The planets and the Moon align for a happy time in 2009. On New Year’s Eve, a lovely New Moon shines close by Venus, goddess of love (beauty, the arts and higher truth).

The Moon is a lens magnifying all she draws near; what occurs in the beginning carries through to the end.

 

A year that begins with Venus conjunct the Moon is a year given to love. Attuning to Venus opens hearts and harmonizes relationships: focus on the light of the ‘evening star’ and breathe deeply to receive the blessings of Venus. Send energy to those you love by bringing them to mind. Love rules while Venus is exalted in Pisces from Jan 3 - Feb 4.

 This is a perfect way to begin the New Year when (Feb 17) a stellium of planets in Aquarius signals the beginning of the Aquarian Age, a time when ‘love will steer the stars.’ More next month.

The super good news this month is Jupiter’s passage into Aquarius on Jan 5. Jupiter’s positive influence has been dampened for this whole past year as the (usually jovial) king of planets moved through Capricorn. Jupiter in the sign of Saturn (the scythe) brought a great economic pruning that thankfully will be ending soon. After the pruning comes the flowering. The turn around comes on Epiphany Eve, a great date to celebrate – especially so this year.

The other marvelous thing this month is that most all the planets are happily placed in their sign of rulership, in exaltation or mutual reception. Mercury in mutual reception with Saturn all month gives opportunity for effective and practical expression of new ideas. The conjunction of Mercury and Jupiter in the evening sky early this month portends a fateful partnering of the wizard and the emerging king. This alliance brings greater hope to the world.

The only hitch this January is the Mercury retrograde time between Jan 11 and  the Jan 20 New Mercury. And of course we need to lie low more or less during the dark of the Moon Jan 25 to 27. Otherwise we are looking at a month with many golden opportunities and good times coming. New Year’s Day, Jan 1 A Time to Sow

The portents are all good, whatever is begun with clear focus in this time is apt to succeed in the coming year.

Moon at the Equator / Lunar Zero Point North, Jan 2 (1:30 pm) A Magic Window

Lunar 0 Points are cosmic balance times great for meditation or creative imagining. Moon at the Equator moving North is like Spring Equinox in the year. This is a good time to initiate or to put new ideas on the air. The magic window opens for about two hours from 12:30-2:30 pm. First Quarter Moon, Jan 4 Decision Time

The 1st Quarter Moon looks like a scythe cutting across the sky. This is a time for decision, a time for cutting away false ways and for empowering the new and true. This Moon phase is important in bringing about change.

Epiphany Eve /12th Night / The Feast of Fools, Jan 5 Time to Party

Traditional Yuletide festivities conclude with the 12th Night ‘Feast of Fools’ Jan 5. This is a good party night and an ideal time for exchanging magical gifts. Whoever gets the bean in the bean cake becomes the ‘King or Queen of Misrule.’ They choose a partner and lead the festivities. This custom stamped out long ago in the Middle Ages is now making a return. Epiphany / The 12th Day of Christmas, Jan 6 Expect a Miracle

In Christian tradition Epiphany celebrates three magical events all related to water: the birth of Jesus, baptism in the river Jordan (complete with balls of fire) and the changing of water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana. The ancient Egyptians celebrated the ‘Korion’ Festival of the Nile on this day when waters of the world are said to be blessed with healing virtue. Now Kore (Persephone) gives birth to the ‘Aeon,’ the childlike spirit or zeitgeist of the New Year. This is the time for everyone to renew and be born again. Epiphany also honors the Three Kings who bring gifts for the new child. Moon Out of Bounds North, Jan 7-10 (1:32 am 1/7 – 10:24 pm 1/10) Open-minded and Imaginative

During this time people are generally more open-minded. When the Moon goes Out of Bounds North, we enter “the higher world” where we are more free and imaginative. New ideas are more easily and successfully shared. This time is ideal for business meetings or social gatherings. It is a time to make announcements, do promotions and bring new discoveries to light.

Sun in Capricorn Full Moon, Jan 10 (exact 11:27 pm est) Have Fun and Celebrate

A Full Moon Out of Bounds North is quite powerful generally in a positive way. This Full Moon is especially magical with the Moon at home in Cancer and six of the eight planets exalted by sign or by mutual reception. We also have a ‘Mystic Rectangle’ formed by the Sun, Moon, Saturn and Uranus. It doesn’t get much better than this for having fun and celebrating with friends.

Each Full Moon is an opportunity for revelation and for healing body, mind and soul. Meditation, chanting, drumming, dancing - all can help open to receive. Spontaneous movement is key. Spiritual energies continue to flow through the three days following the Full Moon. Revelations may come in dreams, "chance encounters," or sudden flashes of inspiration. Stay tuned. Mercury Retrograde, Jan 11-Jan 20 Time to Reel It In

People (and nations) generally experience a mental/communication/ transportation meltdown more or less in the days/weeks before Mercury aligns with the Sun. Retrograde Mercury is notorious for communication snafus and this is more particularly true of the time before Mercury's solar rendezvous. We are usually less able to assimilate new ideas at the tail end of Mercury's cycle when people tend to be more submerged in old mindsets. The close of a Mercury cycle reveals psychological and political problem patterns that may be resolved as the new cycle proceeds.

New Mercury, Jan 20 Time for a New Way of Thinking and Relating

On January 20th, Mercury crosses between the Earth and the Sun and a new cycle of Mercury begins. The New Mercury becomes visible in about ten days as a tiny crescent rising before the Sun. All bodes well for decision making and all new beginnings now. A New Mercury is a new mental cycle, a new cycle of creative thinking, communication, invention and commerce. Effectiveness is renewed in communicating ideals and realizing higher dimensions of reality. This is our time to do what we came here to do. (Note: The post New Mercury retrograde period Jan 20 - Feb 1 brings opportunities to work out the old kinks and get ready for the new show.) Balsamic Moon, Jan 22-24 Make a Wish

The Balsamic Moon or ‘Wishing Moon’ is the best time for putting wishes on the air. It is also called the ‘Witches Moon’ because this is also a time for bringing people to mind who need healing. Needs felt now invoke response from the coming lunar cycle. Wishes made at the Balsamic Moon come to fulfillment at the Full.

Moon Out of Bounds South, Jan 19-24 (10:02 pm 1/19 – 7:55 pm 1/24) Energize the Unconscious

When the Moon travels the “underworld,” our inner world is illuminated and the unconscious is energized. Individual, group and global patterns of belief and behavior become revealed and may be reformed. We may experience emotional challenges relating to any area of life where we’ve been blocked or where we are hiding from ourselves. This is a time to go beneath the surface, to do research, change habits and renovate our inner life. Dark of the Moon, Jan 25-27 Be Quiet and Look Within

The ‘Dark of the Moon’ is a 3-day period beginning the day before the New Moon and ending at Sunset the day after when the crescent becomes visible. While generally unfavorable for outward activity, these three days are ideal for gaining insight through quiet reflection. The New Moon is like a cosmic spring from which to draw new vital energy and good luck. The spring flows best when we slow down, take time off and go within. This is also a good time to clear (smudge etc) the home to make way for the new lunar cycle. New Moon in Aquarius / Lunar New Year, Jan 26 (2:55 am est) The Year of the Ox

This New Moon marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox. America was founded in the year of the Ox 1776. It’s time now for a re-beginning. New Moon is a quiet reflective time to gather subtle chi. The celebration begins with the waxing crescent Moon and continues to the Feb 9 Full Moon.

Crescent New Moon, Jan 27-30 A Time to Sow

The lunar crescent first appears Jan 27 below and left of the Sadalsuud ‘the luckiest of the lucky’ alpha star of Aquarius. Venus shines brightly above. This is a beautiful omen of what’s to come. Anything begun under  this waxing crescent Moon is likely to be successful

Moon at the Equator/Lunar Zero Point North, Jan 29 (6:51 pm) Another Magic Window

Lunar 0 Points are cosmic balance times great for creative imagination. This is a good time to initiate or to put new ideas on the air for the future. The magic window opens for about two hours from 5:51-7:51 pm.

The New Moon tide energizes whatever it touches, now is the time to put forward what we wish to be empowered. Social gatherings and all new initiatives are favored during this waxing Moon. Happy New Year!

Steve Nelson is a professional astrologer who uses tarot, name analysis, and traditional astrology to help clients realize natural talents and understand personal myths. He may be reached at 704-375-3759 or email [email protected]†