Dear beautiful reader,

On Thursday 11th at 11:57 am BST we have our New Moon in Capricorn peaking for a new lunar cycle to begin. This is the last New Moon of 2024.

This auspicious timing makes this New Moon our foundation point for the coming months.

This first New Moon of the year is falling in Capricorn and defiantly has a feel to it of freshness, new possibilities. Whether you resonate with the Gregorian calendar or the Astrological new year, we do have the first New Moon of 2024 and that can set the tone for the coming months.

A New Moon happens once a month and can be used as a comic gift, a reset if you will, aiding you to check in with yourself. Checking in with any intentions you would like to grow in relation to your goals and dreams, or perhaps any new habits you would like to develop this is the time to honour these callings as she moves towards her fullness so do the seeds you wish to grow.

As we are human beings and created with 70% of water, it is only normal for us to feel the effects of the Moon closely, just like the tides. We are all so unique and different that a Moon cycle will affect us differently along with our cycles. As the New Moon is the dark side of the Moon, it is common to feel a little more introspective, wanting to retreat, be at home in your comfies, and watch TV or perhaps read and meditate. But once the New Moon grows into her full brightness so does our energy and feelings and wanting to be more out in the public space. So allowing yourself the time and honour needs is perfectly okay, often this is frowned upon in a fast-paced life but connecting back to our natural rhythms is so important.

In ancient times, the Moon was observed to change over a 29-day period that coincided with a woman's reproductive cycle. The ancients observed how the moon affected the tides and by tracking it alongside the sun, they developed calendars to predict agricultural rhythms. The Sun was the life-giving force, but the Moon played an important role in predicting rainfall. In this way, the moon inspired culture for the ancients, when hunter and gatherers established civilisations centred on planting and harvesting.

By connecting back to our ancient ways of being and living closer to the rhythms of nature we can connect better to ourselves.

In astrology, the Moon is associated with the subconscious and our instinctive, unconscious behaviour. Its cycles can be used to blend both the tangible and intangible. Working with lunar cycles allows us to intentionally engage our feeling nature, and how it unconsciously helps us with the law of attraction. Just like dreams, what cannot be accomplished during the day can be given over to our larger bodies while we sleep and rest in the evenings.

Capricorn: Infinite Possibilities Being

This first New Moon of the year is falling in Capricorn and defiantly has a feel to it of freshness, new possibilities. Whether you resonate with the Gregorian calendar or the Astrological new year, we do have the first New Moon of 2024 and that can set the tone for the coming months.

As we are in the middle of winter, it’s the perfect time to be researching, planning, preparing, relaxing and reflecting on 2023 as when the Spring Equinox arrives, there will be no planetary retrogrades so we will have a full of life, ready to take life by the hands energy going on.

You perhaps might still be feeling sluggish or low energy and know that is normal for this time of year so there is no need to push yourself and that we can use this energy of the New Moon to help push us with motivation and direction.

Pluto in Capricorn: Chaos Settling

We still have an active Pluto during this New Moon, where it will be dipping in and out throughout the year before settling in Aquarius from November. We have had Pluto in Capricorn since 2008 and as we can see that year was the last big financial crisis, as we begin 2024 it will be interesting to see this year unfolds. We also are noticing the rise of power to the people and it’s affects of when Capricorn is ebbing and flowing in between Aquarius which is all about humanitarian, technology innovations, power to the people. We are seeing the collapse of life as we have known it opening up to new ways of being, standing up for ourselves and realising there has to be a better and more just way of living. That the old paradigms are no longer working and that we are getting sick of this and ready for a new and empowering change, that gives us more freedom.

Capricorn is also ruled by Saturn so we have this mixture of lesson learning in the form of structure, discipline, routines and dedication. Under Saturn we have had these lessons coming through and combine this with Pluto who rules the Underworld we are feeling a sense of death and rebirth as Pluto in Capricorn makes his ending this year.

For the past 16 years all we have known is Capricorn in Pluto so this freshness of transitioning to Aquarius will be interesting and perhaps challenging, but if we surrender and learn to accept changes and letting go of control then we can fair better during this time.

Pluto is our reminder that nothing lasts forever and that all things must eventually fade. But with every fading, with every falling away, something new is reborn.

So, while this New Moon is very much about setting the stage for 2024, it is also about honouring the past and the transformations we have moved through. It is also about acknowledging what has risen up from our own underworld and how that has fuelled our own death and rebirth journeys.

This is a truth-seeking New Moon. One that allows us to really see things for what they are. While it can be easy to get caught up in new year resolutions and the welcoming of fresh energy that this first New Moon of the year brings, be sure to acknowledge and pay homage to the past, too.

Be proud of how far you have come, how far you have travelled and you wouldn’t be the person you are today without these lessons and hardships. Reflect and be gentle on yourself.

Although this January New Moon offers some deeper work, there is also a way we can access its energy on a more practical level.

Use This New Moon To Create Structure

Capricorn is a grounded earth sign, so we can use this New Moon to create structure in our daily routine and take responsibility for all that needs to be done. It offers a wave of ambitious energy, too, helping us to feel determined and motivated to climb the mountain we wish to climb.

It is said that intentions or goals made on a Capricorn New Moon hold the promise of longevity. So, if there is something you really want to commit to for the long term, set your intention and then take a small action in that direction under this New Moon.

Your action will be sealed into the energy of the New Moon, helping you to stay the course for a long time to come.

To honour the New Moon here are a few ideas:

• Sit in meditation and connect to, Selena the Goddess of the Moon, and give gratitude for all the wisdom she provides, the life she gives, and how her cycles help us to grow and co-create our dreams and goals.
• Journaling whatever comes up for you in a nice quiet space
• Writing a list of gratitude
• Make a note of the dreams you are having as they may provide some insights for you
• Planting intentions of what you wish to bring in over the coming weeks and months
• A nice soothing bath to soothe the body and relax
• Charge your crystals up at night on a window sill or outside, or in the Earth
• Make some Moon water with an intention placed underneath for your own personal use

Much love and gratitude, whatever you choose to do to honour this New Moon, enjoy it and send much love and New Moon blessings to you,

Assunta xx

Tomorrow, on Thursday 11/01 we are holding 2 free online offerings for our community. We’d love to have you join us!

• Enlightened Meets: A Virtual Playground For Consciousness - 5 guides, 5 virtual rooms, 5 experiences. Ask your burning questions, receive guidance & learn new mindfulness techniques. Expand your consciousness.
• Social Media Mastery Class For Conscious Creators - Learn from social media expert & wellness content creator Mal from Meditate With Mal how she grew her audience from 0 to 282k very engaged followers. Elevate your online presence.

Assunta French is a Reiki healer, sound healer, and astrologer passionate about spiritual growth and holistic wellbeing. After experiencing her own awakening, she trained across modalities to help others heal. She has a deep passion for working with the stars and planets for personal expansion and growth. Today she offers Astrology readings to her clients and hosts regular astrology-themed workshops and events.

Find her on World of Enlighten or connect with her through her instagram or website!