Capricorn New Moon:
January New Moon 2007
A New Moon in the Month of the Earth [White] Ox

The New Moon in Capricorn happens in 2007 on January 19, at 04:02 hours GMT. Malvin Artley, our regular esoteric commentator, has always taken a deep interest in Chinese Astrology and you can now obtain his Chinese Astrology Computer Program, published by Esoteric Technologies, the makers of Solar Fire. Malvin gives a beautiful insight into the nature of this lunation, the month of the White Ox.

Chart Name: NEW MOON 19 JAN 2007
Date/Time: 19 Jan 2007, 2:02 pm (AEDT -11:00) (20 Nov. 04:02 AM GMT)
Solar Period (Fortnightly Festival Period): 23 Little Cold (N); Little Heat (S)

Possibilities illumined, desire mounts enflamed. (Daytime¹)
or
The heart knows not reason, yet beats for the beloved. Emptied of reason, ascent goes unfettered. (Nighttime²)

Adequate precautions prevent future calamity.

Afternoons were lazy under the hot summer sun. After a morning spent grazing on the rapidly browning grass it was time to settle in and ruminate over a full stomach and the remainder of the day. It was difficult to do much else with the mounting summer temperatures. The steady diet of dry grass, the dusty air and the heat of the summer days was beginning to wear thin upon the White Ox. She was beginning to suffer from the lack of moisture in the plains. Her health was starting to be a concern for her. All the ponds were beginning to get low, the creeks had stop running weeks ago and the sad part was that none of the other Oxen in the area really seemed either to mind or to care. Let's face it – dry grass is hardly exciting fare, even to a stalwart Ox. No, the White Ox was not satisfied with her lot. She had been eyeing the green slopes of the hills above the plains – at least they looked to be covered in green grass from what she could see – and she was getting restless because she knew her lot could be better. Attention to a good diet never goes astray. So, that afternoon it all became too much for our Ox and she decided that a change of climate was just the cure that was needed for her failing health. There was nothing to be gained by sitting in the plains and watching the grass dry up and die. So, with that being decided, when the long shadows of the late afternoon began to appear, she roused herself from her ruminating and set off on a course toward the hills beyond-toward the green, toward moisture and toward cooler climes, or so she hoped.

The White Ox was resolute. Thirst and the thought of a better life drove her on past the setting sun and into the night. She soon found that there was much to be gained by constant movement. The mosquitoes were driving her mad. They bred profusely in the stagnant ponds of the valleys. She normally rolled in the dust to keep them off of her during the night, but she had not done her evening ritual on this day and they were quickly making a meal of her. She had finally reached the tree line in the early hours of the night and she found that by regularly rubbing herself against the trees the problem of biting pests was quickly, though temporarily, relieved. Stopping now, especially in sight of her goal, would only ensure that she would be made the main course for the mosquitoes instead of finding her own solace. Onward she pressed. The White Ox eventually found herself upon a road. The plains had given way to the foothills and the pest problem began to abate as she moved away from the stagnant ponds of the plains below. The road led to the hills above. Soon, she began to feel a sharp drop in temperature as the road slowly wound its way through the hills. It was midnight now and the nearly-full moon was like a lamp upon her path. She quickened her pace because she could sense that her goal was rapidly becoming a reality. Then, to her delight, she could smell the object of her desiring – dew-laden grass and green, leafy trees ahead. The road had borne her to her heart's desire and to a better life. Knowing that her future was assured, she found a grassy clearing just off the road and into the woods and she laid down, licking the dew forming on the grass and reveling in the coolness of the evening. Her trip had been worth it. Happy at last, she finally drifted off to sleep, her head full of dreams of the days and weeks ahead and the taste of the dewy nectar upon her tongue.

Ox months are traditionally the final month before the inception of the Chinese New Year. This month we will have the traditional story, but next month we will dispense with the story for the month since it will be the beginning of the New Year, and instead we will have the story for the 'Year Animal' and an overall view of the year that was (from the Chinese perspective) with the aim in mind of seeing how the Chinese astrological system actually works. In other words, we will look at the year month-by-month, get an overview of how the Element count shifts from new moon to new moon and, in so doing, see how the subjective energies shift throughout the year. With that in mind, there is a point to be made here with regard to why 2006 has seemed to be a time in which so many people have felt stuck or bogged down in personal matters and seemingly unable to advance from a higher perspective and to somehow be able to make their dreams in life materialize. The main reason for that has been the persistent and sometimes overbearing influence if the Earth Element throughout 2006. The 'count' [out of 12 possible, and we will look at that more next time] for Earth has been as high as 7, 6 for a couple of months and never lower than 3, which gives reliability at the lowest count and a soul-defying stubbornness at the highest. This month that count of 6 or 7 is in effect for no less than 8 time zones – a third of the world – and will be strongly felt in eastern Australia. Hence, we will continue to see that certain people or sectors of society will still be unwilling to move from entrenched positions and too insecure to change.

With the above points in mind, this month we have a double emphasis on 'Ox' energies and thus upon Earth, both in the Month and the Day Pillars. Hence, the way the month will work out is virtually identical in many respects to the dynamic of the month itself. People will just want to feel secure. Oxen are always Earth types and anyone who has that dynamic in their Chinese horoscope will be strongly influenced (might we say overwhelmed) by all the Earth present at the moment. What this means for those areas of the world most strongly affected is extremes with respect to the land, draught or heavy rains or perhaps mudslides or even earthquakes, and we will probably find the corresponding manifestations in personal relationships. There are four animal types that will be affected by this month's energy – Oxen, Dragons, Sheep and Dogs – which correspond to the 'fixed signs' in western astrology.

In fact, in the lead-up to the lunar New Year, people will want to hedge their bets on the whole, be very inward and quiet and not want to change anything drastically or in a hurry. The Ox corresponds to the sign Taurus in Western astrology, and the similarity between the two is strikingly close. Taurus is well-known for its plodding nature, need for security, slowness to change and love of pleasures, but it is known as well for its scintillating insight, sure-footedness, steadfastness and dogged persistence in its pursuit of the highest when the native is spiritually blessed. The same qualities apply to the Ox. Therefore, we have an interesting dynamic presented to us. We will see extremes of both types of the behavior just outlined in the Animal types mentioned above, but it will be one or the other-not both at the same time, and it will be modified according to the Animal type. How that would be so would be too involved for a paper such as this. Suffice it to say that all such types as those mentioned behave as do the fixed signs in Western astrology, and all of them will resonate with this month, especially if the emphasis is in the Day or Year Pillars (Self or work, resp.).

In Australia we can expect more fires in the coming weeks with extremes of dryness. Socially, we can count on people being circumspect and a bit more withdrawn than usual. This will be a month that is excellent for retreat and meditative work. Earth is the Element associated with 'center', whether that center is a direction in space or the central energetic axis of the human system, for those who are familiar with human subtle anatomy. At its best, this month will allow us to stick to the decisions we made last month (Can we stick to our New Year's resolutions?). At its worst, if we have not made any choices or resolutions, we will find ourselves hopelessly bogged (to use an earthy term) in the situations in which we find ourselves. Will we be resolute, or will we dig in our heels? Will we make good on our resolve, or will we cave in to what comes our way? Will we be proactive, or will we be dealt a karmic hand that will stick to us like an outback fly?

The Earth Element is really about living with our choices, since it is the 'Saturn Element'. A great deal of karma has been brought up for people in the past 12 months, as evidenced by the amount of Earth throughout the year. That is all about to change, though, and how we handle this last month of the lunar year will determine to a great extent how the next year will unfold before us. The Year of the Red Pig looks set to be a better year for people on the whole. Let us all be certain that we fix our resolve in the proper direction, let our stubbornness become steadfastness of purpose and let us 'return to the Center' – the place of the inner Voice – where all truth is known and where there are 'no bets to hedge' – the place where Life as the higher Self intends it is a sure thing.

Many Blessings in 2007,
Malvin.
18 Jan 2007

¹ Daytime=if the eclipse occurs between sunrise and sunset
² Nighttime=if the eclipse occurs between sunset and sunrise (your time)

Quotes and text are taken from the software The Imperial Astrologer, courtesy of Esoteric Technologies. www.esotech.com.au Graphics and koans courtesy of the same. All text in the program is by this author.

Now read Malvin's explanation of why he has chosen the Chinese interpretation for the New Moon this month.

Go to The Capricorn Solar Festival, 2007.