Wheel of Light Astrology by Rio Olesky - January 2020
The New Year begins with a major alignment of planetary energies. On January 10, there will be an eclipse of the Full Moon in Cancer. The Moon in turn will be in opposition to the Sun, Mercury, Saturn, Pluto and the South Node of the Moon all in the sign Capricorn. Jupiter will also be in Capricorn but not quite connected to these other planets. Having 5 planets in one sign is rare, having them opposing an eclipsed Full Moon is far rarer. What does this alignment suggest in terms of tools or challenges and how can we best respond to them?
The Full Moon is a time to become more aware of what is happening in our emotional body. It’s a time to derive perspective on how we are feeling and what are our responses to those feelings. An eclipse can bring unexpected realizations or changes in our internal experience as well as our overt expression. The Moon will conjunct the North Node of the Moon, implying that this clarity and openness is the direction to pursue. However, while the Full Moon in the sign Cancer suggests being open to the flow of internal energy and how we express it, the opposition to the 4+ planets in Capricorn does not. Capricorn prefers that things are in control and focused on achieving clearly derived goals in disciplined and organized ways. Although Capricorn can enjoy functioning in groups, it usually prefers to be in a position to direct the group. No flow or spontaneity allowed.
The alignment of planets in Capricorn is the big story both for this month as well as the whole year. As noted in previous columns, the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn brings accountability to a high priority. As such it can cause loss of power or control of those individuals who have been avoiding personal responsibility in order to achieve personal power. This would be especially true in such organizations as governmental bodies and major corporations such as banks, or international conglomerates. Some might respond to this call for transparency, making sure that the movers and shakers of the world are in fact following tradition and law. Others could respond by seeking to consolidate their power even more than it already is. This could lead to power struggles in legislative bodies, executive offices and big business organizations. The presence of Saturn indicates that there will be little room for error or malfeasance being acceptable. Pluto implies that things will transform one way or the other. Either the group dynamic re-organizes or consolidates its power structure and manifestation. The former could lead to more egalitarian leadership. The latter portends more patriarchal dominance. One positive note is the presence of Jupiter. While Saturn and Pluto can be confrontational and competitive, Jupiter brings a higher mind focus to the situation.
Jupiter is about expansion of consciousness. It can be principled, honest and integral. Its influence will modify the intensity and rigidity of the other planets and the sign Capricorn. The question is, will it be enough to channel this major alignment into a direction that improves the quality of life for a majority of the populace or will it be co-opted into bringing philosophical justification into the realm of those striving to enhance their power?
The bottom line is that we all need to become advocates for peace and well-being both in our relationships to ourselves as well as to others and our environment. However, this can’t be in a manner in which everything becomes acceptable or we become overly thoughtful of others. Capricorn doesn’t function that way. There are rules of engaging others and ways of achieving goals that need to be clearly defined. There is the risk of being rigid and dogmatic, but we can avoid that by taking two things into consideration. One is the importance of taking as much personal responsibility (Saturn and Capricorn) for all our thoughts, feelings and actions that we can. The other is tointegrate ethics (Jupiter) into our behavior so that we don’t get stuck in allowing the ends to justify the means. Being clear in defining and consistently enforcing limits and boundaries is important so that we own our own personal authority and achieve goals in ways that make us feel good about ourselves in the process of healing our planet and our relationships with each other.
Aries: This is a good time look at the big picture of your life, a time to envision where you want to be, both physically and philosophically in the future. Growth can come from not being derailed by idealistic expectations. Being realistic by integrating desirable goals within a practical framework is the path to success.