The astrology this week appears to speak of building something new, thanks in part to a New Moon in Capricorn. Yet as the week progresses, it looks like you’ll be doing this building with a shifting frame of reference, thanks to several objects changing sign.

One way to think of it is like making a sculpture: each time you walk to a different side of it, your perception of the thing you’re making changes slightly. As a result, you can see new options that might alter what you do next. Another example might be when you rearrange the furniture in your home: when you move an easy chair to a new spot, the vacated area is suddenly open to other possibilities.

Ice sculpture in Bradford, U.K., December 2012. Photo by Rob Glover.

The chair, in its new location, may seem to invite a new piece of artwork to hang above it.

When you sit in the chair in the new spot, you have a new perspective of the entire room; that shifted perspective may help you see something else with fresh eyes: a way to make an underutilized corner more useful, for example; or you might realize you no longer need that end table that just collects clutter.

If you’ve been using the ‘productive’ astrology of the last week or so to move projects toward completion, there’s a good chance this week’s shifts will come naturally to you as you look forward to the next thing. And if you feel like you have not been able to take advantage of the traction that’s been available, perhaps think of this week’s astrology as another chance to do so.

The Sun and Moon make their conjunction in Capricorn (the New Moon) on Jan 16 at 9:17 pm EST (2:17 UTC on Jan. 17). This happens late in Capricorn, with the Sun and Moon still making contact with several of the planetary players that have featured strongly recently.

Also, Jupiter in Scorpio is fully sextile Pluto in Capricorn right now. Jupiter-Pluto continues to energize an ability to make creative changes, especially in your immediate environment. It also looks like the engine behind the Sun’s still-functional sextiles with Mars in Scorpio on one side and Chiron in Pisces on the other. All together, this equals continued traction — not only with physical efforts you’re engaged in, but also in a layer of healing that may be related, and needed.

It’s easy to think that certain situations will never change; or that one cannot become more self-aware; or that one has no power to accomplish something ‘real’ in this world. After all, as the saying goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Yet while that cynical saying can appear true on one level — especially when looking at something like politics or big business — it need not be true for individuals.

Having Mars in Scorpio and Chiron in Pisces resonating with Tuesday’s New Moon in Capricorn looks like the ability to harness inner changes in self-awareness to whatever tangible work you’ve been doing — no matter what facet of life that work is occurring in. Sometimes change happens from the inside out (like when you’ve been going to therapy and start to feel better about yourself, and thanks to feeling better, you’re no longer willing to put up with clothes you don’t really like or a partner who treats you poorly). Sometimes change occurs from the outside in (like when a new haircut shifts your attitude toward yourself, or when losing your job forces you to question what you’d like to do next).

Full chart for Tuesday night’s New Moon. The Sun and Moon are in Capricorn, in the lower-right corner with the bold “26” next to them. Other planets with bold numbers in the late-20s are in aspect to the New Moon. View glyph key here.

Once in a while, it might even happen both ways at once. Which is a little how this New Moon looks.

New Moons tend to encourage us to look inward; yet this one occurs with a simultaneous image of making space for that insight through physical (that is, external) actions.

As mentioned, several objects in our solar system change sign this week. The first is Vesta, which ingresses Sagittarius overnight tonight. Notice whether your sense of devotion begins to orient on things like wisdom, justice or ‘spiritual truth’ — and how that begins to influence your actions.

Overnight Wednesday into Thursday, Venus ingresses Aquarius. Like Capricorn, this tends to be a ‘cooler’ and more ‘detached’ placement for Venus compared to many other signs, but can also signal very effective group interactions and things like networking with acquaintances. (This does not mean your love life won’t flourish with Venus in Aquarius, more that it might take greater awareness and intention to offer and receive warmth.)

On Friday, the asteroid Pallas moves into Taurus; also on Friday, the Sun leaves Capricorn to join Venus in Aquarius. We’ll have more about that in the Thursday issue, along with yet another sign change: overnight Saturday into Sunday, centaur Pholus ingresses Capricorn.

Pholus is a slow-moving object; the last time it was in Capricorn was from 1928-29 through 1950-51. This is one of the planetary sign changes Eric will be factoring into the Art of Becoming annual edition readings, since it happens so rarely — and since Pholus is so emblematic of our current times, given how much seems to be running out of control.

The Moon may be winding down its monthly cycle, but there’s much that is only just beginning. As you take things step-by-step, notice what feels different — and in what ways. As your frame of reference shifts, you might find yourself inspired to rearrange more than just the living room.