The Evening Star Café: Horoscope for Capricorn New Moon, January 2024

If there's one message I think can be taken away from tomorrow's New Moon chart, it's this: take no bullshit. Now, that's good advice at any point, and nothing remarkable. At the same time, I reckon we don't often stop to consider the entire scope of what it actually means. Fine-tuning one's bullshit meter is not a five-minute job, but a lifelong quest for clarity. We are constantly subjected to evasions, deceit, obfuscations and excuses from others - and at times from within - as we navigate an existence in which we've honed denial to perfection.

I have hopes that the New Moon will bring with it some sort of nudge that will help us wake up more completely and brush the dust from our eyes. But we have to help the process along. I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions, but this year we might all benefit from growing resolute; and by settling issues equitably and with Capricornian maturity in our own lives and communities where possible, we could perhaps help redress the collective balance.

I believe this starts with seeing the situation for what it truly is, and working (at least initially) with what we already have.

With that, here are your horoscopes.

	Aries: Leading by example - that is, showing what can be done if one only tries - is often a helpful way to inspire, whereas few of us enjoy blunt instruction. You are currently well-positioned to demonstrate, and put into practice, the wisdom you've lately gained, by simply being yourself as fully as you can. Keeping your ideals front and centre, strive boldly for freedom and guard against any attempt at encroachment. Some around you may be able to offer valuable input and/or opportunities; stay alert for those, while recognising your own understanding and capabilities.
	Taurus: It seems this is a good time for getting down to brass tacks regarding your more profound ambitions: among other things, figuring out how best to make use of your time, and working out the finer details of your plans. While wielding the microscope, however, don't forget to step back occasionally for some perspective. You'll want to retain in your mind the specific purposes into which you are giving so much of your energy, even as you break down the tasks into manageable bites. This should help you steer clear of potential interference or unnecessary limitations.
	Gemini: We can learn, and gain some sort of meaning, from all our experiences: both the joyous and the more challenging. Each event forms a significant part of the tapestry of our lives; and one possible measure of that abstract quality known as success is how we interweave the fabric, what we make of its variety of light and shadow. If you're having difficulty somewhere in transmuting certain facets of your past, zoom out for a moment and consider the entire work of art in progress that is you: invaluable, beautiful and absolutely unique in this wide universe. Take heart.
	Cancer: When receiving advice from a particular individual, much may depend on our perception of the adviser, and of their possible motivations. It helps if those seeking to impart nuggets of wisdom acknowledge the equality between themselves and their audience, and the freedom of the latter to take or leave what is on offer. It is also true that we humans excel at projecting tones and feelings onto others. Should you encounter a potential teacher this week, try to distil the message from the ostensible manner of delivery, and to judge the package from its actual contents.
	Leo: In some conflicts, it's fairly easy to distinguish between innocent parties and wrongdoers. In other, more intricate cases, getting to the truth takes far greater outlays of time and effort. There may well be legitimate grievances, and hidden agendas, on several different sides. If you find yourself faced with this kind of problem, one possible path forward involves maximising empathy and reducing judgment: treating everyone with fundamental respect, and seeking a just outcome for all. It's worth being prepared to take the lead in fostering such an environment.
	Virgo: You may be on the verge of diving deeply into some creative project or hobby. As you perch on the side and set your trajectory, take a few moments to recall what exactly has piqued your interest and where you are looking to wind up. Once actually immersed and focused on the minutiae, it might not be so easy to recollect the spark that first fired your enthusiasm; yet this flame is the fuel that drives you onward. If you begin to feel you're losing steam, don't force yourself to keep going until you're burnt out. Instead, try resurfacing and pausing until the warmth returns.
	Libra: Give yourself permission to let go of everything you need to release: what no longer serves you, or interferes in some other way with your healing, growth and learning. You now have an opportunity to shake off the last remnants of something that has staggered or delayed your progress, and burst forth into a new phase of your life, one in which you get to live more fully. Social conventions have their place in holding us all together, but certain of them are far too restrictive at times. Feel free to leave those behind without regret, and embrace an increasingly authentic future.
	Scorpio: Consider this your latest reminder that it's perfectly OK to be human, to have flaws, and to express emotions; also to get stuck, make mistakes, and have to retrace steps. We're living creatures after all, made of organic tissue, flesh, skin and generally messy substances. Sometimes those pesky feelings will get out into the wild, even if we're trying our damnedest to confine them to quarters. Usually (dare I whisper it?), letting them run is in fact healthier. Living your truth means acknowledging and learning to accept the whole of you. And why not? You're fine just as you are.
	Sagittarius: Some days the sun shines and everything seems to be easier and pleasanter than usual. It can feel like living in a fairy world for that brief period until gritty reality reasserts itself. Still, we all need these patches of joy in our lives; and your present astrology evokes the image of green lights in a long, clear row. Feel free to make the most of it, and revel in what gifts come your way. So long as you keep your eye on the road and don't run so fast you trip over, all is likely to be well. No-one, including you, is invincible; but this would certainly seem to be your time to blossom.
	Capricorn: Everyone is in place. The instruments have all been tuned and triple-checked. The audience waits expectantly, silently. Frequent and sometimes intense rehearsals have led to this: the performance night itself. All that remains is for you to start waving the baton in the measured movements you know by heart, and watch as the achievement you have worked so hard for is brought beautifully to life. There might be the occasional wrong note or timing slip, but there comes a point when we just have to hope for the best and let the music play. That time, for you, is now.
	Aquarius: Your process of internal housecleaning continues apace this week. While the opportunity it presents for healing is likely to be considerable, it's not always easy to recognise this while frenetically rearranging one's metaphorical innards in the fashion of Tetris. Trusted friends and allies can come in useful here: they can offer that outside perspective, that extra dimension we might not always perceive on our own, helping us realise we have more room for manoeuvre than previously thought. That aid, and the relief accompanying it, is nearly always worth taking up.
	Pisces: Some appear to believe dualistic thinking ("if you're not X, you must be Y") is a new-fangled fallacy born of the internet. However, the compulsion to sort one's fellow humans into exclusive groups is many centuries old. In (thankfully) former times, our ancestors might have set someone on fire for perceived heresy or witchcraft, simply for differing in opinion from themselves, or looking a bit weird. Today folks usually just take liberties with their Caps Lock. In any case, absolutism and rigidity are traps we do well to avoid. Try to find the nuance below the turbulent surface.