the new moon in aquarius for writers

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The New Moon arrives at 20* of Aquarius at 5:59pm Eastern this evening. Co-present with psychopomp Mercury and, for the first time in our lifetimes, lord of the underworld Pluto, this moon invites us to plant seeds in a graveyard on a cold winter’s night. Something has died; something is being reborn. 

The hart looks out over the sunset as night falls, and moans. 

There is something sacred to New Moons. I do not say this solely as a New Moon baby, as someone who was born shortly after a winter New Moon myself and finds them especially invigorating. They are a reminder that, no matter what season we are in, new cycles are beginning all the time.

But not all New Moons are alike. And this is where the internet fails us, in insisting, a la our capitalist hellscape, that this is a time for starting anything.

Every lunation has its own flavor. Some are good for immediate results. Some are juicier than others. Not all beginnings are created equal.

This New Moon in Aquarius is not what I would call naturally juicy. This is a moon arriving in the depth of winter, of Aquarius’ icy winds and snow-capped peaks. What is planted under this moon answers to grandmother Saturn, and what answers to Saturn does not immediately burst forth, but rather, grows slowly, but with the promise of extraordinary longevity.

This moon and the projects it births reek of a long time spent journeying and incubating in the underworld, after all. And this isn’t Disney’s Hercules. Such births do not come with the Muses’ singing, alas. (If only!) Here, there is afterbirth and blood and mucus, physical pain and exhaustion. Elation, sure, but also: the muck and mess of being born.

There is an old self, or a dying self, being buried in a graveyard, and a resurrected self coming forth. And we all know that resurrections take time.

Mercury is here with this moon, helping the ideas travel, allowing you to better communicate and understand what is creatively coming forth. But this is deep work. Plutonic work. And while that is very fertile, in the way that the volcanic ash we spoke about last lunation is fertile, the harvest does not come overnight.

So be patient. There is potency and power in the air. But, as Mary Oliver reminds us, things take the time they take.

Meanwhile, the hart stands guard over this season of our resurrection — watching.

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Writing Prompts for the New Moon in Aquarius

• What have you been composting, or mourning? What in your life felt like it is dying off? In what ways has this last week been especially difficult?

• What are you beginning? What creative projects of the heart and spirit are especially coming forth at this moment?

  • Look to the Aquarius house of your chart for more information about this. If you have personal planets and/or points at 0* Taurus, Scorpio, and/or Leo, you might also consider those, as those are being directly impacted by Pluto and are part of this story for you.

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P.S. Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebrate! <3