Insights for the Month of Aquarius
A note for the readers of astrology insights: aspects from Sun, Mercury and Venus to other planets last only a day generally speaking. Unless they are making stations. (turning from retrograde to direct or the other way around). Aspects from Mars are often felt up to a week before and usually peak and leave shortly after the exact day. Aspects from Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto last a longer time. The exact days are possibly the strongest but you might notice them weeks before and after and there are generally three of them over the course of many months.
If it happens that your birthday is near one of these aspects you will live with it all year. It’s as if your birthday captures the astrological picture of the day or week for your year.
January 19
Sun enters Aquarius: 04:24 PM EST
Mars square Saturn
There is the ‘driving with your breaks on’ quality of the day. Another way to see it is to say that actions matter. It’s a good idea to act with discipline and to consider the consequences of those actions.
The Sun in Aquarius will make aspects to Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus this month, starting February 9th – 14th, in quick succession. Aquarius has a hard time in this world because the Sun is not considered to be strong in this sign. The ancients thought of it as a ‘detriment’ to have the Sun in Aquarius because it is so majestically strong in the opposite sign of Leo. They were literalists who lived in a world of less possibility. In our times we can see that the seemingly negative qualities that give the Sun in Aquarius a hard time are also the gifts that serve them ultimately: The ability to see the world from a different perspective than most others, for example. (One of my favorite examples of the brilliance of Aquarians is Jeremy Rifkin.) In cahoots with Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus we see great possibilities to contribute some needed perspective to the times and situation we find ourselves facing. (And, by the way, Saturn and Uranus are both dignified in Aquarius.) Follow the Aquarians this year; especially those born 9 – 16 of February. They could be inclined to make some serious lemonade out of the sour situations of the world.
January 20
Venus sextile Pluto
Imagine there is an underwater lagoon. If you dive in you may find the Pearl of Great Price. And if you don’t, you’ll never know what or if you missed. It is possible that the diving itself is the Pearl.
January 23
Mercury sextile Neptune
I once read that Mary Oliver goes over every world in her poems, way more than once. But when you read one that touches you, touches your soul, it doesn’t seem like that kind of crafting was behind it. This, of course is magic, whether you are a poet, a carpenter or a jeweler; a parent or even an astrologer. Every art is craft.
January 27
New Moon: 8 degrees Aquarius: 07:07 PM EST
Venus square Saturn
Whatever your intention make sure it includes the rest of the world.
It’s easy and instinctive for us to judge those who behave badly and it’s kind or maybe cosmic to wish them well anyway, even though we don’t like what they did. We humans have this amazing potential to choose how we react. Maybe the challenge is to be kind when we feel righteous and strong when we feel compassionate.
January 28
Mars enters Aries
Get ready to encounter passion in yourself or someone else while Mars is at home in its own sign for the next six weeks. Passion is an intense emotion. It doesn’t necessarily differentiate between love and hate. It can be murderous and it can drive creativity and engender new life. It carries us off to places we didn’t know we were going. It can plunge us into the fires of hell or illumination. It’s a hot potato!
January 29
Mercury conjunct Pluto
A little obsession can be really helpful when trying to accomplish something important. Mercury went retrograde on December 19, conjunct Pluto. Today it leaves its shadow and that’s that. Did you learn anything about intensity, focus or obsession? Even better if you can apply what you learned.
January 31
Mercury square Uranus
Something intensely real is caught on something that cannot contain itself. Will this shatter the container or suppress the ideal? A third alternative would be to have a really great idea that could turn your life upside down. Try not to be too radical just yet.
February 2
Mercury square Jupiter
Just when you thought you were right and it was obvious, a new reality presents itself and knocks you off your horse. A good rider might stay on if s/he can balance the ideal with the real.
February 3
Venus enter Aries
They say Venus is in her detriment in Aries. She is not at home here. I’m not sure it isn’t just patriarchal fear of independent, strong women. In any case when Venus takes up residence in Aires it’s time to stand up for our values. Given that Venus will retrograde in Aries on March 4th she will spend more time there than usual. It’s a good time to challenge the notion that a good citizen is nothing more than a consumer.
Today is the exact mid-point between winter solstice and spring equinox. Here in the north, we are officially half way through winter. It’s the quickening of the year when we begin to notice that they days are actually getting longer. A time for hope.
February 6
Jupiter stationery retrograde
When planets make stations they appear stuck at a particular degree for a period of time. In this case Jupiter is at 23 degrees of Libra from January 27 – February 15th. The Sabian symbol for this degree is ‘A child giving birds a drink at a fountain’. Thirsty birds suggest ideas that are looking for feelings to invigorate them. The child suggests that those feelings are innocent and pure. I haven’t a clue what that means for the world in general but each of us might have a way.
February 7
Mercury enters Aquarius
The concepts that underlie our thoughts give rise to things like civilizations. Getting stuck to them can cause trouble. Using them as blueprints, however allows us to be the architects of the world we live in.
February 9
Sun sextile Uranus
Be amazed at something human. In a good way. You decide.
February 10
Full Moon: 22 degrees Leo 07:33 PM EST Lunar eclipse
Mercury sextile Venus
When the Moon’s light is eclipsed by the shadow of the earth, it’s a metaphor for human emotion unmoored: High tide with no warning. Orient yourself on the wild sea of emotion by harnessing all that emo and directing it toward creativity. From this is the possibility of the expression of a beautiful, if ephemeral, truth.
February 11
Sun trine Jupiter
We may hold some truths as self-evident but in the age of false news and post-truth we need to be careful of our assumptions. Today is a perfect day to look beneath our assumptions which are nothing more than opinions, and see what kind of truth might be lurking there. Fear not the shape-shifting texture of truth. It’s always been relative to the times and the places where it shows up. Our job is to be flexible enough to recognize it in all its various manifestations.
February 14
Sun sextile Saturn
A day for love; the kind that celebrates the trust we have in each other that our friends and loved ones are doing the best they can with the tools they have have. They had it right in kindergarten, when everyone gave valentines to the whole class!
February 16
Mercury sextile Mars
Get up, stand up! Tell it like it is. If not today, when?