Capricorn New Moon 12/30/24

Astrology

Dec 29

The Power of Resiliency

Welcome to Capricorn season, the time of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Winter provides valuable insight into the essence of Capricorn. This season embodies maturity, introspection, patience, and self-mastery, which are all Capricorn traits. Just as Winter demands resilience and responsibility, Capricorn calls us to rise to challenges with wisdom and discipline. It also carries nuances of karmic accountability, reflecting on what we have accumulated to sustain us through a season of dormancy. Just as the harvest represents the fruits of our labor, Capricorn reminds us that what we have sown—through our actions, choices, and patterns—determines what sustains us. This energy encourages reflection on the intentions of the foundations we've built.

Because this year, and especially the coming months, is set to be a challenge. Capricorn, known as the zodiac's reality checker, fact-finder, and consequence-bringer, demands that we face truths we may have been consciously or unconsciously avoiding. Its energy is unyielding, pushing us to confront what is really real. Like many astrologers, I sense this time will bring moments of clarity where we can't unsee what is being seen. The consequences, stark and undeniable, will manifest in ways we can no longer ignore.

In fact, Mars is retrograde in the sign of Leo and Cancer, also echoing this theme of assessment and review. Mars is our force of action, will, and drive. When it is retrograde there is a stop to that forward motion-a pause in the action. This is not a bad thing, of course. Every few years, it makes sense to reassess the alignment of our will and intention. The grace is the ability to reconsider and course-correct as needed. The challenge and grit are those forced pauses and those revealed truths. Because Mars retrograde asks us how we handle being told no or when faced with truths we don’t want to admit. Do we instantly revolt, our shadow rebel parts reacting before thinking enabling cognitive dissonance to overshadow any potential newness? Or do we stop and evaluate to find the relevance in the pause and the reality that is being exposed? Those will certainly be choice points offered.

Certainly, this energy shows up in our personal experiences. Just look at your own birth chart for that, or reach out for a mini-reading. These cycles are also collective, though. During this retrograde, Mars conjuncts (joins) the North Node in the chart of the United States, offering a powerful reminder of what "right" leadership, authority, freedom, and purpose truly mean—often by exposing where we are getting it wrong. This transit asks us to confront the gaps between our ideals and the actual reality of those premises.

Then, on January 6th—a date laden with significance for the U.S.—Mars retrogrades from Leo into Cancer. Cancer is a pivotal sign for the United States, with its Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus all rooted in this nurturing and connective energy. As a Cancerian nation, we are fundamentally called to nurture, connect, and cooperate—it's in our very name: The United States of America. At least, that is the essence of who we are meant to be. A nation where freedom of religion, speech, assembly, press, due process, and equality under the law prevail. A nation where true masculinity (Mars) is rooted in the strength of feeling and feminine genius (Cancer), not the insecurity of patriarchal toxic or wounded masculinity. A nation that celebrates the right use of assertion and conflict to stand for what is right for all, not egoic-driven patterns of dominion of the few. A nation that is meant to lead with its heart.

These themes are not going away anytime soon. Aries, which rules Mars, is a leading sign this year. Assertion, conflict, masculinity, and rebellion are all forces we will be exploring. Filtered through the best of us, that power looks like advocacy, evolution, and activism. It looks like good trouble and the stuff of heroes. Filtered through the worst of us, though, that force becomes domineering, destructive, narcissistic, and authoritarian. It is the stuff of bullies, dictators, narcissists, and the wounded masculine that exudes toxically patriarchal patterns.

The Sabian symbol for this New Moon is "An Albatross Feeding From the Hand of a Sailor," offering some additional wisdom. Out on the boundless sea, where the sailor finds himself adrift between worlds, the albatross appears—a symbol of wild freedom, untethered by the constraints of man's domain. Yet, in a moment of quiet wonder, the great bird descends, folding its vast wings to feed gently from the sailor's outstretched hand. This symbolic act of trust, delicate and profound, bridges the gap between the untamed and the human, a silent testament to the power of kindness meeting the mystery. It is not domination but collaborative harmony that brings them together—a shared understanding that neither stands above the other, but both are part of a greater whole. In this fleeting connection, the sailor glimpses a truth as expansive as the horizon: the strength of unity lies not in force but in the grace of mutual care. It lies in service, not dominion.

An important message as we end one year and begin another.

Which brings us back to Capricorn—the sign that teaches us the value of doing hard things. We are going to need it. Capricorn embodies discipline, sacrifice, discernment, and the staying power needed to persevere, even when the path is steep (it is) and uncertain (it is). It reminds us that true growth requires showing up, not just when it's easy but when it is challenging, demanding our full commitment. In the year to come, as we venture into the uncertain chaos of the unknown (which is so very present), we will need to stay grounded, sturdy, and real to step into our purpose with strength, authenticity, and an unwavering dedication to the greater good.

“Love is at the center of humanity. It’s what makes us human and what makes us beautiful. It’s what makes us strong, resilient, and compels us to do the right thing. Love is a way of life — it is more than just a feeling. Love is an action, an art, and the deep desire to see others grow to their greatest capacity. To see ourselves grow to our greatest capacity. Love is what makes us truly us, and what makes this country great. It is what makes us patriotic in our mission for life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. We need to rise above our desire to compete, so we can step up for our souls’ need to serve.” ~ Drue Grit

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