Capricorn New Moon at the Solstice: The dark point of stillness

“The black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come.  At the darkest moment comes the light.” – Joseph Campbell


The Capricorn New Moon will occur just six minutes after the moment of the Winter Solstice – the point at which the Sun moves into Capricorn in the tropical system.  The three days before the Winter Solstice are the darkest days of the year in the northern hemisphere.  Not only are the days shorter, but the Sun is lower in the sky, causing shadows to lengthen and its motion appears to stand still.

The Winter Solstice marks the return to the light – after the Solstice the days start growing longer and the Sun stronger.  As humans we are naturally drawn to light and tend to shun the darkness, but it is in the quiet stillness of the dark, when we are not distracted by the flickering images that pass through our life, that we can go deeply within into the core of our Selves and discover who we are beneath the superficial comings and goings of our experiences.

My friend Beth Owl’s Daughter writes:

It is unnatural for our modern culture to have so much fear and denial of the dark. The night is our teacher, our healer, and it is absolutely necessary if we are to know peace. It brings the stillness in which the seed may gestate. It is the womb from which the Child of Promise will emerge. …This pause between the Dark and the return of the Light is an ephemeral moment, full of magic.”

This process of emergence is made more powerful by the coming together of the Sun and Moon in a tantric rite of transformation at the Capricorn New Moon.  Capricorn is grounded and practical in matters of the world, but it also bestows an ability to see beyond emotions or fantasy that may keep us from becoming masters of our physical reality.  Under the influence of Capricorn magic becomes a matter of fact and not anything that is mysterious or questionable.  Under the rulership of Saturn we can ground our wishes and dreams into a practical protocol that helps us to develop the skills we need to fully experience a life of magic and beauty.

This New Moon at the Solstice offers an opportunity to sink fully into the dark stillness of the soul for just a moment while we find our balance and reconnect with ourselves.  Moving from Sagittarius into Capricorn requires a contraction and grounding that will be nourishing for some but feel oppressive to others.  Embracing the quiet stillness in meditation and prayer will help us to gain the most benefit from this time of peace.

The astrology of the New Moon is quite significant with the inclusion of the Uranus/Pluto square which has just culminated for the SIXTH of seven exact alignments.  This cycle of repeated letting go and transformation has brought tremendous change into all of our lives and each shift requires a rebalancing with new priorities.

Even more change is afoot as Uranus, the radical revolutionary inspiring innovation and rebellion, changes direction on the day of the Solstice.  But at the same time we seek stability – there are five planets in Capricorn at this New Moon, a stellium of tremendous power and proportion.

Capricorn urges us to master the material world.  This is not a time of navel-gazing or retreat from the world – this is a time to live fully in the world and make the most of it.  Achieve success in your chosen field.  Purchase a home.  Become engaged.  Recommit to your marriage.  Honor your parents and your familial obligations.  These are the ways that we connect with the world in ways that will bring us success in our own lives, and this is the lesson that Capricorn seeks to teach.

There is a sense at this New Moon of something from the past being released – Uranus sits right on the South Node that marks the gateway of experiences we bring with us from our previous lifetime(s).  With all of the chaotic disruption and change in the air, this Capricorn New Moon helps that rebuilding process to persevere and strengthen.