At the beginning of a global New Year, it’s useful to review the energy, both at the start of the year & then to get a bird’s eye view into the end of the year.
One interesting feature is that we begin January 2022 with Venus RX in Capricorn & a Uranus RX in Taurus, & we end 2022 with Mercury RX in Capricorn, Mars RX in Gemini & the outer, Uranus RX in Taurus. More on this later.
Following are the dates when the planets make their stations in 2022:
As always, the mundane New year begins with the Sun transiting Capricorn & ends with the Sun transiting Capricorn. This year, the Capricorn energy is underlined with Mercury, Venus & Pluto all joining the Sun in that energy. The Venus RX further focuses on this practical, no-nonsense energy. This same union of planetary energies duplicates itself at the end of the year with the ruler, Saturn in Aquarius leading the way & Venus in direct motion. The suggestion is that we take charge of our personal reality by aligning with higher principles (Aquarius) & being clear-eyed & methodical (Capricorn) as we take action to transform that reality to better reflect who we have become, who we are becoming. No small task but a necessary one. The truth that is revealed as Venus retrogrades at the beginning of the year (2022) will be an important factor in our lives by the end of the year (2022). Scrutinize yourself carefully as you do your own personal soul-searching.
Mercury will retrograde 4X this year, all in the AIR/EARTH elements. Find the following points in your own chart & note what part of your psyche will be involved in the retrograde period. Note the dates for the 4 retrogrades & put a reminder in your calendar so that you are consciously aware as the energy begins to shift. If you have sensitive points in AIR/EARTH signs, you may experience these retrogrades more intensely but consciousness is key at all times. And remember, if you do not experience the energy shift in the same way that others may, do not panic. Everyone interfaces with the energy around them uniquely. Some retrogrades may feel like a bomb within your psyche while others manifest like a tickling feather. The key is to learn to identify how YOU feel it without comparing it to what others are describing.
First RX
Jan 14, 2022 RX @ 11* Aquarius (I am rounding up)
Feb 3, 2022 SD @ 25* Capricorn
There is a period of time referred to as the ‘SHADOW’ period pre & post the stations when Mercury travels through the degrees involved in the actual retrograde. These periods are about 2-3 weeks in length on either side & the recommendation is that we maintain our awareness so as to counteract any irregularities that might occur. Think of the pre & post periods as the beginning of the swell of the wave & the ebb of the wave of energy. How any individual will react during these & the actual retrograde periods is entirely dependent on the structure of your own personal psyche so don’t get ahead of yourself with anxiety over Mercury RX. Use these periods PROACTIVELY to re-imagine, re-think, review, reconsider, retract & any of the other ‘re’ words that apply in YOUR life.
Mercury is comfortable in Aquarius where he has loads of room to imagine & speculate, devise & do some long-term visioning. The significant ‘re’ word for this RX is RE-IMAGINE. Those of you who have been born with this placement are the free, unfettered BIG THINKERS of our world. Some of you cannot only imagine the future that awaits us but also create strategies (Saturn co-rules Aquarius) to bring that future into form. As Mercury dips back into Capricorn, we get the extra bit of constructive help to take any ideas that have been percolating & whip them into workable protocols.
The 2nd Mercury RX period occurs as follows:
May 10. 2022 RX @ 5* Gemini
June 2, 2022 SD @ 27* Taurus
This is one of Mercury’s home signs where he finds free reign to explore & investigate anything that catches his interest. The dip back into Taurus provides some grounding & stabilizing. The big ‘re’ word for a Geminian retrograde is RETHINK. Make sure that any flights of fancy are firmly attached to some solid ground!
The 3rd RX period is:
September 9, 2022 RX @ 9* Libra
October 2, 2022 SD @ 25* Virgo
If you have a significant amount of Libra energy, this retrograde could cause a measure of irritation. Libra naturally tends to waffle between alternate approaches & the retrograde further intensifies the ambiguity. The proactive aspect of a retrograde here is that if something is still unresolved, here is an opportunity to revisit all previous negotiations & RE-BALANCE so as to find a better-negotiated compromise. Was something overlooked? Could something have been more clearly articulated so that an understanding could be reached? The dip back into Virgo allows for a careful search into all of the relevant data so that a workable healing solution is finally accomplished.
The 4th RX period is:
December 29, 2022 RX @ 25* Capricorn
January 18, 2023 SD @ 9* Capricorn
With the last RX period that begins at the very end of the year, the retrograde of Mercury will fall within the EARTH element for 2023 until the last retrograde when Fire is involved. Whatever is on the table at the end of 2022 will have the chance to be thoroughly vetted under the relentless Saturnian assessment of Capricorn. Expect some interesting developments as Mercury first flirts with Uranus in Taurus (TRINE) throughout January 2023 & then reaches Pluto (CONJUNCTION) in early February 2023.
VENUS RX
December 18, 2021
SRX @ 27* Capricorn
January 29, 2022
SD @ 12* Capricorn
Venus starts the year retrograding through Capricorn & ends the year Direct in Capricorn. As previously mentioned, this is all about workable, useful & practical values to give us a solid foundation for the choices that we make & the goals that we set. We are living in a time period when it is absolutely essential that we are clear-eyed & hard-headed. We must find a rock on which to build our future, not the shifting sand.
Mars bolts into the New Year in zesty Sagittarius; gallops through half of the Zodiac & ends up in Gemini in full retrograde mode. Whenever Mars retrogrades, it’s time to catch our collective breath & re-charge our operating systems whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Mars stations RX in Gemini on October 30, 2022, @ 26*, turning direct in Gemini on January 12, 2023 @ 9*. Because Mars describes active implementational energy, we need to monitor that part of our system during this time period. Actively work HARD to stay calm as Gemini is nervy energy when reactively agitated. Drink lots of water & maintain a balance within the body. Body balance contributes to mental balance which then facilitates emotional balance. And, of course, keep on track spiritually. Check in with yourself and ensure that your external active reality is in sync with your internal perceptive reality. It is easy for things to go off the rails when rapid-fire thinking & expression are being churned up & around. Watch your words AT ALL TIMES. Once said, they can never be unsaid. Really consider whether it is worth saying something before letting it loose. The retrograde ‘stall’ can help with restraint. Just because you think it, does not mean it is true. If it is even remotely possible that it is not true, should you even consider saying it? HMMMM…
In a way, when Mars retrogrades through Gemini, hasty action is somewhat abated. Even though we might get a sense of wanting to just ‘do it’, something within us tells us to slow it down & review our plan of action. The worst thing that can happen is that we might ‘stub our toe’ as we stop ourselves from moving…LOL
Jupiter will spend his time in Pisces & Aries in 2022.
January 1, 2022 1* Pisces
May 11, 2022 enters Aries
July 28, 2022 stations RX, 9* Aries
October 29, 2022 re-enter Pisces in RX mode
November 23, 2022 stations direct 29* Pisces
December 21, 2022 re-enters Aries in direct motion
December 30, 2022 2* Aries
Jupiter is generally regarded as a positive energy. The concept here is EXPANSION. In most cases, we want growth & increase. Our job is to ensure that what is being increased is something that we WANT in our lives. If we have fallen into a negative space, transiting Jupiter could expand that negativity so keep your eyes on your figurative PRIZE. Make sure that you clean house in the part of your life that falls in the Pisces/Aries section of your chart. Do you have significant placements in those signs? What houses are involved? This can be a wonderful transit if we work with the abundance principle of Jupiter.
If you were born with Jupiter in Pisces, this is your Jupiter return year, a 12-ish year loop on the spiral of becoming that can be used to re-set the aspirational aspects of your life. Where do you want to be in about 10-12 years?
What needs to be done BY YOU, so that you can get close to your goal? Making a vision board around these themes can be a very useful project & particularly in sync with Jupiter in Pisces as this is one of the most delightful placements anyone can have, full of magic! Those of you who have Jupiter in Aries should also engage in a creative vision board project but the emphasis here is on action, courage & personal initiative. While the vision board for the Jupiter in Pisces people is all pastel & dreamy, you Jupiter in Aries people will want to fill your picture with bold bright images that inspire you to action.
Saturn continues his transit of Aquarius.
January 1, 2022 12* Aquarius
June 4, 2022 stations RX @ 26* Aquarius
October 23, 2022 stations direct @ 19 * Aquarius
December 31, 2022 23* Aquarius
Since Aquarius is one of the ‘home’ signs for Saturn, the re-constructive work continues but now the shift is from the present (Capricorn) & into the future (Aquarius). The irregularities that we have all had to face as more and more was revealed over the past 2 years, now require some long-term planning in order to be corrected. It is becoming increasingly difficult for us to keep our ‘rose-coloured’ glasses on in the face of all of the hidden corruption, now revealed. What kind of future reality does any of us want? Is this current reality sustainable? What are the solutions to our current state of affairs? From government mismanagement to social unrest to economic upheaval, it’s ALL on the table. As a collective, we must be certain that what we are building has a chance of surviving.
Uranus is now midway through Taurus:
January 1, 2022: RX @ 11* Taurus
January 18, 2022 SD @ 11* Taurus
August 24, 2022 RX @ 19* Taurus
December 31, 2022 RX @ 16* Taurus
The shift to our collective organic sense of being is continuing. Find these degrees in your own personal chart & reflect on how things have changed in that part of your life over the past few years. Uranus will finish his transit of Taurus in 2026 so we have a few more years of potential stomach-churning chaos to get through. Keep focused on the fact that once the chaos subsides, what is left is something of greater value than what had been there previously.
Neptune continues to transit Pisces.
January 1, 2022 direct @ 21* Pisces
June 28, 2022 RX @ 26* Pisces
December 4, 2022 SD @ 23* Pisces
December 31, 2022 direct @ 23* Pisces (It takes a while for the energy to get moving after a retrograde.)
The confusion that many are feeling about the global situation is directly related to this long transit of Neptune through Pisces. Again, whether you are compliant or contrarian, the fact is that everything is not as it seems. Everyone is finding it challenging to DEFINE what is actually going on & when someone does come up with an explanation, any number of others jump up to offer a counter explanation. There is definitely a virus present amongst us, no question. But, is it a virus of the flesh or a virus of the psyche? Or both? Neptune CLOUDS the mind. Neptunian energy can obstruct one from actually thinking CRITICALLY. This can be the energy of suggestion, deceit & confusion. When one is confused, uncertain, open to suggestions, one can reactively become FEARFUL. The UNKNOWN can be frightening. The call to action is to default to whatever is YOUR version of the DIVINE. With “GOD”, all things are possible. That is the way to get through this ongoing nebulous Neptune transit. Oh, & to take all precautions physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually to keep yourself free from CONTAGION, however you think it is present in your life. Neptune will begin his ‘burn off’ of the clouds of Pisces in 2025 when he sticks his toe into Aries. Expect a resurgence of clarity around that time, an infusion of courage.
Finally, our little friend, Pluto:
January 1, 2022 direct @ 26* Capricorn
April 29, 2022 RX @ 29* Capricorn
October 8, 2022 SD @ 27* Capricorn
December 31, 2022 direct @ 28* Capricorn
The structure of our collective reality has been forever altered. Life will never be the same again. That is not a pessimistic thought. Rather it is a fact that we can work with or not as we choose. The key to natural survival is ADAPTATION. We all have to adapt to the changing times. As Pluto prepares to shift into Aquarius in 2023, we all have the opportunity to review what we can do to better align to the changes in our world. How are we choosing to live? Are we consuming less? Are we giving more? Are we mindful & respectful of our fellow beings on this planet? How can we do more in this respect? Do we engage in geopolitical action? When we vote, do we actually KNOW what we are voting for, or are we just following the sound bites of the propaganda media? Do your research. Take in information FROM ALL SIDES OF ANY ISSUE. Capricorn is ALL about personal responsibility, taking charge & making a stand. Do not be a sheeple. Be a GOAT!
Let’s not forget ECLIPSE SEASON. There will be 4 eclipses during 2022, all across the TAURUS/SCORPIO polarity.
April 30, 2022
PARTIAL SOLAR @ 11* TAURUS
MAY 15, 2022
TOTAL LUNAR @ 26* SCORPIO
OCTOBER 25, 2022
PARTIAL SOLAR @ 3* SCORPIO
NOVEMBER 8, 2022
TOTAL LUNAR @ 16* TAURUS
Eclipses are the indicators of needed shift. Wherever they fall in your own personal natal chart is where a change must be initiated. Solar eclipses tend to be more external in nature while the Lunar ones tend to be more internal. Both augur potential for RELEASE & RECOVERY. A solar eclipse can create a ‘peak’ experience that leads to freedom & growth. A lunar eclipse can peel away layers of emotional reactivity that initially feels scary but ultimately allows a truer version of the emotional self to emerge. Not every eclipse will bring about significant changes. It all depends on the unique structure of YOUR energy grid so find the above points & meditate on what exactly is going on in that area of your chart. At the very least, doing this exercise could trigger awareness in you that you previously did not have. 2022 eclipses will be particularly significant for the Taurus/Scorpio folks & their FIXED ENERGY friends (the square aspect). But, of course, all energy is connected by the web of life so make sure to dig into these points in your own chart even if you are not in the above category
To re-cap, as the New Year gets off to a start, most of the planets are in Direct Motion; as mentioned Venus is retrograde in Capricorn & Uranus is almost at a standstill as he prepares to turn direct in Taurus.
The Station Direct Degree for Uranus is 10* 49” Taurus; (round that up to 11*). This point is characterized within the Sabian symbols by the image: A WOMAN WATERING FLOWERS IN HER GARDEN (TAURUS) & A DROWNING MAN IS BEING RESCUED (SCORPIO).
(editor’s note: When deciphering the subtle message of the Sabian Oracle, it is useful to look at the polarity energies since they are two parts of an ongoing sentence.)
Contained within these two images is the concept of SURVIVAL, GROWTH, A BLOSSOMING OF LIFE. On the one hand, we are encouraged to take action—the watering of the flowering garden while on the other hand, we are being told that aid is on the way. As Uranus continues to re-organize the natural world (literally & symbolically), we can hold on to the fact that life will continue, even flourish & that we are not alone in the midst of the swells of the sea. Uranus has been moving through the 2nd DECANATE of Taurus, 10*-19*59”, the VIRGO DECANATE.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The DECANATE system divides each 30* ‘sign’ into 3 parts, ascribing to these 3 parts the 3 zodiac signs that form the particular elemental group in question. Using Taurus as an example, the 1st of the 3 sections (0*-9*59”) is Taurus/Taurus; the 2nd section (10*00”-19*59”) is Taurus/Virgo; the 3rd & final section (20*00”- 29*59”) is Taurus/ Capricorn. The signs are always read according to the NATURAL WHEEL in the order that they proceed therein counter clockwise around the wheel starting at any of the signs.)
The Virgo undercurrent demands that we sort through the chaos & begin to separate the wheat from the chaff. Modern life has given us much. Not all of it should be discarded. And yet, a lot of us have the sense that something is off-balance, whether organically, socially, emotionally or spiritually. Our relationship to the Earth, our MOTHER, is precarious. Often, we cannot connect with our fellow travelers even to somewhat understand what they are trying to communicate. Relationships are being challenged on every front. And, for a lot of us, we have lost our FAITH so that we are like a rudderless ship on an angry sea. Back in the 1960’s it was clever to say that ‘GOD WAS DEAD’. I say, God is not dead; it is we who are dead to God. No matter what the precepts of your belief system are, the critical element is that YOU HAVE A BELIEF SYSTEM and hang onto it with all of your might as it is the single thing that will save you from complete & utter desolation. As Paul, the Reluctant Apostle said:
“FAITH IS THE ASSURED EXPECTATION OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENT DEMONSTRATION OF REALITIES THOUGH NOT BEHELD.” HEB: 11:1
It is Faith that enables us to start each day with an expectation & it is Faith that assures us that the expectation can be realized. That is what we need to cultivate deep within ourselves as we begin this New Year, 2022.
The January 1, 2022 event chart also has Mars in Sagittarius closely aligned to the transiting Moon & ruled by a newly formed Jupiter in Pisces. We need to locate our inner truth & hold to it no matter the cost.
The formerly mentioned Venus RX in Capricorn closely aligns to Pluto (now direct), demanding that we look inward & transform anything that inhibits our honest expression of what we hold to be of value. For some of us, this will be a refining process while others may be undergoing a challenging shift in their own sense of value & worth.
Transiting Mercury in Capricorn oversees this personal process by inserting a dispassionate, matter of fact sort of attitude as we dig into the foundations of our reality & test it out. If it ain’t working, then throw it out! If you think it might still be useful, shake off the cobwebs & prime it up. It can be a tedious process to review what we think is valuable, what is still worth keeping & yet, if we do not do this on a regular basis, we can become inundated with clutter that does not contribute in any worthwhile way. With Uranus RX in Taurus in trine to the Sun in Capricorn on this first day of the New Year, we are open to new strategies, unusual approaches & out of the box solutions to any & all situations that are present in our lives and the changes are coming from deep within our own psyches. We, all of us, know that a change MUST be made whether we are consciously aware of it or not. For the compliant amongst us, this could be like a deep sense of unease that something is not quite right while for the contrarians, there is more likely a sense of impatience & anxiety as to how long this circus around us is going to continue.
The chart has a Libra Ascendant, ruler Venus RX in Capricorn in the 4th, underlining the focus on inner reflection so as to bring balance to our reality. Where can we find common ground with those around us? Where can we compromise so as to create peace & unity? How can we LISTEN more intently to the words of ‘the other’ so as to better understand where they are coming from. Libra is the energy of conciliation & peace. There is a deep longing within the collective consciousness to find a pathway into a peace that will unite. The last few years have been brutal in terms of disunity, divisiveness & even blatant hatred of one another. It must stop. We must find the compassion of forgiveness which is the only thing that will heal this broken bond between us. Hopefully, all of us, individually, will work hard to find a place of common purpose with those around us. It must begin with respect for one another & the different choices that are made by each of us. There is & never has been a SINGLE SOLUTION to any situational problem & this is even more true for the problem that now faces the global community.
As already mentioned, the Moon & Mars are closely aligned in Sagittarius, suggesting zesty emotional energy to fuel us as we work towards a reality that is more coherent, more loving, more peace-oriented. Sagittarius will not be deterred from its quest & in this case, the quest is worth the effort! With the ruler, Jupiter, now situated in Pisces, the underlining energy demands that we focus on natural divine law as we attempt to sort through the issues that we face. Fight for freedom, both for yourself & for those around you. Think long & hard as to what that actually means. Don’t be bamboozled by those who have agendas that involve vast sums of money, power & control.
This coming year, the great God, Jupiter will mostly occupy Pisces. Compassion. Peace. Forgiveness. Unconditional Love. If we exercise or at least, attempt to exercise Unconditional Love for the life that shares this planet with us, we will find a way to forgive the sins that we & those around us commit. If we find Compassion within our hearts & send it out to the life forms that share this planet with us, we will find a path into Peace, the peace that surpasses all thought & forms an unbreakable bond between us all.