Sagittarius New Moon Newsletter🏹
Happy Mercury Retrograde, witches!
This newsletter is coming to you a few days into the Sagittarius Moon Cycle, for which I have a nasty cold (plus general holiday craziness) to blame. Nonetheless, I couldn’t not send it — this is such an overwhelming time of year and for those of us who utilize astrology as a tool to ground within the chaos, I think this newsletter will be of particular comfort! Grab a mug of something warm — here’s your astrology breakdown for the new cycle.
Tuesday, December 12. Today’s* New Moon in ebullient Sag is conjunct actionable Mars, trine the North Node and fresh off a mutable square to Saturn. New Moons in expansive Sagittarius favor risk-taking and amplify our audacity and leadership vibe, building momentum and inspiring bold moves. While New Moons are always our monthly reboot, those aligned to Mars typically mark a definitive fresh start or cue an obvious, energy-fueled reset (especially in Sagittarius, which is mood-boosting if not outright elating.) Flamboyant moves in the direction of self-actualization are favored by this triumphant lunar moment, while staying in motion, self-belief and telling the truth are lucky when the moon transits Sag. Any relationships, ventures or dialogue which benefit from the moment’s vibe of honesty, spaciousness and heightened resolve are green-lit but because we can’t be a chill when the moon conjuncts passionate Mars in dogmatic Sag (especially with Venus currently in tense Scorpio), negotiations requiring diplomacy or glacial coolness and tact could be ill-timed (and, if possible, should be rescheduled.) Speaking an important truth could set us free or initiate a liberating new chapter, but don’t expect others to be agreeable (or anything shy of fervent) regarding their own truth — especially with the moon in a late-degree square to Saturn, there could be inconvenient realities to negotiate but nonetheless, it is favorable to profess honesty now. And if you want to make a bold business move, ask someone out or initiate a triumphant return to the gym? It’s well-timed to today’s astro!
*The New Moon occurred around midnight on Tuesday. We’ll feel it’s effects more strongly on the 13th.
Wednesday, December 13. Mercury turns retrograde today at 8 degrees Capricorn. I’m not going to spend a lot of time talking about this but a few things to note about it overall: a.) We’ve been in the shadow zone since November 26, so think about the trends and themes which surfaced around that time or have been coming up with some frequency since then. To scry how it’s likely to impact your microcosm, look to the house (or houses) which fall from 22 degrees of Sagittarius to 8 degrees of Capricorn in your birth chart — this area of life is going to be extremely activated for you until the end of January, and you can prevent mishaps by embodying a vibe of chill composure and being extra-careful when engaging with those themes. I have a post all about thriving through Mercury Retrograde, including a section toward the bottom with my complete take on how the Trickster God functions when moving backwards through each house respectively — read that here. b.) There are two major blessings we’re receiving from this retrograde. Firstly, Mercury will remain in Capricorn for much longer than usual — that’s essentially good. Even with the potential for retrograde disruptions or unexpected revisions, it’s fortifying, stabilizing and conducive to negotiating around professional or worldly matters, facilitating organized thinking, heightened biz acumen (plus intuition around good timing) and making it easier for us to project a vibe of chill composure. It also forms some cool, uplifting angles including three trines to benevolent Jupiter — each one is potentially good fortune, synchronicity or a cool offer extended within the 48 hours of the exact alignment (December 7, 18 and January 19.) c.) Mercury Retrogrades which involve a change of signs have more flexibility but can be unpredictable and just plain weird. Mercury moves back into Sagittarius on December 22nd and around that point, we can expect the retrograde to change tone (or something in the works earlier in the retrograde re-surfaces with new developments or a plot twist.) d.) It sounds annoying but the best strategy this Mercury Retrograde is to embody our inner Capricorn and focus on consolidating and conserving our resources. Circumstances, agreements and relationships are likely to change terms or reverse several times — our best move? Know this, approach changing people and evolving situations with measured Saturnian poise and anticipate resolution around January 21st (in the meantime, seek out the ways in which the moment’s flexible atmosphere works to your advantage — anything in the works since the 26th is essentially up for negotiation.) And with the holidays imminent, it’s worth double-checking travel arrangements, insulating against shipping delays and ideally, being really careful about buying gadgets and electronics.
Friday, December 15. The sun harmonizes with the nodes, a gentle invite to resolve old emotions. While this occurs several times each year, today’s alignment is boosted by a detached Aquarius moon. There’s an ability to traverse usually messy or complicated emotional terrain, or to assess the nuances of a relationship, with the razor-sharp objectivity and unaltered coolness of the zodiac’s fixed air sign — anticipate evocative yet level-headed realizations (but because we’re in the window of the Sun square Neptune, it’s not advisable to follow up with bold relationship moves.)
Saturday, December 16. The sun squares Neptune but we’ve been feeling this influence since earlier in the week (and it continues to affect the astro-vibe all weekend, only dissipating with the start of the new work week.) First, the benefits: Creativity and Otherworldly acumen are off the charts. The terrain is ripe for spiritual breakthroughs, dreamwork, tending to our intimate relationships and creating and/or enjoying art. The downside? We can quickly find ourselves projecting our ideal scenario onto a person or opportunity, leaving us vulnerable to beguilement or deception (and ultimately, disillusionment.) It’s not a good time to wax too idealistic about things: risks that are objectively stacked against us should be avoided and instincts to bend our boundaries or reverse a pact we already made with ourselves should be very carefully weighed. Because Mercury is retrograde, it can be difficult to distinguish real cues from figments of our imagination — thankfully, we can utilize the objectivity of today’s Aquarius Moon to navigate this nebulous vibe via logic.
Monday, December 18. Mercury trines Jupiter for the second time, an important moment within the Trickster God’s retrograde. The 48 hours surrounding this transit are a magick synchronicity portal: they’re good for establishing connections, stumbling accidentally upon cool realizations or opportunities and negotiating around money, business or worldly matters. However, we shouldn’t try to push forward or anticipate agreements or concepts conceived now to remain unaltered — assuming everything is firm or final can have costly consequences or cause us to miss the moment’s imminent opportunities, blocking our access to unexpected fortune. Although situations are still developing, there are signals and insight to be garnered around this date which are meaningful and accurate— attune to these to scry how the resolution unfolds around the final alignment on January 19th (at which time, we reap the benefits of whatever’s forming now — and it’s probably tangible, like more cash flow, improved intimacy, or a solid opportunity.) In the meantime, it’s a good time to propose or pitch something expansive or to reach for something you wouldn’t normally think within your range, but be cool and casual about the response you get (and allow space for even better outcomes or surprisingly good results, which likely won’t come right away — this astro is about moving energy in a particular direction, not instant results.)
Thursday, December 21. Happy Yule! While this day is steeped in cool mythology and witchy festivity, it’s also an astrological portal marking one of two distinct yearly points at which the Earth’s tilt is at it’s most extreme. It’s not a good time for impulsivity (especially coinciding with Mercury Retrograde) but it is good for measured decision-making and tends to align with natural turning points in our lives (read more about the ritual and symbolism of this day here.) This Winter Solstice features some cool astrology including Mercury Retrograde sextile Saturn and an offbeat opposition between individualistic Uranus and sensual Venus. Mercury harmonized with Saturn for the first time on December 2nd before turning retrograde, so likely, themes or dialogue from that date re-emerge today with developments, plot-twists or new insight (however, it isn’t likely to fully resolve until this happens again on January 18th when Mercury is once again moving direct.) Boosted by the sun’s entrance into Capricorn, this contact is stabilizing and supportive in worldly endeavors — we can more easily negotiate or advocate for ourselves around money matters, bureaucracy and self-advancement (the retrograde won’t negate this but recall that things aren’t solidified yet — relationships, dialogue and concepts in the works around this date are still strongly subject to change.) Venus Opposite Uranus is a relationship, style and creativity catalyst and most helpfully, it’s a liberator — but this can be destabilizing or an irritant if we’ve been suppressing our inner wildness or enduring mediocrity for too long. While Mercury Retrograde emphasizes the weird factor or stimulates the formation of quirky romances, offbeat creative genius and the unfolding of unexpected outcomes, Saturn’s pragmatic influence helps us nonchalantly harness the benefits (which, most importantly, includes a triumphant return to radical independence and a re-commitment to owning and expressing our individuality via outfits, relationships and artforms.)
Friday, December 22. It’s the Mercury/Sun alignment! Every Mercury Retrograde features a moment where the sun and the Trickster Magician come into closer proximity than usual — also known as a cazimi, it’s essentially a Mercurial revamp or an opportunity to birth new concepts, perspectives or a fresh mindset. It’s conducive to building connections and initiating meaningful dialogue (and others are likely to approach us with topics we’ve been wanting to discuss) and while things aren’t likely to finalize or the energy around the situation isn’t conducive to proceeding, it’s a time where we can really benefit from the breakthrough/mad genius energy of the retrograde. Supporting this alignment is a stabilizing (almost full) Taurus Moon, trine Mercury and conjunct benefic Jupiter— any alliances or ideas birthed today are fortifying, substantial and likely to stick around, growing and developing over time.
Saturday, December 23. Mercury moves back into Sagittarius today, a pivotal moment in the retrograde where it’s likely to change tone, present a plot-twist or revise something in the works since the window of December 1st. The back-and-forth action between Capricorn and Sagittarius could also play out as a recalibration between these inherently antithetical energies: Sag (ruled by Jupiter) is fun-loving hubris while Saturn (ruler of Capricorn) is bureaucracy, taxes, laundry and dental cleanings. More than likely, this retrograde creates space for us to balance our responsibility threshold and our ability to show up for worldly demands with our commitment to the freedom, fun, spaciousness and optimism we also need.
Sunday, December 24. The sun harmonizes with Saturn today and while the dreary mundanities of life still exist (taxes, dentist appointments, etc.) we tackle them in the 48 hours of this alignment with an unusual amount of effervescence and vim. While it’s always an anti-gloom transit, this one is especially powerful because it’s coinciding with the Ancient Roman Saturnalia, a Pagan solar festival which very directly influenced the convivial practices of modern Xmas (decorating with lights, swapping gifts, etc.) Dedicated to the Time God (after whom it was named), celebrations consisted of general merriment with a particular focus on subverting and suspending basically all Saturnian impositions including moral restrictions, oppressive social roles, business affairs and solemnity (true, the Saturnalia is a human construct but there’s something to be said for the magick of collectively-attributed meaning.) If you’re attending an Xmas party or are otherwise making merry today, this astro overwhelmingly supports it (it’s also good for confronting our Saturnian annoyances with glee — paying overdue bills, addressing untreated joint pain, etc.) Mars also trines the Nodes today which is great for morphing something quickly.
Monday, December 25. Venus trines Neptune this Xmas which is ultra harmonious and dreamy— nourishing and supportive, it favors sensitivity, receptivity, emotional openness and heightens our appreciation of sensory pleasures. Emotions are running high this holiday — we’re in the window of a currently-intensifying Full Moon in Cancer — but today’s sociable, lighthearted moon in Gemini supports communication flow and breezy interpersonal synergy.
Tuesday, December 26. Today’s Full Moon harmonizes with Neptune and Jupiter and sits opposite Mercury. Full Moons in Cancer are ultra potent — emotional and psychic, we’re highly aware of our innate polarities, our (sometimes conflicting) drives and needs and the inherent complexities of our interpersonal relationships. This Full Moon brings our attention to what we most deeply need as opposed to what we want (or think we “should” have) — the insight comes regardless of whether we welcome it with open arms, but we can optimize the intel by creating deliberate space for self-awareness and introspection (via alone time, shutting of devices and unplugging from external stimuli, etc.) Full Moons during Mercury Retrograde can accentuate the batty outcomes or tech/communication glitches we associate with the aforementioned and with a Cancer Full Moon, it’s easy to give minor mishaps more emotional energy than they deserve. Simple self-care and nurturance is more soothing than usual when the Full Moon transits her ruling sign: return to the basics like drinking plenty of water, prioritizing nutrition/comfort food, getting plenty of rest, nesting or spending time within (or tending to) the home and wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Also: mark this date on your calendar as pivotal for rad realizations or big reveals with regard to your activated retrograde zone. And yes, the Neptunian influence means this Full Moon is extra witchy and amps our sensitivity to energy currents and sense impressions: it’s fab for divination or card-pulling, while sudden hunches are spot-on and may come during dreamtime (and while I don’t recommend elaborate spell-work on this emotionally-charged of a Full Moon, it’s alignment to Jupiter suggests it’s a wish-granter — especially when falling this close to the Solstice!)
Wednesday, December 27 — Thursday, December 28. Count this astrology as in effect beginning the day before the Full Moon and into the weekend: Mars conjuncts Mercury retrograde, and then each planet squares Neptune. Mark this on your calendar as the two days of the retrograde most likely to feature communication mishaps, misunderstandings caused by projected idealism or wishful thinking, looming mental fog or premature decision-making prompted by the pursuit of a momentary transcendental high. It’s not a good time to behave impulsively, to make huge assumptions, to sign off on legal documents or to take risks we wouldn’t normally — it’s fabulous for romantic developments or creative turning points but the best results are likely to come from channeling energy into fortifying what’s already in the works (rather than birthing a whole new venture or concept.) It’s not a good time for making formal statements or agreements but Mars aligned to Mercury does favor tactful directness — particularly with both planets in Sag, an honest, forthright approach works best but anticipate others to backtrack on their opinions, to vibe more fanatical than usual or to over-share and later regret it. With people you don’t trust or in matters where you’re still forming an opinion or are meditating on a final decision, remain inscrutable — otherwise, vibe honest and transparent now for rad results. And try not to over-schedule yourself throughout this potentially turbulent window: Mars in Sag thrives with spaciousness and without it, becomes restless and irritated. There’s also a major benefactor worth noting (exact on the 27th but in play for the 24 hours on either side) which is the sun in a stabilizing earth trine to Jupiter. Especially with the cosmic giant in the window of stationing direct, it’s a powerful prosperity alignment: small steps taken to augment cash flow will activate abundance in a bigger way than expect (as a mini-spell, buy a young prosperity plant — jade, basil, or anything else of your choosing — or commit an act of generosity.)
Friday, December 29. On her final day in Scorpio, Venus harmonizes with Pluto (whose been hanging out in the late degrees of Capricorn and will remain there for the next month) — it’s adding to the week’s prosperity vibe and presents a (probably tangible) opportunity to regenerate lost or depleted wealth. Other possibilities include a resurgence in creativity, accentuated intimacy and enhanced ambition/healing potential — if you’d like to change your look or alchemize an old wound into a piece of art, yes. Within the 24 hours of this cool alignment, the Love Goddess joins the plethora of inner planets in Sagittarius — this favors adventurous, spacious romances but compromises those which are trapping to one or both parties. When Venus transits Sag, it’s easier to let things go — old lovers, an outdated self-image and even physical insecurities around which we’re usually overcome with stifling neuroses — but we have far less tolerance for feeling boxed in by a lover or relationship. If you’re pursuing someone new or tending to an existing romance, space and freedom are ultra seductive now — give it freely, and claim it unapologetically!
Saturday, December 30. Jupiter stations direct in Taurus and while the retrograde itself isn’t imminently significant (as Jupiter spends four months of every year retrograde), the 48 hours around which the planet of luck and largesse turns direct are innately prosperous and good for ambitious moves, confidence in our worth and strengths and brings luck from growing things (especially in the area of life ruled by the Taurus house in your birth chart.)
Monday, January 1. On the first day of the new year, Mercury turns direct! Between now and the 21st (when Mercury re-enters eight degrees Capricorn), anticipate developments or dialogue from the retrograde to resurface if they’re going to. Venus also squares Saturn today which is deeply unromantic — the underpinnings or impracticalities of a relationship become very difficult to overlook but this is sometimes helpful, providing needed reality checks if we’ve been chasing someone unavailable or indulging a relationship without substance. It’s generally not a good time for casual dating (we can find ourselves obsessing over a relationship’s functionality instead of just having fun) or to lean on charm in lieu of knowledge, authority or ability (others will definitely notice) — it is good, however, for deliberately restructuring a relationship and for budgeting and trimming back on excess. This transit can also cause feelings of insecurity or hyper-awareness of our perceived flaws (especially around our physical appearance or image) — again, it’s not good dating astro because we’ll tend to approach romance from a space of self-consciousness instead of attuning to a vibe of receptivity. Focus instead on objectively fine-tuning your relationship boundaries and tending to the practical maintenance your relationships require (and in creativity/fashion? We can tend to feel uninspired during this transit but err on the side of timeless.)
Thursday, January 4. Mars enters Capricorn until February which is a strong placement for The Warrior God, whose exalted (or fully self-expressed) in the sign of the sea goat. It’s a six-week period where we can more easily channel Mars oomph into worldly achievement and practical success — it’s fabulous for post-retrograde restructuring, setting goals and taking the proverbial first step. We have strong instincts around pace and timing — when we to conserve our energy, waiting until the terrain becomes more favorable, and when to act — and it’s the kind of astro where we can move toward long-term self-actualization via planning and making deliberate, appropriately-timed moves.
Monday, January 8. Mercury Squares Neptune for the third and final time — if miscommunication occurred around December 27th, this is the date where others are likely to re-emerge with more information, new developments or general clarification. If they don’t, it’s a good time to circle back or reach out — nebulous concepts can be firmed up and our psychic abilities our heightened, giving us another (accurate) way to engage with incoming data.
Tuesday, January 9. The Sun trines Uranus and Mars harmonizes with Saturn today. The former influence sparks fresh concepts and new insight — particularly favoring Aquarians, rebels and offbeat eccentrics generally — while Mars harmonizing with Saturn is good for biz and negotiating around money or worldly matters (and, especially with Mercury now direct, we can anticipate results.) Mark it on your calendar as a window of opportunity — it’s good for building momentum and it’s a time where we can more easily project an aura of composure and channel higher levels of resolve.
Happy Yule!
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**New Podcast Episode — The Moon in the Birth Chart (Part II)