Today, January 5, we reach the First Quarter Moon. This is the square between Sun and Moon, a 90-degree challenge that marks the halfway point to the Full Moon. I don’t usually write about First Quarter Moons, but I am today, for two reasons:
(1) This First Quarter Moon points to key patterns we’ll see throughout 2017.
(2) My goals for this year include leveling up Rising Moon Astrology. This First Quarter is the perfect time to share that with you.
First, the patterns.
This First Quarter Moon is in Aries, squaring the Capricorn Sun. The Sun is conjunct Pluto in Aries, while the Moon conjuncts Uranus, Eris, and Ceres. These are strong cardinal energies. They want to MOVE. But where and how they move is different. Aries is Fire, now, impulsive, radical, fast. Capricorn is Earth, steady, responsible, traditional, authoritarian.
The Uranus–Pluto square hallmarked 2016. This square is waning now, but it’s not over. The battle between the radically new and the traditionally powerful sparked key events we’re not sure we understand yet. As we move into the future, we’ll be grappling with the effects of these events, the consequences, the fallout. Throughout 2017, astrological events like today’s First Quarter will trigger the Uranus–Pluto square. The events of last year are not going away.
Saturn in Sagittarius trines the Moon and Uranus group today. This feels a bit weird, as Saturn is traditional authority and Uranus is radical revolution. There’s a sense of things wanting to explode but they can’t, or wanting to progress but being held back, or looking for an open door and finding a brick wall. This brakes-and-accelerator feeling will happen again in 2017 with Saturn and Uranus.
It’s important to recognize that neither Saturn nor Uranus are “good” or “bad.” They are forces, patterns of interaction. The US President Elect, for example, has a tremendous amount of Uranus energy in his chart. He wants to blow a lot of things up in the name of “progress.” Some are hoping the rule of law (Saturn) will keep that from happening. Raising my hand on the Saturnian side on this one.
First Quarter Moons are times for action. During the dark of the New Moon, we reflect, turn inward, prepare the ground, and plant seeds. Now we have light again and the seedlings are growing. We can see what’s coming up in the garden. It’s time to choose what we want to grow and what we need to pull. It’s time to put real energy into the outcome we’re looking for.
But the Sun–Moon square between Capricorn and Aries can have us second guessing. Is that goal really what we want? Is it the best way forward? We might put the brakes on too soon. Or we may feel the impulse to surge ahead when we ought to reconsider. Whichever we choose, the key thing now is to act.
I have a policy at the First Quarter Moon: I try to take at least one consciously courageous act. I do something that scares me. –Dana Gerhardt, The First Quarter Moon
So, I am taking action on my astrology goals for 2017: sharing my New and Full Moon recordings as an actual, for-real podcast, and creating a stronger financial base for my astrology work. Steps include:
raising the fee for chart readings to $85, my first increase in some years and still an excellent value.- creating a Patreon account, offering a way for Rising Moon readers and listeners to support the blog and soon-to-be podcast, and
- making the podcast happen, which includes learning Soundcloud, iTunes, Stitcher, and more, as well as tweaking my audio quality and formatting, and getting new procedures in place for posting and sharing.
This is scary. Please note, I am modeling good First Quarter Moon behavior!
One more thing:
This First Quarter Moon post is a preview and an invitation. It’s going out today to everyone. Starting next month, this First Quarter Update becomes a special offer for Patreon supporters at the dollar-per-episode level.
Every single person who reads and listens to the Rising Moon New and Full Moon posts is welcome and valued. The New and Full Moons will still be available as they are now. Thanks for all your support!