This Saturday, January 20, 2023, the new moon in Aquarius begins this new cycle in the very early degrees of Aquarius at 1 degree and 32 minutes. Pluto is in out-of-sign conjunction with this new moon out of sign in Capricorn at 28 degrees, 20 minutes which brings this moon into focus with the powers of authority highlighted, enforcement of social matters that must be considered in the collective. And another theme is the transformation of ourselves in the context of emerging technology. We are on the precipice of another leap in technology. We have experienced a few such as the birth of the Internet on January 1, 1983, thanks to Tim Berners Lee working at CERN creating what we know as the world wide web browser emerging out of 1992, then social media platforms in mid-2000’s (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube), and artificial intelligence is increasing it’s impact as well. I sense this will grow exponentially in the next few years, taking another leap. It is impossible to ignore foreign affairs that are also highlighted during this next lunar phase. If you want to explore a bit of history on artificial intelligence this is a useful article. A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence, written by Keith D. Foote on January 17, 2022.
Mars in Gemini on the Ascendant at this New Moon in Aquarius reveals potential for conflict, however, the energy is moving forward again so what has been stressed with delays will find movement and will pick up speed in this moon cycle. Both this Aquarius moon and Mars are out of bounds, outside the sun’s ecliptic, adding more energy to how we will experience this energy as wildcards. This will be energy actively engaged in communications, commuting, and local travel. Themes include increased and higher frequencies of communication, the need for hard facts regarding systems and infrastructure, lots of reporting, communications around contractual agreements (service agreements), and things that have been revealed during Mercury’s retrograde cycle. Anything that was hidden that has come to light will be investigated with greater scrutiny. Those iconic figures that embody Mars-Gemini energy will experience this quickening and will be visible to the public for whatever has ripened in the Mars retrograde to direct cycle, it moves now and will swiftly change (mutable).
Mercury is in the 8th house (west coast perspective) so it may require some time for a story or information to be fully exposed. The are pieces of data or information that are hidden from us, perhaps buried and hidden on purpose, and you have to be aware, if you study astrology perhaps you know where to look. If you like treasure hunting, well there is a vibe for that in this mix of energy.
Will Mercury and Mars in direct motion move that real or metaphorical bounty of treasure more into the light? It is a probability, but again the powers of authority may be controlling what is really available, just to keep you aware of what to watch out for during this cycle. Mercury in this new moon chart by the position it is holds the key to the hidden information (west coast USA). East coast perspective, the Venus-Saturn conjunction is in the 8th house and Mercury is below the horizon (setting) when the moon is new in its union with the sun. Interesting to consider the different lenses of perception of this lunar cycle between the east coast center of power in the US government and west coast Silicon Valley (our US lens of an Aquarian technology epicenter). Mercury is still emerging out of the shadow degrees of its retrograde, and once it passes through the Sun and moves to become an evening star we will have awareness on the hidden matters. Mercury could also be the thief that gets caught because Mercury is in Saturn’s sign (Capricorn) which is highly visible in the 10th house with Venus in Aquarius.
Mercury reaches its greatest elongation on January 30, 2023. You can learn more about Mercury at its greatest elongation in Gary P. Caton’s work. Another great video with great wisdom on astrology and the alchemy of Mercury with Gary and Mychal. Mychal produces the Oraculos Podcast. I recommend it is a great overview of Gary’s work on the Hermetic approach to astrology and Mercury cycles. I’ve read Gary P. Caton’s book, Hermetica Triptycha, and highly recommend to anyone learning astrology. You can read as a beginner student of astrology, but it will be helpful to have a foundation of understanding the elements and basic qualities of the planets and signs. This podcast episode is from July 2020, but excellent for learning and adding to your esoteric knowledge. Perfect for Mercury in the 8th house (learning occult knowledge about Mercury and both astrology and alchemy).
These are the most recent Mercury retrograde dates if you want to explore the “threeness” of this most recent Mercury cycle from what is highlighted in the podcast discussion between Gary P. Caton and Mychal.
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- Mercury stationed retrograde in Capricorn on December 29, 2022 (1:32 am PST / 4:32 am EST) at 24 degrees Capricorn 21 minutes
- Mercury cazimi the Sun in this last cycle was on January 7, 2023, at 17 degrees Capricorn 4:57 am PST (7:57 EST)
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- Mercury station direct in Capricorn – January 18, 2023 (5:12 am PST /8:12 am EST) at 8 degrees Capricorn 8 minutes
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- Mercury cazimi the Sun in this last cycle was on January 7, 2023 at 17 degrees Capricorn
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- Mercury leaves Capricorn on February 11, 2023 (3:22 am PST / 6:22 am EST) – enters Aquarius
It is a perfect time to be contemplating the three epochs of Mercury and the Threeness discussed in this podcast episode mentioned above, which is truly massive in what it informs us. ( I am posting the most recent Mercury cycle dates of importance for easy reference above). I really appreciate the clarity on Mercury as the creation of the Sun and Moon conjoined, as a uniquely third creation. I read Gary’s book a couple of years ago, but at this moment (as Mercury is stationing direct when I write this information and knowledge is highlighted again for me to refresh what I learned and to bring it to light again). The joining of the Sun and Moon creates something unique in itself completely. Sun and Moon as parents, and Mercury as Child. I also appreciate that Mercury moves anywhere relative to the element between all the other planets, also into the underworld, and back out again. Mercury is such a key planet for us to consciously engage in our self-individuation. The process of integration (becoming the third magical thing) that Gary and Mychal put into language so eloquently stated on this podcast!
The Venus conjunct Saturn in Aquarius aspect in this new moon is unique and rare, and will not happen in Aquarius for another 30 years (as Saturn will soon move to Pisces on March 7th). At 23 and 24 degrees of Aquarius. Today I watched a great video that Christopher Renstrom did on the energies of Venus conjunct Saturn in Aquarius, especially considering the square with Uranus (co-ruler of Aquarius) in Taurus (a sign that Venus rules. I enjoyed the story Christopher shared so much it is worth your time if you love great storytelling. Enjoy! Every year I attend the Seattle Opera productions 2-3 a year with my husband, Peter. So, this was a great telling of an opera performance I attended back in January 2020.
Where is the sign Aquarius in your chart? Especially at 23-24 degrees and the square to Taurus. This is where your own drama may play out with Uranian and Venusian-Saturnian attributes. Uranus conjunct the North Node is wide, but still relevant to activate this energy, almost like energy bouncing along the circuit.
The Sun and Moon in Aquarius as the seed of potential and this builds to the Full Moon on February 5th. As an Evolutionary Astrologer, (I am certified through Steven Forrest’s discipline of evolutionary astrology. I received my Master’s certificate level in February 2020), I would note that this new moon chart and the planetary positions with the lunar nodes look like the period of time Steven calls, “when the karmic waves break”. Anyone with planets, especially the sun, moon, and the Ascendant, and any angles, at the mid-late degrees of Aquarius-Leo and Taurus-Scorpio, will have unique to their positions and placements of their nativity, karma ripening in those areas of their lives. These themes may include body awareness, your comfort (or lack of it) being in a body, material goods/matter, money, assets, property, how you may be earning income, and also managing tension, a crisis, or stress with groups, technology, or group authorities, surprising events unfolding with Uranus close to the nodes, but it is heightened by the conjunction of Venus-Saturn (ruler of Taurus, with Uranus in Taurus, and Uranus co-ruler of Aquarius with Saturn in Aquarius). In modern terms, it’s quite the mash-up, but an opportunity to awaken soulful intentions on an evolutionary path.
It will be interesting to observe also how this aspect with Venus-Saturn conjunction and Uranus adding surprising interruptions may impact any social media like Facebook and Instagram (simply because of the Taurus and Aquarius connections to those entities. There has been so much buzz lately on artificial intelligence or AI and new tools for humans to utilize AI with ChatGPT. Technology and our growing usage of Artificial Intelligence will grow exponentially in the public domain, when Pluto enters Aquarius on March 23, 2023, but there will be some “hard lessons” about this kind of technology. However, when Uranus reaches Gemini it will be an extraordinary shift and speed of these themes with both Pluto and Uranus in air signs. Uranus reaches Gemini, July 7, 2025.
This blog for this new moon has taken me longer than usual, as I have had many emerging themes bubble up in the process of the full writing. I gather that when I have this experience that the “feeling sense” of it and the themes are pinpointing (at least from my perspective) what is in view and are increasing activity by the energies of these archetypes. It is clear that the technology emerging is swiftly gaining intelligence, that we are considering our own inner intelligence and consciousness at the same, because we may understand the wisdom of Hermes Trismegistus, “That which is below is like that which is above, and that which is above is like that which is below, to perform the miracles of one only thing.”
When we are aware of the advances of technology that happen in our external world, this is a reminder that it is a mirror of the technology (our consciousness) of us also evolving. The speed at which we are integrating and adapting is incredibly fast. It is important, if not imperative for human to have space to reflect to actually integrate. It is interesting to be aware of this understanding. With Pluto in Aquarius for 20 years between 2022-2043, starts with the ingress on March 23, 2023, staying to June 11, 2023, and then it re-enters Aquarius again in January 21, 2024, and another retrograde cycle starts May 2, 2024, which Pluto will be revisiting late Capricorn on September 2, 2024, and then stations direct on October 12, 2024, at 29 degrees 38 minutes of Capricorn before finally re-entering Aquarius November 19, 2024, for years until March 8, 2043, when Pluto makes its ingress into Pisces. A year in the future, when my daughter will be the age I was in my life when I gave birth to her in the span of my life. The transit of Pluto in Aquarius is our transformation collectively with technology, our relationship with it, and our humanity, many of us becoming more aware of our technology, which is natural and evolving. Our intelligence evolves and perhaps we will make the biggest discoveries about ourselves and leaps in science that help us truly know what the nature of consciousness is, or will there always be a mystery because we are observing ourselves? Well, maybe that takes Pluto in Pisces to get to the depths we have never yet been to.
Jupiter in Aries (4 degrees) is sextile this new moon which excites the energy with growth in this cycle. There is Jupiter that always reminds us of our growth, the ways in which we expand. Jupiter in Aries is the fiery energy of pioneering expansion, like Steve Jobs’s Moon in Aries that energized his Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Cancer of his nativity. (In astrology terms, his Aries moon is the dispositor of his natal Jupiter and Uranus.)
We are expanding and evolving, how do you participate? What thoughts and perceptions are you “informing” the universe of your experience? Powerful stuff! Babies born on this new moon have some powerful energies they will bring to our lives. Life is so interesting when I view it through astrology and what is being birthed in any given moment. It fascinates me like a child of wonder. Perhaps you are fascinated by it all as well. Namaste. Bless this moment.
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