Planetary Alignments for 2023

Crossing the Great Divide

2023 is a dynamic year of endings and new beginnings. We feel ourselves shift out of one great chapter and into another. We might become much more aware of endings, letting go, finding essence, and much more aware of how we begin things, what it takes to birth our intentions, visions, concerns. There is the potential of this year in its transitional nature, to allow us to be more contemplative of, and thereby clarifying, who we are now, what we value, and how we best desire to proceed, especially in regards to community participation and our values in our human community. The year begins with deep review, fine tuning and picks up momentum in March, read on…

2023, the year of the Water Hare (Rabbit) in Chinese astrology

Begins January 21^st (January 22^st in China), at the 2^nd New Moon after the Winter Solstice

2023 is the year of the Water Hare, such a different flavor than 2022, the year of the dynamic bold Tiger of 2022. Whereas the Tiger is yang energy, the Hare is yin energy. The Hare is an ingoing, gathering energy, meditative, seeking peace, calm, healing, and rest after the year of the Tiger. Hare is known for friendliness, compromise, and a peacemaker at heart. Those born under the Hare love the arts, enjoy creating nourishing meals and love fine things. Because the Hare can be self-indulgent, so it is best to remember to care for your health during 2023. The sign of the Hare is related to the sign Pisces, a tolerant, inclusive sign, imaginative, adaptable, and non-aggressive. The Hare is highly perceptive and looks for ways to protect herself.

So from this point of view, it is time to find healing and restoration after the year of the Tiger, before we move into the dynamic year of the Dragon, 2024. A Dragon year will be fast moving, and high energy with intensity. The year of the Hare gives us time to gather and restore.  The element of this year is Water, sensitive, perceptive, intuitive, introspective, a yin element. This element accentuates the Hare’s natural expression, making this a year where self reflection can be very powerful, rewarding and transformative, preparing us for action and movement as we enter the year of the Dragon.

Planetary alignments for 2023, 6 planetary shifts and Jupiter & Saturn enter new phase

• Mars finishing retrograde, direct January 12th, leaves Gemini March 25th, after being in Gemini since Aug 19 2022
• Mars movement in 2023 – 8 Gemini, direct on Jan 12 – enters Cancer Mar 25 – 26 Sagittarius on Dec 31
• Saturn enters Pisces – March 7th
• Pluto enters 1 Aquarius, shifts back into Capricorn to 27 Capricorn, then back into Aquarius in October
• Jupiter and Saturn reach a new phase in their cycle, sextile, in June, providing opportunity to support new evolving cultural/global cycle
• Venus retrograde in Leo, July 22 to Sept 3, in Leo fromJune 5th to October 8th
• Jupiter in Aries and enters Taurus in May 16 through May 24 2024
• Nodes and Eclipses move into Aries and Libra on July 17th
• Mercury retrograde in Earth signs (see below for calendar dates)

Planetary movement during the year – check your natal chart to see where these planets activate themes in your chart

Jupiter – I Aries to 15 Taurus – Retrograde at 15 Taurus, Sept 3 – direct at 5 Taurus, Dec 30

Saturn – 22 Aquarius to 7 Pisces – Retrograde at 7 Pisces, Jun 17 – direct at 0 Pisces, Nov 3

Chiron – 12 Aries to 19 Aries – Retrograde at 19 Aries, July – direct at 15 Aries, Dec 2023

Uranus – 15 Taurus to 23 Taurus – Retrograde at 23 Taurus, Aug 28 – direct at 19 Taurus, Jan 26 2024

Neptune – 22 Pisces to 27 Pisces – Retrograde at 27 Pisces, Jun 30 – direct at 24 Pisces, Dec 6

Pluto – 27 Capricorn to 0 Aquarius – Retrograde at 0 Aquarius, May 1 – direct at 27 Capricorn, Oct 10

Eris – 23 Aries to 24 Aries

Lunar Nodes – 11 Taurus – 21 Aries (the Nodes retrograde through the zodiac)

Eclipses – April 19 – Solar Eclipse 29 Aries, May 5 – Lunar Eclipse, 14 Scorpio/Taurus

October 14 – Solar Eclipse, 21 Libra, October 28 – Lunar Eclipse, 5 Taurus/Scorpio

Mars – 8 Gemini – 26 Sagittarius – direct at 8 Gemini, Jan 12

Venus – 28 Capricorn – 2 Sagittarius – Retrograde at 28 Leo, Jul 22 – direct at 12 Leo, Sep 3 (in Leo from Jun 7 – Oct 8

Mercury – retrograde in the Earth signs -see below

Mars important trigger points in 2023

• March 14 (Mars at 25 Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces)
• May 20 (Mars at 1 Leo opposes Pluto in Aquarius)
• November 11 (Mars at 21 Scorpio opposes Uranus in Taurus)
• These dates amplify the challenge of overwhelm or confusion (Neptune), the intensity of heat and transformation, (Pluto) and the challenge of unsettling situations and shifts, also excitement, and inspiration to break free of old limitations, (Uranus).

Planetary Alignments 2023

Mars retrograde goes direct in January 12 at 8 Gemini, trines Sun on the 29th

As we make the turn into the New Year of 2023, Mars is still retrograde in Gemini and at its stationary point, 9-8 degrees Gemini. What an omen for slowing and looking within, examining our deeper motivations before the action in the New Year picks up. It is also interesting to see the last 3 signs and the first three signs highlighted, showing us that we are in transition from old to new, from the impact of the collective, to reassessing and aligning with our personal values choices and motivations.

 

The station point of a planet holds tremendous energy which can magnify conditions that have been developing over time.  With Mars to go direct on January 12th, there’s a sudden release, and the ability to move ourselves forward, even though at first slow going. Now a more effective course of action can proceed. Rapid reorganization, beneficial action, and change can take place, especially around the end of the month as Mars forms a harmonious trine with the Sun.  Since October 30th, (when Mars went retrograde) there has been a general reassessment of where we are, and how to proceed, what to let go of, and how best to take action in alignment with our deeper needs and desires. The first two weeks of January support this reflection, an alchemical process taking place as we come to more insight.

Since November, what has become clearer? What priorities do we now see in going forward? How has our deeper motivations and clarity of action revealed themselves? And if we have felt muddled and unclear during this time, now is the time for support in clarifying how we want to move forward in our lives, in career, in relationship. When Mars trines the Sun on Jan 29 movement is energized and quickened. We can now move forward with more clarity. In February, with Mars having aligned with Sun, and direct, now with increasing speed, the pace of the year begins to pick up.

March is a dynamic month

Saturn leaves Aquarius and enters Pisces, March 7th, ending the Saturn Uranus square

Leaving the Saturn Uranus square that had been dominating for the last 2 years, increasing polarities and extremes. This phase will now ebb.

Saturn contracts, which supports giving form and setting boundaries. Saturn slows us down, in order to listen to our deeper self and intents. It allows us, in slowing, to hear and tune into a deeper guiding wisdom. Saturn causes us to labor in order to birth what we are wishing to manifest. It calls for discipline, perseverance, setting time and space to create focus, setting a schedule, creating organization, all to step by step birth a manifestation.

Imagine Saturn like two sturdy hands focused on giving shape to our desires as it enters watery Pisces. It not so easily gives form to fluid Pisces. (overwhelm) But we also could imagine the perfectly shaped bowl that captures the water. (what allows us to create that perfectly shaped bowl?)

Saturn now completes a cycle that begun in 2017 when Saturn entered its first of two Saturn ruled signs, Capricorn and Aquarius. On March 6th, Saturn enters Pisces, shifting its themes. Saturn in Pisces supports giving form and structure to what which is emotional, to issues in both the personal subconscious and collective unconscious. It supports bringing more awareness to our inner psychology. On a personal level, we are invited to come to know and handle emotional states with more awareness and skillfulness, coming to understand the complex levels of how the body, our past and emotions are interwoven. Knowledge of our profound interconnected … We are invited to step into more spiritual and imaginative creative states with more regularity, feeling its great benefit. Watch for these issues and know that this is a good time to participate in finding resolution or making progress in these areas. Saturn can bring clarity to vague or elusive states of being, it lassoes into form the imagination through consistent attention. When Saturn is in Pisces we are supported to cultivate our spiritual growth.

In the culture, Saturn in Pisces can bring to the forefront growing popularity of mindfulness practices for health and wellbeing. It highlights our capacity for empathy. We will see more projects that assist the poor or less fortunate. Issues around resolving homelessness and mental health become more predominate. Restructuring health and how we deal with healing, medicine, healthcare, and hospitals is in the forefront, as well as caring for the mentally ill. Collective trauma gets more attention. The arts, and especially music, may find new venues, or discussion over how music is funded and organized may be prevalent. The work with healing through altered states and psychedelics may take on more social acceptance or be in the forefront. Issues around our oceans and waterways also come to predominate.

Pluto moves into Aquarius, March 23, returns to Capricorn, June 11th

Pluto will touch into the 1st degree of Aquarius then shift back into last degrees of Capricorn, entering Aquarius once more in January of 2024. In September of 2024 Pluto again drops back into the last degree of Capricorn, until November of 2024 when it fully enters Aquarius.

We can experience this as powerful endings and new beginnings. As you think about the house that Pluto will be transiting the themes of the houses show the shifting themes and the power of transformation with consciously ending and beginning.

Pluto disrupts, de-structures, and exposes what has been hidden or not fully seen. It represents the underbelly of situations that suddenly erupt with intensity to overthrow what is old, and what is no longer life supporting. As the God of the Underworld, Pluto represent the mysterious dark, the unspoken, both toxic influence of held resentments, unfinished business that has fermented to explosion, and healthy process of life, the process of letting go, release, death, ending and beginnings, so rebirth or renewal can take place. Pluto also embodies condensed power held under or within, therefore representing power we embody, or power we give away, so powerlessness.  Pluto is the force that intensifies, to cathartic ends. It bursts into one’s life. It can dominate and violate. Pluto’s process unfolds over time, it exposes, and reveals, what needs to be seen for evolutionary growth. It moves slowly through a few degrees, often taking about two years, and anywhere from 13 to 20 years through one sign.

In the sign Aquarius, Pluto begins the process of revealing, de-structuring and transforming how we connect with each other and create community, bringing up issues of being part of the community of humans as opposed to expressing our individual identity, issues of  separation versus connection. Pluto will focus our attention on equality of community members , highlighting the disenfranchised. Aquarius rules technology, social media and the digital world. Here, Pluto exposes what’s working, what’s not working in social media, exposing the underlying structures that motivate the companies and individuals involved, transformation around social media, and the technology in the digital plane, digital money, etc. The myth of Aquarius teaches us about living in both worlds, world of the Gods and humans, supercharging innovation and new inventions, how we care for each other, how we feel connected.

Mars leaves Gemini and enters Cancer, March 25

Mars also changes signs in March. After hanging out in Gemini, (since August 19), the sign of busyness, connection with others and tons of information, for an extra long time due to its retrograde from Oct 30 to January 12, we’ve had a strong impact of the Gemini themes. (Check out where Gemini is in your chart).

Mars also changes signs in March. After hanging out in Gemini, (since August 19) the sign of busyness and tons of information, with its retrograde from Oct 30 to January 12, a time of sorting, clarifying, and redoing, going back to the drawing board, adjusting, adapting, it finally moves into cardinal water sign Cancer, on March 25th until May 20th. In the sign Cancer, Mars feels somewhat compromised, for Mars as the warrior archetype wants to rush forward and confront, be direct and get to the point, have a mission and energetically move toward its goal. Yet Cancer is the sign of emotional sensitivity, urge for emotionally bonding, and deep introspection. So from January 12 until March 25th we are supported to accomplish our goals and intentions, as Mars enters Cancer, more introspection brings more successful actions toward our goal. We can learn much, if we take the time. We can experience our deeper motivations, and our often repressed needs and reactions that will bring us greater awareness. From the awareness we heal and integrate. With Mars in Cancer, things such as protection of others, standing up for the rights of others, nurturing and caring for and guiding others is highlighted.

Jupiter enters Taurus on May 16, square Pluto

This is another interesting shift of energy, as Jupiter moves from energetic bold Aries, to more deliberate, harmonious seeking Taurus. Jupiter enlarges the qualities of the sign it is in, from energetic movement of Aries, to more practical, grounded, mellow Taurus. Jupiter may enter Taurus with some dramatic events as it squares Pluto during the first week when it’s in Taurus. Then a steadying phase begins. Taurus now seeks to give solidity to the things that were begun during Jupiter’s Aries passage in 2022. As Taurus is a Venus ruled sign, it seeks to bring restoration, calming and stabilizing energy. With Jupiter in Taurus, we have the opportunity to experience nature more fully, and we may find more attention given to wild places and the benefits of being in nature. More conservation practices may be put in place, as well as emphasis on farming, soil, and food. Taurus is also the planet of money and will support economic stability. And with Jupiter in Taurus we will want to deal with our finances in very practical, thoughtful ways.

June

Pluto back into Capricorn, direct at 27 Capricorn, October 10

Jupiter at 7 Taurus sextiles Saturn at 7 Pisces, June 19

Jupiter and Saturn cycle reach new phase of development 

The Jupiter Saturn cycle marks developmental phases in our cultural, and in social development. What began as a new transformational 200 year cycle in December 2020, now reaches a time where there is an emergence of clarity and vision that can lead us forward into the new cycle. This begins in June 2022, goes through May 2024. There is potential and movement in resolving divisions. In this phase of the cycle new cultural vision and organization in society will present itself based on the activities since the end of 2020 that have taken place. It is a notable phase for the development of evolutionary structures that can resolve old inequalities and move us toward a new future. When Jupiter and Saturn are in a sextile phase, there can be more stability and steadiness in both the society and the economy.

July

Venus goes retrograde at 28 Leo on July 22, goes direct on September 3rd at 12 Leo

Venus enters Leo on June 5 and leaves Leo on October 8th. Once every 18 months, Venus goes retrograde, so it is unique that we experience Venus in its retrograde phase and in Leo for so many months. When Venus is retrograde, issues in relationship come up for recognition and review. We come to a time when it is beneficial to deepen our insight around what we value, as well as our relation with our finances. (Check your chart to see where Leo is placed, what house and its themes it highlights.)

Venus seeks connection, it is the power of relation. How do we relate? Ultimately the power to relate comes from the power to be present, alert, and aware. Our senses are heightened because we are so present. Typically this is called our Feminine energy. During this time we are asked to become more aware of our receptive, perceptive, energy with which we relate. Leo is the sign of the heart and creative self expression. How do we express and share from the heart, authentically? In its unconscious, or less developed, expression, it is a hunger for approval and for being special. During this time if we experience these qualities we may want to get support, helping us to experience our self worth and to honor our unique expression.

With Venus in Leo, love relationships may be passionate and have a dramatic flare. When it’s retrograde the principles of relationship and relatedness are turned inward. We tune into the quality of relatedness in our lives.

Nodes and Eclipses move into Aries and Libra, from Taurus and Scorpio, July 17th

Aries North Node, (soul’s growth), Libra South Node, (release past tendencies)

The Nodes mark where the Eclipses will take place during the year, staying in one pair of signs for 18 months. The Eclipses are moving from the fixed signs Taurus/Scorpio to the cardinal signs Aries and Libra, we shift from practical more cautious Taurus North Node to Aries North Node, stretching into  new beginnings, and taking action in new areas and in new ways.

With the nodes in Aries and Libra, we are encouraged to find balance between our individuality as well as our need to take actions for our own growth and how we relate with and consider each other. With the north node in Aries the focus is on action, on bold new vision, on discovery, less on passivity and appearances. To the extremes, this nodal movement, can promote more aggression versus diplomacy. We might grow by understanding our hasty impulsive actions and learn how to cultivate awareness in relations.

November

Mars and the Sun travel together in Scorpio, conjunct November 17th, sextile Pluto

This marks a very powerful time for investigation, deeper insights, breaking through barriers that have held us back. A time of more courage and activating powerful transformations. Check out where Scorpio is in your chart. This area of the chart is stirred up, attuning to what needs to change. You might ask yourself what needs to be let go?

More detailed information on the Planetary Aspects for 2023

The Great Mutation – Jupiter Saturn conjunction into the Air element

A New Era Began December 21^st, 2020 reaches its 2^nd stage of development in July 2022 to August 2024

The first stage begins in the dark, (December 2020) like a seed planted in dark soil. We experience inner stirrings, new experiences, and respond in spontaneous, impulsive and instinctive ways. In the second stage (July 2022) light begins to dawn as we pull away from the past. Here we struggle with inertia and dependency of past conditions that hold us back, so to mobilize resources to move us in a forward direction.

July 2022 – Jupiter (8 Aries) and Saturn (23 Aquarius) reach semi square 2022   

We begin to see new structures, technology, and social values evolve, with focus on community, social justice, equality, a restructuring of the meaning of healthcare and democracy over the next 20 and 180 years.

The meaning of the Great Mutation

Since 1870 these two giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn, 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 of 2020 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. 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. 2022, Jupiter moves into Pisces and Aries while Saturn stays in Aquarius.

With the 2^nd phase of this cycle, beginning July 2022, topics begin to clarify, vision of where we are going find more definition. We continue the struggle to overcome the conditioning and programming of the past, but with more clarity of the road ahead. In June of 2023 we reach a time of visionary possibilities being supported, especially if we can hold the vision steady and be open to timing. We are in this phase until August 19 2024 when we enter the 3^rd stage, taking direct action, clearing away old structures, actively building new ones in order to embody the new purpose.

Shadow qualities of the Aquarius.

We can see that we are already dealing with these ‘shadow’ 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. Here is the challenge and struggle between free speech and censorship, the power of the social media, where it needs parameters in how it is affecting the collective culture and how it affects youth. It sets the stage for a growth of collective awareness and consciousness to move into a more evolved state of being. 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 Pisces (March 2023 through Feb 13 2026 (touches into Aries – May 24 2025-Dec 31 2025)

In 2023 Saturn occupies 22 Aquarius – 8 Pisces Aquarius, 0-8 Pisces retrograde

Saturn enters Pisces on March 7^th, 2023. It was last in Pisces from January 1994 – April 1996.

• Look to see where Pisces is in your chart to know what is being activated by Saturn this year. If you find yourself struggling, slow down, and take time to thoughtfully organize and plan your forward movement.
• Saturn limits, focuses, and concentrates one’s experience in the sign it occupies. It builds boundaries to help us know our clear definitions.
• 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”. The ideal being our maturity, experience and inner intuitive wisdom that guides us
• As Saturn enters Pisces it focuses us into our feelings and imagination. It helps us to recognize our feelings and how to skillfully navigate feeling states in grounded ways. It can help us channel powerful feelings into creative projects.
• Saturn in Pisces wants to give form to empathy and compassion in the collective. It can be a powerful time to release trauma and learn more about the effects of trauma.
• Saturn in Pisces highlights spiritual movements and cultivates our spiritual development.
• Shadow side of Saturn in Pisces is inability to have empathy. It can be controlling religious dogma and doctrine. Personally, we experience the shadow side when we feel unable to feel our emotions, and lack of self compassion. Saturn’s wisdom is challenging us to become more conscious of behaviors that shape us.

Mars important trigger points in 2023

• March 14 (Mars at 25 Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces)
• May 20 (Mars at 1 Leo opposes Pluto in Aquarius)
• November 11 (Mars at 21 Scorpio opposes Uranus in Taurus)
• These dates amplify the challenge of overwhelm or confusion, the intensity of heat and transformation, and the challenge of unsettling situations and shifts, also excitement, and inspiration to break free of old limitations, respectively.

Jupiter in Aries, moves into Taurus

Jupiter in Aries through May 16, enters Taurus through May 25th, 2024

Jupiter goes retrograde at 15 Taurus – September 4th, 2023

Jupiter goes direct at 5 Taurus – December 30th, 2023

• Check your chart to see where Aries/ Taurus up to 15 degrees is. This area is supported by the Jupiter transit

Jupiter in Aries, until May, 2023, enlarges taking action, being pioneering, dashing into new beginnings and new territory, encourages discovery, risk taking, with self-assertive, and applies constant growth toward the new. Shadow qualities are impulsiveness, aggression, intense competition, needs to win, stimulates conflict.

Jupiter in Aries

• Heightens cardinal qualities, initiating, acting, reacting.
• Heightens fire energy – confidence, outgoing, assertive
• Check your chart to see where Aries is. This area is activated by the Jupiter transit

Jupiter enlarges the qualities of the sign it is in, from energetic movement of Aries, to more practical, grounded, mellow Taurus. Taurus now seeks to give solidity to the things that were begun during Jupiter’s Aries passage in 2022. As Taurus is a Venus ruled sign, it seeks to bring restoration, calming and stabilizing energy. With Jupiter in Taurus, we have the opportunity to experience nature more fully, and we may find more attention given to wild places and the benefits of being in nature. More conservation practices may be put in place, as well as emphasis on farming, soil, and food. Taurus is also the planet of money and will support economic stability. And with Jupiter in Taurus we will want to deal with our finances in very practical, thoughtful ways.

• Heightens fixed qualities, steadying, focusing, creating
• Heightens earth energy – the senses, practical concerns, reflective, artistic, abundant
• Check your chart to see where Taurus is. This area is activated by the Jupiter transit

Eclipses, Mercury Retrograde and Mars Retrograde times

 Mercury retrogrades in Earth signs 

Mercury retrograde dates

Dec 29 2022 – Jan 18 2023,  24 Capricorn – 8 Capricorn

Apr 21 –  May 14, 15 Taurus – 5 Taurus

Aug 23 – Sept 15, 21 Virgo – 8 Virgo

Dec 12 – Jan 1 2024, 8 Capricorn – 22 Sagittarius

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 to reflect and review.
• Each year Mercury retrogrades in a different element. Some years it straddles two elements. In 2023 it retrogrades in earth signs.
• Mercury retrograde marks a time to reflect on how clear our communication is, how we take in information and process it, how we bring it into practical form, and how to simplify more abstract thoughts. During the retrograde we can refine our responses to life and to others by cultivating greater insights into our habitual reactions.

Eclipses and the Nodes in 2023

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. The Eclipses take place close to the “Nodes”. Nodes simply represent that point in space where total eclipses will take place, this perfect alignment of Sun, Moon, Earth.

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. They are like super full and new moons.

In January, the North Node is in Taurus and the South Node is in Scorpio. Each nodal axis highlights two signs that are opposite each other. In July, the nodes move into the Aries/Libra, where they will highlight this pair of signs for 18 months. Last time we had the nodes in Aries/Libra was December 2004 – June 2006

The movement of the Nodes and Eclipses from the inward (yin or feminine signs) fixed signs to the outgoing (yang or masculine) cardinal signs is a marked difference in energy. The North Node defines where our growth lays and in Aries it encourages us to act, be bold, and initiate new beginning, to be independent and mentally creative, attuning to new ideas. The South Node defines what needs to be released and in Libra we might be releasing being too compromising, co-dependent, or too passive. We investigate and release more positive Libra qualities, as we develop more honesty and clarity within ourselves. This is what is called for during this 18 month time period.

April 19 – Solar Eclipse 29 Aries, May 5 – Lunar Eclipse, 14 Scorpio/Taurus

October 14 – Solar Eclipse, 21 Libra, October 28 – Lunar Eclipse, 5 Taurus/Scorpio

Mars retrograde in Gemini

October 30 2022 to January 12 2023 – 25 Gemini – 8 Gemini

Mars enters Gemini – August 19, 2022 through March 25th, 2023

Mars retrogrades once every two years, therefore spending a prolonged time in one sign, instead of 2 months, it stays in the sign for 6 months, heating and activating that sign, that area of your chart. Check out where Gemini is in your chart. This area is stimulated from August 19th, then goes into a review time until it goes direct on January 12th, 2023

• Mars retrograde a time to review our action, our intentions, our desires, needs and driving forces
• Mars retrograde in Gemini calls for practically reviewing how we communicate, use our words and investigate the hidden intentions in our choice and delivery of words.
• Providing greater consciousness while communicating. Check out ‘Nonviolent Communication, NVC’.
• Not a good time to initiate new projects, take bold actions or have electional surgery
• Good time to review what projects have been started

Placement of outer planets in 2022

Uranus in Taurus, 2018 through 2026

In 2023 Uranus travels between 15 – 23 Taurus.                                                                                                             Check your chart to see where 15 – 23 Taurus is.

Uranus jolts us into sudden and unexpected new realities/situations. In this way it wakes us up to broaden our perspectives and promote more creative engagement with life.

• 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, is activated.
• 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.

 Neptune in Pisces, (2011 to 2025), in 2023 – 22 to 27 Pisces

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 transiting from Capricorn (2008 to 2024) into Aquarius, in 2023, 2024 

In 2023- 27 Capricorn to 0 Aquarius 

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 reunited.

Pluto moves into Aquarius, March 23, returns to Capricorn, June 11th

Pluto will touch into the 1st degree of Aquarius then shift back into last degrees of Capricorn, entering Aquarius once more in January of 2024. In September of 2024 Pluto again drops back into the last degree of Capricorn, until November of 2024 when it fully enters Aquarius.

We can experience this as powerful endings and new beginnings. As you think about the house that Pluto will be transiting the themes of the houses show the shifting themes and the power of transformation with consciously ending and beginning.

Pluto disrupts, de-structures, and exposes what has been hidden or not fully seen. It represents the underbelly of situations that suddenly erupt with intensity to overthrow what is old, and what is no longer life supporting. As the God of the Underworld, Pluto represent the mysterious dark, the unspoken, both toxic influence of held resentments, unfinished business that has fermented to explosion, and healthy process of life, the process of letting go, release, death, ending and beginnings, so rebirth or renewal can take place. Pluto also embodies condensed power held under or within, therefore representing power we embody, or power we give away, so powerlessness.  Pluto is the force that intensifies, to cathartic ends. It bursts into one’s life. It can dominate and violate. Pluto’s process unfolds over time, it exposes, and reveals, what needs to be seen for evolutionary growth. It moves slowly through a few degrees, often taking about two years, and anywhere from 13 to 20 years through one sign.

In the sign Aquarius, Pluto begins the process of revealing, de-structuring and transforming how we connect with each other and create community, bringing up issues of being part of the community of humans as opposed to expressing our individual identity, issues of  separation versus connection. Pluto will focus our attention on equality of community members , highlighting the disenfranchised. Aquarius rules technology, social media and the digital world. Here, Pluto exposes what’s working, what’s not working in social media, exposing the underlying structures that motivate the companies and individuals involved, transformation around social media, and the technology in the digital plane, digital money, etc. The myth of Aquarius teaches us about living in both worlds, world of the Gods and humans, supercharging innovation and new inventions, how we care for each other, how we feel connected.

Chiron in Aries (April 2018 – April 2027) in 2023 – 12 to 23 Aries

Chiron in Aries brings to the surface for healing and acknowledgment aggressive, reactive, even violent tendencies with the potential for deepening attunement to our intuitive and courageous self. Here we are healing the orientation to blame that develops from polarizing, and with Aries need to win and dominate. We are learning to listen, healing and supporting our spirit, our courage, and the power to stand and act with faith, not knowing future outcomes. We accomplish new levels of integration by intentions in alignment with the higher good, courage to act and be our authentic selves. The USA has Chiron in Aries. As Chiron moves through Aries it triggers the USA’s buried wounds from our very beginning, and formation of our country. It brings these to the surface for healing and new levels of integration. Chiron in the USA chart has been triggered since 2015, with transiting Uranus conjunct Chiron, then transiting Pluto squared Chiron through 2018, with Saturn joining the square in 2019. Jupiter transiting Chiron through 2020. This is in lead up to the USA Pluto return, where the USA must redefine our values for our country, the meaning of democracy, and who we shall be going forward.