Image Credits: NASA
Happy New Year to you all. A word of advice, get comfortable, stick the kettle on and make yourself a drink, park your bottom and get cosy as this is a long edition with lots of advice, explanation and cosmic energy especially for you! So sit tight and enjoy riding the waves of this watery Cancerian new year edition of Astro energy.
Welcome to the first of 2020’s Astro Articles in which I discuss with you the various aspects of naming the moon as an international phenomenon, listing a non-bias multi-faith diary of observations and celebrations, discussing the full moon phase astrology and how this affects us for the next two weeks until new moon, planetary relationships which will have an effect on us for up to six months or influence the year, finally we end on a high note by listing astronomical dates for your diary which are either visible to the naked eye or with binoculars or telescope. There is so much afoot at this time! Enjoy this article and if you feel I have missed anything, feel free to drop me a line in the comments. As ever your kindness and support are welcome with my gratitude.
Ok lets crack on!….
Naming of the moons
Image credits: soulfulwoman.com/wolf-moon-2018
The January full moon is known by many name worldwide. Names for the full phase of each lunar cycle vary according to geography and agricultural events. The Native American names for the Full January moon are “Old Moon, Wolf Moon, Ice Moon, Moon after Yule and Winter Moon”. The Montana tribes named this moon “Hard Time Moon” and the native Canadians call it “Dwarf Seal Moon”. In China it is “Holiday Moon” on the approach to Chinese New Year. In Addition, the Indian Solar/ Lunar Calendar places us in the month of “Paush” where the celebrations of “Shakambhari Purnima & Paush Purnima” are observed. Back on home ground with the ancient British Celtic and Medieval names for January Full moon are “Wolf Moon, Stay Home Moon and Moon after Yule”. Finally, the Druidic Ogham Tree calendar places us in the month of the Birch tree, Beth. This month is known for its magickal Birch workings to ward off evil, negativity and psychic attack. Furthermore, the Birch is associated with Goddess workings, fertility and protection. As with most beliefs January is known for its extra energies which when harnessed, support new beginnings and creativity.
Non-bias spiritual and religious observations for the month
JANUARY 2020
1st
NEW YEAR’S DAY/HOGMANAY - National
A nationally observed day, as is New Year’s Eve the preceding night, throughout the UK.
THE CIRCUMCISION OR NAMING OF JESUS - Christian
Celebrates the circumcision and naming of Jesus in accordance with Jewish custom.
1st - 3rd
GANJITSU - Japanese
Three day New Year’s celebrations.Families spend time together, decorations are put up and the first visit of the year is paid to Shinto shrines.
2nd
BIRTHDAY OF GURU GOBIND SINGH (1666 CE) (Bakrami Lunar Calendar) - Sikh
13th
BIRTHDAY OF GURU GOBIND SINGH (1666 CE) (Nanakshahi Calendar) - Sikh
Birth Anniversary of the tenth Guru, who instituted the practice of the Five Ks and established the Order of the Khalsa on Vaisakhi (Baisakhi). An unbroken reading of the whole of the Guru Granth Sahib, spreads over a 48 hour period.
5th /12th
ANNUAL METHODIST COVENANT SERVICE - Christian
On the first (or sometimes the second) Sunday of the new year Methodists hold an annual Covenant Service in which they pledge themselves to the service of God.
6th
THEOPHANY / BAPTISM OF CHRIST - Christian (Orthodox)
Orthodox Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. ‘Theophany’ means ‘Manifestation of God’. Jesus’ miracle at Cana in Galilee is also remembered
EPIPHANY - Christian (Anglican and Roman Catholic)
Celebrates the visit of the magi/wise men to the infant Jesus, bearing symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This is the twelfth day of Christmas.
6th /7th
CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAY Christian (Rastafarian)
(Eastern Orthodox: Julian calendar); Rastafarian. Many Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas (and other fixed festivals) thirteen days after the Western churches.
ETHIOPIAN CHRISTMAS DAY - Christian
A celebration of the birth of Jesus in the manner prescribed by tradition. To reflect on event in context of the original prophecy of his birth, as a manifestation of God not only as Priest but as King.
12th
BIRTHDAY OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA - Hindu
Vivekananda, an Indian Hindu monk and a disciple of Ramakrishna, was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.
BAPTISM OF CHRIST - Christian (Anglican)
Anglican Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.
BAPTISM OF CHRIST - Christian (Roman Catholic)
Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist; God’s spirit descended on him in the form of a dove.
13th /14th
MAKAR SANKRANTI/LOHRI/PONGAL - Hindu
This is a day for alms giving and for mending disagreements. Celebrated with rice sugar, pancakes, halva or cornmeal chapattis, eaten around a fire.
16th
SHINRAN MEMORIAL DAY - Buddhist
Shinran was the founder of Jodo Shin-shu, one of the schools of Pure Land Buddhism.
18th -25th
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY - Christian
United services are held, and dialogue on unity is encouraged; some worshippers visit other people’s churches or invite preachers from denominations different from their own.
19th
WORLD RELIGION DAY - Baha'i and other groups
A day promoting interfaith understanding by emphasizing aspects common to all faiths. First introduced among Baha’i communities in the 1950s, is now celebrated by a wider spread of communities, including the Baha’i, usually on the third Sunday of January.
25th
NEW YEAR FESTIVAL/CHUNJIE/YUAN TAN - Chinese
Celebrations last for three or more days, and involve fireworks, dances (e.g. the famous Lion Dance) and gifts of paper money, flowers and sweets. Business accounts are settled and all debts paid before the New Year begins.
2019 is the year of the Rat.
25th
HONEN MEMORIAL DAY - Buddhist
Honen (1133-1212 CE) is one of the outstanding figures in the history of Japanese Buddhism, and was the founder of Jodo Shinshu, one of the schools of Pure Land Buddhism.
25th - 27th
LOSAR - Buddhist
Tibetan New Year festival, often celebrated in Nepal as well. Although largely a secular celebration, it also includes the rededication of the country to Buddhism. It especially celebrates the miracles performed by the historical Buddha at Sravasti, the capital city of the kingdom of Kosala.
27th
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY - National
A day for remembrance of people who suffered, at the hands of the Nazis regime during the second World War but also in other persecutions. It aims to keep the memory ensuring that no such atrocity ever reoccurs.
29th - 30th
SARASVATI PUJA/VASANT PANCHAMI - Hindu
Widely celebrated in North India. A festival marking the beginning of spring. For Hindus it is linked with Saraswati, the goddess of learning and the arts.
30th
JASHN-E SADEH Zoroastrian - [Iranian]
A mid winter bonfire festival symbolising the return of longer days. The litany to fire, the Atash Niyayeesh, is recited, and Iranian legends are told of King Hoshang (who discovered the art of making fire). Piping hot stew, dancing and merry making feature.
Astrology
Image credits: Wildchild.co.za
Full moon phase occurs on 10th January 2020 at 19:21 GMT. There is a lot going on this Full moon. This is perhaps due to this being the first month of a new year & decade or perhaps the opposition of the sun & mega planets in Capricorn vs the full moon penumbral lunar eclipse in Cancer or even the alignment of two generational planets Saturn & Pluto which are setting the tone for this year and beyond…ooooh so much to tell you, but where to begin?!?
A quick advice note: Astrology is a general guide to helping us to understand the movement of the universe in our lives and how this can affect us on an annual, bi-annual, bi-monthly, monthly or daily basis. As a rule of thumb it is a general guide and not specific to all. Our experience of the cosmos, movements, conjunctions, full moons, zodiac signs are all individual. Why is that? Well, When you are born, the stars are aligned in such a way that they will not be realigned again in exactly the same way for at least another 26,000 years!! I know its incredible right? This means that only someone born on the same day or time as you will have similar experiences to how you perceive the universe and how it effects you. In addition, only the outer planets of our solar system have an effect on whole generations, as it takes them a lot longer to move through the zodiac and thus they generate energies for whole groups of people born with them in the same house of their natal charts. We truly are unique in our experience of the cosmos. Doesn’t that just blow your mind?
With this in mind lets have a good look at the full moon penumbral lunar eclipse and what all of this technicality means.
The full moon represents our inner personality, our feelings, thoughts, unconsciousness, instincts. It can also illuminate past feelings, experiences, traumas and bring them to the surface at certain times to be worked through and released. The moon is where you feel deeply. This month’s full moon is in watery Cancer. Cancer qualities in part promote homely domesticity, family orientation, loving, nurturing, creative, practical, self caring and unconditional love. Full moon phase amplifies all of this emotional behaviour and will be very strong from full moon phase and into the following two weeks….but wait! We also have a penumbral lunar eclipse…
Image Credit: NASA
A penumbral lunar eclipse is when the moon passes through the outer edge, penumbra of the Earth’s shadow, thus darkening but not completely obscuring viewing. The effect this can have on us humans is truly amazing. A lunar eclipse is full of ,magick & mystery, revealing the truth about ourselves and our purpose. It encourages us to look at our lives and the consequences of our actions. In addition a lunar eclipse can force us to release something we’ve been holding onto which we are not ready to release. Think of it like an amplifier of whatever the moon is offering us this full phase and as I have mentioned, full phase is an amplifier of emotions and inner workings anyway, so this is set to be quite an emotionally turbulent lunar eclipse. You may ask questions about your purpose in this life, what is reality and what is shadow? And how to allow shadow to enable the soul work that needs to be done. Which is the best action to take to get to where you want to be in life? Whatever it is that arises at this time, whether it is old past hurts from previous relationships, childhood traumas, or something more immediate, you must allow yourself to feel them. Your working with and not against these issues will give you wisdom and emotional freedom. By accepting them for what they are, you are allowing wisdom and emotional freedom to flow into your life. This will help you to release with ease and acceptance in your heart, mind & soul. Take heart, this eclipse is going to shift your alignment into your truest path. Facing issues and asking questions such as these will allow you to flow with the universal alignment occurring. I shall discuss this further in the section about the Saturn / Pluto alignment.
Furthermore, the Sun is in opposition to the moon at full phase. It represents our ego, our outer personality, where we shine, what we allow others to see of us. The sun is still in Capricorn so we carry on with the energy of the sea goat, which at times can be earthy. However, Capricorn Sun is intense, ambitious, industrious, career minded, wise , committed to the cause. It promotes conditional love due to being reward based, meaning carrot and stick sort of energy. I must also add that during January’s full phase lunation, the Sun is not alone in Capricorn. There are some immense and very masculine energies such as Saturn, Pluto & Mercury in Capricorn right now and this doesn’t bode well for the emotional moon lunar eclipse energies being released. This could be a cause of contraindication or paradoxical energies. It will definitely be the cause of mixed emotions and as I have already mentioned, it will make you question certain areas of your life which are highlighted at this phase.
Mercury rules communication, so if there is one positive here its that talking won’t be a problem, however emotions may increase miscommunication or make you seem overly emotional and explosive.
Saturn is the planet of Karma, discipline and justice and encourages deep soul work. If you are acting in shadow, be mindful of your actions as consequences shall become evident.
Pluto is the planet of transformation, governing the birth, death rebirth cycle. Pluto loves to destroy then rebuild from the core with renewed energy and ideals. Speaks for itself! The breaking down to renew and rebirth. This is something many of us have been through, are preparing for or expecting, for some time now.
These three are masculine and authoritarian planets as is the Sun. They all sit in Capricorn too, which is a cardinal, action sign. So you may be left with questions based around how you react to authority in the workplace and how you can keep a healthy balance between professional and home life to keep your mental health in a good place.
Over all, you may be left feeling a little like its all a bit much, combined with an out of whack feeling. Be kind to yourself and try to keep in mind the huge shifts occurring this month are a means of preparation in terms of the planetary alignment occurring, which has connotations for the rest of the year and may well influence the next decade.
Fear not as clarity can be found around 11th January when Uranus goes direct and brings a much clearer way of thinking about situations which may have had you questioning or have been unsure of.
Remember this universal shift is placing you where you need to be, so ride the waves, this too shall pass.
Image Credits: Astrotalk.com
Finally, on the 12th we experience a wonderfully rare alignment. Saturn and Pluto align at 22˚ of Capricorn. This ripple effect will last at least the year long. The last time there was a conjunction of these two outer planets was in 1982 in Libra, but the alignment in Capricorn is something that none of us have ever experienced before and are unlikely to ever experience again in our lifetimes. As you will recall, our personal experiences of the cosmos are unique to us, therefore how we react is entirely up to us too. There are some important themes with this conjunction and Saturn & Pluto do not have the best reputations for being kind or gentle! As I have already mentioned the qualities of both of these two planets, I wont go into that again. I will inform you that their combination will herald some huge awakenings of the spiritual kind in consciousness, transformations and changing pathways. Pluto wants to destroy in order to recreate a new power and freedom. Saturn can be cold and strict. This seems to have reference to present events on the world stage. Moreover, on the higher level, these two are the darker of the planets and looking and working with the darker side, shadow side can serve a much higher purpose for us humans. Its a clearing of old and a welcoming in of the new which will take us to higher planes. But to get there we must be ready to allow the areas in our lives touched by these themes to de-construct and rebuild, birth, death, rebirth…in all its about renewal, the cycle of life on a huge multi layered scale!
Saturn's higher level is ambitious and sets healthy boundaries, and we all need them don’t we? Saturn is symbolic of strength and willpower, aiming for success, overcoming of obstacles. Pluto's higher level is as the alchemist of the zodiac helping us to learn from lessons and metamorphose to new and deeper planes in our life. It also encourages us to return to the source, to love, to who we really are. So we are being asked to work hard, be loyal, discover and step into our own true space and purpose, work with our shadow side and work toward rebirth into the newer higher zones we have been aiming toward. We are being encouraged to claim our power or else step aside for someone who will step up and complete the job in hand. We are being encouraged to work from a place of love, stand in a space of love. This is the alignment, a chance for us to choose our pathway, one that sits right with the soul, with your soul song & purpose. This will require deep soul work and multi layered shedding and will take the theme of this year.
Wow! I am tingling all over writing this! POWER!
Astronomy
January 2020: Eyes to the skies, dates for your diary
3rd /4th
Quadrantids Meteor Shower.
The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour . Produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, discovered in 2003. The shower runs annually from January 1-5. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. The first quarter moon sets shortly after midnight, leaving fairly dark skies for good viewing. Best viewing after midnight. Radiating from the constellation Bootes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
10th
Full Moon.
The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 19:23 UTC.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse.
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra.The Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Western Australia.
24th
New Moon.
The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 21:44 UTC. Best time to get the telescope out for galactic viewing.
My goodness goddess! This has been a real whopper of an article! hope you made it to the end. You have my absolute gratitude and a huge pat on the back if you read it in one sitting. It took me quite of few teas and walks to enable me to soak up all of the energies and information I have learned from this particular edition. There are just a couple of things left to say, the research articles & websites I have read to bring this article to you are listed at the end of the article under the credits title, with my deep gratitude to all of the authors. Feel free to have a browse on the website at other articles, a word of warning , I am still in the process of sending archived articles from the craftsy sister site which can still be read on Gifitee, if you so wish. Thank you all for your support and kindness.
Please join me on the new Moon edition toward the end of January for some more cosmic insights brought to you by She @ ancient footprints.
In love & light and all things between
Sheela
x
Credits
Wigington, Patti. "Celtic Tree Months." Learn Religions, Jun. 25, 2019, learnreligions.com/celtic-tree-months-2562403.
Images
NASA