The Moon will be new on Thursday, January 11th at 6:56am, EDT. (London: 11:56am, US Central: 5:56am, US Mountain: 4:56am, US Pacific: 3:56am.) Each new Moon is an assignment from the universe for us to work with in the next 30 days. This month, we are working with disciplining our hearts/minds spiritually and establishing or deepening practices that will help us to make spiritual progress in this lifetime.
When planets are in Sagittarius, as the Moon, Sun, Mars and Mercury are now, it is time to lift our sights spiritually. The next 30 days are a time to aim higher. Sagittarius can pull us into perfectionism, however. As you aim higher this month, remember that perfectionism is almost always based on how things look, not on the reality of how things are. If you set spiritual goals at the beginning of January, check to see if they are truly helping you grow and make adjustments if needed. If you didn’t set intentions on January 1st and feel sad about that, be aware that in many places where Jyotish (Vedic astrology) is practiced, the first new Moon in January is considered to be the start of the New Year. This is a good time to set intentions or adjust them.
This new Moon is taking place in the nakshatra of Purva Ashada. This is a place where we tend and encourage new spiritual growth. Again, avoid perfectionism. As we lovingly tend the sprouting seeds of spiritual growth and new directions in life, let’s not stomp on the tender plants in ourselves or in others.
This new Moon is taking place in the Scorpio pada (section) of Purva Ashada. Scorpio is a very weak place for the Moon because it can make us feel swamped and confused by fear and other difficult emotions. Scorpio is ruled by the water element. Remember that muddy water only gets clear if we let it sit, without constantly stirring it up. If you have a secure meditation practice, this is an excellent time for sitting and letting the mud in your heart/mind settle down so you can see clearly. If you are new to meditation, taking a class and/or sitting with experienced meditators can be very useful now. Reach out for support and guidance if you find yourself reluctant to move forward or are unsure what moving forward means for you now.
If you would like a reading about how this new Moon impacts you, or about anything else, please contact me at rbanker09@gmail.com or at vedicplanets.com.