First Quarter and Gibbous Moon

January 14 Monday
On this last day of her crescent phase the Aries Moon points out to us how we might tackle some of our defense mechanisms or lack of them for that matter. How have we held various parts of our lives securely together. Are there areas in which we go overboard on protective measures? Are there areas that we neglect? Look for sudden flashes of inspiration on how to address some armoring issue. Is more needed or does some require removal? The warrior that Aries represents doesn’t always need battle gear. A decision to commit to a course of action is best supported at the end of the crescent phase.

January 15 Tuesday
During the morning hours with this Aries Moon look at all the things you have fought or struggled for in your life. Which of them involve behaviors you have abandoned? And are there activities you would like to stop doing now, some that seem uncontrollable? With the first quarter phase that begins at 12:45 pm, MST, call to arms your Aries pioneering spirit to go off in a new direction that delights in powerful personal expressions of emotions that carry a freshness, distinct from the repetitive nature of your habitual ones. Change lies in uncommon actions. This evening from 8:39 pm until 9:13 pm, MST, we have a void Moon, exiting Aries.

January 16 Wednesday
With today’s Taurus Moon we may need to draw from inner resources to detach from collective conditioning for the freedom and discipline to cut new ground. Conjuring up imaginary scenarios of how old ways disintegrate and new ones emerge may help. We may be caught between memories of what has been and visions of what is desired. Bridging the two may require a buffering from old ways, a devaluing of them or at least considering them unimportant for now. If you encounter a mountain lion while hiking in the wilderness, it doesn’t matter how much money you have in your pocket.

January 17 Thursday
The first quarter Taurus Moon calls for external motion. It can be a simple, steady progression. Yet this morning our imaginations may have us leaping back and forth, deeply into our past as well as far into the future. This can provide one of those midstream awarenesses that awakens us to potentials and rejuvenates us to continue the journey. Of course, remembering can entice us to indulge in the comforts of past habits, and yet it is important to think about the possibilities available without such attachments. There is a sweetness in the quest of developing who we are that can energize us to keep moving.

January 18 Friday
The Moon moved into Gemini last night, bringing an air of appreciation for the various images of strength and power available in our daily lives, images like the telephone and the car. Let’s not forget how the infrastructure that our government provides supports their use. The personal adjustments we may be making are often interwoven into the larger web of civilization. We may find it difficult to sidestep our involvement in public matters unless we stick with like-minded people. Listen to MoonWise tomorrow on the worldwide web at ksfr.org from 1:00 to 1:30 pm, MST, for the weekend Moon Minute.

January 19 Saturday
The Gemini Moon entered her gibbous phase last night, calling for an immediate connection with whatever will take us beyond antiquated standards no longer rooted in the reality of our lives. Relationships that obsessively go back and forth over the same terrain and consume a lot of time yet don’t support, let alone celebrate, the ever-changing you, may need to be curtailed. The Moon voids herself of Gemini after midnight and moves into Cancer. One of this sign’s themes is the need to belong. On Sunday notice if you feel inclined to keep up certain appearances solely based on feeling that others will be open to you.