December 28th ~ January 4th
Victory, Janus, Chronos and Gaea by Giulio Romano
Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word. ~ Goran Persson
In Roman mythology, Janus, the two-faced god is the god of beginnings, endings, transitions and time. He is portrayed with two faces, where one face looks to the future, while the other looks to the past. He presided over doorways and the gates of Rome. Being the god of time, he also presided over the New Year, and so it was that the month of January is named for this two-faced god. As January opens at the New Year, the Sun is in the sign of Capricorn, a sign that is also associated with space and time.
Capricorn is a sign of enduring, and the ruling planet of Capricorn, Saturn, is currently strong, as it is in its own sign of Capricorn. New Year’s resolutions are made in Capricorn season, a sign also associated with planning, foresight, goals, and the desire to achieve. The Cardinal corners of the year are particularly receptive to these seeds being planted, setting intentions and making resolutions. The Sun will conjunct Saturn this week, normally making it an ideal time for making long-term plans and commitments for the future. New Year’s Day is traditionally a time for these sorts of resolutions. However this year these can and should also be officially cemented at the New Moon Partial Eclipse on January 5th, which is a strong indicator for new beginnings. We all have seeds needing to be planted and cultivated. The question is, which seeds would you like to plant, and which would you like to further cultivate. What is the potential that you would like to achieve in 2019?
On New Year’s Eve Mars enters its own fiery domain of Aries, ready for action, verve and the courage to face new challenges. There is a longing at this time of year to make a whole new fresh start, whether that means losing weight, living a healthier lifestyle, creating better habits, or making a whole new start, and Mars will be there to enthusiastically embark on a new beginning. But before making that new start there is also the recognition of having to clear the slate first. So there are also traditions of purification and cleansing. This year New Year’s Day falls at the beginning of the Balsamic Moon phase, a time of the month for clearing and letting go. Using the surge of energy from the Aries Mars, we can also accomplish a lot towards all this purifying, cleaning, clearing and releasing… with gusto.
Father Time is often portrayed with a scythe, which is symbolic of the harvest of the wisdom and experience we have reaped from the previous year, while also clearing the field for the New Year’s seeds yet to be planted. So, like Janus, we are looking back to reflect on the year that was, while also looking forward to 2019 towards what is to come. Until then we are still in the dark of the Moon, releasing and purifying. However this whole period, from the Full Moon on the Solstice, through the New Moon Eclipse on the 5th, is a time of readiness, as we are also contemplating what will soon be. In the process may we build a better, more stable and sounder foundation for the New Year to come.
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: