Breakthrough: New Moon in Aquarius
A guide to nurturing your creativity during Aquarius season
Hello.
There’s something really exciting happening now that we’re entering this phase of our journey. Having scaled the mountain during Capricorn season, we now have a brand new perspective from which to view the world. We know who we are.
We’ve carried the initial spark of inspiration close to our hearts, grounded it, connected the dots, nourished our creativity, learned how to play, clarified our goals and intentions, made tough decisions, plunged into the depths, emerged back into the light, scaled our personal mountain and now...we’ve arrived.1
Our affirmation this month is, “I dance to the beat of my own drum, answering the unique rhythm of my soul.”
The breakthrough moment we’ve been waiting for.
Our Creative Contemplation practice leads us to Aquarius season (January 20th- February 18th), a time to synthesize all we’ve learned about ourselves, our unique talents and gifts, our strengths and shadows. Now, it’s time to boldly share them with the world in service to humanity.
The opposite sign of Leo, this fixed air sign relies on its intellect and imagination to inspire new ways of thinking, rooted in play and passion. It moves beyond the personal into the communal realm, leading others to join in the sacred dance of life with a light-hearted and joyful spirit.
Aquarius is the point where our authenticity becomes a beacon for others. Ecclectic, visionary, innovative, rebellious, unapologetic, this energy declares the time for moaning about what’s not working is done. It’s over. It’s so yesterday.
With Pluto (the planet of transformation, destruction, death, and rebirth) moving into Aquarius for the next 20 years (beginning January 22, 2024 until January 19, 2044, minus a few retrogrades) it’s time to focus on creating and replacing the outdated structures, institutions, and ways of being that no longer serve us. (For reference, the last time Pluto was in Aquarius was 1777 to 1798. You can read more about that below).
It’s time for us to put everything we’ve learned into action. It’s time to make the art and share it. Time to sing out loud (not just in the shower). Time to speak your poetry, wear the funky, outlandish outfit, launch the business you’ve been quietly working on behind the scenes.
This world needs your unique perspective and creative capabilities to reimagine and restore communities of love, safety and belonging. Our beautiful planet needs you to remember your relationship to the birds, the bees, the trees, and our waterways.
We need your wild and wacky breakthroughs to generate stories and examples of humanity’s next metamorphosis.
What does all of this mean for our creative practice?
Keep reading for this month’s tarot reading, collective playlist, vision board, new moon blessing, creative inspiration and prompts for further exploration.
Creative Inspiration
Genre-bending, gender-fluid, spiritual devotee, and freedom architect, Prince’s music and life defied cultural expectations and created new ones.
“Well it’s not your game, you didn’t make the rules. So everything comes hard. As long as you’re assigned to a contract, you’re going to take a minority share of the winnings. A select few of us will do well, the majority will not.
So as a people, we’ll be considered a minority. But stop, let’s take a moment. Look at yourselves. There’s nothing minor about you. You are a blessed people. You’re the most talented on earth and you are still grateful. That is why upon winning in their game, you always thank God. Tonight I would like to ask one favor of you. Imagine what we’ll all be like in our own game. Peace and love for one another.”
- Prince
Nemonte Nenquimo is an activist, mother, and leader of the Waorani tribe, fighting for the life and health of the Amazon rainforest and their homes.2
She embodies an element of service to humanity and her community by standing up to the oil industry and governmental forces destroying the rainforest.
“At the same time, Nenquimo proactively helped communities maintain their independence from oil company handouts by installing rainwater harvesting systems and solar panels and supporting a woman-led organic cacao and chocolate production business.
She played a key role in a community mapping project that charted more than 500,000 acres of Waorani territory, encompassing 16 communities.”
-The Goldman Environmental Prize
Listen to her Ted Talk or learn more about what you can do to help save the Amazon and the caretakers of the rainforest here.
Tarot Reading
This month, The 5 of Swords and The Devil came through. To clarify the message, I asked for two more cards and pulled the King of Pentacles and Knight of Pentacles in reverse. Listen to me interpret the meaning below! 🎧👇
If you’d like to dive deeper, join me for a Tea + Tarot session tomorrow (Feb. 8th) at 9 pm ET for an hour of meditation, tarot reading, and journaling. The first five folks who register will have the chance to get a specific card pulled for them on any topic! (A replay will be available).
Playlist
Start a dance party! This month's mix is inspired by an attitude of rebellion and revolution with a call to be yourself and own it. Add your favorite songs here to our collective playlist or leave a comment with your suggestion and I’ll include it!
Vision Board
Here’s a sneak peek of the Aquarius vision board. If you’d like to add pins for inspiration, use this link. Let’s see what we can create, together!
Creative prompts
Evaluate your motivation for making and sharing your art or being on the creative path. Is it in conversation with the environment around you? Can you incorporate an element of service, even if you are only in service to the Creative Muses themselves?
What textures, colors, ideas, or projects can you fuse to create something new? Think about making a mosaic or a collage. Go on a gathering mission to collect things that don’t necessarily go together. See what happens when you mix the odds and ends of your art and life.
Pick a period of rebellion or revolution from history. What can you learn? What went wrong? What worked? What were the catalysts? Do you feel an inner rebellion brewing? How can you move with that energy and use it to generate new life or create a lifestyle that’s more authentic to you?
New Moon Blessing
May you embrace the weird, wacky, and delightful aspects of your soul. May you celebrate the way you see the world before anyone else does. May the joy by which you create be a balm to this world, may the beauty you notice be of service to others. May you feel connected to your unique path, even when you have no idea where it leads. May you pause to dance in the rain, in the rays of sunshine, under the moonlight, and with those you love. Be bold. Be audacious. Be unapologetically wedded to the vision of your heart.
All my love,
Mariah
P.S. I’m working on Season Two of Creative Contemplation (starting in March!) and would love your input. What would you like to see this year? What are your favorite sections of the new moon letter? Your feedback will help me create a meaningful practice for all of us.
Take the short survey below to share your thoughts! ✨👇
This has been our journey through the Creative Contemplation practice—a way of nurturing our creativity through harmonizing our inner and outer worlds with the astrological seasons and nature. To follow our journey from the beginning and receive your free copy of the accompanying journal, visit the Creative Contemplation section of this newsletter.
I had the privilege of living near the Waoroni in 2012 during a global public health internship. I share some of those experiences and reflections in “We breathe the rainforest.”