first quarter moon in capricorn

hello again, friends. i didn’t send out many pieces earlier this month, so i hope you’ve enjoyed receiving multiple offerings this week - this will be the last one until we move into october, but i want to continue working with some of the subtler, more quiet  phases of the moon. in august we talked about the dark moon, and today we’ll be briefly exploring the first quarter moon, and its current placement in capricorn.

the first quarter moon is associated with the magician, a high energy card of potential, confidence, and optimism. this is the very first figure that the fool meets on their journey, a person of power and charisma, with endless resources at their fingertips and a dazzling vision of so many possible futures. the fool may know what made them take that first big leap forward, but the magician encourages them to let their imagination run wild, to consider all of the possibilities and opportunities that may present themselves along the way. progress has already been made, and the fool’s courage is rewarded with excitement and enthusiasm, a path stretching forward. there is still much that is unknown, but the magician understands just how much magic the fool truly possesses, even if the fool isn’t completely aware of the full scope of their power just yet.

just like the magician, the first quarter moon is a time of potential and attraction, when we begin putting our energy out into the world and seeing how those around us respond. it’s a time of collaboration and possibility, when we dream big and consider all of the different ways that the intentions that we set with the new moon may come forward or manifest. but sometimes, when we can see every possibility ahead, it can be overwhelming and end up limiting our confidence in movement. (think about the seven of cups, or the five of wands - too many options can leave us doubting ourselves, uncertain how to trust our intuition or instincts.) the magician isn’t necessarily the most organized figure, expansive and courageous as they are - yet they are beginning to consider which steps to take next, to assemble their resources and clarify their focus. in the same way, the first quarter moon is an opportunity for awareness, when we dig a little deeper into our dreams and consider all the different ways we could pursue them.

we can learn more about today’s particular moon energy when we look at capricorn’s birth card of the devil, a complex figure of temptation, vices, and indulgence. while the magician works with all of the resources available, the devil (known as the shadow in this deck) is deeply tied to physical realities, to our natural habits, patterns, and behaviors. this archetype is interested in control, power and success, yet the shadow also tends to bring up doubts and anxieties, whispering in our ears that all of those possibilities we’ve been dreaming of may be out of reach, that we don’t deserve the things that we want. the moon itself can bring up a lot of mystery and confusion, as we let our fantasies tangle with reality, as our dreams and subconscious desires begin to reveal themselves. if we know how to harness this energy, know when to take control of the narrative and when we are holding on too tightly, this can be a powerful time of decision-making and focused progress - but if we let ourselves get overwhelmed by all that we cannot control, we may find ourselves flailing or stalling out, waiting for a sign that may never come.

this first quarter moon is a time for action and intention, for purpose, for clarity. consider what you have at your fingertips and how you can utilize it to your best possible ability. how can you start moving? what kind of energy are you attracting? remember too the devil’s wisdom, to be thoughtful about where you are in control, and what may be controlling you. how do you decide which steps to take? who is really calling the shots? and how can you balance confidence with flexibility?

wishing you a beautiful first quarter moon.

images from this post feature the vindur deck. all photos created by meg jones wall.