Greetings, and welcome back to Journeys! To start the year let’s take a look at it from an astrological point of view by taking a voyage through the gardens of the Earth Zone. Settle in! This is a long post of just under 24,000 words.
Understandably, this year as for the last couple of years, people have burning questions that need answers. Astrology does not give definite answers, merely indications and signs, leaving it up to us to interpret them if we wish to understand them before they are present. In this message I will attempt, with varying degrees of success or failure, to do that and you will find my view on several of those burning questions in what follows – is the virus going away, will society continue to unravel over the issue of vaccinations, what’s going on with the US Pluto return, will I be able to travel to meet X? – but I want to take a different approach to yearly forecasting this time. I would like to reinvent the wheel as far as sign by sign analysis for the year, the kind of thing you used to find in magazines every December when magazines were a thing. Instead of forecasting what will happen to your Sun sign, however, I’d like to talk about what’s happening for that entire sign, treating it as its own entity independent of Sun sign astrology. This allows students of the 26 keys to understand what is happening to each of their keys this year but it also allows us to regard zodiac signs with greater depth. To make the most of this information have either your keys (the best way), a copy of your birth chart (the second best way which will let you see which houses/temples are involved for you) or a list of the positions of the planets (which will let you identify which influences apply to you). Charts and lists of planetary positions are freely available on the web. If you have none of these things just have a list of the birthdays of yourself and other people you want to look up. The whole thing will hopefully make more sense once we dive in, so let’s get going!
ARIES
It’s a big year for everything Aries. For a large portion of the year Jupiter (from May 11th to 28th October and then again from the December solstice until the end of the year) will be in the first 10 degrees of the sign pursuing Chiron a bit further ahead, meaning the 1st decan (the first 10 degrees) are getting major activations from Jupiter and the middle parts of the sign (the 2nd decan) starts to receive major activations from Chiron. Meanwhile, the last decan, 20°-30°, is host to Eris and is under an ongoing siege from Pluto in late Capricorn. But these are old stories, what’s new is Jupiter and it’s big. In 2022, Aries is go! This is the time for all of us to just do it and get it done, whatever it is, and to meet challenges along the way with good spirit. Rejoice, because it’s a colourful fresh page in a time of universal weariness, but it comes at a price because it fosters anger and outrage, raises the stakes and causes new developments to accelerate rapidly. It’s rocket fuel compared to the stasis of the last two years and it ignites the stories of the decade. We have had the long, quiet night of icy stillness, dreadful though it has been to endure, but going forward from here some may well long for a return to more peaceful times. Pressures are going to be explosively released, taking many forms in new events.
There are three main parts to what is going on in this sign –
1) Every key in Aries between 0° and 9° (call it 10° with orbs/windows of opportunity) is getting some kind of expansion and growth between May and November (and the first degrees also get it again in the last ten days of the year). During this time this area can expect an increase in opportunities and afford to be a little more trusting of its luck, but behaviour could be more wasteful or indulgent – Saturn is gradually headed here (and if we next door into late Pisces we can see Neptune is approaching too) and so in 3-4 years gains acquired now will be useful and should be conserved. For the Sun key this is everyone born from the March equinox (varies from year to year around March 20th) until about the start of April in any year. These people will be productive, enthusiastic and fire up into action this year, as will others with an emphasis on the 1st decan of Aries. Green shoots are breaking the surface here – lots of things are going to be initiated. Early next year the rest of the Aries tribe and its garden gets the same.
2) Objects situated between 8°-16° of Aries will be visited by Chiron, so keys at 8° of Aries are being touched by both Jupiter and Chiron (Chiron first in January then Jupiter in July/August) while keys in Aries from 10°-16° are getting their first taste of Chiron activation this year. This includes every person born in the first week of April. It implies either a healing crisis, a major life initiation or a painful realisation or teaching about life for these Aries people. Chiron may give them an important quest. For other keys in Aries 8°-16° a similar energy presents itself but as far as painful realizations or teachings it tends to be about that planets significations rather than life itself. Chiron can also bring diagnoses of situations and circumstances, the ability to see what is wrong as well as remedies for those issues, but he focuses on the astra-mental causes of things as being deeper than the physical causes.
3) Objects in late Aries – the 3rd decan – are either going through, are about to go through, or have just gone through some very difficult times. Pluto at 26°-28° of Capricorn is in a square with this zone, bringing unpleasant things to the surface or, worse, trying to bury them or resist their unearthing. Don’t be that person – it is best to let what emerges come up, no matter how unpleasant. In terms of Sun signs this is especially focused on Aries people born in the last week of the sign, from around April 12th/13th to the 20th/21st, most especially those born on or between the 16th and 19th. Eris at 23°-24° is probably not helping this situation. Its been going this way here for some time already and the bad news is that we have to get through a couple more years of this happening in late Aries and it affects all the late Cardinal signs (so also Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). Having been born towards the end of any Active/Cardinal sign or having sensitive keys there is challenging right now and the challenges are not abating yet, but the good news here is that if you go with the flow of transformation this year then next year the passage of Jupiter through the latter part of Aries in the first quarter will bring greater dividends instead of forcing you to grow out of what you have held onto.
There is a long Venus retrograde in Capricorn that is joined by Mars in the first two months of the year and spilling into the first week of March which could be challenging for Aries with things not really going its way or just a lot of things to do and stress stemming from them, but this time can also bring romantic sparks or re-invigorate a love affair. Additionally there are retrogrades of Mercury in Air signs that, with the exception of the Libra retrograde in September and October which tends to create disputes and disagreements, are supportive because they give long periods of Mercury in Air. The Gemini retrograde (May – June) stimulates creative thinking and conversation and sees the 1st decan of Aries ‘on the go’ while the Aquarius retrograde (January and February, first week of March) is a good time for the 1st decan of Aries to join a group or look for new things to do. Mars is in Aries itself from May 25th – July 5th, a time when the sign is firing on all cylinders and may be warlike and aggressive but also potentially fuelled by burning creativity and determination. Ego can get quickly out of control here but battles can be won. Mars will also retrograde in Gemini this year, staying in that sign from August 20th. This is very welcome news for Aries since its ruler will be calling it to action and equipping it with armour, weaponry, battle maps and all kinds of gear. By the time Mars stations at 25° Gemini at the start of November almost every part of Aries (up to 25°) has been ignited by either the Jupiter conjunction, the long Mars sextile, or both, with the start of next year seeing all of Aries being activated by Jupiter as these Mars sextiles to the sign continue. Next year Mars will not leave Gemini until late March, so we get 7 months of it. That is a lot of talking, gossiping, brash language, arguing and potental strife but also a lot of potential healthy debate. Firm decisions, bold claims and wild rhetoric, however, are not trustworthy in this period. A lot of people may need to go back on their words or retrace their steps.
The significant emphasis being placed on Aries by Jupiter this year is also underlined by the role that Mars (ruler of Aries) plays in the overall drama of the sky as it unfolds. This year Mars is extremely catalytic, triggering and activating major patterns and playing a significant role in the timing of events. Mercury is similarly connected to things as a catalyst, especially when he stations. Mars is essentially being given a great deal of power to decide which way things turn. His passage through Aries (May 25th – July 5th), especially his dramatic entrance into the sign followed by a conjunction with Jupiter at 3° (May 29th) brings a major ‘back to life’ energy with it, particularly since Venus will enter Aries at the start of May and pave the way for him emotionally. The world looks to be bouncing back, firing up, getting back into action, at least for a while. The same can be said of the time when the Sun and Mercury are in Aries, which is from March 20th – April 20th and may represent some kind of build up to what goes down in late May and throughout June. However, with so much Aries there is the risk of war, of fighting, preemptive strikes, brute force, violence and literal fires breaking out too. This does not bode well given the current relations between the US, Russia, Europe and China. The sky does not talk of major conflict – there are no major pile ups as there were in 2020 and 2021 – but the emphasis on Aries warns us to prepare for at least some level of new conflict and definitely a major ramping up of tensions and talk of conflict. We can hope that these conflicts will be small engagements but the month of June could be a scary ride. Of course we should also remember that ‘war’ can take many forms, not just military conflict. Things are heating up in the US for the mid-term elections during its Pluto return year and there are plenty of other pots boiling over in the kitchen everywhere in the world. Keep your cool throughout this time and you will be a rare bird.
TAURUS
The major presence here of course continues to be Uranus, specifically its ongoing square with Saturn in Aquarius which was such major feature of last year and continues to haunt us this year. However it has no exactitude in 2022, only coming very close to it in September and October but then rapidly departing for good. This is perhaps the strongest sign yet that the coronavirus emergency is on the way out, but the closeness of the aspect throughout this year means it’s not over yet and the threat of it returning us to lock-down is strongest towards the end of October. It is clear from the events of 2021 that the exact squares between Saturn and Uranus were connected to the emergence of new variants – both the delta and the omicron variants emerged as talking points when these occurred – so it seems likely to me that we will be talking about the threat of a new variant at this time but that threat will fall away as the square separates at the end of the year. The pandemic situation is genuinely complicated though, as it could easily be exacerbated by Jupiter conjunct Neptune, which I will talk about when I get to Pisces.
There is far more going on with Uranus in Taurus than just the coronavirus however, as its square with Saturn clearly describes the ongoing division between those of us who are in agreement with the recommendations of authority and those of us who are rebelling against it. The issue of vaccinations has exposed these divisions within our collective awareness, it’s not that the square has created them, it’s just revealed them. These divisions are messy and complicated and run far deeper than the issue of vaccination, they reach into a deeper division between trust in authority to provide the stability we need to deal with global emergencies that threaten all life on the planet, and equal distrust in those authorities to do anything about it at all, their record of failure and corruption being clear. These divisions also reach deep into our collective memory of the rise of fascism and totalitarian control (Uranus in Taurus being last among us during the 1930s), triggering us to deal with karmic issues of all kinds, but especially with our economic baggage, our money karma, which is connected to our greater need for physical security, something that authoritarian control finds easy to offer. It is still early days to mid-term for Uranus in Taurus, the planet moving between 10° and 18° this year, and it certainly still has surprises in store for us in the near future. By the time it leaves (mid decade) something or things that we always assumed would stay the same (Taurus) are going to radically change (Uranus). As I have said before, possibilities include not only money/the financial system but also food (lab grown beef, for example) and even our own physical bodies with potential genetic alterations like CRISPR becoming widespread. Clearly, the events of the coronavirus and the collective splits and divisions exposed by the square between Saturn and Uranus are part of what is permanently changing, but I feel they are merely the precursor for what comes later and a major part of the story is in what happens in the US this year and when it experiences its Uranus return in the latter part of this decade as well as how the EU weathers the storm of challenges affecting its own chart this year.
For keys in the 2nd decan of Taurus, anywhere between 10° and 18° (with orbs, this will cover more), but in particular for those positioned at the beginning or end of this range (where the stations of Uranus occur), this is a year of radical change and unexpected events. It is time to start over, maybe not completely but in some way that will not occur again in life. For Sun sign Taurus people, this is anyone born between May 1st and 9th. Taurus is not a sign that welcomes radical change at all well and so these people may need to prepare for a tumultuous year. Change is inevitable, but this is the obvious lesson the usually commonsense sign of Taurus finds hard to live with. Uranus loosens attachment because it calls for freedom but Taurus is possessive because having stuff is safe, Uranus is contrary and rebellious even to the point of recklessness but Taurus is conforming and maintains the status quo even to the point of choking stasis. The setup is for Taurus to have to give way to change because, as I said, change is inevitable, it is innate to nature itself, to the cycle of seasons and thus a part of what Taurus represents, connection to living, verdant, physical form. The collective challenge here is for us to do exactly the same – to undergo radical change of our material world, to work with the inevitability of change in a way that harmonises with nature, to loosen attachment to the way things were always done in the past, to accept the world has and is moving on rapidly with or without us, and to decide for ourselves what to do about it.
Just once, and early in the year, Uranus gets some nice support from Jupiter in Pisces via a sextile (February 18th) which really helps with getting things moving again, its an energy with places to go and helps unjam gridlocked situations. Shipping and production should recover after the pause of Chinese New Year and things should start moving more smoothly through ports again. More generally, this sextile brings a fresh feeling that is a mix of relief (Jupiter in Pisces) and the scent of fresh growth (Uranus in Taurus), a mood that looks forward to the future with more hope than we have been able to afford recently. Things may still be bad, but perhaps we can see fresh green shoots appearing or the first signs of things easing off. The square that threatens the lockdowns and variants is still hovering around, but there is perhaps an expectancy in the air that it is over. Unlike last year, that may be true, at least for now.
Overall the situation in Taurus looks like this:
1) Uranus in Taurus, as described above.
2) Jupiter in Pisces until May 11th. This is opening up doors and awareness for Taurus, allowing it to make progress in spiritual matters and to expand its consciousness. Empathy is flowing enabling the sign to form beautiful smelling roses. The entire sign blooms and blossoms during this period which may also bring a significant spiritual encounter out of the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction of April 12th. Spiritual seekers in the Taurus tribe should redouble their efforts in April, as if the Emperor were arriving.
3) Saturn squares from Aquarius. These affect the 2nd decan and the first half of the 3rd decan, 12° – 25°. This includes the Sun key of every person born as a Taurus around May 3rd – 18th at some stage in the year, the most sustained focus being on 18° – 25° (for Sun signs, May 9th – 18th) due to Saturn retrograde. These are hard challenges, the Taurus energy is spread too thinly over too many fields, it must consolidate growth and play its cards carefully. Failures must be mined for their lessons. A turning point in life is reached and change is inevitable.
4) Support from Pluto in Capricorn in the 3rd decan. This will help some keys in the 3rd decan of Taurus to cope with the pressures of the Saturn squares. It focuses on 26° – 28° of the sign (May 17th – 20th) and brings a lot of richness and wealth to this territory but more importantly it brings a willingness to embrace change, something Taurus needs.
5) Long stay of Venus and Mars in Capricorn in January, February and the first week of March. I call this the ‘Kiss of Venus and Mars’ and for everything Taurus it likely brings much greater income, some new possessions or just something physically enjoyable. The will (Mars) and the emotions (Venus) of the astral realm are aligned attractively towards Taurus, bringing it these gifts. Taurus people working with Capricorns are pretty powerful in this period.
There is another thing to note here before moving on – the Dragons Head moved into this sign earlier this month, beginning a cycle of lunar and solar eclipses in Taurus and Scorpio. Over the course of the year it will creep backwards through Taurus (the nodes always move backwards) reaching 11° of the sign by the end, so it will travel through roughly 20°-30° of Taurus in reverse order, basically affecting all Taurus people born in May. This has the effect of bringing great emphasis to the power of Uranus in Taurus, especially when Uranus becomes involved in the eclipses (which is especially true in the November lunar eclipse at 15° Taurus) and generally when the Head closes to within 3° of Uranus, which will be the case from July until the end of the year. People with keys near to the middle of Taurus, or just in its 2nd decan, may be caught up in a whirlwind of events. The Head represents winning the initiative, being in the moment to act first, not a trait Taurus thrives at but if it can bite that bullet there is much to gain. Life is going to get more chaotic and interesting this year for all the Fixed/Stable signs, though.
GEMINI
The big events for this sign are the extended stay of Mars beginning in August and lasting until the end of the year, but it is also affected in a relatively challenging way by the presence of Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces before its 1st decan is given some support by Jupiter in Aries to close off the year, and the latter half of Gemini, especially the 2nd decan, is helped a lot to navigate steadily by the trine it gets from Saturn in Aquarius. This is an active busy year for Gemini, especially the latter half of the year, and with two exceptions (the retrograde of Mars which leads him to make two squares with Neptune in Pisces in October and November) the support of both Jupiter in Aries in early September and Saturn in Aquarius in late September and October suggest the retrograde path of Mars through Gemini is relatively smooth. It may be best to avoid journeys in October and November, though, as Mars squares Neptune mid October, stations in Gemini around Halloween, and then retrogrades to square Neptune again in mid to late November. The unavoidable 3rd square comes in mid March of next year. These squares can be problematic because they invite a lack of clarity and an inability to move directly forward because of mysterious reasons. It invites frustration as something that appears to be straightforward is continually confused, diverted, sidetracked, double booked, lost or waylaid. Actions we take at these times, especially when they are rash, often have hidden consequences that we would not wish for.
Collectively I think this means we get travel back around August as the presence of Mars in Gemini until January of 2023 signifies a lot of travel activity going on, but it will face major disruptions. Historically Mars in Gemini is bad news for aviation since it has a correlation with crashes, but this is more a feature when the Mars retrograde is involved in challenging aspect patterns, especially those involving Saturn, Uranus or Pluto. This Mars, aside from some entanglement with Neptune in Pisces which may result in confusions, delays, missed connections, fuel issues or general pandemonium, is being given a pretty clear pass. It seems to me more about an overloaded, crippled and unprepared aviation industry. Travel may not be restored everywhere or for everyone, in fact that seems very unlikely, but it seems there will be a lot of it happening, only with some sacrifices involved. New checks, tests, long queues or quarantines probably factor in here.
Of course, frantic traveling is not the only signification of Mars in Gemini; it’s also argumentative, warlike in that it uses deliberately and sometimes foolishly provocative language and issues threats as well as launches quick strikes, it implies the marching of feet in angry protest, clashes on the streets, disagreements over facts and democratic processes like votes – stark divisions leading to strife overall. There is currently a serious division emerging in the collective over the matter of free speech/censorship, especially in social media and entertainment platforms, and we are all becoming familiar with the notion of ‘cancel culture’, something that also resonates with Mars in Gemini. Just because the path of Mars in Gemini is not interfered with or challenged by more threatening planets, it doesn’t mean it is altogether peaceful – it may in fact mean that all of the warlike activity is unimpeded. In other words it’s what is behind this Mars in Gemini energy that really matters, what motivates it. There is no question that the exposed divisions in our society from the last two years demand a rigorous and free debate, but the question is whether or not we will collectively be able to do that without descending into blame, recrimination and accusation, potentially leading to all-out war.
While the entire sign is getting an extended visit from Mars, driving all Gemini keys into overdrive, the most important specific degrees of Gemini being affected this year are –
1) The first 8°, which receive support from Jupiter in Aries from May 11th until October 28th and then a little more in the last week of the year for the first degree of Gemini. This is about new opportunities arising but they bring significant change that may require courage. This apples to all Gemini people born at the end of May as well as any keys in early Gemini.
2) 8°-16°, which receive a sextile from Chiron in Aries, helping to generate fresh ideas for mending, healing or improving things; again, courage is a quality that can flower. This applies to all Gemini Sun signs of people born at the end of May or in the first half of June as well as to any keys in this part of Gemini.
3) 12°-25°, but especially 18°-25°, which receive extended support from Saturn in Aquarius, helping these placements to build something up. This is something that applies to all Gemini Sun signs born between June 1st and 17th.
4) 23°-25°, which are receiving sextiles from Eris in Aries all year. This may help to deconstruct something, especially an argument, thesis, notion or opinion. This applies to all Geminis born on or near to 14th – 17th of June.
5) 26°-28°, which receive challenges from Neptune in Pisces all year long, creating the need to see through ones own and others illusions. This is a lesson in discernment and objectivity. This applies to all of the 3rd decan of Gemini really (from June 11th to the end of Gemini) but Sun sign Gemini people born 18th-20th of June (right at the end of Gemini) or thereabouts are especially challenged by this influence.
Gemini also receives one of the years Mercury retrogrades (May 10th – June 3rd, beginning at Gemini 4°). These retrogrades only directly affect Geminis born in May. Like all this years retrogrades (and as I have more fully explained elsewhere in this journal) Mercury retrogrades follow groups that appear in patterns and the pattern here is Air Element. There is a retrograde in Earth signs at the end of the year, though, and the three Air retrogrades occur in the 1st decan of Air signs and retrograde into late Earth signs before returning to Air. This is suggestive of rethinking things and of ideas being tested against practical considerations. Mercury retrogrades, especially in Air, tend to screw up travel plans, communications and gadgets but are perfectly made for writers revisions and revision of studies (May is especially helpful in this case). The other Air retrogrades bring times in January and February when inspiration strikes or inventiveness guides (Aquarius) and in September and October when talking through things with a partner leads to more honest and open communication.
CANCER
This sign has ongoing troubles in the last decan with Pluto in Capricorn and Eris in Aries, an extensive opposition by Venus in Capricorn coupled with some support from Jupiter in Pisces at the start of the year and then the arrival of Jupiter in Aries in May bringing a square to everything in the 1st decan, something which is likely to make big waves there after filling it up with emotions while Jupiter is in Pisces. Cancer has been hit hard in recent years with the pile up in late Capricorn of 2020 and the ongoing tension of Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn over the last decade, and the start of this year with Jupiter in Pisces will bring some much needed wetness to what has seemed an endless dry desert, especially once Venus clears out of Capricorn and Pisces season gets underway in March and April. Aside from this the significant support this sign receives this year is from the sextile with Uranus in Taurus, meaning the overall theme of the year is accepting further change and finding ways of turning a profit from it, primarily in terms of material and emotional matters.
Here is the breakdown of what is going on for this sign and its tribes:
1) The entire sign gets a cheering trine from Jupiter in Pisces from January 1st – May 11th. Every key in Cancer and every Cancer person receives a very welcome boost to their emotional confidence as the nest feels fully feathered and their empathy increases. Psychic training can go exceptionally well for Cancerians during this time. This is especially powerful when Jupiter conjuncts Neptune in mid April (see Pisces for more on this), particularly for people with a key at or nearby to Cancer 24° (which includes every Cancer born on or near July 17th/18th). The last two degrees of Cancer get another helping hand from Jupiter from November until the December solstice when Jupiter retrogrades back into Pisces, meaning Cancerian people born on the cusp with Leo (which is around July 22nd/23rd) and keys at the end of Cancer get two helpings of assistance from Jupiter this year, one in early May and one more extended assist at the end of the year from November until the solstice.
2) The 1st decan then gets challenged by Jupiter in Aries – he basically switches on May 11th from supporting the entire sign of Cancer to challenging the early part of the sign until November before switching again to support late Cancer until the solstice as described above. This square specifically affects keys from 0°-8° of Cancer, so it is relevant for everyone born between the June solstice and the end of June/beginning of July. Be very careful not to promise more than you can deliver or bite off more than you can chew in this period if you have any positions here. Waste, indulgence and exaggeration may also be problems. Chiron is focused on 8° – 16° throughout the year and this brings some kind of holistic healing crisis (a need to heal at all or any levels) to these degrees, which highlights Cancer people born in the first ten days of July. The transit of Jupiter through Aries eventually triggers Chiron in Aries at 14° during March next year and brings something painful but ultimately very healing to light for many July born Cancerians, especially those born near or on July 19th.
3) The middle part of the sign (the 2nd decan) receives support from the sextile from Uranus in Taurus all year as that planet moves from 10°-18°. This affects all Taurus people born in the first 10 days of May. Some pleasant surprises may be in store here if there is no resistance to the newness involved and there is likely a fresh income stream or new possessions to enjoy. The Dragons Head in Taurus (described in that sign) also energizes Cancer keys in the 2nd and 3rd decan (Cancer people born in July) over the course of the year. This increases appetites and hungers of all kinds in much of the sign of Cancer. It also places Cancer in a position where it can provide a way to deal with complex situations by applying the Cancerian qualities of conservation and tactics to resolve the polarity of Taurus/Scorpio, which is the dynamic behind this years eclipses.
4) The 2nd and 3rd decans are stubbornly opposed by retrograding Venus in Capricorn in the first two months of the year. This puts most of Cancer on a backwards footing as far as its expression of emotions go, it tends to create clogs and resentments in the sign as it bottles up feelings it is afraid to express – usually the fear is of hurting someone else’s feelings or being abandoned or alone, but it can also be related to financial worries. It doesn’t help that Venus interacts with Pluto in early March, unearthing deep emotions or evoking the feeling that what is felt must be buried. If you are a July born Cancer, especially if born in the last week of Cancer, or have keys in late degrees of Cancer, this affects you.
5) The last decan of Cancer continues to be challenged by the square between Pluto in Capricorn and Eris in Aries. This year the range of these two planets covers 23°-28° of all the Cardinal signs, spotlighting Cancerians born around July 15/16th to July 21st/22nd. They will all already be experiencing some kind of profound change of identity through adversity, and we will all need to make further adjustments and go through further transformation with keys in this zone of the zodiac. The rocky road of traumatic change for Cancer that has been going on since the financial crisis of 2008 is finally in sight, though. The Leos among us, especially those born in the beginning of the sign, should be taking notes from Cancerians about what to expect and how to cope wit it during this time, as they are next for Pluto oppositions.
February is set to be a difficult month for the sign with the entry of Mars into Capricorn in late January leading to a Venus/Mars opposition to the sign throughout February. This especially challenges the 3rd decan of Cancer since from around Valentines day Venus and Mats will be tightly conjoined in Capricorn and will not separate until April or May, meaning both planets will pass through the last decan of Capricorn simultaneously in the latter half of February and the first week of March. These oppositions to late Cancer could be especially challenging for relationships but more generally they bring experiences which teach us how to control our emotions through willpower. This will apply to every Cancer person born in the last 10 days of Cancer (roughly July 13th – 23rd) as well as any keys at Cancer 20°-30°.
LEO
Leo’s major transit this year is the opposition it receives from Saturn in Aquarius and the square it receives from Uranus in Taurus, individual and separate influences that will act together to create either tension and stress or energy and dynamism. The late degrees of the 1st decan and the first half of the 2nd decan receives a trine from Chiron in Aries all year long, and the 1st decan of the sign receives help from Jupiter in Aries from May to November, but it is basically unaffected by Pluto and Neptune (but not for much longer, as Pluto is almost in Aquarius and Neptune is nearing Aries) and also by the long Venus retrograde at the start of the year. The long retrograde of Mars in Gemini beginning in August is helpful to almost the entire sign at some stage before the end of the year but may require some backtracking around October and November. Mars in Aries in June also helps Leo, but March and the first half of April, when he is in Aquarius, bring struggles when it comes to getting things done. The last decan of the sign only really has to deal with problems introduced by the arrival of the nodal axis in Taurus/Scorpio, which will tend to complicate life for much of Leo throughout the year. Matters are just not simple or easy to perceive here. The movement of Mars into Fixed signs (Aquarius from March 6th of April 15th and Taurus from July 5th of August 20th) and each months Fixed/Stable Moons (Moon in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius) will cause these complications to become exacerbated. This is something that all four of the Fixed signs must deal with, but especially within their 2nd and 3rd decans.
The breakdown for Leo is:
1) Jupiter trines the 1st decan of Leo from May 11th to October 28th. This includes every person born in the 10 days starting from the March equinox, so everyone born late March or early April, as well as any key in the 1st decan of Leo. This trine is rocket fuel that gets things going or into lift off. It is usually blessed with a degree of good fortune in making what it wants to happen actually happen the way it wants. Beyond this wish fulfilling power, however, it’s true blessing is that it opens the awareness into a deeper understanding of its own creative power and of life itself.
2) Chiron trines 8°-16° of Leo, which for Leo Sun signs is everyone born between about August 1st and 10th in any year. This trine is restorative, especially with respect to the vital energy and the will to live. It is also helpful to people working in the arts, where it enables them to have the courage needed to express their own inner light. In general it represents the ability of the spirit to heal itself through creativity which allows the life force to flow.
3) 10°-18°, in the 2nd decan, is squared by Uranus in Taurus. For the Leo Sun sign this is everyone born between about August 3rd and 19th, so there is some overlap with the Chiron influence described above. This square is a challenge that makes it difficult to create anything because conditions keep changing and there is a problem either with resources or with needed materials drying up or being subject to unforeseeable or unexpected delays. An influence like this one basically applies in general to an entire year for the people it is affecting but it will zone in on specific individuals at certain points during the year. The people who get this most this time are those with keys around 17 or 18°, where the Uranus retrograde takes place in August. If you are born on or near to the 18th or 19th of August, the time of your birthday this year may herald important surprises and changes for the year ahead.
4) 12°-25°, but especially 18°-25°, receives opposition from Saturn in Aquarius. This includes every Leo person born between around August 5th – 19th (August 11th – 19th especially). A major challenge for these people lies ahead, especially if they are in positions of leadership. This is a turning point and it should be taken carefully like a dangerous corner. If you are a hard working Leo you may need to ask yourself if you are doing too much for your own good health wise. There will be big promotions or achievements for some of these people and disappointing failure for others. I say more about this influence below.
5) Mars retrograde in Gemini is at some point sextile everything up to 25° of Leo from August 20th until the end of year. It puts strongest emphasis on Leo 24° and 25°, spotlighting people born around August 17th – 20th, since it retrogrades at these degrees of Gemini in late October. This is a good social energy for Leo, a suitable blessing for going to a party or celebration or some other place where there is a crowd and some conversation or dancing. It’s probably good for social media influencers and online celebrities with keys in Leo too. Other Leo people who do not enjoy socializing so much may find this a boost to their creative energies and inspiration, especially if they are in creative writing or something that involves words or numbers.
6) Eris in Aries trines 23° and 24° throughout the year. In terms of Sun sign astrology this is everyone born around August 16th to 19th. We don’t know nearly enough about Eris yet, but just going by the Element and aspect involved this is a good influence for working with the Fire Element and any of its analogies, especially those that match Aries or Leo. Caution and observation is advised as we do not know what we are dealing with here.
7) Eclipses in Taurus/Scorpio begin to complicate or obscure things. This is a general principle that applies to all keys in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius but this year it is especially applied to those in the 2nd and 3rd decans of those signs (10° – 30°). The eclipse degrees this year are 10°, 16° and 22° of Taurus/Scorpio, which means that people with keys in or near these degrees of Leo or Leos born near or on August 3rd, 9th or 15th are strongly affected.
Aside from the problematic Mercury retrograde in Aquarius of January, mostly behind us now, the other retrogrades of Mercury in Air signs do not interfere with Leo, instead offering it guidance, signs and interesting diversions. The Mercury in Aquarius retrograde is just annoying and frustrating for Leo, scattering its mental focus in ways that drain its reserves of spontaneity in swarms of trivial but demanding matters that command its attention. The fact that things break down does not help. Things are different during the Gemini retrograde in the first three weeks of May and the first half of June, a time when creative ideas are sprouting in fertile ground, or during the Libra retrograde at the end of August, during the first three weeks of September and throughout October from October 10th, when the generosity, charm and charisma of Leo can really have an impact on others.
Historically and thematically Saturn in Aquarius represents challenges to leaders, disputes over leadership, plots to remove people from power and other similar situations because it is in opposition to Leo, the sign of the king or queen of the land and their will, whereas Aquarius is the will of the common people. This is especially true during a time of squares from Uranus, Neptune or Pluto in Taurus or Scorpio. Given this as well as the start of eclipses in Fixed signs, during Fixed sign seasons this year we are likely to see several powerful leaders either toppled or involved in disputes over their right to govern. I think this applies to both Boris Johnson (who seems likely to be removed or weakened considerably by his own party following incidents in which he attended parties during his own lockdowns at a time of national mourning in which the Queen was pictured sitting alone at her husbands funeral) and to Joe Biden (who seems destined to experience accusations of voting fraud and an illegitimate result in the mid terms, no matter what happens). I don’t think they will be the only ones in trouble though. The EU, Canada, even Russia and China may experience their own versions of this. It is just not a good time to be in charge of anything, but especially if you have an emphasis on Leo. The big personal issue we are all dealing with here is simple: how are you managing your depression? Because we all have it to deal with on a daily basis right now, but it’s hitting all the Fixed /Stable signs with a sledgehammer. Leo is particularly hit not just by the lack of a social calendar and things like parties where it usually thrives but also from the lack of any kind of live audience experience. Saturn is teaching the sign how to make the most of every little bit of sunshine, and it’s not done yet. Jupiter in Aries cannot come soon enough for the sign, but most of Leo will need to wait until early next year for the wheel of fortune to spin in that direction.
VIRGO
The main challenge for Virgo continues to be Neptune in Pisces but in meeting that challenge it also continues to receive support from Uranus in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn. The beginning of the year sees the problematic situation with Neptune grossly enlarged upon by the arrival of a reigning Jupiter in Pisces but once this is over the sign is relatively clear of problems, and the problems with Neptune only really affect the last decan of the sign. The arrival of the Dragon in Taurus/Scorpio is helpful because it makes it easier for Virgo to cope with events in general and because Virgo is a sign that helps the Taurus/Scorpio polarity to find balance (the others are Cancer, Capricorn and Pisces). The interplay of Taurus and Scorpio creates a tension between taking a simple practical approach and accounting for the messy complexities of life, and Virgo, with its ability to analyze situations in great detail but with an eye for the pragmatic and useful information, finds a path that both Taurus and Scorpio can be satisfied by. It is troubled by the long stay of Mars in Gemini starting in August and somewhat hassled by the long stay of Mercury in Gemini that happens in the first three weeks of May, continues in the middle of June and does not end until the first week of July, but the entire sign is basically unaffected by Saturn, Chiron and Eris. The long Venus retrograde in Capricorn at the start of the year is actually a blessing for Virgo as it helps it to feel more secure, both emotionally and financially.
So here it’s really mostly about how the latter part of the sign is handling the opposition of Neptune in Pisces, which cannot be easy for Virgo. One fundamental issue is that Neptune in Pisces enchants us into deeper levels of pure escapism from our problems, but this just irritates Virgo which knows that problems don’t just vanish, instead they worsen when untended. The latter part of the sign is haunted by a nagging feeling that things are mysteriously going wrong or slipping completely out of control into the unknown. Another fundamental issue is the fact that Neptune in opposition makes it impossible to see clearly, it screws entirely with pure reason and rational analysis because it represents the otherworldly and transcendent, the mystical, the essence of pure consciousness which is pre-rational and pre-emotional – the ocean of pure consciousness of which our own mysterious consciousness is an expression. Nothing can be said about it because consciousness is the origin of thinking itself. How Virgo sits with this otherworldly presence is one of the great tests that the sign experiences throughout life, and the presence of Neptune in opposition triggers this entire problem.
As for the breakdown for Virgo in 2022:
1) Jupiter opposition in Pisces sweeps across the entire sign from the beginning of the year until May 10. Every Virgo person feels just a little bit more stretched, worried and drained by the end of this time, and they may also have gained a lot of weight. Luck is not with them. The best use of this energy is to dedicate it towards spiritual practices like meditation and self liberation, an understanding of karma and mystical truths, especially in April when Jupiter joins with Neptune. If the Virgos among us have illusions or self delusions they may worsen in this time as an opportunity to finally see through them. It may be time for some Virgo people to accept some core conclusion or belief as false as the year opens. For other Virgo keys it is not an easy time as growth tends to be only under great strain and cost while Jupiter is here. It is perhaps best to pull back the output of energy so as not to waste it or wind up exhausted.
2) Neptune opposition in Pisces has been creating trouble seeing clearly for everything in late Virgo for some time already, and continues to play its mysterious game there. Over the course of the year it moves from 20° to 25° of Pisces, a zone of the zodiac which leads to opposition of Neptune to the Sun for every Virgo person born between September 13th and 20th. The conjunction of Jupiter with Neptune takes place at 24°, putting a big spotlight onto people born on or near September 19th. Here the question is about reality, specifically, what is it? What Neptune brings is greater confusion, subjectivity, imagination, intoxication, ecstasy and pure empathy to Virgos dry, sober way of analysing life and trying to be helpful or useful. It’s not easy to successfully integrate and can manifest in projections (like all oppositions) but the reward is an expanded awareness of reality and therefore an increased understanding of all situations and problems. There is some help from Uranus and Pluto for Virgo to call on here though.
3) Pluto is providing trines from Capricorn, an aspect that helps to ease deep-seated sources of worry in Virgo by painlessly exposing their root. This has been going on for over a decade now and it is beginning to come to an end as Pluto is in the final decan of Capricorn. Pluto ranges between 26° and 28° of Capricorn throughout the year, which means that his assistance to Virgo keys is in the 26° and 28° range (at least that is where it is most directly applied, there is reason to believe that outer planets supply their energy to an entire sign while they are there, and there are also astrological orbs which widen this range by at least 3° or 4°). A problem with Pluto however is that its energy can also be used to bury things rather than unearth them and a trine just makes this easier too. The Virgo birthdays directly affected here include everyone born around September 19th to 22nd).
4) Uranus is also providing trines to Virgo, this time from the other Earth sign, Taurus. This situation has also been ongoing for a number of years now, although not as many. The range of Uranus this year is in the middle part of the sign of Taurus and so its support this year is focused on the middle part of the sign of Virgo. This is helpful to Virgo in a different way because it encourages the sign to welcome a fresh and original approach and to be more persistent in its experimental probing of things, but it also makes the resources available that Virgo needs to repair things or improve them. 10°-18° are the degrees of Virgo that this energy is being applied to, which equates to every Virgo person born on or around September 3rd to the 12th.
5) The Dragon in Taurus/Scorpio. As mentioned above, this helps Virgo to deal with the churning cauldron of life as its particular skills become more useful in solving the conundrums that emerge from it. Throughout the course of this year the Dragon will bring this to the 2nd and 3rd decan of the sign, bringing it to the 1st decan in the first half of next year. This basically covers everyone born as a Virgo in September for this year leaving the Virgos born in late August for next year.
6) The extended Mars in Gemini starting August 20th is trouble-making for most of Virgo. Plans are set to go awry and should not be expected to go on schedule so it is wise if planning things for the latter part of this year for August and up to mid September born Virgo people to anticipate what could go wrong and remedy it before it becomes something that nags and worries at them later. Committing yourself to a course of action during this period of the year is probably not advisable, but it may be unavoidable. The issue is often that this Mars generates friction that cause changes to plans and tends to tempt Virgo to rush itself or others, actions which generally then cause the thing that generated friction to actually happen or just get worse.
7) The extended Mercury in Gemini from May until early July makes Virgo decision making problematic by bombarding it with information, options and diversions but the extra information could just end up feeding the mind. The retrogrades of Mercury in Air signs all dip back into Earth signs, so there are parts of each (around the station when Mercury is turning direct) in which Virgo receives trines from Mercury rather than squares. These occur toward the end of January up until the middle of February and then again from the last week of May to about the middle of June. There is also one period in which Mercury retrogrades back into Virgo from Libra (around September 23rd to October 11th) adding a little extra time to the period in August where Mercury is in Virgo. People born in the last week of the Virgo period (so in mid September) may find themselves revisiting something in late September or early October that connects back to things that were emerging in August.
8) The long stay of Venus in Capricorn at the beginning of the year until March 6th helps the 2nd and 3rd decan of Virgo to open up emotionally and feel less afraid of things. It’s also suggestive of reminiscing about or considering past relationships or what has happened in the past of a relationship. In some literal cases of course a past relationship turns up again. The 2nd and 3rd decans of Virgo highlight people born as Virgo in September.
LIBRA
What goes on in Libra is the inverse of what goes on in Aries, it is beset by similar problems and aided by similar boons. The major challenging influences come from Jupiter passing through Aries in opposition to the sign, enlarging upon the oppositions from the ongoing transits of Eris and Chiron in Aries and the square from Pluto in Capricorn. The major boon comes from the trines provided by Saturn in Aquarius and the sign also benefits from the extended Mars in Gemini and the Mercury retrogrades in Air signs. It is basically unaffected by Neptune, Uranus and the Dragon.
Overall the atmosphere in Libra this year is tense in all three decans. The 1st decan has to deal with opposition from Jupiter in the middle part of the year which can make it easy to overextend generally and to promise more than can be offered in relationships, accumulate debt or experience a crisis of faith in something. The energy of Jupiter in opposition requires us to scale down in some area so that we can redistribute resources, take careful stock of where everything we have coming in is going out and re-evaluate where our greatest fortune is coming from. It can represent important spiritual teachings related to how we attain liberation through direct experience of the universal laws and truths, but we have to be willing to ditch our old beliefs in order to grow beyond them. This early part of Libra has some help from the Mercury retrogrades in unraveling the puzzles this may bring during the course of the year, especially when Mercury retrogrades in Libra (September/October), but there can be a lot of back and forth and changing of the mind in the process. The long stay of Mars in Gemini only underlines this but it does eventually provide more direction than Mercury and may show a way out after it turns direct in January of 2023. So it appears that there is some kind of decision making process going on in this decan, a process that will have some twists and turns and reversals that will eventually resolve themselves early next year. The 2nd decan has help from Saturn in Aquarius but opposition from Chiron in Aries. It keeps the help from Mars in Gemini but does not receive the help from Mercury. Overall the story here is about using the benefit of your experience to deal with any painful issues that might come up. The Chiron oppositions are probably painful or at least difficult to process but the Saturn trines give the patience, discipline, knowledge and inspiration needed to go through it. Someone older and wiser or just more experienced may lend a hand in navigating through relationship problems. The 3d decan is where the big storm is going down with Pluto squares and oppositions from Eris and only Saturn in Aquarius in the first part of the decan to lend a hand, but a long stay of Mars in Gemini that probably just spices things up and moves them towards resolution a little but does not settle on its final direction until January of next year. Saturn in Aquarius will give full support to this decan in the first quarter of 2023 so hold on, the cavalry is arriving and it should help stabilize things by opening up new pathways. For keys in this zone of the zodiac there is a need to accept and to let go. Something must be laid to rest and the more there is struggle against that the more painful the situation is likely to become. It is important not to take a defeatist attitude but instead to surrender with love what has to be surrendered, to allow room for something new to come into your life, something you need but probably cannot even be seen at this time.
The breakdown for Libra with dates that tie it to Sun sign astrology are as follows:
1) Opposition from Jupiter in Aries at Libra 0° to almost 9° from May 11th to October 28th. As mentioned above this is some kind of growth peak requiring scaling back or consolidating success as well as potentially letting go of something that is believed. It’s about increasing through sharing the abundance we have been given rather than seeking to increase it by adding to it. This covers the 1st decan of Aries which involves every Libra person born in September or the start of October.
2) Opposition from Chiron in Aries from 8° to 16° throughout the course of the year. This mostly affects the first half of the 2nd decan of Aries, which includes the Sun of everyone born between October 2nd to the 10th. This year these people must take care of their health (on all levels, physical, emotional and mental). There is perhaps some kind of wound that needs closing, a situation that needs repair. The problem may show itself in symptoms or a diagnosis. Something about the identity or the way we animate things around us may need fixing. Experiences in the wilderness (literal or metaphorical) and relating in general could be especially challenging. Chiron oppositions bring important teachings but we have to undergo an ordeal or a trial to prove ourselves ready for it.
3) Saturn in Aquarius in trine to the 2nd decan and half of the 3rd decan in the course of the year. This involves roughly everyone born as a Libra between October 5th – 19th. If you are born later in this period you receive the help later in the year while if you are born earlier you receiver earlier. Saturn is helping to build something, probably a network of relationships or a more faceted and intricate version of a relationship. It is paving the way towards a new way of relating with other people. Someone in a position of authority or with more experience may offer to cooperate. The assistance of Saturn here leads to steady progress through gradual innovation in something that we love.
4) Pluto squares from Capricorn to the 3rd decan, especially 26° to 28° of Libra. This affects all Libra people born on or around October 20th to 22nd – basically everyone born near the cusp of Libra and Scorpio. For these people it seems it may be time to let a relationship go or perhaps there is a difficult matter involving shared resources and finances. The energy here is about the karma of relationships from the past needing to be cleared away. Resisting the process only leads to further trauma.
5) Eris in Aries opposing Libra from 23° and 24°. This basically dovetails with the above influence from Pluto, adding further need to let go of something, probably a relationship, that has outlived its time. The only real difference that can be observed at this time is that it focuses more on people born around October 17th or 18th, but this is a very minor distinction. We need more observation of Eris and this aspect is one we can watch.
6) The long Mars in Gemini starting in mid-August and continuing throughout the rest of the year helps Libra by moving it forward, but once the retrograde kicks in (October 30th ) both signs tendency to change its mind and dither becomes a problem that does not fully resolve until January of 2023. Overall however this influence is not a problem for Libra and could indicate an extended period of social mixing or conversation of a pleasant nature. It is a good influence for talking and working through issues with a partner. It doesnt quite affect Libras born after the 19th October, though.
7) Mercury retrogrades in Air signs (Jan/Feb, May/June, late August, September/October) also help Libra because they strengthen its ability to think and communicate, but as previously mentioned they also heighten the indecisiveness and tendency of the sign to switch sides or change its mind. The Mercury retrograde in Libra causes it to remain in the sign throughout most of September and October, only leaving it at the end of each of those months, which means that these times are when Libra will do much of its thinking and communicating with others. However all of the Mercury retrogrades only really assist the 1st decan, which means keys from 0° – 10° Libra or people born as Libra in September or early October are the only ones that benefit here.
SCORPIO
What happens in Scorpio is a mirror of what happens in Taurus. The major challenges are the Uranus opposition from Taurus and the Saturn square from Aquarius along with the arrival of the Dragons Tail. The major boons come from Neptune in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn, with the beginning of the year also providing strong help from Jupiter in Pisces and the Venus retrograde in Capricorn. The sign is relatively unaffected by Chiron, Eris, the retrograde of Mars in Gemini and the retrogrades of Mercury in Air signs.
The Uranus opposition is creating storms in the 2nd decan and the Saturn square is covering the 2nd decan and half of the 3rd decan, so it is the middle of the sign that is the war zone right now. This will only become more so once the Tail finds its way into the 2nd decan from July onward. This situation reaches some kind of dramatic stage during the eclipses of October and November, a time when keys in this part of Scorpio will undergo major changes. Apart from this the rest of Scorpio is coasting along receiving fair wind and actually some wish fulfillment from Jupiter, Pluto, Neptune and the Venus retrograde. The late degrees of the 3rd decan also gets some help from the Mercury retrogrades when they dip back into Earth signs (January 26th to February 15th, September 23rd to October 11th) with the exception of the time it retrogrades back into late Taurus (May 23rd to June 13th) – this represents having to choose something that is not wanted, forgetting something important or some other blip in the smooth running of the intellect. Overall Scorpio gets some breathing room this year, the addition of Jupiter in Pisces is a mercy for the sign and promises to bring relief from something that has been shackling it for a while. Scorpio and its keys are powerfully erotic and attractive to others in the first two months of this year and so – to their great delight – many Scorpios are entering into emotional or sexual relationships or proceeding more deeply with them but huge changes are ongoing and will continue into next year. The Tail has arrived to stir the pot of the Saturn/Uranus square, and things are about to get dicey and very spicy. The only thing holding back this year from being one of even greater change is the lack of total solar eclipses. The strongest partial solar eclipse takes place on October 25th and represents a major turning point in the story of the Saturn/Uranus square, right at the end of its life cycle. October and November look set to be quite dramatic on a number of levels because of this. The likelihood here is that something is going to break. Collectively we are a point where things are already strained to breaking points, and I expect that something big (some kind of institution, country, government or large corporate entity) will fall apart or start to as a consequence of numerous factors towards the end of the year. At the same time we may also see the re-formation or redesign of such entities (the relaunch of Facebook as Meta, for example), or the introduction of a major new technology (new smart devices, VR sets, etc). The partial eclipse itself is visible over Europe and north Africa, the Middle East and west Asia.
This is the breakdown for what is going down for Scorpio this year:
1) Jupiter in Pisces giving trines to the entire sign, adding to the power of Neptune in Pisces. This covers the period from January 1st until May 10th/11th and applies to all Scorpios and Scorpio keys, but the effect is strongly focused around Neptune at around 20° – 24° of all Water signs, which involves Scorpios born around November 6th – 10th and any Scorpio keys in these degrees, and it peaks overall in April. The presence of Jupiter in Pisces is basically a giant gift to Scorpio, much as it is to Cancer and Pisces itself, but there can be an effect that simply ratchets up the emotional volume, the passion and intensity of life that is innate to Scorpio becoming flooded. The sign needs an outlet for its immense and overpowering feelings, whether that outlet is a sexual one, a creative one or a spiritual one. Love is in the air in Jan/Feb because of Venus and Mars joining in with sextiles at the same time, described below. Since Neptune is also giving trines to the 3rd decan those born in mid November or with keys around 20°- 24° Scorpio may be experiencing a major psychic or emotional awakening, one that is mostly easy to handle. There is a lot of wish fulfilling power coming the way of Scorpio in the early part of the year because of the alignment of Jupiter and Neptune in April. If you are a Scorpio use this time wisely as the early months of the year can bring great success and opportunities to grow.
2) Uranus in Taurus opposing the 2nd decan. While Uranus oppositions are usually chaotically trouble-making, in my experience this one has been more stimulating and freeing. Generally this is the way that Uranus oppositions can go, but not without some effort in either case. The presence of Uranus in Taurus seems weirdly good for Scorpio emotionally as it is a Venus ruled sign and Scorpio is a deeply emotional creature that thrives on intensity, so the fact that Uranus oppositions stir them up is almost a libation. It’s also economic dynamite for the sign, shaking up its financial world. This means its not a great time to take big financial risks as the losses may get out of control very easily, but it is a good time to branch out into new income streams or to revivify old ones. Unexpected financial circumstances go hand-in-hand with unexpected emotional ones under this opposition, so Scorpio should be prepared for both. The degrees involved, 10° to 18°, means that some of the greatest change focuses itself into the lives of people born around November 3rd – 12th and on keys at these degrees. This could be an earthquake of a year for these people.
3) Squares from Saturn in Aquarius to the 2nd and half of the 3rd decan. This harks back to what happened about 7 years ago with Saturn in Scorpio, a time of intense rebirth. Scorpio will be busy rebuilding and restructuring under this influence, either that or dismantling things that need that to happen. Becoming aware of the passage of time is a part of this square and understanding that there have been failures along the way and acting to remove them from the future is part of the purpose here. It’s time for Scorpio to feel new things, to allow new emotions to guide it, and to let go of those which have served it, gratefully. Meeting the challenge of this square this year means engaging in a conscious act of redesigning life in some lasting way, it is a pathway preparing the soul for what it needs to feel in the future. It mostly affects people born in the first half of November in terms of Sun sign astrology. It’s interesting and apt at this point to explain that the reason why Scorpio squares (aggravates) the ongoing square between Saturn and Uranus is that it is a powerfully emotional sign (the most intensely powerful) and the fundamental disagreement between Saturn in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus at this time is the conflict between the urge for order and the urge for complete renewal. Scorpio doesn’t have any answers that help solve this basic conundrum, because it just adds emotional fuel to the fire. Leo is in a similar situation, but there the issue is egoic identification rather than emotional intensity. What this means for Scorpio at the personal level is that the square is a training arena that instills both emotional discipline and self-control, the ability to apply Scorpio intensity at the right time, in the right way and with the right dosage. This is, of course, a major life lesson overall for Scorpio and this time helps them to progress rapidly.
4) Arrival of the Dragons Tail. At the time of writing the Tail has already arrived in Scorpio and will remain there all year, retrograding back from the end of the sign to 11° of Scorpio. This means that eclipses will now take place in Scorpio. The Tail passes through the 3rd decan until the third week of July and then spends the rest of the year in the 2nd decan. This basically affects all Scorpio people born in November or the very end of October at some stage. The Tail is traditionally a malefic influence that brings unraveling, old significance and sinister connotations to the surface. Events begin to unwind under its eye, so some kind of closure and ending is foretold here. Scorpio is not adverse to endings, however, handling them better than any other sign. The Tail does generally stir the pot in directions that thicken the stew, so life in general gets more interesting but also messier. In general the Tail takes the initiative away and places us in positions where we have to respond to the actions of others.
5) Support from Pluto in Capricorn in the 3rd decan. This sextile is mostly focused on 26° to 28°, right at the end of the sign, so it is most applicable to Scorpio people born near to November 19th – 22nd. This is a regenerative power that enables this part of Scorpio to renew itself and draw upon hidden reserves of power and strength. It has been an ongoing situation for most of the 3rd decan for a while now, but Scorpio is soon to lose the support when Pluto enters Aquarius, starting next year. He will continue to flirt with the end of Capricorn throughout 2023, however.
6) ‘Kiss of Venus AND Mars’ to the 2nd and 3rd decans in January and February and the start of March for Venus and throughout February and early March for Mars (which affects the entire sign). This affects all Scorpios. Mars and Venus intertwine side by side in Capricorn for about a month, making out. Capricorn and Scorpio arouse erotic interest in one another, and Venus retrograding in Capricorn with Mars denotes interest in Scorpio coming from somewhere in the world. This may not be erotic but could take the form of artistic muses arriving or other forms of attraction to and from the beings of Venus. Since it comes at a time when Jupiter is in Pisces and Pluto is also in Capricorn, the start of the year is a pretty steamy one for Scorpio and Capricorn.
SAGITTARIUS
For Sagittarius the start of the year is more troubling than the rest as Jupiter adds to the challenges of Neptune in Pisces before entering Aries and lending strong support to all Fire signs. However, the long retrograde of Mars in Gemini starting in August presents additional challenges in the latter part of the year. In general this means that things will go more smoothly overall in May, June and July. The sign is unaffected by Pluto, Uranus, the long Venus in Capricorn and the Dragon and receives help from Saturn, Chiron and potentially Eris too. Apart from the retrograde of Mercury in Gemini the retrogrades in Air signs are helpful to Sagittarius, so with that exception the mental processing of Sagittarius this year is very good with a lot of time spent in contemplation of broad matters. There is simply a lot to think about for the sign.
The major theme for this sign for about a decade now, Neptune in Pisces throws down a gauntlet connected with concepts of reality and belief systems. The old cultural and religious belief systems of Sagittarius have been gradually eroded away but the new belief systems are beginning to emerge at this time although they are as yet unclear and indistinct forms. This ghostly presence of new models of reality – new philosophical positions – haunts the 3rd decan of the sign with symbols, dreams and surreal happenings throughout the year. Sagittarius has been feeling lost for a very long time, led astray by delusions and deceit, waylaid by phantoms and false ideals, and the entire disillusioning process is winding up at this point, things are coming more clearly into focus. It is important not to fall into old victim patterns. All of these themes as I said have been floating around for Sagittarius for at least a decade, but now this year Jupiter arrives, perhaps bringing with him a glimmer of hope but also the danger of falling back into the old way of looking at reality. If the sign can avoid this trap there is the potential that the presence of Jupiter in Aries starting in May will launch things into new territory and allow a fresh start. However, much will depend on how well the lessons of the challenges of Neptune have been learned. If illusions remain, Jupiter in Pisces will simply help to enlarge them so that they can be perceived, which is unlikely to be pleasant, and if that signal is ignored Jupiter in Aries can only offer the courage to face them again.
Here is the breakdown for Sagittarius in 2022:
1) Ongoing challenges stemming from squares from Neptune in Pisces added to by Jupiter in the early part of the year. Apart from what I have said above, these squares are often about scaling back drastically, especially expectations or hopes, since they are frequently set impossibly high for other human beings to measure up to. A measure of chaos caused by mysterious unknowns is always implicit in Neptune squares or oppositions and it may not be possible to see clearly through the fog at times, so Sagittarius needs to be aware that it is venturing into what used to be called ‘no mans land’, a place on which it has no or poor vision or foresight. There are quagmires, quicksand and bogs in this territory that do not combine well with four hoofed locomotion. Things are feeling kind of stuck as a result and have been for a while. The important thing is not to jump to conclusions or imagine that it will be this stuck forever because this ordeal is soon to be over and the passage of Jupiter in Pisces is a chance to set some things right. Let go of whatever belief no longer serves your greater good. The presence of Neptune at 20° – 24° of Pisces means that the challenges of this Neptune aspect are focused onto people born on or near to December 12th to 18th but the Jupiter challenges affect all Sagittarians.
2) Trines of Jupiter in Aries to the 1st decan proceeding from May until November and from Chiron in Aries for most of the 2nd decan and from Eris in Aries for the 3rd decan all year. The Fire is truly flowing for Sagittarius this year once May is underway. These three trines represent a triple boon to Sagittarius that really kicks in mid year. Sagittarius people born in November get the best of it as they benefit from Jupiter while the rest of the sign must wait for 2023. This will be especially good for Sagittarius if it manages to meet the challenge of Jupiter in Pisces described above. In this case it will take off in some way as a new beginning emerges. The passage of Jupiter in Aries provides courage, fresh energy and an increase in self confidence that should be directed toward good uses. Chiron is giving a lot of healing power to the middle part of the sign, trining 8° to 16° in a way that warms it gently and connects it to the life force in nature. Sagittarius people born during the first 10 days of December are especially blessed by this gift from Chiron and may find their health greatly boosted by things like affirmations and self improvement courses. The power of the will to recover, repair and heal is there, it just has to be used. If I have to guess I would say that the trine from Eris helps Sagittarius to accept defeat and move on where necessary. The sign has difficulty in giving up but Eris in Aries is perhaps the battle that cannot be won. This trine focuses on Sagittarians born around December 15th – 18th.
3) Sextiles from Saturn in Aquarius that affect the 2nd decan and half of the 3rd decan throughout the course of the year. This mostly affects Sagittarius people born in December up to about the 19th. It provides assistance from others, usually more than one person, and helps Sagittarius to build the future it wants to build. It doesn’t offer anything on a plate ready-made very much, it’s more about supplying you with the resources you need and then leaving it up to you to put the work in to build what you want out of them. It can help Sagittarius deal with fears, blockages and broken pathways, it can open up passage and multiply exciting possibilities, especially if we have already been putting in a lot of hard work.
4) Oppositions from the long stay of Mars in Gemini starting in August. This overshadows the latter part of the year with strife and the potential for argument and confrontation. Traveling far could be rough if you have strong Sagittarius. It’s important for Sagittarius to control its temper and its desire nature in this time. There is a tendency with a long Mars opposition to push repeatedly for something that we want that is continuously refused or denied. Mars does not really say whether we will get what we want or not, but it is perhaps advisable in any case not to want things so fervently during these times. Additionally, things may happen that we do not like under Mars opposition, but someone else does want those things and this is just likely one of the times when we have to give way to what others want. Ironically this will often open up the way to eventually getting what we want too, just not the way we planned it. This affects every Sagittarius except those born from around December 20th to the end of the sign.
5) Two helpful Mercury retrogrades, one not so helpful. The two helpful ones are in Libra and Aquarius, while the not so helpful one is in Gemini. This Gemini retrograde sees Mercury in the sign for most of May, the latter half of June and the first few days of July. For Sagittarius it is restless and vacillating, unable to settle, and so the mental activity is strained. Decisions made in these times will probably need to be reversed or revised later. Delays and problems in communication and travel are increased in likelihood. Libra Mercury (at the end of August, in the first three weeks of September and from October 11th to 30th) makes Sagittarius more willing to compromise, more agreeable and able to understand another’s point of view while Aquarius Mercury (part of January and then February 15th – March 10th) helps with the Libran creativity and with finding original inspiration as well as with bringing a fresh approach to disputes. All these retrogrades, however, only affect the 1st decan of Sagittarius and so in terms of Sun sign astrology they focus on November born Sagittarians.
CAPRICORN
Capricorn is preparing to say farewell to Pluto. Pluto begins dipping into Aquarius next year, and we are set to go into space, both inner and outer. For now, though, Pluto is focused on very earthly matters, including the financial system and its corruption and disparities, corruption in the democratic process and in corporate power structures, corruption in the environment and in our bodies. Essentially the global power structure and the environment has come into serious trouble since 2008 when Pluto entered this sign and the consequences are still live and heading for some kind of summation. Aside from the ongoing death/rebirth transformation presented to the sign by Pluto, Capricorn is also currently squared by Chiron and Eris in Aries. Chiron squares are always important times to take extra care of our health but the problem is that Capricorn tends to take a non-holistic view that focuses on the physical material plane and ignores the astral and mental dimensions. For many Capricorn entities this square from Chiron is a rude wake up call in that direction if they have not already learned it from Pluto. Eris seems to represent pure mayhem, the power of the wrecking ball, and there is no doubt that many Capricorns must be looking around the world today and wondering what the hell is going on as the power of that wrecking ball runs amok with Pluto. After it receives help from Jupiter in Pisces as Venus makes an extended stay in Capricorn at the start of the year this entire situation with Chiron, Eris and Pluto is set to be exacerbated by Jupiter in Aries squaring the 1st decan of Capricorn, so after a rosy start it’s quite a difficult year for Capricorn in general, particularly from May to the end of October. The Mars retrograde in Gemini does not really affect it, nor do the Mercury retrogrades in Air signs (although when it retrogrades back into Earth this gives Capricorn a bit of a boost). It’s also unaffected by Saturn. However it still has the ongoing support of Uranus in Taurus and Neptune in Pisces, both of which help it deal with the terrifying and overpowering (to Capricorn) implications of Pluto, Chiron and possibly also Eris, and it gains the support of the Dragon this year, and who would not want a dragon on their side? If Capricorn can take advantage of a tidal shift happening around it there is profit to be made, but the real prize this year is deeper self knowledge, especially for Capricorns born in the middle of January. Claiming it, however, involves not only diving within for self knowledge but also facing our demons and ultimately accepting our mortality and the inevitability of death without fear, because this is what unleashes the motivation to act on that self knowledge.
Here is the summary of what’s going on in Capricorn for 2022:
1) Ongoing Pluto transit. This activation occurs in the 3rd decan and is focused on 26° to 28°. This highlights Capricorns born around January 17th – 20th. For these people, life is about to change in a profound way. This is a before and after moment in the story of life, something will occur which leads to a death/rebirth chapter. Resistance is indeed futile. The best option is to engage with profound self transformation head on. This removes the necessity of life to force changes upon you. Pluto can be very difficult because often we do not want to let go of the things that meet their end. This is natural, but if the resistance is allowed to block the process of profound change it festers and quickly becomes toxic, manifesting in ways that could horrify us. Whatever happens in the course of this year for people born in the middle of January, understand that the best course is in acceptance and the worst is in denial. It may take years to understand the full meaning of what transpires for you in 2022 (or possibly has just transpired), so do not obsess over what it all means yet. Just allow what you feel to be what you feel for now, trusting that it will not always be what you feel and that the process is delivering you somewhere you cannot yet see.
2) Squares from Jupiter, Chiron and Eris in Aries. These amp up the challenges for this sign overall. Jupiter creates challenges for the 1st decan, Chiron for the 2nd and Eris for the 3rd. Squares of Jupiter will take place from mid-May to the end of October and will affect Capricorns born in December and keys in Aries 0° – 9°. These squares can lead to wasted resources, having to give things away for the benefit of others, having an overloaded plate or just a lot of stress to deal with. They can also require belief or faith to undergo adjustments. There is a lot of energy here that can get things done, too, so long as the stress is managed. In the middle of the sign Chiron in Aries is mapping out a healing crisis that this year covers 8°- 16° and focuses on Capricorns born around December 30th – January 8th. Next March a conjunction of Jupiter and Chiron at 14° Aries brings something painful to light for both Cancer and Capricorn people born on or near January 5th or July 19th. This is something that brings realisation that a fresh start is needed somewhere. Eris in Aries is probably disruptive of long term plans being laid in the 3rd decan of Capricorn all year, disrupting things for Capricorns born around January 14th/15th, but this will be hard to distinguish from the challenges of Pluto. With Pluto there is a higher purpose to the transformation, but with Eris it seems there is only the glee of watching things fall apart or blow up, which we must admit we know ourselves from playing video games.
3) Trines from Uranus in Taurus. These affect 10° – 18 or 19° of the sign, covering the 2nd decan and people born in the first ten days of January, over the course of the year. This trine can produce income, possessions or resources. Things manifest, last longer, perform better and build up faster. Productivity is heightened. However, risk management is not good as there is more trust in luck and favorable circumstances under uncertain conditions than Capricorn usually prefers. If the sign can be flexible there are numerous dividends.
4) Sextiles from Neptune in Pisces all year. These affect the 3rd decan at the region of 20° – 25°. This aspect helps Capricorn to open its third eye. It stimulates its imagination and opens it to wisdom. Many Capricorns have already received this impulse, though not all have acted upon it or realised it for what it is. This year it is focused on people born around January 11th to 17th.
5) Support from the Dragon arrives. As with Virgo, Capricorn has solutions for the polarity of Taurus/Scorpio, the signs the Dragon embraces this year. Where Virgo balances the polarity between simple practice versus complicated depths with an exact and precisely detailed pragmatic analysis, Capricorn balances it with an orderly, grounded but ambitious long term strategy that involves taking responsibility seriously. The flux of events signified by the Dragon puts Capricorn in a place where this knack is especially significant but especially Capricorns born in January.
6) Hot Venus and Mars transit at the start of the year. As with Scorpio, the year kicks off with Venus and Mars drawing attention to the sign just as Jupiter is sending fortune its way. People will notice the sign and show strong interest in some form in the first 2 or 3 months of the year. February is especially exciting for all Capricorns.
7) Extended Mercury in Capricorn starting in December and flowing over into January of next year. This is the beginning of the Earth sign retrogrades for Mercury, the first of four. The end of the year sees Capricorn in extended thought mode, pondering over serious matters and planning things extensively, possibly having to rethink plans that were laid in early to mid February of this year when Mercury stations direct in late Capricorn. Decisions made during February by people born into the late degrees of Capricorn (especially 24°, which is hit twice by stations of Mercury this year, and equates to people born on or near January 15th) may be especially subject to necessary reversals in December.
AQUARIUS
Aquarius carries on the drama with Saturn square Uranus. This drama was the major story of 2021, collectively manifesting as the divisions over the vaccines and the actions of authorities as well as the threat of new coronavirus variants. At that level, Saturn resonates with the scientific community and political leaders ordering lockdowns and social distancing. However at the individual level Saturn in Aquarius is far more nuanced. For Aquarius in general it represents the process of gradually assembling the building blocks of the future, the hard work of people pulling together as a community and the creation of new rules that will become long term structure. However the interference of Uranus in Taurus means that not all of the pieces may be on the table so plans may have to be drawn up which get consistently revised or reversed, the picture of the future is complicated and there is no agreement over what new rules should be, the mind is split between one choice and multiple others. This is the real essence of this square. For Aquarius it is like a crossroads, a branching nexus of pathways from which many parallel universes extend in glorious madness, but it’s still a major struggle and stress inducing. This year the two planets separate a little, attaining maximum distance from one another in May, but the gap is only 8-9° and so the situation is as over as it has ever been yet but still far from over. During the Saturn retrograde beginning in early June he begins to close the gap, seeming to head towards a punishing 4th and 5th square with Uranus, but both of these bullets are dodged when firstly Uranus turns direct at the end of August, pulling away from his advance just enough to avoid him in September after which by fortune he turns direct in October and they finally start pulling fully away from the square. Expect to see everything that happened last year remain an issue and resurface in June, ramp up in August and September, and then fade away from October or November. At the end of the year Saturn and Uranus are 8 degrees apart from completing the square and this is the strongest sign yet that the coronavirus nightmare is done for now. What we collectively need to learn, however, and what Aquarius and Taurus may also need to learn a version of in their own personal lives, is that even if this pandemic is over it has revealed our complete lack of readiness for them even though they have long been predicted, and pandemics are not the only world closing threat circling our future.
Here is the complete breakdown of major influences going down in Aquarius this year:
1) Saturn in Aquarius from 10° to 25°. Aside from keys in this area of Aquarius this transit of Saturn focuses on people born around January 30th to February 15th. This is a very maturing time for these people as they grow more aware of the value of their experiences and the passage of time, rather like a Saturn return but for the identity, focused more on how we take care of ourselves and how mature our expression of our inner light is. At some point during the course of the year extra responsibilities may present themselves for these people and there may not really be much choice for them, they may just have to shoulder them. Ageing may also show itself. Someone in a position of authority or an elder of some kind may take these people under their wing or simply enforce the rules upon them. A good use of this year is for these people to work diligently and inventively at something long-term. Severe tiredness, blockages and exhaustion may set in at certain points so there is extra need to ensure a strong vitality.
2) Uranus in Taurus from 10° to 18/19°. This makes the 2nd decan the staging area for the clash between Saturn and Uranus this year. The Uranus effect is in play for every Aquarius person born around January to 30th to February 9th, meaning these people have to cope with serious change this year. If there are structures already crumbling they may not make it through, so the struggle to maintain them may not be worth it. If new events emerge which present the potential for radical change it will do no good to rush in like an Aquarius, what the sign will need then is to catch itself before it creates a difficult situation. Economic and financial uncertainty may be hitting this sign harder than it is already hitting everyone at this point, hardship and having to make things stretch far further than they should has become something of an art form among the Aquarius, Taurus, Scorpio and Leo people among us. There is still some need for this in 2022 as steady streams of resources and income and even the status of possessions cannot be relied upon. Overall, however, if we look at the positive potential of this square for Aquarius we see that if it can introduce sensible changes in a way that does not rub others the wrong way then there is the potential for great advances. This reminds me of the problem the scientific establishment has in convincing people that it’s new form of vaccine is both safe and an important breakthrough.
3) Sextiles from Jupiter, Chiron and Eris in Aries. These three sextiles affect the three different parts of the sign. Jupiter sextiles the first decan from May 11th to October 28th, giving the first 8° or 9° of Aquarius an encouraging boost, and then comes back to help the 1st degree a little at the end of the year. Sextiles between Aries and Aquarius are inventive and innovative and have a fizzing energy. This one does not accept no as a relevant answer and is gifted with finding endless ways of getting its way. However there is too much reliance on chance and luck for this to be a sustainable strategy in life and people dealing with this influence may forget that. This is something that will affect the Aquarius people born in January and the first days of February. Chiron provides help to the 2nd decan, moving between 8° and 16°. This shines on Aquarius people born in the first 10 days of February. The assistance here is restorative, similar to the assistance Chiron is giving the middle part of Gemini. This sextile is more focused on mending the fabric of society and community around it, however, and is more invested in fringe theories and technology like the internet than in people or acquiring knowledge. Information may come that is helpful to Aquarius people being affected by this influence throughout the course of the year. The Eris sextiles from Aries affect the 3rd decan. These sextiles are likely to be creating issues for keys in this zone of the zodiac, problems that are likely to be visible in the lives of Aquarians born on or near to February 12th – 14th. It seems that the overall energy of Eris is about avoiding vanity, something very widespread within our collective, and she may be trying to teach the Aquarians who can listen where our collective and individual vanities will lead to our inevitable undoing. There also seems to be something darkly humorous about her since she appears to revel in the emotional tides of rising panic and discord, something that Aquarius can actually relate to. The recently released film “Don’t Look Up” is rife with the energy of Eris, being both funny and painful to watch.
4) Helpful Mercury retrogrades in the 1st decan, except perhaps for the one in Aquarius. This is something that affects the 1st decan and people born as an Aquarius in January or the first days of February. The Aquarius retrograde of January and February is problematic because it causes Aquarius to become extremely changeable in its mind and to be highly unreliable. It cannot even trust itself during such periods. The Gemini retrograde During May and June helps Aquarius to come across new ideas and to communicate its madness to other people in ways they can understand while the Libra retrograde that spreads itself over late August and parts of September and October helps it to relate to other people on an even level.
5) Increased complications introduced by the arrival of the Dragon in Taurus/Scorpio. The unending weirdness and complication of Aquarius does not mix well with Taurus or Scorpio and the start of eclipse season in these signs will tend to make life far more chaotic and unpredictable for Aquarius in general. The November 8th lunar eclipse at 16° of Taurus could be especially significant in changing the lives of Aquarius people born on or near February 5th or 6th, throwing them into turmoil for a while, but it may take a while for that situation to emerge since eclipses are rarely punctual in delivering their astrological effect.
PISCES
Sometimes we get to save the best for last. This year the major new aspect is Jupiter conjunct Neptune in Pisces and while it is troubled by the presence of other less enjoyable factors surrounding it this conjunction still has great power to deliver people from hopeless situations. For Pisces people and Pisces keys the opportunity arises to transcend something utterly. To understand this and what it really offers we have to understand that with transcendence, unlike with the grueling and exhausting process of Saturn or the shocking and rude awakening of Uranus, we can simply transition to the next level or degree without passing through any transitional stages. This is what Jupiter and Neptune are offering through Pisces in the early part of this year, especially around April 12th when they join together for the first and only time. During the last time Jupiter was in Pisces (2010) Neptune was in Aquarius, so this is an entirely new thing for us. For anyone seriously interested in their spiritual development this is the opportunity of a lifetime since Neptune will not be in Pisces again for this conjunction. It is an incredible time to work with the Jupiter sphere, create a Jupiter talisman or work with the spirits of Jupiter or Pisces. The spiritual laws are being laid bare to those with the sight to see them or the ears to hear them. The power of compassion is never more clear than it is today. Forgiveness is an essential component of the path because without it our sight of the One self is lost. An age-old truth is that suffering is an essential part of awakening because the experience of suffering causes us to examine the reason for its existence which in turn becomes the motivation to find a spiritual truth. We see this most clearly in the story of the Buddha whose journey from comfort and pleasure to enlightenment was started by him bearing witness to suffering. The suffering we experience causes us to seek its meaning and the suffering we see others experience enlarges our heart chakra with the flame of compassion. This is what this aspect offers all of us, a full conscious realisation of the power of this force. Pisces people, Water signs and Taurus and Capricorn are just especially open to it.
It won’t last – we will have to seize it and build on it. Jupiter rapidly leaves Pisces for Aries, heating things up again, but the release of the Waters, which may well allow many people to grieve, joke, cry and dance together, will have left its mark on what most people remember about this year. Even if nothing good happens the feelings of love we have in our lives are going to get stronger. The mood of Pisces will be brief but return for a little in November and December, but it wont reach the gushing levels of this April again, probably for all of our lifetimes.
The breakdown of the year in Pisces looks like this:
1) Neptune in Pisces joined by Jupiter. This will be especially focused on people with keys at or near Pisces 24°, which includes every Pisces born on or near to March 15th/16th. Exact conjunction is on April 12th but the first four months of the year and the beginning of May are all months in which Pisces people will feel the strong effect of Jupiter uplifting them. Optimism will be at higher levels after this transit is over and there may well be some powerful dreams occurring which should be noted. Jupiter in Pisces is deeply compassionate and sensitive to suffering in others and so many Pisces people will be reaching out to those they care for seeking to help. However Jupiter may be nudging them towards sacrificing or martyring themselves unnecessarily, seeing it as noble and ‘spiritual’ when it is really just the persons lack of self worth making itself known so that it can be increased. For the spiritual Pisces person the first quarter of the year and April are months in which they should seek deeper meditation and contemplation and work harder at manifesting the Divine in their material form. For other people among the Pisces tribe who struggle with addictions to substances or emotional states and for people inclined to escapism it is likely to become far easier to indulge in these things but this will only lead to further detachment from reality and closing off the flow of emotions. The avoidance of sadness or loneliness is not its transcendence. So there may be a journey to go through in forgiving oneself or others (for addictions, behaviours, etc.) before the cycle can be broken and any victim mentality is lifted.
2) Sextiles from Uranus in Taurus in the 2nd decan, 10° – 18°. These sextiles focus on people born in the first 10 days of March and they bring fresh growth and an ability to ground the spiritual in the earthly. Sextiles between Taurus and Pisces are generally quite lucky, managing to magnetically attract good fortune through positivity quite easily, so it is advisable for these people to think successfully throughout the year.
3) Sextiles from Pluto in Capricorn. These sextiles are in the 3rd decan and affect the end of the sign (26° to 28°) involving birthdays of Pisces people born on or near to March 17 to the 20th. They combine very nicely with the sextiles from Uranus described above and help to supply resources and staying power to a normally very changeable sign. Pluto is trying to open up Pisces people to the importance of grounding, like Uranus, and so many of its opportunities relate to figuring out ways in which the compassion of Pisces can be most helpful on the ground and in real terms.
4) Extended stay of Venus in Capricorn affecting all Pisces people. This is another helpful energy for Pisces because Venus again shows it how to apply its emotions in practical ways that could transform it into something of a leader for some people. Venus is not especially happy in Capricorn but this is really just about the relationship between feelings of love and the need for patience, discipline and time – there isn’t any way to make them mix well, but it helps to remember that good wine is aged wine. For Pisces the long stay of Venus in this Earth sign can also provide financial support or lead to the opportunity to provide it for someone else as a philanthropist.
5) Extended stay of Mars in Gemini affecting all Pisces people except those born after about March 18th. This is the only blatant warning sign for Pisces this year. If there are decisions to be made it’s probably best to make them before this starts to be a factor in August because the meandering and winding path of Mars in Gemini does not bode well for clearheaded thinking among the Pisces of this world. Be aware that the firmness of the will is not adequate from August onward; some extra conviction and sticking to the guns, at least just a little, is much better than being as flexible as the wind here. Part of what Mars challenges like this bring to Pisces is the opportunity to strengthen its willpower, which is more of a gift than it appears to be because the Pisces with a strong willpower has the ability to direct their boundless imagination in magical ways. However, it is possible that Pisces will behave out of type (i.e. passive) and become more passive-aggressive or just aggressive during this period. In this case it is usually driven by something turbulent in the emotional body that has to be expressed.
6) Arrival of support from the Dragon focusing on all Pisces people born in March. Pisces is another sign that has solutions for the Dragon this year and can gain support from that. Pisces sees the Taurean love of peace, safety and calm, while at the same time it sees the Scorpio recognition of invisible powers, primarily of an emotional nature, and overall shares in the Scorpio experience of potent emotions that are far from peaceful and calm. It unifies or balances the polarity of Taurus/Scorpio simply through its immense supply of compassion and mercy, qualities which bring about peace and draw upon the power of the invisible world of emotions. As the Dragon moves through Taurus and Scorpio, Pisces will find itself in the position where this natural knack is more and more useful.
This concludes the journey for this month, I hope you have enjoyed it! If you would like to help to ensure that more articles like this will continue in 2023 please consider becoming a Patron, I wish you all the very best in 2022, and see you next moon!
journeys in the astral light 