Astrological Forecast for January 2008

Happy New Year!

2008 is a year of transition, with Pluto moving into Capricorn at the end of January, then back into Sagittarius in June, and finally returning to Capricorn in November, where he’ll remain until 2023. This slowest-moving planet signals deep changes in whatever area of life he touches, and in Capricorn the focus will be on resources, government, and other institutions. Capricorn is an earth sign, and so the effects tend to be felt in very concrete terms.

Pluto always "casts a shadow before him" and we can already see that we’ve begun to focus on resources and the environment. Particularly for those of us in America, this is likely to mean some rough times, as we’re really inclined to put the "scare" in "scarcity." Energy costs are one concern, obviously, as we’ve become used to consuming enormous amounts of power to fuel our lifestyle. Over the last decade or so, we’ve built larger and larger houses, and have become accustomed to driving trucks instead of cars, decisions which may be very hard to support in the coming years. Our consumption of other resources is also a concern, from the forests we destroy to the water we pollute with our consumerism. And what about water? What will we do if this most precious resource becomes scarce?

Pluto works by bringing us to extremes, although subtly. If we play our cards right, we will make some radical transformations on our own. On the other hand, if we are determined to follow the creed that "the American lifestyle is not negotiable," then we are likely to find ourselves actually increasing our consumption and really making a display of our lack of concern for the environment. With Pluto, we’re always free to do things the hard way or the harder way. The last time Pluto was in this sign, the American revolution took place. This means that the United States will have it’s "Pluto Return" (Pluto coming back to the same place in the zodiac it was in 1776) in 2022. The time leading up to this point is likely to be one of evaluation and reevaluation of the structures of our government, with the focus not so much on the ideals but the actual offices and authority which they have. Of course, it’s not all about America, and we’ll be seeing these same issues played out all over the world. We’ve already seen some evidence of this in protests against authoritarian governments in Burma and Pakistan.

Pay attention to January 25th, and see what stories are in the news. It will be a clue to Pluto’s stay in the sign of the sea-goat.

Late in 2008, we’ll have the first in a series of oppositions between Saturn and Uranus. The last time these two planets were in opposition was also during the 1960’s. Saturn represents structure and an overall conservative attitude, while Uranus is about innovation and change, so it’s obvious these two celestial figures don’t get along too well with each other. Saturn seeks to limit individuality and change, while Uranus seeks to revolutionize structures that have outlived their usefulness. The result? Think 1968, although of course many things are different this time around, astrologically and otherwise.

Looking to January itself, this month has a few aspects which are consistent with this year’s overall energy. Retrograde Mars opposes Pluto on the 2nd, a day when buried anger and other powerful emotions are likely to surface. Venus is square to Saturn on the 6th, contrasting our desire for fun and romance with a need to see the bottom line. Such practical considerations won’t last too long, however, as Venus goes on to square Uranus on the 12th and oppose Mars on the 19th. Those aspects signal a week when we’re very like to push ahead in relationships with an energetic impulsivity. Venus likes to maintain decorum, but that’s less of an issue for her now that she’s in high-flying Sagittarius. Her last aspect in this sign is on the 24th, when she meets up with Pluto. This meeting signals a time when we can get down to the bare bones of a relationship, and really know and express what we want and need. Overall, the relationship pattern for January is one of getting what we want or getting free from limitations we can’t abide.

Mercury is going retrograde on the 28th. For the next three weeks, expect communication foul-ups, and try to avoid buying electronics or a car. But you know the drill by now.

Mars stops to go direct on the 30th. The planet of war and, more optimistically, assertiveness, has been moving backwards in the zodiac since November 15th. His forward motion indicates that we’re ready to put our efforts into new projects. The day of the station itself, however, is likely to have a tense feel to it, with people too ready to fight over even the smallest of issues. Be especially careful on the roads.

Lest you think January is all serious business, the Full Moon, on the 22nd, is in the sign of Leo. This is the party Moon of the year, although it does fall on a Tuesday. Still, there’s no rule that says you can’t have fun on a Tuesday night in January.

Things are moving fast in January. A good thing to keep in mind is that while change doesn’t necessarily mean progress, it also doesn’t necessarily mean cat-astrophe. Maintaining a positive attitude of compassion and peace towards whatever we face individually or collectively won’t solve all our problems, but it will make things much easier.

Once again, Happy New Year.