We come into the New Year of 2022 with our resolutions strong to make this year a better year than the past two. With the Capricorn Sun trine Uranus in Taurus we are committed to dramatic changes with a greater willingness to allow the universe to do its thing with us as a willing accomplice to adjust to sudden, unexpected changes.
With four planets in Capricorn, 2022 begins with attention to detail. We might hear of further restrictions, lockdowns, and regulations that hamper individual choice and personal freedom all under the guise of the collective good, but our willingness to go along to get along may be threadbare thin.
While fear and needed compliance have worked for the past two years, the narrative seems to be falling apart. The assertion by scientific officials that vaccination would eradicate the threat of the virus or getting the virus is diminished both by the need [constant, continual?] of booster shots and by the breakthrough cases of those fully vaccinated coming down with the virus. And the virus seems to have never-ending mutations with various virus strains plaguing the global community. Add to these concerning matters the increasing scientific evidence that the vaccine has liable adverse side effects especially impacting the heart, and the trust, much less the belief, in the narrative seems waning at best, if not fodder for conspiracy theories of a global depopulation scheme by a small, authoritative elite.
Whatever the true reality might be in our bizarro world presently, a divide between those who are accepting of consensus opinions abetted by the official narrative and those who are adamant in their choice emphasizing their personal freedoms may be growing and especially as we move through this winter season.
With starting the year committed to our resolutions to engage brighter days through better ways, we are looking ahead rather than in the rearview mirror of the past.
The 2nd of January has the Capricorn New Moon [1:33 PM EST] and Mercury exiting Capricorn to enter Aquarius [2:10 AM EST]. With the Capricorn New Moon in orb of a trine to Uranus and with Mercury entering Aquarius, a Sign co-ruled by Uranus, we are serious about looking to our future and willing to use different means, new techniques and drawing upon streamlined technologies to advance our causes.
Perhaps as a result of the continuing din about pandemics, viruses and all sorts of situations that give us goosebumps, we have determined our best course is to be adaptable and flexible, accept the changes occurring in the world that are impacting our personal lives, and consider new trajectories for ourselves in the most effective and expedient manner.
Even if we question the integrity of society’s institutions, all of which seem faltering if not disintegrating, it is important that we maintain our own integrity, the moral high ground. There is an acceleration occurring, and it would be suggested that we keep in mind what John Lennon wrote in his 1970 classic song Instant Karma!:
Instant Karma’s gonna get you
Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together
Pretty soon you’re gonna be dead
The ability to blend our intuitive sense with a practical approach focused on specifics could be heightened on the 5th of January when Venus sextiles Neptune. Someone might come to our aid, whether they provide a different perspective or apply elbow grease in helping us achieving our aims. It doesn’t always take a village, but an objective viewpoint with support and encouragement is a welcome addition for us to be productive and effective in dealing with what needs to get done.
The first half of January allows us to engage our resolutions and implement the necessary means to accomplish our plans.
The interplay of the Capricorn-transiting planets with Neptune allows us to consider and think before we act, and once strategized provides us the wherewithal to be highly effective and productive in a timesaving manner.
January 8th has the Sun conjunct Venus and both in orb of a sextile to Neptune. These times call for faith and trust in our inner knowing. No matter what the ‘newspeak’ might herald, we may have become less trusting of the appearances, presentations and hype foisted upon us. Perhaps there has just been too much flip-flopping with our being told one thing at one time and then something contrary at another time. Maybe circumstantial evidence has given lie to what is being told to us.
Increasingly, we can find that we are dependent primarily on what we believe, what we intuit and what we perceive. Despite any opaque nature to matters, our vision based upon an inner instinct could be laser-like, able to strip away the fog and confusion to get to clarity and the true.
The 5th through the 10th of January has the Capricorn Pisces interplay with Venus sextile Neptune on the 5th, the Sun conjunct Venus on the 8th, and the Sun sextile Neptune on the 10th.
It would be wise for us to use this period to reflect, contemplate and consider what is really going on both in the outside world and in our own personal realm. We may feel ever more impelled to get back on track of our individual journey and move forward with our personal destiny.
The world and its goings-on are but a backdrop in our life’s unfolding. The more we accept responsibility and accountability for our actions and decisions, the straighter our path will be. We shall more fully engage a proactive stance, be one with the natural unfolding, and accept being co-creators with the universal energies in its various twists and turns, ups and downs. We are living in disruptive and tumultuous times, during which things can change suddenly and dramatically, all with the intention of our awakening and eventual ascension in awareness, consciousness.
What we do have to be wary of during these times and in our life journey always is an arrogance of narcissism where we assume that life revolves around us with our being ever needful of attention and admiration and little consideration of what is going on outside our own self-focused orbit.
That issue could arise on the 11th of January when the Mars in Sagittarius squares Neptune. While we had excellent energies to lay down solid foundation stones over the previous week, we might feel that our abilities transcend even mastery. Either we could assume that everything will fall neatly into place with little effort on our part and believe that what we want and the way that we want it will be, or our efforts could prove half-assed as we gloss over significant particulars, all the while trying to do ever more. This is a time when we need to check arrogance and narcissism at the door. Humility is called for in order to avoid the pitfalls of impetuousness.
January 14th has the first of this year’s Mercury retrogrades as Murphy’s Law of ‘whatever could go wrong can go wrong’ is back in effect. This Mercury retrograde begins with the Mercury in Aquarius in orb of a conjunction with Saturn. Our hopes and dreams may seem dashed, or at least delayed, to the authoritative parade rainers. A sense of ‘been there, done that’ can be strong, as the fear machine seems ratcheted up for everyone to comply under the threat of social ostracism or worse.
Interesting that as some people start to question the narrative, find their voice and emphasize personal choice the hammer comes down to restrict freedom under the guise of safety and protection. Fear is a phenomenal motivator forcing people to go from being proactive and self-affirming to being reactive and self-denying.
While the powers-that-be could overplay their hands by drawing upon the same patterns from the old playbook, people may determine their own components of well-being in regard to personal health through diet, nutrients, exercise and composure. I found it interesting that during the lockdowns of the past two years, there seemed to be two different approaches that people took. Devoid of the many diversions and distractions that had made up their lives, many people used the social isolation as a spiritual retreat and became highly creative no matter the format or the self-expression. Other people bought fully into the fear and ratcheted up their anxiety by solely pacing the floor and wringing their hands awaiting the specter of death.
One would think that having survived, or even thrived, from previous restrictions the ability to cope would be sharpened and critical analysis would question the blanket statements propagated. We’ll see.
The 16th of January has the Sun conjunct Pluto. No matter what might be going on in the world at this time, we can be going through our own personal transformation, doing an inventory of our life, considering what is essentially important for us and what we need to be rid of. Not only can we focus on what we determine to be the truly significant, but we can lay down the foundation stones of our present and our future during this time. We might even engage the statement that ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going.’
The Cancer Full Moon on the 17th of January [6:48 PM EST] with the Moon opposed the Sun engages Pluto with the Moon opposed Pluto and the Sun sill in orb of a conjunction with Pluto. Transformation is the key to this time. Like a volcano with pent-up energy percolating below the surface, each of us might experience a stirring, a welling up of emotion and intention. Although such feelings may be unfamiliar, even uncomfortable, this can also be a time when we face our self-worth issues, draw upon our faith, and determine to move forward with ‘god’ on our side. This is not a time for the weak of spirit, who may just fold under the pressure, a pressure that like the compression of rock creates the diamond. Either we can falter and fold, or we can ascend and radiate our light. Our choice, always our personal choice.
Uranus turns direct on the 18th [10:27 AM EST], ending its five-month retrograde cycle, and a day before the Sun exits Capricorn to enter Uranus-ruled Aquarius. Once again, we step into the paradigm shift of unexpected developments, where things can occur in a most mysterious, magical and miraculous manner. Not everyone likes changes, but we are deep into them, so it would be suggested that we be flexible, adaptable and ‘go with the flow’, even when that flows feels like life-threatening rapids.
The Sun’s entry into Aquarius on the 19th [9:39 PM EST] shifts the energy. The Capricorn Stellium of three planets in the Cardinal Earth Sign ends, and the Sun creates a Stellium in the Fixed Air Sign as the Sun joins Mercury and Saturn in Aquarius.
The energy switches from a regulated, restricted quality to a focus on independence and freedom. We may be looking toward our future than reliant on our past. We are likely to seek greater autonomy in our movements and in our actions. We are less willing to dance to someone else’s tune but rather dance to our own rhythm and at our own pace.
With the Sun conjunct Mercury on the 23rd of January our thoughts engage the wide, wide world of possibilities. We can attend to our responsibilities and obligations, but our interest lies more in the far beyond than whatever is under our feet. Communications with other people may make us aware of options and alternatives we had not considered. We can stretch our wings even if only in our mind’s eye. As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote: “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it.”
The 24th of January has Mars exiting Sagittarius to enter Capricorn [7:53 AM EST], reengaging the Capricorn Stellium as Mars joins Venus and Pluto in the Cardinal Earth Sign. We now have two Stelliums of three of more planets in a Sign — one in Capricorn, the other in Aquarius.
The heightened influence of Capricorn and Aquarius allows us to blend foresight with practical application. We can create the template for our future goals. We are also able to deal with any limitations without feeling quashed. Perhaps we have become more adaptable to changing circumstance, better able to deal with the crazies without getting sucked into their craziness, and more adept at transforming situations to our advantage.
The week-long Aquarius Stellium is short lived as Mercury retrogrades back into Capricorn [10:05 PM EST] on the 24th, adding greater strength to the Cardinal Earth Sign and the authority of the powers-that-be. The winter doldrums may be setting in. People can be on edge and we have to be wary not to be overly critical or take any slights or hurts personally. This is a time to keep in mind what I often suggest: “check the source and check their agenda.”
Over the past two years, we have been under a great deal of stress. There may be no magic wand that makes things better, only we can do that by our change of attitude and change of perspective. The Greek myth of the bird the phoenix offers us the hope, promise?, that from the ashes we can rise ever higher.
The 28th of January has Mercury conjunct Pluto. Our thoughts and ideas might be laser-like with the ability to strip away the fluff, focus on the essentials of a situation and come up with a best practices approach to realize our goals. We might continue with people being on edge, hypercritical and highly judgmental. Instead of engaging in a pissing contest, we would be better served concentrating on what we need to get done. The dysfunctionality in society is liable to be apparent, reinforcing the age-old proverb of “if you want something done right, do it yourself”.
Whatever we focus on at this time, we can be intense in our concentration and able to virtually move mountains.
Venus turns direct on the 29th [3:46 AM EST], ending its retrograde cycle that has gone on since mid-December. We might feel more social, possibly less isolated, even if there are restrictions in place that limit our social gathering. We could consider a personal makeover with our eyes towards the eventual spring and to get us out of any winter funk. Our social engagements, if we decide to engage, can be more for what benefits us rather than truly emotionally felt.
The 30th of January has the Sun square Uranus. We could feel uncomfortable in our own skin. Many of our hopes and wishes might seem dashed by the limitations we encounter or a critique that reveals our goals to be little more than a pipedream. It would be wise for us not to ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’, for it could be our own personal discontent that paints everything we are and what we are doing as a murky, muddy gray. We may need to give things time, allow our thought and our perspective to be merely a tilling of the soil, not yet ready to be planted or fertilized.
January 2022… back on track…
