Aim, Anchor, and Align
The Charts of the Sagittarius New Moon and Winter Solstice
December 19th brings us the New Moon in Sagittarius. As the Latin root of the word—sagitta, meaning ‘arrow’—suggests, this is a time for finding our target. With a tight grouping of five planets in late Sagittarius, we are given a powerful, focused challenge: to stretch our adaptability and refine our aim before the arrow flies.
Sagitta links to anatomy where it signifies the sagittal plane of movement, and also to botany where it signifies sagittate leaves, or arrow-shaped leaves. Sagittate leaves demonstrate adaptability, adapting their shape to better suit the water levels in their environment.
It follows, then, that our challenge during this new month ahead is to stretch our adaptability and correct our aim. Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars are closely grouped at 28° Sagittarius. Even though Mars is no longer in Sagittarius, it is just a few degrees away in early Capricorn, still quite close.
When shooting an arrow, an archer steps, aims, anchors, and aligns, releasing the arrow with unwavering focus, hitting a perfectly marked target with direction and precision. Powerful, yet graceful. Anchoring comes through archer’s posture or stance.
So this month, look for those activities, people, and situations that you rely on to provide extra stability.
In anatomy, the sagittal plane of the body is that plane that divides the left half from the right and allows for front to back movements along that plane. The body parts associated with Sagittarius are the large muscle groups of the thigh, which support the largest and strongest bone of the body, the femur. Sagittal movements are the very movements that define us as humans such as walking, running, bending, carrying heavy loads, and going up stairs. They are complex movements incorporating the whole body. The human body itself is even shaped like an arrow when you think about it, with the tapered torso, forward facing orientation, and projectile-like limbs.
It could very well be that there are too few sources available to provide that stability, and consequently, one may have to rely on one’s own centering and anchoring. In any case, panic is only helpful for quick adrenaline and strength for fight or flight. After that, exhaustion sets in and panic is not so helpful in making the best decisions.
Accepting the current situation, rather than pretending or wishing for some idealized past or overly optimistic future can help us. Eventually, we require the systems-thinking, logic and efficiency of Capricorn to plan and build something more sustaining in the longer term.
The NEW MOON on December 19th at 28° Sagittarius is inconjunct URANUS and JUPITER, showing us the areas of disconnect, and this New Moon squares Neptune, showing the misalignment with the ideal, while Venus squares Saturn, Jupiter squares Chiron, Mercury squares the South Node, and Mars squares Ceres. (view chart) This shows the layers of complexity to untangle. It may not be a particularly comfortable time ahead, but this time could be potent if we are willing to recalibrate our aim.
In my classroom, I always say that no learning is lost, unless we refuse to learn. What we aim for is determined by what we are able to see, or what choose to see. We can adjust the realms of daily, practical life to better ALIGN with reality.
In using this archery metaphor of AIM, ANCHOR, and ALIGN we see the representative stages of the zodiacal cycle itself, which is the very process by which the universe makes matter manifest from the spiritual. “ANCHOR” represents the FIXED modality. We need stability to create and sustain life. ALIGN represents the MUTABLE, and allows for life to change and adapt, and AIM represents the CARDINAL, that action or decision that guides the process of life forward with each new attempt, like the new seed bursting out of the seed coat.
We are in constant movement as we aim-anchor-align. This is seen in the phases of the whole process of birth, growth, maturity and the creation of new life through reproduction, followed by decay and death that folds back vital nutrients into the earth to create and sustain more new life.
As we leave Neptune in Pisces in early 2026, we will be forced to abandon prior illusions if we haven’t already, and take a more realistic inventory of our current situation. This could be a form of initiative, honesty, or preparedness for new things to come. Preparedness is a key word I would like to emphasize for 2026, as astrologers expect events to bring great change next year. Preparedness = adaptability.
Winter Solstice 2025
A few days following the New Moon, we officially begin the WINTER SEASON with the Winter Solstice on December 21. This is the shortest day and longest night of the year when the Sun seems to stop its movement in the sky. In the northern hemisphere, the Sun sits at its southernmost place on the local horizon. It stops moving south and then starts moving north along the horizon. The following days then slowly get longer as we move from Solstice to Equinox, when day and night are equal.
The solstice itself is a metaphor for the need to STOP and take a breath in the present moment. We have gone as far as we can go. We are out of air. The solstices are the EARTH’s seasonal exhalation point, and as EARTHLINGS, we can stop too, take a new breath, and tune in, if we choose. Throughout human history in the northern hemisphere, this is the time of year when it would naturally follow that people had more time to spend indoors, meaning more time to reflect as well.
By balancing the needs and demands of the situations we face, and asking questions that lead us to truth, we can reach through the challenges of the coming season and come out on the other side. The space from Leo to Sagittarius of the solstice chart below are vacant, and require some integration. The Saturn/Neptune conjunction that sits at 29° Pisces and will be moving towards 0° Aries in early 2026. The opposite point to this is 29° Virgo/0° Libra. 0° Aries/Libra are the cardinal points (along with the Solstice at 0° Capricorn/0° Cancer).
At what point do we find the younger, more vital energies, the seedling, coming in and taking over? As things evolve, we can take the best qualities of what is passing away with us into the future, and yet strive for a new, revised and better version.
Other aspects in the Solstice chart include Jupiter square to Chiron as Uranus is inconjunct to the inner planets grouped with the Sun. Moon and Mars in Capricorn can help us take a more logical inventory, putting emotion aside, or being more practical, honest, or direct. This can better help us prepare for 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse.
Practical Ways to Aim, Anchor & Align
AIM
Inventory: Take a few moments to honestly re-evaluate a long-term goal. Does it align with your current reality, or are you chasing an “idealized past or overly optimistic future”? Make one small, realistic adjustment to your plan.
“Draw the Arrow”: Before December 19th, choose one thing you know you need to initiate (a conversation, a new habit, a budget review) and commit to starting one small step of it during the New Moon phase (CHRISTMAS WEEK).
ANCHOR
Body Centering: Engage in a simple, grounding movement each morning—perhaps 10 minutes of gentle yoga, a brisk walk, or a short meditation focused on your core. This taps into the “sagittal movements” and helps with self-centering.
Stability Audit: Identify the one or two people or activities that consistently bring you peace and stability. Schedule specific time with that person or for that activity this week to reinforce your “systems.”
ALIGN
Reality Inventory: Write down three things you are currently accepting about your life situation right now, rather than wishing were different. This helps you “ALIGN with reality” and bypass unproductive panic.
SOLSTICE STOP: On the Winter Solstice (December 21st), make a deliberate “stop.” Set aside 30 minutes to do nothing, preferably out in the SUNLIGHT, but sit, breathe, and reflect on the year past. Use this stillness to prepare for the “new breath” ahead. 2026 will be a dynamic year with much change, we need this moment of stillness to recharge.
Wishing everyone a wonderful winter season, and as we head into the new year I wish you the clarity, stability, and strength to take the truest aim.
~Laura Lee Gabelsberg