Yahoo Finance February's Heavy New Moon Is a Chance to Break Free
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We tend to think of January as the moment in which we'll kick off a whole new year with bold, take-charge action, but that has been fairly impossible this year, thanks to not one but two retrogrades — Venus and Mercury — pulling our attention backward. Thankfully, February offers up a whole different vibe that'll make it easier to plow ahead. And even though Mercury will technically still be moving backward until February 3, a forward-thinking new moon hits on January 31-February 1 (depending on your time zone) in the progressive fixed air sign Aquarius.
This new moon, exact at 12:46 a.m. ET/9:46 p.m. PT, on Monday, January 31-Tuesday, February 1, highlights the push-pull between wanting to put your head down and fulfill your responsibilities while also being tempted to strike out on your own. It's set to be as dead serious as it is game-changing.
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The new moon in Aquarius highlights group projects, friendships, and humanitarian efforts.
New moons — which happen when the confident sun pairs up with the intuitive moon — always present a monthly opportunity to get clear on which new chapter you want to write over the course of the next two weeks (up until the next full moon) and next six months (when the corresponding full moon occurs). And this particular new moon could spur reflection around your platonic relationships and the groups you associate with, as it falls in Aquarius, the ruler of the eleventh house of networking.
In turn, you could be asking yourself questions about the friendships you're pouring your time and energy into as well as the team projects you're contributing to. Aquarian energy also challenges us to put the greater good of our community above all else, so you could be thinking in those terms as well.
A conjunction to Saturn boosts your work ethic.
The main aspect of this Aquarius new moon is a conjunction to taskmaster Saturn, the planet of restrictions, boundaries, commitment, and hard work. The disciplinarian planet offers up reality checks as a rule, sending the message that you need to be willing to put your nose to the grindstone to reach the peak of any mountain you've set your sights on. And when it pairs up with la luna, it could strike a serious, even somewhat gloomy and lonely tone, as we'll be nudged to think about the challenging steps that need to be taken in order to make any new moon intention a reality.
On the flip side, Saturn can also bolster your resolve, determination, and commitment to hit even your loftiest goals — especially because it's moving through a sign that's fixed and therefore resolute.
Electrifying Uranus offers a counterpoint.
Uranus, the planet of revolution and stunning change, in fellow fixed sign Taurus forms a tight square to the new moon, which could create some tension. While Saturn prefers you'd follow the rules in order to reach the finish line, Uranus says rebel, strike out on your own, and shrug off the status quo. It could inspire you to go about tackling your new moon intention in a wildly, out-of-left-field way versus by the book. Or you might get the ball rolling with your serious, Saturn-approved game plan only to have to deal with a random, unexpected wrench thrown by this Uranus square.
These outer planets have been duking it out on this very subject, in these two fixed signs, for about a year, so the themes that come up for you around this new moon shouldn't be unexplored by any means. It's just that you're entering a new phase now, and the involvement of the moon could make it an especially emotional one.
Heavy conversations may be inevitable.
At the time of the new moon, communication-ruler Mercury — still retrograde FYI until Thursday, February 3 — will be moving away from its conjunction to powerful Pluto, which oversees death, rebirth, regeneration, transformation, and the shadow side of life. When these two get together, we can't help but talk about and analyze topics simmering beneath the surface of our everyday routines. So pinpointing the best way to move forward into this next chapter could hinge on psychologically intense conversations, research, or self-reflection.
Here, how this Aquarius new moon will affect you, based on your sign. (Pro-tip: Be sure to read both your sun and your rising sign, if you know it. If you don't, you can find it on your natal chart or via this CafeAstrology calculator.)
Aries
Thanks to the new moon highlighting your long-term wishes sector, you can get clear on which goals to pour your energy into — and possibly have a moneymaking breakthrough to boot.
Taurus
With the new moon in your career sector, and Uranus in your sign, it's time to kick off a whole new cycle for making big picture professional dreams come true — and to embrace getting out of your comfort zone.
Gemini
Because the new moon is in your adventure zone, you'll want to break free of a mundane routine that's been making you feel stuck. You can trust your intuition to lead the way.
Cancer
With the new moon falling in your intimacy zone, you could be ready to deepen your commitment to a current significant other, if you're attached — or, if you're single, to pour more energy into finding someone special.
Leo
The new moon activates your partnership zone, requiring you to zero in on a goal you share with a friend, significant other, or close colleague. Uranus' presence in your career zone could have you trying to figure out how to reconcile your one-on-one projects with your greater ambitions.
Virgo
With the new moon in your daily routine zone, you're ready to invest even more time and energy into building habits that will boost your well-being and bolster your sense of centeredness.
Libra
This new moon illuminates your self-expression and romance zone, delivering more confidence around a creative or love life-related intention — as well as your plan for achieving it.
Scorpio
With the new moon falling in your home zone, you'll be reflecting on the habits, routines, or relationships that contribute the most to your sense of security — then making an effort to spend more time on them.
Sagittarius
You've had a ton of exciting collaborative or creative ideas pop up lately, and this new moon, falling in your communication zone, can help you narrow your focus on the ones that speak straight to your heart.
Capricorn
With the new moon in your money zone, aspirations you've been pursuing slowly but steadily could begin to dovetail with income-boosting plans. With Uranus in your self-expression zone, you'll want to be sure to own your inner voice as you move forward.
Aquarius
Falling in your sign, the new moon presents you with your annual opportunity to define and pursue personal goals, often bearing in mind how you want to be perceived by others. But with Uranus in your home zone, you'll very much be taking your work-life balance and security into account as well.
Pisces
With the new moon in your spirituality zone, this could be a quiet, reflective moment in which you're compelled to go inward and heal old wounds in order to more confidently push ahead into the future.
