Aquarius New Moon: Snake Power

When Luna first held a snake as a young child, she fell in love with it. Over the years she’s admired and handled a wide variety of (even venomous!) snakes, with the expert guidance of folks at the San Diego Herpetological Society. She received a junior reptile handler’s license at the age of five. And now, at 13, just as we enter the Year of the Snake, she has finally adopted one of her own.

When Ruth, the two-year-old Ball Python, came home with her early this month, Luna declared it the best night of her life. She’d been given a homework assignment to research how to care for a snake, passed a test and was sent home with Ruth and a large, heated enclosure. The entire next day, she carried the snake around with her. And since then, they enjoy snuggling together under the covers.

Many people are creeped out by snakes, but Luna sees them as extraordinary beings. “They’re very smart and able to survive,” she explains, “even with hawks and eagles hunting them. Ruth can be very sassy, determined to not listen, and likes exploring wherever she goes.” Luna can relate, as a fun-loving Sagittarius with a resourceful Scorpio Moon and unconventional Aquarius rising. She and her new companion are both resilient souls. As she puts it, “I can do certain things others can’t do. I can survive emotionally, and I’ll keep trying till I succeed.”

Resilience, quick wits and determination are themes of the Chinese Year of the Snake, which slithers in at the Aquarius New Moon (Jan. 29, 4:36 a.m. PT). The Yin Wood Snake Year emphasizes futuristic vibes, helping us break free of restrictions and try new things. (At the last one, in 1965, astronauts took their first harrowing steps into space.) And the New Moon at 9 degrees Aquarius is particularly electrifying, as it falls just after the first Sun-Pluto conjunction in Aquarius in about 250 years. Mercury will be only one degree from penetrating Pluto at this lunation, stimulating intense or revolutionary thinking. Also, Uranus (modern ruler of Aquarius) stations direct the next day, ratcheting up change and possible breakthroughs. In terms of cutting-edge or extreme thinking and speech, this lunation is a tinderbox. It encourages us to defy social conventions, band together and share ideas, and to move beyond what’s clearly outdated.

The Yin Wood Snake Year is said to be a time for gathering knowledge and using it effectively. Like the snake, we get to shed our skins and let go of what we no longer need. Since yin is a feminine vibe, we might feel more inward than usual, though wood years promote growth and forging new connections. Snakes do have forked tongues (which enables them to smell in stereo as they sample molecules in the air), but they’re not for the purpose of telling untruths. Still, snakes have become associated with lies. So, it would be wise to stay on the alert this year for deep-fakes, scams and security issues. We can also use our increased serpentine flexibility to turn on a dime and generate creative solutions to problems.

In ancient times, Goddess temples were often home to venomous snakes, allies of the priestesses who dwelt there, yet wily defenders against any intruders. The sensuous, undulating snake became associated with female sexuality and enchantment on one hand and darkness and cunning on the other. As we work to reclaim our feminine power in these last-gasp times of patriarchal dominance, we’re called to reactivate the snake power within.

At this Aquarius New Moon, focus on the serpent power (aka kundalini) that’s coiled in your lower belly, and breathe it up your spine to awaken your higher mind. If you’re feeling adventurous, find a place to commune with a snake (or even, as Luna did, adopt one.) If that sounds too extreme, you could simply recite this empowering prayer from Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber: “Open my eyes to behold that which is hopeful and lovely and to know that the terrifying and malicious will always be there and that looking away for a moment is not callous, it’s calculating. Guide my attention to that which is worthy of it: making art, cooking food, loving people, noticing birds, petting dogs, contacting friends, and doing the work that is mine to do.”