Today’s Sagittarius New Moon, occurring at 3:41 am EST, might seem simple on the surface, heralding a new lunar cycle during the festive holiday season. But it contains a doorway to curious depths. Kind of like many Sagittarians themselves: boisterous, cheerful, comedic and free on the outside, but palpably aware of striking cosmic truths when you get them to sit still, drop in and open up.
This New Moon is conjunct some minor planets in Sagittarius that tend to be ignored by most astrologers (though Len Wallick gave them some attention Tuesday).
Centaurs are part of the mix; they relate to some of the darkest lines of human karma that exist. They are also known to bring the material to consciousness so that we have an opportunity to work through it rather than continuing to perpetuate it.
For example, various centaur planets deal with multigenerational patterns of alcoholism, every shade of abuse, the suspension of ethics, and the family constellations that support these things. They can feel dark and edgy when the Sun or another major planet makes a strong aspect to them. When that happens, it can take a little extra inner space and compassion (also known as love) to integrate their messages rather than project them onto others.
To quote Eric, writing for Chronogram this week:
If you feel deep stuff coming up today and through the weekend, there is an astrological map to the territory. Note that the issues go back a long time and that you’re not alone. Borrowing from Dr. Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting, it’s not your fault. Indeed, the concept of fault is a big part of the problem, and self-blame is why the problem can seem so intractable.
Today’s Sagittarius New Moon takes us deep; it may shift your trajectory, and commence the beginning of a healing process for you, one that may last for many years. It may also represent a turning point in your existing healing journey, taking it to a new depth — illustrated by Mercury in early Sagittarius square Chiron in Pisces.
This particular aspect (Mercury square Chiron) can feel like coming out of a long sleep and awakening to the reality of your potential, your needs and the truth of your situation — which is unlikely to be as challenging as you thought, as long as you admit the challenges that actually do exist, and as long as you’re willing to deal with them.
Chiron is eminently fair in that it always offers multiple opportunities to commence and invest yourself in the healing process before things fall apart. Each one of its invitations must be taken in earnest. Often they are not, which is how problems compound.
If you have indeed been bypassing Chiron’s attempts to flag you down on an issue, this territory, and the act of responding to the call to enter into it, may feel downright alien. (It may still feel that way even if you have been listening to Chiron and taking action.) Which makes sense, given the Sabian symbol (a set of channeled symbols for each degree of the zodiac) for the New Moon degree, as interpreted by Dane Rudhyar.
The symbol for 22 Sagittarius is, “A Chinese laundry.” It initially struck me as one of the most cryptic of the Sabians, despite its verbal simplicity. But Rudhyar elaborates: “Making use of one’s special racial-cultural background in order to survive and prosper in an alien environment.” In many families, opening up dialogue about old, dysfunctional patterns may be a very alien environment, indeed — as might something less group-oriented, like embarking on individual therapy for yourself.
If a potentially inconvenient message is asking for your attention this week, reflect as to whether it is a new one — as well as how many times you’ve heard it before in some way, why you’ve been passing the messages by, and how many more opportunities you think you might get to address the issue. If beginning therapy is a consideration, check out Eric’s thoughts on the topic.
Finally, consider this angle: perhaps your “racial-cultural background” could even be seen as your personal natal chart, and the “alien environment” this current moment, with its provocative astrology and weird apocalyptic obsession with the nearing Capricorn solstice. How can you use your incredible uniqueness to your advantage as you navigate the New Moon and the following week?
I think Rudhyar’s final statement in the 22 Sagittarius entry may be the most useful: “What is asked for is self-containment… and good humor!” This is, after all, a Sagittarius Moon.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! December 13h is my birthday, I have been feeling like I have been living under a rockpile. The past two-and-a-half years have been a living nightmare. Last month, I decided that I needed to make concrete, changes, so I could make it to 2013. It is going to be a slow journey to recover and heal–but I am making a plan now that I hopefully can live by and not be scared to see what each day brings.
Oh my god Patti, you have struck a cord!
My mum’s natal Juno conjuncts my Scorpio sun, only a few seconds separate the two, and her natal Venus is right there in the mix, too. She plunged me into conversations on Scorpio related themes ever since childhood, and she has not changed her tune. Her view of marriage is that it is an outdated concept, and she has strong views on women’s rights. My Juno is in Aquarius. I have never been married;my mum champions my autonomy.
Amanda (and Eric): Thank you so much for keeping Chiron front and center. Its glyph is shaped very much like a key, and appropriately so. This whole piece is very, very well taken and gratefully received. Thank you so very much.
@ beleclaire, your comment made me smile – nice insight – yes, I am definitely an extrovert; rarely do I suppress … well … we all suppress from time to time … but … I am usually a very happy extrovert. Not that introverts can’t be very happy as well.
@Amanda, nice, got it, understood! Makes good sense.
hcohen — i think beleclaire is on the right track. my take on the phrase “self-containment” in this *specific* context was not about limiting creative potential for growth. it speaks to me of a couple things:
1) not projecting our “crap” onto those around us, but instead of figuring out how we can take responsibility for however we feel in our present moment and making conscious choices not to perpetuate unhealthy patterns.
2) the idea of going deep within ourselves and allowing some of the layers of ourselves that we usually gloss over when preoccupied with externals and activities to come into our awareness. whether one calls it listening to intuition or making contact with spirit/source or what have you, it’s a more “capricorn solstice” sense of pulling in for the purposes of replenishing or concentrating energy in preparation for the shift back into expansion as the days get longer and we move back toward the outward push of spring.
anyway… those were a couple of the layers i saw to that phrase…
Look at where your Juno is in your mother’s house system. Those are the lessons she has to teach you from the past (past life). Accept the lessons, thank spirit for bringing them, and release them so you can move forward. This is the baggage from childhood and it is there for a reason. Accept it and release it. Don’t grieve, but be glad for the lessons learned.
Look at your Juno to know what you are here to teach. What house? What sign? Where does it connect with the significant others? Your children? Your spouse? It isn’t easy, but it is sort of a key that needs to be unlocked. It’s the Chinese laundry lesson. In a public position, your potential may be to open new vistas to people who are otherwise caught in self-absorbtion – save them from being bored to death, especially with a light hand and a little humor. I always wonder how much cancer is caused by boredom.
Thank you for this Amanda..it felt spot on with how I am feeling today…the time leading up to the New Moon involved a lot of letting go of all these old old patterns reinforced over lifetimes. Today I had a sense of calm and happiness that at last feels more solid and enduring.
hcohen – you must be an extrovert! Self containment is a means of honestly looking at yourself and not projecting your crap onto the rest of the world/loved ones.
Most of us have had a life and lifetimes where our ideas/attitudes have been suppressed because they do not fit into the status quo…unlocking your potential is a process, a long one! of finding out who you are ( as opposed to what your father/mother/spouse might have demanded you be )
Humor has always been my first and foremost strategy to negotiate life’s obstacles and challenges, but self containment? How does one unlock “potential” if one self contains? Is this selective self containment? Being aware of what is productive vs what is destructive? How does one objectively do this? We are not always our own best judge, especially with regard to destructive tendencies. Thank you for this thoughtful and provocative post.