New Moon in Capricorn 1*18*26
The first New Moon of 2026 happens on Sunday afternoon. Lunations can be like parties that set the tone for the upcoming weeks. Sometimes, people mingle and have a great time together. The group aligns. Other times, there isn't much interaction with people forming small groups or keeping mostly to themselves. This New Moon looks like the former - lots of planets interacting.
The Sun and Moon will be at 28 degrees of Capricorn. They will have company there - Mercury and Mars will be close by at 26 degrees of Capricorn. Venus will be at 1 degree of Aquarius, snuggling up to Pluto at 3 degrees of Aquarius. So, all of these planets are within a 6 degree range of the heavens, even though they are not all occupying the same sign. When planets are in close proximity, their energies intermingle and amplify each other. In addition, the Capricorn planets (Sun/Moon/Mercury/Mars) are making easy aspects to Uranus at 27 degrees of Taurus (trine) and Saturn and Neptune (sextile) at 27 and 29 degrees of Pisces, respectively. If this all sounds like "blah blah blah..." just know there is a lot of support for the new beginnings and intentions you set under this lunation.
Capricorn shows how you respond to and think about authority. If you know your chart, look to see where the last degrees of Capricorn are. That is the area of your life that is most influenced by this New Moon. That is the arena to target when deciding what you want to start over the next few weeks. The last degrees of Capricorn show where you have gained mastery. The question under this New Moon is how will you apply this mastery? Are you ready to recognize yourself as the ultimate authority?
Capricorn is the cardinal earth sign. It is practical and realistic like all earth signs. Capricorn is also ambitious. Its cardinal mode of action means it initiates actions towards a goal. Aries, the first sign of the zodiac and cardinal fire, takes action to express its individuality. Cancer, the cardinal water sign, takes action to create a safe and nurturing foundation for itself. Libra, the cardinal air sign, takes action to balance desires of self with those of important others. Capricorn takes action in order to achieve in and influence the external world, society in general. Capricorn asks, "How do I want to be seen in the public sphere? What do I want my reputation to be? How do I want the general public to know me? What do I want to be respected for? How can I honor my particular zone of genius and share it with the world?"
In the natural chart, (starting with Aries at dawn), Capricorn is high noon. Its emphasis is what is shown to the outside world under the full light of day. Ideally, the external achievement reflects the internal value system. What is worth working towards? What vision of life is so desirable that you are willing to show up every day and keep investing in it? What version of yourself are you creating with your focus and disciplined actions? Capricorn demands maturity, accountability, and discipline. It is organized, patient and effective. It expects your best, all the time, no matter what. It may come across as harsh, but that is because Capricorn has no stomach for excuses or half-assed attempts. Capricorn sets the bar high and does not lower it, ever. It knows how capable and talented you are and it holds that template for you to rise to.
Lower expressions of Capricorn focus on the trappings of achievement in the external. That expression confuses the salary, the car, the clothes, the title, the award, with the essence of the best self. It defaults to prioritizing the material "getting". Relationships are transactional. This expression has a scarcity mindset. No matter how much is gained, there is always the fear of losing it, of needing to reach for more to impress some fickle audience that is never satisfied. This expression has a full resume but feels incomplete. It is caught up in proving itself worthy, rather than sharing its talents and competence openly and for the benefit of itself and society.
Consider your vision of your best self, that version of yourself that you know yourself to be on your best days. This version of you is in flow, focused and disciplined but also present in your life. This version has the capacity to navigate the outer demands of life while modeling its core values. What are your core values? What are those qualities that guide your actions, that you believe to be the foundation of a rewarding life? Have you taken a moment recently to clarify them? Capricorn desires to be respected and to be taken seriously. This happens when you are clear about what you are here to do and why. The why was the theme of Sagittarius season; Capricorn season is how you bring your beliefs into the material world - fire energy informing earth energy.
Mercury and Mars in Capricorn and conjunct this New Moon are asking if the way you communicate your goals (Mercury) and take action to achieve them (Mars) need to be adjusted. The trine to Uranus in Taurus offers the potential for a new way (Uranus) to achieve security (Taurus); some innovative path (Uranus) to use resources in order to create a lasting foundation for yourself (Taurus). This is a great opportunity to explore unique perspectives on finances and income.
Saturn and Neptune are finishing their transits through Pisces. Saturn is Capricorn's ruler and is concerned with boundaries and structure. Neptune is focused on spirituality and dissolution of structures. On the one hand, this combination can emphasize how to practicalize your dream and bring it into reality. It can also express as the dissolving of any structures that are not sustainable, not aligned with values, or are founded on illusion. And in true Pisces fashion, the energy can be "both/and" rather than "either/or". The sextile of Saturn and Neptune to the Capricorn planets and Uranus is suggesting that it's time to shift to a more expansive perspective and recognize that we are all connected; that actions taken by each affect all. That when we make the choice to show up consistently as our best self, intentional and resourced, the benefits extend beyond just ourselves into the collective.
As we move towards February, the intensity of the astrology increases. We will have a Solar Eclipse in Aquarius on February 17, the first since Pluto entered Aquarius. Three days later we will have an exact conjunction of Saturn and Neptune at 0 degrees of Aries, the very first point of the zodiac. This is a potent point. These two planets have not met at this point. It's a whole new experience and it looks to be a powerful reset opportunity. Mercury will be going retrograde on February 26 in Pisces, bringing the chance to review and revise how we experience our place in the world. This is not to alarm anyone. It is to confirm that there are indeed big energy shifts we are all feeling and they are not abating any time soon. So, take these opportunities to reorient your life towards what matters to you. Your creative capacity is not diminished by external circumstances. In fact, the point of this is to confirm your agency and encourage you to empower yourself as you embody those values you hold dear. You are at choice as to how you show up, regardless of what is going on around you. That is the message of this New Moon. So choose. How will you shine? What will you build?
"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment one person contemplates it, bearing within them the image of a cathedral." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
