Tag Archives: Saturn

Aquarius: Rewriting the Rules

The sun moves into Aquarius on January 20th, and Aquarius season begins. As an Aquarius myself, with both my Sun and Mercury there, I am partial to Aquarius season even though it’s pretty much objectively the worst time of the year, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Aquarius is the rarest sign, which is appropriate because uniqueness is one of the Aquarian signatures. Aquarius is a sign that is associated with being non-conformist, eccentric, rebellious, and anti-authoritarian, despite its traditional ruler of Saturn. The modern ruler of Aquarius is Uranus. I use both interchangeably. Both are fitting. I think of Aquarius as leaning into the Saturnian values of hard work, responsibility, and thriving through structure and systems. But whereas Capricorn, also ruled by Saturn, is about enforcing the rules, Aquarius, with the Uranian rulership, is about rewriting the rules. And the responsibility felt by Aquarius is on a macro, rather than a micro level; it is a responsibility to what’s right and what is the best for the most people. So if the structures are unjust, those need to be overthrown. 

Aquarius, as an air sign, is also associated with intelligence, but the intelligence manifests itself differently than it does with Gemini and Libra. Gemini and Libra are much more likely to engage. Aquarius hangs back and marvels at how dumb people can be. But those same people deserve more! Judging the individuals but advocating for the group is an Aquarian thing.

There’s a coldness, or at least a coolness, associated with Aquarians. Many come off as detached. Personally, as a Cancer rising with an Aries moon, I don’t really embody this trait so much, but I have noticed it in others with Aquarius placements. For Bravo watchers, think of Ariana from Vanderpump Rules, who is an Aquarius rising. In the early seasons, she confounded Stassi and others because she seemingly didn’t care about being friends with them and kept them at arm’s length. Big Aquarian energy. 

Technology is another primary association with Aquarius, and again, another one that I don’t really relate to that much, but definitely see it when it comes to others. I feel like an analog woman living in a digital world. I’m still using an iPhone 7. But many Aquarians or those with Aquarius placements are tech enthusiasts. Technology can serve as a democratizer and as a progress accelerator, so it makes sense that many Aquarians are early adopters of new technology. 

Taking it back to VPR (always), on the flip side of Ariana, there’s Kristen, who is an Aquarius sun and has some major Aquarian energy too but in a totally different way. I think of Kristen’s pursuit of truth to an unhinged level, literally flying out Miami Girl to prove that Tom Sandoval had committed wrongdoings. Flying someone out is big time Aquarius energy; Kristen literally used air technology to prove someone wrong in a quest for justice and vindication. 

This Aquarius season starts off with a New Moon at 1 degree Aquarius, which also marks the Lunar New Year. More to come on that in a few days. 

Venus in Aquarius

Venus is about what we cherish. It rules love, beauty, relationships, money, and the things that we value. Aquarius is about intelligence, uniqueness, nonconformity, the collective, and authenticity. With Venus moving through Aquarius since January 2nd, we have been feeling the Aquarian influences in the Venusian areas of our lives. 

Mercury is also retrograde in Capricorn right now, another Saturn-ruled sign, so one of the major ways that this Venus transit through Aquarius will likely play out will be through detached, unsparing examination of our closest relationships. Internally, you may be reviewing your marriage, or partnership, or close friendships through a critical lens for the next couple weeks and reevaluating whether they work for you and are giving you what you need. 

Then, when Mercury goes direct on January 18th, the conversations can begin if they need to occur. What we have observed may not be bad; we may not find our relationships to be lacking. In fact, Venus is a benefic, so it may be that the analysis we’ve done during the past couple weeks has actually given us a sense that our closest relationships fortify us and provide us with exactly what we need, or that we’ve pinpointed small ways they can be even better. But Aquarius is straightforward, and the plainly honest attitude in the air is made even more so by Venus meeting up with Saturn on January 22nd. 

When both parties in a relationship lay bare their feelings and their needs, it can be cathartic and rewarding. Gimme some truth. (John Lennon had an Aquarius moon.) Just be careful, with Mars still in Gemini, to be sincere and not give in to the urge to be defensive, caustic, and needlessly cutting. Once Venus moves into Pisces later in January, our feelings may be overwhelming and free-flowing, so this period of seeing things just as they are, in the light of day, is invaluable. 

Week of November 27th: Astrological Combo Platter

There is a lot going on in the sky during the week of November 27th through December 3rd. None of the transits are huge, show-stopping moments, which we had a run of over the last couple months, but each brings its own unique qualities, with ups and downs throughout the week. 

One of things that I have found to be very challenging about learning astrology is understanding and being able to synthesize the complexities of multiple aspects occurring at the same time, both in the transits in the current sky and in the birth chart. This week’s outlook has several overlapping transits that speak to each other. I am looking at them both individually and how they interact. 

Mars, which is retrograde in Gemini, will be making a trine to Saturn, which is direct in Aquarius, on November 28th. But Mercury and Venus, both in Sagittarius, are in the mix, as they will be opposing Mars and sextiling Saturn. Trines are transits where planets are at 120 degree angles and are generally thought to harbor harmonious connections between the planets. Oppositions, where planets are opposite one another, are not necessarily difficult but they can often indicate some friction, some oppositional energy. Sextiles, where planets are at a 60 degree angle, are usually helpful in that the planets speak to each other in a way that can help enhance their more positive characteristics. 

Mars is retrograde, so this is the second of three times this transit to Saturn will occur. With both Mars and Saturn in air signs, the energy here is one of innovation, outside-the-box thinking, and communication. Mars, the planet of action, is in a free flowing aspect with Saturn, the planet of structure. Mars and Saturn are considered malefics in traditional astrology, but both planets offer lessons. Mars, which rules action, aggression, physical energy, and war, can be wild. Saturn offers rigidity, structure, rules, and boundaries. In a trine, the rigidity of Saturn can actually help harness the fierceness of Mars and channel it in a productive way. With this transit, it’s a great time for organizing, and thinking and speaking about the structures and systems in your life and how to give them power and energize them. If there are projects you have been thinking about tackling that require organization and working methodically, step by step, this trine can lend a supportive energy for that. 

On Tuesday, Mercury in Sagittarius will oppose Mars and sextile Saturn. With Mercury opposite Mars, you may see friction and the culmination of some curt or tense communication and arguments. Mars is piercing (it rules needles and sharp objects!), so your interactions with others may be a little spiky mid-week. Venus is close behind Mercury and will oppose Mars on Wednesday, so you may experience this spikiness in your relationships. However, since both Mercury and Venus are in a sextile with Saturn, which can help if you ask yourself how you can organize your thoughts and take two beats in a way that can help you temper your temper.

On Thursday, Mercury in Sagittarius will be squaring Neptune, which is in Pisces. This will help smooth the edges of our communications, but again, with Neptune, it can make things a little blurry. The advice most astrologers give when it comes to Neptune transits with Mercury is to double check details and in discussions or agreements with people, if you have to deal with them under this transit, make sure you ask clarifying questions and verify your understanding of the arrangement or situation. Neptune is often associated with deception. It can also indicate heightened paranoia or anxiety, especially in our thinking and even in dreams, with Mercury in aspect to it. Then Venus catches up and squares Neptune on Saturday. Much of the same advice applies with this transit, with particular emphasis on relationships and anything involving finances. You may be well served by waiting to seal any deals until next week. However, with Neptune in Pisces, where Venus is exalted, you may find yourself wanting to explore creative pursuits. This is a good time for finding inspiration and making art. 

Neptune stations direct on Saturday as well, so it will start to retread the territory it covered earlier this year. Let’s hope that will coincide with a shift and some forward momentum in our creative and spiritual lives. It gets close to 28 degrees of Pisces before it begins to go retrograde again in July of 2023.