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The new moon in Sagittarius on December 18, 2017 gives us plenty of opportunity to let go of what no longer serves us in preparation for the coming new year. This new moon happens just a few days before the winter solstice on December 21st, and the darkness of the new moon combined with the yearly celebration of the darkest day of the year signifies a cosmic urge to turn inward, look carefully at our shadow, and surrender whatever we deem no longer of use.

This Scorpio new moon on November 18, 2017 calls us to initiate ourselves into the watery depths of our unconscious. Whether it be through occult practices, transformational rituals, psychotherapy, shadow work or anything that ushers us “beyond the veil,” now is the time to walk into the underworld. Most of us strive to stay in the light, ignoring the dark and repressing that which needs to be addressed for us to be truly free. We can no longer resist the change that is upon us, and ignore the power of the shadow within. The lesson of Scorpio is that what we try to hide away and leave in the dark rarely remains there for long. Either we bring it forth ourselves with our own depth work, or it comes forward on its own as our struggles, triggers, and negative patterns. What we leave in the darkness destroys us, but what we bring into the light ultimately saves us. The darkness of the new moon in Scorpio means that we cannot hide anymore, we must make friends with the darkness—our darkness—if we yearn for personal freedom.

This Aries New Moon is a prime time to charge forth into action and move ahead in life with courage and fearlessness. As the first sign of the zodiacal year, Aries kicks things off and starts things up. The cardinal force of this sign is powerful and there is no time like a new moon in Aries to start something new. The tenacity and focus of Aries is perfect for new endeavors, but you must beware of a “ready, fire, aim” mentality and make sure to plot your course with care. As you do this, be sure to support yourself well with a self-care routine to manage any feelings of being overwhelmed and keep stressed adrenals in check. Aries energy is very fierce at times, so you must work to counterbalance it with some gentle consideration for yourself.

With this Libran full moon, we are blessed with a lunar eclipse which powerfully enhances all the effects of this lunation. Coming off our recent Pisces new moon that featured a solar eclipse, here we are, just two weeks later with another reason to be rocked by the stars and planets. Libra, the balancing scales of the sky offer us an opportunity to explore our artistic sides, engage with our lover, counsel friends, or find harmony or balance in our own lives. We must watch the tendency to fall into indecision at this time. Libra is great at weighing the options, but at some point we must act! Luckily, a nice angle with the planet Mars gives us an energetic boost towards action once we’ve assessed the situation.

This Pisces new moon begs us to take stock of our spiritual lives and our transcendent experiences. The human psyche has deeper needs than the mundane world can satisfy and the calling to explore alternative spiritual experiences is real, and makes our internal reality more vivid and relevant. When what is inside of us (our nature, or soul) is honored though spiritual practice, we discover ways of integrating the inner and outer worlds for a more authentic life experience and fuller expression of self. This new moon provides us with the opportunity to delve deeply into our soul experience and find ways of satisfying the deeper spiritual needs that are uniquely ours.