This new moon occurs on December 16 at 7:02 a.m. (EST) at 25 degrees of Sagittarius. New moons signify new beginnings and the start of a new cycle. Since this new moon is in Sagittarius, the qualities of idealism, optimism, and intelligence will be highlighted. 9th house themes of education and high learning are highlighted as well. In addition, the Sun and Moon are conjunct Venus, so love and relationships will also be in focus. This is a time of optimism and dreams; the moon seeks knowledge. This thirst for knowledge is heightened by the fact that this Sagittarian New Moon sextiles the Triple Conjunction and squares Uranus.

Born on August 22 (I won't disclose the year), I was born on the cusp of the sun signs Leo and Virgo. I chose to enter this world at 7:15 am on that particularly hot day. That said, I was born almost a full four weeks premature; had I been born on my original planned date of September 22 (or even twelve hours later, for that matter), I would have been fully ensconced in the life of a Virgo. For years, I could never understand why, if not truly a Virgo, I acted so much like one? I'm a perfectionist, extremely detail-oriented, and a hypochondriac to the extreme. My hair is not a mane of flowing locks, I suffer from severe stage fright, and I prefer to go relatively unnoticed. Once I

My fiance and I are getting married on December 17. Originally planning (due to out-of-town wedding guests) to have the ceremony in July of 2010, we've instead decided that there will be no formal ceremony and that we will wed, with no guests, on our three-year anniversary. Because we made a somewhat last-minute decision based on our hearts, I decided to consult the stars. Had we had a Cancer wedding as originally planned, our marriage would have been more focused on nurturing each other and giving back to our family, and the wedding an intimate affair with heirloom pieces. That was what we had originally planned, and it seemed to fit our relationship (and our planned wedding ceremony)

This New Moon in Scorpio is one of great release. Now is the time to be open to change, whether we choose to seek emotional healing, physical healing, or mental healing. The New Moon chart also includes the Sun and Venus in Scorpio, along with the Moon. Again, now is the time to release toxic energy from within, to open deep-seated wounds and have the courage for healing. There is an inward pull in the days leading up to the darkness of the New Moon; use this time as a catharsis to help you during this particularly passionate and emotional New Moon.