With this new moon in Sagittarius on December 12th 3:32 pm PST, we’re closing out 2023 with the prospect of new beginnings. In true Jupiterian fashion, things feel expansive— so many possibilities— but with Mercury stationing retrograde the next day it’s important to not bite off more than you can chew. This is a season for planning, curating, and refining. Whatever you want to start may not get the traction you’re hoping for and, although it won’t soothe that ache, please know you’re not alone in feeling that way.
Because I know this season tends to be busy for a lot of people, I’ll keep this short and sweet: overall, the cards reflect big, overarching ideas, but, because of the scale, most of us will need to pace ourselves. So, dream big, prioritize your goals, make plans, and be willing to make adjustments if weird stuff comes up.
🌚 For more specific information, read below for your rising, sun, moon, or any big placement right now. 🏹
(Deck featured is the now out-of-print “Justice League Tarot” by Sara Richard)
🜂 Aries. Four of Swords.
Cozy up with a book.
As much as you want to push and get everything done before the year is over, I truly cannot emphasize the importance of rest, especially right now. It’s time to take a break before you burn out (and let’s be honest, you may already be feeling some burnout). Ideally, this would entail doing fully restorative things like a day or two of relaxation (perhaps a little weekend getaway?), however, if you can’t do that, at least stop beating yourself up for taking a small break during the day. If you’re still feeling like you need to be “productive” right now, consider doing something a little more passive, like watching a documentary or listening to a podcast about a topic you’ve been itching to learn more about.
🜃 Taurus. Queen of Cups.
Trust the depths of your heart… in both giving and receiving.
For many of us, the holidays and the end of the year tend to bring up a lot of interpersonal challenges— lots of difficulties with giving and taking. This isn’t just about not getting the right gift, either; this is about feeling seen and heard and understood. While I can’t promise that this new moon is the one that will change things, what I can say is that it’s in your best interest to first be honest with yourself about what it is you want from others. It’s also an opportunity to be honest about how you can show up for them too. For some, this could look like more distance, while others might want to get closer to their people. Get clear on what you really want from those around you.
🜁 Gemini. Queen of Pentacles.
Mark your territory.
Time and energy are precious resources and if you feel like you’re giving more to others than you’ve been getting… why is that? Is it fulfilling? At the risk of sounding transactional, what kind of returns are you getting on those investments? This is especially true if you’ve been giving more tangible resources like money or physical space in your home– the latter could be having them over for a weekly dinner that feels more perfunctory than anything else anymore, or maybe you’re helping them store actual objects because they’re low on storage space at home. Whatever the case may be, this new moon is a good time to redefine the boundaries that have been established. Or, this may be the first time you get to define them at all. Either way, be clear on what it is you value and how that looks in practice.
🜄 Cancer. Two of Cups.
Buzz with the spark of recent connections.
Whether it’s new or rekindled, if something feels warm and wonderful, enjoy it this new moon. Feeling charmed and enticed is a lovely feeling, and, assuming everything is copacetic, there’s no harm in indulging in it. These bubbly feelings may not even be tied to another person– it could be with hobbies or your work. A feeling is a feeling, and although the cause can change, the sensations are what they are. And if that hasn’t happened on its own, there’s nothing that says you can’t spark it yourself. Make time during this new moon to spend time with the people or activities that light you up and leave you with butterflies in your belly.
🜂 Leo. The High Priestess.
Discover a diamond in the rough.
The most beautiful gems are often hidden away, and brute force isn’t the way to get at them. A revelation is around the corner, perhaps around creative work or pleasure, but attaining it will require subtler means. It will require you to trust your intuition and other senses. If you’ve been feeling like you’re in a rut of any sort, you have to zoom out and find a new perspective to look at things. This new moon, The High Priestess invites you to trust what you’re noticing beneath the surface and, perhaps more importantly, to engage in practices that might more easily facilitate that. Meditation is the most obvious recommendation, but if the standard “sit still” type has never worked for you, there are so many other alternatives: spending time in nature, going for a walk or a run, crafting, dancing, and even household chores can be its own meditative experience.
🜃 Virgo. Two of Wands.
Dream across the distances.
Although your ruling planet is going retrograde through the rest of the month, that doesn’t mean you can’t make plans at all. This card is generally tied to the practice of mapping things out and drafting ideas, so use this new moon to survey your options and where all those paths could lead. Don’t be afraid to tap into that Saggitarian optimism and dream as big as you can. Dream as broadly as you can too. What would the perfect day look like? In an ideal world, what would it look like from the moment you woke up to the moment when you close your eyes in bed? And then build from there. What would your perfect week look like? Month? And of course, year. Once you have all of that, find out how it connects with your life right now. When you know the two points of where you are and where you wanna go, it’ll be much easier to build that bridge.
If you wanna know more about your personal 2024 overall, I have a handful of Year Ahead readings discounted at 20% off! You can book yours in my ko-fi shop!
🜁 Libra. Ace of Wands.
Activate your ambition.
Whatever you want to do in 2024, especially in regard to your career and personal projects, write them down. Speak them aloud, to yourself. (Really!). And tell a trusted friend, lover, or colleague. Words are so powerful and whatever it is that you want to create in the year ahead– or at least until the full moon in Sagittarius in six months— deserves to be woven into your words. Your enthusiasm is a light that will burn bright the more you fan those flames. If you’re feeling esoteric, light a candle for your intentions on the new moon and remember what it feels like as the heat grows and the brightness glows. If you don’t want to consider such a wide scope, just remember: whatever new projects you start on this new moon will fill you with quite a fervor. Use it wisely.
🜄 Scorpio. Knight of Wands.
Steer yourself steadily.
Whatever fire you’re feeling towards something? Protect that flame and use that heat to guide you through the rest of this month and into the next year. Honor your interests and how they make you feel— hobbies and new projects can be so restorative. I do have to warn against possible burnout, so it’s important to find something that gives back to you, emotionally and energetically. If you’re pulling all-nighters and feeling eager to get back to it the next day, great! But if you’re doing all of that and can barely keep your eyes open? Not good. But you don’t have to temper your enthusiasm just to be “responsible.” No other sign can get to the depths of something like you can, so take the time to understand what you’re trying to pursue, why you want it, and how you work best at it.
🜂 Sagittarius. Three of Swords.
Honor your heartbreak and rage.
You’re not doing yourself a favor by sweeping things under the rug. This lunar month is yours, sweet Sagittarius, and, well, it’s your party, you can cry if you want to. However, as you cry, be present about the grief and the agony you’re feeling. The sage of the zodiac, you, more than anyone else, understand the beauty and utility of learning from even the most fraught circumstances. But that first requires you to hone the depth of that anguish. You can’t move on and move forward until you’re honest about how much pain you’re in right now. And it’s justified, don’t think that it’s not. Your emotions and the way they sink in your stomach or twist around your heart or blanket your chest— that’s an honest sensation. It may not directly correlate to the extent of the problem, but rationalizing how “it could be worse” doesn’t really help you. You’ve been doing that this whole time, haven’t you? Has it moved the needle much? If it hasn’t, use this new moon to lay it all out so that the universe can help you figure out how to mend it all.
🜃 Capricorn. The Emperor.
Command what’s in your domain.
This new moon, get familiar with what you own. Get familiar with what you— and only you— can do. Your fresh start is just around the corner, so it’s good to use this time to get all your ducks in a row. Clean house to unearth what does and doesn’t work for you anymore. It doesn’t have to be a huge decluttering either; a little tidying up can make a world of difference. It can be a digital cleanse too. Clear out your phone’s photo album and delete the apps you no longer need. Having cleaner spaces will also make it easier for you to rest, or at least to find some calm, which you are likely desperately needing. I want nothing more for you than to have a smooth and restorative winter (as much as possible).
🜁 Aquarius. The Hierophant.
Crowdsource information.
Your communities can teach you so much— about yourself, your work, your hopes and dreams. As much as you feel compelled to spend time on your own to discover or work at some newfangled thing, isolating yourself right now can actually hold you back. If you’ve been on the verge of a breakthrough, the answer is out *there*, among your peers and the people who support you; not on whatever island you’d rather be on. That’s not to say you need to be super social this week; remember it’s your *community*, not just the crowd. If you, yourself, are a wonderfully complex individual, isn’t that true of others, as well? Allow yourself to learn from them.
🜄 Pisces. The Empress.
Cultivate your persona.
Whatever legacies you want to leave behind, the work starts now. Or at least, there’s no better time than the present. Even though it’s a new moon, start with pruning away what no longer works for you. What’s taking up too much space in your life? What’s been getting out of hand? Cut those away and throw them in the compost. Then, clear space so that you can sow new seeds. Understand the essence of the garden you’re growing. With Mercury Retrograde, the details may get fuzzy, so it’s important to constantly recenter and remember your core values. Where would you like to be when the full moon in Sagittarius arrives next summer? Or the next new moon a year from now? This new moon also hits on your career, so bear in mind what you’ve been working towards and the kind of fruit you want your work to yield.
If any of the above rang true, please let me know! And, if you need a little bit more guidance, my books are open right now.
Truly, I hope this new moon gives you at least a moment of hope and solace. The holidays can be difficult for a lot of us, but please know that you’re not alone.
Leave a Reply