Cosmic Weather Report for January 2021
Mountain Stargazer
By Catie Cadge
Welcome to the Santa Cruz Cosmic Weather Report – Evolutionary Astrology of the moment, your moment in time, our collective moment of change!
Wow! We dive into a New Year with plenty of hopes and dreams for 2021, a year to recover and restore our balance and our sanity, a time to rejoice as the Covid tunnel of darkness seems to open onto new horizons. There is still plenty of Saturn hard work ahead, but a bright light of Jupiter leads us forward into a fresh beginning, a new dawn.
Last month’s big conjunction at 0˚ Aquarius – the now famous “Christmas star” – of Jupiter and Saturn continues into January as the two planets are still together by orb (a 3-degree range) through mid-January. Jupiter, the King of the gods, planet of expansion, growth, vitality, and confidence, meets Saturn, the great task-master, the planet of self-discipline and effort. Jupiter is a faster moving planet than Saturn. By January 15th, Jupiter is at 6˚Aquarius, while Saturn will only be at 3˚. Look to see if you have planets, angles, or critical points in your birthchart in early Aquarius. You might also consider the early degrees of fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio, as well as early degrees of the air signs, as the planets will form a trine, 120˚.
Two very different archetypes coming together represent a powerful opportunity to take hold of potential for real and substantial growth in some part of your life, represented by the natal house location in your chart of the conjunction. But this chance requires a mature response, a claiming of one’s fate or destiny. A strong response to this conjunction is seizing the moment by not falling victim to limitations that block us. Strive ahead and do not let depression or defeat win the day.
Saturn is very strong in Aquarius, one of two signs the planet rules. Something about this conjunction suggests novelty and innovation of an Aquarian revolutionary and rebel nature; perhaps we envision new technology, new ways of engaging our minds with genius insight, new modes of building a more inclusive and just community. Co-ruler of Aquarius is Uranus, who enters the picture strongly this month as well.
The energy of the big conjunction will be made all the more evident, because both planets form a square to Uranus in Taurus after the New Year, Jupiter exactly at 6˚, Aquarius the third week of January. Uranus is at 6˚ Taurus the whole month due to retrograde motion. Many people are familiar with the concept of retrogradation, due to the popularity of the now famous Mercury retrograde, a perceived backward motion of the planet. Uranus has been moving retrograde since the middle of last August. The planet slows down now, stops, and stations direct early morning January 14th, about a day after the New Moon in Capricorn. This New Moon will conjunct Pluto, at 23-24˚Capricorn, a powerful spot echoing the exact location of so many previous astrological events, obstacles, and challenges we all experienced throughout 2020. Our New Moon meditation can be for a birth of new structures, literally and figuratively, rising from the ashes of our pandemic year. Meanwhile, planets that station direct, such as Uranus now, are particularly potent as their impact is felt stronger than at other times. Mars, a quick-moving trigger, will be right there as well at 3˚ Taurus. We may see sudden changes or surprise events that can offer possibilities in our lives, challenge us to respond to our own creative impulses and our changing values. Also look to see where Uranus moves by transit in your birthchart.
We see the faster moving planet Mercury entering Aquarius on January 8th, and the Sun on January 19th. They serve as triggers, hitting the degrees of Jupiter and Saturn and helping to spark the energies already at play. When the Sun and Jupiter are conjunct at 9˚ Aquarius, on January 28th, we have a Full Moon. Moon at 9˚Leo, will oppose the Sun and Jupiter, still in a square with Mars and Uranus in Taurus – time to roar through self-expression and let the dreams and hard work shine! Wishing everyone a great month and many blessings for a fabulous 2021!
Catie Cadge is a master-certified Evolutionary Astrologer and is the Dean of Instruction for the Forrest Center for Evolutionary Astrology. Read about Catie and her work at http://www.caraevolutionaryastrology.com/about.
