This week does not have as many planetary movements as the previous weeks. The sun is still in Capricorn, a position that favors commitment and responsibility, as well as work and effort. Capricorns are excellent at creating structure and setting goals; they are objective and realistic. Our ability to plan and organize will be strengthened, so take advantage of the situation of the sun by being ambitious and forging your goals.
Kabbalistically, these are the last days in the lunar cycle of the month of Tevet. According to Kabbalah, the letters that rule this month are ayin and bet, which together have the numerical value of 72. They represent the energy of the 72 Names of God, one of the most powerful tools that human beings have to control their physical reality and connect with the higher worlds. Although Capricorn is an earth sign (materialistic, practical, and rational), this energy has the ability to go beyond the physical to connect us with the Supernal Light. Let us remember that the New Moon of this month always falls on Chanukah, the moment of the revelation of the hidden Light behind everything, the Light of miracles and wonders. Although Capricorn can be a month of hard work, strive to reveal the hidden Light in this month, especially in these last days. We have the opportunity to rise from physicality by connecting with this lunar cycle, which comes to an end on January 1st.
This week we start a Gregorian calendar year, and Capricorn awakens in us an urge to end cycles and begin anew. We may want to list our goals and to plan how we want to live this next journey around the sun. January 1st fell in the last quarter, a lunar stage that is not a beginning but an end. This phase invites us to finish, debug, and purify. It’s the right time to analyze the good and the bad of the month that just passed and do a thorough job of introspection. Let's take the opportunity to remove everything that does not serve us and prepare for the New Moon in Aquarius. This closing work will allow us to receive the New Moon more clearly and make room for the new. My recommendation is to wait until January 2nd or 3rd to start your resolutions because these days are fertile, with the energy of beginnings. The cosmos offers you its backing and support so your seeds can germinate and reach full manifestation.
The New Moon of Aquarius opens the door to a very different cycle than last month of Tevet. Aquarius and Capricorn are both ruled by Saturn, but they are two opposite energies. Saturn is the last planet that we can see with the naked eye, and in Kabbalah, it is considered the last planet in the solar system that governs a sign. Capricorn's Saturn is the side that faces the sun and delimits the solar system. This shows us the limiting aspect of the planet, a rigid energy that characterizes the sign. In the case of Aquarius, it is the side that faces infinity, which is why it offers us freedom from limitations and breaking away from structures. Even in Gregorian astrology, the co-ruler of Aquarius is Uranus, considered ruler of the sky. This celestial body is the divine mind and spark of Creation. It always sees things from heaven, from a more open and global perspective. That is part of the energy available this month.
Aquarius is revolutionary, helping us break limits and free ourselves from ties that do not serve us. Saturn in Aquarius prompts us to commit ourselves to society, to seek the perfect utopia of a better world. In this month, our group involvement, social lives, and altruistic work will benefit. However, it is a cold month that lacks emotion. Those native to the sign can commit to a cause, but it is difficult for them to commit on a personal level or to connect deeply and emotionally with those around them. It is a sign that always seeks freedom.
Aquarians are fast and intelligent people, avant-garde and technological. They have a great ability to understand difficult concepts. In fact, Uranus is considered the “higher octave” of Mercury. Remember, Mercury represents thought and intelligence, which is why Aquarians need to be patient and tolerant with those who do not have their mental capacity. This is also why it is an often misunderstood sign; they have a way of thinking and seeing life from a new, fresh, futuristic, and out-of-the-box perspective. Aquarius breaks with structures and creates new trends.
The intelligence of this sign leads them to a constant engine of thoughts; they have minds that do not stop. As with Gemini and Libra (also air signs), part of their learning is to rule the mind and not allow it to dominate them in the midst of this continuous creation of ideas, which, by the way, many times remain in the air due to the lack of practicality and objectivity. As if that wasn't enough, the Aquarian mind constantly wanders into the realm of the heart, trying to explain emotions and feelings rather than just feeling them. That is one of the great challenges of the sign—allowing themselves to feel and warm their hearts.
Leo is the opposite and complementary sign of Aquarius; both have the most inflated egos in the Zodiac—Leo in terms of persona and Aquarius in terms of intellect. Both have humility as their task. While Leo is the ruling monarch, fighting to keep the crown and full of responsibilities, Aquarius is the revolutionary who seeks equality and does not bear injustice. Balancing the Aquarius-Leonine energy in this month gives us the possibility of experiencing a leadership from equality and the common good. In this month, we have the cosmic opening of Tu B'Shvat, the day when the sun is in Aquarius and the moon in Leo, precisely balancing the energy of these two signs. This day begins an annual cycle for the plant kingdom. In his book, Days of Power, Rav Berg shared the strength of this cosmic opening: the vegetable kingdom has the power to germinate and constantly grow against the force of gravity, which is why this month has the ability to go against our desires to receive for ourselves alone.
Venus is still in retrograde motion in Capricorn. A retro Venus signifies a lack of objectivity and logic in love. This does not mean that love always has to be realistic and logical, but there is instability, lack of clarity, intensity, and confusion. So it is not the best time to fall in love, but have patience and tolerance with our loved ones. During this period, our senses are in hyper-sensitivity mode, and we can be fussy and irritable. During this period, Venus gives us the opportunity to fix relationships from the past.
The position of the moon determines the variation of energy from one day to the next since it is the fastest star, and as it passes, it activates the vibration of the place where it is. On Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd, the moon is in Capricorn, as are the sun, Venus, and Pluto, which intensifies the Capricorn characteristics of responsibility, work, effort, and commitment. These are good days to manifest our plans and achieve goals, as well as to structure and plan. Be careful of being stiff, harsh, and severe. Instead, inject mercy into everything you do. On Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th, the moon, from its position in Aquarius, invites us to free ourselves, alternate routines, and integrate change. Beware of erratic and unconventional behavior. These are moments when we can be very cold with the people around us; try to be warmer. On Thursday the 6th, Friday the 7th, and Saturday the 8th, the moon is in Pisces. This moon is going to meet Jupiter and Neptune, favoring our artistic sensitivity and our intuition. These days are about allowing us to dream and get inspired. Spirituality gains strength and meditation, prayer and reflection benefit. We feel empathetic and emotional; just be careful not to fall into avoidance and laziness.
This week we study the portion of Bo, in which the Creator tells Moshe, "Come to Pharaoh." It is a quite confusing phrase, since instead of saying “go,” it says “come,” which shows us a deep concept. First, we have to deal with our negativity. We have to go inward and work deeply on ourselves. We need to get to the seed of what causes all the chaos in our lives, and this will immediately change the chaos around us. Negativity is not external; it begins with oneself. May the energy of this week give you the strength and the tools to be able to do your spiritual work.
New Moon Parents Guide: Aquarius 2022
