New Moon Capricorn, Friday, December 30, 2005 7:13 PM PST

I am going to tell you something and you’re going to find it difficult to believe- Ready? All astrological indicators predict that 2006 is going to be a marvelous new year. Trust it. Trust it even though its been raining for so many days you forget what day of the week it is. Trust it even though your Christmas was hard, traffic a nightmare and right now things show little sign of improvement. Trust it because spring follows winter, the sun is always shining somewhere and the hardest to learn is the least complicated. Let simplicity be your guide; take heart in that very small patch of sun in your overgrown garden. Go there. Life really is that simple.

Promise. As the year ends, this 13th New Moon ends on a beginning. The number 13 is the Death card in the Tarot, the card that promises rebirth. This is a hopeful promise for this time of resolution, for the promises you make now have tremendous staying power. Capricorn is the sign of commitment, the resolve to continue to honor the teachers in your life, no matter how burdensome the gifts. Capricorn teachers tell us to “chop wood, carry water!” and give us no recognition for keeping the cabin warm and dry. If we’re lucky, we’re thrown a bone every now and again, but we learn not to count on it. What we also learn is endurance; how we can survive on very little and somehow find resource to persist. Isn’t life amazing? This is the part of you who is the solitary journeyer; the monk on a trek through the Himalayas; the mountaineer and her hungry dogs caught in a torrential downpour deep in the canyon; the single parent. This is the voice that yells: “no one knows what it’s like-” into the canyon, and hears its own echo in response.

We do hear you. And since you always require proof, dear Capricorn, this New Moon wants to take your isolationist out for a buffet brunch at the Ritz-Carlton, surround you with abundance (here’s my American Express). Because sometimes you get so deeply mired in chop wood, carry water that it takes a day of carte-blanche behavior to remind you of your true wealth. As you nurture your inner orphan, it dawns on you that your teachers in life actually bring you incredible pleasure. Sometimes the gift comes through the back door, in hindsight. But more often than not, the simple act of worship, of making sacred your solitary path delivers you like the UPS man on Christmas Eve. You melt your lonely pain; you soften to yourself, ask yourself a few questions, and gain new insight. You become heartened. As you hold and nurture those s ame commitments as divine bricks on the road to fulfillment of Your Life Purpose, your ability to respond to your responsibilities- becomes self-evident. At this point in the process, making a new choice requires no more energy than making the same old choice; it’s just a twist of perspective, and a new action replaces the old one. Will I sleep for another hour or will I get up and go for a run instead? And now that you’re sufficiently pleasured and nurtured, forget about excuses. What looks like a limitation to my sunny day hike, rain for example, is exciting to the mountaineer. “Oooh,” she says, “let’s get out my rain gear and my inner child, tromp through the woods and make a mess of myself.” Who said Capricorns were dull?!

Remember simplicity. There’s so much simple goodness in the space between your mind chatter and the rhythm of your breath. Slow down to see the patch of sun or the basic point. The simple phrase “I can’t change my circumstances but I can change my attitude,” tells us that most successful outcomes hinge on changing our ability to respond. Are we hinged on the perspective of the ego ‘this is the way I want it’ as we flap like an old gate, singing our mournful song to the wind? Or are we the hinge itself: a flexible, ligamentous joint on which swinging parts turn*?

New Moon Day 12/30/05 Trust me when I say: it’s easy to believe that you can have it all this year. This is the day of days for resolutions with sticking power. Dig down deep and discover that the big obstacle to your dream is ready for a paradigm shift. As long as you’re using your wisdom mind, your mental powers are en pointe- so trust this new awareness as it bubbles up. Again, trust them! Then put them into action in the days to come. In case you haven’t heard yet, there’s nurturing energy here as New Moon joins with Ceres, the Great Mother. To make your plans sustainable think about the resources required, get the job done. Preparing for the future is a nourishing act right now. Venus will retrograde through Capricorn, reminding you that gratification may be delayed, but well worth your wait.

12/31/05 Moon in Capricorn, waxing. Mercury conjunct Pluto in Sagittarius Moon mood: scheme up a new project, partnership, business plan, ambitiously envision. Merc/Pluto: powerful words, deep thoughts, entrenched beliefs, looking into what we’re afraid to see.

1/01/06 Moon in Aquarius, waxing. Venus retrogrades into Capricorn; Sun in Capricorn trine Mars in Taurus Moon mood: hang with friends, buy a new electric gadget, be an individualist, do something different.

Venus rx (thru 2/03) in Cap (thru 3/05): Ladylove is still moving backwards, time to re-evaluate, (not initiate!) relationships. We’re looking at bottom lines, how to build a future together, negotiating wants and needs. Lovers from the past resurface (don’t go there!). It’s a good time to sort through finances; we’re frugal in love and money. Questions are still flying until 3/05 when she moves forward the degree she changed her mind on 12/24/05. Sun/Mars: Full of energy, this is the initiative and follow-thru both, to power your new moon intentions.

1/02/06 Moon in Aquarius, waxing.

1/03/06 Moon in Pisces, waxing. Mercury moves into Capricorn. Moon mood: Go to meditation center, buy a new book on spirituality, visit your housebound friend, start a new painting, see a ballet. Merc into Cap (thru 1/21): Our thinking becomes more focused, we move from a million possibilities into the single pointed truth. It’s a good time for writers; we can easily concentrate. Anything requiring an extended amount of solitary mental effort is fruitful. Problems of practical application, wrestling with how to make your ideas tangible are experienced.

1/04/06 Moon in Pisces, waxing. Sun in Capricorn sextile Jupiter in Scorpio Sun/Jup: A power surge of possibility shifts our awareness from carry water, chop wood to “let the waterfall send the water my way.” Open to new potentials, opportunity for help from authority figures, men in power.

1/05/06 Moon in Aries, waxing. Moon mood: Have great sex; go for a run. Or pioneer an underdog, be someone’s hero, go to the dentist.

1/06/06 First Quarter Moon in Aries, waxing. Sun in Capricorn First Quarter Moon highlights independence vs. well-laid plans. “Are you gonna go my way- ?” Expect a little challenge, feisty Aries, if only to liven things up a bit. Remember to be gentle-(!)

1/07/06 Moon in Taurus, waxing. Moon mood: indulge the senses, spend time in nature, enjoy a good meal, go grocery shopping (beware of buying too much food).

1/08/06 Moon in Taurus, waxing. Mercury in Capricorn sextile Uranus in Pisces Merc/Uranus: Check your head for your intuition. New thoughts are exciting- hey get some fresh air in there. Fun with friends, groups. Expect the unexpected: sudden, surprising, positive communication.

1/09/06 Moon out of phase till evening then Moon in Gemini, waxing. Moon mood: Chat on the phone, write. Get paperwork and correspondence out. Run errands. Life feels harried.

1/10/06 Moon in Gemini, waxing. 1/11/06 Moon in Gemini, waxing.

1/12/06 Moon in Cancer, waxing. Moon mood: Pull in and re-group. Cook. Have hot tea and healing conversations. Give your inner (and outer) child some time.

1/13/06 Moon in Cancer, Mercury in Capricorn sextile Jupiter in Scorpio Moon mood: the day before the full moon, step back for perspective if you can. Likely you’re trying to finish up all you’ve started these past two weeks. Life is demanding around this day of the cycle, especially now as you’re feeling pulled in many directions, too much, too soon. Try not to over commit, it’ll be hard not to! Merc/Jup: “There’s so many thoughts to be thunk,” says Mr. Scarecrow. Correspondence culminates in a nice offer or reward. Contracts deliver. Any communication is bound to bring some positive action, so put it out there.

That moody moon: The moon changes signs every 2½ days. Our mood and perceptions subtly change, and if you’re sensitive, you can pick up on her moodiness via your own. Why are you cranky one day, optimistic the next? Many factors influence this, but pay attention to her for some constancy. Because although changeable, by aligning yourself with the activities associated with the sign she’s currently occupying, she will always point you in the right direction. You’ll experience inner flow and contentment by syncopating your daily rhythm with hers. You can easily plan your week by knowing what sign and phase she’s in. Many of us already do this without a calendar (women especially). The best way to feel her resonance is through non-resistance, allowing the sign she’s in to lead you to an intuitive knowing of “what’s right now.” From new to full moon, she’s waxing. This is a good time to initiate. From full to new, she’s waning, decreasing in light. This is a good time to change your approach.

*Webster.com