Boom Boom Astro

The Sun will enter Pisces just as it is setting tonight in the Northeast. There’s some poetry in this: Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac by many cultures’ reckonings (though certainly not all,) and as such, the end of the Sun’s journey before its loop begins anew. This may be part of the reason for the somewhat existential quality of the Sun’s time in Pisces, which plops identity into the torrents of feeling, the hammering eddies of experience, and asks it to either adapt to the full weight of these blows or dissolve. And oddly, the Sun is happier here than it was in Aquarius, for it is easier to find a persona centered in spiritual and emotional tumult than it is when focused on the world’s systems and taxonomies. Jupiter’s influence means that the Sun does still seek others here, and is usually thought to seek them with things in the deeply-felt but immaterial: with art and with acts of service and religious leadership. But Pisces is in many ways the most adaptable of the Sun signs, and its sense of self can be melted and poured into many different types of role, though it will always bring the river of feeling with it. I have seen administration and accountancy invested with the full-hearted care of a Sun in Pisces native. What may seem mundane from the outside might be epic poetry to the one who’s in its throes.

While preparing my write-up on this solar month, I noticed less significant dates than last month, but the dates that do hit punch hard. We have a lunation right off the bat, so let’s start there.

The New Moon in Pisces takes place on Sunday night, 2/19. I wrote about this in my weekly write-up this past Wednesday, and I’ll post those remarks here: “Though it is in a different sign, this lunation happens right on top of Saturn, heralding Saturn’s imminent movement into Pisces and calling on us to conclude any business we have with his current position of strength in Aquarius, its power to organize, set goals, structure teams, see the big picture that could lead to lasting change. We have until the Full Moon in Virgo on 3/7 to do so – this is truly the last call for Saturn in Aquarius until the year 2050. The lunation also occurs close to the nodes, calling us to look hard at what doesn’t fit the plans and pictures we see for our futures, and thus must be ejected, and to a more limited degree, what should be added.” Yes, Saturn will indeed be making its entry into Pisces shortly. More on that later. Outside of its proximity to Saturn and its aspect to the nodes, this moon doesn’t really pull in any other planets by classical aspect. If anything, this puts even more of an exclamation point on Saturn.

The lunation (and the Sun’s entire passage through Pisces) is classically ruled by Jupiter, who represents the gifts and talents we’re drawn toward and are able to share with our fellow man. Jupiter’s currently in Aries, which may see some being pulled into more dynamic, active sections of their lives, places which prize their personal power and agency. Jupiter has some interesting activity during this time, most notable being his long conjunction to Chiron, which will begin to lock in around 2/20, which will be exact on 3/10, and which will only begin to dissipate around the end of March. Chiron is an asteroid which primarily represents insecurities, and Jupiter’s expansive nature may unfortunately exacerbate painful and uncomfortable feelings for some, especially as concerns capability. But Chiron makes our wounds itch as it heals them, and Jupiter is known as the Great Benefic, so this may be a period where many work through such issues.

And that’s not all! Venus will join this party around 2/26, her conjunction to Jupiter becoming exact to Jupiter on 3/2, then to Chiron on 3/3. More on this in just a moment. For now, suffice it to say that issues around the power of beauty and femininity, as well as the ability to connect with others, things in this realm are more likely to loom larger in this time. After Venus moves on, another asteroid called Vesta will also pop by, joining the Jupiter-Chiron conjunction on 3/11. In truth, my knowledge of Vesta is not deep, and I do not usually take notice of her motion unless she is doing something particularly noticeable – like she is here. So how does she contribute to this mixture? Vesta seems to be about the purity of sacred commitment, an area you hold and maintain space for in your life as a matter of sacrament, even if others don’t understand it. Jupiter-Chiron may reveal new places to take this commitment, how to strengthen and refine it, how to make space for it if you haven’t been able. In antiquity, this referred to Vestal virgins maintaining an eternal flame. For us, it could be literally anything – look to where Vesta falls in your chart to learn more.

Jumping back to Venus: she will enter Aries on 2/20, just after the new moon. I wrote a bit about Venus’ flavor in Aries on Wednesday: “Venus enters Aries’ just after the new moon, on Monday (2/20.) While Venus’ time in Pisces made the alluring feel effortless, Venus in Aries inverts that. It may be more brash, more glitzy, more attention-getting, but these are generally artifice. Venus in Aries is traditionally the sign of the tomboy, though the unfolding flux in the rhetoric around gender identity might be cause for redefinition here. Either way, Aries is ruled by Mars, driven to accomplish and to root out problems. Mars is a severing energy. Venus is a connecting energy. Thus, Venus is usually thought to be less comfortable in Aries, though natives here put great effort into the appearance of comfort. There may be the confidence of someone who has it down to a science (Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor are all Venus in Aries natives,) but it’s different than the person with a strong Venus who never had to try much at all.” Jupiter-Chiron may make the struggles of this Venus more pronounced, but may also make the effects of her efforts more effective.

All of this is ruled over by Mars, who is still in Gemini after all this time. This is the final solar month that this will be true, as he will make ingress into Cancer during Aries Season. Because it is a Mars of plans and discussions, we may find much of this Jupiter-Chiron activity playing out through conversation, writing, gathering information, and the like. With this is mind, lean on Gemini’s natural adaptability to try many different ways to get out of your own mind, lest you drive yourself crazy.

And we do have some crazy-making transits inbound! For example, Mercury in Aquarius will square Uranus in Taurus exactly on 2/21, and will make an exact trine to Mars the next day. More from this week: “Mercury is truth, research, conversation; Uranus is revelation and earth-shattering surprise. There is a higher-than-likely chance of having your mind blown during this transit, and of the scientifically-curious poking their nose in the wrong bear cave. Expect the unexpected! And if there’s something you really don’t want to see, just expect it and it might not happen at all! Uranus always throws you a curveball. But if the irrefutable finds you, you must accept it, or that same curveball will crack your skull.“

On 3/2 (the same day as the Venus-Jupiter conjunction,) Mercury will be exactly conjunct Saturn in it hits anaretic degree, though the conjunction will begin to click into orb sooner than that, around 2/28. Mercury’s winged-feet are heavier under Saturn’s influence, though as a consequence, his truths are usually more dense and cutting as well, a heavy scythe wielded with surgical precision. Mercury represents the young and Saturn the old, and interesting results are birthed from this combination. I most often think of a Maron-esque stand-up comic, turning grief into levity without letting you forget its weight. There is satire at play under this combination. Mercury’s psychopomp status is at play here too; he’s the last planet to touch Saturn in Aquarius before it “passes on,” ferrying it on across the sign boundary into Pisces.

Of course, Mercury will lead the charge on that front. He enters Pisces later that very night, on 3/2. Mercury doesn’t do so great in Pisces. It’s almost like that great, surging torrent of emotional experience that we mentioned at the top of this piece is…I don’t know, hard to sum up in a report? Like it’s hard to express the ineffable? Like you’re trying to do a book report on Encyclopedia Brittanica?I’ve found that it can be good for songwriters and fantastical storytellers, those who favor the dream-reason of the poetic over the actual-reason of the good journalist. In any event, he’ll lose even more strength as he gets closer to the Sun. More on that later.

The Full Moon in Virgo is on 3/6 (though it technically becomes exact the following morning around 7:30 a.m.) That same day, Saturn’s makes its ingress into Pisces. Mars will have already begun locking into a square with Neptune that will color the last half of the solar month, denoting that efforts to knock things off of one’s hitlist are likely to run into fogs of confusion, delay, that more enticing distractions will be on offer. These may also take the form of various substances that look like they’d be fun to abuse. Mars will also be casting squares to the Sun and Moon here, creating an aspect pattern which is classed a T-Square. The result is that this lunation is more likely to be colored by the Sagittarian: by wild, colorful displays and personalities, by institutional dogma, by excess and fixation on one subject or activity, by the raucous gatherings of inebriated centaurs. Your mileage may vary. This full moon also occurs in near-exact trine to Uranus, so some big surprises and revelations may be in store.

Saturn is leaving Aquarius, one of its natural homes. Saturn does well in the realm of Air, where its gifts of rigor and organization can be applied to information, the realm of databases and registries and such. It’s different in Pisces, more akin to a fish ladder, the realm of the naturalist, a set of organizing principles applied to that which defies organization. When one applies Saturn’s principles to the natural world, we get zoos and inaccurate terminology like “fish.” Still, these sorts of things are helpful in the unwinnable-but-survivable effort to make sense of the world, and in that vein, we may find ourselves defining our hearts, our feelings, our personal mythos.

The end of the Sun’s time is Pisces sees it drawing closer to Neptune, getting within close orb by 3/12 (though the Sun has a larger orb, so it will be felt as far back as 3/5.) This means that an already very fluid, porous sense of self is going to pass through a giant ocean of the mythic and fantastic. Neptune is the collective unconscious, the great sea of dreams and nightmares, and celestial objects passing through its sphere of influence seem to undergo massive distortion. What’s more, Mercury will have begun to really catch up to the Sun by this time, its voice getting more and more drowned out as it gets further “under the beams,” finally reaching a state known as combustion where the Sun is said to devour its power. This may feel reminiscent of a Mercury retrograde to some; communication may become difficult, brains may become foggier, technology may cease to function.

This will all culminate on 3/16, when the Sun, Mercury and Neptune all occupy the same degree in what is known as a stellium, a fancy term for a conjunction of multiple planets. On that same day, Mars will be in an exact square to the pile-up of planets mentioned, so all of the hazy volatility of the full moon will be on offer here. The stellium will also be catching a sextile from Pluto, and it is on this same day that Venus’ square with Pluto will be exact. Needless to say, there’s quite a lot going on: the Venus-Pluto square speaks to issues of power and control and unexamined impulses surrounding what we are drawn to. The Mars square to the Sun-Mercury-Neptune square seems to speak to hostile feelings around how the shaping of narrative affects our sense of self, and more to the point, our ability to act. Here, the least likely actor may make the most stirring speech: Mercury sits in a condition known as cazimi, speaking loudly and clearly from within the Sun’s heart. This feels like the beaten-down finding a voice.

Following this, Venus will make ingress into Taurus on 3/17, where she will be immediately be conjunct to Juno, an asteroid which deals with partnership and commitment. Whatever trials and tribulations Venus experienced in Aries now carry her into a place of strength, one of her strongest positions, ready to luxuriate in her favorite sensations and find a worthy lover. (Again, mileage may vary.) The conjunction to Juno will be exact on 3/21, atop the North Node. The North Node is a manifestation point oft-associated with prosperity, and this seems like a good time to get married or otherwise cement a partnership.

Mercury meanwhile makes his entry into Aries a day or so later, late at night on Saturday 3/18. This is more focused and direct Mercury, focused and plain-speaking, a Hemingway looking to argue down any Fitzgerald who looks at him funny.

Finally, the Sun will ingress into Aries on 3/21, along with the moon, making this the New Moon in Aries. But this lunation is outside of the scope of this article, and will have to wait. Until then, here are some notable dates:

2/19 – New Moon in Pisces.

2/20 – Venus’ ingress into Aries. Jupiter’s conjunction to Chiron begins to lock into place. Mercury locks into a trine with Mars and a square with Uranus.

2/21 – Mercury’s square with Uranus is exact. Moon in Pisces runs across Neptune.

2/22 – Mercury’s trine to Mars is exact.

2/24 – Sun in Pisces configured to the nodes by soft aspect.

2/27 – Venus applies to a conjunction with Jupiter and Chiron. Mercury applies to a conjunction with Saturn.

3/2 – Venus-Jupiter-Chiron conjunct in Aries (Jupiter and Venus exact,) Mercury-Saturn exactly conjunct in Aquarius. Mercury makes ingress into Pisces late that night.

3/7 – Full Moon in Virgo, Saturn’s ingress into Pisces. Mars squares Neptune.

3/11 – Jupiter-Chiron-Vesta all exactly conjunct in Aries, Venus sextile Mars exactly.

3/12 – Mars square to Neptune is exact. Sun-Mercury-Neptune conjunction is tightening in Pisces.

3/16 – Sun-Mercury-Neptune are all exactly conjunct in Pisces, and in an exact square to Mars. They are also in a sextile to Pluto who is exactly square to Venus in her anaretic degree.

3/17 – Venus’ ingress into Taurus, immediately applying to a conjunction with Juno, sextile Saturn and square to the moon.

3/18 – Mercury makes ingress into Aries.

3/20 – Venus-North Node-Juno conjunction in Taurus (Venus-NN exact.)

3/21 – Sun and Moon both enter Aries, marking the New Moon in Aries.

Three big conjunctions (in successive signs, no less) loom large over this week: Mercury-Pluto in Capricorn, Sun-Saturn in Aquarius, and Venus-Neptune in Pisces. We’ll go over each in turn.

The disparity between where we are and where we dream to be looms large today, as the moon opposes Neptune. Not a reason to lose heart, but a reason to reassess with an eye on the practical. A cool mind can accompany a hot heart, even if yours is still incandescent from Sunday’s Full Moon in Leo. Venus also forms an exact sextile to Uranus today, a playful dare to take a risk on an experience that might be wonderful. There is also rich potential in plumbing mental depths this week, as Mercury sidles up to its heavy conjunction with Pluto. This aspect will color the week, may even have been palpable for the past couple of days, and may create an environment that fosters mental fixation, deep research, endless Wikipedia rabbit holes, and the like. It may also conjure feelings of inadequacy from some, or an inability to properly communicate, or otherwise be reminiscent of a Mercury Retrograde. Planets passing over Pluto tend to get pressure-tested, unmade and reborn, or feel like they’re trying to operate from the bottom of a well. Venus and the Sun recently passed through Pluto’s harrowing gates, but Mercury is more nimble, more flexible, more adaptable, and he should have an easier time adjusting to these cthonic halls. Enjoy the ride but don’t obsess over it! Mercury and Pluto will reach and exact conjunction on Friday, 2/10.

Thursday (2/9) sees the moon move into Libra, opposing Jupiter, then moving into a trine with Mars by evening. A hurdle to progress is followed by a second wind.

Friday (2/10) is more eventful. In addition to the conjunction of Mercury and Pluto, mentioned above, the moon will cast a ray on the tightening trine between the Sun and Saturn. This is another conjunction that will color the week and spill into the next, and may leave some feeling like a certain structure or order is being back-burnered, overshadowed. Planets in close proximity are subsumed by its power, even in scenarios like this where Saturn is strong and the Sun is weak. The Sun may take on some of Saturn’s qualities temporarily, which could lead to an authoritarian streak in some, an innovative, humanitarian streak in others. This is also foreshadowing Saturn’s upcoming shift into Pisces, a bookend on its time in its place of dignity. More on that next week. Jumping back to Mercury, here are some thoughts on the matter from my Aquarius Season piece:

“With Pluto, Mercury may feel either feel powered-up or like it’s at the bottom of a well depending on where one’s brain likes to live. There is psychopomp-level access to what lurks below the surface of things on offer today, but it might be a step or two more difficult to make basic small talk, especially with the moon’s aspects to heavy and visceral currents.“

Saturday (2/11) sees Mercury’s ingress into Aquarius. Though Pluto’s effects still linger, the messenger planet has left Capricorn’s rocky confines behind and soars skyward on a sustained current. More on Mercury from that Aquarius Season piece: “While it is not one of his domiciles, Mercury does seem a natural fit here, and indeed some modern astrologers consider it his exultation. One can see why: he’s free here to thinking freely and conceptually, to take in the big picture. Mercury is the planet of inventors and innovators, and Aquarius loves both of those things. If there’s anything to find fault with here, it may be that Aquarius’ impersonal tendencies could make this a less empathetic Mercury, not as skilled at subtle communication. Still, Venus’ presence in a place of strength should mitigate that particular weakness during this period. Mercury will remain in Aquarius until 3/2.” Meanwhile, the moon passes over the South Node, an eclipse point of the moon associated with disintegration. Today is a day of filling minds and emptying hearts, and as the moon will also cast a challenging aspect to Mercury, actions spurned by those impulses may be in direct conflict.

By Sunday (2/12) Venus will have gotten very close to Neptune. The planet of love and connection is joining together with the force that connects all by dissolving them and pouring them into the same giant pot of collective unconscious. Aquarius Season again: “For some, this may be too much of a good thing; Venus in Pisces is already sort of up for any type of experience, and Neptune is the gateway to all emotional states and experiences, the great sea of imagination. This is a great time to lose oneself in a fantasy world, in a whirlwind romance, an exotic getaway. It may also manifest as a crazy bender. As ever, your mileage may vary.” Good for tossing inhibitions, embracing the psychedelic, or just allowing yourself some deep, vivid dream experiences. The conjunction becomes exact on Wednesday, 2/15.

On Monday (2/13,) the moon will throw more even more water onto that wet-wet conjunction by casting a beneficial ray on the Venus-Neptune conjunction. This may lead to emotional overflow, but should also be a good day to focus on self-care and artistic indulgence and/or expression. At the same time, the moon casts an angry gaze toward the Sun-Saturn conjunction, and it may be that this is a challenging Monday for those looking to organize or get down to business. Don’t court a fight with your boss today.

That Venus-Neptune conjunction should come in handy if you’re looking to melt into another person on Tuesday, Valentine’s Day (2/14,) though the moon’s opposition to Mars could make that a testy prospect for those that do not respect boundaries or ignore warning signs. It could be a good day for couples activities, as long as they don’t get too competitive, frustrating or otherwise contentious. The moon’s trine to Jupiter is encouraging for maintaining a good-natured spirit. For the single, it could be a great day to lose yourself in a favorite pursuit, packing it in for the day if it ceases to be enjoyable.

Until next Hump Day!

Now with charts! A friend pointed out it was silly that I don’t have them. Please note that charts (and subsequent analysis) will always be in Eastern Standard Time, so please adjust accordingly.

Another friend pointed out to me something I had missed about the New Moon in Aquarius. Last weekend was so packed with celestial goings-on that I completely failed to write about a) Uranus was having its direct station, which I later added to my Aquarius Season piece, b) Lunar New Year, duh (Gong Hei Fat Choi!), and c) I didn’t notice that the rulers of the New Moon, the Saturn-Venus conjunction, happened to be right on top of the Behenian fixed star, Deneb Algedi. That adds a whole new flavor to the lunation and the subsequent period which we are currently in. You can read more about Deneb here.

With housekeeping out of the way, let’s forge ahead with this week’s astro weather:

Though not entirely motionless, Mars has been chilling at 8 degrees Gemini since January 1st. If you consult the above handy chart, you will see that today he has taken his first significant step forward since stationing direct on the 12th. It will take Mars a while to get back to his normal speed, and thus, the Go Juice may be in short supply. But this may feel like the first such ration to would-be achievers in need, especially since the Sun is smiling on Mars by way of a helpful trine. What’s more, the Moon will enter Aries by the early afternoon, running across the Jupiter and Juno “commit to doing better” conjunction. This evening has some positive dynamism behind it, then; a refreshed Mars taking the field again, supported by both lights.

While the Sun is smiling on Mars, he’s in a pretty contentious relationship to the nodes, and that may make this week feel heavy. Some may feel particularly caught between what they’re trying to build up in their life and what they’re trying to cut ties with, both options appearing unbearably difficult. But staying still is not advisable right now. The pressure is on because it is time to move. This aspect will be with us all week, and will reach an exact square on Saturday, fading gradually thereafter.

Mercury has us set up for spontaneity and Eureka moments, closing in on a trine to Uranus – that aspect is exact on Sunday, but there are likely triggers of unexpected contacts, ideas, and conversations throughout the week.

Venus is not doing so hot today, crawling through the ass-end of a sign that’s not her favorite and coming off of a conjunction with a planet that isn’t her favorite. Both Aquarius and Saturn dull Venus’ shine a little bit, or at least, make it a very niche shine indeed. So today and tomorrow could feel a little doldrum-y, but not to fret. Things are soon to change.

On Thursday (1/26,) the Moon’s advance brings it over Chiron, a large asteroid who represents wounds and insecurities. In its long trek through Aries, it has likely stirred doubts around personal power, capability and agency. The moon’s presence emphasizes and triggers a pre-existing square between Mercury and Chiron. Often, an aspect like this will be present as background noise, and it will take the moon’s direct contact to make it manifest. This aspect is most likely to manifest as challenging and hurtful words, but hopefully the kind that spur on healing. So, trigger warning on Thursday in general – slash – an invitation to meaningfully engage with what may be holding you back.

There is a reward at the end, too. Around 9:30pm, Venus will make ingress into Pisces, her exultation and happiest vacation spot. Some words about this placement from my Aquarius Season piece: “She’s adaptable enough to make any space a little cozier, but she’d sure rather be in Pisces…where she can go full naiad, where she’s an honored guest who spends all her time chilling by the water, making each and every the vibe a little more fun and sexy. Pisces is generally informed by Jupiter’s expansive benevolence, which means that here, Venus has time for any and all sorts of people in need of affection, In fact, if I’ve seen a main recurring problem with the naturally charming people blessed with this natal placement, it’s that they’re not discerning enough about who they allow to get close. Aside from watching out for that, this Venus is great for all forms of artistic expression and general life enjoyment. Being that Jupiter is currently in Aries, this Venus period may seem particularly sporty and spunky, driven and ambitious while enjoying the game.” Venus will remain in Pisces until February 20th.

Friday (1/27) should be a fine day to take advantage of this, the only fly in the ointment being a daytime square between the Moon and Pluto, which may stir up drama and ill will, but should dissipate by the evening.

Saturday (1/28) sees a pile-up around Uranus that may bring with it some shocks and revelations, as the moon’s movement will be tipping over dominoes discussed above. The Moon in Taurus will be right on top of the Uranus-North Node conjunction today; that alone would be enough to potentially set off some surprise land mines, a mix that speaks of unexpected material change. But add to the mix a) the tight trine to Mercury, discussed above, and b) the Sun’s square to the nodes, which in this case, also heavily involves Uranus, discussed above. We have a sort of volatile mixed bag here, a trail mix full of peanuts and pop rocks and maybe one or two pieces of glass. Mercury, he of cognition and communication, should receive some help here, but the Sun, of identity and vitality, gets a black eye. This puts some Black Mirror scenarios in mind, ones where cerebral advances seem to require us to sacrifice a piece of humanity. This will dovetail into Sunday (1/29) where the moon is going to catch a trine to Pluto, a square to Saturn, and a sextile to Neptune: we may feel pressure to shape up and do what’s right, but there will be so many opportunities to subvert. Mercury’s trine to Uranus will also be exact on this day, though I do think the moon’s trigger the day before has the larger impact.

On Monday and Tuesday (1/30 and 2/1,) the moon will move on into Gemini, making contact with Mars on the very same day that the Sun’s trine to him becomes exact. The spotlight on Mars may inspire some to roll their sleeves up and take on whatever project has been demanding their attention. We also receive a sneak peek at an upcoming aspect; while Venus is closing in a on a square to Mars, she is still too far away. But the moon will receive Venus’ square at the same time as she makes contact with Mars, translating the light and allowing us to get a sense of what this will look like. Squares are contentious aspects, yes, but they also spurn action. Between Venus and Mars, this also might look like some Moonlighting-style sexual tension. Just be on guard that a conflict between the Venus and Mars achetypes stays on the right side of civility. This conflict may also be entirely internal, a conflict between what we’re drawn to and what we should separate ourselves from.

Until next Hump Day!

For many, the end of the year can feel like a marathon sprint, the holidays representing a time of peak activity across many industries as well as a source of non-professional stress for many who may be engaging in harrowing gift-hunting, or thankless function-organizing, or endurance of certain family members’ views and dispositions, or all of the above. And yet, despite all we put ourselves through, many of us somehow expect that we’ll still hit the ground running on January 1st, white knuckles clutching multiple resolutions, knees high into our chests as we push past our limits and become the us we know we are.

Yeah, not this year. And probably not any year, but especially not this year. For one thing, (and I’ll speak for myself here,) a lot of us have probably felt gassed lately, in need of a nap and a snack and a good series binge. Now, it was still Capricorn Season, and Capricorn does usually take home the “Most Industrious” superlative, but those in the know are well aware of how good Capricorn can be at intentional sloth.

For another thing: between the end of the big Mars retrograde and the newly-retrograde Mercury, things still felt like they were decidedly liminal: a number of colorful balls in the air, attractive targets all, their trajectories difficult to determine until they get lower to the ground, each and every one set to slow-mo. But right about now, they should be entering our eye-line, coming within striking distance. It falls on us to prioritize and take our shots, with awareness that they may start moving faster as they draw near.

I should briefly mention that the Sun doesn’t love being in Aquarius. It is, in fact, one of the two signs he enjoys least. Sol is at home in Aquarius’ opposite, Leo, where the focus can fall expressly on the individual. Aquarius, like Capricorn, is ruled by Saturn, and instead focuses on the systems that shape the collective. When expressed in a healthy fashion, this looks like scientists, community organizers and others working for a better future for all. (Just because the Sun doesn’t like it there doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.) When expressed in an unhealthy way, it’s the rejection of the current systems with no constructive suggestions, the poser guy who showed up at the protest without knowing or caring what it was about, but definitely ready to break a window or three. Saturn is currently in Aquarius too, meaning that the Sun will meet up with him later in the solar month, also meaning that this Sun in Aquarius season is supported by a strong ruler’s firm guidance.

*

Saturday, 1/21, provides an underline on above themes with the New Moon in Aquarius. This lunation dovetails off of the recent Sun-Pluto conjunction at the end of Capricorn, and though it occurs across the boundary in a different sign, it is close enough by degree to pull in Pluto’s influence. The new moon is overseen by the Saturn-Venus conjunction in Aquarius. I wrote about all of this in Wednesday’s weekly piece, and will repost some of the relevant bits below:

“New moons are often seen as a new beginning, and if that’s the case, there are a lot of players drawn into this part of the story…The new moon occurs in a loose trine to newly-direct Mars, in a loose square to the nodes, and sextile to Jupiter-Juno; we are ready to field-test our new methods of efficacy, to learn and grow from their testing, to take what’s ours and leave behind what no longer serves.” Mars is reconfigured and ready for action. The nodes give a sense of weight and destiny to it all, and the Jupiter-Juno conjunction provides an avenue to commit to our growth.

This is good, because the moon herself is not the most at home in Aquarius: “[She] just feels lost, all her nurturing instincts to hug and feed and comfort converted into data and witticisms and counter-culture anthems.” Consequently, if we feel driven to seek support or support others, it may come out feeling alien or distant. The love is there, it’s just in a love-language we may have never seen or heard spoken.

As for Pluto’s involvement: “…confronting hard truths is on the docket, things that may corrupt and mutate, but in the same turn, may transform and make us stronger.” Pluto pulls in issues of power and control, hidden influences we may not even be aware are driving us. Some may deem it a good time for “shadow work,” if you’re into that. How will these issues affect this period?

Lastly, and on a lighter note, we have the Saturn-Venus conjunction: “This is a bit of an unlikely coupling, one that can dull hard edges for some and tighten the belts of others. Saturn is the lord of structure and boundaries, signifying what is heavy, aged, slow. Venus is generally about what is young and desirable and lovely. When the two connect, we may see May-December romances, rigorous discipline applied to the arts, beautification of infrastructure, and the like.”

“A big part of the tone-setting of the new moon happens here, and the spotlight will subsequently fall directly onto this pairing of planets when the moon makes contact with them on the day of their exact conjunction, Sunday 1/22 – Monday 1/23. Saturn is, again, much slower than Venus though, so this love affair is a brief one. By Tuesday (1/23,) she will already have begun moving away from the conjunction…“

From there, Venus will move into Pisces on Thursday, 1/26. Like the Moon, Venus is also a little bit lost in Aquarius’ cerebral pathways. She’s adaptable enough to make any space a little cozier, but she’d sure rather be in Pisces, one of the signs in which she performs optimally, a place known as her exultation; she’s properly at home in Taurus or Libra, but Pisces is where she can go full naiad, where she’s an honored guest who spends all her time chilling by the water, making each and every the vibe a little more fun and sexy. Pisces is generally informed by Jupiter’s expansive benevolence, which means that here, Venus has time for any and all sorts of people in need of affection, In fact, if I’ve seen a main recurring problem with the naturally charming people blessed with this natal placement, it’s that they’re not discerning enough about who they allow to get close. Aside from watching out for that, this Venus is great for all forms of artistic expression and general life enjoyment. Being that Jupiter is currently in Aries, this Venus period may seem particularly sporty and spunky, driven and ambitious while enjoying the game.

Around the beginning of February, Venus will begin to lock into a square with Mars, which may ratchet up some romantic tensions, as well as the space between the things that we’re driven to do and the things that we enjoy. This tough relationship will culminate in an exact square on the date of the Full Moon in Leo on 2/5…more on that later. Following that, Venus will plunge into the intoxicating waters of Neptune, locking into a conjunction toward the end of Pisces on 2/10, though the effects should be evident in the days leading up to that. For some, this may be too much of a good thing; Venus in Pisces is already sort of up for any type of experience, and Neptune is the gateway to all emotional states and experiences, the great sea of imagination. This is a great time to lose oneself in a fantasy world, in a whirlwind romance, an exotic getaway. It may also manifest as a crazy bender. As ever, your mileage may vary.

Jumping back to the other half of that new moon duo, let’s briefly discuss Saturn. “Briefly” because this news properly belongs in next month’s Pisces Season write-up, but it is worth a head’s up that Saturn’s time in Aquarius, one of its two seats of power, is coming to an end.

Saturn will actually receive a conjunction from the Sun toward mid-February, partile on Thursday (2/16.) A planet is often thought to be debilitated by this close proximity to the Sun, a condition properly known as combustion, and it is not unreasonable to assume that some may feel unmoored on a structural level during this time. In keeping with the idea of the Sun absorbing this power, some may feel a sterner, more dour version of self manifest during this time in order to find proper footing. Following combustion, a planet is often thought to be remade or purified in some way by the Sun’s fires. This is fitting since Saturn will reinvent itself less than a month later, entering Pisces on Tuesday, 3/7. When an outer planet changes signs, it is not uncommon for it to retrograde back into the previous sign, providing just a sneak peek at a new era. This is not the case here, as Saturn will remain firmly in Pisces until May 2025.

We’ll get more into Saturn in Pisces’ significations next time. For now, keep in mind why Saturn feels at home in Aquarius: here, it can look at a structure from a neutral top-view, unencumbered by emotional entanglement. Whereas Capricorn, Saturn’s earthen home, assesses things as they are and have been in order to move into optimal position, Aquarius looks to see how the structure – or our interaction with it – might be altered, and to what effect.

EDIT: I goofed. I somehow wrote the whole huge mess of words above and below without acknowledging Uranus’ direct station. While not moving direct on the actual new moon, it is close enough to the lunation to share in the timing, the tinder that sparks a conflagration. It also folds in with themes of liminality and the tide changing so that it is finally time to take action. Uranus is a planet of dynamic action! The unseen bolt of revelation and revolution, and in the wake of its moving many may find lightbulbs going off abovehead, especially when fast-moving planets set it off – see the day-by-day guide at the very bottom of this article for that. Uranus will be direct on Monday, 1/23, just a couple of days after the new moon.

**

So that’s some of the action around the new moon. Before jumping ahead to the next lunation, let’s take stock of some of the other celestial bodies’ goings-on. Two of the most influential players right now are Mercury in Capricorn and Mars in Gemini, who have each only just ended their retrograde periods, both of which carried over from 2022. Mercury retrograde actually began on 12/29/22, and just ended on Wednesday, 1/18/23. Mars retrogrades last longer, and this one went from 10/30/22 to 1/12/23. I’ve talked about the significations of these retrograde periods ad nauseam in recent weeks, but as a brief reminder, Mars’ retrograde may have left some feeling depowered, frustrated, unable to accomplish what they’re usually able to accomplish, possibly falling into old self-destructive habits. Mercury retrogrades apply the same logic to thought, communication, technology, and are often marked by increased levels of traffic and misunderstanding and brain-fog. Here’s the kicker: since Mars was retrograde in a Mercury-ruled sign, it may have felt to some like a three-month long Mercury retrograde.

But hey, it’s over now, and these planets are retreading the ground they’ve already walked and doubled-back through. Or at least, they will be once they start moving in earnest. Both are staying still at 8 degrees of their respective signs. Mercury is known for his velocity, and will get himself moving again directly after the new moon, using the lunation as a starting gun and picking up speed again quickly. Mars is different. When he’s moving at his average speed, he’ll usually advance a degree of the zodiac every other day. But it takes him a while to get moving again after a retrograde. He won’t even move a single degree until Wednesday 1/25, and he’ll only advance 7 degrees total within the solar month. So if you’ve felt stalled out on a project and you’re still frustrated by your rate of progress, remember that the willpower planet is just beginning to chug along again, and the wind may be refilling your sails incrementally.

Retrogrades are not meant to punish us with misfortune, but to point out the flies in the ointment of our method. What have the past few months brought up as pertains to our use of strategy? Do you have a method in place for the problem driving you up a wall? What might serve? Mercury in Capricorn uses that previously-discussed positional thinking around structure and hierarchy. Mars in Gemini uses myriad weapons and attack patterns, but his best weapons are mind and word, as Gemini is the sign most usually associated with the dissemination of information. For me, this combination brings administrative solutions to mind.

We have an interesting condition, then, where Mars will be relatively stationary, treated more as an outer planet during this period, an armed checkpoint that the faster moving bodies must cross. He’ll be touched by the new moon and full moon alike, and as previously discussed, Venus will contact him by a fiery square at the beginning of February. This may be argumentative or otherwise uncomfortable, but there’s an expression in the astrology community: “Squares get shit done.” Venusian matters may spur folks into action here.

Mercury will be busier. After the new moon, he’ll trigger the Uranus-North Node conjunction as he traverses the next 5 degrees, likely engendering surprise news and flashes of inspiration. He’ll catch a sextile to Neptune on 2/6, opening the gate to daydreaming, artistic exploration, fantasy literature and the like. Then he’ll pass through the gates of Pluto, as Venus and the Sun have recently done, prompting deep research, dirty deals, and nihilistic thought. The moon’s trine on 2/8 will serve to highlight these themes.

Mercury enters Aquarius right after that, on 2/11. While it is not one of his domiciles, Mercury does seem a natural fit here, and indeed some modern astrologers consider it his exultation. One can see why: he’s free here to thinking freely and conceptually, to take in the big picture. Mercury is the planet of inventors and innovators, and Aquarius loves both of those things. If there’s anything to find fault with here, it may be that Aquarius’ impersonal tendencies could make this a less empathetic Mercury, not as skilled at subtle communication. Still, Venus’ presence in a place of strength should mitigate that particular weakness during this period. Mercury will remain in Aquarius until 3/2.

***

Jupiter is the planet that moves us to foster our talents that they may be shared with others. In Mars-ruled Aries, many will be drawn to more dynamic forms of wisdom. But as discussed above, Mars has been on the DL for a bit and is only just beginning to move. Thus, our Jupiterian inclinations may only just be moving into a place where we can act on them. I discussed an interesting condition last month, one where the asteroid Juno moved into a conjunction with Jupiter. I’ll repost some of that here: “I don’t pay attention to the asteroids much, but this was too cool not to take notice: in Greek and Roman myth, this is the pair that rules over the Pantheon. Of course, the planets and the gods are not a 1-to-1 equivalent. Most of the popular myths around this pair evoke marital discord, but I think we can expect the opposite here. Jupiter generally ennobles and bestows gifts upon what it touches; Juno, to my understanding, represents the things in life we feel drawn to commit to. With the two together, my feeling is that many will be drawn to actually capitalize on the blessings that Jupiter brings to their life by fully committing to their realization.“

So perhaps the work of the past month has been around the commitment itself, the founding of the Fellowship rather than the journey to Mordor. Juno is actually a much faster-moving body and is going to outpace Jupiter at the beginning of February, pairing instead with the asteroid Chiron. Chiron is commonly linked to wounds and insecurities, and with Juno here for the remainder of the solar month, we may be called to commit to working through some of what holds us back from progress. Meanwhile, asteroid Vesta will be entering Aries on 2/8 and will sidle up close to Jupiter, though they will not reach an exact conjunction until 3/9 when they are both with Chiron. More on that next month. Like Juno, Vesta asks for commitment, but in a very different way: whereas Juno may ask you to hitch your wagon to a particular endeavor, Vesta addresses what is sacred to you, something you feel you must pour your energies into even (especially) if those close to you don’t understand it. It’s okay if they don’t, it’s none of their business. It’ll probably have a lot to do with those some Chiron themes. Again, we’ll get there next month, but it’s on the horizon.

****

The Full Moon in Leo takes place on Sunday 2/5, and will draw on most of what we’ve talked about above to what may be a volatile effect. The Moon in Leo is a demand for attention, a scream for the sensational amid all of this cold Aquarian logic, a cue for brightly-plumed personalities to take the stage. This lunation takes place square to Uranus and the nodes, meaning it may set some things into motion that can’t be taken back, for good or ill. There is also a trine to the pile-up in Aries: Jupiter, Juno, and Chiron, the influences of which we have covered above, and who will likely lend courage to many trying to project from their diaphragm. The moon will also be sextile to Mars, which should do the same vis-a-vis gumption, but this is also the same time that Mars will be square to Venus. Drama is likely with this moon, but so is self-assertion and self-acceptance.

*****

That’s the big news. Let’s look at some dates:

1/20 – Moon conjunct newly-direct Mercury in Capricorn, trine to Uranus-NN, square to Jupiter and Chiron. A good day to set things into motion, but a day which may keep you on your toes.

1/21- New Moon in Aquarius trine Mars, square nodes, sextile to Jupiter-Juno. Cross-sign conjunction with Pluto. In-depth description above.

1/22 – Partile conjunction of Venus and Saturn in Aquarius, also conjunct to the moon. Mercury begins to move. Venus and Saturn together speak of craft, of discipline applied to beauty.

1/24 – Moon in Pisces soft aspects to the nodes, square to Mars. Later on, conjunction to Neptune. A day to endure, a night to relax.

1/25 – Mars begins to move. Moon conjunct to Jupiter-Juno. A good day to commit to action.

1/26 – Venus at the anaretic degree of Aquarius, she then enters Pisces at night, a little after 9:30pm. Moon conjunct Chiron, square to Mercury, sextile Sun. The moon with Chiron might make for more sensitive temperaments, and the square to Mercury might bring hurtful words.

1/28 – Moon conjunct Uranus-NN, trine Mercury, square to the Sun, sextile Venus. A day for shake-ups and surprises.

1/29 – Moon trine Pluto. Mercury partile trine to Uranus. Inspiration and revelation.

1/30 – Moon passes over Mars, trine to the Sun and square to Venus. Some volatility, but also a little get-up-and-go.

2/2 – Moon trine Venus, soft aspects to the nodes, square to Jupiter. Venus partile configuration to the nodes. Mostly pleasant conditions.

2/3 – Moon opposite Mercury and then Pluto, trine Neptune. High emotional confusion potentials.

2/4 – Sun partile square to Uranus. Volatile shocks are more likely. There may be some particularly jarring headlines dealing the downfall of some big name players.

2/5 – Full Moon in Leo square to Uranus and the nodes, trine to Jupiter-Juno-Chiron, sextile to Mars. Venus partile square to Mars. Discussed at length above.

2/6 – Mercury sextile Neptune as it begins to lock into a conjunction with Pluto. Juno conjunct Chiron. Feels like art therapy.

2/7 – Moon opposite Venus. What we’re craving might not be what’s good for us.

2/8 – Moon opposite Neptune, trine to Mercury-Pluto. Venus partile sextile to Uranus. Potential for plumbing the depths of feeling and finding dynamic avenues of expression.

2/9 – Moon opposite Jupiter, moving into a trine with Mars. A hurdle to growth followed by a second wind.

2/10 – Mercury-Pluto partile conjunction. Moon opposite Chiron-Juno, trine to Sun-Saturn conjunction. A lot going on this day. With Pluto, Mercury may feel either feel powered-up or like it’s at the bottom of a well depending on where one’s brain likes to live. There is psychopomp-level access to what lurks below the surface of things on offer today, but it might be a step or two more difficult to make basic small talk, especially with the moon’s aspects to heavy and visceral currents.

2/11 – Mercury enters Aquarius. Moon conjunct the South Node. Fresh brains, empty hearts.

2/13 – Moon trine Venus-Neptune conjunction, square to Sun-Saturn conjunction. Big feelings here, likely compulsions to avoid authority figures and indulge in what feels good.

2/14 – Moon opposite Mars for Valentine’s Day, though also trine to Jupiter and sextile Mercury. A good day for couples activities, as long as they don’t get too competitive or otherwise contentious. Maybe an even better day to be single and grind out whatever you find fulfilling.

2/15 – Venus-Neptune exact conjunction. Mercury square to the nodes exactly. More big feelings, now with the urge to ignore extremely important information. Stop pulling on your vape long enough to deal with it.

2/16 – Sun-Saturn exact conjunction. Feels like a serious authority figure, possibly filling the vacuum left by the disappearance of order. Some may find themselves thrust into this position, others may gladly and greedily exert their authority here.

2/17 – Moon passes over anaretic Pluto. More depth work, an echo of Mercury’s recent journey on 2/10.

2/18 – Moon passes over Mercury in Aquarius, squaring the nodes and potentially triggering Uranus. Sun at the anaretic degree. Uncomfortable discoveries, sluggish constitutions.

2/19 – Sun makes ingress to Pisces. Moon conjunct Saturn. Venus sextile Pluto at anaretic degree.

The big news: Mercury is direct today, ending its retrograde period in Capricorn, hopefully giving our brains a jolt in the right direction. Mercury retrograde periods often expose flaws in our thinking and communication styles; now that Mercury will be working its way back through the degrees that it just traversed, it’s a good time to assess these matters and see where things might be improved upon. Given that Capricorn is a Saturn-ruled sign, there may be structural concerns to be addressed, wear and tear on the bones of our cognition. This is the type of time when I tend to check in with certain touchstone books, like How to Win Friends & Influence People, which had a big impact on the way that I think and interact with others. Might be something completely different for you, an activity or practice, or a movie, or a certain person or group who may have unwittingly shaped your mind.

This direct station feels itchy. Revelations may jump out of nowhere, certain contacts may turn up out of the blue, and we may be spurned to grow and change and commit to things even if it’s terribly uncomfortable to do so. This is the reality to sticking to your New Year’s resolution! And this comes as a result of Mercury stationing in a very close trine to Uranus and the North Node, a combination that may bring unexpected change, or at the very least, pour a whole lot of hot sauce on a person’s mind. Mileage may vary, as always. The other thing spicing up this direct station is Mercury’s contentious relationship to Jupiter, the planet that not only bestows gifts, but asks us to turn them into more gifts that we can then share with the class. With the asteroid Juno, a signifier of commitment, newly conjunct to Jupiter, it becomes a recipe for marrying something that makes us greater, and of more use to humanity. The call to action may feel incredibly irritating, but there are almost certainly rewards on the other side of exertion.

Another important feature today is the Sun’s conjunction to Pluto. I already wrote about this last week, as the Sun crept up: “…Sol’s slow walk down the staircase to the underworld may create a mood of disquiet foreboding. For some, this may also be an echo of events and feelings stirred around New Year’s Eve, which is when Venus made this same passage through Pluto, which may have troubled the waters around issues of corruption and desire, power and control. The Sun’s passage involves many of the same themes, with an emphasis on sense of self – what waits just below the surface of what we allow others to see? What we allow ourselves to engage with? This may be a good week to probe such matters, to explore ideas around the dialogical self or ‘the shadow self,’ as popularized by the Jungians. Whether or not this process is actively engaged with, this transit may prove transformative for some.” In other words, confronting hard truths is on the docket, things that may corrupt and mutate, but in the same turn, may transform and make us stronger.

In the background, the moon slides through the middle degrees of Sagittarius, lightening the mood and giving heart to those striving to do better. Venus also begins closing in on a conjunction with Saturn. More on that later.

Thursday, 1/19, leaves things hanging in the balance. Neither Mercury nor Mars have moved a degree off their direct station, hanging out at 8 degrees of their respective signs. The day may feel a little sluggish, with the Sun in its anaretic degree and the moon void-of-course until the afternoon.

However, Friday (1/20) not only sees the Sun’s ingress into Aquarius, we also have the moon running across Mercury. If plans have been brewing over the course of the week, or perhaps since further back than that, this may be the day that things start to move. The moon will touch the same aspects as Mercury, so that Uranus-North Node trine may be activated and throw a curve-ball your way that you are forced to deal with.

Saturday (1/21) brings the New Moon in Aquarius. New moons are often seen as a new beginning, and if that’s the case, there are a lot of players drawn into this part of the story. Though it is technically in a different sign, Pluto is still close enough to this conjunction to be considered an integral part of it. If the above section on the Sun-Pluto conjunction was resonant, then this new moon may underline it and make it a major point of focus over the coming month. The new moon also occurs in a loose trine to newly-direct Mars, in a loose square to the nodes, and sextile to Jupiter-Juno; we are ready to field-test our new methods of efficacy, to learn and grow from their testing, to take what’s ours and leave behind what no longer serves. In a way, it’s really good that all these other planets are getting pulled into the lunation, because neither the Sun nor the moon are particularly happy in Aquarius. It’s considered to be one of the Sun’s least favorite places to be, in fact, due to Aquarius’ focus on the collective – Sol is all about “me! me! me!” And the moon just feels lost, all her nurturing instincts to hug and feed and comfort converted into data and witticisms and counter-culture anthems.

Now, another element making this new moon softer is the fact that it’s ruled by Saturn, and while Saturn is not known for being a big softy, he is currently receiving a conjunction from Venus. This union has been growing tighter throughout the week, and the love planet will be pretty cozy with the old codger by the time of the new moon. This is a bit of an unlikely coupling, one that can dull hard edges for some and tighten the belts of others. Saturn is the lord of structure and boundaries, signifying what is heavy, aged, slow. Venus is generally about what is young and desirable and lovely. When the two connect, we may see May-December romances, rigorous discipline applied to the arts, beautification of infrastructure, and the like. A big part of the tone-setting of the new moon happens here, and the spotlight will subsequently fall directly onto this pairing of planets when the moon makes contact with them on the day of their exact conjunction, Sunday 1/22 – Monday 1/23.

Saturn is, again, much slower than Venus though, so this love affair is a brief one. By Tuesday (1/23,) she will already have begun moving away from the conjunction, Mercury will have begun to move in earnest, and both the Sun and moon will cast aspects to Mars, prompting the warrior planet to finally take a step forward on Wednesday.

Until next Hump Day!

The Moon in Gemini captures the liminality of the current moment; one the one hand, finding firm mental footing in a trine with Saturn, and in the same breath, urged to dissolve into a puddle of yuck by a square with Neptune. Many of us are trying to hit the ground running in the new year, but the astro-weather might not be right for what you’re trying to initiate. The moon getting wishboned between these two powerful forces may feel familiar to those of us who find the concept of getting it together elusive at current. If that’s you, know that it’s okay! Between Mercury Retrograde, the ending of Mars’ retrograde, some recent Venus intensity and a whole new flavor of Jupiter, there’s quite a lot going on lately and it might just need a moment to settle. The back half of January should present greater operational clarity.

Thursday (1/5) presents opportunities for radical reinvention, surprise appearances, and personal revelation. This comes with the Sun’s exact conjunction to Uranus. We may also see a crescendo in developing news stories related to revolutions, uprisings, and social change. Meanwhile, the Moon in Cancer casts a square to Jupiter in Aries, pitting the urge for self-care against the drive for personal improvement. Mercury, freshly retrograde, goes from bad to worse as he locks into combustion – that is, when planets draw too close to the Sun, they are considered to be drowned out, swallowed by its light, unable to fulfill their function. Already on the fritz, Mercury Rx problems are only likely to intensify this week. Miscommunication is likely. Dot your i’s and cross your t’s.

The big event this week is the Full Moon in Cancer on Friday, 1/6. The early part of the week has set the scene here, as the Sun’s trine to Uranus and conjunction to Mercury should be big themes here, possibly intensifying fallout from cognitive misfires. Another big element at play is the moon’s proximity to the asteroid Pallas, long-associated with patterns and recognition thereof, something which I discussed a bit in my Capricorn Season piece: “…it’s a good time to reflect on relationships with others and emotional processes on an internal level. This is the time when many have just reconnected with family and old friends, for good or ill, as well as the season of New Years Resolutions. All of this is a good excuse to take a good, long look at our own hearts and what they’ve been conditioned to do. The Sun will be conjunct a newly-retrograde Mercury, still trine to Uranus, just past a square to Chiron, a recipe for epiphanies which have been hanging out just at the tip of your brain.”

Saturday (1/7) has the Moon keyed into Neptune and Pluto, and may represent a good avenue to introspection, fantasy escapism or artistic expression. Between that and the following day’s (1/8) Moon-Venus opposition, some may see a revisitation of themes conjured on New Year’s Eve, as that night saw the Venus-Pluto conjunction. There is also a fair amount of volatility in the air on Sunday, as the Moon will touch the Uranus-North Node conjunction by square, at the same time as Mercury Rx hits the configuration by exact trine. As previously discussed, Uranus is the master of shake-ups and surprises, and the North Node is a point of manifestation. Jupiter and Mars will also be keyed into this moon, albeit by soft aspect, but likely still adding a level of intensity to the day. A day to expect the unexpected and roll with spontaneity.

Monday, 1/9, sees Venus lock into an exact trine to Mars. I made mention of this at the end of last week’s piece, when Venus made entry into Aquarius, but this kicks things up a notch. Mars, a source of strength and efficacy, has just been put through the ringer, and many have likely felt particularly powerless, frustrated or thwarted these past few months. As the warrior planet pauses to reflect on his journey, Venus pauses to smile on him and offer him comfort. This could be a sweet aspect, soothing and cooling, and it may even be a baby-making aspect. Either way, Venus will stay with Mars until he begins to move again on 1/12. A practical Virgo Moon offers a final check-up to Mars prior to that on Tuesday (1/10,) though the square aspect involved may mean that this call to arms involves martial figures shouting at Virgoic busy-bodies to get out of their face.

Until next Hump Day!

Today: minds slow to stillness, allowing greater perception of our heart’s depths. There, we may navigate emotional fathoms by an echolocational sense, abilities we may have forgotten that we have.

This comes as Mercury, Venus, and Pluto all come together in conjunction, in a harmonious relationship to the Moon’s transit over Neptune. Mercury, the master of cognition, is rapidly losing his characteristic speed – more on this later – allowing Venus to catch up. Now very closely connected, the love planet has access to technology not always available, devices for exploration and transmission. The proximity to Pluto ensures that these insights are direct and strong, cutting through any layers of self-deception or delusion – though they could be used to deceive or delude others, as Pluto is often tapped as an instrument for power and control. This is especially true with Neptune’s involvement; Neptune’s presence conjures the illusory. But assuming there is no ill intent, (and indeed, the contact is harmonious here,) Neptune can be a port of call to the great sea of dreams, revealing the interconnectedness of us all.

So while there are some components fit for duplicity, the week begins on a largely romantic note, possibly even a transcendent note.

And that’s the sugar around the bitter pill, because on Thursday (12/29,) Mercury will go retrograde until January 18th.

I wrote about this in my Capricorn Season piece, and will quote myself here. This retrograde marks the ending of a long period of connection between transiting Mercury and Venus, and indeed, they are exactly conjunct on this day, fusing the heart-mind for a final time this season. They will not get far away from each other this week, but space between them can be felt as the new year begins. “The mind has to remember how to be the mind on its own again, separate from the heart. Neptune’s involvement in this retrograde station is also likely significant. Mercury doesn’t typically do well in aspect to Neptune, because Mercury is usually trying to work systems of communications, to transmit data, and Neptune is an ineffable sea of all available data. It would be like trying to print the entire internet. But in encountering that prospect, our minds may encounter koans which unlock deeper, more effective processes. This Mercury retrograde occurs in Capricorn after all…Capricorn likes getting things done. All the typical Mercury retrograde warnings apply: check your emails before you hit ‘send,’ expect traffic and technological mishaps, try not to sign anything binding and official, travel during this period could be problematic, don’t break your cell phone, etc.”

On the same day, the Moon will be sandwiched between Jupiter and Chiron, casting a negative ray at the Sun. Don’t overthink a compliment, or other vessels of elation. Getting out of one’s comfort zone could open avenues to real growth. Potentially a good couple of days for facing down trauma, as the Moon will also be with Chiron on Friday, 12/30.

This actually dovetails nicely into Saturday 12/31, New Year’s Eve, where Venus will make her conjunction to Pluto. We talked a little bit earlier about the power dynamic effects that can occur with a merging of these two celestial bodies, but it also holds a deeply transformative power. I will borrow once more from my Capricorn piece… “Pluto is an intensity modifier, one that draws up what is hidden below the surface of whatever it touches. Part of Venus remembering who she is on her own is taking a long look at what she is getting from Capricorn’s controlling need to acquire. For some, this may mean interrogation of their hedonistic side to see whether or not they’re okay with a particular set of preferences. Should be an interesting New Year’s Eve! But seriously, there can be a huge array of emotional stirring from this type of internal process: shame, disgust, but also ecstasy and liberation. It may be a difficult transit for some folks, but an important one. Venus will then enter Aquarius on 1/3/23…” The Moon will cast some friction on this conjunction of Venus and Pluto early in the day on Saturday, which may propel some folks into action.

New Year’s Day is usually a placid occasion to my mind, but it might be a little different this year. Though not necessarily unpleasant, the two luminaries may preside over some big surprises on Sunday 1/1/23, as the Sun casts a harmonious ray to the Moon, who will be passing over the conjunction of Uranus and the North Node. I’ve written a lot about this conjunction before, and the long and short of it is “material shake-ups.” The Sun and Moon should smile on whatever curveballs fly into your open glove. Meanwhile, Mars begins to slow down and station at 8 degrees Gemini. More on this in the coming weeks, but what it basically means is that Mars Retrograde is drawing to a close. Now is the time not to act, but to digest information from the past few months, to strategize, cultivate oneself, fortify.

Monday (1/2/23) may feel like the first real salvo of the Mercury Retrograde period, as the Moon tips a hat in his direction Mercury. He is still stalled out, busy trying to process too much information, as the sextile to Neptune is still active. We may be called to revise, rethink, redo.

Then on Tuesday (1/3/23,) Venus enters Aquarius, truly ending her time together with Mercury, as they are now fully in different signs. Her transit through Pluto served as a gateway of sorts, a crucible for rebirth. She is not particularly strong or weak here, but she is certainly different. “With Venus in Aquarius, we may be drawn to the contrary or uncommon. This is the realm of counter-culture, of sci-fi, of art with big ideas about the world, possibly informed by her recent time with Mercury.” As an exclamation point on this change, the Moon will move over Mars, but will cast a big, harmonious ray to Venus, highlighting the renewed connection between the maiden and the knight. She is in a position to offer the wounded warrior comfort and counsel as he takes this moment to rest. Indeed, in our lives and insofar as we are able, this may mean directing our energies to the things we love most, or to be open to new enjoyments.

Until next Hump Day! Happy New Year!