Capricorn New Moon
Working with Bloodstone/Heliotrope
It may seem antithetical to discuss Midsummer when we're amidst deep winter. But Mother Earth is already turning toward preparations for the new season of growth.
As January rolls in and we begin another calendar year, it is worth considering where our energy will be centered in six months at the height of summer.
We cannot harvest anything that has not been sown, and so now, in the depths of darkness, the cold earth is waiting to bear the stirrings of new life within. What are our plans for new growth in the spring? We have to make those preparations now.
The New Moon is upon us here in the UK at 10.27 pm on the 30th of December (your time), so close to the dawn of the New Calendar Year of 2025.
About Bloodstone
Our crystal helper is Bloodstone, which has the elements of the earth sign of Capricorn in its green chalcedony and red flecks of Jasper and Hematite, which gives the stone its common name.
The crystals’ other name, also designated to flowers that turn toward the sun (helios = Sun and Topos = turn toward), is Heliotrope. This gives us an idea of the benefits of working with this gemstone during this dark half of the year in the northern hemisphere.
As the exalted ruler of Capricorn, Mars grants the energy required to burst through cold, damp, or frozen soil with the force and determination to survive. Young life must be strong and vital, and blood or fluids flow to keep the organism regenerating and replicating cells at a ferocious rate. This burst of growth keeps the youth strong, with the ability to fight off illness and repair any damage or wounds. A healthy reminder that Mars is the surgeon's scalpel as much as the warrior's sword!
Bloodstone is a crystal that can stem a hemorrhage and help circulation move through the organism. It is a stone to keep on hand for anyone looking for an ally as a blood tonic and liver support.
If we consider turning toward the Sun, the first step in making great strides forward to the light part of the year with vigour and energy is to set solid foundations, which Saturn, as the New Moon host, can assist with. Climbing mountains of physical or emotional variety takes willpower, strength, grit, and determination, all of which we can associate with Capricorn energy at its best.
Seed Planting Ritual with Bloodstone
Preparing a harvest in advance is the only way to grow produce successfully. The darkness of the days reflects the darkness of the earth we prepare to nurture the seed into youth. This is why, at this time of year, we have witnessed the Goddess in her Crone phase, birthing the Sun and then returning to the ground to reemerge as the Maiden at Imbolc.
A seed is a perfectly formed envelope containing the DNA structure from both parents encased within the protective shell—a perfect Saturnian symbol. It then takes a while for the fertile seed or egg to undergo the chemical reactions that create the youth or plant within. Once that reaction begins, little will stop the emerging new life, and it is our care and attention as parents or caregivers that determine the quality of the harvest we reap.
If we consider our plans, as with plants, they are something that we lovingly conceive and nurture through the development stages. We can honour our child within by loving our ideas and plans with a firm but gentle hand.
For this planting meditation, you will need:
A Bloodstone crystal
Seed compost
Seeds of your choice
Perlite/vermiculite
Rice paper/handmade paper/organic paper
A red pen or pencil
A glass bowl
Pure water
Moon planting is done by using the Moon's sidereal phase; if this is new to you, look at online apps to show you the Moon’s sidereal phase, which will differ from the information you find on the tropical phase of the moon. Astroseek is a valuable tool for determining the appropriate times to plant your seeds and use this ritual. For example, I will be using the phase of the sidereal moon in the sign of Aries to plant my chili seeds, as this is my 5th house that supports my ascendant and will hopefully give us some hot bracing chilis to harvest in the summer months.
Consider which plant you would like to harvest in the summer months and your intentions for the year ahead. Are you looking to grow a business, create a new garden, find a hobby, or even start a family? Maybe you are at a transition point, such as starting a new job, moving into a new home, becoming a grandparent, or retiring. All these life stages are new beginnings and can be embraced with newness and wonder. At all times in life, when we transition from one stage to another, it takes determination, effort, and energy to push forward, whether those changes are of our making or from outside circumstances.
When choosing a fruit or vegetable that represents the phase you are in and looking to cultivate, consider the symbolism you can add to your planting and writing to give your seed the best start in life. This will, in turn, bring the greatest reward at harvest time.
Suppose you are looking for a year of action, physical activity, or anything where you will be looking for the confidence to push forward. In that case, it may be a red chili plant, tomato, or sweet pepper, representing this work well. If you are working at something quiet, reflective, or your transition is to downsize, move on from a challenging time, or maybe you are setting foundations for the future on a more solid stable base for long-term work and effort, perhaps a potato or parsnip or another root vegetable is better suited the symbolism for this ritual.
Celery or leeks might offer the link between the underworld and the upper world, bridging the solid foundation and what will be seen as an outward manifestation.
At the tropical New Moon stage, give yourself time to consider what you are looking to seed. Then, after checking the sidereal almanac, decide the best time to plant your seed, any time up to the Full Moon.
Use the tropical New Moon in Capricorn period to find a quiet time to sit and reflect. As always, make your space clean, clear, and tidy, creating a feeling of sacred calm. Sit and write down your intentions for action this year in red ink or pencil on a piece of rice paper or organic paper, and keep that safe. If you are a visual artist or poet, these forms may suit your needs rather than just text.
If you would rather craft an image in clay or take pictures of a plant, write music, or create a dance, all these things work as symbolism for you; go with what feels right and works in your world.
Once you reach the sidereal point of the Moon cycle that suits the seed of your choice, take your intentions, which you have marked down on paper, and lay them at the bottom of your seed tray or plant pot.
Take your Bloodstone crystal and use a premade elixir as described in this article. Alternatively, for a quicker option, place the Bloodstone in a jug or glass of water for a couple of hours, preferably in Sunlight during the Moon's phase you will be working with. Keep the water to one side for use when planting your seeds.
Add the compost and then plant the seed as per the instructions on the packet. Once your seed tray or pot is prepared, the best way to water is from the base. If you have a container where you can place the Bloodstone-infused water, fit the seed tray or pot inside it so that the water soaks upwards through the holes at the base of the container. Leave until the top of the soil is damp, then remove the tray and cover the top with a thin layer of perlite or vermiculite.
Follow the care instructions on your seed packet over the next few weeks, keeping an eye on the point when the first shoots emerge. It may be interesting to examine the astrology of that point and see if it connects to the astrology of the planting.
Once your seed is strong enough to be transplanted, re-pot it using the Sidereal online almanac again. When watering, always try to water from the base and use the Bloodstone elixir or create fresh Bloodstone water to hydrate your plant. Beware of overwatering, and always follow the instructions on your packet.
As your plant grows into a vigorous, healthy specimen, imagine that it symbolizes the growth of your plans. If you journal daily, note the changes in the plant and see if they relate to the changes and growth in your life in the six months before the summer solstice.
And if, after all your loving care and attention, your plant does not entirely end up as you intended, then maybe that plan was not right at this time, or other things took precedence. It happens, and that too is part of our life lessons, so should this be you, don’t worry; there are always opportunities at every New moon to plant a new seed!
If plants are not for you, try creating something in your medium and keep a record of it so you can come back to it at Midsummer to see how the first half of 2025 has witnessed your growth. If you would prefer something more inwardly centred, have a look at last year's Capricorn New Moon article here.
Saffron Dennis is an astrologer, crystal therapist, horticulturalist and tarot reader based in the East Anglia region of the UK. You can book her for a reading or as a speaker at your local or online event at divinebaytree.com
I'm curious to know: if you were to add an essential oil to a bloodstone essence for the purposes you describe here, what would you choose? Or would you advise against adding essential oil to an essence? (I'm thinking about using some of it for a room or fabric or body spray.)