(This is an updated-for-2015 version of an article that first appeared in 2012.)
The calendar has clicked over to January 1, so it’s a New Year right? Well it depends who you ask.
The Chinese celebrate their New Year later in January – around the time of the Aquarius New Moon (the second new Moon after the December solstice).
Until 1753, Great Britain celebrated the New Year on March 25 – right near the Aries equinox.
Since Australia, the USA and Canada all came into being as countries after this date, it seems we’ve simply followed suit, rather than opting for a perhaps more seasonally inspired New Year’s date. If you’re interested to read more about how Sun and Moon events tie into traditional festivals, please check out this article
Most astrologers still wait until the Sun in Aries period to celebrate new beginnings. The two dates astrologers focus on for the New Year are the Aries equinox, around March 20, and the New Moon in Aries, which, in 2015, occurs around April 18 (depending on your time zone).
Nonetheless, the world in which we live is now looking forward to the 12 months ahead, and for many, a break in routine over the past 10 days has offered a chance to review and reflect, as well as focus on intentions for the coming months.
Consulting my trusty American Ephemeris (midnight, blue 2000 – 2050 edition) tells me that as the calendar year resets for 2015, we have a waxing – or growing – Taurus Moon, which generally bodes well for blossoming. Taurus is a sign of both stability and accumulation so 2015 may bring more of both.
2015 starts with Saturn a 0 Sagittarius, having just changed signs on December 23, 2014. This feels like an energy shift best summed up in the memoir/movie ‘Wild’ by Cheryl Strayed, about a woman who heads out on a massive bush walk/hike to heal from past pain, loss and trauma.
As we move into 2015, it’s not just the ghosts of 2014 you may want to lay to rest, it’s all the stuff, the gunk or hard truths, that have emerged since Saturn entered Scorpio, back in October 2012.
Saturn at the start of Sagittarius looks like a mountain climber ready to begin their next adventure. Excited, prepared and ready for what discoveries may lie ahead. The desire to meet a physical challenge may be infused with a search for meaning, or the yearning for knowledge or faith to help you make sense of the past.
Jupiter in Leo is the only planet retrograde as 2015 begins, so on most fronts it’s a case of all systems go. For those with strong Jupiter charts, or lots of planets in Sagittarius and Pisces you may take a little longer to get going.
The waxing or growth qualities of the Moon’s phase continue until the Cancer Full Moon on January 5, so make an effort to begin some of your big 2015 plans before then if you can.