Keywords/Themes: structure, commitment, time, maturity, hermit, authority figure, slowness, concrete boundaries, control, heaviness, serious business, constraint, humility
Collective Energies:
While Capricorn isn’t known for being the life of the New Year party, it is what motivates us to set resolutions and get back to business. This new moon and solar eclipse occur shortly after the Gregorian calendar new year and ushers in a grounded beginning to 2019. Eclipses happen every six months in pairs, with the lunar eclipse at the full moon on January 20 or 21(depending on your location), and while this partial eclipse is visible from Asia, the energies can be felt anywhere. Even though eclipses aren’t rare, they are certainly experienced as phases where our personal and collective evolution seems to happen at lightning speed.
Capricorn energies put us into contact with the parts of us that crave the Earthly domain in all of its stability and sometimes a sense of constriction. The elevated expression of Saturn-ruled Capricorn invites in a sense of personal authority, the ability to create structure, commitment and follow through needed to make things “real.” I adore Capricorn’s capacity to move intentionally and slowly and to respond, though the other side of the Saturnian spectrum can lead to control, sense of stuck- ness, or pessimism. It can make us feel that nothing is possible, or give a sense of constraint around feeling far away from people or the things you want.
These themes may be particularly pronounced as the planet Saturn that rules the sign of Capricorn is also hanging out near this new moon. This double dose of Earthly energies invites emotional maturity and if we’re lucky an appreciation of delayed gratification. As someone with a lot of Saturn and Capricorn in their chart, I also feel due diligence to mention that it can sometimes feel heavy, depressive, or lonely as the archetype puts us in touch with the less light side of being human. It can get overly serious or judgmental when not being focused or honored for its responsible nature.
There’s a reason Capricorn season occurs in the winter, as it is tied to the melancholy of coldness and isolation that it sometimes evokes. However, the friendly sextile to Neptune, often the planetary medicine for too much Saturn, may offer a go-with-the-flow respite from the sometimes overly rigid Capricorn energies.
No matter your relationship to Capricorn or Saturn, this new moon aligns us with the intentions of the new moon and new year ahead. Slow down to use the eclipse portal wisely and the visions of dreams of 2018 can become more concrete into the physical realm.
Everyday Ritual Recommendations:
BE // Sitting meditation with the mantra of your choosing, perhaps something simple such as “inhale” or “exhale,” or counting the breath from 1 to 10. The Tranquility & Peace Ritual Kit is great for this, as well as the Focus & Awareness Ritual Kit.
DO // Solitude walk in nature as Capricorn and Saturn are quite content alone and crave Earthly things such as feet on the ground. When you get back, spend some time with Success Ritual Kit because status is certainly something Capricorn craves.
EAT // Stews or other foods that warm from the inside out or cook over time for the best flavor. Capricorn is in no rush.
LISTEN // Classical music or something with a lot of slowness and time for reflection.
Rebecca Farrar of Wild Witch of the West has her M.A. in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness, and has worked with many renowned astrologists and cosmologists. Read her bio here, and catch more of her work on Witch of the West.
______________________________________
Read more on astrology, horoscopes, occultism, magick & ritual on our blog, Esoteric Insights!
As the Sun dips into the fiery heart of summer, July emerges—golden, long, and lazy. And right alongside it, the zodiac’s watery guardian, Cancer, takes the helm. July is one of the few month’s of the year (next to March or April, depending on the date of Ostara) where a pagan holiday or fire festival is not observed, yet the middle of summer seems almost ritualistic in how entrenched we become with the richness of the season. Looking further, it only makes sense as to why Cancer, summer’s sweetest star sign, is the mascot to the start of summer. Here’s why the vibrancy of July and the nurturing essence of Cancer are cosmic twins—bound by symbolism, season, and soul.
A celebration of identity, liberation, and self-expression— Pride Month is an annual honoring of the LGBTQIA+ community’s history, resilience, and ongoing pursuit of equality. While astrologically Pride Month falls within Gemini and Cancer seasons, the bold and untamed spirit of the Sagittarius full moon each June aligns strikingly with the energy that fuels Pride’s essence: truth-seeking, radical authenticity, and freedom from oppression.
As we navigate the celestial currents of 2025, a unique astrological event awaits: both Venus and Mercury will be retrograde simultaneously. Venus will transition from Aries to Pisces during its retrograde, while Mercury will retrograde in Aries. This rare cosmic alignment offers a profound opportunity for introspection, reassessment, and personal growth. When these two influential planets appear to move backward in the sky, their retrograde energies prompt us to slow down and reevaluate critical aspects of our lives. While the experience may seem challenging, it ultimately serves as a chance to heal, reset, and reconnect with our true desires and intentions.
