The First New Moon of 2021 Is a Powerful Time to Initiate Transformation

The first new moon of 2021 will inspire you to put in the work to rewrite your story.

Although everyone is hoping 2021 will feel like a new chapter right off the bat, it's no surprise that plenty of lessons are carrying over from 2020. If Capricorn season aims to teach anything, it's that lasting change takes work — and time. But there will be an exciting opportunity to get clear on the specific work needed to move the ball forward and the best ways to harness your personal power around Wednesday, January 13 at 12:01 a.m. ET/Tuesday, January 12 at 9:01 p.m. PT when the new moon falls in industrious cardinal earth sign Capricorn. Here's what the first new moon of 2021 means and how you can make the most of this seriously potent astrological event.

What New Moons Mean
A quick tutorial on new moons: New moons, essentially the opposite of full moons, occur when the moon is not illuminated by the sun from our viewpoint on Earth and therefore appears totally dark. They're a time to get clear on your intentions, goals, long-term plans, and then take part in some kind of ritual to commit to your vision — even if it's something simple, such as telling a loved one your game plan, writing it down, lighting a candle, or doing a visualization practice. In short, it's a monthly — rarely, twice-monthly — astrological occurrence that urges you to use the Law of Attraction to manifest your vision.

Because the sky is dark, blank, and brimming with possibility, this "starting line" moment of a new lunar cycle calls on you to reflect, plant seeds you want to see flourish, and, if you feel so driven, take the first step to make it real.

While full moons mark culmination points in astrology, new moons represent new beginnings. Pro-tip: Keep a journal and record the intention you set and the actions you take around a new moon, and then check in approximately six months down the road around the corresponding full moon to see how far you've come and what appears to be culminating as a result of your hard work. For instance, this January 13 new moon is linked to the June 24 full moon — both in Capricorn. (You can also do this retroactively: Think about how 2020's moons in June and December on the Gemini-Sagittarius axis affected your life.)

Themes of the January 2021 Capricorn New Moon
Earth sign Capricorn, symbolized by the Goat, is ruled by the boundary-setting, restriction-ruling, taskmaster planet Saturn and rules the tenth house of career and public image. They're generally pragmatic, slow and steady, hard-working (TBH, often exhibiting a tendency toward workaholism), traditional (even slightly conservative at times), and wired to claim power, status, and recognition in life. Capricorns are known for putting their noses to the grindstone day in and day out, persistently climbing up the mountain to achieve their goals. That said, this new moon could have you razor-focused on the discipline, boundaries, and work you know you need to do in order to reach your own personal pinnacles now.

The moon also forms a conjunction with Pluto, the planet of the subconscious, transformation, the underworld, and power, which could turn your attention to the underlying, manipulative forces or power struggles holding you back from achieving your aspirations. In some cases, this could be your own psychological barriers — fears, wounds, or insecurities — and in others, it could be a relationship where the balance of control is off or a person who has been actively working against you. Bear in mind: Pluto can promote paranoia, so you might be more inclined to worry that someone is trying to take you down without having concrete proof. But this is also a powerful time to get in touch with your intuition to pinpoint the truth, as well as identify and overcome any obsessions or infatuations that are no longer serving you.

Because Pluto also rules rebirth and renewal, this new moon is the perfect opportunity to choose how you plan to embody the phoenix moving forward and rise from the ashes of a particularly grueling lesson, breakdown, or ending you've suffered recently.

And although the new moon is generally a time to be open to the darkness and unknown, Pluto oversees secrets and skeletons in the closet, so if you're hoping to get to the bottom of a question or mystery that's been haunting you, you might be able to initiate an eye-opening investigation now.

It also bears noting that the same day as the new moon, romantic Venus in Capricorn forms a positive trine to game-changer Uranus in Taurus, fueling change and embracing individuality in relationships. And aggressive Mars — which moved into stubborn Taurus last week — squares off against taskmaster Saturn in similarly hardheaded Aquarius, which could heighten tension and frustration, especially when you're pushing too hard to fulfill your desires. For that reason, it'll be even more crucial to be honest with yourself about what you truly want and what you believe is meant to be yours before focusing your energies in that direction.

Who the Capricorn New Moon Will Affect the Most
If you were born under the sign of the Goat — approximately December 22 to January 19 — or with your personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars) in Capricorn (something you can learn from your natal chart), you'll feel this new moon more than most. More specifically, if you have a personal planet that falls within five degrees of the full moon (23 degrees Capricorn), you'll be especially reflective and empowered to take advantage of the intense energy.

Similarly, if you were born in a fellow cardinal sign — Aries (cardinal fire), Cancer (cardinal water), Libra (cardinal air) — you could feel the weight of this new moon, nudging you to swim in the deep end of your emotions in order to make the most of this potentially empowering blank canvas offered up by the sky.

The Emboldening Takeaway
New moons generally encourage self-reflection, a willingness to be intentional, and, to some extent, optimism about what lies ahead and the ability to manifest whatever it is you set your mind and heart on. But this particular new moon, being in pragmatic Capricorn and linking up so closely with intense Pluto, is requiring that you do some deep psychological, emotional, and literal work to steer toward your intended destination. It'll necessitate that you face the heavier side of the darkness (your demons, obsessions, control issues) in order to fully embrace the opportunities it could deliver. And thanks to the influence of Capricorn's ruler, Saturn, it'll encourage you to see how, no matter how counterintuitive it might sound, boundaries and structure — hello, budget apps, workout routines, and saying "no" to anything that is no longer serving you — can actually set the stage for personal growth and success.

Maressa Brown is a writer and astrologer with more than 15 years of experience. In addition to being Shape's resident astrologer, she contributes to InStyle, Parents, Astrology.com, and more. Follow her Instagram and Twitter at @MaressaSylvie.

March 2021's New Moon In Pisces Is a Chance to Write a Dreamy Love Story
On the brink of spring, a romantic new moon in Pisces offers an opportunity to let your imagination take the reins.

As daylight savings time and the first day of spring swiftly approaches, you could find yourself daydreaming about sweeter, warmer, even fun-filled days ahead. And that would fit perfectly well with the planetary vibes this week, which are designed for getting caught up in romance, creativity, and all things pleasure-filled.

On Saturday, March 13 at 5:21 a.m. ET/2:21 a.m. PT exactly, a new moon will fall in mutable water sign Pisces. Here's what it means and how you can make the most of this dreamy, sexy, imagination-bolstering astrological event.

What New Moons Mean
First, a 101 on new moons: The opposite of full moons, new moons occur when the moon is not illuminated by the sun from our perspective on Earth. For that reason, we see a blank-slate dark sky. Fittingly, new moons offer up a shot at getting clear on long-term intentions, goals, and big-picture projects. In order to "seal the deal," you might want to try your hand at a ritual like discussing your wishes with a therapist or loved one, journaling, lighting a candle, or doing a visualization practice.

Basically, it's your monthly — and very rarely, twice-monthly — astrological opportunity to manifest your vision.

New moons also mark the start of a new lunar cycle, so they denote the first chapter of a short, six-month narrative in your life. Pro-tip: Write down what you're meditating on around the new moon, and then refer back to your notes six months down the road when the corresponding full moon is occurring. You'll get a read on how far you've come and perhaps even enjoy a culmination point. FYI, this March 13 new moon is linked to the September 20 full moon — both in Pisces. (You can also do this retroactively: Think about how 2020's moons in June and December on the Gemini-Sagittarius axis affected your life.)

Themes of the March 2021 Pisces New Moon
Water sign Pisces, symbolized by the Fish, is ruled by the mystical planet of illusion Neptune and rules the twelfth house of spirituality, karma, dreams, and private matters. They're super compassionate, empathic, emotional, artistic, and often psychic. Pisceans might very well be the most creative, romantic dreamers you've ever met. But they also tend to swim in the depths of not only their own feelings but others', as they take on the energy of those around them. For that reason, protecting their own hearts and minds is key to avoiding being swept too far out to sea. (Related: Guide to the 12 Zodiac Signs and Their Meanings)

That said, this new moon is fertile ground for zeroing in on the practices and routines that fill your soul and nurture your spirit.

Here's the thing: Although we've waded into the deep end of Pisces season, the sky is still dominated by fixed (aka stubborn) sign vibes. Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn are in fixed air sign Aquarius while Uranus is in fixed earth sign Taurus — all of which can lend itself to digging our heels in and black-and-white thinking. But this Pisces new moon offers a much-needed dose of mutability (aka flexibility) that will allow you to shamelessly don those Neptunian rose-colored glasses in order to imagine what could be, to play, to dream, and to create without getting locked in or hung up on an exact game plan.

One of the big must-knows about this new moon: It's happening at the same time Venus — the ruler of love, beauty, and money — snuggles up with spiritual Neptune, which clouds rational thought but can also fuel your creativity. Both planets are now in Pisces, so their conjunction is colored by the water sign's adoration of all things romantic and imaginative. This illusion-loving, heartfelt pairing could set the stage for inspiration and idealization in your coziest relationships — for better or worse. By "worse," I mean that if you've been misreading a partner's actions or putting someone on a pedestal who hasn't genuinely earned their right to hang there, this aspect might add even more haze to your perception. But because it's a new moon, it could be a chance to reflect and rewrite the story you've been telling yourself. (Related: How to Decode Zodiac Sign Compatibility)

Plus, because the new moon will be conjunct (within 10 degrees of) sweet Venus, prioritizing the pursuits you find the most pleasurable, aesthetically-appealing, and creatively fulfilling will be top of mind. You could very well feel compelled to pour your emotions and energy into expressing what's in your heart — either directly to someone you're head over heels for or through your favorite artistic outlet.

Ultimately, this new moon is an opportunity to tune into your heart and intuition &m