Day 94 of 365 - Epiphany and New Moon

Today, January 6, pretty much marks the end of the holiday season from both religious and secular perspectives.  It's the feast of the Epiphany which, in Christian tradition marks the visit of the Three Kings to the Child Jesus, recognizing him as the incarnated Savior. It is also Twelfth Night of Christmas.  In pagan traditions, it was a time marking the return of the winter goddesses to bring gifts of light and fertility to the world.

Coincidentally, epiphany occurs this year at the New Moon in Capricorn and with a partial solar eclipse to add some extra cosmic power to the mix.  Capricorn is about work, responsibility, integrity and truth, purpose and intention.  The time of the New Moon is ideal for setting intentions.  Even if you were not interested in exploring resolutions for the New Year, this is a good time to think about what to focus upon as we move forward, even in a general way.

The zodiac symbol for Capricorn is the mountain goat.  This seems to be an ideal image to keep in mind as we ponder our perspectives for this month and year.  Think of that goat being partway up the mountain.  Those of us who are older are further up the mountain of life.  What do we want to be looking at?  Do we want to focus on the path behind us, all the things from our past, our habits and ways of being or, do we want to look upward toward what different experiences life may hold for us this year?

Sometimes the mountain goat can run quickly to get to another elevation.  Sometimes they need to pick their way along through the rocks.  And, at times they pause to graze and look at the horizon.  Likewise for us, life is a mix of smooth and rough patches.  But, so far, we are still here, able to look at the bigger picture of what is around us.

There is a lot of astrological activity in the sign of Capricorn now which reminds us not to repeat the mistakes of our past and rather, to focus on nurturing our dreams.  Don't keep going back down the mountain when you can be moving on up.  What would nurture you at a deeper level?

Also, the analogy of the mountain goat reminds us about the blessings in the small details of life.  It's not all about racing to the summit to achieve some big goal.  There are many gifts in the small grazing patches along the way.  The other meaning of epiphany is unexpected enlightenment, which often occurs during some mundane activity.

So, keep your eye on the big picture, but be open to the rewards of day to day life as well.  Instead of seeing daily routines and obligations as drudgery, try to carry a sense of curiosity or wonder about what surprising gift might come to you each day.  And, remember to nurture yourself too.

The words I have chosen to represent my New Moon and New Year intentions are Restored, Comfortable and Peaceful.  I will be holding these in reference to body, mind and spirit to guide me in my days this year.






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