Astro Notes for New Moon in Aquarius monthly cycle (January 29-February 28)
Yawn. Stretch. Blink blink. For many people, although the (calendar) year begins on January 1, it doesn't really get going until February. This year, January may have felt especially sluggish since Mars, the planet of action and drive, and Jupiter, the planet of growth and expansion, were moving retrograde, correlating with a more reflective period of inward preparation for the momentous changes to come. In the context of this historic year when everything changes, this may have felt for many like a period of (relative) calm before the storm.
Over the course of this month's new moon cycle, we will come out of this extended period of introspection, and enter the slipstream of historic transformation.
To be sure, with Mars still moving retrograde until February 23, the forward momentum we are likely to experience will take place primarily on the level of vision rather than concrete action. But the seeds of intention we plant now will carry the numinous power of the new era dawning. In the months ahead, those seeds will sprout into visible form.
The new moon in Aquarius on January 29 is the first Aquarian new moon since Pluto entered that sign for good in November last year. As such, it represents a launching pad -- an ignition moment -- for the fresh, futuristic energies of the Pluto in Aquarius period (2024-2044). At 9 degrees of Aquarius, it forms a broad conjunction with Pluto (2 degrees Aquarius) and a close trine with Jupiter at 11 degrees Gemini, indicating the presence of powerful and expansive support for the visionary energies of Aquarius, especially in the realm of ideas. It's a seed moment for an entire era -- rather than moving too quickly into action, just pay attention to the quality of the energetic potential you sense at this time, along with any new ideas that come in that carry the vibration of the new energy.
On January 12 this year, the Lunar Nodes changed signs, with the North Node entering Pisces and the South Node moving into Virgo. When the North Node passes through the mystical sign of Pisces -- which it will do until mid-2026 -- the leading-edge of human consciousness becomes connected to Piscean ideals of transcendent love and trust in the divine unfolding.
In the first week of February, the North Node will form a conjunction with Neptune and Venus at 28 degrees Pisces. This transit represents a very profound moment of karmic completion and spiritual renewal. Conjunctions between the North Node and Neptune in Pisces are extremely rare, occurring only once about every 160-180 years. Historically they are associated with movements of spiritual revival and a resurgence of interest generally in non-material dimensions of reality. For example, the last time Neptune and the North Node met in a conjunction in Pisces was 1858, when Transcendentalist thinkers like Emerson and Thoreau were at the height of their influence, and the Spiritualist Movement, involving seances and spirit communication, flourished in England and America. It will be fascinating to observe what kinds of spiritual movements might arise in conjunction with this transit in our times.
From February 1-3, the North Node and Neptune are joined by Venus, the planet of love, making this profound transit more personal to us. Since this triple conjunction is occurring at 28 degrees Pisces -- the next to last degree of the whole zodiac -- there is a theme here of karmic cycles coming to an end. Soul contracts have been completed, karmic debts paid off, and we are now released to explore our next relational adventures from a new place of freedom. Yet, with Venus involved, there are no hard feelings. The sense of karmic completion feels right to all concerned.
On February 4, Jupiter turns direct at 11 degrees Gemini, having been moving retrograde since October 9 last year. Jupiter represents the principle of growth, success, and happiness. During its retrograde period, we may have been asked to reflect on something within us that gets in the way of our fulfillment and success, and we may have been tested to see if we are ready to expand into the next level of our development. By the time Jupiter moves forward on February 4, hopefully we will have examined the relevant issues and are now poised to advance again toward success and happiness. With Jupiter in information-seeking Gemini, this shift may come with a big download that fills us with renewed confidence in ourselves to move forward and go for our highest vision.
Then when Mars finally moves direct on February 23, our energy, drive, and passion will start to slowly return. While Mars has been moving backwards in Cancer these last couple of months (since December 8), we've been swimming in deep emotional waters, bringing healing to those parts of ourselves that get in the way of our ability to take authentic action. When Mars turns direct on Feburary 23, we will be able to put in motion the plans and strategies we've been developing during the more introspective period of the retrograde, but from a place of deeper emotional authenticity.
In the final five days of this new moon monthly cycle -- from February 23 to 28 -- all of the planets will be moving forward. Although this will not last for long (Venus moves retrograde on March 1 and Mercury follows soon thereafter), it will feel like a boon to be carried forward by the universe after such a long period of patient inward preparation. We are truly in the slipstream now, the final push out of the birth canal, hurtling toward the true birth moment of the dawning Aquarian Age.
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