Your Chariot Year Awaits, My Dear

January 2023 Museletter speaks on slowing your roll and reviewing with Mercury Retrograde. Notes on the Cancer Full Moon, Aquarius New Moon and all the Mercury Retrograde periods of the year.

Combining numerology and tarot, 2023 makes the Cardinal Number 7, associated with “The Chariot”, a Major Arcana that accelerates ambition while challenging composure and navigating obstacles along the way… Quite a Capricornian theme to start the Gregorian calendar! Though associated with war, ancient cultures incorporated the Chariot in lore, relating the manual machine to success or spiritual transportation. From Helios pulling the Sun across the sky to the angels (or aliens) of Elijah’s heavenly leave by Chariots of Fire, our favorite Chariot rep is that of Norse Goddess Freya with her chariot of cats. 

Capricorn as Cardinal Earth has an ancient authority aura. With strong themes around work, persistence, and strength, Murda Hill’s Femme Film Astro Archetype for Capricorn featured secret agents with Grace Jones as May Day in Bond flick A View to Kill, D.E.B.S and both ‘70s and Y2K Charlie’s Angels. Decision making, ethics and strategy are all in the Cap wheelhouse, an auspicious Sun sign for bright beginnings. While positive mindset and stress tolerance are absolutely welcome in any symbolic start, January 2023 is met by the Full Moon in Cancer, coaxing us to measure our goals REALISTICALLY.

1/6 FULL MOON IN CANCER

If the Winter Solstice and Cap New Moon weren’t enough of a “new chapter” moment, the swelling-emotion of Cancer urges us to shed a role or release an attachment. As Cancer rules the familial and domestic, our physical homes may benefit from a New Year refresh, but looking deeper, perhaps our inner circle and wishful plans would benefit from a similar edit. It’s time to get clear on not just what we have room for but what we truly want.

2023 is bookended by TWO Full Moons in Cancer, the first on Friday January 6th and the last on December 26th.

Friday’s Cancer Full Moon is a reminder that while sensitivity is an important part of the Crab's character, their strongest blessing is their capacity to provide core soul support. This is especially important as we enter a New Year, when we often seek to make changes in our lives, but are seduced by external airs of capitalistic posturing (“doing” and “being” the most). The Cancer Full Moon within January’s Capricorn Season helps us to take stock of the foundations we want to build for ourselves and our relationships, both in the physical and emotional realms. As an opportunity to reflect on our current support systems, and whether they are helping us to protect our peace AND create nurturing symbiosis, Water Goddess Cancer proposes care and slow-pacing, bolstered by Capricorn’s Old World knowledge of practicality and perseverance.

What are your constraints? Where are we making space for our truest values?

THE OPPORTUNITY OF MERCURY RETROGRADE

We are all aware of the infamous Astro phenomenon, regularly joking when anything goes awry, it must be Mercury Retrograde. Mercury in Roman mythology was the God of communication, travel, commerce and luck; in etymology, Mercury may relate to “the Latin word merx (‘merchandise’; cf. merchant, commerce, etc.), mercari (to trade), and merces (wages)”. Our career, community, financial and business livelihoods + technology are connected to Merc, creating a source of stress when in “retrograde”. 

The first Full Moon of 2023 is highlighted with Mercury Retrograde’s gifts: re-view, re-invent, re-fresh, re-new. Though Capricorn energy can be go-go-go, its foundational Age Old smarts, a bit Wisdominatrix and Big Daddy to boot, can put boundaries in focus. Using this Cancer Full Moon and remainder Merc Rx to slow your roll is King. 

And although we also have Mars Retrograde ending on January 12th, most of January 2023 will trudge through Mercury Rx in Capricorn, ending on January 18th (keeping in mind shadow periods 2 weeks before and after each Merc Rx period). Below are the 4 Mercury Rx of the year, all in Earth signs, except the last which will backspin into Sag and end on the 1st of 2024.

1/21 AQUA NEW MOON + AQUA SZN

Soon after Merc Rx ends, we enter Aquarius Season, kicking off with an Aqua New Moon on 1/21. Aquarius allows us the opportunity to innovate around newly baked boundaries, assisting in the logistical and technical aspects to tweak basic blueprints and modify our approach, a somewhat sobering breath of fresh air after the emo soul-searching Full Moon in Cancer. The Aquarius New Moon is in perfect calendar placement, a new cycle, ushering in creative Air advancement to further our explorations, asking us to see situations in a new light or don a different approach. Above all, there is no real rush in January despite the pressure of goals and to-do’s. Be kind to yourself and make sure rest is in your January plans!

More on Aqua in the February Muse!

We have some exciting snail mail and digi-divine gifts planned for our 2023 Patreon and all new orders will receive our AnarchAngel zine via USPS. For those trying #DryJanuary or already alcohol-free, check out Curious Elixirs and use our code “FEMME22” for $10 off orders of $50.