The New Moon on December 27 may be one of the most significant of 2008, because it conjoins Pluto as Pluto begins its 16-year journey through Capricorn, signaling the beginning of a new era.

The Sun, Moon, Mars, and Pluto are in early degrees of Capricorn with Mercury and Jupiter at the end of the sign, totaling six planets in Capricorn at this New Moon. Capricorn is an interesting sign. Even though it is associated with government, corporations, and the father of the family, it is feminine in polarity and the third earth sign. Saturn is the traditional ruler of Capricorn and the planet responsible for teaching us to respect boundaries and limitations and to follow through on our commitments. On this New Moon we are getting a clear message to grow up and accept responsibility for ourselves in all facets of our lives. It is time to be creative with what we have on hand.

The Pluto-Mars conjunction in Capricorn is powerful and implacable, and we need to be aware this is not a good time to stir up trouble, because the response may be far more than we bargained for. With Mars in Sagittarius, tempers flare quickly but cool quickly, too, but this is not the case in Capricorn. This Pluto-Mars conjunction can cause people to hold a grudge for a long, long time so the wiser course of action is to take the high road and behave with maturity.

The luminaries are also part of this stellium, underlining the importance of considering the needs of the collective rather than the individual. It is very possible we will be in for a dose of instant karma if we behave badly at this time.

Jupiter and Mercury are conjunct in Capricorn, and both are trine Saturn in Virgo, emphasizing a clear, concise, pragmatic approach to problem-solving. The more we stay with the “no frills” version of things, the easier time we will have right now. Jupiter will move into Aquarius on January 5, and the sense of constriction will start to ease some.

Venus is exactly conjunct Neptune in Aquarius in this chart, and compassion rather than passion is the order of the day. Unconditional love encourages us to embrace others, warts and all, and supports diversity within the collective – all necessary aspects of the maturation process this New Moon embodies.

The Sabian symbol for 7 Capricorn is, “A veiled prophet speaks, seized by the power of a god,” with the keyword MEDIATORSHIP. This message is appropriate for a New Moon conjunct Pluto, as we are in a time of new beginnings on many levels, and those glimpses we have of future possibilities can help us choose what we wish to manifest. However, it is important to stay open and avoid becoming attached to a certain outcome, because Pluto is the quintessential outer planet and is impersonal in the way it affects our lives.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, especially those latitudes where the nights are very long, it is easy to remember that this is time to reflect and review the past year in order to prepare for the new one. This New Moon practically demands that we turn our focus inward and take inventory. My own key phrase these days is, “Don’t get attached to an outcome,” because Pluto is on the field. It is also good to remember to be kind to yourself and others now and forgive, forgive, forgive.

**Please read Pat’s weekly forecast for this week, December 22, too. With the dynamics in the sky right now, additional perspective can only help.

posted by Neith . . .

Of course, today is the day to write your New Moon abundance checks! Here’s how.

Image: New Moon, by Chuck Ren.