NEW MOON IN CAPRICORN (29 degrees) 8:02 pm PST, Thursday, January 18, 2007

New Moons are always good times to review our commitments and set new intentions. This is the fifth New Moon appearing in the final degrees of a sign indicating another crucial test. The 29th degree of any sign, sometimes called an anaretic or karmic degree, shows that we must master the spiritual goals of that sign before progressing to the next level. Capricorn is the sign most concerned with discipline, integrity, and becoming a fully mature, productive member of society. It's the end of blame and shame; we instead assume complete responsibility for our lives and are not detoured or immobilized by what others think. It's the end of the victim game; we stop abdicating our power and projecting it onto our partner, boss, or government. It's also the end of guilt; we no longer feel liable for what is not within our power. Like its ruler, Saturn, Capricorn is concerned with setting realistic limits and boundaries, which means allowing others to learn and experience the consequences of their choices.

The Sun at 29° Capricorn focuses our attention on how we wish to direct our masculine, yang energy. What were we born to do? Are we shining our light - or casting shadows with our fears? The Sun represents both our spiritual essence and the confines of the ego. Who we think we are limits what we can do in the world. If we haven't successfully navigated the previous sign, Sagittarius, we can get bogged down in Capricorn. If we're operating from an outdated belief system, we will be unable to recognize and fulfill our dharma, our true nature and destiny. In Capricorn, the Sun says we must determine for ourselves, from our heart, what success truly means to us. What were your childhood dreams? What would you like to be remembered for?

The Moon is also at 29° Capricorn. It turns our attention toward our feminine, receptive side and advises: There is no free lunch; we must feed ourselves. We must take responsibility for creating the conditions that will continue to support our real work. The Moon represents what nurtures us, what gives us the energy necessary to do our real work. The feminine has been severely denigrated in the modern Western world, leading to the disregard of the body and the degradation of our environment. Like a plant, we need the proper soil and nutrients to grow and bear our fruit. Are we rooted in the right place? Does our personal life support who we really are? The Moon in Capricorn reminds us that we must be dedicated mothers to ourselves, honoring our body, listening to our feelings, and attuning to our soul.

Other aspects offer suggestions about how to proceed. Aspects between Jupiter and Uranus urging us to follow our instincts and take a leap of faith. Venus and Neptune, conjunct at 19° Aquarius just as this New Moon perfects, remind us that we are not alone, that we can "get by with a little help from our friends," and that, in our heart of hearts, we all know what to do. It is time to look for signs that we are on our true path. Take some time around this powerful New Moon to check your spiritual compass and map out your next steps. These are extraordinary times on Planet Earth, calling for imaginative and unique responses. So: "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

PLAN YOUR OWN NEW MOON CEREMONY. Give yourself some quiet time in meditation to see where you need to seed new ways of becoming. List these areas within your life you want to change. What areas do you want to break free from the norm and become more productive and discerning? The NEW MOON is the time to manifest the personal attributes you want to cultivate as well as the tangible things you want to bring to you. Possible phrasing: I now manifest ____ into my life. I am now _______ . Remember, think, envision and feel with as much emotion as possible, as though you already have what you want. Thoughts are things and the brain manifests exactly what you show it in the form of thoughts, visuals and emotions. The Buddha said, and I am paraphrasing, "We are the sum total of our thoughts up to today. " If we want to be different than we must change our thoughts. "If you always do what you've always done then you'll always get what you've always got." CONSCIOUS CHANGE is the key.

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