Astrological Forecast for January & February 2012

Aside from a fiery New Years Eve that may have us saying exactly what we think, the first aspect of note comes on the 8th, when Mercury squares Uranus. This energy is great for groundbreaking new ideas and insights, but patience can be in short supply when these two planets get together. Have a pen and paper (or electronic equivalent) ready to jot down your ideas.

The aspect is just hours before the full moon in the early hours of the 9th, so we’ll already be revving the engines at top speed. The moon is in Cancer, highlighting concerns about finances, security, and home. The tension between full steam ahead innovation and a heightened need for stability may be hard to balance. On one side of the scale, we might actually see opportunities as threats. Yet at the other we could recognize that flexibility represents an adaptable kind of security, and our real home base is found in our ability to live fully in the ever-changing present.

The 12th through the 14th have strong creative potential, especially in the area of relationship, as Venus aspects Saturn, Neptune and Jupiter. A Mercury/Pluto meeting in the midst of the party could make for a few scary moments, but it can also help us to communicate what we really think. The feel of the 14th is especially good, so get out and socialize. In fact, you may feel as though Valentine’s Day came a month early this year.

The mood shifts around the 19th to the 22nd, when the sun makes tense aspects to Saturn and Jupiter. Questions about who is in charge and what they have authority over might be prominent now. The difference between what we want personally and what is required of us socially could also be an issue. With the sun moving into Aquarius, collective opinion may matter more than personal power around this time.

The new moon on the 23rd will highlight the Aquarian energy. This is a good time to get in touch with your ideals and aspirations. While we may all be trying to navigate our personal lives, this is a time to think about the bigger picture. Actually, the personal and collective can be brought together as you contemplate what it is you have to offer to the world, and how you can get your message out there.

Messages may not get very far on the 27th, as Mercury squares Saturn and Mars stations to retrograde. Think of this as a test, an obstacle(s) put in the way for you to learn how to overcome it.

Mars will retrograde until April 13th. Generally speaking Mars retrogrades are not considered to be a great time to start a new job, exercise routine, or sexual relationship, but I suppose we can bend the rules as opportunities emerge. Do be aware that we tend to actually want – or even crave – those things that are indicated by the retrograding planet, so you may find yourself really wanting to join a gym, make job changes, or otherwise express your energy. The point is that Martial assertiveness is directed inwards during this time, so actions may not work out as planned, although this is a great time to get in touch with what we really want.

The next day, the 28th, Mercury squares Jupiter. This could be an opportunity to connect with others and share ideas – although some of us will perhaps be more inclined to talk than to listen.

Venus opposes Mars on February 1st. While this aspect can often mean that love and desire are not on the same page, the signs involved (Pisces/Virgo) suggest that the inner dialogue might be between taking a spiritual perspective that floats us out of this world and taking action that aims at improving our living conditions. Compassionate action may satisfy both ends of the seesaw.

On the 3rd, Neptune enters his home sign of Pisces. The God of the Seas was in the sign of the Fish for a bit last year, but now he’s home to stay for the next 14 years. Don’t expect immediate changes (although you might see a relevant story or two in the news), but Neptune’s time in Pisces is about opening us up to new realities. The alternative will become conventional, and the conventional will go to extremes under Neptune’s influence.

The Leo full moon on the 7th is generally the Party Moon of the year. This year, however, the party is chaperoned by stodgy Uncle Saturn, who will station to retrograde on the same day (at the very last degree of Libra). What looks like lots of fun could meet up with a stern glance or a disapproving frown.

Valentine’s Day falls just when it always does, on the 14th, but the energy around relationships is charged before and after. In fact, February is a challenging month for Venus, Goddess of Love, and it might just be a challenge for our relationships, too. First, Venus meets up with Uranus in the sign of Aries on the 9th. While this suggests fun and openness to novelty, it could be a very difficult energy if we are intent on holding on to the status quo in our partnerships. The drive for independence is too strong, and after Saturn’s station on the full moon, some of us will already be inclined to look at our partnerships as too confining.

On the 15th, Venus squares Pluto, casting a serious tone across the Big Day we usually associate with love. It’s not that this is necessarily bad energy for relationships, but once again there is a tug of war between what you want and the limitations you feel are imposed on you. Watch out for high expectations, especially where gifts are concerned. This is a very passionate energy, though, so Valentine’s Day could get hot: look closely to see what that little candy heart really says. The 14th itself is under the influence of Mercury conjunct Neptune, so words may flow a little too easily. If you promise the world, you better be ready to deliver.

If the January new moon was about setting intentions for acting in the collective realm and offering the world your gifts, the February new moon, on the 21st, is about connecting to the spiritual realm. With the sun newly in Pisces and Neptune nearby, this is a powerful time to get in touch with higher realities. It is through our spiritual connections that all our actions on the material plane are aligned with our greatest purpose. Try to take some time before and after this new moon to meditate, dream, and fantasize. The experiences you have may not be immediately relevant to your life, but this is a time to plant seeds in the imagination.

Going within may be the best option around the 23rd, when Mercury opposes Mars. Words may be sharp, but intentions unclear, with this pair on opposite sides of the zodiac. The 25th through the 28th feature a more constructive set of aspects, with the sun having meetings with Jupiter and Pluto. This is a time to get moving on intentions set at the new moon.