New Moon in Sagittarius for 2019

Note: Astrology forecasts are inevitably generalized because they can’t account for each individual’s birth chart and how it interfaces with the current planetary positions. This post focuses primarily on the new Moon. Each week, Modern Witch creator Devin Hunter writes a magical astrology forecast for the week as a whole that I encourage you to check out! Also, this post refers to the pure, archetypal forms of the zodiac signs, not what we see in actual people, who each have complex birth charts.

On Tuesday, November 26 at 7:05 a.m. PST, the new Moon in Sagittarius will rise. New Moons occur when the Sun and Moon unite in the sky, sharing the same degree of an astrological sign. In a nutshell, this means our core identity (Sun) and emotions and feelings (Moon), align. They communicate fluently, which can provide us with profound clarity about ourselves. This also makes new Moons powerful opportunities for contemplating and breaking unhealthy patterns, as well as exploring our shadow, which is more perceptible under a dark sky. As the Moon starts a new cycle, we’re invited to begin one too, and new Moons are known accordingly as times of initiation and intention-setting. This is particularly potent to focus on during this new Moon as we’ve entered Sagittarius season, a vision-oriented time.

Follow Your Arrow Wherever It Points

Sagittarius season (the period when the Sun is in Sagittarius) starts on the 22nd, bringing a Sagittarian texture to life. Sagittarius is a sign of idealism, benevolence, and philanthropy, so it’s unsurprising that its season begins just before American Thanksgiving and ends on Yule. Though we aren’t a monoculture in terms of those celebrations, many still see this season uniformly as one of giving and “good will toward men,” which is archetypally Sagittarian. This aligns with Sagittarius’s ruling planet, generous, lucky, and expansive Jupiter, which evolutionary astrologer Steven Forrest likens to Good King Wenceslas. During Sagittarius season, we have opportunities to appreciate our good fortune, think of those less fortunate, and give back, which aligns with the high octave of Sagittarius. This new Moon can provide an inlet for getting in touch with our idealism in a purposeful way, and considering how we can be of greater service to others.

Sagittarius is also known for channeling its fire toward its passions, sense of purpose, and justice, and it’s the most righteous sign. Need to rally folks behind a cause? Enlist a Sagittarius. The combination of their zeal and Jupiterian glow often makes them effective champions. Relatedly, riding the wave of depth and insight from Scorpio season, Sagittarius season lunges us into a quest because ultimately, its greatest passion is the exploration of consciousness. Sagittarius seeks the Golden Fleece. Though it’s the sign most known for wanderlust, that’s rooted in a desire to learn, expand, and ultimately discover The Truth. It yearns to see beyond what it knows, and thanks to the Jupiterian energy coursing through its subtle body, it trusts enough in life to do so.

Consequently, the new Moon in Sagittarius can be a profound time to contemplate what you’re questing for: what excites you, what feels purposeful for you, and what new adventures could serve your growth. Even if what you’re questing for is to learn how to quest less, which many of us are after being culturally pushed us to produce and achieve at the expense of basic well-being.

Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign (each element has three phases in Astrology: cardinal, fixed, and mutable). Mutable signs mark the transition between seasons and are adaptable, flexible, and often restless. Aside from Virgo, they have trouble staying put. Whether in body or mind, Sagittarius wants to wander, but it also craves depth, which are tough qualities to reconcile. Accordingly, shadow Sagittarius is known for being capricious and offering big, compelling talk with little follow through. None can spin a yarn like Sagittarius, which is partially because they believe what they’re saying. Never mind that their last twelve businesses tanked, this one will be different, and they’re all in. Until the fire dies. Then, like magic, they’re all out. Unfortunate in a business venture, and potentially traumatizing in a relationship. Sagittarius has a good heart and fantastic intentions though, but like the arrow that symbolizes it, it yearns to fly free. As Sagittarius season inspires us, it’s important to dream big, but also not lose sight of the ground.

Expanding the View

In the pattern of the zodiac, neighboring signs alternate between Yin and Yang. While Scorpio is internal, suspicious, and secretive, Sagittarius wants to party with strangers in foreign countries. Then Capricorn sullies the groove, favoring pragmatism and empire building instead, until revolutionary and brilliant Aquarius dismantles the notion that accomplishing a goal in a standard cultural arena has any meaning. But while Aquarius thinks outside the box, Pisces disintegrates it, dissolving us into the ocean of consciousness until we’re reborn in fiercely individualistic Aries and the cycle repeats.

Sagittarius is the final fire sign we encounter during our annual trip through the zodiac, the last blaze along the inward journey that culminates with the Winter Solstice. This is the fire within our roots, sparking new life for the coming year, and that year looks fitting to be a doozy. With a conjunction between Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn in mid January that could have serious political and/or economic implications, alongside personal ones, this is a good time to stock of ourselves.

For those of us in the resonance zones of the tough Astrological weather we’ve had this year, considerable trauma and difficulties have likely surfaced in the last few months, and the call remains to learn, heal, and integrate the shadow as best we can. We may find the coming weeks filled with wide vision, alongside harsh collisions with reality. If that’s your experience, know that your future needn’t mirror your past. We can become the proverbial butterfly whose flapping creates a tidal shift, in this case, in the arc of our lives, by hitching a ride on Sagittarius’s arrow. Sagittarius trusts that light will come again at Yule, and with it, understanding. By connecting with Sagittarian energy this season, we can find that light and understanding within.

Overall, this new Moon can be a time to leap in the direction of our passions and sense of purpose. To dare and make big plans, indulging fully in the breadth of our vision. Details can wait until tomorrow. Consider setting intentions related to that and journeying into your shadow to quest for the treasure hidden there. For those of you who enjoy Tarot, here’s a spread for this new Moon:

• Card One: what can I do to better honor my passions?
• Card Two: how can I be of greater service to others?
• Card Three: what can help me connect more with my sense of purpose?
• Card Four: what quest awaits me in the coming year?
• Card Five: what can help me persist with my goals?

If you enjoyed this post, please consider learning about my forthcoming book, The Little Work: Magic to Transform Your Everyday Life, due from Llewellyn Worldwide in March.