Crescent Moon: The Peacock's Tail

peacock's tail feather

Crescent Moon in Capricorn
November 16, 2012

Tonight, we reach the Crescent Moon. In the clear night sky, just after sunset, the bright sliver appears. We know the great work is underway.

The Crescent is the half-square between the Moon and Sun that lets us know something is afoot. The changes inaugurated by the New Scorpio Moon and accompanying eclipse could hardly be missed, and this Crescent unfolds the story a bit further.

This Crescent Moon has transformation written all over it. This is a relentless Moon, determined, committed, and deeply insightful.

One glance at the chart shows the focused energy in Scorpio and Capricorn, emphasized by the Sun and Moon in each.

In Scorpio, we see the Sun tightly conjunct the North Node and Mercury retrograde. Are we moving in the direction of our deepest desires? Or are we paralyzed with fear? At this Crescent Moon, the question is posed and the answer might point to very old patterns––introjects, as psychologists say.

Where are we playing out old scripts we no longer need? This might sound like a waning Moon question ... a what-do-we-need-to-get-rid-of question. But in this time of transformation, we're continually offered opportunities to understand. We're invited to explore the buried, the old, the stuck––this is Scorpio illuminated by the Sun and Mercury, side by side by side, unflinching.

The Moon, meanwhile, is conjunct Pluto (who rules Scorpio) and Mars, in unshakeable Capricorn. Emotions and action aligned with alchemy––unstoppable. What actions need to be taken, we take, fearlessly, step by step.

Saturn in Scorpio moves in to square Pluto, the Moon and Mars, emphasizing the strong coupling of insight and action. Pluto and Saturn are in mutual reception now, each in the sign ruled by the other. This puts them on the same wavelength, supporting strong expressions of each.

Saturn continues to anchor the Grand Trine in Water, with Neptune and Chiron now both direct in Pisces, and Ceres still retrograde in Cancer. Intuition remains strong, and Saturn helps ground and manifest what we feel.

Do we need another marker of change? Ceres opposes the Capricorn group, and with a square from Uranus, retrograde in Aries, a T-square is formed. Transformation goes deep here, each step feeling hard won, and each achievement celebrated.

In alchemy, the darkness of the nigredo, the Dark Moon/ New Moon phase, is sometimes followed by the Peacock's Tail. In this stage, the blackness becomes light, split into all the glorious colors of the rainbow. At this time, we catch a glimpse of the possibilities inherent in transformation. The danger is, we can be seduced by beauty, remaining stuck in contemplation of what might be.

This Crescent Moon guides us through this mysterious stage, the Scorpio group showing us wonder and the Capricorn group keeping our feet on the path. What is the next step? Take it. And the next? take that.

The image of the peacock's tail combines glorious color with many eyes, a symbol of awareness in the midst of wonders. We want to see where we're going, while avoiding siren calls that will bring our ship onto the rocks ... the Capricorn Moon, with Pluto and Mars, keep our purpose firm and commitment strong.

Here's the next step. We'll take it together.