Fortnightly Lunacy 2022: Capricorn New Moon
Fortnightly Lunacy
Dispatches from the Dark Side of the Moon
A Return from Hibernation
Fortnightly Lunacy is coming back from its long hibernation.
Some of you may remember them from 2021. If you do, thank you for your patience. The new platform should allow for Fortnightlies to come closer to manifesting in reality the way they appear when gifted by the Muses.
This particular release isn't quite a full Fortnightly. Just a teaser, taste, and an update. And of course, we'll take a look into the Capricorn New Moon and what to expect from its lunar cycle.
If you're new here, welcome. Expect no answers, only new inroads for crafting fresh questions, and invitations to make strange connections.
As much as this is a return and a renewal, it's also a rebirth. Fortnightly Lunacy is now in version 2.0.
On the Darkest and Brightest of Nights
What's a Fortnightly Lunacy?
Fortnightly Lunacy is a tapestry of words woven through the light of the new and full moons meant to transport you into the heart of the sub-lunar realm. To immerse you in poetic prose and lyrical storytelling that initiates you into the oracular sight of the nocturnal sect. To facilitate your tuning-in to your very own synchronicity frequency.
To help you see like Luna.
Balanced with just enough linear astral logic and celestial correlation for you to begin building your own relationship with our Fair Lamp of Night, and to immerse yourself in the secret language of the Giver of Good Grace.
Capricorn New Moon: 2022
New Moon 1°32' Capricorn
December 23rd, 2022 at 2:16am PST
The Chart for the Capricorn New Moon
Let's break down the chart for the New Moon.
[image description: astrological chart in wheel form cast for December 23rd, 2022 at 2:16am for Pittsburg, California. The chart has 27° Libra rising. Moving counter-clockwise in the direction of the houses: the South Node is at 12° Scorpio in the 2nd house; Sagittarius occupies the 3rd house, which is empty; in the 4th house resides Hygeia conjunct the New Moon at 1° Capricorn, and co-present in the same sign are Venus at 16° Capricorn, Mercury at 21° Capricorn, and Pluto at 27° Capricorn; Saturn is in the 5th house at 21° Aquarius; Neptune is at 22° Pisces in the 6th house, Jupiter is at 0° Aries in the 7th house along with Chiron at 11° Aries; the North Node and Uranus are in the 8th house at 12° and 15° Taurus, respectively; in the 9th house Mars is retrograde at 10° Gemini; the Cancer 10th house is empty; the Midheaven is in the 11th house at 1° Leo; and the Virgo 12th house is empty as well.]
Libra Rising
The Capricorn lunation cycle comes with a Libra rising this year.
Ruled by the Moon in Capricorn, this lunar cycle emphasizes this year's "back to the start" quality.
Venus rules the New Moon's chart
Venus has more to say about this lunar cycle than one might first expect on account of Venus ruling the chart. This next month is offering us the opportunity to take what we've learned about relational (Venus) boundaries (Capricorn) and to work on improving our communication about it.
That's because this year began with Venus in Capricorn deep in the midst of a retrograde cycle, and now here we are ending the year ends with Venus back in Capricorn. Just like 2022, 2023 has an identical pattern, only this time it will be Mercury's retrograde and conjunctions with Pluto the bookend the year ahead.
Ultimately, this Venus in Capricorn lesson seems to have been about learning the lesson of boundaries in the context of relationships. There's also been a heaping side of contending with the relational dynamics and impacts of the roots and fruits of patriarchy (which in turn activated a side-quest to reclaim some sort of "sacred" understanding of masculinity that exists outside of coercive gender binaries).
Thoroughly unpacking the relational roots of patriarchy is something I'll save for closing thoughts on Pluto's pilgrimage through Capricorn. ...2023 is going to bring us a lot.
And this Capricorn New Moon is sort of the launch party for the final year in Pluto-in-Capricorn school.
Feral, Fallow, Forbearing
New Moon of the Sea-Goat
This new moon occurs at 1°32' Capricorn.
Sign of the Sea-Goat and the earthy nocturnal biome of Saturn, Capricorn is a sign thrumming with the potency of life's desire to beget, experience, and re-create itself.
The words feral, fallow, and forbearing come to mind.
The persistence and unrelenting tenacity of a goat is a perfect metaphor for the dogged determination and audacious ambition of Capricorn. The sea / mermaid-esque other half is, historically, a reference to the rains that came during that time of year; but perhaps the symbolic language of the image is suggesting a deep connection with the life sustaining powers of water.
Nocturnal Domicile of Saturn
Neither the Sun or the Moon have much power in Saturn's realm(s), though each still has some connection to Capricorn. The Moon has triplicity in the sign by night, while the Sun has the third decan, or face, of the sign.
We could ask ourselves:
what does it mean to be working with a lunar cycle that is articulating what happens when neither luminary has access to the tools or resources that they're familiar with or comfortable using to meet their needs?
The Moon seeks to digest what the Sun illuminates / observes in order to turn our awareness into experience. We could say the Moon somaticizes what the Sun perceives and/or intellectualizes.
In Capricorn, the Moon is tasked with digesting in damp and frigid conditions.
Consider what it's like to attempt to find warmth and comfort in the midst of the darkest time of year and the true beginning of winter. Or conversely, down in the Southern Hemisphere, how hard it is to rest or slow down during the shortest nights of the year. It's hard to give the body (the Moon) the things that it wants for comfort, or needs for nourishment.
There's something antithetical (literally opposite as in opposition) about Capricorn's cold pragmatism (Saturn-ruled earth sign) and the needs of the Moon (the Moon rules Cancer, opposite sign to Capricorn, and also the topic of needs).
Rhetorius opens his discussion of the oppositions of the stars as follows:
For what reason are the domiciles of the Sun and the Moon opposite to the domiciles of Saturn? We say that the Sun and the Moon are the luminaries of the world, but Saturn is the lord of darkness. Then always is the light opposite to the darkness and the darkness to the light.
- (transl. Holden, 2009)
It's not just that Capricorn is as far away from home as the Moon gets (and nearly so for the Sun), it's that Saturn's sphere itself is anti-thetical to that of the luminaries.
Of course, if you're here you probably know, or at least intuitively get, that all anti-thesis is just inverted thesis. That is to say that this astrologer is a nondualist, and we're of the understanding that any seeming binaries are only seemingly such. They (the so-called diametrically opposed phenomena) simultaneously depend on and are a part of one another and their two-are-really-one holistic nature always presents (an often hidden) third option that is both/and as well as neither/not applicable.
The Earthy Triplicity: Venus, the Moon, and Mars
Though the Moon (the planet) and Capricorn (the sign) are diametrically opposed in terms of their literal principles and expression, Uncle Moon is the leader of the nocturnal triplicity by night. Which creates an interesting juxtaposition with respect to dignity.
In the chart for the new moon – and thus the lunation, or lunar cycle, as whole –
Triplicity is a particular type of dignity. You know what I'm about to say – another story, another page. What you'll want to consider with respect to this lunation cycle and transition into 2023 is the significations of triplicity that have to do with support, friendship, and voluntary alliances.
Essentially what we're looking at is figuring out how to do the actions of the Moon in the style of Capricorn (which is earthy, dynamic, wet, and nocturnal). If you consider this list there's plenty that the Moon can work with. Even if the Nocturnal House of Saturn is as far from home as Mx. Moon can get.
The Decan of the New Moon
The New Moon in Capricorn occurs in the first decan of Capricorn. The first decan of Capricorn is said to have the "face of Jupiter."
Rhetorius says of this decan, "he makes those engaged in public business, and they will be grieved over children, and they will experience dangers in youth, and they will be fortunate in old age..."
The Term of the New Moon
The Moon becomes new in the term of Mercury.
In this chart Mercury is co-present in the 4th house with the asteroid Hygeia, the New Moon, Venus, and Pluto. While Mercury is separating form Their conjunction to Venus, they're still in the same term – Venus's term.
Mercury's retrograde in Capricorn will define the entrance into and departure from 2023 in much the same way that Venus's did for 2022. We'll talk more about that in an upcoming post.
For now, consider that solstice is a time where we begin strategizing and planning for the impending spring or fall (depending on hemisphere). Mercury's the master planner / schemer / trickster.
And there's a bit of that energy in Capricorn season, and this Capricorn lunation.
The Dodekamorion of the New Moon
The New Moon occurs in the first dodekamorion of Capricorn, which is Capricorn.
This just emphasizes the Capricorn and the Saturn of it all.
The Lunar Mansion of the Capricorn New Moon
The New Moon occurs in the 22nd lunar mansion which is definitely translated in English into something called the Lucky or Fortunate...:
- Assassin
- of the Slaughterers
- Aviator
- of the Sacrificer
Transliterated as Sa'd al-Dhabih the image of this mansion depicts a man with winged feet and a helmet. Kinda like Mercury, the lord of the term that comprises the first half of this lunar mansion.
In the interest of timeliness-ish...ness
...I'll just say that the so of the essential themes of this mansion have to do with qualities already described by the solstice Sun's energy, and Mercury having stewardship over the term of Capricorn that runs from the 1st to 7th degree of the sign.
Tugging the Tarot Threads of the New Moon
In the tarot, the card associated with Capricorn is the Devil. In the interest of publishing this post before the full moon we'll be saving a more thorough exploration of that conversation for the upcoming Interlunar Etcetera, or perhaps the next Fortnightly for the Cancer Full Moon.
If you want to tug on the tarot thread now you'll likely find a lot of value from listening to one of the excellent podcast episodes below.
- Fortune's Wheelhouse podcast: Episode 15 - The Devil
- Between the Worlds podcast (fka Strange Magic): Sympathy for the Devil Card
Tracing the Capricorn New Moon's Connection to You
Questions:
- Where does the Capricorn New Moon land in your chart?
- What natal planets does Capricorn aspect in your chart?
- What are Saturn, the Moon, and the Sun doing in your natal chart?
Advanced:
4. What's up with Capricorn, Aquarius, Saturn, and the luminaries for you with respect to your timing (profection, solar return, distribution, zodiacal releasing...)?
If you're learning how to utilize timing techniques and want a seasoned professional astrologer to review your work you can book a tutoring session.
Playlist for the Capricorn New Moon: 2022
Finally, here's a sonic pathway for sinking into this lunation cycles.
I hope you find as many synchronicities listening as I did making this one.
Connect with astrologer Bear Ryver
Want to share your thoughts or experiences about the Capricorn New Moon? Log in to post a comment below and start a discussion. Or, pose a question to your fellow members here.
If you'd like to reach out to Bear directly you can reach him at: contact@bearryver.com
