BALANCING THE RATIONAL AND INTUITIVE REALMS
So after the drama of the last few months of 2022 and this past retrograde-filled January, February is a bit more passive and less outwardly chaotic. From now until end of April, all of the planets will be in forward motion.
Hence, it is a good time to experiment with or launch new projects without yet worrying about their long-term efficacy.
And February provides a tiny break before Saturn and Pluto move into new signs in March, heralding a new era for mankind. March may prove very eventful on the world stage and we will be made aware of even greater challenges to humanity's survival.
So relish the "ordinariness" of February which is also infused with some romance and dreaminess due to Venus and Neptune in Pisces. This kind of romance is highly idealized or potentially sacrificial. There is an element of surrendering to the sublime.
The basic feeling energy of February is the mix of Aquarius themes with Pisces ones, all happening in the area of future goals - merging far past remembrances with future visions.
The sense of the tides turning is also evident with Saturn and Pluto being at their last degrees before changing signs next month. 29 degrees is called an anoretic degree and it is challenging because it straddles the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.
There are two cycles ending next month, one being Saturn in Aquarius (2020 - 2023) and the other being Pluto in Capricorn (2008 - 2023) and the themes are discussed further below.
February is a month where a lot of the energy and focus will be on the emotional and feeling level. So whatever is or isn't happening on the material plane is not as important as how you are interpreting or integrating these emotions.
Mars direct in Gemini squares Venus in Pisces Feb 4th - 6th
differences in approach
The Mars in Gemini retrograde period (Oct 30th, 2022 - Jan 12th, 2023) was rather chaotic and ignited a questionable walk down memory lane. We may have argued with friends, lovers, family members and it is likely that many of the conversations were focused on unimportant topics seemingly writ large. Yet, underneath the squabbling would have been hurt feelings, unresolved issues and immature interpretations.
We probably grew back up when Mars went direct on Jan 12th and our minds became sharper. What also became clear is that certain people no longer fit into our lives in the same way.
Mars in Gemini also may have made clear that a lot of people like to be lied to as the truth is too painful to contemplate. This is true in family situations but also in the world at large, particularly in relation to media and current events. We can "make up" with our "enemies" but we now know that our perspectives are too divergent to find common ground.
With our newfound command of our personal truths, we may be on the search for new partners, friends, collaborators. It's certainly the month of love, but we know that love takes many forms and while astrology does not have as many words for this emotion as Eskimos have for snow, the cosmic science does provide several different iterations. In addition to Venus and the Moon, they include Agape (goodwill), Amor (friendship) , Sappho (creative female-oriented), Eros (erotic passion) amongst others.
In our desire to be more assertive with our words, we may run into an amorphous cloud of dreaminess and impracticality, courtesy of Venus in Pisces. We don't have to agree now, in fact we won't (but may eventually succumb to the dream in a few weeks courtesy of Venus/Neptune conjunction of Feb 16th).
In the meantime, we may veer between the poles of taking action or declaring ourselves and sinking into reverie or creative imagination:
ARIES - you may veer between being a social butterfly and needing to isolate
TAURUS - there is a part of you that wants to do it alone but may dream of having friends assist you
GEMINI - should you push to have your way or allow universal forces to take over?
CANCER - should you worry about the past or dream about the future?
LEO - do you prefer to spend time with friends or your lover?
VIRGO - you may feel conflicted between going all out at work or spending time with a loved one
LIBRA - are you fixated on learning a new skill because you're not sure the future of your job?
SCORPIO - are you pushing a partner to become more committed or dreaming of a casual romantic fling?
SAGITTARIUS - is your partner pressuring you with lots of demands when you'd like to simply be?
CAPRICORN - you can focus on being a nervous nelly or just chill and use your mental energy to better effect
AQUARIUS - others may micro manage a situation when you think chilling and meditating is a better tact
PISCES - those you live with may be a bit manic and you might choose to check out
While this square is very minor in comparison to major transits like Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, it reveals different approaches to problems or situations. One person may want to talk it out ad nauseum while the other may want to let things be. Perhaps a bit of compromise - some discussion, some space - will alleviate the impasse.
AQUARIUS/PISCES ARCHETYPES
left brain/right brain
Adding to the conundrum of acting vs dreaming is the rational view versus the intuitive one. This is courtesy of the Sun in Aquarius (science mind) versus the eventual Sun into Pisces (creative mind). If you wonder why Aquarius and Pisces individuals can be so complicated, understand that this may be a lifetime challenge of trying to balance the two extremes
Hence our focus for the month may shift when the Sun moves from Aquarius to Pisces. How can we be free to pursue the dream?
ARIES - you can discuss your project with others but then ultimately decide it on your own in private or through mediation
TAURUS - you can analyze where your business is at and then spend time creating new opportunities
GEMINI - your beliefs will end up affecting how you do your job
CANCER - partner's objectivity may still need to be vetted through a spiritual lens
LEO - your spouse may have worked things out but they need time to percolate and flourish
VIRGO - you may have sorted out a work scenario but now allow others the time to adopt it or not
LIBRA - perhaps your idea is a good one but the process will need some space for unexpected developments
SCORPIO - you think you know how to raise your child but they have their own personality and template
SAGITTARIUS - it's okay to psychoanalyze your family but you must allow everyone their chance to absorb or reject the information
CAPRICORN - sure you've got a great idea to make money but communicating it needs some work
AQUARIUS - you've entered a new chapter and it will take a bit of time for the money to materialize
PISCES - you think you've licked your demons - and you have - but still be compassionate with self as the new persona forms
In closing, we all have Aquarius and Pisces houses in our charts and must deal with the differences in our own way. If we can accept both archetypes and find ways to include them in our self-definition or approach to life, we may feel more complete.
Venus in Pisces conjunct Neptune in Pisces
a day to dream
This once yearly conjunction can be one of the most romantic days of the year where we start a new cycle around dreams. In Pisces, this could be one of universal happiness and acceptance, world peace, unconditional love. Of course, in this dimension, actual unconditional love and tolerance IS a dream, especially as hate and division are exploited to maintain power.
Yet, humanity has always sought to "return back home". The wistfulness that comes with seeking for the ineffable, the divine, is inherent in most people (unless they've given way to the cold rationalism of the science/technocratic mindset). But centuries of music, poetry, art and prayer point to this desire for beauty and transcendence.
While this year's conjunction is relatively modest, it does light up the degree of last year's Jupiter/Neptune alignment in April 2022 which began a new cycle around visioning. So perhaps, if you recall any inspiration that touched you last year, you may find that it is rekindled in this moment for further nurturance.
Pisces is also connected to the idea of sacrifice. This may beg the question, who is sacrificing and to whom and what? Perhaps the healthiest version is to "let go and let god" in this area of life:
ARIES - concerns about your future
TAURUS - whom your real tribe is
GEMINI - what your ultimate life purpose is
CANCER - what are your beliefs?
LEO - how to merge in relationship
VIRGO - ow to accept your partner
LIBRA - how your work and health are evolving
SCORPIO - where you may find true fulfillment
SAGITTARIUS - where is your true home
CAPRICORN - who are your real friends
AQUARIUS - what is my most marketable skill
PISCES - how people perceive me
You can formulate a dream now in this particular area, but then allow the universe to respond or rectify in time. In the end, it is the feeling of true connection that you are seeking and this does not have to include other people or proceedings if you truly feel at home in yourself.
Saturn and Pluto at Anoretic degrees
completing the lesson plan
What have we learned with Saturn in Aquarius (April 2020 - March 2023)? On the one hand, the difficulty of individuating and secondly, the rejection one receives when one stands out from the group. Think the cv narrative over the last three years, i.e. who was allowed to speak and who wasn't. This is the tyranny of the group which unfortunately will become even more clear with Pluto moving into Aquarius - the abuse by the collective.
Pluto in Capricorn (2008 - 2023) has shown us that those in power may have been corrupted or failed upward toward the top. Why is there such a dearth of decent political candidates? The goods ones are kicked to the sidelines for not adhering to the right script or failing to appease the donors. We should by now know that power corrupts and how much a threat that real freedom and equality pose to the elite class. Not the woke version of ESG, which has been coopted by the powerful, but rather old school liberalism/leftism that demands better wages, worker relationships, decent housing and health care.
In our personal lives, where have the challenges of independence and personal power been most tested?
ARIES
The fight for independence: in social media circles, group meetings
Development of inner authority: wrestling power from corporations and father figures
TAURUS
The fight for independence: in your professional goals
Development of inner authority: in your spiritual warriorship
GEMINI
The fight for independence: in political or philosophical circles
Development of inner authority: in your sexual or financial arrangements
CANCER
The fight for independence: in your financial relationships
Development of inner authority: in relation to your significant other
LEO
The fight for independence: in your one on one relationships
Development of inner authority: in how you live your everyday life
VIRGO
The fight for independence: in your work life
Development of inner authority: in love affairs
LIBRA
The fight for independence: in romantic or creative situations
Development of inner authority: in relationship to your family, particularly mother
SCORPIO
The fight for independence: in your family of origin
Development of inner authority: in regards to your personal voice and recollection of the past
SAGITTARIUS
The fight for independence: in speaking your truth
Development of inner authority: in respecting your talents (and charging properly for them)
CAPRICORN
The fight for independence: in your financial life
Development of inner authority: within yourself, allowing you to take on the role of boss or leader
AQUARIUS
The fight for independence: for your personal identity
Development of inner authority: developing your own spiritual life
PISCES
The fight for independence: from fears/addictions and collective nightmares
Development of inner authority: in becoming a group of one, if necessary
And while Pluto will retrograde back into Capricorn for a few months in 2023, Saturn will not traverse Aquarius again for another 29 years. Whatever we didn't learn during the last 2 1/2 years re: Saturn lessons will be hitting us full force with the entrance of Pluto into Aquarius, both personally and as a society.
Uranus in Taurus 15 degrees
financial reversals
We are halfway through the eight year Uranus in Taurus cycle (revolution in values). Out in the world, this is appearing as new forms of money and investments (cryptocurrency, CBDC's, NFT's etc) as well as dramatic environmental changes.
Taurus is about security - particularly financial or material - and while we in the US have abundant resources, many groups here and abroad are struggling to put food on the table and afford oil to heat their homes.
As Uranus is hovering on the world axis this entire month, it is likely there will be a worldly event - climate, financial, security - that will exemplify the energy of dramatic change.
We can look at the war in Ukraine, stock market prices fluctuating and the housing market, another traditional form of security, declining or becoming inaccessible to the average person. And while the most major events may not happen until Pluto moves into Aquarius in March, we can feel that the world is teetering on the edge of collapse.
Uranus is meant to separate us from what or whom no longer works for us. If it is a nation or organization, perhaps the old political or economic system is no longer functional. If a long-term personal relationship, the dynamics must be altered for it to remain viable.
And while it may feel disruptive, Uranian transits are ultimately meant to liberate us so that we can evolve to a more conscious way of living and being.
We are no stranger to Uranus per se, as it stations twice a year, generally around end of August and end of January. So last month, we were released from an oppressive or dying situation and/or catapulted into a new direction.
Uranus demands we change or else deal with sudden breaks/accidents/shocks that will force us to look at the world in a new way. It is likely that for good or ill, more people are aware of climate change (however it is being perpetrated), advances in technology, AI and the monetary system. If anything, it is a time to update your views on all of these topics and decide where to focus one's attention and energy. What do you value? That is made evident by what you spend your time and money on.
The house where Uranus is travelling is the one where we might be experiencing the most upheaval (which will ultimately lead to liberation in the end).
Where have the changes been most pronounced for you these past 5 years:
ARIES - in the realm of your talents, money and self-esteem
TAURUS - in your personal outward presentation or definition of self
GEMINI - in your internal dialogue with creator
CANCER - in your social circles
LEO - in your professional choices
VIRGO - in your philosophical or political views
LIBRA - in your intimate relationships
SCORPIO - in your partnerships and attraction to new people
SAGITTARIUS - in your health or work life
CAPRICORN - in your romantic or creative endeavors
AQUARIUS - in your home environment
PISCES - in your mental constructs
So as we approach some major astrology in March, the entrance of Saturn into Pisces and more importantly, Pluto in Aquarius, allow the energy of Uranus to remove unnecessary baggage and past tense attachments.
This is an evolutionary time for all of humanity. We will need to travel lightly into an ever evolving future and those who can radically adapt to changing circumstances are the most likely to succeed in the new world.