Capricorn New Moon: Do Your Best, Bless the Rest

Remember that awful fitness rule from the 80s, “No pain, no gain?” We’ve come a long way since then. Now most of us realize that torture is not the way to achieve our goals, fitness or otherwise. If we’re not loving and forgiving ourselves along the way, we may never get there – or if we do, the stress will eventually ruin us.

With that said, however, how many of us welcome change and the discomfort it inevitably brings? Achieving a goal usually involves some level of pain that takes us out of our comfort zone. Most people fail to achieve their New Year’s goals because they’re unwilling to live with discomfort – or they try too hard at first and then give up.

After spending a week eating unsalted raw vegetables, drinking green juices and exercising twice a day, I’ve definitely ventured out of my comfort zone. But my main goal for 2016 is TOTAL HEALTH, so it was worth it to feel so much better. Now I’m trying to keep the momentum going. I bought a fantastic Omega juicer and am using it every day. Most of what I’m eating is raw. The day I broke down and had a latte and a piece of quiche yielded such unpleasant results that I got back on track with no complaints.

At Optimum Health Institute, they have a saying: Do your best and bless the rest. We’d all do well to adopt this motto, especially now. Our tricky friend Mercury just went retrograde and backsliding is inevitable for the next three weeks. So rather than fight it, just accept that it’s likely to be “two steps forward, one step back” for a while. In fact, we may as well consider February to be the real start of the New Year, and save any super ambitious activities – like starting a new business or launching a web site – until then.

January is for reviewing the past, making adjustments and continuing on our path, as well as resting, rejuvenating and being kind to ourselves. That doesn’t mean that a bit of discomfort won’t be required – we’re in the Capricorn timeframe, after all! Capricorn and its symbol, the mountain goat, represent the self-reliance and fortitude that come from dealing with difficulties yet forging on up the mountain, one step at a time.

You couldn’t ask for a more Capricornian New Moon than the one that’s coming up on Jan. 9 at 5:30 p.m. PST. The Sun and Moon join powerful Pluto in the sign of the goat, reactivating the unpredictable, breakthrough-oriented Uranus-Pluto square. Mercury retrogrades back into Capricorn, where it remains thru mid-Feb. And, Venus joins Saturn (the Capricorn ruler), cautioning us to move slowly, choose wisely, and keep our resolutions in sight. Also, Jupiter turns retrograde on Jan. 7. Mercury rules everyday activities and Jupiter rules higher thought, so with both planets turning backward, we’d be wise to deal with lingering issues around health, negative thinking or inefficiency – and rethink our priorities if we haven’t already done so at the New Year.

Spiritual maturity is within our grasp this month. We may need to move through a bit of pain or revisit old lessons to reach this new level of mastery, but it will be so worth it. For inspiration, check out this Capricorn New Moon ritual from my book, Astro Feng Shui: Making Magic in Your Home and Life. On that page, you can also view a mini-makeover showing how I helped one couple transform their Fame gua – with amazing results!