As Pluto moves into Aquarius next year (marking the US’s pluto return) I can actually feel the beginning of the energy starting to manifest.
Pluto marks change, sometimes drastic and very painful change. Change that makes us uncomfortable or challenges our sense of power or self worth. It rules Scorpio - a sign whose personal intensity and psychological prowess makes others feel vulnerable and ~sometimes~ uncomfortable.
Aquarius is the sign of personal freedom. Of responsibility to the masses but not the individual (as that would be more Leo). While Aquarius is the humanitarian, it requires it stays true to itself to properly hone its ability to give to society at large.
As Pluto moves into Aquarius, the themes of Aquarius will represent power, and challenge the long standing existing ideals and customs of society. Only those who remain true to their values, incorporate tolerance for the downtrodden in society, and maintain their independence will make it.
And that also means that these types of people will attract jealousy, anger, vitriol. You can see already the resistance that more tolerant policies and laws has created (the pushback on roe v wade, transgender participation in sports, etc) and the contention surrounding the perceived destruction of the institution of marriage and the family (rise of the manosphere, more women opting out of relationships altogether). The beginning of this transit will manifest as envy (masked as outrage) at people or institutions who historically have not “Fallen in Line,” but who now thrive in this newfound constitutional climate.
My only piece of advice is, for those with strong Aquarius in their chart, to recognize that you will be the target of society’s negative projections at large - especially if your placement is exalted in any way. It will be even more imperative to stay true to your Aquarius placement - to the energy that makes you unique, an individual, tolerant, and proud of your difference. While initially you will attract jealousy, vitriol, and pushback - overtime the natural power and growth of this energy will overtake, and it will be the “others” at the mercy of Pluto’s energy if they don’t “fall in line.”
And don’t even get me started on America’s Pluto Return...
AKA my notes on the Astrology Podcast’s video. Chris Brennan is based in Denver, Colorado, USA, so some transits may be a day later west of him or a day earlier east of him.
Overview
Saturn square Uranus
This aspect haunted us for much of 2021, going exact on Christmas Eve this year, and will continue into next year. Keywords are sudden destabilization of any structures that are established in your life, which includes more than just “the system.” Interpersonally, we’ll continue seeing people change sides, suddenly finding themselves outside systems they once supported and vice versa. Uranus connotes both conscious rebellion and environmental factors we can’t control. Think pressure-testing: how firm are our foundations? (obligatory graph by Archetypal explorer below, described in alt text)
Our hosts raise cryptocurrency as one obvious manifestation of this transit (Uranus in Taurus = upstarts in our material value systems like money and basic goods). The US government just had a hearing on whether to regulate cryptocurrency, and several national banks worldwide are attempting to make their own digital currencies. Saturn square Uranus may also indicate changes in the meat industry, especially beef, now that vegan alternatives are becoming more popular and lab-grown meat is becoming a real possibility.
Jupiter in Pisces, later Aries
Jupiter was in Pisces in summer 2021 before a retrograde took him back into Aquarius. During that brief trip forward we had restrictions open up in the US, but a new variant appeared and things shut down again (a Mars-Saturn opposition contributed to this too). Jupiter will be back in Pisces as we enter 2022, conjoining Neptune in April. Key themes for this transit are expansion and the search for truth, and with Neptune, questions of what constitutes reality. Notably, Jupiter entered a copresence with Neptune the day Japan surrendered in WW2--the war seemed officially over, but the damage was still there to be dealt with. On a lighter note, the last Jupiter-Neptune conjunction saw Avatar released, which had a mixed impact but definitely suggests that our arts & culture may try to expand the literal field of vision once again (Apple’s teasing a new VR headset, and we’re supposed to get Avatar 2 next year). A Neptune-Jupiter conjunction also presided over the invention of the first synthetic dye, which has a lasting legacy but is also carcinogenic.
On a less material level, Neptune-Jupiter deals with dreams and idealism. Freud had this placement, and Leisa likens it to Don Quixote’s pursuit of an impossible dream. We may need to watch out for cults, predatory religious leaders, and “big lies” in general. It’s easier to feel compassionate and connected to others/the world with Pisces transits, though necessary structures and boundaries can also dissolve under these influences.
Economics and inflation will also likely change during this Jupiter transit (in 2021 BitCoin surged in value during Jupiter in Aquarius and dropped when it regressed into Pisces). On a personal level we may be able to work well with this transit: in the house containing 22-23 Pisces in your chart be wary of intoxication or distractions, but also enjoy being able to finally connect with others after so many dry transits. Similarly, we may finally get a chance for some collective emotional release like grieving those lost during these trying times.
Overall 2022 is going to be like 2021, but more polarizing: higher highs and lower lows. We’ll have glimmers of hope and ongoing tensions. Further breakdown below the cut.
Part 2: Quarter-by-Quarter
First Quarter of 2022
Venus retrograde in Capricorn (January-March)
Generally spending three or four weeks in a sign, Venus retrogrades mean she spends about two months in one sign. Notably, she will conjoin Pluto 3 times over the next couple months: (obligatory graph from Archetypal Explorer)
Aside from reevaluating relationships, we may also be reevaluating our desires in general, and have to deal with revisiting or repairing items in whichever house(s) this transit hits for you. With the conjunction to Pluto we’ll see the dark underbellies of relationships, as well as obsessions and protectiveness. We may find ourselves bringing up the old stuff in a way that’s emotionally relevant, even though it’s not at all like our present circumstances. In US news we have the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell (Pluto’s got a myth about literally kidnapping a young girl..) and challenges to upholding Roe v. Wade in the supreme court, which is a life or death matter for many.
Mercury Retrograde (January 14th-February 3rd)
Mercury stations at 10 Aquarius, right on Saturn, and overall the Mercury retrogrades this year will start in air signs and backtrack into earth. (The other Mercury rx dates for the year are: May 10th-June 3rd, September 9th-October 2nd, December 29th-into 2022.) The nodes will also be changing sign. This first rx will trigger the Saturn-Uranus tensions, and overall we should be expecting delays and accidents with technology.
Mars in Capricorn (late January)
When Mars reaches the degree of the Saturn-Pluto-Jupiter conjunction that coincided with the new virus becoming a pandemic, this will likely trigger some events on that front. Mars also enters this sign right as Venus stations direct, and they’ll dance around each other for a few months, with several conjunctions as each planet overtakes and then falls behind the other. Venus isn’t truly happy until April, when she gets free of the malefics in Pisces. It’s not all doom and gloom though: Venus-Mars can be fun, too: promiscuous encounters rather than lasting relationships, passion in general as we pursue our goals, and directness in articulating our desires.
Mercury stations direct, conjunct Pluto (February)
This combination was relevant with the release of the Pandora papers, although Jupiter is no longer helping out here. Pluto can conceal as easily as it reveals, so we may see burying rather than revealing of information and secrets.
Pluto return of the United States
Using the Sibly chart (July 4, 1776 c. 5pm) the US’s Pluto is at 27 Capricorn, and we’ll get 3 exact conjunctions making this transit more acute in 2022. With this Pluto return the nation may face a crisis that forces it to transform itself or self-destruct. With the Sibly chart in particular we have Pluto in the 2nd house, which Austin likens to the “hidden class structure” of the US: founded with no official monarchy or nobility, we’ve had an increasingly wide income gap over the years, posing questions about the ideals and stories this nation was supposedly founded on. We may have an economic crisis related to this class divide, as well as questions around democracy and the concentration or distribution of power. With a Uranus return in the next few years (first of which was the Civil War, second of which was entering WW2), it’s gonna be a tumultuous decade in the United States.
Electional chart for January:
January 27th, around 8:25AM in your location
Jupiter is on the Ascendant, receiving the Moon in the 10th house, making this great for first impressions and overall enterprises. Mars in the 11th poses difficulties for endeavors involving friends and allies.
Venus in Aquarius (March)
Venus will be enclosed (besieged) by the two malefics Mars and Saturn in March, so Venusian pursuits are not recommended around this time. The language can sometimes play out really literally, though we may also feel metaphorically between a rock and a hard place. With harmonious transits in Pisces we may want to escape our current situations into another world; the Aquarius area of our charts is gonna be difficult and constraining, but we can find relief and joy in the adjacent Pisces house.
Second Quarter of 2022
Mars-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius (April 4th)
Venus has escaped from between these two planets and enters Pisces the next day. With this sign being her exaltation and a Jupiter/Neptune copresence, she’s going immediately from a terrible situation to a great one. Hard work is gonna pay off for struggles in the fixed signs.
Solar eclipse in Taurus (April 30th)
Uranus is near the moon for this one; it’s a followup to the lunar eclipse in mid-November. Venus, ruler of the lunation, is conjunct Jupiter in Pisces, with Neptune nearby. There can be some unexpected pleasant beginnings from this eclipse.
Jupiter enters Aries (May)
It’s only been about 4 months in Pisces, though Jupiter will regress back into domicile toward the end of the year. In a cardinal sign Jupiter is less passive and can get things done. Jupiter will conjoin Mars in the latter’s domicile during this transit, suggesting an expansion of war and fire themes. On the positive sign we can get some benefits from acting alone, but beware of ballooning selfishness. It’s a good time for bold, short-term moves, but not extended campaigns.
Lunar eclipse in Scorpio (May 15th/16th)
This is our first Scorpio eclipse since the nodes moved, and at 25 Scorpio it’s exactly opposite the Taurus eclipse we had in November. This eclipse is square Saturn and its domicile lord Mars is opposite Neptune, so we may find ourselves stuck in the fog or flood of war. For this South Node eclipse, remember that the tail of the dragon can have stingers and poison of its own (I’m thinking scorpions again...). This eclipse may play out differently on the interpersonal level than worldwide; for example we may see changes in the restrictions and duties we’ve taken on. Look to the Scorpio/Taurus axis of your chart to anticipate where great beginnings and endings will occur for you. What will be decreasing in Scorpio (South Node) so you can have increase in Taurus (North Node)?
Second Mercury retrograde (May 10th-June 3rd)
Mercury stations direct at 26 Taurus, the degree of the November eclipse, reinforcing that cycle (especially for any sensitive natal points). It’s also square Saturn, so it may take us longer to get out of all the delays. We’ll need to restrain some of our enthusiastic Jupiter-Mars-Aries energy until better intel comes in. With Mercury on Algol, don’t lose your head!
Mercury reenters Gemini (June)
What was delayed earlier will move forward with lightning speed, especially considering the trine to Jupiter.
Third Quarter of 2022
Mars enters Taurus (July 4th-5th)
Last time Mars ingressed into Taurus was January 6th, 2021...and once again it’s gonna trigger the Saturn/Uranus square, though both planets are later in degree now. With the North Node in Taurus as well, the month of July is gonna be a buildup of some tensions for the second half of the year. Mars will conjoin Uranus and the North Node exactly around the beginning of August, and the Sun’s ingress into Leo also intensifies some of this Saturn-Uranus(-Mars) struggle. Austin predicts this will be a more direct confrontation of the issues that have been building up, and Chris says that late July/early August is a difficult time to find any favorable solar elections.
Sun under stress & fixed signs (July/August)
Any planets in 18-22 degrees (the second half) of fixed signs will experience some difficulties during July and August this upcoming year. Additionally, the Sun in particular is going to be under a lot of stress as Saturn/Uranus starts ramping up. These transits also pose a lot of difficulties for the EU chart and the Saturn returns of several Eastern European countries. It’s also the Saturn return of the Internet, and themes of rebellion vs restriction may surface on that front as well.
Mars conjunct Uranus (August 1st)
This conjunction is also on top of the North Node, amplifying the already volatile energy. We can’t see clearly but want to act quickly, and sudden explosions, metaphorical and literal, are to be expected. This also further exacerbates the Saturn-Uranus conflicts between rebellion and rules. Leisa wants to emphasize that though some of these transits don’t feel good, it can still be good for us especially on the personal level. Think clearing out the old, or buckling down and churning out a bunch of work.
Jupiter retrograde in Aries & later Pisces (July 28th)
This may be a good time for us to take stock of all the expansion we’ve made. As with all retrogrades the keyword here is “unfinished business.” In 2021 the Jupiter ingress into Pisces & subsequent retrograde back into Aquarius coincided with restrictions being lifted but having to come back--think “it’s not over yet.”
Uranus stations retrograde (August 24th)
Through August and September, inner planet transits through fixed signs (namely Leo) will trigger that Saturn-Uranus square again, which goes nearly exact in the fall.
Mars enters Gemini (August 20th)
Mars generally spends 5 or 6 weeks in signs, but he’s slowing down and will retrograde from 25 Gemini on October 31st back to 8 Gemini, where it will finally station direct in January of 2023. Get used to that Mars in Gemini energy, because he’ll be spending about 8 months total there. This can also help us prepare for the topics his retrograde will bring up (pay attention to which house this is for in you). Events will come to a head around the stations, but we may be able to see some of these issues coming.
In general, Mars in air signs scatters our willpower into many directions. Make sure you’ve only got what you can handle on your plate--if you’ve set yourself up for burnout, Mars rx in Gemini will be happy to deliver. Mars in Gemini is also related to the chart of Twitter’s founding, “the perfect website for gossip and slander” (a negative Gemini Mars association) according to Austin. On a personal level this depends on your own natal Mars: we’ll be putting things into words, and Leisa recommends channeling this into writing a lot so we don’t get into verbal altercations.
Verbal/cyber warfare and whistleblowing may also be important here (for example, Edward Snowden has Mars in Gemini), as the last Mars in Gemini coincided with some Anonymous hacks and developments in Julian Assange’s case. This retrograde is also gonna hit the US’s Mars and Uranus, and historically coincided with the start of the Gulf War, though events may not be as extreme.
Mercury retrograde in Libra & Virgo (September-October)
Starts at 8 Libra (September 9th) opposite Jupiter and trine Mars, backtracking to 24 Virgo, where it stations direct (Oct 1st-2nd) at 24 Virgo opposite Neptune and square Mars. Austin predicts that we’ll have multiple conflicts and changes as Mercury transits two signs for this retrograde (a pattern for the year overall).
Fourth Quarter
October really builds up to the Mars retrograde, which is discussed above with his ingress into Gemini, as well as to the eclipses and other events later in 2022.
Solar eclipse in Scorpio (October 26th)
Venus is right on top of this eclipse (triple conjunction), though the Sun/the Moon/Venus’s ruler Mars is about to station in Gemini. “Messy” is the verdict from our hosts. Jupiter (rx) will regress into Pisces right as Mars stations a few days after this, with a square between the two of them bringing tension. Mars is more closely square to Neptune as well--whatever’s getting overhyped is gonna get some intense criticism. Facts and vitality will be hard to come by, though on the bright side we may find ourselves inspired.
Lunar eclipse in Taurus (November 8th)
Our US-based hosts point out this happens exactly on midterm election day in the US. It’s a pretty gnarly eclipse at 15-16 Taurus right on Uranus, with the North Node just a few degrees away, Mercury opposing it exactly from 15-16 Scorpio, and Saturn squaring them all from 18 Aquarius. Mercury and Venus are both combust during this eclipse, on the verge of resetting their synodic cycles, while Mars is trying to reset things during his retrograde in Gemini--lots of major changes on the horizon. Tensions will reach a boiling point in a big way. Uranus has been squaring Saturn for about two years now, and this eclipse really highlights it. What’s gonna happen with the rebellion and pushes for change? The results will have lasting consequences.
Additionally, the US’s 3rd and final Pluto return of the year is coming up in the fall. With Uranus in Taurus and the US Pluto in the 2nd house (Sibly chart), economics will definitely come into play here. Possible topics that will come to a head may be BitCoin/alternative currencies, student loans, and the broader financial consequences of the pandemic coming to bear on all of us.
Jupiter regresses into Pisces, conjoins Neptune (November)
This may coincide with new Film & TV developments, and has also seemed to line up with the little billionaire space tourism race we’ve seen recently. We’ve also got some delving into VR/digital space, so the themes of travel into strange realms from earlier in 2022 may come back. Neptune also stations at the beginning of December, though with the square with Mars makes Austin wary of any plane launches and related endeavors.
Full Moon conjunct Mars (December 7th-8th)
This lunation happens in the dead center of the Mars retrograde, and the Moon is the last inner planet to light up retrograde Mars. Between the bright Moon and Mars’s own brightness peaking in December, whatever issue the Mars rx highlighted for you is going to be starkly illuminated. Planets going through Sagittarius have been opposing Mars, though they are applying to Jupiter with reception. This means strife, but with some peacemaking ability.
Jupiter reenters Aries (December 20th-21st)
Jupiter is sextiling his dispositor Mars, who is still retrograde. This may help some of the Mars problems, though it’s not necessarily great for Jupiter.
Final Pluto return of USA (December 28th), Mercury stations retrograde This is the last exact return for 250 years, though we’ll have some close calls in 2023-24. Austin predicts that we won’t see how everything really turns out until we finish with Uranus in Gemini (US Uranus return) in the second half of this decade. Chris cautions that whatever gets put in place during the Pluto return will prove unavoidable during the Uranus return. Dissolving walls can be great, but the dissolving of national identity might be difficult for us...
In general we’ve got some previews of the future as some other cycles wrap up.
Preview of 2023
Saturn enters Pisces (April 2023)
Saturn and Neptune will be copresent in Pisces and later Aries for the next 5 years. In 2022 we get balmy, expansive Jupiter in Pisces, and Saturn following him there in 2023 will ask us to reality-test our dreams.
Pluto in Aquarius (early 2023)
Pluto will start dancing back and forth on the Capricorn-Aquarius border soon after Saturn’s trip through the sign. Austin calls Aquarius Pluto an essential ingredient for cyberpunk dystopia.
By 2025 We’ll have Neptune in Aries, Uranus in Gemini, and Pluto in Aquarius for good by the second half of the decade. Thus 2023′s Saturn-Neptune in Pisces will signal some confusion for us, since it’s before everything new has begin. We’re not sure what’s going to happen next yet. In terms of Saturn-Pluto and Saturn-Jupiter cycles, we’re in the first couple years of paradigm shifts that last for 200 years or so.
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Expect radical changes in the material reality. The 12-28-22 chart set for the District of Columbia has the ascendant on the 'ominous' 22º of Capricorn where Saturn, Pluto, Sun, Mercury and Ceres conjoined on January 12, 2020. The Sade Sati started when Saturn entered Capricorn and will last until he exits Pisces. Let's not forget that simultaneously with the Pluto return, the country has the Neptune opposite Neptune. I analyse all of this and more in my video.
Over at billherbst . com (copy, paste, remove the spaces), Bill has a really interesting series ongoing about the United States’ upcoming Pluto return. Not the most comfortable articles to read, especially when you live in the US, but fascinating and probably accurate. (He does say Dot 45 himself is all over with...!)
There are three parts as of this writing (30 March 2021). Part one is long, parts two and three about one-third as long. Highly recommended if you like political astrology.
AKA my notes on The Astrology Podcast’s forecast. We’re entering next month right at the tail end of the Venus retrograde (conjunct Pluto), but as this graph from Reddit shows we’ll still be in the shadow period, entering some territory for the third time these past few months. Since the last podcast, we’ve been seeing some resurgence of the Saturn-Uranus tensions with respect to labor struggles here in the U.S.
February 1st - New Moon in Aquarius
This one depends on time zone (in Denver, for example, it’s still on January 31st). Thus lunation activates the loose Saturn-Uranus square that will tighten up later this year. Guest host Patrick Watson predicts we’re gonna get a new meme about being old and/or saying no firmly--something on Saturnian themes! The Sun is going to have a perfect conjunction (cazimi) with Saturn on the 4th, really emphasizing saturnine themes. Mercury is also stationing direct in Saturn’s other home Capricorn, right as Venus leaves her shadow and joins Mars, making the first week of February a time for sober evaluations.
This month’s electional chart is for February 2nd at around 8:15AM local time (Pisces rising and adjust until Jupiter is on the Ascendant.) The Moon is applying to Jupiter from the first house/Pisces and is a great election for optimism, idealism, and hope. The Neptune copresence can make this a creative and dazzling time. However it’s not a great chart for friends and alliances with Mars in the 11th house in a day chart, with Mercury about to station direct but still technically retrograde. It’s also pretty close to the Sun-Saturn conjunction and Chris recommends backing up the time a little bit to try and get the Midheaven within 3 degrees of sextile to Saturn. We’ve only got so much time for Jupiter in Pisces, but now that Mars is out of Sagittarius it’s a good time to take advantage of the monthly Moon-Jupiter conjunction. Think winning!
February 3rd - Mercury stations Direct in Capricorn
This lights up Capricorn as well, and as this graphic shows we’ll be in the shadow period for most of the month:
With Pluto involved we might see hidden information coming to light, as well as possible side-switching in politics. (The last Mercury-Pluto contact coincided with the release of the Pandora Papers.) We can also see some changes in the verdict and disclosures in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial. February 11th will show us the third of three Mercury-Pluto conjunctions this retrograde.
Around this time we will also have a Sun-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius, which sits at the center of other aspects at the time. Venus and Mars (and Pluto) herald the Sun by rising before it, with Jupiter, Neptune & the Moon rising right after, concentrating all the visible planets in just a few signs. Austin likens this to an entourage, where the planets testify to the Sun’s & Saturn’s grandeur by announcing their return and following them after.
February 8th - Mars trine Uranus (not pictured)
This could be a good time to get things done.
February 14th - Mercury reenters Aquarius
For Valentine’s Day we’ll be feeling a little more intellectual than usual. However, the upcoming Full Moon will overshadow this holiday astrologically.
February 16th - Full Moon in Leo, Venus conjoins Mars in Capricorn
For Venus and Mars this marks the beginning of some back and forth between the two planets, and they’ll be conjunct as they enter Aquarius next month. Venus-Mars contacts can spell both difficulties in Venusian pursuits and improvement in Martian pursuits. This also corresponds to some of the current events involving Russia, with the Venus retrograde in Capricorn bringing up events in 8 year cycles.
The Moon is also square the nodes, putting it at the brightest & highest point of its orbit around the Sun. Beware of making rash decisions based on reactive emotions. Mars is overtaking Venus during the lunation, which may signify the impulse for war overtaking that of peace. This is also the halfway point between two sets of eclipses, with the upcoming eclipses emphasizing fixed signs.
February 17th - Jupiter sextile Uranus
This is another minor but productive aspect. We may get some help with Uranian chaos or an unexpected opportunity.
February 18th - Sun enters Pisces
The Sun joins Jupiter in the Jupiter’s home after being with Saturn in Saturn’s home, so it’s a big change. We may find ourselves more indulgent this Pisces season, especially with Neptune’s copresence here. It may also intensify some of the issues with Bitcoin and other markets. Jupiter likes to spread things out over the long-term and is especially strong in nebulous Pisces, which can challenge the concentration of wealth and fast-paced trade.
February 22nd (not pictured) - 2nd exact US Pluto return
Patrick specifies that this is the return of the Declaration of Independence, though Pluto has been in Capricorn (the sign of the return) since 2008. We’ll definitely be seeing reckonings and reevaluations of the founding principles or ideas behind the nation. Pluto in cardinal signs has historically corresponded with major changes in US currency (the formation of the federal reserve, moving off the gold standard, ‘08 crash & bailout), and with Pluto in the 2nd natally (in the Sibly chart), this may spell some changes for the US dollar. In general, Pluto makes big things small or small things big, and intensifies any natal planets it touches especially regarding power disparities.
February 23rd will show us Mars sextile Neptune and the 24th Neptune-Venus, which are minor aspects but might mellow out some of the passionate intensity from the Mars-Venus stuff. Neptune might take the edge off a little.
The end of February is a bit of a chill time before the Pisces New Moon in early March, when we’ll have a Sun-Jupiter conjunction in Pisces, a Mercury-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius, and Venus-Mars-Pluto in Capricorn all around the same time. Extreme desires and passions.
Going into March we'll also approach another Mars-Saturn conjunction, which has corresponded alarmingly with new problems showing up in these trying times. However, at least Pluto is no longer copresent or even within a 15-degree orb of Saturn now. We’ll see new developments in the cycles from all three of this planets.
