New Moon in Sagittarius

Sagittarius is a sign of speed and blazing fire known for its leaps of long vision and mad quests. The gaze of the Archer is deadly and fierce, firing arrows with precision accuracy. The idealism of Sagittarius can inspire and uplift like a raging bonfire during the darkest nights of the year, yet its potential for dogmatic self-righteousness can also ignite raging wildfires of fanaticism. While these stereotypical aspects of Sagittarius will be part of the world events corresponding with the New Moon in Sagittarius on 12 December 2023, there is another side of the Centaur to consider: penetrating, prophetic perception.

At best the New Moon in Sagittarius is optimal for deep dreaming beyond fear and finding inspiration within the constraints of circumstances rather than excuses for avoiding action. Since Sagittarius is the fiery domicile of Jupiter it is known for fostering optimism, yet with so many horrific events occurring around the world in current events it can feel like an extremely heavy load to muster hope and counter cynicism regarding corruption. Fortunately, the fiery medicine of Sagittarius that injects enthusiasm and resists stagnation is exactly what we need as we approach the Capricorn solstice at the end of 2023. Take whatever space is needed from the stress and suffering of life to sink into the depths of psyche, to scry within the dark waters of the Moon and enter the imaginal vitality of believing you can creatively contribute to the reshaping of the world.

The Sagittarius New Moon is separating from a conjunction with red hot and combust Mars in Sagittarius and applying toward a tidal wave triggering square aspect with Neptune in Pisces. We are at the beginning stages of a new Mars cycle, the deeper meaning of which has not solidified into form. While the discord and strife of Mars is clearly visible in current events, the personal meaning of how the new cycle can be applied to courageously pursuing your purpose and fighting for your essential values has yet to fully coalesce; it will not completely until Mars enters its exaltation of Capricorn and becomes clearly visible as a Morning Star during the first week of the new year. Be easy on yourself if you are feeling frustrated about movement and vision not fully coalescing at the moment.

The most impactful aspect of the lunation is the disorienting and imaginative square aspect between the Sagittarius New Moon and Neptune in Pisces, as the multivalent complexity of Neptune will be intensified due to Neptune having stationed direct less than a week before the lunation on 6 December. Greek mythology is full of tragedies that occur when characters dishonor or ignore Poseidon, god of the sea, who is the Greek equivalent of Neptune. We can apply the wisdom of these stories literally to the ways humanity does not properly respect sea life, but also to the ways that many of us reach for illusory addictions of one sort or another rather than deepening our relationship with the wellsprings of guidance and creativity found in our inner imagination and unconscious. The Sagittarius New Moon is an invitation to listen for the ways in which synchronicities encountered within external and internal life can offer insight and open awareness to new directions.

Neptune’s capacity to confuse and cast fogs will make this a significant lunation to focus on being grounded and finding ways of applying imagination to practical assessments rather than becoming unrealistic due to excessive idealism. The central importance of practicing mindfulness will be further emphasized by Mercury stationing retrograde at the same time as the new moon. Mercury will station retrograde at 8°29’ Capricorn on 13 December, one day after the lunation. The amplified potency of Mercury, combined with Neptune’s potent influence will make this a critical time to bring extra mindfulness into daily matters.

Rather than a straightforward arrow fired by the Archer, there will be something of a boomerang quality to what is launched at the Sagittarius New Moon. Due to Mercury stationing retrograde at the same time as the lunation, Mercury will ultimately station direct in Sagittarius in the beginning of January close to the degree of the Sagittarius New moon. The nonlinear, spiral quality of the lunation suggests that there will be aspects of what is set into motion with the new moon that we will need to circle back into relationship with as we come to the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024.

Jupiter retrograde in Taurus is responsible for the care of the Sagittarius New Moon. Jupiter is moving extremely slow in preparation for eventually stationing direct at the end of the year on 30 December, and is forming a trine aspect with the virtually motionless Mercury stationing retrograde in Capricorn. The slow stillness of Jupiter and Mercury will coincide with positive growth and development taking longer than what had been hoped for, but by applying patient perseverance it will be possible to slowly make progress on goals. Indeed, there is a sequence of flowing trine aspects between Jupiter and Mercury to pay attention to with regards to whatever is under construction: the first occurred with Mercury direct on 7 December, the second will occur on 18 December with Mercury retrograde, and the third will occur on 19 January with Mercury direct. The flowing trine between Mercury and Jupiter during the New Moon and the beginning phase of Mercury retrograde will create an uplifting environment for whatever work is being developed at the beginning of Mercury’s retrograde phase. However, since Mercury will ultimately station direct while forming a conjunction with Mars in Sagittarius at the end of the year, be prepared for there to be deeper issues to persist through as we move deeper into the retrograde phase of Mercury.

The New Moon at 20°40′ Sagittarius is also close to the projected degree of the fixed star Rasalhague at 22°46′ Sagittarius. The alpha star in the constellation Ophiuchus, the Head of the Serpent Bearer, Rasalhague has associations in Greek mythology with the oracular healing god Asclepius, whose temples of dream incubation would deliver cures through dream. Combined with the New Moon forming a square with stationing Neptune and Mercury stationing retrograde at the same time as the lunation, it will be vitally important to pay attention to the complex meaning found within dreams and oracular occurrences within our daily movement. Yet the connection of the Sagittarius New Moon with the alpha star of Ophiuchus, the Serpent Handler, also has larger implications within current events.

Robert Hand in an article in The Mountain Astrologer in 2014 detailed the significance of humanity presently living through an era of the Capricorn Solstice precessing through the stars of Ophiuchus. Hand wrote that it signifies a “very serious crisis, which we now know as ‘global warming’ or ‘climate change,’ and a particular kind of technological crisis.” Hand interpreted the Serpent based upon the fact that “serpents have long been symbols (along with dragons) of forces hidden in nature, what were often called in early modern science ‘occult forces.'” Hand placed particular emphasis on the significance in 2017 of the Capricorn solstice point precessing through the final star in the group of stars marking the place where the hand of Ophiuchus holds the Serpent. Noting that the Capricorn solstice point first made contact with the first star in the tail of the Serpent in 868 CE, he concluded that this era of history is especially important with regard to “the culture that evolved from the early Middle Ages up to modern times in Europe, especially Western Europe, and its larger role in the history of the world,” and “the role of science and scientific technology, Western-style capitalism (also to be found int he allegedly communist countries of Russia and China), and their role in the current ecological crisis.”

It’s therefore incredibly significant astrologically that the United Nations COP28 climate summit that concluded on 12 December, the day of the Sagittarius New Moon, has been criticized for submitting draft text that does not include the phasing out of fossil fuels. Like other movements taking form during the lunation, we will likely experience a significant return to the issues stemming from the climate summit in the beginning of the new year with a sense of urgency due to Mercury stationing direct at twenty-two degrees of Sagittarius in range of a conjunction with Mars.

Mercury Retrograde

• Mercury maximum elongation as morning star on 4 December 2023 (slows down)
• Mercury stations retrograde on 13 December 2023 at 8°29’ Capricorn
• Mercury will be reanimated by solar conjunction on 22 December at 00°39’ Capricorn
• Mercury re-enters Sagittarius on 22 December 2023
• Mercury stations direct on 1 January 2024 at 22°10’ Sagittarius
• Mercury maximum elongation as evening star on 12 January 2024 (speeds up)
• Mercury in between 22°10’ Sagittarius and 8°29’ Capricorn from 25 November 2023 until 20 January 2024,

Mercury will station retrograde on 13 December at 8°29’ Capricorn, embarking upon a twenty day journey in which the star of Hermes will backtrack from 8°29’ Capricorn until stationing direct at 22°10’ Sagittarius on 1 January 2024. As Mercury retraces the zodiacal terrain from the beginning of Capricorn until the end of Sagittarius, he will excavate material that we need to deepen our engagement with, returning our perception to issues we need to release, rework, or reintegrate. After passing through a phase of putrefaction and purification, we may experience renewal on the other side. Mercury first crossed 22°10’ Sagittarius on 25 November 2023 and will not move beyond 8°29’ Capricorn until 20 January 2024, creating almost two months of mercurial focus in this range of your natal chart.

Mercury will station retrograde at the degree of the Facies nebula in the face of the Sagittarius constellation. The Facies symbolizes the focused, visionary face of the Archer that can penetrate the mysteries, cutting through idealized illusions into the truth of the matter. There can be a blunt cruelness to the focused gaze of Facies, and so we will need to be ready to accept the cutting insight that the tricks and subterfuge of Mercury stationing retrograde in alignment with the Facies will deliver.

While Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn during the first half of its retrograde journey it will be under rulership of Saturn in Pisces. Fortunately, Mercury retrograde will form an integrative sextile aspect with Saturn in Pisces on 21 December that can help in gaining a more grounded and pragmatic orientation to developing work. Even more importantly, Mercury will be reanimated by a conjunction with the Sun one day later on 22 December during the Capricorn Solstice. Mercury becoming reborn at the same time that the Sun enters Capricorn on the World Axis signifies an extremely potent opportunity for reseeding ideas and plans to develop in the new year. In fact, the Mercury retrograde period that will begin with a trine to Jupiter and will undergo a purifying rebirth on the Capricorn solstice is ideal for taking stock of the past year and formulating intentions of what we wish to create and develop during 2024.

Mercury will then backtrack into Sagittarius on 22 December and apply to a conjunction with Mars in Sagittarius that will become exact around the upcoming Full Moon in Cancer on 26 December. As a result, as we move through the sacred time of the Capricorn Solstice and approach the Cancer Full Moon, we will most likely notice a speeding up of events as they take on a more fiery intensity and demand direct response.

Sagittarius 3 Decan

The New Moon is in the third decan of Sagittarius associated with the Ten of Wands card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. Human toil, endurance and perseverance are some of the immediate associations evoked by the image of determination, as this card has been associated with oppressive dynamics and limitations we must face and work through when following ambitious desires. The third face of Sagittarius is ruled by Saturn and the Sun, bringing together within its space of relentless determination the polarized tension between the limiting contraction of Saturn and the animating spirit of the Sun. T Susan Chang in 36 Secrets observed that the image of the wand bearer precariously burdened by the weight of the ten wands blocking his sight suggests the need to “consider carefully whether you are going to drop [the wands] in front of your own stumbling feet, or behind you so you can move on.” Chang wrote that the Ten of Wands can be “our greatest victory- the final forging of our legend,” as well as circumstances in which “we can literally flame out, in an orgy of destruction that consumes either ourselves, or others, or both.” Chang concluded that since the Ten of Wands can signify “a sense of suffocation, being smothered in obligations” it requires creating “a little leeway to breathe freely, play by [Saturn’s] rules and schedule the downtime” as needed.

Austin Coppock ascribed the image of “A Horse’s Skull” to the third face of Sagittarius in 36 Faces, describing how it reveals the unification of mind, body, and spirit through committed work and effort yoked to a goal. Coppock wrote that the final face of Sagittarius brings a reckoning regarding whatever needs to be sacrificed in pursuit of desires, noting that “those who walk this face must choose which burdens they will bear to the bitter end, and which are not worthy of such feats of will and endurance.” It’s further significant that both the Picatrix and Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy warn of the “evil inclinations” that can be harbored within this decan for those overly desperate to achieve objectives. Coppock described the intoxicating pursuit of victory that is found in this face, noting a need to realize when the “desperate fervor” of this decan’s power is appropriate and when it is inappropriate and will exact “a heavy toll.”

Considering the gravity of Necessity and what is worth the sacrifice to achieve one’s purpose further resonates with the attribution of the primordial Ananke to the third decan of Sagittarius in the Hellenistic text The 36 Airs of the Zodiac. Self-born primordial Serpent in Orphic cosmology who split the world-egg with Chronos (Time) to hatch the Eros of creation, Ananke is a primordial goddess according to the ancient philosopher Parmenides who took the heavens that surround us and bound them to keep the limits of the stars. In Plato’s Myth of Er, Ananke is portrayed as the mother of the Fates and the overseer of incarnating souls who inexorably turns her Spindle of Necessity setting the planetary spheres in motion. The watchful eyes of Ananke alert us to whatever actions need to be taken and whatever responsibilities need to be fulfilled as we contend with the burdens of Necessity. Yet as the phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” suggests, Ananke also gives birth to creation due to her constraints being a necessary aspect of all creative processes that will bring new forms into our world.

As all of the gods, even Zeus, must obey and bow down before Ananke, it is fitting she is present in the decan that precedes the deep, sacred renewal of the Capricorn Solstice. In The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony, Roberto Calasso wrote that Ananke makes sure “that every being plays their part, nor more and no less, so that nothing and no one may exceed their established bounds.” While Ananke binds certain possibilities and excludes others, her limits also catalyze creativity and help to clarify our purpose. May the darkness of the New Moon in Sagittarius ground you in the most essential meaning you desire to develop and nurture in the new year.

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References

Calasso, R. (1993). The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony.  Knopf.

Chang, T. Susan. (2021). 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot. Anima Mundi Press.

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

Hand, Robert. (2014). The Precession of the Capricorn Solstice and the Importance of 2017 to Humanity. The Mountain Astrologer. October/November 2014 issue.