by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this New Moon at 10 Sagittarius on December 1. This brings the Light of a “spur to effort” and a promise that those who mobilize will “win the prize.” Be spontaneous as the fires of Sag help light up our lives!
We’re now solidly in a new era which began at the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction at 22 Taurus in late April. That conjunction, in effect for 13 or more years until 2037, promised we have seen or will see the “white dove flying over troubled waters.” That symbolized a sign from Spirit that having endured our “ordeal,” we could now move into a new life. That is now an active element in our lives and will become more prominent in May 2025.
We are now at the “far end” of the year cycle, with the inner planets all closing in on the outer planet span between Aquarius and Gemini. That means we’ll have many conjunctions of the inner planets with the outers for months to come. This month is freeing, integrating, releasing, and quickening. When in doubt, try to see things as others see them and then work them back to your point of view.
This Lunation is going to be a VERY intense period due to the return of the Mutable T-square involving Jupiter square Saturn. Whereas the first T-square was triggered by Virgo transits in late August and September, this one is triggered by Sag transits, throwing the void into Virgo, indicating we need good Virgo skills to integrate the friction in the air. Add Mars opposed Pluto, and it’s a challenge to find a way to get around inhibiting circumstances while maintaining some degree of control over the process.
The span between 6-10 Sagittarius is about “abstraction” on the social and emotional levels of life which fulfills the span which began with the skill and cooperation we had to learn at 6 Sagittarius. This will bring diverse realizations and many ideas due to the mental freedom promised by Mercury in Sag opposed Jupiter in Gemini. This is another “back to the future” Lunation, so take a new look at whatever comes up and if necessary do the research to clarify ideas that seem to be in opposition.
The Planetary Spread
In this chart, because the inner planets are between early Sagittarius and late Capricorn in a 43+ degree span, that’s the main focus for the next 4 weeks. At this point, with the planets occupying 2/3 of the zodiac between Sagittarius and Leo with none in Virgo, Libra, or Scorpio, it creates a Locomotive Jones pattern. At this time we have planets in Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Taurus, Gemini, and Leo.
Depending on the position of the Moon and the inner planets relative to the outer planets, different months bring us different Jones Patterns. These patterns operate their own independent influence, regardless of which planet is in which sign.
Currently, the outer planet occupied span begins with Pluto in early Aquarius, and proceeds through Saturn in mid-Pisces, Neptune in late Pisces, Uranus in late Taurus and ends with Jupiter in mid-Gemini. (We don’t include TransPluto, since Jones didn’t use it in defining his patterns). Because we have 7 signs represented in spread out around the signs and a one third gap between Mars and the Lunation, this is a “Locomotive” Jones Pattern.
So What is a “Locomotive Pattern” and how does it work?
This type of spread, with all the planets occupying 2/3 of the signs with an empty third, creates an imbalance that leads to power if we can find the compensatory “weight” to make things move forward smoothly rather than rock side to side creating friction. Target what is needed, and provide compensatory energies accordingly.
As Marc Jones put it, “this type of horoscope reveals a balance of this sort in the life. A third part of things… consisting of a free span in experience, is set against a two-thirds part, embracing a related but limited span in experience…. The basis of the dynamic is found in the native’s resulting strong sense of a lack or a need, of a problem to be solved, a task to be achieved in the social and intellectual world around him.”
Dr. Jones states “The temperament reveals a self-driving individuality, an executive eccentricity that is not … unbalance but rather is power. It exhibits a dynamic and exceptionally practical capacity which is neither the broad universality of the Splash pattern, nor the special obsession with some particularly narrowed aspect of experience characteristic of the Bundle people.
He goes on to state “The Locomotive classification is … moved more by external factors in the environment than by aspects of its own character. The point of application for the powers of the self is shown … by the “leading planet,” or the one of the two in the empty trine which forms its aspect clockwise in the zodiac, irrespective of any distinction as “applying” or “separating.”
The Lunation at 10 Sagittarius is the leading point on a degree of being spurred to action. This shows we must open to the spontaneity of Sagittarius energies at the culminating degree of the emotional and social level of “abstraction.” This entry to the Locomotive tells us we are now opening to a new freedom, a new adventure, a turning point of leaving lesser things behind as we spur ourselves to move into new vistas and a new vision or understanding of how to apply our courage in expressing a new identity. Keep the momentum and initiative in your own hands while figuring out how you want others to understand your role in the future. With Mars in Leo closing the Locomotive, we’ll finish experience with a sense of heart power as we admire differences and avoid heated confrontations. So we open with the fulfillment of an abstract idea of who we are socially, and finish with actions which express our creativity or heart knowing.
As the Locomotive keeps things out of balance, the Lunation in Sagittarius is now the front end to finding the way of initiating activity that must be accompanied by a compensatory “weight” to keep things moving forward rather than sideways. The more we work with the imbalances by making efficient, energy saving reorganizations, finding a balanced perspective on the transfigurations in motion, and eliminate toxic feelings and responses while moving away from these in others, the easier it will be to navigate the imbalances in this pattern.
What is needed is Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio energies to complete the empty span. Accept the opportunity to see what’s core and what’s peripheral, educate and/or be educated, any transfiguration of forms and “repair work” which needs to be done. Then focus, eliminate, open, and see a wider view. As we find the appropriate ways to channel the spontaneity of Mars in Leo, and then move into healthy Virgo, Libra and Scorpio expression, we’ll naturally find ourselves at the next Sagittarian entry into the next phase of experience.
This leads with emotional and social abstraction and closes with emotional and social combustion. Because the leading edge is Sagittarian Fire, approach experience with humor, openness, and a willingness to experiment with different approaches and interpretations. With Leo Fire closing, our experience should lead us to expressing our heart, our playfulness, or our creativity.
The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon
A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following month will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 10 Sagittarius, and it is said that the first third (decan) of any sign deals with the physical, material, and actional levels of life, and being the first decan of Sagittarius it has a sub-influence of Sagittarius/Jupiter with an added dose of Mercury. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The Sabian symbol for the 10th degree of Sagittarius is “A golden-haired goddess of opportunity.” In The Astrology of Personality, where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, 10 Sag is said to be a symbol of “power of creative significance, as it transforms mere facts into universal symbols” and “exteriorization of inner impulses.”
In The Astrological Mandala, he says this degree involves “society’s efforts at dramatizing the greatness of what it offers to the ambitious person.” He offers that those who live in society must “spend their vital energies in the pursuit of achievements” which “generate various forms of “progress.”
He speaks of socio-cultural forces at work via “dramatization and propaganda,” where the result is “a process of forced growth.” He says it falls in the span of "Receptiveness” and it’s the culminating degree of the emotional-cultural level of the scene of Abstraction in the Act of Group Integration.
According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, the degree is one of “the sure protection afforded every individual who enters experience with a genuine self-expenditure, and of the inevitable good fortune coming to those who refuse to be dependent on encouragement or support from others.” He states “nature always takes care of her own,” and we are “prospered as (our) expectation remains wholly unconditioned.”
He offers us the keyword of REWARD. He states that when operating in a positive manner, this degree is "an irresistible confidence in self and a tireless outreaching to all the wonders of an everyday world.”
From this symbol, it seems that over the next few weeks there are rewards to be captured as we mobilize in the area of our chart this falls in, and of course, the aspects it makes to our planets shows how this larger global force will impact our particular planetary lights. This month is about those who are ambitious “winning the prize,” and finding gifts and specialized forms of expression via the 5th harmonic configuration being powerful. See what’s opening on the social, emotional, or cultural level in your life, see the universality in things, and enjoy focusing your will power, backed by courage, to redeem whatever needs redeeming.
Important Aspects
Remember that in reading a Lunation chart (as well as a horary, inceptional, electional, or any event chart) the forming aspects show things to come, while separating aspects show things already past. Partile separating aspects show what’s been going on in the Now. This section covers only forming and partile separating aspects.
The Lunation is conjunct Mercury, semisquare Venus, opposed Jupiter, square Saturn, tredecile Neptune, and septile Pluto; Mercury is elftile Venus, sesquisquare Mars, opposed Jupiter, square Saturn, triseptile Uranus, trielftile Neptune, and novile Pluto; Venus is biquintile Jupiter, septile Saturn, trine Uranus, bielftile Neptune, and conjunct Pluto; and the Sun makes the same aspects as the Moon.
Outer planet aspects feature Mars biquintile Saturn, quintile Uranus, and opposed Pluto; Jupiter is square Saturn, quindecile Uranus, binovile Neptune, and sesquisquare Pluto; Saturn is quintile Uranus and semisquare Pluto; and Uranus and Neptune make only separating aspects to each other and Pluto
This month the friction is provided by 3 semisquares, 4 squares, and 2 sesquisquares. While squares challenge “right action” at a turning point of a cycle, the semisquares are more about internal decisions and movement with personal inner crises, both public and private, which we must deal with.
Sesquisquares on the other hand create friction, agitation, and irritation in our world that involves others. In my experience sesquisquares are not necessarily associated with times of crisis, but they do seem to be times of no rest and spurs to act that may be inconvenient and aggravating. They definitely aren’t calm! And quincunxes force adjustments and sacrifices.
The long term pressure of Saturn semisquare Pluto is a time of serious internal decisions and movement related to the emergent structure of that which purifies everything. It’s been in play during the recent global conflicts. Adapt, purify, imagine, adjust, and show good humor while not letting the aggravation factor of the semisquare get to you.
Special Configurations in Evolutionary Astrology
This month we have 3 special evolutionary configurations, one involving the Lunation and all thre involving Saturn.
1) The Lunation with Mercury is opposed Jupiter and square Saturn, creating a Mutable T-square which will bring friction so we can integrate whatever is inharmonious or inhibiting our lives where we have the middle of the Mutable signs. This is a powerful force to release energies in the Virgo area of our lives, so think big, be spontaneous, quicken the pace, be courageous, and see things from a higher angle of understanding.
2) Related to this, we have Jupiter square Saturn and sesquisquare Pluto with Saturn semisquare Pluto, creating three points of an “8 Pointed Star of the Need for Right Action.” This would be a part of the influence in configuration #1, but Mercury is novile Pluto, bringing a sense of a need to let things gestate a while, or seeing what’s been gestating since August in a new light. This impacts the same degrees in the middle of the Mutable signs.
3) Mars is biquintile Saturn and quintile Uranus with Saturn quintile Uranus. This activates three points of a “5 Pointed Star of Quintessential Specialization.” This indicates unique gifts and blessings for planets we have near 11-15 Pisces, 23-27 Taurus, 5-9 Leo, 17-21 Libra, and 29 Sagittarius-2 Capricorn.
I’ll give a special mention here for two important aspects. The Lunation is septile Pluto, showing a “fork in the road” of the focus on the emergent Aquarian era. The quickening and spur to action of the Lunation will yield new beginnings in January and February which will pick up the pace after the March/April Venus and Mercury retrogrades. This septile will primarily affect planets and points we have near 8-12 Sagittarius, 29 Capricorn-3 Aquarius, 21-25 Pisces, 12-16 Taurus, 4-8 Cancer, 26-30 Leo, and 17-21 Libra.
The other important aspect is Mercury triseptile Uranus, which puts us at a fork in the waning Mercury/Uranus cycle. This brings choices and changes to planets or points near 23-27 Taurus, 14-18 Cancer, 6-10 Virgo, 27 Libra-1 Scorpio, 19-23 Sagittarius, 11-15 Aquarius, and 2-6 Aries. Look to the houses this aspect falls in, remembering that it involves the ruler of your Gemini and Virgo at a fork in the road with the spiritual ruler of your Capricorn and Aquarius.
Explaining Harmonics
Aspects in the same series are considered to be various stages of “harmonics” for each series. In the 7th harmonic aspect series of “destiny,” this month we have 3 septiles and 1 triseptile. In the 5th, 10th, 15th and 24th harmonic specialization series, we have 1 quindecile, 2 quintiles, 2 tredeciles, and 2 biquintiles. The 9th harmonic gives us 1 novile and 1 binovile, and in the 11th harmonic faith series there is 1 elftile, 1 bielftile, and 1 trielftile.
The novile (9th harmonic), septile (7th harmonic) and elftile (11th harmonic) series all feature spiritual aspects. All novile series (9th harmonic) aspects indicate things which need to be put on the shelf for a while, or that which has been waiting can now move forward. They represent gestative energies that can lead to great spiritual realizations. Septile series aspects represent forks in the road of destiny, while the 11th harmonic elftile series indicate that faith is required to deal with transcending some dualities, issues and points of evolution where we must make a leap of faith to attain a form of mastery over that type of duality. This series tests our faith. Both the 7th and 11th series involve non-rational aspect values, bringing an element of irrationality in behavior and circumstances.
The quintile and biquintile (5th harmonic) and related 10th (decile and tredecile), 15th (quindecile), and 20th harmonic (vigintile) aspects are all specialization aspects. You can find more by going to Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Pt. 1 – The Quintile and Biquintile, and Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Part 2 – The Decile, Tredecile, Quindecile and the Vigintile.
You can find out more about the spiritual aspects (septile, novile, and elftile series) by referencing this brief overview of Astrological Aspects – the 7th, 9th, and 11th Harmonic Series Aspects and their Symbols. I did a much lengthier exploration and explanation of how each of the 11th harmonic series aspects work in the article The 11th Harmonic Aspects in Astrology – the Elftile Series of Faith and Transcendence.
Element Balance
This month shows a fairly balanced distribution with an excess of Fire. This month the 10 traditional planets occupy 7 signs. We have 4 planets in Fire (inspiration and warmth), 2 planets in Earth (practical grounding), 2 in Air (relatedness and communicating), and 2 in Water (feelings and experiencing).
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, it’s a little more hot than usual. This shows a balance between practicality, flow, and ideas, all dominated by inspiration. Expect a lot of “distributive inspired ideas” this month.
The current sequence at present of Deciding, Feeling, and Thinking
We’ve been through several different sequences over the past few months. There are six patterns, and each has their strengths and weaknesses. This continues last month’s pattern. For now, as a process of moving through events, the most effective “firing sequence” for approaching life and experience over the next four weeks involves beginning activity with deciding, then thinking, then feeling.
This will help us all to get it in gear, make decisions, and act on those decisions. Once we do our decision or action, these will lead us to a new understanding or vision on the basis of the action. Once we get the understanding, communication, or vision, then we must learn to sit with the feelings and experience them, and get clear about what we’re feeling and why.
So lead with deciding and acting, then move into a vision or understanding, and then name what you’re feeling. That way nothing will get bottled up through underuse, and you can move through experiences with power and clarity. Just make sure that you don’t get hung up on needing more and more ideas, information, and practice. Use your insights to find the feeling-flow. Then you’ll know what to do.
What do you have to do? Find your vision or understanding you need to execute that decision. Are your actions leading you to the understanding you need? When you find your understanding, then take time to feel the process so you can use the flow to take you into the next decisions and actions.
Summing Up
This New Moon will bring forth new activity driven by freedom, adventure, spontaneity, and the ability to get a new look at old ideas and actions to find newer, more practical and innovative ways to find security. We’re still dealing with the Mars opposed Pluto. That aspect can bring deep insights and freedom to “cut to the chase” in anything we’re doing. This is the month to spur yourself and follow your ambition to achieve a vision or activity to let go of lesser things while accepting greater ones. Again, be clear about how you want to represent yourself to others and keep the momentum in your own hands. Refuse people and situations which are passive or active-aggressive or are not honest, and slow down from time to time to enjoy life.
The Lunation and Mercury opposed Jupiter will bring an air of excitement to the next month, both liberating and somewhat exaggerated at times. Exercise your freedom to play, to be with others, and see what you want to make manifest in the coming months. We’re setting a “temporary stage” as Mars prepares to go retrograde, slowing some things down, stopping some things entirely, reversing course on other things, and bringing a new pace of activity which will show us the permanent patterns in our life and the world.
Pay attention to what happens during this Mars opposition Pluto, since we’ll be dealing with it again at the beginning of January. Many things will be shot out of a proverbial cannon beginning in April. Keep open to spontaneity while being appropriate and open to innovations and new ways to enjoy life.
While Saturn’s in Pisces, we are learning about the collective field and techniques of “non-local awareness” while developing our subtle senses of clairvoyance, clairaudience, and clairsentience. Forgiveness allows Divine Grace to manifest, and the quicker things flow down the timestream the less of an obstruction they’ll be.
Saturn in Pisces is teaching us how to demonstrate practical compassion as we live at a higher level than we used to. We are now living the life renewal we “heard as a call” last June, and are preparing for our symbolic “feast.”
We’re in the midst of an 11 week period of saying goodbye to old ways, places, and people, However, since all forms pass away in this impermanent world, this created space for new ways and new experiences since there’s more potential than there is in whatever has left. Celebrate the uplifting energies at play in your chart, and let go of memories which don’t serve the flow into the future. Feel the lightness of your unique evolutionary dance through space and time. We’re all moving from the interpersonal to the transpersonal level of focus.
Neptune is showing the way to “let go let god” as we approach the threshold of Neptune in Aries. For now, practice sensing the flow and simultaneity of knowing and experiencing a vaster connection to the collective field. This prepares us for receiving what we need to walk into the new collective reality of Neptune in Aries in 2025!
We have been exploring our new life, new land, new field and new focus which has unfolded since January. Be reasonable and diplomatic as you say yes to some things and no to others, as everything serves personality integration or reintegration. This helps us glimpse a greater freedom to be the uniqueness that we are, and heal old losses by seeing how it brought us together with our Spiritual Brothers and Sisters.
The Long View
In 2020 we entered a transition phase in human history. While we will be functioning within the Capricorn cycles we began then, we also have begun an era unknown to humanity since the 13th and 14th centuries. Even then, we were still in the depth of the Age of Pisces, so the awakening of new ideas then were relative to the old era, whereas what’s coming involves wave after wave of Aquarian energies, pushing us to the coming Great Age emerging in the second half of this century.
The long wave Aquarian pulses were initially set into motion by the Mars conjunct Saturn at 1 Aquarius on March 31, 2020, marking the initiation of archetypal Aquarian preliminary structures offered by Saturn. The promise and potential of the new Aquarian pulse then began to expand into a greater social and cultural vision beginning at the Jupiter conjunction with Saturn, the Grand Mutation of the Solstice also at 1 Aquarius. So we have 20 years of Aquarian energies set into motion by that conjunction!
All Aquarian transits and conjunctions in 2022, 2023, and 2024 have given a new impetus and new expression to the Aquarian structures which took shape in 2021. Each transit strengthens the Pluto in Aquarius “generation” of the 21st century which lasts until 2043. As there will be a Jupiter conjunction with Pluto at 15 Aquarius in 2033, we’ll see the “expansion of the Angels of the Age of Aquarius” at that time.
2021 opened a new adventure for all of us, and the long term “metamorphosis” we went through showed us what the beginning of the coming Age of Aquarius is about. 2022 helped us remember we are Beings of Light, a Superstar shining the Light of our Eternal Love into our world. We’re now expanding our spiritual knowledge, understanding, and effective forms of service, and have entered a new phase with Mars in a new Sun/Mars conjunction cycle.
New groups of Spiritual communities have formed since 2021, and are being given a boost this year. Those which are Aquarian in nature will be “lifted on the wings of angels” in 2024. Trust the process. Revolution is in the air! And when you find things and people of eternal worth, value them with all your heart.
Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend
Saturn in Pisces helps us understand how to deepen our connection with others and Source. Because Saturn plays such a large part in our lives, if you haven’t gotten your copy already, please give yourself the timeless gift of my book, Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend. This book shows you the way to take command of your power to steer your life in a conscious way, using Saturn’s strengths and skills to master life on your own terms. It was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers, and will help you understand how your life experiences assisted your Soul growth and your power to change negative karma to positive karma. Each time you re-read any part of it you’re sure to find undiscovered gems of insight helping you throw off attitudes which frustrate your ability to live your higher Purpose on your own terms.
And now, on a related note….
Because Venus is the ruler of Uranus and trine that planet, as well as the herald for the inner planets, She is incredibly powerful. Add the biquintile to Jupiter, and it’s time to find enjoyment in forms of “transcendent security” as we overcome preconceptions and move into service which is part of our higher purpose for being alive. Venus has tremendous influence in shaping our expression and how we release our “potential for beauty” or “potential to enjoy life with others.” This month She brings beauty and value to our freedom to fulfill our group role with elegance and maturity.
If you want to know more about how Venus works its magic to bring us the people and things we need to find spiritual understanding, you can get a deeper understanding of you power to shape your future by getting your copy of The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames.
It’s the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and takes a deep dive into how our Venus shapes our likes and dislikes, and how we can change our patterns of attraction to make future relationships more fulfilling. It explains the world of relationship from the angles of psychology, astrology, spirituality, and worldly experience. I’ve been told it helps people find strength to turn away from unhealthy relationships and understand how not to attract anything similar in the future. It examines the qualities in healthy relationships and friendships, and offers tips on how to create long lasting personal relationships and friendships, why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, Venus retrograde, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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