Journeys into the new moon in Sagittarius, December 12th 2023
As the moon waxes and wanes, she has a huge impact upon the Earth and of course all beings that live here. Whether we realise it or not therefore, the moon has a huge impact on us and, we can purposefully choose to align ourselves with her cycle, feeling and riding the powerful energies within ourselves. At the end of each moon cycle there is a short period of time when we cannot see the moon at all, known as a “dark moon”. Shortly after this time the sliver of a new moon can be seen in the sky. Although it’s not strictly a “new” moon at all, it’s useful for us to frame it in this way so we can work with the cycle in specific ways. Each moon cycle has an energy and this energy is also connected with the cycles of the sun. When we start to orientate ourselves to these cycles, we find we are living much more lightly on the Earth, feeling a deeper connection, both to the world around us and also within ourselves, as we are children of the Earth.
The energy of a new moon is a time of new beginnings, a time to set intentions and plant seeds for the coming month. We can discern the specific energy of each moon cycle with a variety of tools - the energy of the season, following the wheel of the year around the sun, diving into the wisdom of our ancestors, those who lived closer to the Earth, and an awareness of astrology, forming part of that wisdom.
This month we are focusing on the Winter Solstice and the energy of Sagittarius. The themes are of expansive dreaming and winter hibernation.
Meditations
The new moon rises on Monday December 12th in the astrological sign of Sagittarius. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the days are getting much darker now as we begin the descent to the Winter Solstice. This year the solstice falls in the early hours of Friday 22nd December and so, as our Christmas lights twinkle and we gather to celebrate with loved ones, the solstice energy will linger.
The two week stretch before the solstice is a powerful time, urging us to rest and conserve our energy. Whilst we humans don’t officially hibernate over winter, we are meant to slow right down. Food is now scarce in the land. The wind and rain howls and bashes against our homes, which in times past, wouldn’t have coped very well with the onslaught. Without central heating, our homes would also be damp and cold, warmed only by a central hearth.
Being active in the cold months puts a lot of pressure on our bodies and, being fully connected with our bodies means feeling the necessity to put the brakes on in all areas of our lives. We will feel resistance to any activity, whether that be physical or mental, just now.
However, our modern world seems to bear no concern for the necessity of wintering. Whilst many people have a holiday over the Christmas period itself, there is the expectation to entertain family, often the people who trigger childhood wounds and behaviours, bringing a stressful time for many. The two weeks leading up to the solstice, a time where we should really be hunkering down and resting, is the time when we are pressurised to shop til we drop, attend Christmas parties and school plays. Or if we are craftspeople or traders, this is possibly our busiest time of year in terms of work.
All this pressure puts a huge amount of stress on our bodies, on our nervous systems and our emotions, which may become fragile at this time. And there’s little rest, because when January comes, along with the astrological sign of Capricorn, the modern world kicks us with tax bills and the financial restraints which come from over-spending at Christmas, leading many people to work extra hard to regain what they have lost. It’s a hard world, this modern world we have created.
I invite you to pause and reflect on your life at this time, even just for today. Maybe spend the day, as much as you can, doing nothing. Feel into what’s moving in you, what’s really going on. Are you feeling the need to stop? Is that what you need? How can you best care for yourself this season? What could you feasibly let go of to really honour your needs at this time, to really honour the natural flow of the season? For, if we as a species began to align ourselves more fully with the natural flow of the seasons, with the wild ways of living in the world, we would soon feel better, both in ourselves and therefore in our communities.
Too many people in our modern world live dissociated lives; disconnected from their bodies and therefore unaware of what they really feel, what’s really going on inside. Our modern world forces this, with its relentless concern for making money, for competing with each other and taking power. As everyone strives to be the best, with relentless pressure to perform in every capacity - to be the best at work, the best mother/ father, son/ daughter, lover and partner. With social media and smartphones bringing the pressure into every fragment of our lives. However, what happens when we choose not to live like this? What happens when we say no? This time of year is the period to reflect on all these things. As your body screams to slow down it’s the perfect time to listen and dream of living a different way. How could you manage that in your world?
The Sagittarius new moon will help you in this, as is the way of the perfect synergy of nature. Astrologically there are three fire signs and Sagittarius is the last of the year. Together the three form the basis of fire - from birth to ember. The first fire sign is Aries; the initial spark and birth of the fire. The second fire sign is Leo; the roaring, established hearth fire. Sagittarius is the final fire; a strong and established fire, it is hot and transformative as it burns to embers. Sagittarius is the fire of magic, of the smiths and the cooks, the fire that can be worked with to make something that cannot be made in any other way. It is pure alchemy. Sagittarius is the winter fire, the one we need to keep us warm and positive on long nights. Sagittarius is the adventurer, the storyteller, the philosopher and the alchemist. As we sit around the fire, what stories will we hear and tell?
The Sagittarius new moon lightens the energy after the intensity of Scorpio. It’s a mutable sign that invites acceptance of what has gone, acceptance of the here and now. Sagittarius is a sign of the present moment and of optimism. It represents a pause or a reset button. Last month was the time to let go of what didn’t work in your life this year. Perhaps a harvest that failed. Scorpio enabled you to grieve its passing and come to a place of acceptance and inner growth, ready to face the future. Sagittarius is that future. It is a highly creative energy that is playful and wise. The invitation is to let go of the past finally and to step into that liminal phase, the time before action, that dreamy, creative phase where anything is possible. The earthy sign of Capricorn next month will give you the grounding to work out what is possible to achieve. Sagittarius is a creative dreamer but a very powerful, magical one.
Work with the energy of this time to explore your creative side. What is stirring for you in these dark evenings? What are your deepest wishes and desires? What would you create of your life if you were able to? What have you always wanted to do or explore? What held you back and why? Is 2024 the time to go there, finally? Is the time approaching for something gloriously new? The energy of Sagittarius and the winter solstice go hand in hand. The invitation is to rest and expand your dreaming time. Within your dreaming, what is moving, what do you want to explore and create?
“What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” (Mary Oliver)
Now is the time to look deep and find the answer, journey into the waters of your soul to seek any treasure there waiting to be brought to the surface, what you have perhaps forgotten, something from childhood perhaps, something which has long been calling for you to recover. Enjoy!
Love Samara