New Moon in Sagittarius – December 2012 – Faith is a Curious Thing

The New Moon occurs at 8:41 (UT) on the 13th December 2012 at 21SAG44

Sagittarius is a philosopher seeking the truth about life and in so doing opens up question upon question. The Archer of the zodiac is often pictured with arrow pointed high, aiming for the highest knowledge available. This sign is pulled to explore the world in an endless quest to understand what he has learned. Naturally Sagittarius is gregarious (sometimes to a fault!), and full of enthusiasm for life. Giant Jupiter is the ruler of this sign, colourful and hard to miss! They seek out like minds and enlightened minds, sacrificing emotional bonds if necessary in their search for the truth. Yet they are open to everyone, valuing friends who walk the path beside them a while before they are off on their next adventure. As a mutable fire sign, change inspires them. Sagittarius is priest, dreamer and rover.

Watching Felix Baumgartner’s spectacular leap to Earth is wonderfully symbolic of Sagittarius. Born with Mars in Sagittarius, this dare devil was motivated to go as high as he could go – becoming the arrow and its fall to Earth. With Jupiter conjunct the South Node, it could be said he was born with an innate inner faith that allowed him to make the leap.

I’ve had a curious journey with the concept of faith. As a child I was an atheist yet had profound experiences that forced me to confront the idea that maybe there was something else – something other. I rejected the strong Christian faith of my Grandmother that lingered vaguely with my Mother who was on the whole afraid of anything that wasn’t concretely here. I was always told “you think too much” which is probably accurate considering my full 9th house!

It didn’t take me long though to be convinced with ghosts peeking through the veil, spiritual stories from my Grandmother, paranormal magazines belonging to my father scattered round the house and an awareness that all of nature seemed to talk – animals, trees, flowers and the endless sky full of stars. Each seemed to have their own voice. It seemed normal to talk back to them. My dreams were filled with archetypal stories and otherwordly places and people. I never thought of them as ‘just dreams’.

Pulled perhaps by my Romany heritage, I was drawn most to magic and witchcraft, the pagan path unfolded under my feet and it carried me. I visited ancient places, took part in rituals, prayed to the Goddess. My love of animals was called to shamanic practices.

Then some years ago my world fell apart. I lost everything I ever wanted or needed and my faith went with it. I still remember the day I realised my belief in something else had gone. To be specific, what left me was a feeling that somehow this divine being was watching out for me and protecting me. The Goddess who I had tried to love had allowed me to be smashed into little pieces and smiled as she watched.

And I hated Her.

It was a dark time, alternately filled with rage or utter emptiness. It took me some time to realise that I was seriously conflicted. My conscious mind rejected ‘faith’ yet my subconscious boiled with anger, berating this divinity who had let me down so badly. Until one day I found myself laughing at the ridiculous scenario I found myself in. How can you say that you have no faith when you are mentally shouting abuse at the unseen world? What exactly are you shouting at if you think there’s nothing there? My mind giggled at the absurdity of it all!

What I hated was myself. What I no longer trusted was myself. And in truth, that lack of trust in myself had been there for a very long time – as had the hate.

And slowly my faith returned. I began once more to accept the messages that had never stopped, the quiet whispering voice in my mind that guided. I stopped shouting at the otherworlds and at myself and began to listen. I wasn’t healed overnight. It was a slow process and it still continues. I began to realise that the story wasn’t over at all, only just beginning. I began to trust that what was lost would return when the time was right. I began to trust myself.

As Saturn comes to the end of his journey through my 3rd house opposing the rash of planets and points in my 9th, my thoughts about the world and the meaning I find in it have changed significantly. I have read a lot, listened to podcasts and thought and thought. Saturn in the 3rd has broken down the structures of my thinking that I had built through fear and then left it up to me to pick up the pieces and arrange them in a new way that not only gives me faith in the universe but also faith in myself. I have created a new structure to work from.

Faith is a curious thing. Sagittarius ultimately is searching to find meaning in the world. It makes you ask the big ‘ol questions. Is anything out there? Are we alone? What happens after death? And we all have our own answers formed from our own experience. When darkness falls (the 8th house), we too fall into the void and all we can do is begin to ask the questions that maybe we were too afraid to ask before.

I have a new altar that I’m building, one that honours the stars. The simple act of lighting a candle opens me to illumination. I’m gathering pieces one by one that make my spirit soar. At this New Moon I’ll bless it. Whilst it is dedicated to the stars, it helps to keep my feet on the ground.

When the New Moon is in Sagittarius, it’s time for you to find out what you believe. Reflect upon your own spiritual growth whatever your personal path. Look to which house in your chart has Sagittarius at the cusp. Here is where you need to develop faith in yourself and where you need to find some sense of meaning whether religious, spiritual or philosophical. You may need to travel or study because of this house. It’s the area of life that prompts you to see the big picture, to recognise that you have an integral part to play. Here you need freedom to range far and wide whether literally or from your armchair. In the house of Sagittarius, you find hope. With the New Moon activating this part of your chart, you can set some seeds of intention for what you would like to manifest here. Remain open and flexible as to how it may show up.

Look also at the position and condition of Jupiter in your chart. He shows you where blessings are bestowed, where ‘good luck’ may occur, where you may feel protected by a benevolent force whether in this world or another. His position shows you where you need to expand and be open to experience. Jupiter is your joy and belief in an abundant world.

The word faith has its etymology in the verb ‘to trust’. When you trust yourself you are then in a position to be open to experience – and to trust another. You can allow yourself to take a chance because maybe, just maybe it’ll all turn out ok. Greet life with a smile and it cannot help but to smile back. A leap of faith is sometimes all it takes to have the world at your feet.