on the terrain immediately beneath your feet. Tune into the earth. Let your balance be a conversation between you and the benevolent forces whispering, “Step here next!’”
Capricorn may be the archetypal impetus behind New Year’s resolutions too—though it’s easy to hate this tradition. Too often our annual resolutions are driven by a quick slurp of Capricorn’s draught. Made hastily, emotionally, preposterously, they’re often the set-up for failure and disappointment. I’ve heard the most successful resolutions are not made on New Year’s Eve. Rather they evolve over time, developing from a commitment that’s strong on the inside and well-planned on the outside. That’s the formula for good Capricorn structures!
Years ago I had an astrology reading in which the astrologer forecast my personal month-by-month agenda. “In January,” she said, “get organized and get down to business.” Later I realized she’d done nothing more complicated than describe the essence of Capricorn. Simple as it was, her advice worked well—and this month I offer it to you. Perhaps a plan is already taking shape in your mind. After all, you’ve had to roll up your sleeves and get to work many times. And based on your Ascendant (how you begin activities) or the house where Capricorn falls in your chart (where you’re prone to direct effort), your plan may sound a lot like plans you’ve hatched before. Funny how that works. Unfortunately this misses the fun of each Capricorn new moon, when each new line-up of planets suggests new and unexpected ways of playing the Capricorn game. This year the energy for change is particularly strong, as the new moon is resonating with the bright spirit of solstice. To tune in, slow down. Then, when the body is ready, surprise yourself by getting down to business creatively. Follow the cues on your mountain, like an agile goat, sensing where to leap next.
Capricorn rules bones too. Where would you be without your skeleton! Could you get out of bed or pick up a glass of water without it? Honor Capricorn structures this cycle. Thank the framework of the buildings you enter. Bow to the decision-makers who hold together the details of your world. Honor your parents. Leave gifts for your mentors and ancestors.
Capricorn’s Response
Waiting for the response is the fun part. No way can I predict it for you. One year, on a walk during the Capricorn cycle, a real goat came out of nowhere. Nipping at my dog, the lively goat followed us back to our house! Then, also from nowhere, a smiling white-haired woman appeared and said, “I know where this fellow belongs.” And she took him away, thank goodness. Pay special attention to encounters with old wise ones now—in the forest, at the grocery store, in your dreams. Notice the earth spirits. If you’re sensitive, you may hear a message in a rock. Most of all, be alert for that moment when Capricorn’s spirit enters you—like an alpine wind driving off the mountain—and you feel yourself freshly motivated to take charge of your life!
If you’d like to explore the archetypes in even greater depth, if you like to journal and/or muse on the positions of the Sun and Moon, you may enjoy my enrolling in my Twelve Moon workshop (by snail-mail or email). It’s designed to deepen your relationship with the guardians of natural time, the Sun, the Moon, and the zodiac.
© Dana Gerhardt
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