January seems to have flown by and we are into the shortest month, albeit with an extra day! It’s been hard to make any real forward progress with both Mercury and Jupiter retrograde for the first few weeks of the year. Mercury is now going forward again but there is still a sense of things being slow to get going. The planet that rules time and keeps our feet firmly, and sometimes frustratingly, on the ground is Saturn which has been having a strong influence lately.
Venus and Mercury remain in Saturn ruled Capricorn through early February, so use this time to get the plan together, write it down or communicate your intent. Venus is all about what, or who we want or like, appreciate, value and wish to include in our lives. She joins with Pluto on the 6th whilst making a hard angle to Uranus. Things could be intense in our relationships. Issues of money or personal resources can dredge up insecurity or the fear of lack. But this is a day when we want the truth even if it takes us out of our comfort zone. This can be an honest self appraisal that gives the chance to break away from destructive habits. It’s a desire to hear the worst even if it shatters an idealistic dream so we can begin to build something more solid. This is just more of the “getting real” theme that weaves through our lives this year.
The early days of the month are also the best time, clouds permitting, to get a good view of all the traditional planets as they spread from East to West across the pre dawn sky. This is ongoing into the last week of February. The waning moon joins in the show until it passes to follow the Sun after the 8th. Visible, all at the same time, are Jupiter Mars, Saturn, Venus and Mercury.
Spread over several signs the planets don’t make any major connections to each other so its not especially significant on a personal level but it’s worth trying to spot them in the sky if you get the chance. On a more mundane level in traditional Astrology there is some significance that all the planets are rising ahead of the Sun, as if clearing the way for its appearance. The Sun would naturally represent the “king” or prominent ruler in world affairs, more commonly a politician in current times. Several significant world leaders are fighting to gain or regain political authority this year so this could reflect the rise of a leader on a path to power. In mystical terms the Sun or “king” can represent our own source of spiritual power or internal guiding force that is being given the focus now as it rises into a more dominant position in our awareness.
These first two weeks of the month gives us time to work out the details of any contracts or deals with Mercury’s help and get other people on board if they are showing willing. Take the opportunity to put it all together or at least get the outlines drawn out because the energy should shift by mid month when some real progress can be made at last. The Sun is currently in Aquarius and although this is still Saturn ruled it’s definitely a future oriented sign that wants to bring some really beneficial, and sometimes quite unique and original ideas into the world. When both Venus and Mercury move into Aquarius around mid month we could see some interesting possibilities being put forward and some of them might be worth going out on a limb for.
With several major planets mid sign this month the angles between them are easy and supportive. These lesser aspects can be helpful to give a boost even to the most challenging planets and so the second half of the month has this lighter, more flowing feel. The Sun moves in to Pisces on 19th – a Jupiter ruled sign. Yes, we can finally breathe deeply and stretch out once more. We can look up and out for inspiration with the sense that clouds are lifting away and the horizon is widening at long last.