Aquarium Age - Transformational Astrology

Yesterday was the longest day of the year, but I have to admit, I feel like the last couple of years have been the longest days of any year—maybe even the longest days of this lifetime. My perception of time has shifted so radically that creating a coherent timeline seems impossible—and I don’t think I am alone in my temporal disorientation. Certainly, the extremists of the Republican Party have so dramatically lost the thread of current time that it seems they have time-traveled to a period of history that supports their antiquated views on slavery, women, guns, and homophobia, which they’re intent on revisiting upon all of us; they refuse to recognize just how much consciousness has shifted around race and gender—and every other gain that’s been made in the last half century.

The pandemic punched a huge whole in the space-time continuum, and trying to return to any normal perception of time feels like a fool’s mission. Sometimes it feels as if from 2020 up until this very moment we’ve been subject to an enormous tear in the spiritual and material fabric of time, and while I try to gauge things in terms of a broad perspective—years rather than months or days—it’s hard to get a handle on just how many years ago the pandemic started.

Yes, I still have my marbles and I can still count. But something essential has been so fundamentally altered that I think it’s easier to realize that life is never returning to what it was than it is trying to piece life back together—and that feeling has nothing to do with the United States Pluto Return. It’s based purely on an awareness of how many people are feeling completely out of step with their lives and can’t seem to undo what’s been undone.

This week, the skyscape offers a modicum of help, especially when it comes to overcoming the pervasive sense of stuckedness—a word a friend made up to describe the feeling of emotional quicksand. Jupiter is in Aries, a positive placement for the planet that signifies optimism, expansion, and a magnanimous perspective. On the evening of June 20, the Moon entered Aries and formed an immediate conjunction with Jupiter that ended this morning. Because this conjunction can be an emotionally volatile placement and because Aries is a fundamentally direct sign, you might have spent the last two days taking an inventory of everything and sharing your opinions with everyone.

Even though the conjunction has ended, its effect isn’t over given that the Moon, upon ending its conjunction with Jupiter, formed an immediate conjunction with Mars, also in Aries, amping up the emotional intensity and trying to turn those feelings into action. Try to harness the potency of this powerful conjunction to move through whatever space-time discombobulation you may be experiencing. This is a powerful conjunction that can be used to enhance your motivation to get the job done.

Try to avoid misusing this Martian intensity by attempting to force situations to move that do not want to budge. Beginning on June 25, exact on July 1 and finally ending on July 10, we are in the grip of a Mars/Pluto square. Yes, it is as intense as it sounds, because this aspect tends to manifest as ruthlessness enforced by sheer brute force. As a consequence we are likely to see even more terrifying demonstrations by all those domestic terrorist groups committed to the attainment of their goals through violence. An interesting note: The last Mars/Pluto square, with Mars in Aries, was January 5, 2021.

It's going to be a difficult couple of weeks, and when you add to the mix all that is being revealed about extremists taking a wrecking ball to democracy here in the USA, and about the leaders who are continuing to intentionally bamboozle their followers with one lie after another, I can’t help but think that that I am trapped in a dystopian novel where the world has gone completely cuckoo (that’s the cleanest way of putting it). This nightmare makes holding onto hope the most serious task at hand. When one of the country’s most conservative judges calls Trump and his followers a clear and present danger to democracy because the President of the United States planned and continues to plan a coup d’état, we know we are in trouble. Nonetheless, it is even more important for all of us to hold high the banner of truth. It is also crucial that we reaffirm our commitment to compassion, even when that feels like a futile endeavor. Kindness and empathy are always important, especially in times of dynamic transformation.

After watching the January 6 hearings so far, I have developed a new respect for the Republicans who stood up for the truth. I may not agree with their policies, but I am thankful for their courage, although why they didn't come forward for the impeachment trial is anyone's guess. I am also wondering what lawful remedy the election worker Shaye Moss, who gave such powerful testimony today, has for the slander and threats she and her mother and grandmother were subjected to in the wake of Rudy Giuliani’s and President Trump’s egregious lies.

The United States Pluto Return, 2022: The American Revolution 2.0

No one needs an astrologer to point out that the United States of America is in the midst of a powerful political and cultural catharsis that affects all aspects of daily life. Gone are the regular routines that provided necessary structures of order. Conspiracy theories have increasingly taken root, replacing traditional ways of explaining seemingly aberrant events for a great many people, even as aberrant events have increasingly become the norm. Put bluntly: collectively, we’re a mess. And while I am focused on the United States, the mess is global—climate change, migration issues, economic woes, and the war in Ukraine are all pieces of the greater Plutonian puzzle. Although astrology is not necessary to address the particulars of our situation, it is a way of contextualizing the shape we’re in, and for those willing to embrace a multidimensional perspective, understanding that we are in the midst of powerful astrological interactions can deepen our appreciation of what’s at the core of this powerful catharsis.

Pluto signifies the process of death and rebirth—not birth and death—and I’m always stressing that difference because what is often most disturbing and disruptive about any Pluto interaction, individual or collective, is that Pluto’s influence often begins with loss. Ultimately, that loss is emblematic of what needs to transform, but all too often what we cling to is what we most need to let go of. One of Pluto’s superpowers is its penchant for illuminating what no longer serves. Pluto may be the planet that’s farthest away from our pale blue dot, but it is nonetheless a heat-seeking missile for authenticity. Put simply, Pluto reveals what needs to change at the core.

Pluto entered the Sign of Capricorn in January 2008, retrograding back and forth into Sagittarius until December of that year. In addition to signifying the process of death and rebirth, Pluto also symbolizes all the aspects of life we have no control over, including the myriad unconscious forces that inform the processes of daily life, individual and collective. Capricorn is the Sign of corporations, government, authorities, and all the structures that hold the practical realities of daily life in place. Since Pluto’s transit through Capricorn began, the undercurrents of hidden forces affecting what we once viewed as stable societal structures have been revealed.

Pluto’s journey through Capricorn begins to wind down next year when Pluto makes its first entry into Aquarius on March 23, 2023. But Pluto moves back and forth between Capricorn and Aquarius from March 23, 2023 until November 19, 2024, which means we are in the culmination of Pluto’s transit through Capricorn for a couple of years. The final degrees of a Sign are the distillation of its essence; Pluto’s prolonged transit through those final concentrated degrees of Capricorn are certain to be uncomfortable and are sure to focus on what is still being denied.

The reason I’m focused on the long view is simple: Pluto’s influence is the most powerful of all, and its pull toward transformation is inexorable. From the collective perspective, Pluto in Capricorn tears down political systems that no longer work. America is a country born from such a dismantling. Although no human being will ever experience a Pluto return because it takes approximately 248 years for Pluto to make a full journey in its orbit around the Sun, many of us have experienced Pluto’s unrelenting demand for transformation under its other challenging aspects to our charts. Returns always contain a review, and given Pluto’s placement in Capricorn at the founding of these United States, the political unrest we are currently experiencing will intensify over the course of the next several years. The constant pressure of this Pluto Return, even when Pluto is not in direct contact with another planet, is undeniable, and the more we include it in our awareness, the more skilled we will become in handling its effects.

The current astrological skyscape paints an emotional picture for the week. On June 14, there was a Full Moon in Sagittarius, and by the end of June 15 and into June 16, the Moon moves into a conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn. Anticipate an almost compulsive need to express what you’re feeling. And even if you can somehow prevent such urges, expect those you love or work with, or even strangers, to be expressing that emotional intensity. So be patient with your fellow travelers—all of us are feeling the intensifying intensity.

The Moon in Capricorn squares Mars as it moves into its conjunction with Pluto and that fractious interaction ups the ante on irritability, so expect that you and the rest of us are going to be easily aggravated. If your temper starts to rise, try to remember to take as many deep breaths as necessary to stay calm and present.

The Venus/Uranus conjunction in Taurus continues until June 17, so you can expect even more surprising emotional encounters, including spontaneous declarations of personal independence. If you’re not expecting those declarations, you could be quite startled, but here’s the thing about Venus/Uranus contacts: while the emotional thrust of that influence is often adamantly expressed, a reversal of position can soon follow. So try not to be reactive—just keep breathing.

A Sun/Neptune square can easily obscure important information, but the Sun also trines Saturn, a sobering force that can easily override the trickster energy of Neptune.

It’s not an easy week and you’ll need to stay focused, inside and out, if you want to navigate the waves with confidence and skill.

As I write this, the January 6 Committee is holding its hearings. Much is being revealed, some of which we already knew, but the hearings are filling in the backstory of a concerted effort to undermine the principles of our democracy through a coup d’état, and the details of what happened behind the curtain are, as my hero Commander Spock would say, fascinating. The underbelly of American politics is being exposed in ways that can’t be easily dismissed or forgotten. Yes, we knew it was bad, but in keeping with the United States Pluto Return and the idea that history repeats itself, Mr. Trump is clearly our mad King George. And there is still plenty to learn.

And because there is so much to learn—not just about January 6 and the plot to interfere with the peaceful transition of power, but all the aspects of our system that have failed and need transformation—let’s devote ourselves to knowledge and understanding as we simultaneously stay committed to kindness and compassion.

I was holding up under the intensities of these past weeks until I heard the sixty-strong contingent of mariachi from San Antonio serenading the mourners in Uvalde. The poignancy of their songs, the emotional vibrato of their voices combined with the purity of their desire to console triggered a release of deep internal grief that dropped me into an all too familiar place of sorrow. Sorrow not just for those who lost their lives in Uvalde but for all those who have died, who have survived such traumas, and who have lost the ones they love to the cruelty of guns. Those heartfelt musicians also triggered my grief for those who feel helpless in their efforts to confront and eradicate the senselessness of this ongoing, persistent perversity.

But the song I can’t get out of my head is “I Don’t Like Mondays” by the Boomtown Rats. For those of you who don’t remember that song, it was written about a teenager who opened fire on an elementary school playground in San Diego in 1979 and when asked why she did it, she explained that she didn’t like Mondays. I remember being startled by the event, the song, the explanation, and that the shooter was a young girl. I know there are many ways to understand what motivates someone to kill, but none of these explanations addresses the deeper cause: in the decades since then, we have become increasingly affected and infected by a soul sickness that is both individual and collective; it’s a disease that disregards the sanctity of life and hardens the heart.

The Second Amendment is another key issue spotlighted by the United States Pluto Return. We are in the thick of that Return, and while it may seem esoteric to some, this is an important practical and transformational process. We can interpret the right to bear arms literally, as far too many do (although there’s been a calculated rightwing shift to leaving “well-regulated” out of the original equation), or we can acknowledge that the founders had no idea of the assault weapons the Second Amendment would be used to defend. (For those of you new to the idea of a Pluto Return, more about the U.S. Pluto Return next week.)

Fortunately, the astral interactions of the week are slightly less strident than last week. Mars and Jupiter, both in Aries, end their conjunction today, and that separation strikes a slightly softer chord as it simultaneously lessens manic behavior.

A Venus/Uranus conjunction in Taurus stirs sexual desire; even if you’re not inclined toward pursuing sensual and sexual pleasure, you might find it impossible to resist the power of this conjunction. It’s a highly seductive combination that can easily express itself as infatuation—sometimes you can feel as if it’s possible to fall in love with everyone you encounter—for at least five minutes. While I am in no way opposed to romantic liaisons, it might be wise to refrain from any impulsive desire to get married until the conjunction is over—June 16. It’s just as easy to fall out of love under this influence, so I wouldn’t go to divorce court just yet, either. There’s no need to hurry and as I like to warn under Venus/Uranus contacts: marry in haste, repent at leisure.

It's going to be another challenging week. We will be hearing from the January 6 Committee, and we are likely to see more people like Matthew McConaughey making impassioned pleas for gun sanity—if such a thing is possible in the current climate. As the week unfolds there will be plenty of opportunities to contemplate your local situation and how you can make a positive contribution to your community if you feel called to action. There will be so much information—maybe even too much—to digest and metabolize that it may at times feel overwhelming. Keep an open mind as you work your way through all that is revealed, knowing that we are in the midst of a gigantic process that will last for a long while. Be clear about what you value and why. And above all, be kind to your fellow travelers—we all need the comfort of compassion and we all benefit from it.

It serves no useful spiritual purpose to review the tragedy of last week with an effort to explain it astrologically. As we continue to be bombarded by the awful details of the slaughter in Uvalde and by the ongoing devastation of Ukraine, every new angle on these stories challenges body, mind, heart, and soul. Most of us are desperately struggling to find hope in the midst of our despair; we may not find the old coping mechanisms up to the task, but in digging deeper in ourselves, it may be possible to discover more profound resources than we knew we had.

Those efforts to find comfort take on new urgency as June begins with the Moon in Cancer, signaling the dominant frequency of the month: the need for safety and security. Cancer symbolizes the home, the longing to belong, and the mother, so this month opens with the emphasis on family and home.

As the Moon stirs a deep yearning for safety, it also clashes with a Mars/Jupiter conjunction in Aries. This conjunction is a potent force that stirs the urge to move into action—don’t be surprised that as people move out of their shock and grief, they move into finding ways to effect change. Of course, not every move is guaranteed to be the wisest choice, so it would be wise to carefully consider your options and think before leaping into situations that require more thoughtful and prudent choices than those made in the heat of the moment. For those of us looking to get a lot done, this conjunction provides the muscle to do whatever is necessary to accomplish those goals. While the conjunction’s clash with the Cancer Moon could inhibit smooth passage toward those objectives, that lunar square is over by the afternoon of June 2. What lingers beyond is Cancer’s emotional temperament and the increased need for safety.

There is also a tendency to assume a hypercritical attitude as Mercury in Taurus, about to go direct on June 3, squares Saturn in Aquarius—about to go retrograde on June 4. It would be quite easy to describe this square as a clash of directions, but it’s likely to feel more like a fractious clash of judgment about what should be done and what could be done. Try not to get caught in a negative attitude that only focuses on what’s wrong or what could go wrong.

The good news is that as Mercury Direct begins, Mercury also trines Pluto, a positive interaction with the potential to support innovative thinking that can get to the core of the problem and devise thoughtful solutions.

During this week and the weeks and months that lie ahead, the challenge for most of us will continue to be figuring out how to act from our truest values even as we feel paralyzed and trapped in our worst place. There is no magic way out of our current dilemma—yes, we can turn off the news, which many of us have done. But ultimately, there is only the wisdom of taking one day at a time, each day marshalling our forces to strengthen our spiritual light, illuminating those true values, and galvanizing the will to turn those values into positive action. It will not be easy, but you already know that. It will be worthwhile, especially as we build hope in our collective efforts to make a difference and to create a world we want to live in peacefully. As always, try to make kindness and compassion your first response—we all need more than a little tenderness to make it through these waves.

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus
November 2, 1883

As the teeming masses of displaced humanity search for a safe haven—a place to call home—in the modern diasporas occurring globally, I thought it might be useful to reference the Mother of Exiles and remember how we all got to these shores. Yes, the United States of America is a country built on the genocide of its indigenous population and we revisit those violent origins and pay for those acts of cruelty with each and every mass shooting—it seems we just can’t stop killing. And yes, again, we’ve always viewed the “other” with suspicion despite seeking asylum from those who sought to oppress and otherwise limit the freedom of millions of immigrants who endured soul-crushing hardship to arrive safely on these shores. And even though the vision of our founders was limited by a worldview that ignored or agreed with the perversion of slavery as it simultaneously failed to see women as fully ensouled human beings, the founders of our democracy put forth a vision of a world free from the tyranny of oppression—a  vision that spoke to millions and has never died.

Yet now, caught in the maelstrom of the United States Pluto Return, those values—liberty and justice for all, a siren’s song to so many of the world’s suffering—are being challenged by a stultifying and stupefying ignorance. Unfortunately, it’s a challenge that has persisted for so long we’ve almost grown used to it. “No Irish need apply.” “Separate” but never equal. And countless other racial and gendered slurs we have endured. I say almost grown used to, because we are not yet completely hypnotized by the cruelty we set in motion when we deny the humanity of others. Nevertheless, and despite the best efforts of our best leaders to remind us of our principles, collectively we’ve betrayed the spirit of our country so profoundly that some have come to believe our borders need walls and more barbed wire to keep out the teeming masses yearning to breathe free.

I used to think that line was yearning to be free and only recently realized it was yearning to breathe free. When you are oppressed or enslaved, breath—the life force itself—cannot be completely inhaled; it is regulated by so many forces other than your own free will.

I realize that we live in a world that defines itself by rules and regulations and while I am not an anarchist, I am proudly a child of the sixties, and when rules and regulations fail to meet the needs of the moment, those regulations need to change. When we forget that the Mother of Exiles stands at the door of our harbor holding the torch that glows with the promise of welcome for the wretched and suffering, we forget our purpose; and instead of offering a safe haven to those longing to breathe free, we chase them at the borders, put them in jail, separate children from parents, lose the necessary documents to reunite them, hold people in prison, ruin life after life after life, blaming the very people escaping tyranny as we impose a new tyranny on their longing to breathe free.

This is only one betrayal of our values, but I am starting here because it is such a blatant betrayal and because we haven’t even begun to see the extent of climate migration. We need to see these millions of displaced people as people—they are not numbers; they are human beings yearning for the safety of home. And I don’t think we yet have a resilient, sensible plan about how to handle what lies ahead as the planet becomes increasingly uninhabitable.

This week, the sky supports that yearning to be free, a need that’s likely to increase all week long as the planets continue to line up in Aries, the Sign of individuation. Venus is in Aries until May 28; Jupiter stays in Aries until the end of October, when it retrogrades briefly back into Pisces; and on May 24, Mars enters Aries and begins a transit through its Home Sign that lasts until July 5, which means the next six weeks are certain to be quite feisty.

Be prepared for lots of people to be staking out their territory and declaring their positions on everything. Also anticipate a tempestuous air coupled with a bold sense of adventure that has the power to encourage some of our fellow travelers to leap before they look or think about the consequences of their actions. On a positive note, the concentration of planets in Aries supports action, although I think we have to wait until Mercury Retrograde is over before we can access the purity of that fiery impulse to take decisive action. As you move through this fire, be prepared to experience some of its effects as the need to move—Mars signifies the muscles of the body. But because it is strongest in its Home Sign, we’re likely in for more than a few belligerent interactions. Choose your disagreements carefully—not every argument has to devolve into a full-scale battle.

As Mars prepares to enter Aries, it’s moving out of its conjunction with Neptune in Pisces. This conjunction has been stoking the impulse toward compassion and empathy; try not to lose that intention as Mars grows increasingly fierce. It is possible to be strident and care about the well-being of others. Also be aware that when Mars moves into Aries it forms a conjunction with Jupiter, a positive alliance that is certain to have most of us very busy.

Pluto Retrograde began on April 29 and on July 11 it will form the second of three returns in the United States chart—the third return is on December 28. Between now and July 11, Pluto will be revisiting all that has transpired since February 20—the first return. This Plutonian retrograde review is an invitation to identify the issues we most need to deal with. These Pluto returns are not about returning to the days of yesteryear as some, including several justices on the Supreme Court, would have us believe. The United States Pluto Return is about recognizing what’s changed since 1776 and bringing the principles of our democracy into current time with greater clarity. Our ancestors came here yearning to breathe free and our fellow travelers are following suit every time they take a raft across the Caribbean or cross the Rio Grande—they are seeking asylum in the safety of our principles. We need to recognize that it is our responsibility to honor those principles as well as the human beings who long to breathe the free air of democracy.

To all the readers of the Aquarium Age: the Weekly Frequency is back! And thank you to the many readers who sent kind words about its return—they are much appreciated. The monthly column proved too dense for lots of readers to digest easily and there is so much going on right now, and so much that will continue to go on for the foreseeable future, that I thought it might be a good idea to go back to the basics. I may skip a week occasionally—everyone needs a break from routine—and rather than publishing on Wednesdays, the column will start on the first of each month and repeat every seven days.

Daily life continues to vibrate with what has become the normal unsettled pace, and because reality (if there is such a thing) also continues to feel splintered in a thousand different pieces, lots of us are going to be spending a fair amount of time attempting to put the shards of what was into a legible mosaic of what is. Unfortunately, too many of us are trying to arrange the hodgepodge of broken pieces into a semblance of normalcy and it just can’t be done. Most, if not all, of the institutions that once held the foundations of daily life together have been torn asunder and there is absolutely no going back. But the planet’s evolutionary need to preserve itself and move forward could provide a new view of the madness, a view that includes novel if not eccentric solutions—not intended to piece reality back together, but motivated to generate workable, sustainable solutions to the destruction and decay that surround us.

Many of our fellow travelers are depressed and despairing about our collective situation but despair, while a necessary element in reaching the global healing process, won’t serve past a certain point. We need to create new solutions to persistent problems and that requires shifting our focus from feeling helpless to becoming active in manifesting remedies for the madness. As always on this free-will planet, it’s a choice. Each of us plays a part (even if we think we are too insignificant to matter) and when we assume that participatory role, helplessness can dissipate, giving hope a chance to dominate. We create our reality as we go along, adding our consciousness to the mix, and until one of us becomes the hundredth monkey and the collective reaches critical mass on how to improve conditions without causing additional harm, that consciousness-mix is a mess—or put more politely, a work in progress.

This week the planets begin to shift their focus, turning away from the deeply, internal emphasis of Pisces toward an active, external one, symbolized by Aries and its fiery need to take action.

But the internal emphasis isn’t completely over. Mars is still in Pisces conjunct Neptune, the Ruler of Pisces. This conjunction is exact on May 18 and completely behind us by May 25. It’s a truly empathetic planetary coupling that affords an opportunity to inhabit another person’s perspective. The downside is its ability to dissolve borders; the upside is its potential to mend fences and explore differences without having to denigrate the opposing point of view. This extraordinary opportunity to see through the eyes of another won’t last long, so enjoy the gentle frequency of the Mars/Neptune conjunction while you can. Squabbling will only increase in intensity during the coming weeks.

The week’s external emphasis is symbolized by a concentration of planets in Aries. Currently, Venus is in Aries—it entered Aries on May 2; Jupiter just moved into Aries on May 10, the day Mercury began its second retrograde phase of the year; and on May 24, Mars enters Aries, and as it does, daily life will take on an increasingly intense martial air (hard to imagine, I know). Mars is the archetype of the warrior and because Mars rules Aries, when Mars transits its Home Sign, those warlike tendencies intensify. And because the transit of any planet through its Home Sign strengthens its essence, lots of people are sure to be stirred to action.

Mercury Retrograde continues until June 3, and as Mercury retraces its recent history, we are in a slo-mo rewind of our own. Use this time to reflect, review and reconsider recent choices. Mercury signifies all things related to communication and travel as well as commerce and negotiation, which is why Mercury Retrograde isn’t a good time to initiate new business projects. It is the perfect time to go over all the details of what is already in motion.

There is a Lunar Eclipse of the Moon in Scorpio on May 16, and as always with an eclipse, things that have been lurking in the shadows are revealed. During the eclipse, the Moon trines both Mars and Neptune, a position that amplifies the already hypersensitive sentiments of that Pisces conjunction. Because the Moon is in Scorpio, many of us could find ourselves revealing secrets or having our secrets revealed by others. For some this eclipse could be quite dramatic, but others may not even experience the slightest disturbance.

I often write that living comfortably with uncertainty is an attribute of sound mental health—never is that more true than right now, as the news of the world worsens and our collective angst turns into collective dread. But don’t let these conditions wear you down—hold onto your highest ideals and be determined to live according to those principles. Focus on what you can do to be of service and don’t rule out kindness as your greatest contribution. From what I can garner from some posts on social media, kindness has become the new black. Wear it well and apply it liberally. So many people need help right now and being kind to a fellow traveler has the power to make a difference.

To all the readers of the Aquarium Age: the Weekly Frequency is back! I’ve decided to return to the weekly format, as of the first week in May. The monthly column proved too dense for lots of our fellow travelers to digest easily and there is so much going on right now, and so much that will continue to go on for the foreseeable future, that I thought it might be a good idea to go back to the basics. I may skip a week occasionally—everyone needs a break from routine—and rather than publishing on Wednesdays, the column will start on the first of each month and repeat every seven days.

Almost everyone I’ve talked to in the last several weeks has started our conversation with “What the f*ck is going on—and what do the stars have to say? Is it going to end soon?” Everyone is aware that nothing is normal and it’s freaking them out. “Welcome to the American Revolution 2.0,” is my reply, “symbolized by the U.S. Pluto Return.” As Pluto often does, it has wiped away the structures that held together any semblance of a reliable, organized daily life. Those structures have disintegrated or are in the process of disintegrating, and because Pluto signifies the process of death and rebirth, the dismantling of those structures is devastating and terrifying; it’s as if we’re free-floating in space, not yet sure of where we are or where we are headed—no direction known, although it seems that we are on a collision course with the days of yesteryear. Of course, we’re seeing a great deal of unraveling occurring around the globe, not just in the U.S., but what’s happening here is an intensification that’s shaking the foundations of our nation’s identity.

It's difficult to offer words of comfort in the midst of this madness because there really aren’t any, other than this is what it’s like to be in the midst of a Pluto Return—violent, intense, and devastating, just as it is simultaneously creative and transformational. We’re in a process that’s going to take quite some time, not just because Pluto transits take a long time—the average Pluto transit takes approximately two years, if you use a 1° orb. We’re in this return until the end of the year, but because Pluto is also changing Signs, entering Aquarius in March 2023, this Pluto Return is going to feel as if it is lingering longer, if only because there’s a lot to dismantle before we can create a new paradigm, one built on an egalitarian philosophy that honors everyone regardless of gender, race, religion, age, sexual preference, or economic status. Just don’t get your hopes up for an easy entry into that new paradigm. There is certain to be much resistance to the shift (as we are already seeing in the intensifying power struggles at state and federal levels), and while resistance to these changes is ultimately futile, that won’t lessen the turmoil which will dominate daily life for several years.

Pluto always intensifies change at the core and that is certainly what we are experiencing—the fascism that was partially hidden but not at all dormant; the misogyny and bigotry written into the Constitution but always denied; and the entitlement of white men that enables the cruelty and callousness toward anything other than the needs of the privileged. The good news is that the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence are also a part of this Pluto Return, and that means integrating those ideals is also part of the Plutonian process. The turbulence between what is and what needs to be in order to live up to those ideals is where we are now, and it isn’t easy finding a way through to higher ground. While it is important to have a government that strives to embody and manifest those ideals, it is much more important to have citizens who appreciate the value of those ideals and strive to live up to them, for we’ve seen how quickly the government can fail when not enough do.

For the next several weeks, lots of us will be reviewing the recent past as well as the ancient past. Mercury Retrograde begins on May 10 and ends on June 3, and even though most of us are familiar with the Mercury Retrograde drill, we aren’t exempt from its influence. Anticipate troubles with Wi-Fi as server connections are disrupted. Mail of every denomination is also likely to be afflicted with problems and all communication and travel plans will need an adjustment. Mercury Retrograde is not a good time to initiate new projects, but it is an excellent time to review the details of projects and plans already in motion. So feel free to blame the stars for all the technical difficulties we are bound to experience over the next several weeks.

On a positive note, Jupiter moves into Aries on May 10, the same day that Mercury goes retrograde, so don’t be surprised if you want to move forward at the speed of light—Jupiter enjoys transits through Fire Signs—but can’t quite bring yourself up to speed because Mercury has all of us tethered to the here-and-now. Jupiter’s transit through Aries will amplify impetuous urges and tempestuous moods as it simultaneously feeds the need to be honest and forthright. Try to think before you speak, but also embrace this astral impulse to be direct.

One more bit: by May 11, Mars conjuncts Neptune in Pisces, fostering the urge to merge. This conjunction is exact and separating on May 18 and ends by May 25, when Mars enters Aries. More about Mars and Neptune next week.

As I often like to remind those of us who pay attention to the stars and planets, we bring these astral influences to life—they manifest in many ways, but it is our actions that determine how we experience their energetic signatures. So as we move through these turbulent times, keep your eyes on your destination. The patriarchy is quaking from the waves of Plutonian transformation and taking every action they can to turn back the hands of time, but it is not possible to forestall the future. We’re already winning, otherwise they wouldn’t be so afraid or trying so hard to hold onto power. We must continue to resist their efforts to harm the planet and all its sentient inhabitants because in that resistance—both its failures and its gains—we will find our new paradigm. We won’t be able to implement it easily but we will eventually find a way to make it through the suffering we must unfortunately witness. Be kind to yourself and others, and try to find compassion for those who cannot open their hearts to life in all its myriad manifestations.

Emotional waters run deep this month—there’s no bottom to the intensity of feelings, yours or others’, so it’s wise to think before you leap, speak, or take any action purely based on an emotional moment. April’s uber-sensitivity is largely due to a Jupiter/Neptune conjunction in Pisces that began on March 20 and is exact and separating on April 12, finally ending on May 9. Be prepared for the next several weeks to be a blur of feelings. For those old enough to remember that song from the ’70s, “Feelings,” you’re free to start singing endless wo-o-o’s—it actually might feel good to start humming a cliché, if only because it could make you laugh. And for those who are too young to remember those endless emotive choruses, find the song online and let yourself join in—it could be a great cathartic moment to just sing along with the intensity.

But the prominence of this Jupiter/Neptune conjunction in Pisces, the Sign of empathy, isn’t the only contributor to April’s intense emotional field. Environmental factors also contribute to the pervasive and nearly palpable sensitivity of the month: the change of seasons, a transition that always tends toward hyper-sensitivity as minds and bodies struggle to adjust to the flux of temperatures and climate, has become increasingly volatile in recent years due to global warming, and this year those transitions are likely to be even more uncomfortable and confusing.

And that's not all: we are witnessing a televised war in Ukraine that is heartbreaking each and every moment. Many of our fellow travelers feel overwhelmed by the blatant cruelty of this war. There is currently no end in sight, making us keenly aware of the horrifying losses that the Ukrainian and Russian peoples will carry for decades ahead.

The collective turmoil is mirrored (as always) through individual upheaval, especially as the reality of our global situation takes hold. Nothing is at it was, and as many of us experience the displacement from our pre-COVID lives, the destruction in Ukraine resonates the poignancy of lives lost on so many levels. Despite the freedom many people are feeling as pandemic regulations have relaxed, COVID remains a threat, and the prospect of another variant surge lingers. The Saturn/Pluto conjunction of 2020 continues to deconstruct reality, revealing all the holes in structures previously supporting the routines of daily life—demonstrating in no uncertain terms the ways these systems no longer work.

April’s hypersensitivity coexists with an equally strident start to the month. A Mars/Saturn conjunction in Aquarius is the source of this discord; it began on March 27, is exact and separating on April 4, and persists until April 13. This conjunction is a pernicious interaction that tends toward violence as a way of solving differences, and while its energy can also be applied to dangerous situations that require extraordinary precision, managing such power requires finding a way to navigate an often grueling obstacle course. This planetary combination signals tests of endurance that challenge body, mind, and spirit to find positive solutions, but harnessing the power of a Mars/Saturn conjunction—in any Sign—requires deep determination and commitment to transformation, no matter what obstacles are inhibiting your progress. Just be careful to avoid ruthless methods of overcoming roadblocks. That Mars/Saturn determination can turn quite callous when it removes obstacles without restraint.

April also opens on a strong Aries signature, which some may deem a strident tone—Aries and its Ruler, Mars, can be seen as the archetype of the warrior, and both can be inclined toward issuing orders as a means of coping with challenging situations that are out of control. The Sun is in Aries and Mars is conjunct Saturn, and given those powerful placements, it wouldn’t be surprising to find yourself barking commands in the midst of chaos, especially if you’re feeling ultra-impulsive about getting results—even if that means refusing to honor limits and boundaries. Not only is the Sun in Aries, but Mercury is conjunct the Sun, which enhances the Aries determination to rationalize the danger of taking charge without appropriate objectivity about the situation you’re seeking to control. Add the New Moon in Aries on April 1 and you’ve got a full-speed urge to get the show on the road, whatever that show may be.

The New Moon is always a good time to initiate plans and projects and a New Moon in Aries particularly glorifies the energy of germination, which makes it the best New Moon (other than Taurus) for planting the seeds of what you want to grow. Whether you’re planning a food or flower garden or wanting to seed ideas, this New Moon is a great time to get your garden growing. Let yourself plant with purpose and ambition.

Week One: April 1 – 7

The first week of April is characterized by the passionate New Moon in Aries as well as the sharp intensity of the Mars/Saturn conjunction, making it truly important to find and maintain your balance as the routines of daily life reflect the strong influence of Mars and Aries. But even in the midst of that strong concentration of Martian force, the underlying current of the week is the emotional Jupiter/Neptune conjunction. The sensitivity of this conjunction in Pisces is more than likely to make finding your balance difficult—Mars and Saturn aren’t all that interested in empathy, while the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction in Pisces encourages a spiritual experience of unity, creating disparate goals and producing a strong emotional environment.

Week Two: April 8 – 14

The Jupiter/Neptune conjunction is exact on April 12 at 23° Pisces 59’, which means the entire second week of April is certain to be emotionally intense. Be prepared for feelings to overwhelm reason—which isn’t always a bad thing, given what we’ve learned from watching the various iterations of Spock’s emotional development all these years. Nevertheless, unless you are already an intergalactic child of a bona fide Vulcan/Earthling marriage and struggling to make sense of your feelings, last week, this week, and the next several weeks ahead are likely to be easier spent allowing yourself to feel—wo-wo-o, truly, madly, and deeply. It could be as simple as listening to music and suddenly being brought to tears by your emotional response to the violin orchestrations of your favorite song, one you’ve listened to a thousand times before and never shed a tear in appreciation of its beauty.

Enjoy this emotional intensity because resisting it will take more energy than going with the flow; try to let it flood your system in healthy ways. If you are joyous, create a ritual of gratitude so that you can express your joy without hesitation. If you are grieving—and many of us are—create a ritual for mourning and allow yourself to release your grief. We are in need of grief rituals—we’re grieving the life we left behind, and although our pre-COVID world may not have been heaven on Earth, it was the reality we were used to and our regular routines provided order. The realization that that way of life is gone, and that many of the people we shared that way of life with are also gone, has been a loss too sad for many to let themselves feel—but not in the midst of the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction. Expect to be overwhelmed at times, and again, let yourself open to it. Resistance, especially this month, is futile.

Many are also grieving for the devastation in Ukraine, and for the harm that’s being done not just to countless Ukrainian and Russian lives but to our planet, all of which adds to the underlying grief that some of us still consider war a legitimate means to an end. War is state-sanctioned violence and even if it is against a great evil, as it was in World War II, war only perpetuates more violence. Most of us, but not enough of us, know that war is never the answer.

Whenever possible, try to avoid judging yourself or your fellow travelers about just how much emotion needs to be discharged under this influence. Find healthy outlets to support yourself—dance, drum, or chant it out; you can also draw, paint, or plant as a way of expressing your feelings. If you are an athlete, run, swim, jump, or row it away.

The upside of this potent and emotional conjunction is its potential to give birth to deep spiritual experiences—for those who meditate, take advantage of this magnificent, mystic urge to merge with the divine. Both Jupiter and Neptune symbolize the potential for expansive consciousness as well as spiritual devotion. As these co-Rulers of the Sign of mysticism unite, they produce the possibilities for expansive spiritual experiences that you won’t need drugs to enhance.

Week Three: April 15 – 21

Mars moved into Pisces late in the day on April 14, and although we could expect its entry into the Sign of empathy to amplify the effect of the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction, its influence is more likely to manifest as the need to assess rather than assume before moving into action.

The Sun in Aries has been squaring Pluto in Capricorn since April 13 and that square is exact and separating on April 18, just before the Sun’s move into Taurus late on April 19, and finally ends by April 24. Sun/Pluto squares always indicate power struggles, which translates into rough days in mid-April. It won’t be easy steering clear of altercations, so choose your stands wisely. Be careful not to act impulsively and also be wary of involving yourself in any interaction that could turn into a power play. Pluto’s presence can manifest as ruthlessness, something you want to avoid, especially in the current climate of violence and cruelty. Continue to use the spiritual power of the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction to guide your behavioral choices. You won’t be wimping out; you’ll be opting for higher ground rather than contributing to the suffering of your fellow travelers.

On a more positive note, a Mercury/Uranus conjunction begins this week; it is exact and separating on April 17 and ends on April 21. As readers know, I love Mercury/Uranus interactions because they symbolize and stimulate an active mind; ready, willing, and able to embrace curiosity as a way of life. I often liken it to having the universal symbol for invention—a gigantic lightbulb—overhead, sending inventive ideas to anyone who is listening. Make the most of this invigorating interaction by allowing yourself to think differently about persistent problems all the while staying open to innovative solutions.

On April 16, there is a Full Moon in Libra that is likely to add to the already too-emotional atmosphere—the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction is still in effect. Try to attune to the peacemaking signature of Libra by finding your internal equilibrium and doing your best to maintain that balance. A word of caution: it won’t be easy to stay balanced, but it is a worthwhile endeavor to try. The more we focus on peaceful interactions in our personal lives, the more we contribute to creating peace from a collective perspective.

Week Four: April 22 – 30

A Venus/Neptune conjunction in Pisces kicks in on April 23, is exact and separating on April 27, and ends on May 2. This conjunction indicates inspiration and a rich creative field that is inclined toward dreamy romance as well as graceful spiritual experiences. Channel this planetary combination into creative endeavors that allow you to express Venusian as well as Neptunian values—love, both carnal and spiritual, is the signature of this conjunction. Jupiter is in the middle of this conjunction, which translates into an expansive magnification of this imaginative Venus/Neptune force.

April’s astral intensity ends with a solar eclipse on April 30 at 10° Taurus 28’, a position that Uranus has held on and off for part of 2021 and for all of January 2022. Eclipses always reveal what’s hiding in the shadows, so we can definitely expect surprising information to suddenly be revealed. Eclipses aren’t positive, and even though we can predict their occurrence (so could our ancient ancestors, by the way), they still signify a disruption in the order of things. Because this eclipse occurs at the end of a highly emotional month, it would be wise to expect that it will exacerbate the already emotional atmosphere. Anticipate the information that’s revealed to be disruptive.

The best way to navigate the deep waters this month is to do your best to keep an even keel, and while that may feel impossible in the midst of April’s emotional waves, keeping your ship upright and holding fast to a steady course will yield positive results. We live on a disrupted planet and the turmoil is far from over. We will all need to embrace a perspective that includes the global and the local as well as the collective and personal points of view. Holding fast to that multifaceted view may not be easy, but it will be worthwhile, especially as we interact with our fellow travelers. As always, remember to be kind to yourself and others as you make your way through these waves of change. We will all benefit from more than a little tenderness.

Hello to readers everywhere!

March plays out on a split screen, but the dual reality I’m talking about isn’t referring to the proverb about the month’s weather—March comes in like a lion but it’s not likely to go out like a lamb. This month’s split screen is all about attempting to adhere to the regular routines of daily life even as the violence of war casts global shadows of anxiety and uncertainty, clouding all areas of life, here in the United States and throughout the rest of the world.

I spent the last several days glued to the TV watching history unfold, contemplating how the consequences of Putin’s madness might manifest, marveling at the determination of the people of Ukraine to resist, and wondering how the invasion that began on February 24, 2022, is related to the United States Pluto Return, which was exact on February 20, during Russia’s escalations to war.  But that is just the tip of the astro-iceberg: on February 23, Mars, the planet of battle, was at the same degree as the Saturn/Pluto conjunction of January 2020, which is another factor that points to the longevity of this war and its world-changing consequences. We are bearing witness to our world as it tilts toward more violence and upheaval.

As many of our fellow travelers are experiencing, it’s simply overwhelming to consider all of the possible ramifications of this Russian invasion: the loss of human life; the tragic, traumatic effect on citizens across Ukraine and Russia, knowing that their trauma will imprint future generations; the damage caused to yet another part of the planet in our already polluted environment. What’s more, the Russian capture of Chernobyl, site of the world’s worst nuclear accident, raises almost permanent goose bumps at the memory of those horrors and concern for what could come.

Yes, this is a free-will planet and I can always turn the TV off, but there is no way to shut out the pervasive anxiety that this invasion could turn into another world war—and there is good reason for such concern. The world is just beginning to emerge from the worst trials and tribulations of COVID-19, only to be faced with the specter of World War III—for many, it’s just too much, so be patient with friends and family who are suffering from the weight of our combined local and global situations.

Beyond the broadcasts of war and the inevitable consequences of its violence, the extremists of the right wing (or what has become the GOP 2.0) continue their machinations to neutralize the cultural progress we’ve made over the last decades. The old white guys of yesteryear are doing their best to turn back the hands of time: in the rollback of every ilk of civil rights, from voting to gender to LGBTQ gains, conservatives are determined to hold onto their crumbling privilege. They are not going down without a fight—all those who have been working for change need to stay alert and awake at the wheel of our cultural revolution/evolution.

Although barely reported on while the mendacious actions of our less compassionate fellow travelers breathlessly fill the airwaves, the altruism and positive impacts of our more compassionate fellow travelers are making a difference in the lives of so many. And those differences have a long-term effect.

For those wondering how this current crisis may be related to the United States Pluto Return, there’s no telling and we will have to wait and watch. But it has been clear that the GOP 2.0 is aligned with Putin, and so many key players who came to power in 2016 are proud of (and were aided by) that connection: Trump, Pompeo, Manafort, Flynn, and too many more to list here. I’m hoping that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will finally reveal the depth of those connections. In my last column, I wrote that the events set in motion during the third week of February would have a lasting effect. I’m sticking to that opinion, if only because there is so much more to be revealed—we are only at the beginning of this American Pluto Return.

Week One: March 1 – 7

March begins with a Venus/Mars/Pluto conjunction. The Venus/Mars portion of this trio is a benign interaction that has been in effect since the middle of February and lasts until the end of March. Mars represents the male principle; Venus, the feminine principle. When they share the same space, they give birth to passion, sexual and creative. This alliance began in Capricorn and on March 7, they move in tandem into Aquarius. There are many ways to view this conjunction; the obvious interpretation is the intensification of amorous desire, yet a Venus/Mars conjunction is often associated with all varieties of love, from sexual to platonic, lovers to friends, and also towards family, pets, music—whatever you feel deeply drawn to that expresses your passion and devotion to love. The presence of Pluto in this triple conjunction has the power to turn many of those passions obsessive, so make every effort to insure that the sexual attraction you might be feeling is mutual. Also, try not to be manipulative—Pluto’s quest for power can often blur boundaries, making it difficult to know if something was your idea or someone else’s.

A Mercury/Saturn conjunction that began on February 26 is joined by the Moon on March 1, the day before the conjunction between Mercury and Saturn is exact and separating. The Moon moves on the next day, while the Mercury/Saturn conjunction ends on March 6. A Mercury/Saturn conjunction symbolizes the capacity to think deeply (and I’m not referring to those Jack Handey greeting cards) about almost anything—and there is plenty to think about. But this combination of planetary energies is also likely to manifest as a stubborn refusal to modify or release ideas that may sound good in the abstract but won’t work in reality. Be patient with yourself and others if you find yourself clinging to ideas and holding on to points of view that no longer serve. When you are ready to release them, you will. Also try not to brood. I know that’s not an easy task when there is a war looming over the planet, but it won’t be helpful to dwell negatively on situations you have no control over. Instead, use the depth of this conjunction to contemplate solutions or positive steps you can take to make a difference in the world—there is always room for local kindness and peace.

The Sun and Jupiter are conjunct in Pisces, a positive union that softens some of the difficulties of the month by stimulating the urge to laugh—a seemingly contradictory response to war, but humor, even gallows humor, can lighten the tension. Don’t hesitate to laugh when the opportunity presents itself. Also be aware that this Sun/Jupiter conjunction is highly empathic, making it easy to put yourself in the shoes of those who are suffering from all sorts of ailments, not just the ravages of war. Let its power help you make a kind contribution when you can. 

Uranus sextiles that Sun/Jupiter conjunction, adding a deep desire to be happy. Uranus almost always delivers a surprise, which means you can anticipate needing to be flexible as you make your way through the first week of March.

On March 6, Venus and Mars move into Aquarius together, and as they move out of the seriousness of Capricorn and into the silliness of Aquarius, anticipate a shift in attitude. I’m not saying that life gets easier; I’m saying that it will be possible to access a fresh perspective through the inventive lens of Aquarius—and that could provide some relief.

Week Two: March 8 – 14

Mercury enters Pisces on March 9 and over the next couple of weeks as it moves through this highly empathetic Sign we could experiencing a softer air—not as brittle or as grim as it has been at the beginning of the month. Don’t get upset, Aquarius; I’m not suggesting that you are harsh—detached, maybe—but Mercury conjunct Saturn in Aquarius is more clinical than touchy-feely and right now we need a softer approach.

The Jupiter/Sun conjunction continues and is exact on Sunday, March 13, providing the potential for a lighter attitude. I realize that sounds impossible, but I’m hopeful because we will need a break from the intensity of war and what has been set in motion.

Spring begins on March 20, when the Sun enters Aries, igniting the need to move out of winter’s lethargy and stillness. It’s time to think about what you want to grow in your actual garden as well as your metaphysical/spiritual garden.  

Unfortunately, the joy that spring brings—even if it snows one more time on the equinox—is not likely to persist. A quite difficult square between Mars and Uranus that began on March 14—not quite the Ides of March—is exact on March 22, feeding the need to fight about almost anything. Mars is the god of war and Uranus is the revolutionary, eager and willing to fight for freedom from whatever enslaves. This square exacerbates violence, especially in all those areas or relationships where violence is already occurring. It does not bode well for the Ukrainian/Russian conflict—even if things calm down before the third week in March, this square is likely to ignite it all over again.

Week Four: March 22 – 31

The Mars/Uranus square is exact and separating on Tuesday, March 22, and as these two fighting forces pull away, the urge to fight for your opinion increases. This square amplifies fractious interactions so if you want to solve a problem with your partner, personal or professional, dial down any belligerence and be sure to check your reactions. It’s a tense month and this square contributes to the tension. Yes, Mars/Uranus can be harnessed to help you make Herculean efforts—spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical—but you have to be clear about what you want to accomplish and what tools you can use to soothe rather than excite the moods of all involved. What’s more, Mercury moves in Aries, the Sign of the soldier, on March 27, and that intensifies the need to take a stand, even if a stand isn’t needed.

It's not an easy month and most of us will be tested to keep our inner peace in the midst of so much tension. The Masters of War—all the dictators around the world as well as those who benefit financially from outsized appetites for power, regardless of the consequences—are going to fight hard to maintain or advance their positions. But as most of us who have a brain, heart, and courage have learned over the years, the old ways of power will not sustain the planet and her children. Focus your intentions on helping those who are on the front lines—the soldiers, the families, and the children enduring the physical violence of war. But also help those not on the front lines, your neighbor, the UPS driver, the person getting off the bus or out of the cab. Be especially nice to children who have no way of contextualizing the intensity. And also be kind to yourself—you need compassion too.

Hello to readers in Brooklyn!

It’s a serious month, the second serious month of a deeply serious year, and the planets on day one of February 2022 reflect that gravity. As I like to remind readers, you don’t need an astrologer to know which way the wind blows. You don’t need a meteorologist, either. All you need do is watch the news, any news, even Fox (or maybe especially Fox) to know that we are in trouble. How to handle that trouble is the task at hand this month, and for the next many months, as we attempt to find solutions to the many issues bearing down on us.

February is also a volatile month in an already too-volatile world. For those who have already decided that the world has lost its mind, February might seem like a good month to hide under the covers. Unfortunately, the only problem with that choice is you might want to save it for March, April, or any other month this year when denial will appear as the only reasonable response to the madness. You could say, and I will say: we’re doing the Time Warp dance again and again and again. Madness does take its toll. You can jump to the left, put your hands on your hips, and then jump to the right, but there is no way out of the mess we are in. So best to get comfortable, but don’t fall asleep—too much is happening all at once and you’ll need to be aware of what’s going on so you can make informed choices about how you want to respond.

February presents us with the first exact United States Pluto Return on February 20, and all month long the inexorable pull of that dynamic event dominates all other astral activity. You may not immediately recognize the presence of Pluto but that lack of awareness doesn’t lessen its influence. Pluto signifies death and rebirth—something has to die so something else can be reborn. We’ve been under the thumb of Pluto for the last several years, which is one of the reasons the world looks as if it is falling apart—it is. Pluto’s influence has been wearing down and deconstructing systems—individual and collective—that no longer authentically express the values of the American idea. We will be under Pluto’s influence for many months and years ahead, which means we can expect more institutions to crumble under the weight of having outlived their usefulness. Pluto only tears down what is no longer relevant, and as it does, we often experience that transformation as a loss of the tried and true.

In many ways it is both terrifying and thrilling to be alive in the age of such profound transformation. But that doesn’t make the effect of Pluto’s power any easier to bear. Try to be aware and alert to your feelings through this process. Notice what is no longer authentic for you and notice what you resist releasing. For Pluto, the dissolution of what was is as important as the creation of the new reality, and while that dissolution is uncomfortable in its uncertainty, it is also exciting to envision what’s next. Try to find a positive view about the future, and as you do, be aware that what you envision is part of what we are collectively birthing. If you think that kindness is a more important value than power, make it a point to live a kind life. Kindness has its own power, but you have to value others to fully experience its benefits.

Week One: February 1 – 7

February’s serious air is attributable to several astral interactions:

At the stroke of midnight on February 1, there is a Moon/Sun/Saturn conjunction in Aquarius and 46 minutes later that Moon becomes a New Moon, the emblem for new beginnings. But don’t get too giddy about the new beginning, even if it is the start of the Lunar New Year. Saturn saturates the air with seriousness and all the celebrations in the world won’t override its sober strength. Saturn is a co-ruler of Aquarius—it used to govern Aquarius before Uranus was discovered. For those familiar with astrology, it is hard to imagine Aquarius being as sober as Capricorn, but Aquarius is a Fixed Sign and as all Fixed Signs do, it holds fast to its beliefs and opinions, often refusing to budge. And yet Uranus, which is now considered the significator for Aquarius, is believed to symbolize invention and innovation—it’s one of those astrological conundrums that we just have to live with, yet continue to contemplate because it doesn’t actually make sense. (Similarly, while I hold fast to the idea that the planets are not causal, I totally support not buying new technology (if you can) during Mercury Retrograde—go figure.) From a positive point of view, the New Moon in Aquarius on February 1 promises innovation. Coupled with the structural gifts of Saturn, it’s possible to ground some of those innovative ideas in reality.

But don’t be in a hurry to get things done immediately. February opens with the last three days of this year’s first Mercury Retrograde. Mercury goes Direct close to midnight EST on February 3, so let’s just agree that it’s over on February 4. When Mercury makes a “course correction,” it slows down a couple of days before and after the “turn around”; this is the Mercury Retrograde 3-day rule, so don’t expect anything to be moving quickly until at least Monday, February 7. Those three days tend to go against common sense: Mercury is moving forward, why am I still stuck in the mud? Over the weekend, it will seem as if circumstances are slowing down the already slow pace, reducing the tempo of daily routines even more than the retrograde itself. The best way to handle this sluggish pace is by continuing to be patient with yourself and others as Mercury takes its time establishing a new stride.

One more thing: Mercury goes direct in a conjunction with Pluto, which translates into a need to think things through as thoroughly as possible before taking action. And that won’t be so easy because Neptune, the symbol for imagination, sextiles that Mercury/Pluto conjunction, and Neptune is almost sure to infuse many of your ideas with a healthy dose of imagination, making it a little harder to maintain mental clarity.

Uranus in Taurus squares that Moon/Sun/Saturn conjunction, which makes whatever pace is established erratic. Uranus is the planet of surprising plot twists and when it squares off with the Moon and the Sun, emotions vacillate from one extreme to another, as do aspirations. Add Saturn to the mix and we are back in the process of dismantling the status quo—Uranus is busy challenging what is by introducing inventive new ways of doing the same old thing. Anticipate being antsy and restless even in the midst of all that Saturnian seriousness.

Uranus in Taurus also trines the ongoing Venus/Mars conjunction in Capricorn. This Venus/Mars conjunction lasts until mid-April, when both Venus and Mars move from Capricorn to Aquarius and eventually into Pisces, where they finally move away from each other. A Venus/Mars conjunction in any Sign represents passion, creativity, and sensuality that can manifest as strong sexual or creative urges capable of pushing past inhibitions—even customary politeness. If you get excited, be careful not to foist your affection where it isn’t wanted. Despite a tendency to go too far, this conjunction fosters love, and while it tends toward romantic love more than any other variety, it also enhances platonic love. Anticipate feeling a strong need to be connected to those you already love as well as an equally strong inclination to flirt with just about everyone you meet. A word of caution: Uranus leans toward the spontaneous, and that need for spontaneity might convince you to throw caution to the wind. As I often advise, when Uranus and Venus combine you might want to wait until the transit is over before you get married. My motto (as many of you know) is “marry in haste, repent at leisure.” The same is true about divorce. So enjoy the sensual and sexual intensity of this Venus/Mars conjunction—get lost in it even—but be sure to remember the way home, if only because Uranus can turn on a dime and what was once a wild infatuation that would seemingly last forever can quickly turn into a casual fling.

Jupiter, in Pisces, sextiles that Venus/Mars conjunction, which ramps up the intensity, making it hard to find any middle ground. Yes, Jupiter is the planet of good fortune, but it is also the planet of excess and its presence pushes hard on Venus and Mars, intensifying those passionate urges and the need to act on them.

But that’s not all: Jupiter also sextiles Uranus, which gives the entire bundle a sense of being preordained—a ‘you had to be at that coffee shop on that day at that time or you would have missed the love of your life’ kinda thing. And that sense of destiny could override common sense. I’m not suggesting you shy away from genuine feelings of love; I’m simply advising you not to get carried away. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but just log it for now because if you find yourself about to move overseas because you met someone on Match.com that you’re sure is the perfect person for you, you might be glad to find a brain worm already established in your head that will start to question your intentions and clarity.

Week Two:  February 8 – 1

All of the interactions discussed above spill over into this week.

Week Three: February 15 – 21

This is the most important week of the month—and hindsight might deem it the most important week of the decade (and no, I don’t think I am exaggerating). On February 20, the first Pluto Return of the United States of America occurs, and while a lot of people may not think this is an important astrological event, it is the reason the country appears to be coming apart at the seams. I know you don’t need me to point it out; all that’s required is listening, reading, or watching the news, which seems to be incessantly focused on reminding us that our democracy is facing an existential crisis. Books are being banned; so many people think a mask mandate is the same thing as a freight car headed to a concentration camp; voting rights are being blatantly challenged by racists who are proud of their bigoted efforts; armed militia are itching for a fight they’ve been waiting on for years; the list goes on and on. These indicators (and more) are all signs that the foundation of the American government is being challenged, but more importantly, the very idea of America is being assaulted. One could argue that the idea of America—as the great melting pot and land of opportunity—has always been threatened and that it has always failed to live up to its potential. But not in every instance. We get a lot of things right.

There are many aspects of America in action that demonstrate its ideals. Those of us who are not white supremacists take pride in the principles that we try to live up to. I, for one, love living in a melting pot. Almost everyone brought up with exposure to a variety of cultures knows the benefits of that caldron of cultures firsthand.

My father, the Communist, would argue that this right-wing insurgence is a by-product of capitalism—if you can keep the masses uneducated, you can manipulate them to believe anything, even rejecting a vaccine that will save their lives. I don’t often agree with my father, but on this one we see eye to eye: education is probably the only thing with the potential to save us from ourselves. Unfortunately, it will take a very long time to educate all the people who need to learn to think on their own. Of course, a UFO intervention would also work and take far less time.

I realize I am making light of a very serious situation, but it is my way of dealing with the difficulty of having to bear witness to what the U.S. Pluto Return is revealing. Pluto always, always, always exposes what is inauthentic, and as I have written about before and will continue to harp on going forward, most of the weaknesses in our system—weaknesses we know were already there—have been laid bare. In part, that exposure is a consequence of having reached critical mass. We aren’t going back in time (even if we are doing the Time Warp, again) but it still doesn’t look like we are moving forward. The bigots are losing; they know it. They can’t stop this Plutonian shift to a more enlightened perspective, as much as they are still attempting to. Call it a tipping point, an inflection point, or simply a revolution; it doesn’t matter. We are in the midst of a huge transformation and this month, when the Pluto Return is exact, we move into the heart of that transformation, a process that will carry us forward all year and into 2023.

Week Four:  February 22 – 28

The good news is that a Sun/Jupiter conjunction in Pisces begins on February 27 and that should smooth some rough edges. This is a positive interaction that fosters goodwill and kindness toward our fellow travelers.

This month, do your best not to tune out. I’m not suggesting you follow every nuance of change, but I am advising that staying present for this process is important. It will help you figure out your individual role and what steps to take next. We’ve been living in and through interesting times and we should be used to it. But this Pluto Return is bigger than many can imagine and because it’s Pluto we’re dealing with, the issues it raises are going to take a long time to resolve. Be patient with yourself and others, especially children and pets who feel the intensity but can’t put it into words.

Also try to track how you’re experiencing the intensity—all of us are experiencing the tilting axis of the Earth, but it will be beneficial to know what direction you are favoring in this great tilt. Try to keep your feet on the ground, one foot in front of the other, moving forward, living life, and seizing the creative aspect of this transformational moment. Notice who shows up—friends from the distant past or new ones who you suddenly feel aligned with. Notice how you show up for these changes; what you resent and what you delight in. Notice the limits of your compassion for others. We’re living through a great awakening that requires us to develop compassion for what we don’t understand and don’t like.

Above all, be kind to your fellow travelers. We need each other through this process and remembering what is good about each other will make it easier for all of us to make it through.

Hello to readers everywhere!

You say you want a revolution? Well, welcome to 2022, where we’re already in the midst of the American Revolution 2.0. It is being televised every day, and it is already on social media, even in the Metaverse, and it’s only just begun. All year long, no matter what may be happening on the surface of daily life, underneath the almost regular routines, a strong undertow is sending out a disruptive pulse that is signaling the inevitability of a massive shift. What those changes are and how they will happen is anyone’s guess (and that’s not me copping out on predictions). Predictions are possible when patterns are revealed through reoccurrences. But the pattern we’re currently caught in—the United States of America’s Pluto Return—is only the first iteration. Pluto takes 248 years to orbit the Sun. The United States of America was born 248 years ago, and now Pluto is returning to the position it occupied when America was born. While we may be able to recognize certain common threads in our situation today with those woven into the country’s founding, all bets are off as to what the outcome will be. Earth is still a free-will planet, which means we are creating this revolution moment to moment and we are also creating the outcome, and at this moment in time and space, we are still in the process of making it up—or should I say, deciding what the outcome will be.

The first exact U.S. Pluto Return occurs on February 20, 2022; the second is on July 11; and the final on December 28. But as many readers are aware, the scope of any kind of Pluto transit is generally 22–24 months. On occasion, Pluto lingers longer at certain degrees, but not this time. I use a very tight orb of influence, and if I expand that range and use a 3-degree margin (which is still several degrees narrower than other astrologers might use), not only have we been in this Pluto Return since the start of 2020, but the end of this Pluto Return extends to and overlaps with Pluto’s entry into Aquarius on March 23, 2023. Given Pluto’s retrograde back and forth at the threshold of Aquarius, the effect of the U.S. Pluto Return won’t end until November 2024. Translation: we have been, we are, and we will continue to be in Pluto’s transformational soup for a long time.

Pluto’s transformational soup is complex. Pluto symbolizes all the things we have no control over (even if we think we do)—politics, finances, the process of transformation, sex, death, power, and any other area of life that is out of our immediate influence. A Pluto transit can be subtle, extreme, or a combination of both. Ask anyone who has been through a Pluto transit and they will testify to Pluto’s seeming insistence that something needs to shift, and because Pluto represents the process of death and rebirth, that thing that’s gotta shift is usually something we don’t want to release.

From an individual perspective, the most useful prayer while in the midst of a Pluto transit usually goes something like this: I am willing to release anything that is not authentic. Sounds simple enough, but the problem is that what we tend to cling to is usually what we fail to see is what we most need to release. And that’s where the struggle usually takes place; Pluto keeps reiterating what needs to change and we keep saying, “no way, not yet.”

From a collective perspective, the same rules apply; but as always, collective processes take time, especially when the middle ground is nearly impossible to find. And that’s the soup we are in—the MAGA millions are at odds with the social justice millions and neither is willing to budge. Through a Pluto Return framework, the United States of America is in the process of deciding what is authentic and what isn’t. Originally, “all men are created equal” was a lofty ideal, except in practice that equality did not include people of color and women. Eventually, we grew into a more enlightened application of that constitutional principle but it wasn’t without pain, angst, and struggle; it took a very long time and there is still resistance and resentment about including everyone. And that’s just one inauthentic pattern embedded in the so-called American Way.

The threat to voting rights is yet another challenge to our ideals, and is seemingly the white man’s last stand in an effort to hold onto the days of yesteryear, when he was in power. This is the most pernicious threat to democracy because it undermines the very core of the democratic system. If you have states enacting laws that allow certain officials to curtail voting rights and overturn election results unfavorable to them, then the hands of time have been set to run backward and racial prejudice will prevail. Don’t worry; if that happens, it won’t be a lasting moment. There are too many young people who won’t agree to live in a world structured by racism; they will fight for their right to be free. And they will win. Every structure in the government of the United States of America is currently being challenged, from the presidency to the Congress to the Supreme Court. That’s Pluto in Capricorn revealing what is not congruent.

Social justice is love at the collective level and I am aligned and committed to its movements, perhaps because I’m a child of the Sixties or because love is a transcendent value that I do my best to align with. Finding the means to heal the enormous divisions that currently challenge our confidence in the American Way includes finding a way to turn love into actions that will close the gaps between who we are and who we want to be. Do I relate to the people who stormed the Capitol and who continue to mistake selfishness for personal freedom? No, I don’t relate to those values at all. But do I continue to try to find a way that includes those I seemingly have nothing in common with? Yes, I do, because what unites us is what will heal our divide. It can be hard work to remember that our shared humanity binds us to each other. Many of us already know this and are working quietly and diligently to make a difference in our communities. As the climate crisis intensifies, we are also reminded that we are connected to all sentient beings on the planet. Will we remember our essential interconnectedness in this year of revolution? We must, because what unites us has the power to reveal our common ground and help us weather the revolution through its many twists and turns.

Alarm is an appropriate response to this Pluto event. Pluto will persist; its effect intensifying at times, receding at others, yet omnipresent all year long. As you adjust to its presence, be careful not to underestimate the power of this U.S. Pluto Return—everyone, no matter where they live, will be affected. And as we move through it, we are deciding not just the fate of American democracy, but in many ways the fate of the planet—and that is a fight that requires all of us to work together.

January 2022

This month opens on a fitting note of intensity, setting the tone for the year with a Venus/Pluto/Mercury conjunction in Capricorn, a powerful triple conjunction that reactivates the degrees in Capricorn that set the tone for this year and last, which means that we are still dealing with what was set in motion as a result of that concentration of astral energy that’s already two years old. Of course, we don’t need an astrologer to point out that we are still in the midst of the deconstruction of systems—both government and corporate—set in motion by the Saturn/Pluto conjunction of January 2020, or that the pandemic which spiraled out of control shortly thereafter continues to have a massive, pernicious global effect.

Also be aware that on March 23, 2023—a little more than a year from now—Pluto enters Aquarius, so while we are in the midst of the U.S. Pluto Return, we are also in the midst of reviewing everything that Pluto’s transit through Capricorn has wrought since 2008. I said it earlier, but I’m saying it again: we are in for a rough couple of years as we attempt to make sense of this Plutonian transformational process. Remember, plutonium signals change at the core. Plutonian transformation signifies the very same thing. We are changing at our core, whether we want to or not.

Back to 2022: Many astrologers have been writing about how we start 2022 with the positive influence of Jupiter in Pisces. Jupiter was in and out of Pisces during 2021, and on December 28, it moved into Pisces where it stays until May 10, when it enters Aries. Jupiter is quite happy in Pisces—it’s a co-ruler of this highly empathetic Sign, and when a planet moves into its home Sign, its influence is heightened. This Jupiter/Pisces intensification filters down into the 3D reality of daily life as increased empathy coupled with hypersensitivity. You’ll see lots of information about Jupiter in Pisces floating around online, especially about how it bodes well for the coming year. Please use your capacity to discern when something is being exaggerated: Jupiter rules exaggeration, expansion, and excess, and when those tendencies are fortified in Pisces, emotional excess is expected. What’s more, everyone is so fatigued by all the bad news (which is also strange and unsettling news), that any good news feels like the antidote to what ails. Maybe Jupiter in Pisces will alleviate some stresses, but there is too much going on with Pluto to say with confidence that we are out of the woods of difficulty.

Also be aware that Jupiter’s presence in Pisces can enhance your susceptibility to suggestion—be careful who you listen to and whose advice you follow. Despite the inherent benevolence of Jupiter, it can often lead to an excess of drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances as a means of self-medicating and easing the pain of hypersensitivity—it is possible to be too permeable and therefore unable to stay on your own track. Nevertheless, this influence can be put to positive use by deepening your meditation practices and increasing altruistic leanings and endeavors.

One Jupiter transit you might want to watch carefully: On April 12, 2022, Jupiter and Neptune will be conjunct at 23° Pisces. These are the two Rulers of Pisces and when they combine, the Pisces energetic signature is quite intense. Be prepared for floods—Pisces is a Water Sign—and if you are in a flood zone and do not have insurance, get it now. The weather is so dramatic, it would be wise to be prepared for an unprecedented deluge. Of course, this could also indicate and facilitate an emotional deluge, a tidal wave of feelings that cannot be controlled and must be expressed, which is likely to challenge all sorts of relationships. Remember to be kind as you gush.

The first Mercury Retrograde of the year begins on January 14 and ends on February 3. Mercury signifies all things related to communication and travel, so expect delays and detours as well as repeating yourself more times than you would like. And even though we all know the Mercury Retrograde drill by now, here is a quick review for those new to the idea: try not to initiate new projects when Mercury is retrograde, but use the time efficiently by reviewing all the details of what’s already in motion. Also keep in mind the three-day rule when you are making plans, especially travel plans or important gatherings—the three days before or after a retrograde starts fall within the parameters of the actual retrograde, so try not to be in a hurry.

The additional Mercury Retrograde phases of 2022 are: May 10 – June 3 and September 9 – October 2.

This year also opens with Venus Retrograde, which started on December 19 and ends on January 28. Venus Retrograde is seldom as disruptive as Mercury Retrograde, but given they are running simultaneously, the combination could be troublesome. Anticipate hassles, especially financial snafus—your bank could miss a deposit or you could accidentally enter the wrong email address when using Venmo. Be careful and mindful of how you are using electronics (Mercury) and money (Venus).

The best remedy for the year ahead is to identify what brings you joy and then to immerse yourself in that activity as often as you can. As the world seemingly falls apart, it is equally important to focus on finding beauty in your life—whether that is appreciating those you love, immersing yourself in creative expression, or simply acknowledging the perfection of your plants or pets, make sure you are engaging in a mindset as well as activities that support your heart and help you to love more deeply. And as always, be kind to your fellow travelers. So much hinges on our ability to love one another and to love our planet Earth.