Aquarius needs space to think. It’s a cerebral sign. It’s Einstein on the beach, looking at the sea, toying with mathematical equations in its head. It’s Bill Evans, the jazz genius, structuring odd harmonics and chord voicings at a piano in a lonely lounge late at night in Louisville. It’s nerding out over the infinite potential of ChatGPT. And, on January 22nd we have a New Moon (needy and emotional) in this sign. Cue awkwardness.
Indeed, the Moon isn’t so happy in the Waterbearer, for reasons that should already be apparent. It wants us to hold hands, cuddle, process, share secrets and blankets, watch “Moonstruck,” cry on shoulders, and cook simmering, hearty stews. All this while Aquarius energy is off coding and eating cold fries from a meagre brown bag.
Part of this incompatibility stems from the Waterbearer’s ruling planet, dour Saturn, the emotionally avoidant Dad of the zodiac that retires to its den quickly after dinner to research the financials of telecommunications companies of the Pacific Rim. In Saturn-ruled signs, like Aquarius, the Moon is debilitated. It doesn’t know how to express its emotions fully. It reaches out for a hug, only to be handed a lone cold french fry in return.
Now, let’s add yet another layer of drama to this scene. Not only do we have the Moon in Aquarius on the 22nd, but we also have lovely Venus conjunct serious Saturn there, too. Planet Love wants to bring people, places, and things together. It’s the glue of the cosmos. It’s desire. It’s perfume. It’s that attractive force that binds. But, like the Moon, Venus is not well placed while conjunct the Taskmaster in Aquarius. Venus seduces everyone, save Saturn. Its lacy nethergarments are of little consequence here.
What we are getting with this transit, then, is an epic push and pull between energies. Venus and the Moon are wanting to bring together, Saturn and Aquarius keep apart. Moon and Venus are wanting to stare into eyes, Saturn and Aqurius are fixated, unblinking, on FOREX charts.
The result? All of this tension could leave us feeling emotionally adrift and confused on the New Moon. Do we need space from a partner? Or do they need it from us? Or do we both need it? Or neither of us? This kind of intellectualising over feelings is very Aquarius. But the emotional confusion itself is what happens when Venus and the Moon are both debilitated in close, Saturn-ruled proximity.
Usually, we might say that a New Moon in Aquarius can help bring objectivity to how we are feeling about work, romance, or friendships. But this Venus conjunct Saturn lunation is complicated–just like feelings themselves, like life itself. No amount of intellectualising can help figure it out (no matter how much cerebral Aquarian energy thinks it can problem solve).
And yet, despite all these planetary complications, the advice for dealing with the transit becomes straightforward–take some space on the 22nd. Go with the distancing energy of Aquarius rather than the cozying-up impulses of Moon+Venus. Don’t get offended by distance–-regardless of who needs it around this New Moon.
This year has been stuck in a bit of an astrological morass. Nothing major. But Libidinal Mars is retrograde and speedster Mercury is just coming out of its own reversal. That means that the last lunation (a Full Moon in Cancer on January 7th) was extra heavy. Retrogrades are a time to ponder life and the Moon-in-Cancer is the most emotional lunation we have. If the last Moon was about getting in Cancerian touch with feelings about goals, plans, and where we are going in 2023, then what about this lunation in airy Aquarius? Use it to find some breathing room instead.