January begins the year 2009, in numerology a master number year of the 11, a year of the visionary. This year allows us to look back, release ourselves from past limitations, relieve ourselves of past debts and obligations, and to move forward. Our forward move may be in new directions, with new techniques and yet with a sense of building upon experience that has proven positive and productive without feeling hampered by old ways that no longer work. We may not be out of the woods of our previous habit patterns but at least we can start to see light at the end of the tunnel. Or is it a sideways glint of light indicating a non-sequential move for us to take further down the road?
The month begins with a compressed energy pattern. We have a bucket type of chart pattern with all the planets, save one, bunched together in the universal quadrant and in the Signs Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. The handle to the bucket is Saturn, often referred to as the Watcher on the Threshold. And what an apt name for such a time as this! For we, as individuals, as a society and as humankind, are truly on a threshold between the old paradigm in which everything could be easily explained away and a new paradigm where we shall have to be astute, constantly aware and receptive to the unfoldings. No longer can we master the universe. Now we have to take a complementary role as co-creators of our destiny along with the magical, mysterious unfolding of universal patterns and their influence upon us. Such a shift may seem downright scary to some, an incredibly exciting opportunity of instantaneous changing parameters for others.
While Saturn in Virgo, now retrograde, is the handle to this month’s bucket, we also have a major power pack with a Stellium of three or more planets in Saturn-ruled Capricorn. This Stellium is not of three planets but rather five planets with Pluto, Mars, the Sun, Jupiter and Mercury all transiting through the Saturn-ruled Cardinal Earth Sign. Completing the bowl of Universal Sign transiting planets are Venus and Neptune in Aquarius and the Moon and Uranus in Pisces.
We may be reaching for the stars, looking to move beyond the limitations of our personal environment, but still very much connected to our normal, daily routine. We can have our head in the clouds but keep our feet planted on the ground.
The month of January begins with no planets in Fire Signs, six planets in Earth Signs, two planets in an Air Sign and two planets in a Water Sign. Five planets are in Cardinal Signs, two planets are in a Fixed Sign and three planets are in Mutable Signs. There are two planets in Positive Signs, eight planets in Negative Signs.
January starts with strong imbalances. We may feel that we have to address pressing needs, evaluate present structures and either recondition the ways we have been doing things or build anew virtually from scratch. Unfortunately, our energy is derived more from need than from a fiery spirit of putting our imprint upon things. Even if we wanted to make significant changes to our lives, dramatic alterations to the ways we do things, we are likely to find that we are limited in our resources, which could allow us to believe that we are also limited in our options.
Let’s keep in mind the saying that necessity is the mother of invention. We may not have the passion to initiate or innovate to start off this month. We may feel the demands of the moment argue solely for putting out fires. Although we might focus our energies on our responsibilities, our obligations and even a struggle for survival, it will be important that we not look to re-create the past or to use old, outworn methods to remedy present problems.
Old and new, old and new is the theme for much of this month. While the old may seem to carry the weight of the early part of the month, January sees the balance start to shift later in the month towards ‘out with the old, in with the new’.
If people have been wringing their hands over the extreme volatility of the last six months and the dire effects of various bubbles bursting with their apocalyptic consequences; then times of hand-wringing, if not completely stopped, can begin to shift as we move more into this month of January and the energy gives greater weight to the Aquarian energy.
The 1st has Mercury exit Capricorn and enter Aquarius, now creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Fixed Air Sign as Mercury joins Venus and Neptune. Our thoughts are a great deal more insightful, willing to think outside the box and more open to consider possibilities that seemed ever so remote even days before.
This Stellium in Aquarius is briefly abandoned as Venus exits Aquarius to enter Pisces on the 3rd. Our sensitivity is increased and our compassion for others strongly engaged. On the 4th, Venus sextiles Pluto. We can truly appreciate those special people in our lives, seeing them for their depth of passion and their character.
A major energy shift occurs on the 5th. Jupiter, which has been transiting Capricorn since the end of 2007 and is likely to have used its expansionary energies to exacerbate the contractions that have occurred in the housing markets, financial markets, commodity markets, job markets; leaves Capricorn and enters Aquarius. Can I get a ‘HALLELUJAH’?
HALLELUJAH!
There is no magic wand but Jupiter’s transit of Aquarius relieves much of the compressive pressure we have experienced for this past year. In its place, we are likely to see opportunities for greater creative self-expression, more individuality and a willingness to think outside the box and consider ways beyond the old parameters. We are also likely to see some strong innovative achievements, a whole new technological revolution afoot, and possibilities that we cannot even imagine.
Saturn may still be the Watcher on the Threshold, but with Jupiter entering Aquarius we have the opportunity of expanding our scope into new realms and the promise of possibilities once dismissed as impossibilities. Even more significant is the Jupiter influence on the other side of the threshold crossing, a view into the magical, mystery tour of synchronicity. Things can come out of the blue as we glimpse and experience those situations that occur, arise, that virtually come out of nowhere, things that are not of our making as much as the ability of conditions shifting without a moment’s notice. There may be no magic wand, but Jupiter’s transit of Aquarius can come fairly close to epitomizing it.
Jupiter entering Aquarius also reinstates the Aquarius Stellium of three or more planets as Jupiter joins Mercury and Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign.
The 9th through the 11th seems an active time. The Saturn Uranus opposition is used to good effect both by the Capricorn Sun sextiling Uranus on the 9th and trining Saturn on the 11th and by the Cancer Full Moon on the 10th – 11th that has the Sun Moon opposition engaging the Saturn and Uranus in harmonious interplay. We have the ability of both investigating new realms for further exploration and devising the most expeditious methodologies by which to deal with our responsibilities. Instead of a battle between old and new, we can blend the two, drawing upon the most positive aspects of experience and utilizing the most innovative means to streamline operations. A new technological age may be upon us.
Where there is a fly in the ointment is the first of this year’s three Mercury retrograde cycles, as Mercury turns retrograde on the 11th and continues retrograde until February 1st. The influence of the Mercury retrograde could wreak havoc with computers and technology. As Mercury retrogrades back through Aquarius and then back into Capricorn on the 21st , issues we might have to address include our friends, our plans for the future and any outstanding matters we thought resolved that could unwind demanding our attention. Like any Mercury retrograde, it will be important to avoid making any significant decisions or large purchases without checking and re-checking the specifics, the details and the particulars. If we can avoid important commitments at this time, it might be wise since Mercury retrograde is somewhat akin to Murphy’s Law, which states ‘whatever can go wrong will.’ Mercury retrograde is a time far better used to go back over things rather than initiate new important projects.
On the 18th, Mercury retrogrades to conjunct Jupiter, followed by the Sun entering Aquarius on the 19th and the Sun conjunct Mercury on the 20th. A ‘feelgood’ attitude can be strong now and some of the ‘feelgood’ could be the energy, attitude and feelings generated around the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th US President. A sense of hope and inspiration can be like a huge wave rolling across the global landscape lifting people from despair with the promise of possibilities and good vibrations.
Where a problem could arise is the fact that the chart for the incoming US Administration has similarities to the January chart with no planets in the Fire Element and a bucket pattern type of chart with Saturn being the handle to the bucket and consequently a focalizing point. The Administration chart also has both Saturn and Mercury retrograde and is inaugurated at a time when the Moon is Void-of-Course. There is a Stellium of three or more planets in Aquarius with the Sun, Mercury, Jupiter and Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign. There can be some great intentions but the question as to whether good intentions can be realized with the backdrop of the baggage of old issues and continuing problems brought into this new Administration could put a damper on the attempts to make effective and lasting change. We’ll see.
This period of the 18th through the 24th can be quite exciting. Not only do we have the aforementioned energies. On the 21st, Mercury retrogrades back into Capricorn and our thoughts can return to the pragmatic, seeking to put spirit and idealism into action and practical manifestation.
The 22nd, a master number in numerology indicative of the master builder, has Mars sextile Uranus and Venus conjunct Uranus. Change is in the air and some of the changes are likely to come about in a most surprising and exciting manner. This is a time when synchronicity is at play, a recognition that the universe unfolds in a rather mysterious and magical manner. There can be unexpected meetings, serendipitous connections. Things can fall neatly into place and give us the impetus to get the ball rolling as far as being more effective with less expenditure of energy. We can streamline our operations and find ourselves insightful to the point of startling revelations. Such miraculous promptings can allow us to see the promise of the future and make us far more optimistic and enthusiastic about our possibilities. Such an attitude may be especially apparent around the 24th when the Sun conjuncts Jupiter, Mars trines Saturn, Venus opposes Saturn and Venus sextiles Mars.
This third week of January can truly bring the dawning of a new day, both on a geopolitical level and on a personal level for our own individual journeys. We may sense the worst is behind us, or at the very least, gain a second wind to consider options and alternatives and not feel totally brought down by past actions or misdeeds.
This latter part of January can be dynamic and enlivening. We might feel as though we are on the threshold of a brand new day. A sense of greater openness and more expansive possibilities can fill us with hope and inspiration.
The 26th has the Aquarius New Moon, a Solar Eclipse at which time Mercury sextiles Venus, followed by Mercury conjunct Mars on the 27th. Promise of greater opportunities for creative self-expression may be enticing but we might also discover that the question of greater freedom of expression runs counter to the good, and security, of the community. Increasingly, we might find that the emphasis upon individual focus and expansion is determined by the greater good of the community and the need of security for a society going through the paroxysms of radical change during an epoch of paradigm shift.
January… untying the bonds of the past, embracing the possibilities of the future…
