On the 23rd of December at 4:17 a.m. CST, the moon will align with the sun at 1° 32’ of Capricorn, initiating the last new moon of 2022. This moon marks a moment to honor what is ending and make space for new, fertile ground to begin anew.
Considering its proximity to the Winter Solstice, this new moon is conducive to creating intentions and working with ritual, not just for the following 28 days but for the next season of our lives. Solstices mark significant turning points which occur twice a year. We bring our awareness to light, and reflect on our highest points of light and the key moments brought forth in 2022.
As with any new moon, this one too pulls our attention inward, connecting is with our intuition. It takes us to the depths of our subconscious mind, psychic impressions and dreams, illuminating what has been eclipsed from our awareness. It’s a time to take inventory, identify that which no longer serves us, affirmatively choose what to discard.
This is a super moon which means it’s at the closest distance to earth. This close proximity intensifies the impact we feel as it moves tides and generates electromagnetic forces. We may feel overwhelmed with large waves of emotions rising to the surface. This super new moon reminds us of our own cyclical nature and awakens our deeper connection to the cosmic rhythm. As above, so below. Over the last several years, we bared witness to the unravelling of old structures and systems both within our own lives and the collective. We now begin to lay the foundation for a new collective consciousness and hold the vision of the world we wish to build and be a part of.
Capricorn as an Archetype
Capricorn is the archetype associated with pragmatism, inner-authority and sustainability. It is adept at working with the laws of earth-bounded reality and limits to connect to what is practically realizable and birth cosmic ideas into grounded form. This requires us to prioritize strategic thinking and commitment to building our long-term dreams over momentary pleasures and conveniences. It’s associated with the Elder archetype and the growth, resilience and wisdom that can be attained over time. Through our life’s experience we develop the vantage point from which to properly evaluate and consider the tools and traditions that will support and sustain the survival of future generations.
In its highest expression, Capricorn, is true self-mastery that utilizes what is reliable, resourceful and responsible with reverence and a strong will to achieve powerful goals. It is the healthy cup of ambition that is grounded in the reality to not only make big dreams happen, but also in commitment to building a better world around them. There is a discipline to showing up consistently and focusing time and attention towards your greatest heart’s desire. What’s required is to believe in ourselves. True, unshakable self-belief supported by healthy self- esteem and self-love.
“Spiritual growth requires the development of inner knowing and inner authority. It requires the heart, not the intellect.”
― Gary Zukav
Capricorn, in its essence, governs the rules and structures of our culture in the present time. As actions taken today create tomorrow, Capricorn is often associated with patriarchy because that had been the dominant culture view of our current time.
Ruled by Saturn, Capricorn is associated with the rules and structures of society, establishing societal norms of what is considered acceptable in terms of behavior, our roles and our work. This is required for us to co-exist in community and in society. What is normalized adopts, and therefore changes as culture evolves. What was once deemed acceptable may be rejected, restructured and reformed as we begin to wake collectively to more of our shadow and our role as co-creators.
In its shadow form Capricorn can be loyal to a system or set of rules that cause great harm and squander their power to an authority outside of themselves. They can disconnect from their needs, their emotions and their integrity. This may also manifest as climbing a ladder for a culture’s idea of success and identifying with a role that is not authentic.
Saturn is also associated with the law of karma. Not karma from a shame perspective, but rather as a direct consequence of our choices and actions. Since the arrival of Pluto in Capricorn in 2008, we have been seeing the systems that had held our old-world crumble, and more of the shadow of the patriarchy emerge. This shake up was a preordained, collective divine intervention necessary to awaken us. While it’s easier to see how others have been complicit to a system which was harmful or is outdated, we are now invited to become cognizant of the ways in which we are participating and release them now.
To understand the structure we live in and our role, we must look at society’s dominant beliefs. For example, the belief that only good things happen to good people, and bad things to bad people, is an unsupported culture belief. Good people do, in fact, suffer dark night cycles and devasting challenges, just as others who do terrible things often get away with it. The idea that if we are good, absolutely nothing bad can happen to us, is a spiritual bypass and has been used by certain religions and governments to control people. This is different from allowing your own moral compass to guide you.
At the height of the magic of the holiday season, it’s import to reflect on what we have been taught in terms of culture conditioning and the rules which may have been influencing us that stem from an outdated paradigm. What did we learn about being good, being rewarded and following in line? What happened when we stepped out of line and challenged authority? We are invited now to feel into our truth from our embodied wisdom about what is real for us and allow our own inner authority to guide us. As Pluto now reaches the end of its time in Capricorn it’s a crucial to do a self-inventory and bring awareness of any shadow loyalties into the light so that we may release our role and create something more conscious, aligned and sustainable.
“You can be rich in spirit, kindness, love, and all those things that you can’t put a dollar sign on.”
― Dolly Parton
We are alive at the most interesting, intense and exciting collective tipping point. We are awakening to a new earth consciousness. We are dreaming in a world that has never been seen before. Just as old structures from the last paradigm continue to fall, new creative solutions and innovations lie ahead. We are in a powerful time where the collective values, rules and structures are changing. As co-creators we are molding and directing the new way. We are here for a reason. Each and every person on this planet was called to incarnate here at this place and at this specific time. As we awaken to our unconscious allegiance to rules and authority, we are able to tune into soul wisdom and a life guided by our inner validation.
We Examine Our Relationship to Responsibility
This lunation magnifies the places where we feel restriction and burdened by responsibility so that we may clarify our expectations and refine our roles. We are summoned into the deepest part of ourselves to clarify what our true responsibilities are. Some responsibilities are part of our soul contracts and are obvious, like caring for a young child, for example; while others may form from the expectations of those in our life, unhealed parts of ourselves or pressures from the outside world.
Capricorn a sign that can feel very heavy and burdened by responsibilities while appearing to be the rock that others depend upon. Because of how well they present, others may assume they are fine and have it all together. This perpetuates a paradigm which is unsustainable because one cannot be there exclusively for others without support in key areas of their own life. It is time to take stock of our life and consider what is and is not working.
“Pretending is exhausting. Let people know what you’re going through. Find a support group, phone a friend, and build a healthy connection.”
― Nedra Glover Tawwab
We often can feel overly responsible and may take on many things in our lives that fall outside of our responsibility. We are asked to see the bottom-line reality around what we are all taking on, honor our limits and get real about what we are truly responsible for and empower others by allowing them to manage what is theirs.
Cosmic Weather
The sun and moon will be accompanied by Mercury, Venus, Hygeia and Pluto, all of which are also in Capricorn. This amplifies the archetypal energy. With the influence of Jupiter and Chiron in the sign of Aries we have heightened emphasis on cardinal energy linked to both Aries and Capricorn that usher in new cycles and initiate new seasons. This means that we are well-equipped to start anything new and take realistic action toward our desired outcomes.
Chiron in Aries stations direct less than an hour before the new moon becomes exact, elevating its voice in this cosmic conversation, calling for us to claim who we are. We are given the opportunity to heal what is blocking us from expressing our true identity. Chiron in this new moon chart brings themes of self-confidence and courage to the surface, enabling us to contribute more of our healing power and light to the world.
The new moon forms a square to Jupiter, which returns to Aries on December 20th, prompting us to face where we may be inhibiting our own expansion and growth. What isn’t working will become more apparent, and perhaps more frustrating as we are not only invited, but like a high pressure of metamorphic rock are pushed to transform into more of our potential.
Mercury is now in its set up phase preparing for its retrograde cycle. This amplifies the themes of responsibility and the power of agency with our words. We share what is real and can set clear boundaries through grounded conversations.
Venus in Capricorn is trine Uranus in Taurus gifts us with the opportunity to know love in new ways. We want to experience love outside of our normal parameters and cultural expectation. This is beyond one relationship or role that we play. We connect to love as spiritual practice. Love for what we do, love for what we value, love for what we contribute. We connect with love more in what we are doing and look through love’s eyes.
The New Moon in Capricorn is conjunct with the goddess asteroid Hygiea and opposed to Hekate. This emphasizes the importance of our connection to our intuitive knowing, psychic foresight and power as a healer. This may be linked to our work and our role in society or in our ability to invest in our wellness. It may also correspond to our ability to tap into grace as a healing force. This is an important time to refine the boundaries and structures that support our healing and vitality.
The Invitation
This Capricorn new moon is a powerful initiation into new sustained growth, responsibility and inner authority. We reflect on our life and come into deeper surrender and acceptance. We see things for what they are and make choices that support our potent new beginning ahead. We take stock of what isn’t working and begin to rededicate ourselves to our dreams. It’s important to honor both the light and the dark, the endings and beginnings, and to also honor this period of transition onto itself. No matter how things may seem we must trust in the existence of a way forward and our own intuition for its ability to guide us to our next steps.
We meet a moment between worlds, honoring how far we have come and open to a powerful new vantage point that incubates vision of the climb ahead. We define what success means to us on our own terms and commit to building our long-term vision.
“Your inner knowing is your only true compass.”
― Joy Page