Category Archives: Transits

Full Moon in Sagittarius

On Saturday, June 3rd, at 11:40 pm Eastern, there will be a full moon at 13 degrees of Sagittarius (opposite the sun in Gemini). 

Sagittarius is a Jupiter-ruled fire sign. It’s about learning and exploration and spirituality and travel, and Jupiter is the planet of expansion and amplification. Full moons are always emotional and a time for release, but in a Jupiter-ruled sign, the emotions are going to be even bigger and more amplified than with other full moons. You may feel an intense desire to embark on Sagittarian-type activities. This full moon will likely be marked by a strong need to explore. 

Jupiter is currently in Taurus and is answering to Venus (the planet that rules Taurus), so this full moon is also likely to have Venusian themes, with a focus on relationships, love, and money. Venus is currently at the late degrees of Cancer and approaching an opposition to Pluto, still at 0 degrees Aquarius. That energy will be felt around the time of this full moon. 

Oppositions generally mark culminations or turning points, and with Venus opposite Pluto, the planet of transformation, you may experience some deep and long-lasting changes at this time. Venus-Pluto aspects can feel a little obsessive. This may tie into the Sagittarian themes, so a positive manifestation of this full moon may be an intense drive to learn more about a topic that interests you or to book a trip far afield. However, the energy of the full moon could also potentially manifest in feelings of jealousy and insecurity. You might be convinced your partner is keeping something from you, or you may be the one hiding something. Even in friendships and family relationships, we may be feeling extra sensitive, or power struggles can present themselves.

With the full moon in Sagittarius, a sign that is very much about truths, opposite the sun in Gemini, which is all about talking, there will likely be some secrets revealed. It should be an interesting weekend. 

Gemini Season: Time to Talk

The sun moved into Gemini on May 21st. Gemini is a mutable air sign. Air signs are generally associated with thinking and intelligence, and ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication, Gemini is quick-witted and loves to talk. Gemini placements mentally process through conversation. With Gemini, the wheels are always turning, the thoughts always rapid fire. (For Bravo watchers, Sam on this season of Summer House is a triple Gemini and exhibits the Gemini “gift of gab” with gusto.)

People with Gemini placements are inquisitive and ask a lot of questions, but they don’t always dive deep because they’re already thinking about the next thing while you’re answering them. Whereas Sagittarius is about in-depth learning, Gemini loves to learn but wants it pithy. Geminis love tips and tricks.

This ability to assess something quickly and move on to the next thing lends to the duality that’s associated with Gemini. The sign is symbolized by the twins and the tarot card of the lovers. Geminis can get a bad rap because unevolved Geminis can seem like they have two disparate sides to them, but Geminis are multi-faceted. Their thoughts and moods change frequently, so they can be hot, then cold, then hot again. They are also easily persuaded by a good argument, so they are malleable in their opinions. They get bored easily, which can lead to an aversion to commitment. Gemini is about options!

With the sun in Gemini, we’re encouraged to be seekers of information. Ask all the questions and cut through red tape. Release attachments to sunk costs. If something isn’t working, move on to the next. 

Gemini season always brings a buzziness with it. In the Northern Hemisphere, it coincides with the transition from spring to summer, and there’s always a charge in the air, possibility, choices, plans, movement. 

Depending on your sun and/or rising sign, this is where you’ll see the Gemini-ness of it all play out over the next few weeks, until the Summer Solstice brings the beginning of Cancer season. 

Gemini & Gemini Rising: This is your time of year! You’ll be feeling extra energized this month. For Gemini suns, this will be especially potent around your birthday (aka your solar return), and for Gemini risings, it will likely feel like sustained energy throughout Gemini season. Use it to get things done, make it about you, and do the things you want to do. 

Cancer & Cancer Rising: You may be feeling some energy and focus around delving a little bit into your subconscious at this time. You may feel compelled to do some shadow work, which with the sun in Gemini, may be best done through talking things out (e.g., with a therapist).

Leo & Leo Rising: Gemini season brings a focus on hanging out with friends. You’ll feel even more social than you already are, and you’ll be energized by surrounding yourself with people you like during this time. 

Virgo & Virgo Rising: This is a prime season for thinking about your career. As a Virgo, which, like Gemini, is ruled by Mercury, Virgos have a love of words. It’s time to communicate your desires and strengths in your professional world, and if you’re looking to make a change or a step up, update your CV.

Libra & Libra Rising: Mercury retrograde is over, so it’s a great time to book that big trip you’ve been fantasizing about. You may also find yourself wanting to learn more about things that interest you during this time, so you’d be well served by signing up for classes, workshops, or webinars over the next few weeks. 

Scorpio & Scorpio Rising: You may be a bit more focused on your ledger this month, especially your investments and your debts. Gemini is all about hacks and shortcuts, so it’s a great time for investigating a few budgeting or Excel tricks you can incorporate into your and your partner’s, if applicable, finances this month.  

Sagittarius & Sag Rising: This is a great time for flirting with your partner if you have one, or others if you don’t (or with others even if you have a partner, if that’s your thing). With the Sun in your 7th house this month, you’ll feel a sense of vigor in your one-on-one verbal exchanges. 

Capricorn & Cap Rising: How can you hack your work routine to make it better, or at least not a slog? Explore shortcuts for your normal routines, and it’s OK if you’re not feeling like you can necessarily commit or focus on one thing very deeply right now. You may be better off scheduling short blocks of time to focus on a task, then move on to the next, then circle back later. 

Aquarius & Aquarius Rising: This is the time to have fun. Make plans for things that you want to do, that bring you joy. It’s also a great time for creative pursuits, especially incorporating communication, writing, or speaking in some way. Write your morning pages this month! 

Pisces & Pisces Rising: Gemini falls in your 4th house of home and family. Have you thought about rearranging your furniture? You may also want to go antiquing or visit a furniture store or look for art for your place during this time. Seeing all the different ways you can beautify your space is a great use of the Gemini sun. This is also a great time for quick check-ins (but not long, deep convos) with your family, which can give you an emotional boost.

Aries & Aries Rising: When the sun is in Gemini, it’s a time for Aries to get out and about. Be out in your neighborhood, explore new coffee shops, bars, stores. Take a different route home. Use the Gemini love of options and choices to try new things. You may even want to take relatively quick trips to explore new cities. 

Taurus & Taurus Rising: Mercury, Gemini’s ruler, is still in your sign until June 11th, so you may want to use the Gemini vibe to think about your wealth and resources and talk through your goals in this area. It could be with a financial coach or advisor, but even if it’s just with friends, speaking your goals and bouncing ideas off of others can serve you well. 

Jupiter in Taurus

On May 16th, Jupiter changes signs and enters earth sign Taurus, where it will stay until May of 2024. 

Taurus is a fixed earth sign ruled by Venus, and it’s associated with money, commerce, the economy, values, resources, materials, stability, and sustenance. Jupiter is the planet of expansion and growth. With Jupiter moving into Taurus, we can expect to see expansion in the areas that Taurus rules. As Jupiter moves through Taurus, though, it will be in conversation with other planets as it moves through Taurus, which will shape its impact.

Right away, as Jupiter first ingresses into Taurus, it will form a square to Pluto, which is currently at 0 degrees Aquarius. When planets form 90 degree angles to each other, there’s tension between them. With Pluto’s movement into Aquarius, we’ve been seeing themes of transformation and regeneration in technology (particularly AI) and movements of collective action. As Pluto forms a tense aspect to Jupiter in Taurus, we can expect to see push-and-pull between the efforts to expand these things and the reactive efforts to tamp them down.

This is further emphasized by Mars, which joins the action as it moves into Leo on May 20th. Mars will be opposite Pluto and forming a square to Jupiter in a configuration called a T-square. The energy will be volatile, and because each planet is in a fixed sign, the conflicts that will arise will be more fraught because of the unmovingness, the unblinkingness, the sheer will of each sign. 

Once Jupiter moves past this initial aspect, its presence becomes a little more chill. That’s until next April, when Jupiter gets to the 21st degree of Taurus and it will form a conjunction with Uranus, the planet of disruption, rebellion, and revolution. Conjunctions represent new cycles, so when Jupiter and Uranus are conjunct in Taurus, we’ll see a new cycle of expansion and disruption in the realms associated with Taurus.

Taurus is about stability, so Jupiter will likely increase the ongoing disruption to stability we’ve been facing since Uranus moved into Taurus. Given that Taurus is an earth sign, there could be literal earthquakes and/or some major climate-related catastrophes. There could also be big changes to the economy, or the value that is assigned to certain things, i.e., currency fluctuations or jolts in the housing market.

It could play out in more positive ways too, though. Disruption and revolution can lead to great things. This transit could coincide with the proliferation and growth of more socialistic movements to check the effects of unbridled capitalism and/or more vocal and mass mobilizations for environmental protection and justice.

Jupiter’s transit through Taurus is a great time for us to examine what we truly value, and to grow our efforts and activism around those values. 

How Jupiter’s time in Taurus will affect you depends on the ways it will interact with your natal planetary placements, but based on your sun and/or rising sign, these are the areas in which you will likely see Jupiter’s influence play out. 

For Taurus & Taurus Rising: Jupiter will be working its way through your first house, the house of self, which relates to our appearances, our personalities, and how we experience the world. Jupiter in the first house can be a great time of personal growth, and because Jupiter is traditionally considered a benefic planet, meaning that its presence is generally thought to be positive, its movement through your first house and/or its proximity to your natal sun can lend to success in your endeavors. It’s an excellent time to hone in on what you really want out of life and take the initiative to make that happen. 

For Gemini & Gemini Rising: Jupiter in your 12th house lends its influence to the realm of your shadow self, your subconscious, and your mental health. This can help with matters of your mental wellness or growth in this area through meditation, therapy, or other practices. When Jupiter is squaring Pluto at the very beginning of its journey through Taurus, you may experience some crises or moments of conflict that affect your mental health or awaken buried parts of your psyche, but ultimately as Jupiter progresses, so will your outlook. 

For Cancer & Cancer Rising: When Jupiter transitions from your 10th house, where it has been in Aries this year, into your 11th house, it’s time to take the career goals you honed in on and act on making those hopes and dreams a reality. The 11th house is also the house of friends and community, so you’ll likely see some growth in these areas over the next year. You may shed some friends whose values don’t align with yours, but you’ll likely feel more compelled to put yourself out there socially and feel more at ease than usual doing so, which could help bring your goals to fruition. 

For Leo & Leo Rising: Jupiter will be transiting through your 10th house of career and legacy. The 10th house isn’t always just career focused, but it deals with the imprint we ultimately make on the world. With Jupiter, a benefic and the planet of growth, in this house, it’s an exciting year for you. You may see yourself getting a promotion and raise, or being elevated in a way that brings you accolades or renown in your field. If you aren’t loving your career trajectory, it can also mark the beginning of a time of exploration for you, where you may take the initial steps toward figuring out what you actually want to do or transitioning to a career that matches your passions. 

For Virgo & Virgo Rising: With Jupiter in your 9th house, you will likely deepen your interest in learning, and you may be asked to teach in some way. Once Jupiter moves further from the square it’s making with Pluto, it’s also a good time for long-distance travel. You may find yourself with an increased sense of wanderlust over the next year, and quenching it through some far-flung travel will be enlightening and feed your need to study.

For Libra & Libra Rising: The transit of Jupiter through your 8th house over the next year could bring about a few different things. The 8th house deals with resources, as Taurus also does, but it’s those resources we receive from others or owe to them. It’s inheritances and debts, and it’s also transformation. So you may experience some changes and growth on a psychological level. You may also see your partner’s income or resources increase, or you could receive some money that’s been owed to you. Jupiter is generally considered a benefic, or a positive planet that helps with success, but depending on what it’s doing in your chart, it could expand your debts as well, so this is a good year to be careful when managing your own and your partner’s and/or family’s finances. 

For Scorpio & Scorpio Rising: Jupiter will be moving through your 7th house, which will see an expansion of your partnerships. If you are in a relationship, you may feel renewed investment in that relationship and it’s generally a harmonious time (save for Jupiter’s interactions with Pluto at the beginning of its transit). You may also build other partnerships during this time, either business collaborations or other one-on-one relationships. If you’re not currently attached, you may be beginning a new romantic relationship at this time, or if you’re at the early stages, this is when you may get more serious or take that relationship to its next stage. 

For Sagittarius & Sagittarius Rising: Jupiter’s going to be moving through the area of your chart that deals with the day-to-day work you do, in your job or in caretaking, your co-workers, and your health. You may be taking on increased responsibilities or tasks at work, which one would hope would also lead to an increase in pay or a path to professional development. You could also find yourself increasingly focused on your health, so this is a good time to use Jupiter’s influence to commit to a more healthy lifestyle and/or implement any changes to your routine you have been thinking about or that your body’s been telling you that you need. 

For Capricorn & Capricorn Rising: The 5th house, where Jupiter will be in your chart until May 2024, deals with a few topics: sex and romance, children, creativity, and fun. Embrace joy and leisure time and just doing what you want to do during this transit. If you are single, this is a good time to put yourself out there because you may see some sparks in your love life. If you’re with a partner, it’s a good time for reinvigorating your sex life. You are also likely to find creative and artistic endeavors to be rewarding over the next year. If you do your morning pages, it may lead somewhere. With Jupiter all about expansion, if you’re looking to conceive, you may be more apt to be successful during this period, or you may actually have a child. For those with kids, you may just be spending more quality time with them or find yourself valuing your free time with them more over the next year. 

For Aquarius & Aquarius Rising: Your home and your family will be a focus for the next year, with Jupiter going through the part of your chart that deals with this. You may be buying real estate during this time or moving into a bigger place. You may also see your family expanding in some way, or your relatives and/or the people you live with may see their wealth or resources increase. Jupiter represents abundance, so when it comes to your home and family, this could also mean more abundant love, a compulsion to spend time with the ones you love. 

For Pisces & Pisces Rising: The next year will see some expansion in your communication, and you may feel more energized when it comes to socializing. There will be a buzz around you. Jupiter may also see you traveling a lot because the 3rd house deals with short-distance travel. You might be taking a lot of trips for work or spending the year taking a lot of quick weekend trips to visit friends and/or siblings who live in other cities, and it’s a great time for that. Because Jupiter is a benefit and the 3rd house also encompasses siblings, your siblings may be experiencing some successes or growth during the time that Jupiter is in Taurus. 

For Aries & Aries Rising: Taurus and the second house, which is where Jupiter will be in your chart until May 2024, have overlapping areas of focus: money, resources, and that which we value. Jupiter can signal successes in this realm, so you may find yourself getting a raise or growing your business in a way that increases your income. You may be focused on investing or building your savings accounts now, and it’s a good time to get more focused on your finances and your portfolio. It’s not just money we value, though, so this is also a good time for increased focus on the other things that matter to you. It could be your time, in which case organizing your calendar and ensuring you have more time to spend the way you like can also pay dividends. 

Just a reminder that astrology is for entertainment and is based on subjective interpretation of what’s happening with the planets in the sky. It’s not fortune telling, nor should it be interpreted as such, so take these horoscopes with a grain of salt. 

Big Eclipse Energy

In my post about the eclipse in Aries a couple weeks ago, I noted that while eclipse cycles usually herald transformations in our lives, individual eclipses may not bring big changes immediately. And here I am eating my words because this eclipse was pretty monumental for some. The Aries eclipse had friends of mine giving birth, finding out they were pregnant, getting job offers, and getting engaged. Eclipses also often signal endings, and I said goodbye to my beloved 17-year-old cat, who let us know it was finally her time to go, after two years of being treated for small cell lymphoma. She was elderly and had been sick with a chronic illness, so her death was not a shock, but it was the end of an era.

And now we have a second eclipse looming. There will be a lunar eclipse at 14 degrees of Scorpio on Friday, May 5th. This is the final Scorpio lunar eclipse of the Taurus-Scorpio eclipse series that began in late 2021, so you may see themes that began in your life in late 2021 or early 2022 culminating now.

Scorpio, a fixed water sign, is ruled by Pluto, the planet of death, rebirth, transformation, compulsions, and hidden things. On Monday, May 1st, Pluto stationed retrograde. In its initial dip into Aquarius, it only made it as far as 0 degrees. With Pluto stationing shortly before the eclipse, it will likely intensify the changes that come about during this eclipse, and Pluto and Scorpio aren’t short on intensity to begin with. It could bring some deep emotional catharsis and uncover some deep hidden truths that we either haven’t seen or have been intentionally ignoring. The eclipse is also opposite Uranus, currently in Taurus, which adds to the potential for jolts and shocks. 

Hang in there, and get plenty of rest over the next few days!

Mercury Retrograde in Taurus

Mercury went retrograde last week on April 21st, and before that, it was in its retrograde shadow for a couple weeks, so you may have felt the effects before last Friday. It is retrograde until May 14th. 

A couple things about Mercury retrogrades in general. First, it may be obvious, but Mercury doesn’t actually reverse. It just appears to go backward due to an optical illusion that occurs when the Earth is at its closest to Mercury. This happens 3 to 4 times a year. This article in USA Today explains it clearly and has some nice graphics to illustrate the concept. 

Second, things go a little haywire in the days leading up to, during, and in the days after a Mercury retrograde. Mercury is the planet that rules communication, travel, and technology. When Mercury appears to be retrograde, those areas become a little fraught. Miscommunications abound, emails get sent to the wrong recipients, flights get delayed or canceled, and frustrating tech snafus occur. 

It’s been a matter of days since Mercury stationed retrograde, and already there was a global Microsoft 365 outage, Southwest had a technical issue that grounded their flights for several hours last week, and my mother’s refrigerator died. The days leading up to the retrograde seemed particularly rough this time, with the solar eclipse in the mix. 

However, this Mercury retrograde shouldn’t be any worse than most, and in fact, it may actually not be as bad as some. It’s in an earth sign, as are the other Mercury retrogrades this year, and it’s the fixed earth sign of Taurus, so that makes things a bit more grounded than normal. However, Taurus rules money and resources, so you want to be especially careful with financial transactions this month. Double check your online banking so you don’t either pay the same bill twice or experience some unforeseen tech issue that causes your payment to not go through. That’s the kind of stuff that can occur with Mercury retrograde in Taurus. 

Otherwise, just follow the guidance that applies during any Mercury retrograde: reread your emails before you send them, double check your work, avoid buying any new technology during the retrograde if you can, and if you’re traveling, allow extra time, even if it’s just leaving for the subway a few minutes earlier than your normally would. And be patient, knowing that the next few weeks are going to be a little more frustrating than normal and you may have to do things over again later. Many astrologers recommend actually using the Mercury retrograde period to do “re” activities: reflecting, revising, and relaxing.

Eclipse Time

On April 19th/20th, depending on your time zone, a solar eclipse, which is also a new moon, will occur at 29 degrees of Aries. It will be exact at 12:12 am EDT. It’s the second new moon in Aries this year, which is really rare; usually there is only one new moon in each zodiac sign annually. So themes of this new moon are going to be in keeping with the same themes of the first new moon in Aries that occurred 4 weeks ago. 

There’s a lot of talk online and in the astrology world about eclipses, and I think the way the discussion is framed can inspire a lot of anxiety. But eclipses occur between 4 and 7 times per year, meaning that you’ve already lived through many. Yes, a lot of times eclipses can be accompanied by events that seem out of left field or that may knock us off balance. But this is usually felt more in the world and in current events than personally, and each individual eclipse is one part of an ongoing story. 

This week may generally feel a little nutty. People may seem weird, your interactions may seem especially charged, and you and others may be feeling angry and irritable. This would be normal with a solar eclipse in Aries, a fire sign ruled by Mars and associated with aggression. Those feelings may be exacerbated this time because this particular eclipse is also at the last (or, in astrology speak, “anaretic”) degree of the sign, which means it’s extra, extra Aries. An example: when Mars, the planet of action, aggression, and war, was at 29 degrees of Aries in 2021, it was Jan 6th, and people were literally ramming (Aries is symbolized by the ram) the barricades of the Capitol building. That was Mars in the last degree of Aries, not the sun and moon, though, so I wouldn’t expect that again; it’s just an example of how extreme a sign’s influence can be when a planet is at the last degree of that sign.

So, with the placement of this eclipse, we and others may be feeling extra punchy. But Aries also represents forthrightness, so we may be speaking our minds with no filter, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Mars is currently in Cancer, so it’s not as warlike and ready to pounce as it could be. It’s a bit emotional. So this may be a crying-tears-of-rage-into-your-pillow kind of week. 

In the world, we may see people acting out from a place of extreme defensiveness. This eclipse is also squaring Pluto, currently at the very beginning of Aquarius. Given the nature of Pluto in Aquarius, this may be a time when people collectively band together and fight against something. I am loath to date myself and quote Twisted Sister, but it’s a very we’re-not-gonna-take-it vibe. This eclipse could herald the beginning of some major movements. 

An eclipse cycle in a specific axis (so, in this case, Aries-Libra) unfolds over a year or more, so events that occur now will likely be one piece of a puzzle. Usually, for most of us, the changes that come with eclipses aren’t totally jarring, they play out over a period of time. This is the first eclipse of this new eclipse cycle in Aries and Libra, meaning that you will probably see some changes and evolution in the realms of your life that these signs rule, but while the first seeds may be planted this week, you likely won’t know the full story until you look back later, after this eclipse cycle wraps up in the spring of 2025. 

More pronounced changes may occur for you now if you have planets in your natal chart that get activated by this eclipse. You can investigate that by using a tool to look up your birth chart (there are many) and checking to see if you have any planets around 29 degrees of Aries, Libra, Cancer, or Capricorn. (I also offer readings, so if you’re interested, hit me up!) 

Astrologers that I follow and trust recommend not manifesting or doing ritual work during an eclipse the way you may during other moon cycles, and because they know more than me, I heed that advice. Just let the events unfold. 

The Week of April 9th: Venus in Gemini & Jupiter-Sun Conjunction

This week starts off with a couple really great aspects on the 11th, then gets a bit more challenging closer to the 14th. 

After midnight EDT on Tuesday, April 11th, Venus enters Gemini. Gemini, a mutable air sign, is about talking, listening, thinking, synthesizing. It’s nimble and quick but can suffer from a short attention span. It’s also about duality. Gemini is represented by the twins, and when a planet is in Gemini, the things that planet rules have two sides. Gemini gives us options. Two roads and all of that. (Robert Frost was an Aries, but maybe he was a Gemini rising.)

With Venus, the planet of values and resources, including relationships and finances, in Gemini, it means that we are going to find ourselves placing greater value on connecting and communicating. Time to talk. Gemini loves tips and tricks. It’s pithy. Read about budgeting hacks. Figure out the quickest way to get to your friends’ apartments. We’re going to want to learn more and feel more connected to people and to ideas with this transit, so you’ll likely find yourself asking more questions of the people you meet or have surface-level relationships with, and you’ll also likely find yourself with 2x your normal number of browser tabs open.  

Once Venus moves into Gemini, it will form a trine to Pluto in Aquarius. Pluto is about birth, death, transformation, and regeneration. This is a good transit for changing up something in your look, or the way you manage your finances, or something in your relationship that has gone stale. Pluto’s influence can help us examine the things we value more deeply, discard what is not serving us, and really support or improve what we hold dear. 

Also on April 11th, the sun, which is in Aries, meets up with Jupiter, forming a conjunction. Jupiter is the planet of growth and expansion and generally considered beneficial, and the sun is about vitality. This is generally a pretty great transit. This is a good time for shining your light and focusing your physical and mental energies on something that you want to grow. What area of your life or project could use a boost? On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, give that your attention. The only potential negative with any Jupiter transit is that we can be or do too much, so it’s a good time to be mindful of not over-exerting yourself, or over-committing yourself, or over-indulging. 

On Friday the 14th, the vibe changes a bit as Venus forms a square with Saturn in Pisces. Squares cause tension and can generate some conflict. And Saturn is a planet that is typically associated with limitations, contractions, and boundaries. So whatever Venusian ideas or things have been our focus for the past few days may hit some snags, or we may feel limited in those areas. After all, nothing gold can stay.

If you haven’t done them already, I wouldn’t suggest doing your taxes later this week, even though they are due on Monday the 18th. My unqualified advice would be to do them on Tuesday the 11th instead, when Venus is well-aspected. Saturn could also have us feeling a little stifled in relationships, or making us feel disappointed in the way we look. Just know that because Venus moves relatively quickly, this transit is fleeting, and those feelings will pass.

Enjoy the week! And take this all with a grain of salt, as always. Astrology is for entertainment purposes only. 🙂

Pluto in Aquarius: The Big Shift

Today, March 23rd, 2023, Pluto moves into Aquarius. It’s there until June, when it goes back into Capricorn, and then Pluto will waltz back and forth between Capricorn and Aquarius for months at a time until late 2024, when it begins its longer term transit through Aquarius, until 2043. 

Pluto spends more than a decade in each sign. It entered Capricorn in 2008. Pluto is the planet associated with death, rebirth, transformation, regeneration, and the hidden and secretive. It tears down and destroys, clearing and airing out before bringing in the new. When Pluto entered Capricorn, the sign associated with power and structures, including capitalism, we had the financial crisis and the collapse of several banks. The havoc showcased the dangers of unregulated capitalism. Now, as Pluto is leaving Cap, once again, we’re on the precipice of a global financial crisis. It’s asking us if we learned our lesson. 

Beyond capitalism, we also have seen demands for the reformation or tearing down of entrenched structures of patriarchy and white supremacy. We had the election of the first black POTUS, and more recently, the election of the first woman as VP. But during this time, we also had the stunning defeat of a woman presidential candidate at the hands of a man who represents the absolute worst of patriarchy, white supremacy, and capitalism, the farce of it all. Pluto has brought with it a reckoning in these areas, and the struggles continue.

With Pluto moving into Aquarius, the sign associated with the collective and humanitarianism, it seems like more jockeying for power will follow. Pluto going into Aquarius for a few months (until June) will give us a preview of what to expect in terms of the next 20 years. Aquarius is the water bearer. It wants to give nourishment. Free the people now. It’s also associated with technology and innovation and revolution. The last time Pluto was in Aquarius, we had the American Revolution, which started at the late stages of Pluto in Capricorn (hence the US going through its Pluto return these past couple years) and carried over into the time Pluto entered Aquarius, and maybe more on the nose, we also had the French Revolution. 

In terms of technology, we will definitely be seeing more tech advances during this time. That would be the case regardless of Pluto’s sign, but think about it. Up until recently, there haven’t been all that many technological breakthroughs that have sweepingly changed our everyday lives since the iPhone and the advent of streaming. More recently, we’re seeing the proliferation of crypto, AI, and the metaverse and other VR stuff. In the coming years, technology will probably continue to develop rapidly, with new innovations that we haven’t even thought of becoming part of our lives. But of course, with Pluto, there will be power struggles around that technology and battles over who controls it. The top stories on The New York Times website today, with Pluto moving into Aquarius, are all about the potential ban of TikTok, and TikTok’s CEO is currently being questioned by the Congress this morning. 

With the emphasis on the collective and revolution, while Pluto moves through Aquarius, we will likely also see technology continuing to be utilized in new ways for movements (and, with the power struggles, efforts to cut the technology to thwart organizing and protests), then resulting in more furtive use of tech to plan, organize, and connect people. But because of the emphasis on collectivity, there also may be mobilized populist movements against technology. Will there be anti-tech or anti-AI revolts as people feel more and more threatened by technological advances? Very possible. Will people take their writing, their artistry, and their organizing offline, so that it doesn’t get coopted by and become fodder for AI? 

The “power to the people” vibe of Aquarius will also lend to more burgeoning left-wing movements and greater advocacy of socialism in the coming years. Pluto in Cap saw far right-wing groups become empowered, and Pluto in Aqua will likely see similar emboldening of left-wing groups that are farther left than the current mainstream. We’ll also likely see the proliferation of mutual aid societies, which started to become more popular during Covid (coinciding with Saturn and then Jupiter in Aquarius). 

Aquarius is also an air sign and rules air technology, so we will likely see changes and innovation in air and space travel. Can we manifest teleportation? I ask as someone who hates flying. Please. Let’s work on teleporting. 

I also think this will be when more is revealed to us about the secrets currently held about life outside of Earth. The recent increase in UFO activity feels very Aquarian, and we may see more signs of life from outside our planet. 

Pluto in Aquarius will also normalize debates and questions that have previously not been part of mainstream discourse. Stuff like, should humans even continue to exist? Is Earth better off without us? Will we welcome aliens if they make their presence known, to help us evolve or to wipe us all out (a la The Three-Body Problem)? 

The good thing is that these massive shifts won’t happen overnight. These things seems super jarring now, but we will get used to these ideas gradually, as these things unfold over the next 20 years. They will become part of our lives, as the changes and challenges of Pluto in Capricorn did, and with Aquarius, at least the goal is for the collective to become better off. Exciting times ahead! 

(All of this is just my opinion, based on my personal interpretation of the planets, what they represent in astrology, and what history tells us. I’m not predicting the future here! Take it all with a grain of salt.)

New Moon in Aries: Spark Notes

On March 20th, the sun moves into Aries. It’s the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and thus begins Aries season and the start of the zodiacal new year! Auspiciously, this is followed by a new moon in Aries at 1:22 pm EDT on Tuesday, March 21st. The new moon, which means that the moon is conjunct with the sun, occurs at 0 degrees Aries, the first degree of the zodiac.

Aries is a cardinal sign, meaning that it initiates, and it’s also a fire sign, so Aries is akin to a spark. It’s the striking of the match. Traits associated with Aries are bravery, impulsiveness, directness, forthrightness, impatience, and passion. Aries does not like to wait. When they get an idea, they want to act on it immediately. At the time of this new moon, there’s a lot of Aries energy in the ether. The sun and moon are in Aries, of course, but so are Mercury, Jupiter, and the asteroid Chiron. 

So that’s the vibe of this new moon, but because Aries is ruled by Mars, which the moon and sun are squaring off with, and Mars is still in the late degrees of Gemini and still in a square with Neptune, there’s a little bit of murkiness with it. Neptune casts a fog, and often when things are initiated under a Neptune transit, they are not what they seem. So while this new moon is ripe for manifesting and new beginnings, there’s a need for clarity, for sure. If new opportunities come your way this new moon, you may be tempted to act impulsively, but try to temper that, so that you can get all the details and suss out whether things truly are as they appear to be. 

Tuesday’s new moon is also in a cross-sign sextile with Pluto, which is still (for a couple more days) at 29 degrees of Capricorn, so the changes that come about during this new moon have more of a profundity and have the potential to be more transformative than with some other new moons. Pluto is about regeneration, about death and rebirth, so while this new moon is highly auspicious for beginnings, it’s also a good time for releasing and letting go of what’s holding you back. 

Later this week, Pluto moves into Aquarius for the first time in 248 years (wow!) and Mars moves into Cancer, part of the vibe shift I’ve written about. More on those movements soon! 

For now, this is the area of your chart where the new moon may have you focusing your attention: 

Aries & Aries Rising: New moon, new you. For you, you can think about this as your new year. What resolutions do you want to make now? Plant those seeds and follow through with action. 

Taurus & Taurus Rising: You may feel compelled to dig deeper into your inner self this week, and you even feel ready to begin a new spiritual or mindfulness practice. This new moon marks a good time for journaling, especially about what you want to let go of. 

Gemini & Gemini Rising: If you’ve been looking to get involved in a cause, this is a great time to do so, as long as you’ve researched and are confident you know the details of what you’re diving into. You may meet someone with whom a friendship will blossom, or you may accept an invite which ultimately leads to you joining a new group or collective. 

Cancer & Cancer Rising: Since Jupiter moved into Aries, you’ve likely had some action occurring in your career or in what you feel called to do. This new moon is a great time to release your blocks related to this area, if any, and lay further groundwork toward what you want to pursue. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. If you’re applying for jobs, use Tuesday afternoon and evening to send your resume out to those which interest you most.

Leo & Leo Rising: You may be feeling the urge to go back to school, or you may be struck with a new interest that sends you into a spiral of research. Embrace the desire to learn more during this time, because whatever your chosen interest or area of study, it could ultimately have a positive lasting impact for you. 

Virgo & Virgo Rising: This new moon can mark a time when you initiate some type of healing, or you may be helping others achieve this healing in your own lives. The eighth house is about others’ resources and our own relationship to them, so this is a time for letting your light shine for others. Partnerships or collaborations that arise during this new moon can be mutually fruitful. 

Libra & Libra Rising: This new moon could signal the start of a new relationship, so if you are looking, be open and put yourself out there. If you’re in a relationship, this is a good time to consciously shed anything that’s been feeling like a rut, especially through initiating honest, direct conversations with your sig oth. 

Scorpio & Scorpio Rising: Work can feel like drudgery, so this new moon gives you the opportunity to switch it up. Seize the moment to pitch one of your ideas for improvement to your boss, or implement a change to your daily routine to make the day feel less like a slog. 

Sagittarius & Sag Rising: Pursue pleasure and fun this new moon, and if you have something bubbling inside you artistically, this is a great time to just spend a few hours or more to just create. With Neptune’s presence, though, be careful when it comes to substance use, even though it may be fun. 

Capricorn & Capricorn Rising: This new moon is occurring in the area of your chart concerned with home and family. You may decide it’s time to move, or you may feel the sudden urge to renovate. This is a good time for laying the groundwork, but lean into your Capricorn tendency to responsibly research and prepare before diving in. 

Aquarius & Aquarius Rising: The third house, where this new moon is happening for you, can be a bit more subtle than some, because it deals with the everyday, the local, our neighbors, and how we communicate. However, the things this new moon kickstarts can ultimately have a long-lasting impact. Subtle shifts in your communication, e.g., making friendly small talk with your neighbors or signing up for a shift at the local food pantry, can lead to greater joy later. Try a new coffee shop or local bar, it could be kismet. 

Pisces & Pisces Rising: Occurring in your second house of money and resources, this new moon may bring with it an investment or job opportunity, or something may spark an idea in you that will ultimately allow you to grow your income and wealth. Pay attention, but be sure to think carefully and vet any offers that come your way. 

As always, take these with a grain of salt, because astrology is for fun, and it’s not fortune telling. And of course, depending on your own chart, the new moon may be hitting certain planets that give extra oomph or a different energy to what I’m interpreting here. 

Saturn in Pisces: Damming the Ocean

Saturn changed signs on March 7th, moving from air sign Aquarius, one of two signs over which it has rulership, into watery Pisces. Saturn had been in Aquarius since 2020, and prior to that, it was in Capricorn, the other sign it rules, since late 2017. That means for the first time in more than 5 years, Saturn is traveling out of its domain. It will be in Pisces until February 2026 (save for a brief foray into Aries from May to August 2025). 

More than most other planets, Saturn holds a special fascination in the zeitgeist because of the Saturn return, a transit in relation to one’s natal chart that first occurs for a person around the age of 29 or so, when Saturn is in the same location it was in when the person was born. When you go through your Saturn return, it can be harrowing and put you through your paces, and you come out on the other side of it feeling like more of an adult. Because people who are in their late 20s/early 30s experience this rough patch and often search for answers (why is this happening to me!?), the Saturn return seems to be one of the most popularly discussed astrological concepts, up there with Mercury retrograde. 

The reason it’s challenging is because Saturn is the planet of authority in the zodiac. It represents structure, seriousness, and responsibility. Until 1781, Saturn was thought to be the last planet of the solar system because it’s the farthest of the planets that are visible to the naked eye. Thus, it’s connoted with the concept of boundaries. It’s commonly known as the task-master of the zodiac. It’s also the auditor, and often also referred to as the daddy or father figure. 

I often think of Saturn as Dorothy Zbornak, portrayed with authoritarian aplomb by (Queen) Bea Arthur on The Golden Girls. Dorothy/Saturn is a judgmental tough cookie and will take you to task for your failings, but ultimately she wants to see you succeed. She wants you to learn your lesson, Blanche! 

With Saturn moving into Pisces, Saturn is going to have a more challenging time asserting its authority, so in general, we may see rules of many kinds get more bendable, since Pisces is a mutable sign. While Saturn is about boundaries, out of all the signs, Pisces is probably the least OK with boundaries, so it will be an interesting few years of boundary blurriness. Any remaining vestiges of Covid-related restrictions will diminish and disappear, and if there are any lingering feelings of being restricted with regard to the pandemic, those will be gone. 

However, because Saturn aims to set boundaries and build structures and have us take responsibility, it will be attempting to do this in areas associated with Pisces: water, emotions and feelings, dreams, unreality (vs. reality), escapism, drugs, art, religion, and spirituality.

Saturn moving through Pisces is like an attempt to dam the ocean. 

There are so many ways this could play out. For example, in the world, you will likely see more attempts to fight rising sea levels, which are going to become a growing issue over the next few years, as nations are going to have to do more and more to protect coastal cities. There will also probably be water shortages, and we could see both some big restrictions on water usage and also more pronounced campaigns and movements related to water conservation. 

We could see fights to make stricter drug laws for some drugs and to loosen restrictions on others. Art could take on a more severe quality, and gritty realism will probably be embraced more (grunge was big in the early to mid 90s, the last time Saturn was in Pisces). Personally, I’d love to see a more vocal, strengthened movement in the U.S. to demand we tax churches. There’s also probably going to be a backlash against both organized religion and the New Age-y stuff that’s risen in popularity over the last few years, including astrology. 

Saturn loves to teach lessons by making us face harsh realities, and for us personally, that means that we may see a few years of learning lessons in the areas of our chart ruled by Pisces. How it will affect you specifically depends on the placement of the planets in your birth chart, as Saturn makes new aspects as it moves through a new sign. But based on your sun and/or rising sign, here is taste of the areas/topics for which you may find yourself having to take some more responsibility and go through some challenges between now and 2026: 

Pisces & Pisces Rising: Saturn will be moving through your first house of self. This can mean your self-perception, your ideals of self, but it can also mean your physical appearance, how you present yourself to others, and your wellbeing. Routinized self-care can be helpful at any point, but especially during this time.

Aries & Aries Rising: The 12th house, where Saturn will be for you, covers mental health, the shadow self, sleep, dreams, and isolation. Implementing a regular meditation practice or other activities to tend to your mental health is a great use of this Saturn transit.

Taurus & Taurus Rising: Saturn will be in your 11th house of friends, networks, and the groups of which you are a part, so you may be taking on some responsibilities in those areas and/or becoming more of an authority figure or leader. 

Gemini & Gemini Rising: Saturn in the 10th can have you facing some challenges or steep learning curves in the area of your career. It could also mark the period where you step into your authority in your career or in the public sphere. You may find yourself taking on the role of a boss or mentor. 

Cancer & Cancer Rising: The 9th house focuses on spirituality, study, philosophy, long-distance travel, and the law, so Saturn touching these areas could mean that you seriously pursue an area of study, or it can find you stepping into a position of authority as a teacher of some kind. 

Leo & Leo Rising: This will bring focus into your 8th house of other people’s resources, which includes others’ money and emotional baggage. It’s also taxes, inheritance, debts, and loans, and in a more macro scale, trauma, death, and rebirth. You know, no big deal. 

Virgo & Virgo Rising: This will be in your 7th house of partnerships and relationships, so you may find yourself facing responsibility with regard to or needing to clearly assess your closest relationship(s). Saturn highlights what can’t be sustained. 

Libra & Libra Rising: Saturn will be moving through your 6th house of work, health, and daily routines. It’s useful to think about the ways that you want to harness what Saturn represents (hard work, structure, systems) to make the most out of this area of your life.

Scorpio & Scorpio Rising: The 5th house is associated with pleasure, fun, sex and romance, and children. Saturn can put a damper on these things when transiting through this house, but if you try to work with Saturn, you can find a way to apply its lessons to bring you joy.

Sagittarius & Sag Rising: Saturn will be going through the 4th house for you, which is the house of home, family, our roots, and our early life. You may find yourself having to embody a caretaking role or facing lessons and putting in work in one or more of these areas.

Capricorn & Cap Rising: The 3rd house deals with communications, including how we speak, think, write, and our discussions with others. This house also encompasses our neighborhood and neighbors and things that are part of our local life, as well as short-distance and domestic travel, and siblings, so Saturn may touch on one or more of these aspects.

Aquarius & Aqua Rising: Saturn will be moving through your 2nd house of money and resources. Saturn can have a contracting effect, so you could find yourself making do with less, but it’s wise to channel Saturn’s penchant for hard work, discipline, and auditing in this area, which can help you build financial sustainability.

As I mentioned in my last post, there are other major sign movements coming in March. We’ll gradually start to feel a shift now but will feel it more concretely in the coming months. More to come, but Saturn in Pisces is the first of these changes.