January 2024: Tarot spread for the new moon in Capricorn

Plus a mini ritual, an astro-tarot forecast and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the new moon in Capricorn.

The January 2024 new moon falls in the sign of Capricorn. Symbolized by the mountain goat, which maintains perfect balance while it climbs over precarious rock ledges, the Capricorn archetype is one of disciplined and dogged determination towards the attainment of our worldly desires.

Spiritually, the Capricorn archetype teaches us about integrity and helps us to harness the ability to plan our work, and stick to it, no matter what. In these times of 24×7 consumption culture, it’s easy to be addicted with shiny object syndrome and forget about our goals and plans. Capricorn teaches us about the meaning of integrity: to align ourselves with our highest ideals and actualize our potential.

This first new moon of 2024 also highlights our sense of purpose and belonging, especially potent in a world that seems to be on fire — we have what is likely to be a very polarizing election campaign here in India and, from what I understand, in the US too; the genocide in Gaza continues under the benevolent patronage of the US even as the rest of the world watches on in horror; there are civil wars in Sudan and Congo; the Russia-Ukraine war shows no signs of flagging; the climate crisis remains an omnipresent threat; and who knows what fresh horrors 2024 will bring.

The thing that creates cognitive dissonance for many of us, though, is that even as these horrors rage on, life continues as normal for the majority of us. We may be aware of and heartbroken by what’s happening in the wider world, perhaps even in our own country, but our own little worlds remain loving and safe.

In times like these, it’s even more important to create our communities of belonging, to cast a wide net of support, be that by donating, calling our reps, raising awareness, or building our own awareness and expanding our capacity for compassion and love.

At the same time, we have to keep on living and loving and tending and nurturing. We have to look for moments of beauty and joy and tenderness and kindness. How are we going to hold space for both these realities? That’s something to consider during this Capricorn new moon.

Astro-tarot influences for the January 2024 new moon

To throw some more light on the January new moon astrology, let’s take a look at the astro-tarot influences of this lunation. The Capricorn new moon falls in decan 3, which is represented by the 4 of Pentacles. This is to be interpreted in conjunction with The Devil, which is associated with Capricorn.

I recently started watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix {very late in the game, I know!} and the thing that struck me with almost every episode is just how much stuff everyone has! Piles of clothes that have never been worn, garages filled with Christmas decorations, rooms stuffed with sneakers — no wonder so many people are cancelling consumer culture.

This is by no means a value judgment. After all, I have my own piles of clutter and things that I love to collect. But watching the show made me realize just how much weight we give to our possessions, and how often those possessions end up weighing us down mentally, emotionally, and also financially.

Hand on heart, I’m guilty of maxing out my credit card on stationery, art supplies, books, and oracle and tarot decks. But do we — I — really need all that stuff?

Yes, there’s an argument to be made for how happy some purchases make us. But I can attest that some of those happy purchases just end up languishing in my drawers and closets, used once or maybe even never.

It is this tendency that this new moon invites us to consider and perhaps even address.

This would be a good time to undertake a decluttering process; and examine your relationship with money, resources, and the things that you surround yourself with.

Uranus and Neptune are active during this Capricorn new moon, giving us the nudge we need to actually implement changes and bringing a flow of innovative ideas and perhaps even sudden clarity around matters of note. You may also feel some restlessness and anxiety, so try to look for the root cause and take some actionable steps to solve the problem.

Sabian Symbol for the January 2024 new moon

The Sabian Symbol for Capricorn 20 degrees is A Relay Race.

This symbol speaks of team work and of cooperation, of knowing when to run and when to stop, when to pick up the baton and when to pass it on, and how to pace yourself so you can stay in the game.

This symbol asks us to consider what work is ours and what isn’t, and determine when we perhaps need to stop and hand over a task or even ask for help. Tempting as it may be to go it alone, “there’s a form of selfishness where everything is put at risk because of the inability to share or act cooperatively,” writes Linda Hill in 360 Degrees of Wisdom: The Sabian Oracle.

She goes on to remind us: “You may sense that the end is in sight and the victory achievable, but you’ll probably realize that you are only one member of a team, with your own special task to perform.”

Tarot spread for the January 2024 new moon in Capricorn

Here’s a tarot spread to tap into the energy of this new moon.

1. How is my energy stuck: Use this for clues around how your energy or thought patterns may be creating stagnation around your material possessions.

2. How can I release this energy: Use this for clues on how you can release some of that stuck energy. It could be related to emotions/mindset or an old wound. It could also be practical advice. Look to the suits for clues.

3. What fresh energy can I invite in: A new way of being in relationship with and thinking about things.

4. Mama moon says: This is always a supportive message.

If you share your spreads on Instagram, please use the hashtag #moontarotstories or tag me @moderngypsy.in so we can connect with each other.

Mini ritual for the January 2024 new moon in Capricorn

Instead of journaling questions, I have a mini ritual for you, inspired by Marie Kondo.

One of the things I love about Tidying Up with Marie Kondo is watching Marie introduce herself to the house that she is tidying up, a ritual that is based on the etiquette of entering Shinto shrines. I think it’s a lovely little practice that we can adopt to thank our homes for protecting and nurturing us.

This month’s ritual is woven around decluttering.

Choose a space to declutter — a drawer, a room, or maybe your digital devices.

Put on some soothing music. Decide how long you will spend on decluttering, and put on a timer. The one on your phone is perfect.

Take a few deep breaths to calm any anxiety or nervous energy around decluttering.

Take a few moments to thank your space for all that it does for you.

Tidy up!

Once your timer goes off, you can stop or continue if you’re still in the decluttering zone.

Once you’re done, bless the space. You can light some incense or ring a bell or even clap if you feel like. Simply saying, “May this space be blessed” is enough — you can come up with your own words, of course!

Take a moment to check in with yourself:

• Did turning the exercise into a timed ritual with some music and gratefulness made the process feel any less anxiety-driven?
• Did you find it easier to let go of things?
• How did the gratitude and the blessing make you/your space feel?
• How does decluttering and tidying up impact the energy of your home and, in turn, your energy.