PPeople who say “Yes” are such a joy. Invite them to tag along on a trip to the grocery store, attend a party, go see a movie, and the answer is always a cheerful “Yes!” As a dyed-in-the-wool “no” person, I’m deeply impressed by this life-affirming attitude.
Jupiter, the solar system’s “Yes” man, finishes up his journey through Aries beginning this week, making him a “Hell yes!” man. Listening to a couple of podcasters discuss Shonda Rhimes’ delightful memoir The Year of Yes inspired me to embrace Jupiter’s message more fully this year. But then I remembered Danny Wallace’s 2006 memoir Yes Man, which documented the author’s vow to say yes to absolutely everything for one year, which he had occasion to regret.
Which brings us to this New Moon (Dec. 23, 2022, 2:17 am PST), featuring the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Pluto all clustered together in Capricorn. Like a crabby Greek chorus, half the solar system is shouting out a resounding “NO!”
Is that any way to greet the new year?
I mean, it’s the way I greet many new years—but don’t go by me. In this case, the New Moon’s square to no-holds-barred Jupiter suggests that in fact, hopping on team YES—or at least, team “Maybe”—is the right idea this year. That it’s time to pry our fingers away from Capricorn safety blankets such as boundaries, limitations, fear, externalized authority, and the need to feel in control, and give over to Jupiter’s joyous sense of adventure.
It’s been a long year, and I’m limping to the finish line nursing my first cold in more than three years. I’m practically aching for a big, happy, life-affirming YES!
Maybe you are, too. But here’s the caveat: Jupiter, happy in fiery Aries, is hollering an indiscriminate YES to everything and everybody. But remember, YES can become as much of a habit as NO, and there are times when NO is the better response. This year may be dedicated to releasing our dependence on NO, but the time to embrace it will follow soon enough.
And so it goes. In the end, life is cyclical, and there’s no single, appropriate, binary response to life. We alternate between opposing polarities, learning first from one, then balancing it with the other. So if you tend to say NO too much, try saying YES more this year. If your indiscriminate use of YES keeps getting you in over your head, throw a little bit of NO into the mix.
You’re ready for a bigger ship, a broader horizon; just watch your step in beginning, so you don’t fall overboard. Maybe just for a little while, come in out of the cold, where you’ve been rowing hard for a long time. Sit by the fire with loved ones and rest a little bit. You’ve come a long way, and now is the time to figure out the next chapter of your story—to figure out when to say “yes,” when to say “no,” and when it’s best to just say “maybe.”
Writing and collages © 2019-2022 April Elliott Kent
More about this week’s highlights in the latest episode of my podcast!
