Finding Our Way in the Dark: Sagittarius New Moon
Late Saturday or early Sunday, depending on where you live, we will have a New Moon in the sign of Sagittarius. New Moons are beginnings, moments where a seed is planted for the cycle of growth over the next 28 days of our lives. Any seed we plant now also has the potential to reverberate over the next 27 months as the larger rhythms of the moon cycle play out in the Sagittarius part of our charts.
The New Moon falls in the first decan of Sagittarius, the sign of “the Quest!” Sagittarius is a fire sign ruled by Jupiter, the god of optimism, hope, and big ideas.
The tarot card associated with this decan is the 8 of Wands. The simplest of all the tarot cards, we see eight wands flying, the energy of sudden inspiration that marks the beginning of any quest. The image connotes a swift, steady movement toward a hoped-for goal.
At the same time, the chart carries a dark, challenging quality. It suggests we may have to wait for clarity before we forge ahead on our quest.
As my kids might say, the chart fits today’s “vibe;” I’m writing this on a heavy, dark Thanksgiving morning, the sun's light blocked by clouds. A candle in the background is a steady, small light that brightens the space just enough to remind me that this darkness will lift someday—it is transitory. Life mimics the patterns of nature: just as darkness follows light, light follows darkness.
The chart’s challenges begin with Jupiter, the planet ruling the New Moon. He is in a difficult spot this month: (1) he is retrograde, making him better suited to reflection than action; (2) he is in Gemini, a sign where he can be overwhelmed by detail; and (3) Mercury, the planet which rules Jupiter in Gemini is also retrograde, bringing confusion and unforeseen delays.
Saturn, the god of restrictions, limitations, and what is possible vs. what is ideal, is also squaring the New Moon, creating blocks as we attempt to move ahead. Moreover, Mars, the god of war, continues his dance with Pluto, the god of the underworld, adding a potential for power struggles to emerge if we forge ahead without a clear understanding of our goals. Mars, is about to begin his retrograde as well, emphasizing the reality that the moment calls for reflection rather than swift action.
To understand the New Moon in your chart, consider what house Sagittarius occupies and ask yourself whether you feel called to some new path in this part of your life. With all the retrogrades and the square from Saturn, the new path may be a natural “edge” for you, an area where you have experienced blocks, difficulties, and inhibitions for most of your life.
Rather than forge ahead with the new project or experience, take this time to ask yourself questions about what might be blocking you. Explore what habitual behavior (karmic patterns) may have held you back. Allow the questions to create a space that might open you to new possibilities. Sometimes, our path is blocked by our stubborn determination to do things the same way we have always done them that way rather than opening up to being led by the unknown. We do this because it feels safe. Because staying with what we have always known and experienced feels comfortable.
During this New Moon cycle, consider waiting rather than forging ahead. The Greeks had two words for time, for the moment when we act: “Chronos” and “Kairos.” Chronos is chronological time, the time on the clock. Kairos is divine time, the “right moment” for an action. Often, our egos, frustrated by what is happening in the world, see the clock ticking on the wall and want to move forward immediately, to act because it eases the discomfort of not knowing what is next.
As we all know, however, action for the sake of action is rarely effective. In contrast, an action that aligns with the moment and what is needed is “right action” and coincides with Kairos, divine time, with acting at the right moment. If you can, wait to be led to the “right moment” for action vs. moving ahead out of an ego desire to take immediate action.
You may find that the “right moment” reveals itself at critical moments during the 27-month cycle associated with this New Moon (“Lunar Phase Family”)—a cycle of growth as its story unfolds near the same degree of Sagittarius every 9 months. The First Quarter phase will be on August 31, 2025 (8 Sag), the Full Moon Phase will be on May 31, 2026 (9 Sag), and the Third Quarter Phase (9 Sag) will be on February 28, 2027.
Consider taking some time at the New Moon to journal about the part of your life where Sagittarius falls and your hopes and dreams in this area of your life. Reflect on what may be holding you back. What habits or entrenched ideas might be blocking you? For example, if Sagittarius falls in your 10th house of karma/career, your blocks may relate to your actions in the world, or if it falls in your 1st house of self, they may relate to your self-development.
If inspired, mark your calendar to revisit these questions at the First Quarter, Full, and Third Quarter Moon dates listed above. At the First Quarter Moon, you may find that the path ahead is clear, and it is time to take a daring leap toward your goal. At the Full Moon, you may find you have realized your vision, and so forth.
If you’d like help understanding the meaning of this cycle in your life, feel free to reach out for a reading.
Or, if you’d like to take a deeper dive into astrology and learn about the meanings of the houses, planets, and signs in your chart, I’d love to have you join me for my upcoming Introduction to Astrology Course. It will be live over Zoom on Saturday mornings (10 am CST/11 am EST) from February 1-March 8. Sessions will be recorded. We will cover the ABCs of astrology, including house meanings. The class offers all the tools you need to read a simple birth chart for yourself, friends, or family. The best way to learn astrology is by working with your chart, so the class also includes weekly chart practice with participants’ charts. There is a link below if you are interested.