Planetary Alignments for 2021

2021, the year of the Metal Ox in Chinese astrology

Begins Feb 12th, at the 2^nd New Moon after the Winter Solstice

The Metal Ox year requires effort, hard work, focus, and discipline. What was taking place in the year of the Rat spills into the Ox year to ground, settle, and to put things into order. The Ox year makes progress toward the goal to success. This year will require our great attention, (this awareness setting the stage for greater transformation next year). Ox year favors discipline, one step at a time. Efforts during the Ox year are steady, responsible, and practical. During the Ox year we are advised to cultivate healthy routines and practices which bring rewards in the autumn. The Metal element functions best when one simplifies, clarifies situations and issues, and puts things in order. Metal supports mapping out one’s own goals and pathway. Conflicts arise from lack or inability to communicate, and refusing to let go to find middle ground. It’s a year of patience and steadiness for success. Radical actions and revolutionary ideas are best incorporated next year, in the year of the Tiger. We seek to open communication pathways this year, and grow the vision for implementation, to be more fully brought in next year.

 Planetary alignments for 2021

Jupiter and Saturn conjoined on December 21st 2020 and entered Aquarius,

The Great Mutation -A New Era Begins

New structures, technology, and social values evolve with focus on community, social justice and equality over the next 2, 20 and 180 years

This marks a momentous time for humanity as Jupiter and Saturn begin a new 180 year cycle in the Air signs, in the first degrees of Aquarius

This particular Jupiter Saturn conjunction is known as the Great Mutation, as Jupiter and Saturn will now continuously, every 20 years, for the next 180 years, conjunct in the air signs, Aquarius, Gemini and Libra, leaving behind the era of Earth signs.

Since 1870 these two giant planets have conjuncted every 20 years in Earth signs. In The Earth signs the focus was on the mundane world, on the organization of it, and practical implementation through economic development, the development of humanity’s use of the earth as a source of wealth, and the development of capitalism and industry.

With the Great Mutation we refocus our priorities, moving into an era of Air Signs. The Air signs highlight the mind, ideas and communication, valuing creative and intellectual endeavors, original and innovative ideas, and the free exchange of information. The development of humanity will move toward a new understanding of community, the interrelatedness of everyone and everything, and the development of a consciousness of social justice. Mind qualities There is now support for group purpose to create new infrastructures and governing possibilities, new moral and philosophical codes of living for humanity, and the profoundly interrelated systems of life here on and around planet Earth. (egalitarianism)

 Shadow qualities of the Aquarius.

We can see that we are already dealing with these issues, the challenges of sharing information and our different interpretations of “truth”, what is true, what is fact. We see the growth of new industry that has developed away from earth as resource for profit, to a data economy that fuels great profits. We see it in the growth of genetic engineering and innovation without the consciousness of its repercussions.

The sign, Aquarius, carries an interesting polarity of desiring more freedom, freedom of expression in all areas, including gender expression, artistic expression, and individual expression. And yet, it is also the sign of the community, of something that is greater that the individual, about collaboration and visionary possibilities. It sets the stage for a growth of collective awareness and consciousness to move into a more evolved state of being. So we see the growth of movements and teachings around mindfulness, meditation, and the healing of trauma. We see the younger generations more open to differences and more aware of our interrelatedness with each other, the Earth and all living beings

 Saturn in Aquarius (2020 through March 2023)

Saturn occupies 1 to 13 Aquarius, 7-13 Aquarius retrograde

 Saturn entered Aquarius on March 22^nd, 2020, for 3 months, dipped back into Capricorn, returning to Aquarius fully on December 16th. It was last in Aquarius from February 1991 through January 1994.

• Saturn limits, focuses, and concentrates one’s experience in the sign it occupies.
• Saturn teaches us through our experience. Saturn builds stability and creates focus for our intention.
• It cultivates what we align with as the “voice of authority”.
• As Saturn enters Aquarius it focuses us to create new forms of how we relate to each other in community, and in the global community as well. We see this taking place as virtual forms of communication and community quickly take on reality.
• Saturn in Aquarius redefines what is meaningful to us as a community. It builds new foundations for community. It asks for new structures to be put in place that recognize our interrelatedness. It applies pressure to the status quo, giving form to the clear intelligent sight and the visionary possibilities of Aquarius.

Jupiter in Aquarius (1 to 30 degrees Aquarius)

Jupiter in Aquarius through May 13^th, returns to Aquarius on July 28^th through Dec 28^th

Jupiter expands the qualities of the sign it enters. Here we grow, personally and collectively, from realizing we are part of something much larger, our community, our society, this Earth and Cosmos.

• In Aquarius, Jupiter stimulates new connections and relationships, new partnerships, technology growth, inventiveness, and innovations in science.
• Expands our thinking outside of the box.
• Enlarges and brings in new philosophies for community well-being, and new forms in education, new ways to connect with each other through technology to learn and grow.
• We can grow through learning the air qualities, deliberation in our responses and cultivating an inner witness.

Jupiter enters Pisces

May 13^th through July 28^th (a preview of 2022 when Jupiter is in Pisces)

 Jupiter finds itself at ease and is strengthened in Pisces, gaining more influence, bringing more well-being, enjoyment and beneficial qualities.

• Jupiter in Pisces supports and increases artistic endeavors and imagination.
• Compassionate altruism, faith and seeking spiritual truth, growing confidence are highlighted.
• Supports more financial ease in USA

Uranus in Taurus, 2018 through 2026

In 2021 Uranus travels between 6 -14 Taurus

 Uranus jolts us into sudden and unexpected new realities/situations. In this way it wakes us up.

• Uranus disengages us from secure points of view, and causes sudden separations from what we have relied on and valued.
• It brings us to the Present as it is, open, spacious, full of uncertainty, yet also full of potential gifts.
• It promotes radical change in our lives, attuning to new ways of being that are more creative, freer, and life sustaining.
• With Uranus in Taurus, the focus of awakening us to our values and our relationship with nature and the environment.
• Its potential is to bring idealism into reality, originality into tangible forms, to transform monetary systems and radically transform our relation with the environment and our Earth. It has the potential to bring about greater understanding of ecology.
• It activates the Earth signs and the fixed signs to change, wake up to new levels of perception, and go for it.

 The Main Aspects through 2021

 Saturn square Uranus, Aquarius/Taurus

Feb 17 – 7 Aquarius/Taurus

June 14^th, 13 Aquarius/Taurus

Dec 24^th, 11 Aquarius/Taurus

 As we come into January and through the year we will be challenged to stay steady through the tension of Saturn square to Uranus.

• This describes tension, upheaval, resistance, rebelliousness, and disruption to our course forward.
• Collectively it is a challenging time of polarity between old and new, right and left, truth and deception.
• It describes the challenge within politics and groups as we work out how to birth and stabilize a vision for the new Era.
• It describes as well, holding the new vision (Uranus) while being challenged to breakthrough the old (Saturn).
• We are encouraged to allow change in our lives and must stabilize the new with a solid foundation, We stretch into the new with stabilizing our foundations.
• Check out your Aquarius and Taurus houses (what houses carry those signs) in your chart to see where you are challenged to grow, make changes and to stabilize.

Mars as trigger point to Saturn Uranus square 6-15 in fixed signs

• January 15 – Feb 6, in Taurus
• June 26 – July 10, in Leo
• November 7 – 22^nd, in Scorpio
• These dates amplify the intensity of challenge, adding heat, unsettling, shifts, excitement, breaking free of old limitations

Eclipses, Venus Retrograde and Mercury Retrograde times

 Venus retrograde in Capricorn

December 18 2021 – January 28 2022, from 26 – 11 Capricorn

(When Venus goes retrograde it moves from evening star to disappear at the end of December 2021 to reappear around the 16^th of January 2022 as morning star.)

• Venus retrograde initiates a time of global review, a reconsideration of what is necessary to maintain a balanced world view. Around January 16^th is a vulnerable time for world leaders when political situations are unstable and possibly in flux.
• Personally, when Venus is retrograde (In your chart from 11 – 26 Capricorn) it is a time to contemplate one’s deepest needs and creative wellspring
• as well as how connected we are to those life sustaining forces.
• Venus will highlight Capricorn for longer than usual, potentially bringing harmonious effects, inspire artistic pursuit,s and highlight positive relationship.

 Mercury retrogrades in Air signs

(Jan 30 – Feb 20, 26-11 Aquarius, May 29- Jun 22, 24-16 Gemini, & Sep 26 – Oct 18, 25-10 Libra)

 Mercury is the planet of the mind; how we form our thoughts and perceptions, how we communicate and connect mentally with others.

• Every year Mercury retrogrades 3 times, representing the need we all have to periodically retreat, go inward, and reconnect at deeper levels.
• It is a time for review, for fine-tuning our projects, for slowing down.
• We can expect delays, schedules or technology to stall, all with a drive to attain a natural rhythm that periodically calls us inward.
• Each year Mercury retrogrades in a different element. In 2021 it retrogrades in the air signs.
• With Mercury retrograding through the air signs, Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra, we review the patterns in our thinking and relationship.
• We take time to reflect on how clear our communication is, in how we take in information and process it. We can attend to refining our responses to life and others by cultivating greater insights in our habitual reactions.

Eclipses in 2021

Eclipses take place in pairs when the Earth, Moon and Sun are in exact alignment. A Solar Eclipse takes place at New Moon. A Lunar Eclipse takes place at the Full Moon. 6 Months later another pair of eclipses takes place. Sometimes, as during this summer, there will be 3 eclipses rather than 2.

Eclipses intensify the energy of the times, often exposing issues that has been hidden as it aligns with a person’s or country’s chart.

May 26, Lunar Eclipse, 5 Sagittarius, Jun 10, Solar Eclipse, 19 Gemini,

November 19, Lunar Eclipse, 27 Taurus, Dec 4, Solar Eclipse, 12 Sagittarius

Placement of outer planets in 2021

 Neptune in Pisces, (2011 to 2025).

 Neptune in Pisces can bring more attunement to the many dimensions in which we live, moving beyond identifying only with the physical into the spiritual and imaginative dimensions. People are able to break out of roles that have for so long held us in place and dictated how we could be with each other. (i.e. gay marriage, gender identity) The oceans, music, the arts, spirituality, imagination, and meditation will all increase in concern and focus. (Note, the mindfulness meditation movement) The arts, music, and sound, and their role in healing will be accentuated. Prison and hospital reform will be up for us. Issues with refugees and large movements of people across borders will come to the forefront. Neptune in Pisces assists in dissolving the old paradigm. It can activate the powers of our imagination so to support breaking out of old paradigms and belief systems that limit us. What we can imagine we can create. The shadow side of Neptune in Pisces is an increase in verbal spin, manipulation through deception and propaganda, increase in denial and escapism through drugs and alcohol. The challenge: we can feel overwhelmed as the increase in emotional sensitivity takes place as open as we are to the collective emotional field. It can be very disorientating and confusing, stimulating emotional responses of victimization. So when Neptune travels through Pisces, meditation, contemplation, coming to inner stillness and utilizing our poetic imagination all promote connection to more inclusive dimensions of consciousness.

 Pluto now in Capricorn (since 2008)

The last time Pluto entered Capricorn was in 1762-1778. Pluto in Capricorn breaks down and restructures governing systems, bureaucracies, old power structures, economies, and brings to the surface issues of authority and control that can no longer be of service to the evolution of humanity. Pluto in Capricorn intensifies power struggles, and the old systems of oppression, while at the same time bringing about destruction and catharsis to those systems. This described the end of British rule and the will and power to shape the Constitution. With Pluto, once again, in Capricorn, the transformative forces around governments return. Pluto brings to the surface what has been hidden and repressed in terms of these systems, especially repressed contents and wounds in the deep foundations of nations, people and social dynamics. (The forming of the USA constitution took place with Pluto in Capricorn.)

Personally, when touched by Pluto in Capricorn, we make a descent into the deep inner realm of the soul. Here we experience what has been exiled from our consciousness yet is in our body’s cellular memory. It brings catharsis and rebirth, potentially healing trauma, and illuminating the unconscious preexisting identity patterns and stories. This brings about reclaiming a vital part of the self that had been loss and is now re