New beginnings are the hallmark of New Moons. The Aquarius New Moon on Feb. 8 is no exception. It’s a potent opportunity to chart your course, if you understand how to use its cosmic energies to your advantage.

The reward? The Sabian symbol for the degree of this Aquarius (19°) is “A large white dove bearing a message.” Dane Rudhyar suggested it’s a special degree that heralds “a spiritual blessing and a promise of more to come.”

The Aquarius Mandate

More than any other sign, Aquarius sparks a diversity of interpretations — and everyone is convinced their own opinion is the correct one! (What more could you expect from a fixed air sign?) But everyone agrees this year’s Aquarius New Moon inspires you to set your agenda, and stick to it.

Kathy Biehl of Empowerment Unlimited sums up the sentiment well:

“The Aquarius New Moon motivates us with the subtlety of a lightning strike. Recent weeks have radically, permanently altered our perspective on much that is fundamental to our existence, including, and most especially, ourselves. This Moon awakens us into just how much we’ve morphed. It carries incentive — in fact, a mandate — to act on that awakening, suddenly, brazenly, unapologetically. It’s shifting change into higher gear, from internal to external, from subconscious to intentional, and from “Nope!” to “Yes, please!”

(The Aquarius New Moon also coincides with Chinese New Year — 2016 is the Year of the Red Fire Monkey.)

New Moon sextile Saturn and Uranus

With this lunation, we’re called to find the middle road between disciplined effort and innovative thinking. This New Moon falls on the midpoint of a harmonious trine between measured and cautious Saturn, and paint-outside-the-lines Uranus.

“The modern planet ruler for Aquarius is Uranus, offering insight, inspiration and high energy to take things to the next level. The ancient ruler for Aquarius is Saturn, suggesting a tone of let’s get serious and get to work. There is inspiration for action with an enthusiastic vision for practical changes this month as Saturn in Sagittarius sweet talks with elevating Uranus in activating Aries. These planets in the fire signs fuel both vision and action.”

Kathryn Andren, KathrynAndren.com

“This New Moon invites us to express our eccentricity in all its glory. We may find the desire to abandon conventional wisdom in an effort to achieve greatness, and perhaps even imagine a utopian existence. The co-rulers of this New Moon – Uranus and Saturn, both in fire signs – are in a flowing trine aspect, providing an undercurrent of enthusiasm and zeal. … Progress is within our grasp, so long as we commit to the discipline required of us and adjust to any unexpected shifts along the way.”

Christina Caudill, RadiantAstrology.com

New Moon square Mars

With Mars strong in its own sign Scorpio in a hard aspect to this New Moon, everything feels energetically charged.   Says Elsa Panizzon of Elsa Elsa: “This energy is fierce in every sense of the word. … Those willing to take initiative will do well.  Detached bystanders who believe themselves above it all, risk being mowed down. To fare well, own your own drive, anger and ambition.”

Can you wield the Martial sword to your advantage? Leah Whitehorse of Lua Astrology offers this sage advice:

“Mars is not really a team player or inclined towards objectivity! [It’s] pretty much every man for himself. There’s a deep desire to be in control and a fear of relinquishing any power to the group. [It] does prompt action and can imbue us with some feisty courage in order to initiate new patterns of thinking that promote growth.

“You just need to get Mars on your side. Show yourself that you are on your side. If your current social group is not supportive, Mars might push you to seek out kindred spirits. For some, the square between Mars and the Moon may mean abrupt separations if connections have become too conflicted.”

Clarissa of Viva Combusta! adds:

“Moon square Mars tends to bring out contradictory emotions and feelings, as well as giving expression to internal anger and frustrations. … New Moons by their nature encourage new starts, so the angers and frustrations can be quite useful, productive. It is a good time to detach from heavy emotions and thoughts, leaving them in the past where they belong without too much pain or effort.”

New Moon inconjunct Jupiter

Inconjuncts (aka quincunxes) are tricky alignments since the signs involved have nothing in common — no element, no mode of expression, not even polarity. It often takes an extra effort to get the planets to play well together when there’s something that feels alienating about their conversation.

Says Aeternalight Astrology, “Retrograde Jupiter in Virgo hits the New Moon with a tense inconjunct: the yearning for innovation might bump against the re-evaluation of practical details that is happening in the Virgo area of our chart.” Before you get too excited about your next big idea, make sure you know how to put it into practice — if it’s even possible.

Other considerations

Mars sextile Mercury & Venus and Jupiter

Mars’ look-before leaping tendencies are grounded by supportive earthy sextiles to witty Mercury and sensual Venus in Capricorn, and optimistic Jupiter in Virgo. Once again, practical, pragmatic actions win the day.

Mars inconjunct Uranus

There’s another of those pesky inconjuncts to consider, one between Mars in Scorpio and Uranus in Aries. However, this is one of those inconjuncts that’s an exception to the nothing-in-common rule. Both Aries and Scorpio are traditionally the home of Mars, so action-oriented Mars gets to call the shots in this dynamic duo.

Writes Jamie Partridge, AstrologyKing.com:

“The quincunx aspect between Mars and Uranus … represents a state of flux, experimenting and experiencing new ways to find the perfect balance. Instead of putting off dealing with the crisis of the [New Moon square Mars], you must view the square as representing opportunities to resolve the conflict” between ideas and action.

More food for thought

“Moon trine Lilith stumbles dramatically through the prickly forest, a gothic Tinkerbelle wearing a ripped up floaty dress and shredded ballet pumps. …. It is sensitive and wants to be loved and accepted…. There is very little malice here, more Harry Potter than Blair Witch Project. This is a fantastically, gothic New Moon best channeled into the arts or media.”

Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology

“This New Moon aligns with Delta Delphinus, one of three stars in the Dolphin. … The stars of Delphinus give “a simple appearance, cheerfulness, dissembling and duplicity … There is a fondness for pleasure, ecclesiastical matters and travel, but danger of suffering from ingratitude,” according to the first century astrologer Manilius. 

Marina Macario, Darkstar Astrology

The New Moon is conjunct asteroids Orpheus and Kassandra. Orpheus is connected to the underworld and Kassandra was cursed never to be believed. So deep underneath this cerebral Moon is a bubbling of subconscious material that seeks recognition, that needs to be heard. Perhaps our inner warrior has his defenses up too far because he fears that deep down, others aren’t going to accept our truth. Whilst objectivity is important, avoid intellectualizing when it comes to your emotions. Acknowledge and feel what is there without beating yourself over the head about it (Mars!)”

Leah Whitehorse, Lua Astrology

The New Moon falls in the 2nd Decan of Aquarius; the 2nd Decan is governed by Mercury (in both the traditional and modern systems).  Mercury likes using logic, cunning, an perhaps a little trickery, to negotiate his way through the world. When in doubt, use your words. And your common sense.

Special Alert: For those with planets between 16 and 22 degrees of signs, this is an extra potent New Moon. Slow down and focus on the present, or spend some time outside, if you’re feeling unfocused or scattered.

Summing it up

There’s no doubt this Aquarius New Moon may herald the need to make some complex and strategic decisions. If you can move through the “Yes, but…” morass, and touch what truly inspires you, you may launch yourself in a whole new direction and activate the Aquarian promise.

Lunaria Datebook

Last Moon Phase: Full Moon in Leo, Jan. 23/24, 2016

Next Moon Phase: Full Moon in Virgo, Feb. 22, 2016

New Moon February 2016 Dates and Times

San Francisco Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at 6:40 a.m. PST

New York       Monday, Feb. 8, at 9:40 a.m. EST

Sao Paulo Monday, Feb. 8, at 12:40 p.m. BRST

London Monday, Feb. 8, at 2:40 p.m. GMT

Istanbul Monday, Feb. 8, at 4:40 p.m. EEST

Mumbai Monday, Feb. 8, at 8:10 p.m. IST

Tokyo Monday, Feb. 8, at 11:40 p.m. JST

Sydney Tuesday, Feb. 9,  at 1:40 a.m. AEST

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