Dec 20, 2022 | by Erik Roth |
On December 23, 2022, at 2:17 am PST, we get our New Moon in Capricorn. This comes at 1°32’ and about 1 ½ days after the December solstice. Sometimes when a Moon phase happens in the first degree of a sign, there is a chance to have a second one take place. Not this time. However, it will be precisely at the same degree mark as Capricorn at 1°32’ Aquarius on January 21, 2023. That is very rare.
The New Moon is about renewal or starting fresh or simply a reset. For the New Moon in Capricorn, this has a doubling effect in that Capricorn’s essence is about the planting of seeds. All the knowledge and wisdom gained in the previous generation and the generation before that is contained in those seeds. It doesn’t mean that is necessarily better, but it is a strategy that can work over the long-haul.
We can think of this period of time as an extension of the December solstice, which in itself I’ve described as a “New Sun” and the rebirth of the light through the time of the dark. It’s a time to gather one’s self, setting the table for the months ahead and what they may or may not bring. Before the New Moon, we can let go of things in life that no longer serve us, including beliefs and internal ways that maybe holding us back from claiming who we are and consequently, our soul’s path.
The Sabian Symbol
The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon is “Three Stained-Glass Windows in a Gothic Church, one Damaged by War.”¹ The keywords for the symbol are “Seeking sanctuary. Careless aggression where love should be. Religious or philosophical differences that spark off problems. Fears of being ”under attack” whilst in the spotlight. Sorrow and despair over losses. Loss of faith. ‘Windows’ that are cracked, broken or smashed. Cracks and shattering. Rescue of holy places. Loss of love through harsh circumstance. The need for repair.”
The keywords here sound quite depressing but I find that while there is a reality with what was shared here, I also find the beauty and soundness of windows still intact. Also, there is a certain sense of preservation along with an opportunity to remake what once was intact. It is interesting here the symbol of stained-glass windows as they let in the light, while also taking advantage of the wavelengths of light through color. While repair and loss is present here, the light is shining through to seed anew.
In the symbol of the Gothic church, we find a darker expression but beauty contained and expressed through it in the form of the windows. The Gothic style was generally intended as protection from those that would do harm to light and love of the church as a sacred place. In fact, this is a time to KEEP the faith, even through its disturbance by violence. The church remains solid and strong in this image as only a window is damaged (but not destroyed).
More about the Capricorn New Moon
The New Moon as we know it in a modern sense is different from the way the ancients saw it. We can easily calculate the exact conjunction point between the Sun and Moon, and because we have a greater emphasis on the intellectual and logical in the West, we miss something of the way the ancients perceived the New Moon.
In ancient times, many cultures viewed the New Moon as the first sighting of a thin Crescent Moon in the early evening sky. There are still some calendars today that utilize this but mix in the exact New Moon as well. The appearance of the evening Crescent Moon was always a powerful moment, which can come as early as 18-24 hours after the Sun-Moon conjunction.
The early degrees of Capricorn is also at the most southerly point on the ecliptic. This area of the sky where the New Moon takes place is along the tip of the Archer’s arrowhead, roughly pointing to the Galactic Center (GC) and directly at the Galactic Equator (GE).
In this current age, the whole constellation is in the seasonal sign of Capricorn. This means the Archer’s arrow is pointing toward highly usable and practical knowledge that can build a long-lasting foundation for future generations.
There is confusion about the nature of this constellation, being in the form of a centaur figure. Originally, the constellation Centaurus was named for the immortal centaur Chiron, but due to the various movements of the Earth, most of the constellation sank below the southern horizon over 2000 years ago for those above 30 degrees North latitude.
It was then replaced as a projection to the Archer a.k.a. “Sagittarius” the centaur archer instead of just a human figure with a bow and arrow or a human figure riding a horse.
The Scorpion is on the other side of the GE, being seen as a guardian of the afterlife, where the GC and the surrounding “galactic bulge” with billions of stars symbolizes the Golden Gate where souls travel after departing the Earth.
This region I just described is what this New Moon is activating for us in combination with the Sabian Symbol and the basic essence of what a New Moon is symbolically.
In practice, many now get together in ceremony or ritual with the New Moon. We are slowly returning to recognizing the significance of the Moon spiritually in our own lives and collectively as well. We can extend our solstice recognition to include this New Moon. Next month, the Moon will again be new at 1°32’, but this time in Aquarius. Capricorn is about sustainability and building a strong foundation, while the next New Moon wants to spark a breakout into freedom, new ideas and expanded consciousness.
¹From Lynda Hill’s The Sabian Oracle page 272. Note: I use Lynda Hill’s Sabian Oracle book, which draws from the originators of the symbols, Marc and Elise Wheeler as well as Dane Rudhyar and others, for the definitions.