The New Moon in sidereal Capricorn happens January 31st at 7:46 pm in Hawaii (9:46 pm PST) and is on the morning of February 1st in much of the rest of the world. We have Saturn and Mercury Retrograde joined our Sun and Moon here and with the exception of Mercury, they are all in the star Shravana. Shravana is ruled by Vishnu and indicated by an ear. It is where we are able to listen carefully, beneath the surface of things. Chanting and music can be very effective in this time. In the mythology, Vamana, a dwarf who is one of Vishnu’s avatars, goes to the palace of the asura king Bali. Bali immediately senses the presence of the Divine and offers Vamana any boon he wants. Vamana asks for 3 paces of land. Bali laughs, seeing his small stature and says, “Surely, you can ask for more than that!” Vamana shakes his head. That is all he wants. Venus, the guru of Bali and all the asuras, comes through a jug of wine and whispers to Bali that this is a trick. “It is Vishnu inside that dwarf! You will be ruined”. Bali tells his guru that if it is to be so, than so be it. Even more reason to honor his gift. As Bali grants Vamana’s wish, the dwarf began to grow rapidly. He grows so big he is busting out of the palace. He takes one giant step and in that claims all of the Earth. He takes another step and claims all of the Celestial realm. He looks around, for what is there left to claim? Bali, bows down his head and offers it to Vamana, who steps on it, sending Bali to the underworld, where he reigns as king until his time to rise up will come. This story shows that even in our darkest moments, our humility and faith will get us through. We do not know what we truly want, ultimately, we only know what we think we want, or what we can surmise with our limited senses. It also shows us how our sense of control keeps us tied to our limited perspective. When we surrender to the fact that we have only control over our immediate selves, then we can relax into the knowing that we are held by the same force that seems to take away from us. Here we can find peace.

In Shravana, we have deeper sense. We see beyond appearances and hear between the words. We are able to understand that we don’t understand, which is perhaps the wisest wisdom of all. With the Sun and Moon so  close to Saturn here, we can feel an extra dose of hesitation and fear, as well as the calm, cold truth welling up, forcing us to surrender our sense of control. The conjunction of Sun and Saturn is one that is contentious. As Saturn is the Sun’s illegitimate son, he is also one who dims the Sun’s lights, just as the Sun’s rays burn our own access to patience and humility from Saturn himself. The pressure and the dry hot/cold effect require that we drink lots of fluids, moisturize, and take rest. The combination of the two also requires us to see from both light and dark. The bright light of the Sun, illuminating truth and burning away illusion. The dark, cold and impassionate gaze of Saturn, taking everything away that we believe in so that we might see things as they truly are. It is an uncomfortable place for the Moon, our psyche, but as a new moon phase, she is herself in a less engaged state and we have an excellent opportunity to meditate here. By silencing the world around us, we can truly hear.

Right now, we are in the midst of a Kala Sarpa Yoga. This is when all the planets fall between the two nodes of the Moon. With Rahu leading from the very end of his tenure in Taurus, we are seeing how the needs and values we hold can cause us to avoid the unpleasant and shadowy secrets that we uncover along the way. In looking away from that which we fear, we ultimately keep ourselves from truly having what we need and value. The illusions can be strong while we pass through the Kala Sarpa, but also the capacity to have massive transformation in a small amount of time as this is the time snake itself. The karmas that we are focusing on here are shifting towards the Aries/Libra axis. In March, we will see this shift come to pass, and the karma we were finishing in Scorpio will be as complete as it is for now while the karma we began in Taurus, will be as much started as it is until the next time the nodes pass through these signs in 9 years, in reverse position.

Venus is now direct, and as such, our relationships (and any areas of our lives ruled by Venus in our chart) will start moving forward again. She is still joined Mars and we need to still have heightened awareness about how we choose to balance our relationships and our personal need for discipline. Relationships with similar beliefs and practices will be much easier, whereas people who have a lot of push and pull in how they care for themselves and show up in relationship might find that it’s harder for their partner’s to understand what they need. Communication is key, and as Mercury begins direct motion again on February 3rd, only a few days after this New Moon, that will certainly be easier. Hopefully this cycle of both of the relational planets, Mercury and Venus, in Retrograde at the same time, has helped us learn to listen more and allow people to tell us who they are, what they want or need, and how they feel about us. Taking time to listen to ourselves is equally important. So often we rush through our daily lives without stopping to make sure that we haven’t left ourselves behind somewhere along the way!

If you are in relationship (or know someone who is) I am offering a special on Couple’s Compatibility Readings for the two weeks until Valentine’s Day. From January 29th (when Venus went direct) to February 14th, you can book an audio recorded Couple’s Reading for $108 (reg. $128).  In these readings I will illuminate the connectivity between partners, as well as the areas that are more challenging. I will also show each individual how they are relating and what choices they can make to improve the connection. These are very popular, so don’t wait to book!  

Our Full Moon on Monday, January 17th at 1:47 pm HT (3:47pm PST) is in sidereal Cancer in the star of nourishment, Pushya. Cancer is where we have the unconditional love of a Mother towards their child and in the nakshatra Pushya, we are specifically feeding what we love. Giving it life. The watery realm of Cancer is where we are in our feeling nature, and is the Moon’s natural abode. Here we want to connect and emote and run into difficulty if we feel distance from those we love. Just like a child needs compassion if they feel sad, hurt or have done something wrong, we also need that as adults. Many of us were not raised with ample compassion and were instead taught that we should suck it up and move forward regardless of our feelings. It is important to learn to nurture ourselves, and hold space for our feelings, while also understanding that they are passing and possibly based in a misperception of something that happened. If you feel like crying, by all means do that, and also try to remember that you may also have misunderstood someone else’s intentions.

Across the way, we have Sun, Saturn and Retrograde Mercury in Capricorn reminding us of Time and how much we still have to do. This pressure comes with the wisdom Saturn has slowly (and perhaps painfully) been teaching us since January 2020; to accept the inevitable reality of time and to commit to this moment. Saturn also reminds us of the physical limitations of our body and how we can only do as much as we can before our body will quit. If we don’t take the time to nurture and nourish this vessel, it will force us to take that time. The Sun in its dimmer variation of power here is focused on working hard and the limitations on that power. This can remind us that there is power in humility and that the best leader is the one rolling up their sleeves and doing the most work. Mercury Retrograde is a reminder to stop and think before we speak, or send that text or email or comment on that post. While the delays might be frustrating, they can help remind us of what is truly important and to take the time and care necessary to communicate what we really mean. If we say it wrong, we can use the Saturnian humility to admit our mistakes and move forward in grace. This is a stilling point, where we need to learn how to move past the polarity and integrate care and compassion while we accomplish what needs to be done. For more on Mercury Retrograde w/ Saturn & Sun go HERE

Venus Retrograde is reminding us to specifically take care with our relationships as we pass through the the final 12 days of this transit. While old relationship wounds may resurface and we may have to navigate aspects of ourselves and the others in our lives we thought we had already laid to rest, remember if it is in front of you, you did not actually accomplish what you thought you did before. This is not to “punish” you, this is to move you through it. What lessons you must learn will continue to come to you until you learn them. It is a basic law of the universe. If you continue to evade these lessons by assuming full blame on others, your environment or a state of victimhood you find yourself in, you will continue to be faced with these same lessons. If you would like help navigating this, sign up for my newsletter (in the top right corner) and receive your FREE report “Venus Retrograde for all 12 Signs” instantly. This will help you see what specifically Venus is bringing up for you. In honor of this transit I am also offering discounted readings to email subscribers to help people see what it is they are doing in relationships and what patterns they are ready to release.

In this mix with all this, Mars just hopped the Gandanta point from Scorpio to Sagittarius and is in the star Mula. Mula is an intense nakshatra where we rip out what is not working by the roots. Mars has not had his own energy to himself for some time. He was combust the Sun from late summer to the beginning of December, in which he joined the South Node Ketu and now he is joining forces with Venus. While the Sun agitates Mars when too close, and union with Ketu makes us militaristic and cutting, union with Venus will be yet another way our relationships are taking a hit! Venus and Mars joined can give us some contentious, and sexy, energy. While it can be fun to ride the fight and make up roller coaster for short periods of time, this is not a lasting approach to love. Mars is asking us to be more disciplined in regard to our beliefs, practices and teachings. Venus in Sagittarius can be a bit of a spiritual bypasser, so the slowed down motion of the planet can actually help us take a moment and try to get it right. Hopefully all the humility we are experiencing otherwise is a reminder that philosophies don’t solve actual problems and aren’t helpful in the moment when someone is experiencing pain. Philosophies are showing us the light we can reach towards but very few people are actually living in that space and when we ignore people’s very real challenges in favor of teaching them something that you likely also don’t always embody, we do not create connection. This is how we distance ourselves from one another. It is also how we distance ourselves from our own feelings.  Something to meditate on right now is that how we treat others is a reflection of how we treat ourselves. Coming back to the Cancer moon, the more compassion we can have for ourselves, likely the more we have to extend to others as well.

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January 2, 2022 at 8:33 am HT (10:33 am PST) is the New Moon in sidereal Sagittarius in the star of Purva Ashada, meaning “the Invincible” or the “Early Victory”. As the Gregorian New Year began, we were actually in the final tithi (phase) of the waning moon in a star called Mula, “the root”. Mula is where we rip out what is not working by it’s roots. Purva Ashada is where we plant new seeds that will serve us and our belief systems better. It is indicated by an elephant tusk, showing strength and wisdom. It is also represented by a fan or a winnowing basket, separating the husks of fear and delusion from that kernel which is pure and true. May our discernment be at its finest and our efforts be laid in love. The early victory is also in the tending of what we wish to see grow, and seeing the early shoots rise. Here wisdom and the capacity to spread that wisdom to others is possible, as the goddess of the star is Apas, the cosmic waters. Here if we focus on what is righteous and true, then our recognition will naturally come, if we focus on the end result instead then we may be recognized, but when what grows from it is faulty, then that will be our legacy instead.

We’ve had a lot of stuff come up for us to rip up by the roots, with Mars and Ketu in Scorpio for the past month, showing us our deepest fears and where they come from! On January 16th, Mars will leave Scorpio and enter Sagittarius, separating these two fiery and cutting Grahas until they meet again. Allow this to be a process of healing and freeing yourself, rather than getting caught in the feelings of loss or fear. Remember to shine light directly on whatever you see scampering in the dark, as only when we see something clearly, can we understand it enough to not fear it.

Venus has now travelled back into Sagittarius in her retrograde cycle and is in the following star from this New Moon, Uttara Ashada, the “later victory”. This is where we are able to reap greater rewards from our efforts, begin the process of harvesting. However, since she is retrograde, it is a time to expose to ourselves inwardly whether or not what we are reaping is what we want. What houses Venus rules for you and what house Sagittarius is for you in your Vedic chart will determine how and what you are experiencing this through. If you have not yet signed up for my newsletter you can click the link above (and to the right) to sign up and receive “Venus Retrograde for all 12 Signs” as your FREE gift instantly. This will explain where specifically YOU (and your loved ones) are feeling this transit! You will also get exclusive offers for Readings Specials!

Mercury is also in Uttarashada, but in the Capricorn portion of the nakshatra, offering solid, practical communication that ensures long term survival. He will begin his retrograde cycle on January 14th, lasting until February 3rd, so for two weeks we will have both of our “relational” planets in delay. Venus is about relationships themselves, and compromise. Mercury is how we communicate with others and receive the information they have to share. Retrograde is a period of apparent backwards motion. Planets do not actually begin moving backwards. This is important to understand, because it shows how we feel as though we are walking through the past and having to relive or relearn certain experiences but that is not entirely so. Just as Heraclitus stated you cannot step into the same river twice because it is not the same river and you are not the same person, so are we not able to relive life the same. What we are walking through now is different, and more importantly, we are different. When we are triggered or reminded of past experiences, it is hard to remember that, but if we can, in that moment, we can reprogram our brains to experience differently. We can actively choose to breathe through, sing through, sit through, or even cry through whatever is coming up and then make a different plan. This is the harvest. This is where the fruits lie. As we watch our life unfold differently when we make different choices, this encourages us to continue to do so. And then there we are. Wiser, truer, and decidedly more happy.

Many Blessings of Love, Happiness, and Conscious Decisions that Reap Great Benefit for ALL in 2022!

To Find out how these transits affect your personal natal chart: