Much of this week can revolve around our place in the world and our place vis-à-vis other significant people in our lives. How do we fit in? How do we stand out? What is expected of us? What are we willing to give of ourselves?

Relationship issues could dominate the week and we might have to balance our personal needs with those of someone else or the needs of other people. The balancing act can prove difficult, so we need to accept the fact that there could be wild swings in our interactions with our community.

The Leo Full Moon on Tuesday comes at the time of Saturn turning retrograde in the last degree of Libra. Saturn reaches the cusp of Libra – Scorpio but retreats back into Libra for its four and a half month retrograde cycle. Saturn has been transiting Libra for the past two plus years, a transit that asks us to address how we deal with other people, those significant relationships in our lives. With Libra representative of the ‘other’ in our lives, the complement to ourselves, many of us have been doing soul-searching regarding who we are in reflection to the important people in our lives, what we do and how we are defined.

With Saturn retrograde until the latter part of June, let’s also keep in mind that there can be greater delays and difficulties in getting things done. Saturn retrograde is akin to winter hibernation, for the attention is less on the external world and more on our internal world. Like nature in winter, we tend to go through a more inner focus.

Shortly after Saturn turns retrograde and the Leo Full Moon on Tuesday, Venus exits Pisces and enters Aries on Wednesday and conjuncts Uranus on Thursday.

Relationships can be highlighted, but the focus on relationships can be less about a balance of personal needs with those of someone else. Instead, everyone may become more self-centered, self-focused and self-absorbed. We might be far more interested in how relationships are impacting us and less considerate of how the relationship is impacting someone else.

This week could have us more infatuated with the new and the different, entertaining quirky characters as comic relief to our own day-in, day-out lives. If we have been feeling boxed in by our everyday life and our usual circle of friends, we might want a breakout period where we experiment with a new sense of our being. We might try different hairstyles, consider hip new wardrobes or just seek to do things differently. We may assume that the old is tired, even worn out, and we want something vibrant, exciting, enlivening, different.

This week is an exciting time, a week when we are looking at the people in our lives and what they mean to us and for us. We may broaden our social circle and incorporate some interesting new people who serve as a mirror for some of the changes we are looking to instill into our own lives.

Even though we may be in high gear this week, with significant braking action at times, let’s try to take some time to slow down and catch our breath.

Monday, February 6th – Tied Down, Breaking Free – Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter. We may awaken on this Monday with a sense of responsibilities hanging over our head. The feeling of what we need to do could be strong but so too our resentment towards what we have chosen to take on. The day begins with the Moon in Cancer trine Venus and square Saturn. Some of our obligations may be as a result of our willingness to help, which in hindsight now seems like getting entangled in other people’s messes. If we have committed to being the cosmic mother [no matter our gender], then let’s do what needs to be done without grousing or complaining. We might also assume that no matter what we do or how much we do, it is not enough for the other person. As the day progresses, the Moon exits Cancer and enters Leo, where it trines Uranus and squares Jupiter today. Once we have dealt with some emotional dramas, we can break free to do what we want to do, one part of which is standing out and not just fitting in. We could be looking for adventure with costs not a consideration. We do have to be wary that we don’t get carried away with our desire for freedom of movement or that we indulge our appetites to the extreme. This is a day of extremes, the beginning of the day our feeling possibly tied down by someone else’s stuff, the latter part of the day our breaking free and doing things spontaneously with little regard to cost.

Tuesday, February 7th – Turning Back – Leo Full Moon, Sun, Mercury, Saturn retrograde. Tuesday can be one intense day, a day when the spinmeisters can be out in full force, talking about future prospects, discounting real problems and creating an image of a wonderful world. Nirvana, at last. Or maybe not. This day is a Full Moon day with the Leo Moon opposed the Sun and opposed Mercury, at the time that the Sun and Mercury are conjunct. Saturn turns retrograde today and continues its retrograde cycle through the last degrees of Libra into June. What we see is not what we get, but the liability to grandstanding can be huge. Yes, the hucksters could be out in full force making promises that things are far better than we realize and far better than true reality. Significant issues can be kicked further down the road, problems swept under the rug as people try to paint things in a bright and rosy picture. While upbeat, optimistic attitudes are essential for positive circumstances, there is a point in which such exuberance and enthusiasm leads us down the yellow brick road of candyland, fantasyland and la-la-land. It may be fun to go there, but it would be wise to keep a grip on how things really are. There can be a slow down, with various braking actions and other people getting in our way. We might also feel that other people are acting as legends in their own mind. Even we could be susceptible to such a disposition. We do need to be careful that we do not step on other people’s toes. Each of us may be a little too self-involved, watching out for own self interests without taking into account how it impacts other people or whether our actions are in synch with the greater good.

Wednesday, February 8th – Me and Mine – Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Venus Aries. Wednesday begins with the Leo Moon sextile Saturn and opposed Neptune. We can certainly win people to our side by means of our performance [oops, should I write presentation?]. We could be a little smarmy today, seeking to gain adherents to our cause and support in regard to what we want to accomplish. Unfortunately, we could be so engrossed in our own plans, supported by the ‘yes’ people who are encouraging us on, that we don’t question or even clearly consider where we are marching off to. Are we the grand marshal of the lemming parade heading towards the cliffs? A sense of due diligence is called for today. Fortunately, the Moon exits Leo to enter Virgo where it trines Jupiter today. Even if we have to backtrack from boneheaded directions, let’s swallow our pride and consider in detail what we are doing and where we are going. While we might consider some purchases as necessary for our successful implementation of plans, we need to be certain that our plans are leading us in the right direction and that we are not like a dog chasing its tail, going around in circles, enamored with ourselves. This Wednesday also has Venus exiting Pisces and entering Aries, a Sign where Venus is not comfortable. Much of our compassion and emotional excesses of the past three weeks can drop away. We become less interested in other people’s needs and more concerned with the idea of ‘what about me?’ With Venus in Aries and Saturn retrograding in Libra, we might lose the lesson of what and how we should interact with other people. On the contrary, we might be far more focused on how other people interact with us and what they can provide us. While we might have been going out of our way for other people, we now become ever more attentive to the idea of: ‘what have you done for me lately?’ Self-absorption, self-focus and self-centeredness can be the order of the day, as we become less interested in ‘you’, ‘we’, ‘us’ and more interested in ‘me’ and ‘mine’.

Thursday, February 9th – Infatuations & Distractions – Pluto, Venus, Uranus. Thursday continues with the Moon’s transit of Virgo and today the Moon trines Pluto. Venus, which entered Aries yesterday, conjuncts Uranus today. The energies are quite different but could be used to our advantage if we don’t veer too far off track. On the one hand, we can be incredibly resourceful and expeditious in getting things done. We can accomplish a great deal and move ever closer to the realization of our hopes and dreams. We just need to prioritize and not get overly distracted by thrilling possibilities that could arise unexpectedly. We may want to do what we want to do but let’s not take our eye off the ball. Some connections today could prove serendipitous and may open new doors for us. There can be infatuations that entice us to be impulsive, to step away from our responsibilities and engage the new and the different. We might easily get distracted and diverted from our plans to explore something more exciting. It would be great if we could balance the unique and innovative into our course of action.

Friday, February 10th – Battle of Wills – Mars, Moon Void-of-Course, Uranus, Venus. Late Thursday, early Friday the Moon finishes its transit of Virgo with a conjunction to Mars. We could be scurrying around, taking care of this, attending to that. We may concentrate on the details and the specifics, although we could lose sight of the big picture and forget some of the unexpected scenarios that might have opened to us yesterday. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course for over fourteen and a half hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Virgo and before entering Libra. The energy dies down for much of this day. As the Moon enters Libra, the Moon opposes both Uranus and Venus in Aries. We may find ourselves having to put our own personal interests on the back burner as other people need our attention. Funnily enough, we may be in a more considerate attitude, more concerned with other people and we might negate our own interests. We do have to avoid a battle of wills, a tug-of-war between what we might want and what someone else might want. One of us could be more adventuresome, in a risk-taking mode, while the other person could be more complacent, seeking the easy way out.

Saturday, February 11th – Back in the Sauce – Pluto. We may have our schedule set for this Saturday, and it might be one with a long list of errands. The Libra Moon today squares Pluto. Some of our ‘to do’ list could be more associated with situations that are important to someone else and not that significant for us. Let’s be careful not to get entangled in other people’s messy situations that have little chance of positive outcomes but more likely could be crazy-making. We have to watch that we are not involving ourselves with prima donnas, those people who are self-involved, temperamental and have little consideration for our wishes. They may be far more engaged with the drama than a resolution. We could find ourselves taking care of other people’s desires but with a sense that enough is never enough. If we can do the tai chi moves and wiggle out of obligations that we know to be an oncoming train wreck, we might save ourselves from a great deal of grief. Should we encounter any blockages, it would be wise for us to stop and then step around them.

Sunday, February 12th – It’s a Beautiful Day – Saturn, Sun, Mercury, Neptune. If we were able to sidestep landmines and explosions in our interactions with other people over the past few days, then this Sunday could offer some wonderful get-togethers. The day continues with the Moon in Libra which today conjuncts Saturn and trines all three transiting Aquarius planets — the Sun, Mercury, Neptune. While relationship issues could have been somewhat weighty over the past few days with liabilities to tug-of-war interchanges, this Sunday allows for upbeat and scintillating exchanges. Whether on the phone or in person, our time with other people can be brief but also great fun. We may be like a butterfly today, flying from flower to flower, alighting briefly, engaging in fun repartee and then flying off to the next person for a lively and enjoyable time. If we do not allow any one person to monopolize our time, we can cover many bases today. Any relationship issues can be smoothed over. Our thoughts can turn to future plans, all the while putting present problems aside. Yes, this Sunday can be a beautiful day, good times with good friends and discussing exciting prospects. They say that Sunday is a day of rest, but this Sunday could be a more restoring and re-invigorating day shared with someone special or various special people.

And what can we expect of this transit that has a generational influence?

Neptune is associated with the seas, spirituality, fog, confusion, chemicals, drugs, physicians, movies and visual media, the dissolution of boundaries and various other amorphous and enigmatic qualities.

Neptune can be an either or, and something in between. You never exactly know what you get with Neptune in Pisces, for the chameleon quality is strong. Boundaries break down and in so doing, the sense of clarity more likely morphs into confusion.

Neptune is like the trickster, appearing one way but quite possibly being something different in reality than the image projected.

While there can be a spiritual renaissance, a time of enlightenment and illumination, there can also be illusions, delusions, sleight-of-hand and the so-called false prophets. What we see may not be what we get. Leaders may entice, seduce and mesmerize. But these times call for each of us to heed our own inner voice, for us to engage our soul’s manifest destiny and for us to be leaders on our own personal journey and evolution. And these times demand that we be aware and mindful.

The use of drugs and drug use can be a major influence during this Neptune Pisces transit. With anaesthesia having come into known practice when Neptune was first re-discovered in the mid 1800’s, new discoveries in medicine and pain management can come forward and alleviate pain. Medical advances can be extraordinary. If we change our consciousness away from the profit motive and focus on wellness rather than sickness, we might find various cures for so-called incurable diseases and elongate life extension if we choose it. On the flip side, the recreational use of drugs can increase as people seek ways of escapism from hard, cold reality. As they did in the 1960’s, people can turn on and tune out. But while the 1960’s drug use had a semblance of consciousness expansion, love and brotherhood, this time around drugs may be used merely to escape the pain of everyday reality.

With Saturn moving into Scorpio in the Autumn of this year for its two and half year transit of the Fixed Water Sign coupled with the Neptune in Pisces, we may also see a greater exodus as individuals choose to check out and leave the earth plane. Whatever their ticket to be punched, many people may decide that enough is enough of their earth life experience.

We have already seen 3D movies become more popular recently and talk about 3D television being the next wave in visual media. Certainly, Neptune in Pisces will provide some fascinating visuals — magic-like, another quality of Neptune in Pisces — and technologies that boggle the mind and massage the senses.

There is a breakdown of boundaries that has already started to occur with the acceleration that has been going on and with the threshold crossing into the new paradigm of asequential reality. We are moving into the 5th dimension where the breakdown of boundaries will also be witnessed by the breakdown of space-time coordinates as the four dimensions of space [three dimensional space] and the dimension of time collapse into the NOW — being in the moment — with past, present, future – all NOW.

This breakdown of dimensions will also open the door to other dimensions — greater awareness of non-human beings, greater interaction with the so-called ‘dead’ and greater teleportation, akin to what Gene Roddenberry devised for Star Trek over fifty years ago and H.G. Wells a century before him. There will be a greater sense of life beyond human life, both in the evolution of the individual soul and in the stars beyond the earth.

With Neptune in Pisces during the intensity of these times, some people may cling to that old-time religion but others will be searching and seeking. There can be a greater interest in the eastern philosophies of dissolving the ego and seeking to be one with the Source.

Neptune in Pisces may open many doors and some of the doorways may seem to lead to heaven while other doorways seem to lead to hell. It is our choice, always our choice, which door we wish to enter.

Neptune in Pisces… Illumination or Delusion…

In considering whom we use as our sounding boards, let’s also be judicious in our selection. Some people may be able to see the big picture but their vision could be a little spacey, seeing what could be without considering the specifics or the particulars. Other people can be so focused on the minutiae, lost in the details, that they lose sight of the broad perspective. A balance between the two, where someone is able to see both the macro view and the micro view is what would be most helpful. We need to see the big picture but also see how to fit the various pieces into the puzzle to create the whole framework.

While we can be incredibly idealistic as we start February, thanks to the Stellium of three or more planets in Aquarius with the Sun, Mercury and Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign and with Venus In Pisces, we have to be astute and discerning regarding where we place our energies and whom we try to assist. It would be wise to remember the Christian Bible’s advice: ‘Cast ye not pearls before swine’.

Out of our compassion and maudlin sentimentality, we could get so involved in other people’s problems as to get entangled in their drama, and a drama they might be attached to and unwilling to let go. Talk about a no-win situation!

Let’s be judicious in the advice we take, judicious in the advice we give, judicious in our decisions and judicious in our actions. Remember, two of the keywords to engage for these times are: awareness and mindfulness.

Awareness and mindfulness can keep us from leaping before we look and allow time for reflection to consider what is really going on.

Fortunately, the Earth Grand Trine that has been in operation since November continues on through this month and on through the Spring period. We can be highly effective, productive and get a lot of things done. We just need to be certain that we keep our emotions out of the way and that we enlist an attitude of ‘tough love’… not ‘tough luck’ or even ‘there but for the grace of god go I’ but ‘tough love’ whereby we are there for other people as long as they are there for themselves. Being focused and concentrating on the most meaningful would provide us the ability to expedite operations and accomplish more now than usual.

Neptune re-enters its own Sign of Pisces on February 3rd and will transit through Pisces on into 2025. Compassion, spirituality, religiosity can all be accentuated during this time. Idealism can be strong, but there is also a liability to delusion, escapism and non-realities. I’ve got more to write about the Neptune Pisces transit and what we might experience over these next thirteen years of Neptune’s transit through its own Sign. I call it ‘Illumination or Delusion’, and we can carom between the two as we could also carom between acting out the martyr – savior complex. I’ll post it on the 3rd.

The Leo Full Moon on February 7th comes at the time of Saturn turning retrograde in the last degree of Libra. Saturn reaches the cusp of Libra – Scorpio but retreats back into Libra for its four and a half month retrograde cycle. It would be wise for us to note what is going on regarding the financial realm, both on a macro perspective of the geopolitical world and on a micro viewpoint of our own personal financial world, as Saturn turns retrograde. When we come to the Autumn, Saturn will enter Scorpio for its two and a half year cycle. The Saturn Scorpio transit may speak to financial restraints, increased taxations and a higher death rate. Saturn Scorpio will certainly demand that we be resourceful and Saturn in Scorpio could create limitations to our sense of abundance and bountifulness.

With Saturn retrograde until the latter part of June, let’s also keep in mind that there can be greater delays and difficulties in getting things done. We are being asked to reflect and deal with our interactions with other people, especially the significant relationships in our lives. For Saturn retrograding through Libra, which it has transited for the past two plus years, asks us to consider ourselves in light of the ‘other’. The other can be our significant partner[s], how we deal in our social skills with other people or it can be any complement to ourselves, that which would complete us, sometimes known as what would define us. Other can be our work, our recreational activities, anything that we tend to associate to a definition of ourselves. It is not WHO we are but rather WHAT we are, and the latter definition being far easier to relate, and to hide behind.

Shortly after Saturn turns retrograde and the Leo Full Moon on the 7th, Venus exits Pisces and enters Aries on the 8th and conjuncts Uranus on the 9th. Relationships can be highlighted, but the focus on relationships can be less about a balance of personal needs with those of someone else. Instead, everyone may become more self-centered, self-focused and self-absorbed. We might be far more interested in how relationships are impacting us and less considerate of how the relationship is impacting someone else. We could be infatuated by the new and the different, entertaining quirky characters as comic relief to our own day-in, day-out lives. If we have been feeling boxed in by our everyday life and our usual circle of friends, we might want a breakout period where we experiment with a new sense of our being. We might try different hairstyles, consider hip new wardrobes or just seek to do things differently. We may assume that the old is tired, even worn out, and we want something vibrant, exciting, enlivening, different.

Before Mercury exits Aquarius to enter Pisces on the 13th, Mercury trines Saturn. We may be looking for a catch-up with an old friend, someone we might have lost touch with or someone we just need to spend time with and reminisce about old days.

With Mercury moving out of Aquarius and entering Pisces on February 13th, followed by the Mercury Neptune conjunction on the 14th, Valentine’s Day, we could easily buy into hopes and wishes that have no fundamental basis in reality. Although our intuitive sense can be strong, it would be wise for us not to take things at face value. This energy configuration can also be akin to the trickster, things appearing one way, the reality being quite different. In the native American tradition, the coyote is the trickster, for the coyote howls its haunting, seductive song enticing its prey to come forward only to pounce upon it once within harm’s way. While we might be visionaries during this time, we need to keep our feet firmly planted on the ground if we choose to have our head in the clouds.

The Mercury Neptune conjunction on the 14th is followed on the 15th by Venus square Pluto. Expectations not met on Valentine’s Day could have severe implications and even drastic ramifications for our relationships. Some people may draw lines in the sand and insist that another person either make amends for a perceived slight or the relationship could land on rocky shoals.

With Mercury in Pisces, the Stellium of three or more planets in Aquarius comes to an end. Our emotions can rule our thinking and we might be easily swayed more by our moods and how we feel about things than hard analytical thinking.

At the same time, we can be highly intuitive and utilize a best practices approach to get things done. We can combine the intuitive with the pragmatic and develop the right structure, format and means to move our deepest heartfelt projects forward. Mercury sextiles Jupiter on the 16th, and we could feel upbeat, inspired and divinely guided by right action. Mercury sextiles Pluto on the 18th and we could virtually move mountains. But the moves can be done with little effort and may bear truth to the concept of mind over matter. The 18th also has the Sun, just about to exit Aquarius, trine Saturn. A sense of appreciation, support and encouragement for WHO we are and our plans for the future can be forthcoming by a significant ally and important advocate.

The Sun moves into Pisces on the 19th of February and conjuncts Neptune at the same time. We now have a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Water Sign as the Sun joins Neptune and Mercury in Pisces. With the Piscean energy highlighted even more by the Pisces Lunation, the Pisces New Moon on the 21st, we need to be aware that this fortnight between the 21st of February and the 8th of March can be a time of tricksters extraordinaire.

Whatever is presented to us at this time can be a mirage or an illusion or certainly not the truth, the whole truth. Our sensitivity is likely to be turned up severalfold. At times, we may feel like the savior, other times like the victim. The liability towards escapism can be strong, as we seek more pleasant surroundings, our safe happy place where we can go to avoid the hard cold realities of these changing times.

We may feel like sponges soaking up the energies of our surroundings. It might be important for us now and then to step off the track, take time to recharge our batteries and reflect on what is going on. It would also be wise for us to recognize that we are coming to the end of the zodiac year with the Vernal Equinox and the Sun moving into Aries later in March initiating the new astrological year.

The 23rd of February has Mercury opposed Mars. We can either get incredibly spacey, forget details and skip over specifics, or we could develop the ability to combine our intuitive sense with a detailed approach and focus on how best to approach our tasks and effectively deal with our obligations. We do have to watch for any tendency towards being either hypercritical of everyone, including ourselves, or overly sensitive, assuming that the world is against us. It may be a tough balancing act but one necessary to develop an essential skill set for these changing times.

The Mercury sextile Jupiter on the 16th and Mercury sextile Pluto on the 18th are replicated by the Sun towards the end of the month, as the Sun sextiles Jupiter on the 25th and then the Sun sextiles Pluto on the 28th. We may be far more confident about where we are going with an innate sense that we are headed in the right direction.

Spring is just around the corner.

During the latter part of February and into mid-March, we may do a great deal of sighing, even involuntarily sighing. It may not be a sigh or breath of relief, as much as an inadvertent recognition that we are coming to the end of a cycle.

This month is a month when we may have our head in the clouds, far more interested in the possibilities than daily realities. As the month progresses, we grow increasingly emotional and liable to make decisions and judgments more on our moods and feelings than analytical reasoning and well-considered thought. These times ask us to let go of any sense of total control over situations, to be flexible and adaptable to changing conditions. We may discover that we are developing the tai chi moves, adept at recognizing the shifting energies, moving in rhythm with them and being more effective in our lives than we ever have been before. The times are changing and we are changing with them. We can get a greater sense of right direction and right action and realize that we are being assisted in making our way through the maze, no labyrinth, of our life’s journey and procession.

February may be the dead of winter but we are also coming to the end of a cycle, the end of the astrological year. Karma can play out and old issues come up that are asking to be resolved. These issues may be of our present life but may also be of past lives too. This can be a month when our thoughts turn to the past, looking back at what was, all the while yearning for what we might not consciously know but realizing that we are guided by our inner voice and our soul’s knowing.

February… moving ahead, sometimes driven by our emotions…

For this week is the last full week of Saturn direct and before Saturn turns retrograde a week on Tuesday. Saturn retrograde often ties in with the energy of the Winter, a time when nature turns inward and much of our energy is focused internally. Things may take longer, frustrations are likely and delays with brakes sometimes applied being a constant reminder of the need to re-evaluate and re-work.

This week also has the Moon’s movement through Taurus, Gemini and Cancer. As the Moon transits Taurus Monday into Wednesday, the Moon creates a Grand Trine in the Earth Element, linking up all three Signs of the Earth Element and allowing us to be practical, productive and focused on mundane affairs. As the Moon transits Gemini on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the Moon creates a Grand Trine in the Air Element, linking up all three Signs of the Air Element and providing us with the communication skills and varied interests to address friends, contacts and other relationships in which we can share ideas and offer suggestions.

This week also has Neptune changing Signs, exiting Aquarius and moving into its own Sign of Pisces which Neptune will transit for the next fourteen years. A new day is dawning, a spiritual renaissance being offered us but also with moments of doubt and confusion. We are on the threshold of a paradigm shift, a time when that which was valid and true may no longer be, a time when the ways things worked effectively once might only be handicaps to our forward movement. Although we can have times of confusion, I always say that confusion is the starting point of wisdom. For confusion breaks down the rigidity and fixity of our assumed opinions and forces us to be open to possibilities and understandings that we might have been closed off to previously.

This is a dynamic week and a time when we can accomplish much. The wind is to our backs, but it would be wise to work with the energies and concentrate on the particular influences on these different days.

Monday, January 30th – No Running – Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Mercury, Pluto, Sun. Monday begins with the Moon ending its transit of Aries and in so doing the Moon opposes Saturn and sextiles Neptune. We may have great plans for this day, but our schedule could be impacted by other people’s needs. Although we might want to run ahead today and implement some of our plans for the future, this day is better spent focusing on what needs to be done on a pragmatic, mundane level. The Moon moves into Taurus where the Moon conjuncts Jupiter, squares both Mercury and the Sun, and trines Pluto. Although we could get easily distracted by the noise of potentials and possibilities, let’s not get diverted from putting one foot in front of the other and taking care of business and dealing with our daily responsibilities. Today is a day when we can put things in their right place and present the package in the most appealing form. If we would concentrate on our daily tasks, we could be highly effective and expeditious in getting things done. Other people may want our attention and even for us to play ‘hooky’ today, but if we go there we lose a marvelous opportunity to address our basic needs and take care of our usual responsibilities.

Tuesday, January 31st – Picking Up Speed – Venus, Mars. Tuesday continues with the Moon transiting Taurus and today the Moon sextiles Venus and trines Mars. If we were not waylaid by friends and distractions yesterday but actually focused on our tasks at hand, we could continue with our highly effective and productive means to accomplish a great deal. We can prioritize and concentrate on the specifics and the particulars. We are unlikely to drop a stitch today but rather utilize due diligence, all the while that we are making it look easy. Structural changes, format modifications and any retooling can be done quickly and efficiently. Monday and Tuesday this week can have us getting more done in a shorter period of time than usual. We just have to avoid those desires to be elsewhere, doing some thing else, and daydreaming about what could be instead of dealing with what is. We take care of what is and we lay the groundwork to be able to spend time on the whats could be.

Wednesday, February 1st – In a Spin, Loving the Spin I’m In – Venus, Mars, Neptune, Uranus. In 1958, Louis Prima and Keely Smith had a Number 1 charting song that became a classic, ‘That Ol’ Black Magic’, in which the lyrics went: ‘In a spin lovin’ the spin I’m in’. This Wednesday, which is the first day of February, could have us feeling in a spin and possibly loving it. The day begins with the Moon in Taurus and square Neptune. The Moon then moves into Gemini where it sextiles Uranus. This day also has Venus opposed Mars. We might start the day looking to do certain things, but an element of confusion or distraction can get in the way of the implementation of our plans. We could also be enticed to spend frivolously, so it would be wise for us to keep a rein on our wallet or pocketbook. The potential for confusion and lack of clarity could be strong, and we might easily fall into the trap that things will occur whether we are involved directly or serve merely as passive participants. We could easily gloss over details, assuming that everything will just neatly fall into its right place. We are not interested in being harnessed today. On the contrary, we would far prefer to be out and about, being spontaneous with a liability towards being impulsive. Maybe we have had nose to grindstone over the past two days. And if in deed we have accomplished a great deal, then the latter part of this day could see us taking some time off, doing our own thing and exploring areas and interests that are new to us. We like things fast and furious today and are awaiting any new surprises that could come our way. Due diligence might go by the wayside, for we are far more interested in picking up the pace, juggling a number of things and not feeling constricted by what we might assume needs to be done.

Thursday, February 2nd – Limitless Possibilities – Mercury, Sun. Thursday continues with the Gemini Moon, which today trines both Mercury and the Sun in Aquarius. With the Moon in Gemini, we have the Grand Trine in Air with the Moon triggering today two of the three planets in Aquarius, tomorrow the third planet in Aquarius and late on Friday, early Saturday the planet in Libra. We can deal with a vast amount of information today. We can juggle any number of things, just as long as we keep up the pace and not try to be too attentive to the specifics of any one thing. We are far more interested in what the future holds than our present day reality. We may spend time on this Thursday discussing with friends and anyone open to hearing what we have to say. The gift of gab is strong today and people can use it to the extreme. Conversations may be longer and jump with non-sequiturs from one thing to another to another. With some people, we might need a roadmap of their thoughts and ideas as each of us may shift quickly from one topic to another. Many of our conversations today can revolve around possibilities, prospects, potentials, our desires and what we wish for our future. This can be an uplifting day when we draw from a very broad palette. We do have to take things with a grain of salt, for the power of persuasion could be far stronger than the reality behind the presentation. Let’s enjoy our mental meanderings through the realm of limitless possibilities but not assume that there is much substance behind what is being told us or even what we might be considering.

Friday, February 3rd – High Anxiety – Lunar T-Square, Mars, Venus, Neptune Pisces. Friday could have us running around but possibly more like a chicken with its head cut off rather than in a rhythmic and focused manner. We could be all over the place today and not merely physically but emotionally as well. The Gemini Moon today creates a Mutable Sign T-Square as the Moon squares Mars in Virgo and squares Venus in Pisces. Adding to the confusion, Neptune exits Aquarius to enter its own Sign of Pisces until 2026. Welcome to high anxiety, whereby we could be cast in the role of savior, and also martyr, and possibly with the shift between the two in a nanosecond. This is a day when the spinmeisters may be out in full force, tugging at people’s heart strings, making all sorts of baseless promises and enlisting pretty pictures that only play to fantasy and illusion. We need to take everything with a boulder of salt, not accept anything at face value and not be seduced by images or promises or appearances. What we see is probably not what we get today. This day could be crazy-making, if we get caught up in the whirlwind of nervous energy. Let’s try to maintain our balance, stay grounded and not jump to conclusions. By the end of the day we could be quite exhausted with all the running around and the whipsaws of emotions we might have been subjected to.

Saturday, February 4th – Resolutions and Limitations – Lunar Grand Trine, Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Lunar T-Square, Uranus, Pluto. While Friday could have been crazy-making with all sorts of misunderstandings, screw-ups and even panic attacks, late Friday, early Saturday allows us to smooth things over, get back into our body and be a little clearer about what is really going on. Finishing its transit of Gemini, the Moon creates an Air Grand Trine with the Moon trine Saturn and trine Neptune. The fog may lift and we can be more attuned to what is really going on. If we stepped on toes on Friday, we can make amends today. The air can be cleared and we can resolve differences. While resolutions can be happy-making, the energy shifts dramatically as the Moon enters Cancer, sextiles Jupiter and the Moon creates a T-Square in the Cardinal Signs with the Moon square Uranus and the Moon opposed Pluto. We may have a great deal placed on our plate today. Some of the stuff we have to deal with may not be of our making, but our compassion and consideration can get us entangled in caretaking, co-dependency and being the cosmic mother [no matter our gender]. Some of our own interests might have to be put on the back burner as unexpected situations arise demanding our attention, and old issues, that we might have thought resolved, call for a look see and further work to bring them to conclusion. By the end of the day we could be worn out and fortunately tomorrow might prove to be less energetic and consequently a day for rest.

Sunday, February 5th – Slow going – Mars. After a fairly hectic week and especially a fairly frenetic Friday and Saturday, Sunday seems a day to take it easy and go slow. The Moon continues its transit of Cancer and sextiles Mars today. We may want to stay around home base, possibly take care of some of our household projects and not feel like we have to make an impression on the world, much less enter the fray of the hurly-burly world beyond our four walls. After a week when we could have been fairly productive, entertained a variety of ideas and possibilities and engaged in some wild swings of emotion and frantic activity, this Sunday may be a good day to take as a day of rest with brief spurts of energy now and them to deal with home projects, household chores and family matters.

Under the signature of the Aquarius New Moon, this week and fortnight period allow us to put some of our hopes and wishes into motion. The changes we may have envisioned can take greater hold. It is essential that we keep in mind that every journey begins with a first step. As we take our steps into our future, we must keep in mind that our path is not necessarily a greased wheels straight line from the launch time to completion, but can take on all the aspects of a long and winding road. Our energy may flag at times and our confidence might waver. If we would see delays and frustrations, the twists and turns convoluting a straight-line trajectory as but a tempering and honing process, we could recognize that our projects may need re-evaluating and reworking as we go along.

This week allows us to consider our plans, question our destiny and take initiatory action.

The early part of the week can have us in a celebratory mood. We all need some good news and what better news than the Chinese New Year of the black water dragon? Yippee! I know I’m excited for some good news and what better than the potential of an auspicious year ahead.

We may choose to get together with friends, do something different and step off the proverbial track to explore and investigate possibilities. Although our focus could be more on our future than our present day responsibilities, we could be flagging a little, our energy drained as the anxieties and concerns we’ve been dealing with catch up with us and the reserve of adrenaline that we may have been running on comes up empty.

During the week we can have fits and starts of energy, times when we have a great deal of energy and can be highly active, other times when we can hardly lift a fork to our lips.

The latter part of the week and over the weekend can have us caroming between our responsibilities and our desires for something new. Our commitments to someone can tether us to obligations and tasks we need to perform before we can break away and explore the possibilities of our future. In a desire to put our own imprint upon our life’s conditions, we have to be wary not to be over-expansive or assume that we can have it all. These times ask, even demand, that we be resourceful, put something aside for future contingencies and not fall into the trap of assuming that everything is now coming up roses. Let’s keep our finances in mind, utilize a best practices approach and always be aware and mindful.

Monday, January 23rd – Let the Games Begin – Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Jupiter, Aquarius Lunation, Sun, Mars retrograde. Monday starts the week with us in high gear. And why not? We are moving into the Chinese New Year of the black water dragon with the Aquarius New Moon, late on Sunday, early Monday. This Moon Sun conjunction also has the Moon sextile Uranus and square Jupiter. Even if we discount the idea of the Chinese New Year and the auspicious nature of the dragon, we are still focused on creating good times for ourselves by concentrating on our future prospects and seeking to bring change into our lives. And the change we are looking for are changes that allow us greater freedom of movement, more autonomy and the opportunity to be our individual selves. Where a problem could arise is that we could buy into a concept that whatever we want we can get. There is the liability today of being extravagant and expanding beyond our reach. Fortunately, Mercury trines Mars, and we can develop a best practices approach by which we can create a strategic plan with specific details to accomplish our goals effectively without excess expenditure. Mars also turns retrograde and our physical energy can wane. It would be wise for us to maintain, or engage, a good health regimen, since we may be feeling exhausted and worn down. We have all been through the wars these past few years, and it may have taken a toll on us. We don’t want to spend the winter in sick mode so let’s work with the volatility of these times — go forward with our projects and activities when we have the green light and stop to recharge ourselves when we have the red light.

Tuesday, January 24th – Dreaming of the Good Times. After a sprint out of the starting gate yesterday to start the week, this Tuesday slows to a crawl. The Moon continues its transit of Aquarius but makes no connections to the planets today. Added to this lack of energy is the lack of energy we might feel as a result of Mars having turned retrograde yesterday. We might feel as though the wind has been knocked out of our sails. We may be lethargic, unable to proceed quickly with all that we have on our plate. On the contrary, we would prefer to get lost in dreamtime, the reveries of what could be, who we could be and how we could be. Today is a good day for our mind to wander, to get lost in the realm of infinite possibilities. Getting together with friends today can be both a pleasurable time and moments of bouncing off ideas of what we might wish to engage as far as our future plans. Let’s keep in mind that in this paradigm shift from linear, sequential reality into the synchronistic, asequential reality that I often refer to as the magical, mystery tour, there is a collapse of time space co-ordinates when every thing — past, present, future — are all in the NOW. We know that our thoughts can impact our future. If we will focus on the positive and life-affirming thoughts today, we are seeding our consciousness of wondrous possibilities that can conceivably come true, no matter how impossible they might seem.

Wednesday, January 25th – Moving Right Along – Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Pluto. Wednesday begins with the Moon finishing its transit of Aquarius. As it does so, the Moon trines Saturn and conjuncts Neptune. We may be appreciative of the people in our lives and even feel as though they are providing us clues and insights into where we are going with our lives. Like a scavenger hunt, these times provide clues as to what our next steps might be and what our future trajectory could become. We just have to be aware and mindful of the signals along the way. Other people can provide an objective and detached perspective regarding some of the activities we are involved with. As the day progresses, the Moon exits Aquarius and enters Pisces where the Moon sextiles Jupiter and sextiles Pluto. We can feel imbued with manifest destiny, a sense that we are being guided by an inner knowing towards what is truly meant for us during our life journey. No matter what the apparent obstacles might seem like, we are confident that we can meet any challenge in an expeditious and resourceful manner. This is a day when we can put our spirit into action, optimistic about our path and able to focus on the most important aspects of our lives.

Thursday, January 26th – Moody or Picky – Venus, Mars. Thursday has the Moon in Pisces conjunct Venus and opposed Mars. Our compassion for the plight of other people can get in our way today as we look to do the right thing. We could be highly emotional today and easily played upon. Our desire to be of assistance might have us entangled in someone’s mess, especially if we react hastily without considering the source and their agenda. Some people are attached to their drama and unwilling to let it go no matter how much we try to extricate them from their problems. We may find ourselves flipping between the martyr – savior syndrome today. We are incredibly sensitive today, and our moods can swing from the upbeat to the depressed. While we might choose to be of service to someone today, we do have to avoid self-sacrifice. There is a jaded, but often true saying that states: ‘no good deed goes unpunished’. We could bear the scars of such a statement today. If we do feel that we are being taken advantage of, then our desire to help can shift into a nasty resentment. Let’s find the balance between what we can do for someone else and what we need to leave to their own devices. We all have our own individual challenges and tests, and it is through meeting those challenges and passing those tests that we grow stronger in character, in wisdom and in our understanding.

Friday, January 27th – Getting Unstuck – Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, Mercury Aquarius. Friday could continue with some of the messes we might have stepped in as a result of maudlin sentimentality or misplaced compassion yesterday. The day begins with Mercury, finishing its transit of Capricorn, square Saturn. We may have made certain commitments yesterday that come back to haunt us today. Although we are looking to help out someone with some of their imposing matters, we may feel the weight of our sincerity and our offer to help like a ten ton wrecking ball. Instead of grousing about our good nature and it having been taken advantage of, let’s do what needs to be done and then divest ourselves of any further obligations. There are times when assistance to other people can be a bottomless pit with their needs always unfulfilled and their attitude being one of ‘what have you done for me lately’. While this day could begin with us feeling under the thumb of someone else, we may not stay in that mindset or sense of responsibility for too long. For this day has energy configurations that are of two totally different dispositions. We begin with the Mercury square Saturn and the Moon finishing its transit of Pisces. Yes, we might have agreed to do certain things out of the goodness of our heart but that now we have come to resent. Let’s avoid beating ourselves up about it and instead just do what needs to be done. The day shifts dramatically, as Mercury exits Capricorn to enter Aquarius thereby creating a Stellium of three or more planets in Aquarius as Mercury joins the Sun and Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign. The Moon exits Pisces and enters Aries where it sextiles Mercury and conjuncts Uranus. Taking care of our responsibilities and other people’s needs can then change drastically as we shift our focus to what we want to do and the changes we want to make in our lives. We become more attentive to unexpected opportunities that could open the door to inspired and uplifting future projects.

Saturday, January 28th – Going for the Gold but Sparing No Expense – Sun, Pluto, Mercury, Uranus, Jupiter. Having gotten a second wind yesterday, this Saturday could have us in sprint mode pushing our future interests but perhaps more out of impulse than reasoned thought. Today the Aries Moon sextiles the Sun but squares Pluto. Mercury, just having entered Aquarius, sextiles Uranus but squares Jupiter. We may be feeling our oats today, ready to take on the world and put our imprint and mark upon it. While such an attitude is commendable, we may not engage a best practices approach. On the contrary, we might go for the gold, pushing ahead with our personal interests that lay the groundwork for future goals, but without due consideration of the costs involved. We could easily wrack up some significant expenses today as we seek to get the tools necessary for the development of our plans. Although we can be insightful today, we may be running more on adrenaline and on our hopes and wishes rather than reasoned thought and well-considered strategies. Let’s try to slow things down, keep to a budget and give consideration to the most expeditious ways by which we can attain our dreams. We may promise too much today based more upon our confidence and optimism than the true reality of the situation. If we can harness the energy, not be a law unto ourselves, and be open to receive the serendipity of unexpected variables developing to assist in the realization of our hopes and wishes, then things can go fairly smoothly. We need to keep in mind during these times of paradigm shift that the universe works and that our sense, or even need, of control over situations has to give way to us being co-creators with the synchronicity of the universe in working towards the accomplishment of our intentions.

Sunday, January 29th – A Day of Rest in the 21st Century. Sunday has the Moon in Aries but with no connections to the planets. There is not a great deal of energy today to move things forward. This could be a day of rest but perhaps not the most relaxing. We are not interested in lazing around today but instead would like to be on the go. We might choose to get out of Dodge today, take a drive into unfamiliar terrain and just spread our wings and soar on the air currents of exploration and investigation. No demands are likely to be engaged today, no matter what other people might want or what our pressing needs might be. This is a day for us to take off, broaden our interests, recharge our batteries and expand our scope. Rest and relaxation in the 21st century may be more along the lines of searching out good times and enjoying the freedom to just ‘be’. By getting off the track today, we can reinvigorate ourselves and recharge our batteries. En joy!

While much of our energy at the beginning of the week might be focused on sorting through things and throwing things out, we have the opportunity to clean up our space by clearing out the extraneous. Our desire to disentangle ourselves by doing a huge new year clear out can then provide room for new interests and expanding our activities in the mid-part of the week. We may want to engage new involvements but we are also likely to be looking to engage a new modus operandi — seeking to be highly effective with less expenditure of energy and scraping the barnacles and dysfunctional from our trajectory. Getting out of Dodge in order to have a fresh perspective in evaluating the possibilities of our new participations could also give us a sense of enthusiasm and exuberance as to where we choose to go rather than being saddled with where we have been.

The end of the week and the weekend could have us putting our spirit into action. We may take some of our new ideas and some of our thoughts of expanding our activities and start to blueprint a best practices approach as to how to get from where we are to where we want to go, all the while being certain not to be overly encumbered by the past or by our obligations. We can strategize and plan and discover how truly resourceful we can be.

Monday, January 16th – Too Much or Too Little – Sun, Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Venus. There are times when we lose the balance between doing too much and doing too little. There is a fine line between service and self-sacrifice. And this Monday could prove something of a balancing act in that regard. The day begins with the Moon continuing its transit of Libra and the Moon square the Sun, conjunct Saturn and trine Neptune. We may have certain loose ends to tie up as we start the week, and some of these loose ends might not be so much of our making as much as other people’s issues. The sense of obligation could weigh heavily on us. If we will do what needs to be done without grousing but rather with attentive concentration, we can take care of outstanding matters and win some praise for our efforts in the end. Once we have addressed basic responsibilities and someone else’s needs, we can then move ahead in considering future plans. We are likely to have a supporter of our new interests and involvements, but the question as to how we do things will be a central issue. Do we do too much or do we do too little? The question arises as the Moon moves into Scorpio where it opposes Jupiter and trines Venus. We could either be indulgent and extravagant with our resources or we might hold tight with our resources. The balancing act is engaged, but it would be wise to keep in mind that balancing is an action of gradations between two polarities until we find the mean. And so it could be for us today. On the one hand, we might want to eliminate the dross from our lives. But on the other hand, we may not want to feel as though naked unto the world and in reaction we could take on more than would be appropriate. Eventually, we shall find the mean, the perfect medium, but in the process we can swing between doing too much and doing too little.

Tuesday, January 17th – Perfect Honing – Pluto, Mercury. Tuesday can be one of those primo days when we don’t miss a beat but are micro-focused with every step we take being essential to the process. The Scorpio Moon today sextiles both Pluto and Mercury in Capricorn. Nothing is wasted today. We have the ability to strategize, to effectively plan by taking into account both the big picture and the specific details along the way. This is a day when we could virtually move mountains. We may hold our cards close to our chest and do things without necessarily giving commentary along the way. We are not interested in diversions or distractions today. We are passionate about what we are doing, and we can devise a best practices approach from getting from the abstract of concept through the steps of execution to successful completion and manifestation of our goals. Yes, we could be driven today and it would be wise for no one to get in our way, for we might be like a steamroller intent on where we are going, willing to roll over anything and everything in our way and unconcerned about what we have to do in order to achieve our plans. Our discussions can be to the point and without much decorum. This is not a day when we are censored by the niceties. We see where we want to go and we are determined to get there in the quickest and shortest ways possible.

Wednesday, January 18th – Pushing Through to the Promised Land – Mars, Sun, Neptune, Uranus. Wednesday begins with the Moon finishing its transit of Scorpio and as it does so, the Moon sextiles Mars and sextiles the Sun and squares Neptune. We can continue with our honing, tempering and making room for the new while we eliminate outstanding matters of the old. We might also be champing at the bit wanting to get on with new interests, new activities and consider what’s next for us. There is a wise and true saying that states: ‘the cup must be emptied before it can be filled’. We may still have some clean up and clear out to do, but we are likely to be growing tired of dealing with our messes and itching to get on with new areas of involvement. We just have to watch that we are not looking to re-create our past. Whenever we go through significant changes, past patterns and old scenarios often show up in disguise to see if we have really made significant changes to our attitudes and intentions or if we are going to fall back into the complacency of discontent and just repeat the past under the guise of different parameters. As the day proceeds, the Moon moves into Sagittarius and we may feel as though we have gotten a second wind. Just so long as we don’t get fixated or rigid on what we want to do and how we want to do it now that we have created space for new activities, we could have some wonderful surprises, doors opening that we might not even have imagined possible for ourselves. Let’s keep in mind that these times call for us to let go of our sense of total control over conditions and circumstances in order to be open to the synchronicity and serendipity of these times when things can come up from out of the blue. The Moon trines Uranus and unexpected surprises could offer us a new direction and greater autonomy in our actions. We have to be free to explore and investigate possibilities and options that may be more in keeping with where we want to go and not back into where we have been.

Thursday, January 19th – Blown Out – Venus, Sun, Saturn. Too much of a good thing can just be too much. This Thursday continues with the Sagittarius Moon, which today squares Venus. The Sun squares Saturn. We may have bitten off more than we can chew in our enthusiastic rage to expand and broaden our interests. And we might have neglected our responsibilities to someone else. Today, our energy may flag as if we feel blown out from all that we explored and discovered yesterday. We could feel like a bungee jumper snapped back to close to where we were. We might also experience some naysayers, those parade rainers who want to burst our balloon of exciting new opportunities and get us back in line with their definition of who we are. While we might have to step back and address old patterns or our obligations, let’s not allow anyone to dissuade us from our adventures into the unknown, into our future. It is important for us to keep in mind that trajectories nowadays are no longer straight lines [as if they ever were] but more zig-zags with various twists and turns as we proceed along our journey. There are times when we have to go back in order to move forward. This Thursday could be one of those days when past situations confront us and demand that we resolve certain matters before moving forward. Let’s deal with our tasks at hand with the recognition that once resolved we can move forward into the new terrain unencumbered by old baggage.

Friday, January 20th – Smoothing Things Out – Mars, Venus, Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, Sun Aquarius. Friday has the Sagittarius Moon square Mars, sextile Saturn and sextile Neptune. Venus sextiles Pluto. And the Sun exits Capricorn to enter Aquarius. We may have a great deal on our plate today. Our schedule can be packed with things we need to do. Let’s just be careful not to skim over details or neglect important particulars in anything we do today. While we might have various tasks to address, this day is also an important day for us to address any interpersonal conflicts, whether those disagreements are overt or simmering below the surface. We can have some good heart-to-heart discussions today and resolve various issues with other people. We can be compassionate and caring and even uplifting to those people that may feel down. The Sun exits Capricorn to enter Aquarius. We might feel enticed to focus on friendships and contacts, especially with those people who are marching to the beat of their own drum. We are not interested in shallow or superficial people, except for some amusement. We want our connections to be deep and meaningful and to be full of character. As the day progresses, the Moon moves into Capricorn where it squares Uranus and trines Jupiter. Although we might be far more interested in doing our thing, being spontaneous and impulsive, we could accomplish some of our objectives by enlisting our recent enthusiasm and confidence and putting spirit into action. We are moving into a weekend when we might be dealing with errands, taking care of business and dealing with practical matters. We have a game plan and are ready to engage it.

Saturday, January 21st – A Little of This, A Little of That – Pluto, Venus, Sun, Uranus. Saturday can be a time when we accomplish a great deal with some interludes of fun adventures. The Capricorn Moon today conjuncts Pluto and sextiles Venus. We can be expeditious and effective in getting things done. The more we can accomplish earlier in the day, the more time later in the day we shall have to do things that allow us to try out new interests or participate in new activities. We have a ‘get it done’ kind of attitude today. Not only can we deal with what we need to do, but we might also be able to help those who cannot help themselves. Our organizational abilities today can be superlative as we look to put everything in its right place. People will be surprised at how accomplished we seem. Not only can we do what we need to do but we can also be productive in getting other people to attend to their responsibilities as well. We just have to be careful not to get enmeshed in other people’s issues, especially if they are attached to their drama. Today is a day for us to see where we can be effective and where we have to step away. The Sun, just having entered Aquarius, sextiles Aquarius-ruler Uranus today. Once we have taken care of our responsibilities, we may want to engage the quirky and the different, whether those involvements are with people who are characters or activities we have yet to explore.

Sunday, January 22nd – Eyes Bigger Than… – Sun, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn. Sunday can be one of those days when our eyes could prove to be bigger than our stomach. Our appetites, and especially a desire to savor the unique and uncharacteristic, can be strong on this Sunday as the Sun squares Jupiter. We have to watch our expenses today, for we could easily buy into images and appearances and presentations without considering the fundamentals, the basics or the substance. Let’s keep a rein on our finances since the liability to be generous to a fault could prove strong today. Fortunately, much of the day has the Capricorn Moon which today conjuncts Mercury, trines Mars and squares Saturn. Due diligence would allow us to focus our energies on the meaningful and activities that have some purpose rather than wasting our time on the irrelevant and dysfunctional. We do have to avoid not getting entangled by someone else’s needs. People could play the guilt card and we have to restrain our idealistic qualities whereby we accept the belief that ‘there but for the grace of god go I’. Although it may sound jaded and harsh, the balance point between service and self-sacrifice can often prove a delicate mean. There are times when engagement in other people’s issues can be more a detriment than a service to them, as we start messing with their karma. Let’s be supportive of other people’s challenges but not get in their way of successfully resolving them.

We begin the week with a high level of energy. While we might believe that we have a great deal on our plate to contend with, we are not shy about adding more on to our ‘to do’ list. We are looking to stand out and whatever can get us in the public spotlight we are likely to engage.

Although we may have to do a balancing act as we start the week, balancing family matters with daily responsibilities, we could feel up to the challenge. We are looking to be in charge of situations this week and not overly interested in playing second fiddle or being tripped up by someone else’s demands.

The energy this week can have some peaks and dips. At times, we could feel as though we are at the top of our game, able to bend conditions to our will. Other times, we might feel as though we are behind the eight ball, impacted by the vagaries of these times and by other people’s needs.

Let’s keep in mind the tai chi moves this week, aware of the energies operating and working in concert with them. We could take on a great deal this week, commit through a sense of omnipotence and assume that whatever we want to achieve we can easily achieve. And there is some truth to that.

The beginning of the week can have us feeling at the top of our game, and the latter part of the week can have us utilizing a best practices approach and dealing with specifics in an expeditious manner.

The weekend may have us far more concerned with other people’s interests rather than our own. Our compassion is engaged and we might go out of our way to help someone who needs our assistance.

All in all, this week has a wide variation, with us looking at our own personal goals, taking care of business and then addressing the desires of someone special to us.

Largely a pleasurable week, this week continues with a sense of volatility and wavelike motions. If we are aware of the wave and mindful as to how best to ride the wave, we can feel invigorated, confident of our abilities and win people to our side.

Monday, January 9th – Balancing the Personal and the Professional – Cancer Full Moon, Sun, Mars, Saturn. Sunday evening, early Monday morning has the Cancer Full Moon with the Moon in Cancer opposed the Sun in Capricorn. We may be very emotional as we start this week. We are being asked to find the median between our personal lives and our professional lives. We may feel as though we have so much on our plate that we cannot truly attend to our personal interests and needs. If we don’t find a happy medium between our personal and professional lives, then we could find that whatever we are neglecting becomes a sore point and will later demand attention and remedy. After the Full Moon, the Moon then goes on to sextile Mars and square Saturn today. We may feel driven to get things done, but we do have to avoid stepping on someone’s toes. We could be impelled by our emotions to deal with situations, but we have to be certain that we are addressing situations in a focused, methodical manner and not only from emotion. The potential for losing it today and feeling victimized by someone’s cavalier attitude cannot be discounted. This is a day when we need to slow things down, not react to things said or done without taking the time to evaluate and consider the factors involved. If someone does something that upsets us, let’s not react immediately but rather respond once we have considered the source and their agenda.

Tuesday, January 10th – Shifting Gears – Jupiter, Uranus. Yesterday could have had us on full tilt, especially if we were being driven by our emotions. We might have felt like either savior or martyr yesterday. This Tuesday is a different story. The Moon is in Leo where it squares Jupiter and trines Uranus. We might be a little too self-focused today, looking to be a law unto ourselves and not terribly interested in how our decisions and our actions are impacting other people. The day begins with a thrust of energy and a liability towards excess and extravagance. As though to make ourselves feel good, we could go on a shopping spree, a buying binge. Although we might get a momentary exhilaration from our indulgences, our exuberance might be short-lived, our incurred financial debt long-term. We may be champing at the bit today to do something different, to engage fun activities and even shirk some of our daily responsibilities. It would seem important that we participate in some new interest or activity in order to get our energy out and feel as though we were in control of our own lives. If we do not have a diversion to vent our desire for freedom and self-actualization, we could wind up spinning our wheels and not accomplishing a great deal. This Tuesday is a day for us to feel like we are important, that we are able to express our talents and that we are appreciated for the efforts we make. After an initial pop of energy to begin this day, and probably the last unwinding of yesterday’s intensity, the energy today drops off and continues in a less energetic manner through tomorrow. We may want to just enjoy ourselves and not feel pushed or pulled by either our demands on our self or the expectations of other people. We are shifting gears and looking for some fun activities without having to prove ourselves.

Wednesday, January 11th – Reveries and Visions. The Moon in Leo makes no connections to the planets today. There is not a great deal of energy, so we might as well take this day as a ‘mental health’ day. No matter what our schedule is for the day, this day is best served by our reflecting on where we are and by our considering where we want to go. We might even feel as though we are contemplating James Thurber’s character in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, seeing our lives as being possibly far more adventuresome than they actually are. This day is the 11th, a master number in numerology, indicative of the visionary. If we embrace the master number concept, then we can give thought to how we can engage our creativity, stand out by the expression of our own unique talents, and develop a game plan to get from where we are to where we might prefer to be. If we don’t engage the 11 but bring the day down to the 2, then like Mitty we might feel that our true reality world is one of being dominated and impinged upon by things beyond our self — other people, our responsibilities, the definition of ourselves based upon conditioning and experience. This Wednesday is a day to clearly differentiate between who we are and what we do. Let’s look for the joy, the pleasurable and the entertaining today, and not only as observers but also engaged as participants.

Thursday, January 12th – Pulling Rabbits Out of Hats – Venus, Saturn, Neptune, Lunar Grand Trine, Jupiter, Mercury, Pluto, Sun, Mars. Thursday begins the day with the Leo Moon opposed Venus, sextile Saturn and opposed Neptune. We may have to pick and choose those areas that we wish to develop more fully and disregard other areas that are only illusions and would take us down the garden path to nowhere. Our selections could be assisted by the input of someone we trust, someone with a detached and objective viewpoint who can make us see what is truly fulfilling for ourselves and at the same time what is within practical realization. As the day progresses, the Moon moves into Virgo and triggers the Earth Grand Trine, which has been operational since mid-November. The Moon trines Jupiter in Taurus and the Moon trines both Mercury and Pluto in Capricorn. Adding to the earthiness and practicality of this day, the Sun in Capricorn trines Mars in Virgo. This day can be highly productive. We can get a great deal done. We might have to spend a little but we are also likely to be resourceful, get the best deal and streamline our operations. No fluff or distractions for us today as we focus our intent on accomplishing both our tasks at hand and laying down the foundation stones for some of the goals we have thought about yesterday. This is a primo day. We are operating on all eight cylinders, can put the pedal to the medal and can be effective and expeditious in all that we do. If we shirked some of our responsibilities earlier this week, this Thursday and Friday allow us to get more done than our normal pace.

Friday, January 13th – Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? – Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Pluto, Neptune, Mars, Sun. Although many people quake and suffer from triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the 13th, in numerology thirteen is considered the number of transformation, the realized individual. And this Friday the 13th could actually spell some very interesting, focused, yet otherworldly feelings and sensations. On this Friday, Mercury conjuncts Pluto with both in Capricorn and provides a laser-like vision to cut to the core and to be aware of the basic fundamentals of any situation. Our discussions may be to the point and exceptionally incisive. Today, Venus in Aquarius also conjuncts Neptune in Aquarius and trines Saturn in Libra, just before Venus moves into Pisces tomorrow. Our interactions with other people can be close to idyllic and we may find that we have an ardent supporter of not only what we are doing but also, and more importantly, who we are. Adding to all this good stuff, the Virgo Moon also contributes to greased wheels and fast-paced energy, while never missing a beat, with the Virgo Moon conjunct Mars and the Moon trine the Sun. Thursday and Friday are primo days of incredible effectiveness and high productivity. We can be attentive to the most important aspects of our lives and virtually able to move mountains today. Let’s not let this energy of these two days pass us by without us making some significant advances in our projects, both intended plans of new projects and our daily responsibilities. Instead of wondering ‘who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?’, we could be saying ‘how could it get any better than this?’

Saturday, January 14th – The Push Pulls of Other People’s Interests – Lunar T-Square, Uranus, Pluto, Venus Pisces, Venus, Jupiter. Saturday has Venus moving into Pisces and the Moon moving into Libra. The Moon in Libra today creates a Cardinal Sign T-Square with the Moon opposed Uranus in Aries and square Pluto in Capricorn. Venus in Pisces sextiles Jupiter in Taurus. We may be far more compassionate and interested in other people’s needs instead of our own needs and desires. Nice concept, right? Well, it could be, if the balance isn’t lost. If we have felt that we have been a little too self-focused, the pendulum could swing and we could become incredibly generous, accommodating and even capitulating to other people’s wishes. If we give a little, someone might want a lot. Although today we might engage the thought ‘there but for the grace of god go I’, it is also important that we keep in mind that each of us has their own individual pathway to walk and along that individual pathway we all, each of us, at some time or another have our own cross to bear. Compassion, caring and wanting to help other people are great qualities but carried to an extreme they could also wind up messing with someone else’s karma, their challenges and the need for them to be accountable and responsible for their actions and their circumstances. I know it may sound harsh but there are times when trying to help someone we actually impede their progress and their evolution. This Saturday could prove an excellent heads-up, or whack on the side of the head, in regard to our interactions with someone. We might be generous to a fault, which could raise the specter of resentment in the other person. We may be overly accommodating, fixing something for someone else and in the process taking away their opportunity to develop another tool to their skill set. This Saturday it would be wise for us to rein in our emotions, to be of service without falling into self-sacrifice and to seek the balance between our personal desires and the wishes of someone else.

Sunday, January 15th – Rest Time – Mercury. Sunday doesn’t have a great deal of energy. The Libra Moon squares Mercury and that’s about it. We might want to take some ‘time out’ today, relax, recharge and ready ourselves for the week ahead. Discussions with other people might prove a little prickly, especially if we or someone else are pushing opinions, judgments and personal perspectives. We might have various things that need to be done, but we are more likely to put them to one side today and not engage them. We may be feeling a little wiped out and it wouldn’t be surprising considering the whipsaws of energies, with intense energies followed by little energy and then back again, that much of this week was like. We all need some down time and this Sunday would be a good day for us to laze around, not feel obligated to do anything specific, even plans already committed to, and just enjoy ourselves. Every now and then, each of us does need a day of rest. Here’s one!

While the concept of beginning, middle and end is an old paradigm mindset, let’s engage the belief that this week allows us to start over.

With a heavy emphasis upon an Earth Element Grand Trine, we can be pragmatic and practical this week. We might consider certain purchases that would alleviate some of our stresses by streamlining our operations. We could be motivated to upgrade our computer software, invest in time-saving equipment and even consider a best practices approach to our daily routine by cutting away some of the needless distractions and diversions that we might have put up with previously.

As the week progresses, our intention to focus solely on the truly meaningful could become a little cloudy and our old tendencies to take on more and involve ourselves with greater participations might surface and have us engaging more, more, more. If we can change the ‘how’ of how we do things and be more effective with less expenditure of energy, then we could in deed juggle a variety of activities without getting ensnared by any one thing or dropping the ball by our sense of overload.

We may feel that variety is the spice of life and seek out during the latter part of the week varied activities and explore new interests we might want to fully engage further down the road.

The weekend can have us wanting to stay by the home fires, enjoying the comforts of home and catching up with those people that we were unable to connect with over the holidays.

This is a week when we may feel the need to line our ducks up in a row, attend to various matters, both personal and professional, and ready ourselves for a successful and self-fulfilling year ahead.

Monday, January 2nd – Fast Out of the Gate – Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter. Monday begins with the Moon finishing its transit of Aries and in so doing opposes Saturn and sextiles Neptune. We may be champing at the bit, wanting to initiate some of our plans for the new year but feeling a little crimped by someone else’s expectations or demands. We might have the sense that someone is less an advocate of our intentions and more an impediment to our moving ahead. Although there could be delays and frustrations, let’s avoid any blow-ups with other people. The more we recognize that timing is everything and that we might not be able to move forward as fast as we would like, then we can cool our jets and not get overly annoyed by someone’s slower pace or dysfunctionality. In fact, the slower pace could allow us to hone our intentions and focus on our future goals, all the while devising a best practices approach. As the day progresses, the Moon exits Aries and enters Taurus where the Moon conjuncts Jupiter and over the next two days triggers the Earth Grand Trine. This Monday could have us feeling like the story of the tortoise and the hare. We might want to be hare-like but forced to be tortoise-like and the slower pace could actually win the race for us. Yes, timing is everything and sometimes delays and frustrations work to our advantage.

Tuesday, January 3rd – Focused Intent – Pluto, Sun. Tuesday allows us to put spirit into action. The Taurus Moon trines both Pluto in Capricorn and the Sun in Capricorn. We may feel as though we are plodding along today, but our concentration is highly attuned and we are focusing solely on the most important and the most meaningful. We may be interested in making certain purchases that could help us in achieving some of our goals. We are certainly looking at a best practices approach and building our projects with a solid base and strong foundation. We are not interested in the decorative or the superfluous. We want to be lean and mean in the ways we do things and concentrate on those things that will give greater purpose to our lives. This early part of the week can be highly productive. We may feel as though we have greased wheels as we accomplish one thing after another, all leading to the realization of our greatest hopes and wishes.

Wednesday, January 4th – Bumps Along the Way – Venus, Mars. Wednesday continues with the Taurus Moon which today squares Venus but also trines Mars as part of the Earth Grand Trine. As we may be feeling highly effective and productive and have proven so over the past two days, we might allow ourselves certain indulgences today. We could easily go on something of a bender, looking to buy things that make us feel good about ourselves, no expense spared. If we are not diverted by our focus but engage brief respites of extravagances, we could quickly achieve some of our plans. We all like treats and may remember the proverb: ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’. We all need a break from our nose to grindstone and today we might take a break from our scheduled activities to enjoy ourselves. Once we have gifted ourselves with a little indulgence, we can get back on track and focus on what needs to be done.

Thursday, January 5th – Exploring All Options – Neptune, Uranus. Late Wednesday, early Thursday finishes the Moon’s transit of Taurus and as it does so, the Moon squares Neptune. We might question whether we have gotten off track. We may have been so micro-focused that we lost sight of the big picture. We could even wonder whether our plans and intentions are leading us in the right direction. The beauty of these times is the fact that we no longer have to do it all. The universe often steps in and provides alternatives that we might never have considered. And so it is on this Thursday, for as the Moon exits Taurus to enter Gemini, the Moon sextiles Uranus. Suddenly, we may have a broad palette of options from which to draw upon. We might not be interested in committing to any one thing but rather in sampling the myriad of possibilities. Things can come out of the blue and we might feel as though we have wandered into a smorgasbord of tantalizing delights. This is a day for having patience with the realization that sometimes good things happen to those who wait. Even if we have scheduled commitments, the latter part of the day may have us acting impulsively, negating our plans and doing things spontaneously and being very much in the moment.

Friday, January 6th –Hitching a Ride – Venus, Mars. Friday continues with the Moon in Gemini, which today has the Moon trine Venus and the Moon square Mars. We might be far more interested in social get-togethers rather than dealing with our responsibilities. We could easily embrace the T.G.I.F. [thank goodness it’s Friday] mentality and start our weekend early. We are likely to gloss over our tasks, postpone some of our ‘to do’ list and instead engage with friends and companions in discussions about the ‘what could bes’. Our concern lies less with our daily mundane routine and far more with our possibilities and our prospects. We may be looking to the distant horizon rather than the steps right in front of us. If we are trying to accomplish our normal tasks, it would be wise for us to pay attention and not let our minds drift into future worlds.

Saturday, January 7th – Reaching Out Far and Wide – Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus. Saturday is an action-packed day. Mercury in Sagittarius sextiles Saturn in Libra and sextiles Neptune in Aquarius. The day begins with the Moon still in Gemini and today the Moon trines Saturn, trines Neptune and opposes Mercury. This day has the gift of gab — a lot of discussions, conversations, or people just running off at the mouth. On a positive level, this day allows us to discuss lofty thoughts in an upbeat manner and may open the door for contacts with people far and wide. We may be in hyperdrive today, trying to accomplish as much as possible, all the while juggling a number of activities and involvements. If we could start the day planning our course of action and all the various things we wish to accomplish, we could speed through various errands, all the while having time to chat up friends and loved ones. The latter part of the day has the Moon moving into Cancer where it sextiles Jupiter and squares Uranus. Perhaps one of our New Year’s resolutions is to add a little flair and make some changes to our home décor. We could certainly be spending time fixing things up around our home base or making purchases that spice up our lives. This could be a fun-filled day when we have nary a care in the world. We are feeling too exuberant to let any little thing get us down, but it would be wise to keep a rein on our financial expenditures.

Sunday, January 8th – Practical Implementations – Pluto, Mercury Capricorn, Jupiter, Uranus. Late Saturday, early Sunday has Mercury exiting Sagittarius and entering Capricorn. Not only is the Earth Element Grand Trine reinforced, but Mercury coming into Capricorn creates a Stellium of three or more planets in the Cardinal Earth Sign as Mercury joins the Sun and Pluto in Capricorn. We also have the Cancer Moon opposed Pluto and Mercury in Capricorn trine Jupiter and square Uranus. At the end of the day, early Monday there is the Cancer Full Moon. The balance between our personal lives and our daily involvements needs to find a proper medium. We may be so focused on our goals and our ambitions that we are not giving enough time to taking care of our personal selves. Yes, the economy is rough and the job market tough and more is expected of each of us to increase our productivity. But we have to ask ourselves: ‘at what cost?’ Are we spending so much time on our responsibilities and what we need to do that we are sacrificing our personal well-being? Is society presently in gerbil on the wheel mode whereby we are afraid to step off the fast track in case we can never get back on? While this Sunday allows us to strategize and consider a best practices approach, part of our thought processes needs to encompass how we can be more productive and more effective in a streamlined manner. There are only 24 hours in a day and working 24/7 is a prescription for burnout. Let’s be pragamatic and practical in our approach and realize that the paradigm shift talks about us being co-creators and being open to the gifts presented to us by the universe — qualitative time more than quantitative time, technological tools that increase productivity, working smarter rather than harder.

We start the month with the Earth Grand Trine, with planets in all three Signs of the Earth Element, which has been in play since mid-November. The potential for manifestation and deliberate actions on the mundane level is strong and not an energy configuration to be missed. We can create the foundation stones for our future. We do, however, need to be aware and mindful that we cannot bring all our old baggage from the past into this New Year.

If we choose to make new year’s resolutions, let’s resolve to embrace and engage the two key components during this paradigm shift: AWARENESS and MINDFULNESS.

It is important that we keep aware of the universal curveballs, those incidents arising out of the blue that force us to keep on our toes, be alert and mindful at all times. Although some people might define the unexpected situations as anxiety-provoking, unanticipated variables also allow us to continually re-evaluate where we are and how we are going. Certain surprising factors also create a dynamic of changing circumstances, which could allow us to shift our trajectory and alter our approach.

To reiterate what I wrote above and have written times before, we are living during a most dynamic time when things can change dramatically and virtually instantly.

The New Year and the month of January start with Mercury in Sagittarius square Mars in Virgo. Like every New Year’s celebration, we may have great plans and great resolve to make the unfolding year the best year of our lives. We may feel enthusiastic and exuberant and determined to expand in new directions and to broaden our interests. In doing so, we might easily skip over the means by which to accomplish our goals. We could have little interest in the details and the specifics, leaving behind the mechanics to focus solely on our intention with the firm belief in the old adage: ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’.

We might not have much interest in strategizing the way but rather assume that our intention can bring about realization with little effort and solely our personal will.

Once again, we may be challenged to let go of our old societal mindset of being the masters of our own destiny, the makers of our own fate. The universal unfolding has moved beyond such a myopic view and demands that we accept our role as co-creators of our destiny with the natural procession of our lives and our individual journey.

It is essential that we keep in mind the wise saying that ‘we never get more than we can handle’.

Whatever presents itself to us during these times are opportunities, some times feeling like overwhelming challenges and other times as serendipitous gifts coming from out of the blue and with no effort on our part.

As we move into January, the Earth Grand Trine becomes strengthened when Mercury moves into Capricorn on the 8th, just prior to the Cancer Full Moon on the 9th. With Mercury’s entry into Capricorn, the Earth element is not only strengthened but now we have a Stellium of three or more planets in Capricorn as Mercury joins the Sun and Pluto in the Cardinal Earth Sign.

In the early part of January, we may have our feet firmly planted on the ground, focusing on the mundane and material aspects of our being. We might feel like the mythological bird the phoenix, having gone through our own funereal pyre of the past three years with various losses and eliminations, now ready to rise from our ashes to soar ever higher. In so doing, it would be wise for us not to solely concentrate on re-creating our material realm but to always keep in mind the spiritual aspect of our being and question continually whether what we are doing has true purpose, true meaning and provides us with soul satisfaction.

The times of solely ‘getting while the getting is good’ are over and it is important that we keep in mind that sole acquisition of stuff does not truly feed the soul nor enhance the spirit. This early January can allow a deepening process whereby we place our energies in those areas that have merit and provide us with sustenance not only a material level but also feeds our spirit and our soul.

The first weekend of January is action-packed with Mercury, finishing its transit of Sagittarius, sextile both Saturn in Libra and sextile Neptune in Aquarius. On the 8th, Mercury enters Capricorn where Mercury trines Jupiter in Taurus and squares Uranus in Aries. If we would draw upon the wise counsel of a good friend and use their detached opinion of our plans and intentions, we could create a grounded and focused trajectory for our goals. We might use this weekend to reflect on any resolutions already made or devise the resolutions we wish to engage for this year of 2012 — all with the acceptance and understanding of the wise saying that ‘if you want to make god laugh, tell god your plans’.

We can make our plans, charge up our intentions but all with an acceptance that we are no longer in control [as if we ever were] of our journey, our itinerary and our direction.

From the encouragement and support of the special person[s] in our lives, we can then formulate a best practices approach to realize our goals. We must always be ready to shift and change according to the prevailing circumstances and, thus, two other key characteristics for these times — FLEXIBILITY and ADAPTABILITY — need also to be part of our skill set.

The Mercury square Uranus on the 8th is my least favorite aspect for flying, but problems could also arise at this time in regard to travel, communications and computer problems. We may have some great ideas regarding how best to expand our operations, but we might not be accounting for all the variables that could influence the implementation and execution of our plans. Now would be a time to rein in our sense of omnipotence, omniscience and invincibility in getting from concept into manifestation. And yet much of this period from mid-November through most of January with the strong Earth influence is a time when we can be highly productive and most effective in pushing our ambitions forward.

The Cancer Full Moon on the 8th – 9th may ask us to find the balance and happy medium between our professional life and our personal life. We could find that we are having to pare down some of the extraneous from our lives and be more resourceful with our time, our energy and our monies. Expenses might come due and we may discover what The Rolling Stones sang in one of their classic songs: “You can’t always get what you want And if you try sometime you might find You get what you need.”

Increasingly, we might realize that our focus has shifted more and more from our desires to a need-based reality with less emphasis on stuff and more emphasis on what has deeper meaning for us. We could even engage the mantram that ‘living simply is not simply living’.

Although many people quake and suffer from triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the 13th, in numerology thirteen is considered the number of transformation, the realized individual. And January’s Friday the 13th could actually spell some very interesting, focused, yet otherworldly feelings and sensations. On this Friday, Mercury conjuncts Pluto with both in Capricorn and provides a laser-like vision to cut to the core and to be aware of the basic fundamentals of any situation. Our discussions may be to the point and exceptionally incisive. On that day, Venus in Aquarius also conjuncts Neptune in Aquarius and trines Saturn in Libra, just before Venus moves into Pisces on the 14th. Our interactions with other people can be close to idyllic and we may find that we have an ardent supporter of not only what we are doing but also, and more importantly, who we are.

It is interesting to note that much of the activity during January seems concentrated on the weekends. Does this augur for time spent contemplating and considering our future plans without the harangue of our daily responsibilities? Are we in process of looking up from our routine activities and see the distant horizon of what could be and who we could be?

It does seem as though each of us may be creating the suspension bridge between where we are and where we intend to be, putting down slat-by-slat towards our future goals, all the while taking care of our normal everyday tasks at hand.

There will be times when we might choose to leap ahead, leaving much of our past, even our present, behind. But even though our trajectory of possibilities may be clear, the universe might every now and then tap us on the shoulder and remind us of baggage we have yet to leave behind.

The 19th of January has the Capricorn Sun square Saturn in Libra just as the Sun is about to exit Capricorn to enter Aquarius. Reconnections and memories of our past may haunt us but also provide a mirror reflecting where we have been in comparison to where we feel we are now.

The weekend of the 20th-22nd and including Monday, the 23rd, is a highly active time. The Sun enters Aquarius on the 20th, the same day that Venus in Pisces sextiles Pluto in Capricorn. Our compassion and idealism can be ratcheted up and we may look to how we can best engage our spirit into action. The sense of ‘there but for the grace of god go I’ can be strong and a greater appreciation of the interconnection of everything and everyone. We might feel that if one person suffers, we all suffer. And our consciousness can take on a far more universal approach, even to the point of a cosmic consciousness.

As we move through January, we begin to pick up the pace of universal consciousness, as the planets begin to move into their transits of the two universal Signs of Aquarius and Pisces. Venus moves from Aquarius into Pisces on the 14th, followed by the Sun moving into Aquarius on the 20th and Mercury moving into Aquarius on the 27th.

As the Sun enters Aquarius, the Sun sextiles Uranus on the 21st and the Sun squares Jupiter on the 22nd, followed by the Aquarius New Moon. We are champing at the bit to make our changes, and unexpected opportunities could come forward for us to consider. We do have to be resourceful and wary of jumping at anything and everything that smacks of change with greater autonomy and promises of self-fulfillment. Let’s always keep in mind that during these times of the paradigm shift we are co-creators and often may take our cue from the serendipity and synchronicity of universe unfolding.

The Aquarius New Moon on the 22nd-23rd also begins the Chinese New Year of the Water Dragon, an auspicious year that can imply good luck, hard work and success in many ventures. There is the potential to see things from other people’s points of view and to be passionate, assured and determined in all that we do. But with the black water dragon, there is also the liability to the unpredictable and the unexpected, once again forcing us to stay aware and mindful. Struggles and conflicts are likely during this Chinese New Year, all leading to natural phenomena upheavals [such as earthquakes, volcanic activity and flash floods] and dramatic changes in the socio-political arena.

This Aquarius New Moon can also trigger our personal desire for greater change and our focus more on our future than on our present reality. To incorporate greater change we do have to be wary of needless expenditures that might increase our debt load. Being resourceful at this time will not put a damper on our future goals but could provide a reining in of moving too fast with too much exuberance and not enough due diligence. Let’s look before we leap and quite possibly instead of leaping ahead create a suspension bridge, slat by slat, to get us from where we have been to where we intend to go.

On the 23rd, Mars turns retrograde in the Sign of Virgo and continues retrograde until mid-April. If we have rushed ahead, skipped over details and neglected specifics, we may find some of our energies are focused on the “re’s” of reworking, redoing and reconsidering.

Just as the 19th through the 22nd had the Sun square Saturn as the Sun finished its transit of Capricorn, then had the Sun enter Aquarius where it sextiled Uranus and then squared Jupiter; the 27th-28th has Mercury doing a similar energy pattern configuration. Finishing its transit of Capricorn, Mercury squares Saturn on the 27th, then Mercury moves into Aquarius and on the 28th Mercury sextiles Uranus and squares Jupiter.

While the latter part of January can have us concentrating on plans, strategies and considering how best to move forward, we may draw upon other people for their support, encouragement and advice. It would be wise to do so, since we all might be far more interested in rushing ahead into our future than spinning our wheels in the present. We just have to be wary of acting like lemmings and rushing towards the cliffs. Haste creates waste, and these times call for, even demand, resourcefulness whereby we utilize our time, our energy and our monies in a judicious and focused manner.

January is a month when we can create our resolutions, focus on the building blocks of our future without skipping a beat regarding our present responsibilities, and give serious thought to our goals with a little help from our friends.

January 2012… putting spirit into action…