Now that Mars has ended its retrograde cycle, and is moving direct again, do you feel like you have a bit more energy and forward motion? I know that I felt a shift, notably beginning this weekend; I felt more energized and activated, which ended up burning away some layers of haze, allowing me to more clearly see just what it was that I desired and a fresh array of options on how to pursue them.

That said, it seems like the big burst forward may not come until this weekend or early next week. Here’s why.

Wednesday features the yearly Sun/Pluto Conjunction. That which has been hiding in the shadows may emerge. Give space for secrets to come forth, whether those from others or ones you’ve been keeping (whether from yourself or others). What arises may serve as substrate for some deep changes you may find yourself wanting to make.

Also, the beginning of the week still features Mercury Retrograde. After the messenger planet turns direct on Wednesday, we may begin to find that we have a bit more lucidity and traction when it comes to our thoughts—we may find that they have more structure and that we are then able to more clearly communicate them to others. And yet, even as Mercury shifts direct, the Moon is in its balsamic phase, a time of quiet, receptive reflection, and release.

A stronger sense of new territory likely will arrive this weekend. This weekend not only does the Aquarius New Moon arrive but with Uranus’ retrograde phase ending, all planets will now be in direct motion (until May 1). I can’t but wonder that when next Monday arrives, how it may finally feel like the new year has arrived as well. It seems like it’s then that it may feel more aligned to take the knowledge we’ve gained over the last few months— from trying things on, from working things through, from (ideally) being patient as things developed—and use it as both seed and fertilizer to plant our intentions for what we want to manifest. (For more on the Aquarius New Moon, keep an eye out for my article on this lunation coming to your inbox by Friday.)

I do want to re-turn our attention to Uranus and it going direct on Sunday. Remember that the days around a planet shifting direction, that its archetypes and energetic signatures may feel more potentiated in the collective zeitgeist. As such, as the weekend approaches, expect the unexpected and the out of the blue. Let yourself surprise yourself, taking detours and pivoting if you feel that you don’t want to be limited by the rote and the routine. With Uranus being the planet associated with electricity, the subject of energy, magnetism, and voltage may capture our attention.

One last thing about the week—and it’s something rather important to consider. On Sunday, we also have values-oriented Venus uniting with structured Saturn.

If we’ve been cutting corners and/or not being responsible related to our partnerships, money matters, need for pleasure, and/or relationship with beauty, the evidence of that may emerge, and we may no longer be able to ignore the reality of the situation. We may see that we can’t just skim the surface or skimp on our investment; and with that, we may question whether or not we truly value that which we have assigned worth and, if not, see whether there’s a way to do some work to have it gain the richness we were seeking.

Alternatively, if we’ve been attentive and paid attention to building a strong foundation, if we’ve taken things seriously and/or seen and honored the value that something has, we may find ourselves reaping the rewards of doing so. As the richness that it brings us becomes more apparent, we may find ourselves reveling in joy and pride for what we have accomplished, achieved, and architected.

Astrological Highlights

January 18: Sun/Pluto Conjunction; Mercury Shifts Direct (retrograde phase over)
January 20: Sun enters Aquarius
January 21: Aquarius New Moon
January 22: Venus/Saturn Conjunction; Uranus Shifts Direct

All days reflect Eastern Standard Time (- 5 hours GMT)

Photos: Susan Wilkinson via Unsplash

Stellar Insights: January 16 - 22, 2023