AKA my notes on The Astrology Podcast's 2025 Forecast, hosted by Chris Brennan and Austin Coppock. Saddle up, it's a long one!
Overview
This year's forecast is divided into an overview of big planetary shifts and a chronological breakdown, but it doesn't go quarter-by-quarter like in previous years.
Outer Planet Shifts
It's quite rare that such slow-moving planets as Neptune, Uranus and Pluto* all enter new signs in the same year (*Pluto has already ingressed to Aquarius after transiting Capricorn for the past 16 years, but this is the first full year he'll spend in Aquarius). Uranus has been in Taurus since 2018, and Neptune first ingressed to Pisces in 2011. Thus we are seeing major shifts happening all at the same time. These represent major cultural and social changes. In personal charts, this concludes activity in other parts of our charts and begins focus in a new area.
Pluto in Aquarius
(November 2024 (final ingress) - January 2044)
Chris has been connecting this to cryptocurrency (Bitcoin started under Pluto in Capricorn) and AI stories, such as Google & other companies rolling out livechats. He predicts that robots, especially humanoid ones, will he ubiquitous in everyday life by the end of Pluto in Aquarius, though Austin is skeptical as to how evenly distributed technological advancements will be. Jobs and labor will surely be affected by the increasing digitization of different industries. Everyone's trying to hitch a ride on the AI train, but it'll take a major scandal before we see regulations put in place or see just how it'll integrate into society. We'll have to train our eyes to recognize the artificially generated, and we'll also have to deal with inefficient bureaucracy that technology alone can't quite fix. In mundane developments, even though the US was founded under Pluto in Capricorn, most of the government structure were put into place under Pluto in Aquarius. Last time Pluto was in Aquarius was the French Revolution (opposite Leo, the fixed signs of sovereigns and heads of state). The current Pluto in Leo generation (baby boomers) were raised definitively in the area of the celebrity, an issue that will likely come into question in the years ahead.
Uranus in Gemini
(July 2025 - May 2033)
Uranus trines Pluto during this transit, so these two planets' themes are closely tied over the next decade. Previous Uranus in Gemini periods include the revolutionary war/founding of the USA, its Civil War, and WW2. Term limits were pushed and set under this transit with Washington & FDR; 84 years previous to the founding of the US John Locke wrote his ideas on government. Continuing on the theme of liberal democracy, the King James Bible was published under Uranus in Gemini in the 1600s--an attempt to democratize religion and encourage readers to have their own individual relationship with the text. Uranus was discovered during a Gemini transit in 1781, and was almost named "George" after the King of Britain. In general Uranus in Gemini brings particularly forward-thinking ideas while in Mercury-ruled signs. We should expect to see continued developments in AI controversies and LLMs (large language models), and the role of language overall. We can also expect shakeups in transportation, with technologies like self-driving cars and drones expanding in transportation, war, and everyday life. The burgeoning dominance of electric vehicles space travel are also likely previews into the Uranus in Gemini era, and we can look out for major developments in the realm of social media as well.
Neptune in Aries
(March 2025 - March 2039)
Neptune's 165-year cycle means it changes sign about once every 14 years. The last Aries transit was in 1861-1875, and the ingress coincides exactly with US Civil War: Fort Sumter fell the day it ingressed. Neptune gives us dream-logic for its time, trends that are often only clear in retrospect. Austin describes the Neptune in Pisces era as valorizing qualities like acceptance & inclusivity, where the heroic figure of the time is a compassionate mystic/saintly. He predicts Neptune in Aries will valorize "the heroic." Where once suddenly everyone was an astrologer or witch, now, suddenly we're all soldiers/warriors. (This played out literally as mass conscription in the US Civil War & in England in previous Aries Neptune periods.) This period also saw developments in photography, namely war photography in newspapers bringing the goriness of war into every home. Civil War photos were originally shot in 3D and meant to be experienced through viewers, and the first color photo was taken 05/17/1861 when Neptune was at 1Aries, bringing levels of heightened realism and simulation into the conversation. Neptune in Aries faces us with forks in the road--no half measures.
Neptune in Aries can indicate wars remembered for their ideology, as was the case with the Taiping Revolt/Rebllion's bloody conclusion during Neptune in Aries (begun in Pisces). One of the deadliest wars in history (cost at least 20-30 million lives), it was instigated because of an extremist Christian religion. In medical astrology Mars-Neptune contacts can indicate autoimmune diseases where the body attacks itself, and the mundane analogy here is internal conflicts. In antiquity, the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE occurred during Neptune in Aries, Pluto in Aquarius, and the eclipse points moving from Aries/Libra to Virgo/Pisces (all configurations we'll see in 2025). This is considered a catalyzing event for the subsequent Jewish diaspora over the following centuries, as well as the shift from centralized worship to Rabbinic Judaism. In science & engineering, the steam engine, dynamite, first underground railway, Suez canal, mechanical submarine, and the concept of light as EM radiation via Maxwell equations all came about during Neptune in Aries periods.
Saturn in Aries
Saturn is entering Aries from May to September this year and will be copresent with/conjoining Neptune over the next three years. Saturn is in fall in Aries, highlighting tensions between patience and impulsivity. We can also expect prominent figures to fall from grace, such as during our last Saturn in Aries in the late 1990s with the scandal around Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinksy. In personal charts, Saturn in Aries people will often chalk up their difficulties to "not trying hard enough," when really it may just be a matter of timing and patience. Famous Aries Saturn people include skater Tony Hawk, daredevil Evel Knievel, directors Francis Ford Coppola and Lily Wachawski, witch-hunting politician McCarthy, writer Margaret Atwood, actresses Zendaya and Lucy Lawless, and activist Malala Yousafzai.
Saturn Conjunct Neptune
Saturn and Neptune will get within 1 degree of each other this year, though we don't get an exact conjunction til 2026. We've been seeing the buildup of this since Saturn entered Pisces in March 2023. What's real and bounded, and what's illusory and pervasive? This tension between illusions & structures likely means we'll see increased distrust in authority, such as the public doubting what's reported in news stories or fake news sparking major conflicts, and Chris predicts increasing polarization between aggressive skeptics and religious fundamentalists. Austin uses the analogy of the Mad Max: Furiosa movie--everyone is trying to conscript you to come fight with them for water. Austin notes that Saturn-Neptune contacts punctuate major events in recent Russian history, including the founding of St. Petersburg and the dissolution of the USSR. He also brings up the historical example of ronin, rogue samuari who had some public support as vigilantes, and compares it to Luigi Mangione's alleged assassination of the United Healthcare CEO, saying the public reaction to this event is a prediction of things to come.
Chronological Breakdown
Mars Retrograde: December 2024 and January 2025
We enter the year with Mars retrograde in Leo (opposite Pluto) and moving to Cancer on January 6th, and only getting to Leo on April 17th. This makes an extended transit through those two signs. Observationally, Mars is actually brightest and closest to Earth during its retrogrades, rising as the Sun sets, making him hyper-visible and much more reactive & chaotic than Venus & Mercury retrogrades. And indeed Mars's station on December 6th saw a bunch of major events: an attempted coup in South Korea, the Assad regime falling in Syria, a healthcare CEO assassinated in the US, a contested election in Romania, and the French government collapsing through a no-confidence vote.
Back to 2025, though: Mars entering Cancer on the 6th hearkens back to his last visit to the sign, September 4th-November 3rd of 2024. Events, both mundane and personal, will come back to us during this time. In politics we saw a lot of nativism and racism in US politics while Trump was campaigning, and unfortunately this is likely to resurface. Concerns over homelands & origin showed up in celebrity news with controversy over the New Orleans Superbowl booking Los Angeles-based rapper Kendrick Lamar over NoLa native Lil Wayne.
Mars is in fall in Cancer, and with Saturn in Aries later we get both malefics in fall this year. The trap of Cancer Mars is "nothing's safe enough," while that of Aries Saturn is "nothing is under enough control," and we must be on our toes to avoid falling into either. Mars in Cancer is reactive and impulsive, in contrast to the Saturnian discipline & foresight that Capricorn grants it in exaltation. In personal charts Mars rx in Cancer/Leo can show up as obstacles or frustration, or as an extended expenditure of energy in that area. Retrogrades can also bring things or people back into your life, and how you handle the situation sets you up for the next time you meet.
January 2025
We enter the month with retrograde Mars opposing Pluto on the 3rd and regressing to Cancer on the 6th. On January 15th we get the exact opposition of Mars to the Sun, days after the Full Moon, so that's another time to watch out for in events. The US presidential inaguration is on Jaunary 20th under a Sun-Pluto conjunction.
Electional chart for January:
The chart is for January 10th, at roughly 9:30AM local time to get early Pisces rising. The ruler of the Ascendant, Jupiter, is in the 4th house (♊) in a day chart and makes an auspicious conjunction to the Moon, who herself is separating from a square to Venus (♓). Venus is also exalted in the first house & on the Ascendant. This is also about as far away as we can get from the Mars-Pluto opposition while also avoiding the Sun-Mars opposition later this month. This is good for 4th house matters: not only home and family, but also matters where you're important but not visible, like a director.
Overall, January and February are dominated by the Mars retrograde, a "not so calm" before the storm of springtime.
March & April
Venus goes retrograde on March 1st, regressing into Pisces before stationing direct on April 12th. Meanwhile, on March 29th we get an Aries solar eclipse, the final installation in a series going back to October 2023. The next day, March 30th, Neptune waltzes into Aries for the first time in a century. Meanwhile Mercury retrogrades from March 15th until April 7th, backtracking into Pisces while doing so. And if that wasn't enough, Saturn moves into Aries on May 24th. March & April are like a series of cascade reactions, and we'll spend the rest of the year (or few years in the case of Saturn) reacting to, cleaning up the aftermath of, and wrestling with understanding what happened. We'll definitely see major geopolitical events, maybe with bizarre connections, all the while thinking things are going in one direction when they're really going another.
Venus & Mercury Retrograde; Eclipses
Venus's station points are felt most intensely, but like with the Mars retrograde we also experience this as an extended transit of Venus through the signs of Aries and Pisces from January to June. Her retrograde also comes just 5 days after Mars concludes his own. Chris predicts that, unlike the Leo Venus rx a couple summers ago, there may be more fighting around women's issues rather than straightforward celebration. In Aries we already expecting a more combative expression of Venusian issues, and the increased activity in Aries only intensifies this prediction. Venus in Aries is not quiet--she's bold, active, and direct. In personal charts we'll see returns of events from 8, 16, or 32 years ago (last time she was retrograde in Aries), reviewing and revising relationships in the present. What and who do we want? Do we still want that? Under Venus rx we look for an unambiguous "yes." We can also see delays or postponements, scandals, and provocative art & culture. We'll be going back and forth between an exalted, compassionate Venus and a forthright, exiled Venus, choosing between the two on any given day and trying to reconcile them.
With Venus retrograde we can also think of the myth of Inanna (a story based off the Venus rx cycle), who descends through gates of the underworld and returns home to find her consort has taken the throne before she takes it back. We'll likely see stories about women in powerful positions reclaiming something after going through a struggle as Venus stations direct in her sign of exaltation. Specifically, she stations direct on April 13th conjunct Saturn (ironically another signature of Trump's upcoming inauguration), with Mercury retrograde also in Aries & Pisces at the same time. Both these planets are passing over Neptune in late Pisces as well: sometimes we have a lovely, dreamy vision that turns out to be terribly disappointing. Venus and Mercury will both cross Neptune three times, in both Aries and Pisces.
Mercury stations at 0Aries on March 29th, the same day as the solar eclipse, and switches signs with Neptune (leaving Pisces) the next day. The culminating eclipse is marred by miscommunications and illusions. As the last installment of a series begun in October 2023, this eclipse will definitely see developments in Israel's wars on other countries in the region. More generally, in mundane astrology North Node solar eclipses in Aries have coincided with the assassinations of heads of states & movements, as well as the eclipsing/stepping down of leaders...yet another signature of changing/threatened leadership in 2025.
In the middle of March we also get our first Virgo eclipse of this series, corresponding to the September eclipse in Pisces. We'll revisit the areas again in September with a Pisces and Virgo eclipse. The barrier between Aries/Pisces and Virgo/Libra sees a lot of activity in the first half of 2025. We'll definitely remember this year for the crazy Aries activity, though Austin predicts it'll come back to haunt us in 2026.
May-June-July
Saturn enters Aries on May 24th, creeping up on Neptune and getting within a degree of him by July (~13th-14th), and then stationing retrograde. An outer planet's first station in a new sign signals what to expect, and Saturn and Neptune both do so in July (on the 13th and 4th respectively). From May 24th to September 1st we have Neptune and Saturn very close to each other and retrograding. Uranus enters Gemini on the 7th.
Jupiter in Cancer
He enters in June of 2025, staying there until June of 2026. In this sign of his exaltation, he'll be counterbalancing some of the crazier transits of this year. He's also doing cleanup after Mar's messy transits earlier this year in the Cancer parts of our charts. Jupiter is a little folksy in Cancer--he's not just lavishing the wealthy, but is generous to everyday people as well. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was enacted during Jupiter in Cancer in 2013-14 (a Jupiter under attack!), bringing important healthcare considerations to this placement (A/N: Cancer as a sign of nurturing and protection). In July of 1990 during Jupiter & Venus in Cancer, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed. Chris is wary of being too optimistic, but hopes that something good in healthcare is coming forward. This transit is a Jupiter return (every ~12 years) for the US Sibly chart, and also the repetition of a longer 83-year cycle where he hits the same degree on the same day--the third one since the US's founding, making this an especially potent Jupiter return. You'll notice that's only one year off from Uranus cycles, so we'll definitely see further reevaluations of the US's founding this year.
Generally, exalted planets represent someone at the highest level of their field, and Jupiter in Cancer is a sort of "get rich slow" planet. Success is cultivated, grown, and encouraged. In June & July Jupiter will square Saturn, though, a configuration that corresponds to financial and economic crashes. Jupiter in Gemini saw tech company crashes, but in a new sign we'll likely see new industries affected.
July & August: Outer Planet Teamup
Uranus enters Gemini on July 7th, the last of the slow outer planets to ingress to his new sign. From then til October 21st, we have the rare and powerful influence of several outer planets teamed up: Uranus sextiling Saturn & Neptune and trining Pluto (meaning Saturn & Neptune also sextile Pluto). This is a sort of pilot episode previewing what'll happen when they return in 2026. These planets shift from feminine water/earth signs to masculine air/fire signs, and each outer planet (except Pluto) will retrograde into his preceding sign in October & November, giving us a break from the teamup of big players for a bit. Mars in Libra will aspect all of these outer planets in August, making the configuration especially active then.
September - Eclipse Season
Last September we saw our first Pisces eclipse of this series, and we'll have had another development with the first Virgo eclipse in March. Now we're firmly in Virgo-Pisces eclipses for the next 2 years. The September 7th and 21st eclipses will have us think about the big picture vs. granular details--how can we hold them in unison? The major endings & beginnings brought by eclipses are further punctuated by Saturn regressing back into Pisces on September 1st. Maybe a last set of upgrades need to be put in place in our Pisces area, though now our Virgo house is tied in as well.
October, November, December
Neptune returns to Pisces October 22nd, Uranus to Taurus on November 7th, and Saturn stations direct for his last pass through Pisces on November 27th. A new chapter of our lives has begun, but we need to do a final check-in before things reach completion. The outer planet demolition team will be back on April 25th, 2026, where it'll stay until 2032-33. Neptune will station in Pisces on December 10th, another important Pisces turning point. Jupiter stationing in Cancer on November 11th is the cherry on top for the year ending where it began (but not to stay!). We end 2025 coming full circle on our sort of last look backwards before plunging for good into new--though not entirely unknown--territory.
I filmed a long form video, per usual, for unpacking and reading this eclipse moment ; Due to tech difficulties I'm not posting it. For those who enjoy videos, I will hopefully make up for it soon! Today all the channeled messages surrounding the Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse will be written. Here's what you need to know :
The Water is Calling ☎️💧
You may be introduced to or have a heightened sense of water spirits such as sirens/mermaids. Though water spirits are not limited to these beings alone, its simply important to know they are present more than ever as we get closer and closer to The New Era (Saturn in Pisces eff. March 2025). Siren/ mermaid spirits and energy is a unique blend of water and air that can show up as a spirit or manifest in your being. Those who have mermaid/siren/water spirits can literally channel the energy and prowess of these beings. It may look like spell casting or being adept and artful with words, it may also look like being blessed with beauty. Understand that water spirits are not all love and light. They are quite dangerous. Siren/Mermaids can use their power to lure you to your demise wrapping you into a trance it make take years to wake from; Its important that you not call forth these energies unless they send for you! Often times I've been introduced to my water spirits in the most frightening ways. But they often reveal themselves when I need to be protected or warned of danger. While Saturn inches closer to Pisces we can experience the paranormal nature of how these energy work as well as the blending of air and water together in heighten dream states, visions, communication through songs & more. Its important to know that the water is calling so you're able to receive and interpret what the water is calling you to do.
For many of us, its getting off our phones and devices . . .
👼🏼Prepare for Rebirth
Back in March 2024 when the first Pisces New Moon (total solar) Eclipse occured I channeled an important message about rebirth occuring. Since then I've stated many times that this New Era will require many of us to be born again, not literally, but spiritually. We will be blessed with new emotional bodies freed from some pains and traumas of the past, heighten intuition and a stronger sense of destiny and purpose over our lives. Many of us will experience a reawakening / continuing renaissance.
Here's 4 things that REBIRTH will require of you :
1. A Body : we must be grounded into our physical bodies and reality, no longer disassociated, numbed or dismissive of what we feel and experience physically and emotionally.
2. Spiritual Connection : we must have a belief system & faith practice in place to connect to source for divine guidance. Otherwise how will we carry out divine will? We must simultaneously come into deep(er) relationship with our physical while maintaining & upholding the spiritual. . .
3. A Destiny / Calling / Purpose : pick which word suits you best, but you need to have some clue of why you are here. How can you use your body, your being to carry out a divine path? Moving into 2025 means no longer being clueless or aimless with your life.
4. Balance between Solitude & Unity : being both equally apart of something bigger, yet individual & whole within your self. Understand that solitude is not a punishment or a space of lack, but a sacred space that prepares you, restores you and gifts you clarity on your journey. Embrace shared space just as much as ones that aren't and you will see life differently as well as be prepared to handle the REBIRTH.
Sometimes Your Anxiety, Triggers, Trauma & Disorders are Your Intuition❗️
is it chronic, random, environmental or situational issues that you have? Seriously, stop and answer this in regards to your health. If you experience chronic ailments due to trauma,etc. you need to stop using spirituality and ancient or even new age practices to escape the help you really need! Love & Light, shadow work & positive affirmations are not going to heal a chronic issue. It's okay to coexist in spiritual spaces and still seek medical care for your emotions, mental & physical wellness. Stop gaslighting yourself. However, if you notice that these same issues may not necessarily be chronic, its time for you to unlearn the belief that "your anxiety/triggers/depression/other mental, physical & emo health disorders are seperate from your intuition". Beloved, something or someone is causing you to spiral out of control into these spaces. It's up to you to sit with your experience and ailments and figure out what is creating this response within your body, mind and spirit. When we're able to extract the wisdom and insight from our bodies THIS is when we are able to access our intuition. Our intuition is not always perfectly seperated or presented to us in a zen little box. Sometimes its loud, uncomfortable, confusing and mind warping because sometimes your intuition isn't even about you. Its a triggered response from your guides, ancestors & higher self pointing to a person or experience that is uncomfortable, draining, confusing, depressive, dangerous and more. At this eclipse Spirit needs you to embarce ALL FORMS of your intuition and for those struggling with trauma, deep wounds and chronic issues : get the help you really need so you can truly find your intuition and reclaim your faculties.
🎣🚫Stop Biting the Bait
It's time to realize when you're being bullied/teased/taunted/picked on to insight a reaction and there for taint your character. When you realize that some people are setting you up or running an agenda you can stop reacting to the disfunctional pattern and falling for the trap. It's just like click bait on Youtube. Are you literally gonna watch every video that says "MANIFEST INSTANTLY WITH 5 SIMPLE STEPS"... no. eventually you will realize that these people just want views & money, they don't actually have anything that will instantly change your life.
Abusers & manipulators study those they want to keep trapped to use & fulfil their needs and they know exactly what to do to keep you in the loop. If its negative, end the cycle of emotional & psychological manipulation.
Learn to Check the Temperature🌡️
this year I've been doing more “temperature checking” with people and situations before I assume or handle things according to what I am feel. Unknowingly we can internalize an experience of someone else's mood or presence which has the power to alter the reality of the situation/person. Its important to verbalize emotions and ASK QUESTIONS before we act on or interpret feeling alone.
Temperature checking is simply communicating & questioning intangibles : expressing your personal feelings, letting others know when something is too much, uncomfortable or unnecessary at the moment, as well as setting the energetic/emotional tone or expectation of an experience you are sharing with others. Temperature checking has the power to dispel wrong energies or mixed emotions that are fueled by anxiety or eagerness about what will happen by bringing things and people more in tune & focused on what they’re creating/experiencing in the present. . .
🎭Face Value : is it helping/hurting?
Sometimes face value can be used to undermine, discredit and even disassociate us from our intuiton, feelings and body. Face value , aka : taking information or actions that are display literally, is a form of trust that is EARNED and can be taken away. It's important that we're not overly skeptical and paranoid about everything and everyone, but its also equally okay to need PROOF as to why you should believe and trust someone/something too. When we blindly trust people based on popularity or the benefit of doubt, we ignore our wisdom, body, intuition & experience. Face value can set us up for failure and allow people to play in our face. Make sure that "not making everything deep" is not the thorn in your side at this eclipse as well as we moving forward.
Sometimes it is deeper and you need to move accordingly. . .
⬆️ Above this photo are channeled messages w/o divination below are w/ ⬇️ all are valid points to take in consideration for Fall 2024 & How you should prepare to end your 2024 experience . . .
🌊Divination & "Medicine" for the Pisces Full Moon🐟
These are screenshots I salvaged from the recorded reading I did. The message / medicine is :
Rest 💤 Flow over Force
many of us have gotten to points in our life where we've done the bulk of the hard work spiritually, mentally, physically & emotionally. We should give ourselves GRACE. You know wether or not you've done the work. If this Eclipse has triggering events for you, you probably still have work to do. If this Eclipse seems like "just another day" and alarms aren't sounding off, you've done what you need to do! Congrats! If you are this point, understand we cannot rush anything no matter how much we pour into, focus on or try to stay ahead, on track and aligned... We must remember we're on a JOURNEY and there are things both out of our control and meant for us to experience at specific timing, even if our name is written on it. Meditate and pray for guidance on what rest is for you at this time and allow your mind and body to alert you when you have enough of it vs. letting society/external sources tell you.
🍃Surrender / Detachment + Presence☀️
letting go, letting God & allowing yourself to be fully in the your now is what's best. Living in the past or pushing yourself into the future is robbery. These are concepts and themes that have shown up in so many collective readings over the past year. It's about time we master them! These are also protective measures we can take to ensure we're not trying to dominate anyone/anything outside of ourselves. Seeking to control anything other than yourself, means you are actually out of control.
Joy✨💛
do MORE of what you love and enjoy. Dwell in that energy as often as possible! Joy is always medicine!
🎯Be Intentional
The 5 of Clubs is asking us to clarify our intentions by taking time to think about the purpose of what we're doing and engaging with. It's also asking us to consider how we may need to change our focus & move differently. Some things may be too draining and heavy to keep carrying past this eclipse. It's time to cut some more baggage loose to clear psychic & energetic space. Some of us also need to literally move! Relocation is a topic I've been channeling for a while. Sometimes it is your environment that has nothing left to offer, not you. Use this eclispe to help you refocus and get crystal clear on your intentions moving forward.
Discretion is Advised
Spirit is advising us to protect ourselves. Not everything deserves a reaction or response (as discussed above ⬆️) and even though face value can be dangerous, it can also be a protective measure used to keep things appropiate, measureable and discrete. Privacy is an important theme in 2024. Yes there may be liars, manipulators, fakeness and more amongst us, but its not always our job to expose it. We simply take note and move accordingly.
The most important message that repeatedly presented itself was during my channeling for the eclipse :
Sacred Solitude
sacred solitude is the primary medicine that will allow us to truly rest, surrender, detach, be present, reset, cleanse & clear our energies as well as stay intentional. Constantly stimulating ourselves, being engaged and involved is so unhealthy. Yet, it is what this world tells us we need. How can you know yourself, hear your intuition, feel your spirit if you are never alone? This eclipse is a major opportunity to reunite and appreciate yourself and tend to your internal.
When the internal is at peace, in love and with joy, the external will adjust. I believe that everyone wants community and relationships where to share the best, sweetest moments and help with carrying burdens alike, but this eclipse is ultimately all about you! Reclaim your body, strengthen your intuition, quiet all noise and distractions through sacred solitude. Remember, you may be in the process of your REBIRTH and a level of solitude is a requirement for where you're going. . .
if you made it to the end of these Eclipse Reads, I encourage you to follow me across platforms + tip me through my bios/cashapp/venmo + book private courses and sessions with me! I hope to meet you one day soon. . .
Happy Eclipse ,
The Magik Mirror🕯️🪞🌕
AKA my notes on The Astrology Forecast's 2024 Year Ahead Forecast, hosted by Chris Brennan and Austin Coppock. After the overview and January forecast, I'll put the rest of the year under a readmore. Overall, this year heralds technological innovations, and is a stepping stone into bigger developments in 2025 and 2026.
Overview
This year would be dramatic on its own, but with bigger shifts ahead in this decade, serves as a preview for even more dramatic changes in 2025 and 2026.
Pluto in Aquarius
We only got about 6 weeks of Pluto in Aquarius in 2023, but this is will it where be for most of 2024 and the next 20 years. We're also getting the last of Uranus in Taurus (7-year transit) and Neptune in Pisces (14-year stay). These outer planets are wrapping up while Pluto starts something new.
Austin predicts Pluto in Aquarius will be a relief to those of us who've been suffering from Pluto in Capricorn. Historically, Chris traces the development of gunpowder, its refinement and transmission from China to Europe with Pluto in Aquarius. Warfare changed with these developments, particularly the strategies of siege. We should expect to see new technologies & applications in warfare now, particularly anti-drone weapons and uses of AI. Near-future science fiction stories from 20 years ago will look incredibly familiar, especially the "cyberpunk dystopia" and man-machine interfaces changing significantly. The first paper shop was set up in Baghdad in 793 under Pluto in Aquarius, and this technology spread around the world under different Pluto in Aquarius periods, with wide-ranging effects on mass communication. Technological espionage is also a theme of this placement--think AI uses, and the US trying to compete with Chinese microchips. This will also form an opposition to natal Pluto for baby boomers (1940s-60s), a transit that rarely occurs within a human lifetime. We'll see the culmination of this generation's power in the world, where figures like Biden or Trump or their contemporaries may have one last bid for power before they have to hand it to someone younger.
Chris actually used AI to help summarize his notes on this transit. With Pluto representing transformation and control, and Aquarius indicating the innovator and the rebel, some general themes are:
Major shifts in how technology shapes society, both empowering people and destructively.
Information warfare and control, especially among governments. Monopolies and censorship attempts will increase.*
Technological leaps. Breakthroughs from both internal research and external sources like cultural exchange or encounters with "that which is foreign/alien."
Science vs ethics: moral dilemmas, tension between curiosity & caution
Globalization on edge: the interconnected world may face challenges, but the exchange of information is crucial to progress. World trade and supply chains spanning the globe will change as countries shift certain sectors to more local production.
*history note: Pluto was in Aquarius during the Renaissance & Scientific Revolution, and the Church tried to censor this new information because it posed a threat to Papal power. Monarchs took state power from the church under Pluto in Aquarius, and the French Revolution under this placement showed the bourgeoisie really challenging the nobility under this placement. Most of the US constitution was written under Pluto in Aquarius--in fact the last Pluto in Aquarius period was during the late 18th century, so prepare for those paradigm shifts & revolutions to shift and revolt once again. New developments in physics and cosmology around dark matter and string theory, increased uses of AI, and new space probes may all prove to shake our ideas of where we stand with the rest of the universe.
Saturn conjunct Neptune
Saturn prefers structure & the real world, while Neptune is a realm of imagination and illusions. In 2016 these planets squared each other and the political sound byte "fake news" was important. We no longer trust sound and video in addition to images, especially with advances in AI. Previous Saturn-Neptune contacts include the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the HUAC/McCarthy era in the USA. We'll be asking ourselves, "is this real?" We'll need to balance skepticism with imagination.
Another Saturn-Neptune in Pisces theme is pervasive feelings of despair and collective sorrow over water-related disasters, such as tsunamis or the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The first Saturn-Neptune conjunction of the 20th century was 1916-1919: disillusionment, skepticism, muddy trench warfare and chemical weapons. More positively, empathy, compassion, and service can come from those who fight for a better world despite hardships. However, Neptune will conjoin Saturn in Aries as well, which will have a much less compassionate flavor. This upcoming Pisces conjunction occurs right as Neptune is leaving the sign--which Piscean developments will get the Saturn stamp of approval and last beyond this decade? Neptune in Pisces has brought us an increased interest in the occult matters and psychedelics, ranging from tarot and astrology to modern cults to therapeutic uses of hallucinogens. Some of the skepticism we see will be the result of having been burned by Pisces Neptune events. Another related topic is augmented reality displays--Austin predicts that since it's been around for so long, if it doesn't take during Neptune & Saturn in Pisces, it probably won't take at all.
Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Taurus
This conjunction goes exact in April. In the material sign of Taurus, what sudden developments (Uranus) is Jupiter enabling? In one such application, AI technologies can help advance the field of materials science by designing new compounds & predicting their uses. There are a lot of technological developments bottlenecked by a single limitation, such as limited battery capacity, which if resolved would prompt an explosion of impressive new technologies. Quantum developments, Heisenberg's additions, different political revolutions, the sexual revolution & the Moon landing were under Jupiter-Uranus alignments, as were some of the earliest biology works in the Renaissance era. April will breakthroughs getting supported and confirmed. These come about every 13 years: in 2010 in Aries, 1990s in Aquarius. In 1941 we saw scientific breakthroughs as well, though Saturn's presence fittingly brought a much darker tone. Which house is Taurus in your chart? This transit can bring sudden insight & broaden your horizons in this area (A/N: timing techniques like progressions, Hellenistic profections, and zodiacal release can help you determine if Taurus will be especially "activated" for you around this time).
On the flipside, take care not to indulge in excessive naivete, uncritical embrace of rule-breaking in the name of progress, or getting caught up in fleeting euphoria. Once Uranus leaves, what will stay? What gets truly confirmed by Jupiter? Austin predicts major developments in cryptocurrency, which was not invented under Uranus in Taurus but did rise to prominence under this transit. Taurus also tells us to appreciate the material comforts, and this conjunction may show us a new approach to appreciating these things (like an AI snuggy that helps you sleep!). The potato chip and chocolate-chip cookie were also invented during Uranus in Taurus. More niche items have become more widely available (lab-grown meat, perhaps?), though food and energies has also become disproportionately more expensive/volatile during this transit. Taurus also signifies nature, botany, and ecology--we may see major developments in response to climate change. This is the last year of Uranus in Taurus--perhaps the cottagecore trend will have its last blows. Uranus in Gemini (A/N: 2025) will have us going back into the mainframe...(organic computers?)
Jupiter in Gemini
This transit will be about a year long. Immediately upon entry to this sign Jupiter will trine Pluto, and later in the year he'll square Saturn. This will be a big shift, not just by sign, but because Jupiter goes from cooperating with Saturn to fighting him. Light-footed, fast, clever Gemini Jupiter clashes with deep, slow, heavy Pisces Saturn. Their sextile in January/February indicates the economy will likely seem to move in a good direction as the year begins, but the leviathan in the deep will stop us short.
Notable figures born under Jupiter in Gemini & Saturn in Pisces include Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, bringing us new communications systems. Bell developed the telephone partially as part of efforts to help his mother and other deaf people, while Edison himself had major hearing issues and focused on visual phenomena. However, we have ethics questions too: Bell had issues patenting the telephone as the same day as another inventor--who got there first? (A/N: many of Edison's patents were invented by others with property rights surrendered to him.) Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails also has these placements, and he's gone from applying electronic music in rock to films in recent decades. Also born under Pisces Saturn & Gemini Jupiter: Moby, Björk, Alfred Pulitzer (known for pioneering both human interest stories and sensationalism).
Other Jupiter in Gemini keywords: speaking many languages, verbosity, versatility & adptability, self-education, many short experiments, and having a knack for or good luck in new machines. However, Jupiter is considered in exile/detriment in Gemini: this light sign may interfere with Jupiter's desire for deeper understanding. The first decan of Gemini is ruled by Jupiter, and the bound of Jupiter is early in the sign as well, (and Jupiter is a triplicity ruler for Gemini!) so we can actually have quite a strong Jupiter in the beginning of this transit. Pluto in Aquarius trines Jupiter at the start of this transit, and Jupiter will gladly go to work for Pluto's agenda. Expect major technology & information related developments in April-May. This also foreshadows Uranus's entry into Gemini, where he'll trine Pluto thrice.
During this time, all the planets in Gemini are also combust (so close to the Sun we can't see them, figuratively getting burned), so beware of burnout. Another Jupiter in Gemini native is Lana Wachowski (one of the creators of The Matrix). Her coming out story also inspired many, and Jupiter in Gemini is a good place for variety in gender expression. Unfortunately, concepts from her movie were also coopted by right-wingers ("redpilled"). Also under this placement is JK Rowling, initially known for writing increasingly verbose fantasy books, though in recent years has focused her resources on stopping the advancement of trans rights. Jupiter in Gemini is fast, but not always ethical.
Eclipses
In April we'll have an eclipse that's visible over much of the United States from Texas to Maine, occurring on an election year. In the Indian dasha system, the US entered a Rahu (North Node)-ruled time period 8 years ago, making it especially sensitive to eclipses. There won't be another total eclipse visible in the US until 2045, marking momentous changes. This is also a continuation of the Libra/Aries eclipse story, most recently from the Libra eclipse in October. In both our personal lives and world events we'll see a turning point in the spring. The eclipses this year are in March-April, and September-October (remember, eclipses always come in twos--one lunar, one solar!). The March/April eclipses will be especially chaotic with Mars-Saturn and Jupiter-Uranus conjunctions affecting the equinox. The fall eclipses will begin shifting towards the Pisces/Virgo axis, and the major renewals will shift focus from one area of our lives to another (check which house(s) contain these signs for you).
Comets
2024 will have two comets that may be visible to the naked eye--both during eclipses! The Pons-Brooks comet will be visible in April around the time of the Aries eclipse (and Jupiter-Uranus & Mars-Saturn conjunctions). This indicates a very important time in world history. The comet, which may become visible as the sky darkens, will pass right by the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. Chris's ancient sources say whether a comet is a good or bad omen depends on its color, brightness, and visibility once it gets here, but he's hopeful its contact with Jupiter-Uranus will be helpful to us. Austin points out it'll be difficult to distinguish the comet's specific effects from everything else going on at that time. The second comet visits us in October, right before eclipses and the US presidential election. "Hopefully we won't get the Game of Thrones Season 2/War of Five Kings comet," says Austin. Chris is going to publish an episode soon analyzing both ancient sources & doing his own historical research on comets, which have connections to wars, regime changes, and religious or political leaders being born.
Mars
Austin points out that there will be consistent stelliums in the first half of the year (visible around the eclipses) before returning to more regular dispersal. Mars is also going to make volatile contacts to outer planets as well, really bringing military connotations, mostly earlier in the year and then picking up again at the end of the year with an opposition to Pluto & a retrograde. In fact, Mars enters Leo, the sign of his upcoming retrograde, 2 days before the US presidential election.
US history & election: Mars goes retrograde in the same sign every 79 years, shifting by about 4 degrees every time. Mars did this same retrograde back in the late 1700s when US states were ratifying the Constitution (Pluto was in Aquarius then like it will be in '24, and some other transits are the same as well). The next recurrence was during the passing of the 14th amendment after the Civil War, an amendment forbidding anyone who led an insurrection from entering office. Most recently Mars retrograded in this cycle in 1945-6, during the end of WW2 and stationing just before the birth of a certain controversial recent president. This upcoming Mars retrograde will occur in the same part of the zodiac as these other events.
Chris usually shies away from predicting election results outright because he considers himself too invested to be objective, but he gives us a rundown. Like 2016 this election occurs under a Saturn-Neptune conjunction, foreshadowing the us of AI in political propaganda. If it does end up being Biden vs Trump, Chris says as of now there are indicators for either side winning. For the past 30 years, every presidential election winner has had an eclipse in one of his angular houses (1/4/7/10) shortly before winning. The Aries/Libra eclipses don't fall in angular houses for either, but the Pisces eclipse in September occurs in Biden's 4th house, and the 10th of his running mate Kamala. In Trump's favor is zodiacal releasing: he's starting a 19-year peak period releasing from spirit (career/aspirations) in 2025 just after the election. (This is one of the things that threw Chris off in the 2016 election, since a president elected for 2 consecutive terms then wouldn't be in office anymore in 2025.) This peak period activates the sign of Leo for him, the first house, and contains his natal Mars, bringing fighting and difficulty to the foreground. (A/N: Mars is also entering Leo around the time of the election, so whether he wins or not, we'll be seeing a lot of him.) That's a basic overview, and Chris will discuss other factors as the year progresses. Austin points out we have a perfect Mars-Pluto opposition the day before the election, and Mars stations in Leo right as the electors meet to officially vote. This election is heavily tied to the Mars retrograde, which continues until a few months into 2025. Pluto will take Mars's significations to bigger extremes as well as hidden power plays. Taking place January 20th at noon, Inauguration Day always takes place at the beginning of Aquarius season with the Sun in the 10th house, but Pluto's going to conjoin the Sun as well this year, which Chris predicts will start a new era of American history. Two of the debates fall on eclipse days, and Chris predicts these will have a dramatic effect on the election. Regardless of specific candidates, we know the US is entering a crucial phase of its history with Uranus entering Gemini (same placement as the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and entering WW2). Austin wonders if the Saturn-Neptune conjunction will delay the rise of historic leadership, as his research so far proved inconclusive.
Month-by-month
January
Mercury stations direct immediately, helping us start things off definitively. Mars in Capricorn colors most of the month. He's very strong & effective in this sign, further supported by a trine from Jupiter in Taurus. With Venus and Mercury copresent Mars in Capricorn, we have an opportunity to practice living how we'd like to before things get crazy. The clichés of "starting your the year off right" are worth following this time around. A Jupiter-Saturn sextile in the first six weeks of the year further supports our efforts to get organized. Take advantage of Jupiter in Taurus to make the growth and expansion you seek permanent. We'll need a set pattern to weather the upcoming storms.
Chris and Leisa's auspicious election for the month is on January 12th, 2023 at 8AM local time with Aquarius rising. This means the Ascendant ruler Saturn receives a helpful sextile from Jupiter (orb of 5 degrees).
After a conjunction with the Sun and the light's ingress into Aquarius, Pluto re-enters that same sign on the 20th, anchoring what's most interesting about February. Chris points out it's exactly one year from the US presidential inauguration and will be an interesting omen.
February
February has a pileup of planets in Aquarius. From the 5th to the 16th, Mercury, Mars, and Venus all conjoin Pluto. This rapid succession of initial conjunctions will start to show us what this new Pluto era will look like for each of the faster planets. We go from having 4-5 planets in Capricorn to having 4-5 in Aquarius through this first half of the year. What does overwhelming weight in these signs look like for you? The Mars-Pluto conjunction on the 14th will be pretty dramatic. This connotes the use of excessive force, and generally will likely show us what kinds of dangers to expect from Pluto in Aquarius. The Venus-Mars conjunction at nearby degrees will connote future relationship patterns.
March
This month marks the beginning of eclipse season as well as a pileup of planets in Pisces. After the equinox, we have an eclipse, making the spring very dramatic. Mars sneaks up to a conjunction with Saturn, who rules the April Libra eclipse, and all the while Mercury is retrograde. We have multiple indicators of major world events here, which Chris compares to early 2020. And if that wasn't enough, we've got a comet! The lunar eclipse in Libra heralds back to its sister eclipse in early October.
April
The Mars-Saturn conjunction will punctuate difficulties of Saturn's transit--the last Mars-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius aligned with the intensifying lockdowns in March-April of 2020. This time the conjunction is in a water sign, so think naval warfare or threats from aquatic creatures. January was a good time to plan; this is not. We'll be adapting to rapid changes and doing what needs to be done. The Aries eclipse will be visible over much of the US, bringing major developments to the nation. Once we get out of eclipse season, we'll have to deal with the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction going exact on the 19th. Chris hopes that this will divide the month in half, from chaotic early on to more hopeful in the second half, especially as Mercury stations direct. Austin is less optimistic, as we'll have Jupiter, Uranus, and Venus all in Taurus. At the end of the month, Mars enters Aries and joins Rahu there, igniting the very point that was just activated by a total eclipse. Regardless, the pace of technology and communications will explode during this month and May.
May
Once Jupiter enters Gemini, lots of other planets follow him to that sign. This has strong implications for the advancements for communications. Austin says the Taurus developments in the early month indicate financial developments before the technological ones. All the planets in Taurus are looking to its ruler Venus for support, but she's combust (close to the Sun & invisible), so we'll feel something missing from our material comforts.
June
The Jupiter-Pluto trine is twofold: Jupiter expands Pluto's Aquarian pursuits, while Pluto exponentially magnifies Jupiter's expansion of communications in Gemini. We get a Sun-Venus cazimi in Gemini, resetting her cycle, with Mercury a few weeks after. Some of the Jupiter-Uranus discoveries and inventions may not be visible until later, as the Gemini planets themselves are invisible & passing through the Sun during these few months. There's a spaceship with recreational implications set to be launched next spring, fitting with the expansion of leisure that Jupiter in Taurus connotes. Mars entering Taurus on the 9th will mellow out for awhile after such intense movements. Saturn's retrograde station in Pisces brings him as close to Neptune as he's gonna get this year.
July
Saturn & Neptune stationing in Pisces blur the lines between what's real and what's not, what's true and what's false... An exlposive, unexpected Mars-Uranus conjunction occurs on the 15th. Furthermore, it's on top of the star Algol, a very ugly configuration that has historically coincided with devastating warfare and weapons. This isn't the tone for all of Mars in Taurus, but it's something to try and steer around if possible. Mars in Gemini brings us to August.
August
Mercury stations retrograde on the 5th, backtracking through both Virgo and Leo. This year Mercury retrogrades occur mainly in fire signs:
Mars in Gemini puts him in contact with Jupiter right as the benefic is squaring Saturn in Pisces; the smaller planet will likely exacerbate these issues. Excessive heat and speed clash against excessive cold and slowness. This is a real slowdown for Jupiter's fun and social trip through Gemini. Mercury stations direct by the end of the month, taking us into September.
September
By this point the planets have stopped moving in a giant pack, spacing out the energies a little. Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn for the very last time this month; when he enters Aquarius at the end of this year he'll stay there for the next 20 years. Uranus gets as late into Taurus as he's gonna get this year before stationing retrograde as well, trining Pluto within 2 degrees of exactness. Chris charts these planetary contacts over the past few decades:
Uranus conjunct Pluto in the late 1960s saw major social changes as well as the first computer mouse. A sextile in the mid-1990s heralded the emergence of the Internet as we know it. In the early 2010s, smartphones became more and more ubiquitous, and now we're entering the next phase of new widely used technologies. The 2010s also saw revolutionary movements like the Arab Spring, and similar political developments will be foreshadowed around this time.
Mars enters Cancer, the sign where he'll retrograde. It's not very comfortable, but we'll have to get used to it all the same. Notable degrees are the retrograde beginning at 6Leo10 and ending at 17Cancer01:
We also get the first hit of the Pisces eclipse series this month. Though its companion eclipse is back in Libra, the September eclipse is foreshadowing for 2025-6.
October
The height of election season in the US coincides with the height of eclipse season celestially. We'll likely see prominent figures suddenly sink to the bottom or rise to the top around this time--jumping way ahead or falling way behind. Mars enters the shadow of his upcoming retrograde days after the eclipse. It's already hard to see clearly, and the eclipse supercharges all this. The Libra eclipse on the 2nd is the final of its series, wrapping up whatever was initiated in October 2023 (i.e. a new chapter in certain Middle Eastern conflicts). The first lunation free of an eclipse provides no relief, with the Full Moon tightly squaring Mars (♋) and Pluto (♑). This forms a difficult cardinal grand cross with the Sun, Moon, Mars and Pluto. Power plays, manipulation and intrigue abound.
November
Mars enters Leo, the sign of its retrograde, on the 3rd. Although he's in his pre-retrograde shadow period earlier, this ingress will bring it dramatically forward. He opposes Pluto, who's been stationing since mid-October, bringing paranoia, power struggles/plays, obsession & confrontation, and hidden motives or manipulation from behind the scenes. In opposite signs we'll see tension in opposite approaches to things, such as direct power versus hidden agendas, excessive force and even extermination. Mars only needs to win the battle, but Pluto blows things out of proportion. His station on December 6th is notable. The last Mars retrograde in Cancer was in 2007-2008, so look to this time in your life for an idea of what will happen. We can also look to the Mars retrograde in Leo 15 years ago (12/20/2009-3/10/2010). (This retrograde is mostly in Cancer, but stations in Leo). 2 days after Mars enters Leo is election day in the US (Nov. 5th), shining a light on all the controversies.
Venus is way ahead of everyone in Capricorn, while Pluto reenters Aquarius for good (the next 20 years). Mercury also stations retrograde at the end of the month, bringing us to December.
December
Mars stations retrograde right after Mercury's own halfway point through the retrograde, bringing miscommunications into Martial clashes, conflicts, and severing/separation. It's during the height of his retrograde that Mars is at his closest to Earth and is at his brightest for the longest (basically all night every night).
Mars retrograde shows us that no battle plan survives first contact. Excessive heat or conflict will linger for much longer than you expect. Mercury stations direct under a Full Moon on the 15th, and Jupiter squares Saturn exactly on the 24th. Our questions about growth versus boundaries will come back into focus. Meanwhile the rest of Mars retrograde awaits us in 2025, continuing a smoldering conflict into the next year.
