- Sabian Symbols, Evolutionary Configurations, and More -

This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this New Moon happening January 21. This marks the renewal of Aquarius energy for 2023, along with a full forward energy because right now, no planets are retrograde!

The first decan of Aquarius is about vision, and how to make an active contribution to a greater good. We’ve been through a “crafting and reshaping” period of Mercury retrograde, and now have the ability to attune to our invisible helpers and take aim at whatever social goal we have. Aquarius strives for the greatest good for the greatest number, and with Jupiter already triggering the Mars-Jupiter conjunction at 4 Aries in late May which launched a new sub-era and a new way of Being, we’ve jumpstarted a new era!

We have now ended the long Mars retrograde. We had the ability to get the information or approaches we needed in September and October due to Mars trine Saturn. Mars went retrograde and again trined Saturn, giving us another look at how to do what we needed to do. Now Mars, having made a “fateful” biseptile to Saturn, will be in an extremely favorable and serendipitous tredecile with Saturn beginning in a few days, giving us unexpected and unique openings, or interactive gifts and blessings based in things started in August and September. This is another turning point in our expression of Saturn in our lives, this month modified by Venus and favoring more friendly relationships with our spiritual Sisters and Brothers.

The pace has begun to pick up since the Sun/Mars opposition on December 8, and as the dispositor of all the other planets except Neptune, Saturn remains the main player on the stage of life. This month we’re re-focusing on being less reflexive and more volitional in our actions, with Venus softening Saturn’s Aquarian detachment with grace and idealism. See your larger dedication and allow yourself to mobilize to escape some adverse situation.

Long Term Effects of the Capricorn and Aquarius Compressions

Everything that’s going on has to be referenced within the larger Capricorn and Aquarius cycles set into motion in early 2020. The current transits are renewing these larger cycles. These long wave Capricorn cycles and even more important long wave Aquarian cycles begun in March 2020 and amplified in December 2020 are the juxtaposed energies of the next 30 years. This period was the heart of a series of Great Compressions which have been a feature of the early months of 2020, 2021, 2022, with the last one in 2024.

This explains the four year sequence of The Great Compressions of Early 2020, 2021, and 2022. The first was in early 2019 when all the planets were bundled in about one third of the sky, called a Bundle pattern, which is the rarest of all. While the inner planets transited through all the other signs after that, we again hit maximum compression again in March 2020, and then expanded through the rest of the year.

This clustering happened again in 2021 in the last half of January into early February, with maximum compression was around January 19-21 when all of the planets were within a 101-degree span, creating a very intense zone of activity wherever we have late Capricorn through early Taurus. Four planets in Aquarius and two in Taurus made for a very crowded house, with 10 distinct energies occupying less than 1/3 of the total space.

The Planetary Spread

In 2022 we hit maximum compression in early March, with all planets between 28 Capricorn and 12 Taurus, only 104 degrees. In June we left the Bundle, and now have arrived at this season’s time of compression which isn’t as tight as the past several years.

In this chart, because the inner planets are now in Capricorn and Aquarius, we are again in a tight span of activity. We now have all the planets in the 149+ degree span between early Capricorn and Mars in early Gemini with Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini all occupied by at least one planet. At this time, the inner planets are all in the 44+ degrees between 9 Capricorn and 24 Aquarius, making that area most active in our charts at present. Though there will not be a tight compression in early 2023, there will be one more in early 2024.

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, as just noted the outer planet occupied span begins with Pluto in late Capricorn, and proceeds through Saturn in Aquarius, Neptune in late Pisces, Jupiter in early Aries, and ends with Uranus in Taurus. (We don’t include TransPluto, since Jones didn’t use it in defining his patterns). Because we have 6 signs represented between Capricorn and Gemini and the planets only occupy about half the signs, this chart is an imperfect “Bundle” Jones Pattern, mainly due to Mercury tightening the span over the next few weeks.

The Bundle Pattern and how it works

This type of spread, with all the planets occupying approximately one third of the signs with two thirds unoccupied, creates “the least common of the seven basic differentiations,” and creates a “bunching of interests or the intensive self-gathering which is least responsive to any universal stimulus” and as Dr. Jones noted in a section on another pattern, a “special obsession with some particularly narrowed aspect of experience” which characterizes the Bundle people.

He continues that “the meaning of the concentration of the ten planets in one single third of the zodiac is that the course of the native’s life is held to certain narrow bounds of opportunism,” and they are “almost completely inhibited, in contrast with the outstanding lack of inhibition in the Splash pattern. He then goes on to say that “Characteristic of the Bundle type is an outstanding capacity for making much of little, or for building small beginnings into great and often unanticipated final results.” He also notes this type can mold their world “by some highly centralized force of self-concentration.” This type is not universal in the slightest, but rather “brings universe to center.”

With Mercury in Capricorn leading the concentration of planets, and thus the entry to the entire pattern, it shows we need to be disciplined and organized in our approach to all things as we attune to our helpers in the invisible world and find a harmony in our responsibilities. This is the time to be practical, reasonable, and balanced as we get things done.

With Mars in Gemini closing the Bundle, we’ll finish experience with a sense of how we’ve trained to “hit the mark.” So we open with organization, and finish with adaptability.

This leads with social and emotional crystallization, and closes with social and emotional discoveries which show us our need to listen to the inner voice and invisible helpers before moving into a new experience. Because the leading edge is Capricorn Earth, approach experience with a pragmatic and mature honesty in how to find new approaches and new information which is adequate to current challenges. Because the closing planet is Gemini Air, it implies that after all is said and done, you’ll recognize the many perspectives which come from seeing what’s in or out of balance, and the need to rebuild or find a new way to communicate something.

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 2 Aquarius, and it is said that the first third (decan) of any sign deals with the actional, physical, and material levels of life, and being the first decan of Aquarius, it has a sub-influence of Aquarius with an added dose of Venus. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.

The symbol for the 2nd degree of Aquarius is "An unexpected thunderstorm.” According to Rudhyar’s notes from the Marc Jones class originally published in The Astrology of Personality, this degree indicates that we’ll be “liberated from adverse conditions” by a “cosmic visitation” that will “galvanize us to action” through “spectacular developments.”

This promises a wild ride wherever we have 2 Aquarius in our charts! Expect to be freed somehow by something that compels your attention and moves you to action.

In The Astrological Mandala he states the keynote is "the need to develop the inner security which will enable us to meet unexpected crises.” He says this symbol is about some sort of “social collective processes and the function of the individual within them.”

He offers that this symbol could have positive effects as well as negative ones, and states “it refers to an event for which one is not prepared,” and therefore “Nature’s challenge.” He states this degree is in the Span of Defensiveness, and it's the counterpoint degree of the actional level of the Scene of Contribution in the Act of Capitalization.

Marc Jones says 2 Aquarius is a symbol of "Nature’s potentialities as they lie beyond any individual control,” and “the tendency of all things to come to some dramatic head in either physical or psychological terms.” He states this is about the need “that every living spirit remain wholly self-quickened within itself,” and stay open to its “inevitable participation in every shifting pattern of events.”

He continues that we find opportunities for self-fulfillment in “the convergence of relations in some climax of experience.” He offers us the keyword ACCIDENT. He goes on to state that when this degree is operating in a positive manner, it is “creative opportunism and a genius for shaping all eventualities to some desired end.”

So, the specific theme of the next month involves the Light of events that challenge and/or mobilize us to some sort of action, “liberating us from adverse conditions.” We are told this is a degree of extraordinary “cosmic visitations” which will change our lives, bring a new security, or quicken our Spirit so we may participate more actively in shaping a sudden event to “some desired end.”

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.

We now have a planet in each sign between Capricorn and Gemini. While we have quite a few aspects, they are mainly favorable and promise us very positive conditions!

The Lunation is quindecile Mercury, quindecile Venus, trine Mars, sextile Jupiter, quindecile Saturn, biseptile Uranus and septile Pluto. Mercury is semisquare Venus, quincunx Mars, semisquare Saturn, trine Uranus and quintile Neptune; Venus is biseptile Mars, novile Jupiter, conjunct Saturn, binovile Saturn, semisextile Neptune, and quindecile Pluto; and Mars is bielftile Jupiter, biseptile Saturn, quindecile to Uranus, quintile Neptune and quadraelftile Pluto.

Outer planet aspects feature the powerful ongoing Jupiter novile Saturn, novile Uranus, and bielftile Pluto; Saturn is binovile Uranus, and Uranus is septile Neptune and tredecile Pluto.

Special Configurations in Evolutionary Astrology

This month we have 2 evolutionary configurations in play. In no particular order, they are:

1) Venus is novile Jupiter, conjunct Saturn, and binovile Uranus, with Jupiter novile Saturn and Uranus and Saturn novile Uranus. This activates 4 points of a “9-Pointed Star of Spiritual Realizations,” with realizations finally coming after months of gestation. Zones most affected include 2-7 Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, 12-17 Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn, and 22-27 Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.

As I offered in part 1, because Saturn is such a major influence right now due to being the final dispositor for all the other planets except Neptune, Saturn's conjunction with Venus furthers our magnetic attraction to our spiritual Sisters and Brothers, our community, which is essential to our spiritual well-being. Look for signs of a birth of new attractions and new friends showing you a larger community than you had before. Join the fellowships which call your heart. These are energies which have been gestating a long time, and because it involves Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, spiritual realizations and transformations are on the way these next four weeks!

2) The Lunation triggers the Grand Irrationality. As you know from previous articles, this is the primary activator of the irrationality of our times. Uranus septile Neptune anchors the configuration, creating an invisible spiritual field of “fork in the road of destiny” type of energy which triggers any planet or point in any of the 7 active zones. This long wave configuration has affected all of us for the past 30 years. At the present time, choices and changes are activated for those who have planets or points near any of the 7 affected “hot zones” around 1-5 Aquarius, 22-26 Pisces, 14-18 Taurus, 5-9 Cancer, 26-30 Leo, 18-22 Libra, and 9-13 Sagittarius.

While not an entire configuration unto itself, Mars biseptile the Venus/Saturn conjunction will be a major factor in the next few weeks, putting our relationships at a favorable spiritual turning point. Venus brings its relational "loving touch" to Saturn this month, enabling us to find an "elegant understanding" of the power of attraction. This month marks the birth of forms of fellowship, so be alert to meeting and greeting your spiritual Brothers and Sisters with awareness that you share a group work. Those most affected have planets or points around 23-27 Aquarius, 15-19 Aries, 7-11 Gemini, 28 Cancer-2 Leo, 19-23 Virgo, 10-14 Scorpio, and 2-6 Capricorn.

Explaining Harmonics

This month we have a lot of aspects made by the Lunation, with a generous helping of specializing aspects and a light concentration of frictional aspects. The friction is provided by 2 semisquares and 1 quincunx, with no more oppositions until May when Mars opposes Pluto. The numerous quindeciles promise partially developed gifts and unique circumstances to those affected.

In the 7th harmonic aspect series of “destiny,” we have 3 septiles and four biseptiles. In the 5th, 10th and 15th harmonic specialization series, we have EIGHT quindeciles, 2 quintiles, and 1 tredecile. The 9th harmonic gives us 3 noviles and 2 binoviles, and 11th harmonic faith series there are 2 bielftiles and 1 quadraelftile.

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 gestating 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 confront the need to resolve some sort of duality by making 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.

Element Balance and Who’s Leading the Sun

This month indicates a balanced imbalance in the elements, with the 10 traditional planets occupying 6 signs and a huge imbalance between cold than hot. We have 1 planet in Fire (inspiration and warmth), 3 planets in Earth (practical grounding), 5 in Air (relatedness and communicating), and 1 in Water (feelings and experiencing). This month we have half the signs represented.

Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, it’s as chilly as a mountain forest in Winter! This should be good for practical ideas and visions of productive structuring. The Fire is provided by Jupiter, while as usual, Neptune hangs out in the background, providing vast and vague feelings related to the collective feeling field.

Because the New Moon falls in early Aquarius, Mercury is again the planet leading the Sun. This is the “gateway to the Light” showing we need practical approaches and tuning into how things are organized in order to find the Light. The study of which planet leads the Sun is a crucial but often overlooked part of understanding how the planets work in sequence.

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 Lunation shifts the pattern from the previous Lunation and begins a new one. As a process of moving through events, the most effective “firing sequence” for approaching life and experience over the next 4 weeks involves leading with our thinking, then deciding, then feeling.

This pattern leads with a vision, or an understanding, or a communication, and then makes decisions and actions based in those things. While it is tempting to move back into more thinking, communicating, and envisioning, it is more important to move from deciding or acting into feeling what we’re experiencing as a result of those actions and decisions, and bring those feelings to the surface of your consciousness and get clear about what you’re feeling and why.

By naming the feeling or experience, it will naturally lead us back to new information, new vision, new ideals, and new understanding upon which you can do your next set of decisions and actions. Then again name what you’re feeling. That way nothing will get bottled up through underuse, and you can move through experiences with power and clarity.

So, lead with your vision, understanding, and what’s being communicated into decisions and actions. Then after the decision or action, sit with the feelings and experience them, bringing them to the surface of your consciousness and get clear about what you’re feeling and why. Just be careful not to get caught in a loop between thinking and doing while ignoring your feelings!

Summing Up

This New Moon is going to help us break free of old conditions and move into direct action which will “liberate us from adverse circumstances.” This begins the Aquarian focus for 2023, and it will no doubt be related to what mobilized us beginning in early 2020. Having seen how to use force wisely the past month, and having finished the dual retrogrades of late December and early January, we now move forward. Just remember Mercury quincunx Mars requires adjusting the trajectory of whatever is being initiated.

The numerous biseptiles have brought us to a fork in the road of our spiritual work and a new understanding of how we are positioned within the collective field. We are having to be more thoughtful in our choices, more compassionate in our view, and accept the need to grow beyond our previous conception of self. This is a huge turning point, with new ideals, new ways of seeing the larger scope of the creative process, new allegiances, and an ability to gain perspective through elevated consciousness and view.

Of particular importance are the biseptiles between Mars and the Venus/Saturn conjunction. This will shift our attractions to a more precise focus so we may attract or be attracted to our spiritual Sisters and Brothers. This is a time to be more volitional and less reflexive in our interactions, likes, and attractions. There is value in preparing for a four-fold transfiguration experience coming these next few weeks.

We’re now done with re-working, undoing, re-doing, or re-evaluating our ways of getting something done. Past weeks may have brought reversals or slowdowns as a result of what’s being surrendered, or perhaps some things from the past needed to drop away so we could see the essence of the landscape and what we’ll be dealing with in the future. This time may have accompanied the need for us to set something or someone free. As we have released what we no longer needed to hold on to, we’ve felt emotionally lighter in many ways.

The pace begins to quicken from here on. This is the final phase of demonstrating how we use those spiritual powers effectively, so continue to purify your ego so that your light can shine bright and strong in 2023. Catch glimpses of your Soul’s trajectory, but keep in mind the old answers can’t confirm the new conditions of existence. Still, mobilize in simple and straightforward ways, and don’t forget to enjoy yourself!

We are in revolutionary conditions with Uranus conjunct the North Node, activated by Mars in July which is pulling us into greater spontaneity after cleaning out our mind and its perceptions and interpretations. Let in new ideas and spiritual sunshine. Show heart strength and focused magnetism as you release what you no longer need. Especially let go of dishonest people and circumstances. You deserve better.

In 2020 we entered a transition phase in human history. While we still have to function within the Capricorn cycles we began in 2020, we also have crossed the threshold of 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!

When Venus and Mars conjuncted at 1 Aquarius in March 2022 it gave a new impetus and new expression to the Aquarian structures which took shape in 2021. The next time Mars transits Aquarius will be in February and March 2024, when it conjuncts Pluto at 1 Aquarius in February about 3 weeks after Pluto’s first ingress into Aquarius. That begins 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. Last year 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, with rapid developments on the way by mid-January.

New groups of Spiritual communities formed last year and will continue to form this year, and those which are Aquarian in nature were “lifted on the wings of angels” in 2021. Trust the process. We are learning not to play to the generic confusion, irrationality, and misleading notions. 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 continues its long-term occupancy in its home sign of Aquarius. While we’ll still be focused on the group work set into motion last year, we are now experiencing Saturn’s late Aquarius qualities. It was a major influence in the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Eclipses, continuing its years-long power behind events.

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 conjunct Saturn, it plays a huge part behind the scenes in how the New Moon will express itself. The two Mercury/Venus conjunctions in Sag and Capricorn have “brought the news” and activated ten thousand views and thoughts on any given thing. Since we’ll be discovering what Venus in Aquarius and Pisces is all about from now through February, you can get a deeper understanding of this and more by getting your copy of The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written and offers a multi-faceted view of why we attract the people we do, as well as how to re-shape our inner Venus to create more satisfying relationships in the future.

This work is an in-depth examination of the psychological dimension of Venus, the spiritual dimension of Venus, and the astrological dimension of Venus. It offers practical techniques for changing your image of what you want to attract your heart’s desire, and how to make your relationships more fulfilling because you are living a Soul-ful life. You’ll find out about why you like or don’t like people and things, why you’ve attracted who you have in the past and present, and how to make those attractions more aligned with your Soul purpose in the future. A major theme weaving the various dimensions together is understanding 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!)

Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with written permission from Robert Wilkinson. Copying this article to other blogs is strictly prohibited. It is copyright protected. 

© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson

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