Hope, faith and optimism, anyone? The December 11 new moon in Sagittarius douses us in holiday cheer and reminds us to look on the bright side of life. With all the uncertainty in the world, a few of the Archer’s sunny, golden-tipped arrows might not be the worst thing to strike. It’s time to call forth our inner Pollyannas, choosing to put our faith in love and focus on what’s working instead of letting our egos illuminate what we can’t stand about people, circumstances, the world…oy! Perhaps it’s the law of gravity that constantly pulls us down. This new moon knows that staying up, optimistic, and in our higher selves will take some effort. Time to get crackin’!
Remember too that new moons are a time for planting seeds, which you can harvest six months from now under the light of the 2016’s TWO corresponding full moons in Sagittarius (on May 21 and June 20). For some great new and full moon manifesting ideas, check out our tips.
Here are a few ideas for hitting the happiness mark under the lunar spell of this new moon:
1. Plan your next epic vacation.
So maybe you’ve drained your Fiji fund, or the rent on your swanky apartment doesn’t leave much left for your jetsetting dreams. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, something the zodiac’s “never say die” Archer firmly believes. Sagittarius is the zodiac’s global explorer and this new moon reminds us of the fact that there’s a big ol’ world waiting out there. Take a few moments to mentally span the globe. Is there an area of the planet that keeps on calling? Price out plane tickets, read independent travel blogs, set up a special savings account to contribute to each week (before you know it, you’ll be covered for six nights and seven days). If funds are available, the temptation to hit the “Reserve Now” button may be too great to resist. At the very least, make sure your passport is up to date. You’ll want to have it handy should opportunity strike in the days ahead. You might even check out services like homeexchange.com that facilitates you swapping pads with someone living in the place you want to visit (and vice versa).
2. Start a “Happiness Project.”
Gretchen Rubin’s book The Happiness Project (and the subsequent Happier At Home and Better Than Before) chronicle her path to joy based on simple shifts in attitudes and daily practices.Rubin (who is a Sagittarius herself) offers quizzes, worksheets and tips on her site. These can be timely guides as we look to the new year; the Sagittarius new moon loves having a bright future to look forward to!
Where’s the REAL party? Not with the stiff, starched and socially-graced tightwads nibbling holiday hors d’ouevres.
3. Self-Publish.
In case you didn’t get the memo, we are living in the Information Age, a time when it is blessedly easy to share your thoughts and ideas across the digital universe.Sagittarius happens to be the sign that rules publishing, and this new moon calls the slumbering mediamakers out of hiding. (Interesting tidbit: transformational Pluto was in Sagittarius from 1995-2008, a potent timespan for the publishing industry, when the Internet swiftly grew from a dial-up binary “dinosaur” to a lightning fast outlet for self-publishing.) Nowadays, we don’t have to wait for a major publishing house to offer us a book deal to get our novels or manifestos in print. Print-on-demand is all the rage with services like Lulu.com or Amazon’s Createspace. This new moon is big for bloggers; anyone wishing to join the blogosphere should harness the lunar power of this new moon to get started on Tumblr, Blogger, WordPress, Wix or any outlet for getting your message to the masses. Got a niche? Start talking to the select few who share your offbeat passion. But look out: planting an idea under this new moon could start a sweeping new trend by early summer, when the Sagittarius full moon rolls around.
4. Work ‘dem hips.
Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs and this energizing new moon may send us straight to the dancefloor to shake a tailfeather like it was going out of style. Since most of us spend our days seated at desks, stiff hips are an epidemic in our sedentary culture. Here are some hip-opening exercises to bring back your sway and swagger.
Find your gurus both in and out of the ashram.
5. Be wise, not a know-it-all.
When you’re passionate about something, be it Bikram yoga, an incredible book or something that changed your life, it’s normal to wish everyone knew about it, too. However, under Sag’s fervent zeal, you can come across as a preachy proselytizer instead of a resourceful friend. So share generously—that’s what Sag is all about—but do it with an open heart and non-attachment. You can lead a horse (or a Centaur) to water, but you can’t make him drink.
6. Seek wisdom in unusual places.
Sagittarius rules international travel, cross-cultural connections, higher education and philosophy. Go ahead and explore obscure philosophies, study the way indigenous tribes live, or add more communal touches to your lifestyle. Suspend judgment and take it all in. Sag reminds us that the homeless dude you step over might just be a quantum physicist fallen on hard times, or an angelic messenger whose “crazy” rants somehow are exactly what you were supposed to hear. Find your gurus both in and out of the ashram, temple, or wherever you go looking. See the light of consciousness in every human. Better yet, be your own guru.
7. Be “too much.”
Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, the largest and most jovial planet in our solar system. It’s got its own moons twirling around it, a fitting picture for Sag’s campy, larger-than-life energy. (We think of it as a cosmic gay icon surrounded by an elite troupe of backup dancers.) Sagittarius urges us to shed our self-consciousness and make utter fools of ourselves. ‘Cuz where’s the REAL party? Not with the stiff, starched and socially-graced tightwads nibbling holiday hors d’ouevres. Nope. It’s over there with the lady in wild patterns who leaps onto the empty dance floor and boogies to her own beat.
A wise teacher once gave us some public speaking advice. We were nervous about coming on too strong and being “too much” for people. She advised this: Go ahead and BE too much. When you’re fully self-expressed, it creates a gap between you and other people, giving them something to rise up to. Sure, they might laugh or be shocked at first, but they’ll soon be inspired by your courage and authenticity. And they’ll feel permission to be themselves freely, too.
2016 is almost here. Are you ready?
Pre-order your 2016 Planetary Planner (almost done and out this December!) ebook. You’ll be automatically entered into our weekly giveaways and grand-prize drawing to win a chart reading with us!
Image via Pinterest. This post also appears on mindbodygreen.