It's almost here! A brand new year is soon upon us, and it pays to be prepared, so allow me to help you do just that. It's an interesting year, for sure! 2016 starts with a bang, and in just the first nine days, Mercury enters Aquarius, turns retrograde, goes back into Capricorn, Mars enters Scorpio, Jupiter turns retrograde, and a new moon occurs in Capricorn. Holy planets Batman! It's going to feel like there's a ton of energy swirling, and some of it may be good, but some of it can really be dicey (I shudder as I realize primary voting for the presidential election starts here in the States early in 2016). Buckle up! Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto will not change signs in 2016, which is a spot of good news, so it's more of a sequel instead of brand new chapters. Jupiter begins the year in Virgo and enters Libra in September. It's work, details, practicality early, and relationships, partnerships, equality later (likely even more of a push there, as well as more focus on women's issues). What really stands out for 2016 is a Mars retrograde. Our last one was early 2014, and this one is mid April through June. It starts in Sagittarius, where Saturn resides, so we can be extra frustrated, especially by our limitations, restrictions, responsibilities, duties. Mars will retrograde into Scorpio, and rage is an issue there, along with financial stuff and war. The Mercury retrogrades for the year will be in the earth signs, moving out of the air signs (only the January retrograde will occur partially in Aquarius, the first few days of it). The January retrograde (while in Capricorn) and December (though it ends in January 2017 in Sagittarius) retrograde will be in the sign Pluto is in, which can trigger extra unrest and anger with governments and politics. The late April - mid May retrograde in Taurus occurs at the same time as the Mars retrograde, so things can really feel like they're unraveling during that time, and we need extra heaping doses of patience. The late August - mid September retrograde in Virgo comes as Jupiter leaves this sign, complicating the exit. The eclipses for 2016 will occur in March and September. Pisces has a solar eclipse in March and lunar eclipse in September, and Pisceans get started in March and reach the top in September. A solar eclipse occurs in Virgo in September, with Mercury retrograde in Virgo and Jupiter at the very end, trying to bring some shining light into the dark maze. And a lunar eclipse occurs in Libra in March, the third and final in three years, closing a hard chapter for Libras (it's been a difficult last few years for you!), and you get some deserved good energy later in the year with Jupiter entering your sign. My real concern for 2016 is two T-squares, the first in mutable signs. The mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, and we have Jupiter in Virgo for part of the year, Saturn in Sagittarius, and Neptune and Chiron in Pisces. Plus Mars partially retrograde in Sagittarius, and Mercury retrograde in Virgo as Jupiter leaves Virgo, and three of the eclipses in mutable signs. It's a lot of mutable energy! It's a T-square with Jupiter opposite Neptune and both square Saturn. Mutable signs are more fluid, hard to pin down and figure out, so changeable, just flowing with the wind. When I wrote about the Salem Witch Trials in October, I wrote about how there was massive mutable energy at that time as well, even having Neptune in Pisces and Saturn in Sagittarius like now. Mutable energy is associated with being gullible and easily led astray. They were missing Virgo for much of it back then, which made them miss out on being practical and realistic about the situation. This time, we're missing Gemini, which might mean we're not thinking things through enough or asking enough questions or gathering enough information. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out when the Sun, Mercury, and Venus are in Gemini, plugging up the hole with more chaotic energy by creating a mutable grand cross. When the Moon has done so, it's been somewhat stabilizing so far. There will be points when Neptune will be a singleton as the only water sign too, which is a little troubling in terms of Neptune's power of delusion. It's already been going on since Jupiter entered Virgo a few months ago and started this fluid energy. We all need to remember good Gemini energy: Ask questions. Ask more. Think. And think again. Gather and absorb information. Learn what you can. Use the power of thought and reason. Share the facts. I hope we can avoid falling for something we shouldn't because we didn't use our brains. Then when Jupiter enters Libra, we'll start with a cardinal T-square. The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, and we'll have Jupiter in Libra opposite Uranus in Aries and both square Pluto in Capricorn. We had massive cardinal energy in 2013-14, which brought a lot of action (cardinal signs are active), and we've had a cardinal T-square going on in the last two months of 2015 with Mars in Libra. This can be more hectic since cardinal energy is more active, and we can see a lot of activity going on in the world. Some of it may be good, some of it may not be. This energy likes to be tied into terror activity and violent behavior in general, so we all need to take some big chill pills, and keep an eye out, stay alert, stay vigilant. The missing sign here in Cancer, so we need to remember Cancer energy: Feel. Feel more. Get in touch with your emotions. Ask yourself how you're feeling. Understand the feelings of others. Create a solid support system. Create a solid internal foundation. With Pluto being the squared planet in Capricorn, we need to avoid being obsessive in traditional thinking or unrelenting in upholding the rules. Since the squared planet is the one getting all of the energy, we can see more developments and shakeups around the world with governments and institutions. Also, Saturn is the squared planet in the mutable T-square, and it's the natural ruler of Capricorn, so Saturn/Capricorn energy is really under fire for all of 2016. Saturn/Capricorn rules governments, goals, long-term plans, being practical, responsible, mature, and doing things right. With all of the mutable and cardinal energy, we're in serious need of some fixed energy (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius). None of the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) will be in a fixed sign at any point next year, so we need to bring in some of that fixed energy, which is grounded. Ground yourself as much as you can! Those of you with fixed personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) in your natal or progressed charts will have the easiest time staying grounded with that energy amidst the chaos. So that's 2016 in a somewhat-scary nutshell! We have a lot to work out this year, but it should be quite dynamic. May it be a good year for you and yours! Suggested Reading: Your Yearly Horoscope With Christmas coming, I thought it would be fun to look at asteroid Santa, number 1288. It’s said to be an asteroid you find with a lot of philanthropists, people who are Santa-like and give a lot. I also figured it probably would be important for actors who famously played Santa, so I took a look at that as well. I’ll start with them. Edmund Gwenn (Miracle on 34th Street)
Edmund Gwenn played Santa in the original Miracle on 34th Street. Looking at his chart, Edmund had asteroid Santa positioned in Libra, and it’s conjunct his Sun and Mercury, and the apex of a yod with his Neptune sextile Mars and both quincunx asteroid Santa. He was meant for that role!
When the film came out in 1947, transit Neptune was conjunct his asteroid Santa, making it very easy for everyone to see him as Kris Kringle. Neptune is quite helpful for actors as it allows people to see them as the role they’re playing and not themselves. Gwenn won an Oscar for his portrayal in 1948, and Neptune was still conjunct his Santa. Just a few days after the Oscars, asteroid Santa conjuncted his Mars, stimulating that yod. Mickey Rooney (Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without Santa Claus, and A Miser Brothers' Christmas)
Mickey Rooney voiced Santa in 3 different Christmas movies: Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and A Miser Brothers’ Christmas. Rooney’s asteroid Santa is conjunct his Neptune, sextile his Mercury, trine his Mars, and opposite his Moon. Pretty active!
His Santa is in Leo, and it’s always trined by transit Sun in December, which is when all 3 movies were released. Uranus was sextile his asteroid Santa when Santa Claus is Coming to Town came out, and Mars was trine with A Miser Brothers’ Christmas. With Santa Claus is Coming to Town, asteroid Santa conjuncted his north node in December 1970. With The Year Without a Santa Claus, asteroid Santa conjuncted his Jupiter (December 1974). And with A Miser Brothers’ Christmas, which was in 2008, so over 30 years since the last, he just had his Santa return - how fitting! Tim Allen (The Santa Clause)
For the young ones, Tim Allen played Santa in The Santa Clause, 2, and 3. Allen has a t-square in his chart with Chiron opposite his Mercury and Uranus square his Saturn and Neptune. Asteroid Santa just happens to fill that empty portion of it in Aries.
Mars was trine his asteroid Santa for the first movie, Mars sextile and Pluto trine for the second, and Neptune sextile for the third. Asteroid Santa was square his Sun for the first movie, returning for the second (which was 10 years after the first), and falling on his Chiron, lighting up the t-square for the third. Will Ferrell (Elf)
Will Ferrell didn’t play Santa, but was in a popular Christmas movie, Elf. Ferrell’s asteroid Santa conjuncts his 6th house cusp, the house of work. Neptune conjuncted his asteroid Santa a few months after the movie came out, and asteroid Santa turned retrograde shortly after as well - his asteroid Santa is retrograde.
3 Philanthropists:
When I wanted to look up famous philanthropists, 3 people came to mind: Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and Oprah. All pretty known for their giving, so of course asteroid Santa is important for them.
With Bill Gates, his asteroid Santa falls right on his Imum Coeli, the 4th house cusp, one of the angles. This is a nurturing house, naturally ruled by Cancer. For Oprah, her asteroid Santa is actually anaretic at 29 degrees Aries. Anything at the anaretic degree is something you have to focus on, and work on manifesting positively. Oprah sure has done that! And her Santa is trine her anaretic 1st house cusp and sextile her anaretic 7th house cusp, two angular houses, and the axis that rules yourself and others. Buffett’s asteroid Santa is trine his Uranus, hence him being a little out there with his pledge to give it all away at/around his death (and his asteroid Santa is in his 8th house, ruling death). His Santa is also square asteroid Bacchus, which governs excess, which is located in his 11th house of humanitarianism, which might explain why he has no qualms giving it all away. Check your own asteroid Santa!
Look to see where asteroid Santa is in your chart, and that can show where/how you give the most. My asteroid Santa is in Libra and conjunct my 12th house cusp, so I’m quite giving but don’t want anyone to know. Actually, I pretty much never tell when I do something good!
Transit Santa can show where you’ll be in a giving mood right now, how you’ll give, or if you will at all. It’s currently gearing up to enter Scorpio on the 21st. So funny - as I wrote this post, I had my Santa return just a few days before! (originally written in 2014 but updated in 2015) So how does asteroid Santa make you give? Ho ho ho! Suggested Reading: Being Charitable: The 11th House & Asteroid Santa And The Asteroid Series: Asteroid Diary: Achilles Asteroid Diary: Apollo Asteroid Diary: Deucalion Asteroid Diary: Hermes Asteroid Diary: Desiderata Asteroid Diary: Your Name Asteroid Diary: 1992 QB1 Asteroid Veritas in Astrology Asteroid Diary: Niobe Asteroid Diary: Santa Asteroid Juno in the Signs Asteroid Amor in the Zodiac Signs Asteroid Cupido in the Zodiac Signs Asteroid Bacchus in Astrology General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries January 2016 Horoscope On January 3rd, your ruler, Mars, enters water sign Scorpio, and you can have greater energy and drive to make major transformations in your life. You want to find what needs to be changed, and work at changing it right from the core. You can also do work that benefits you and others, and you find you’re more successful, especially financially, when you have a partner. Your will can be stronger, and your strength can carry you far, and you can use this to come back from defeat or failure better than ever. General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries: Mars in Scorpio is your intimacy sector, so you can work on having closer ties to your loved ones. If in a relationship, you want to feel closer to your partner physically and emotionally, and to understand them better in every way. If single, you want something passionate and deep immediately. The full moon on the 23rd in your love sector can be helpful to find someone new, if single, and if in a relationship, you can become more committed to your partner, or decide it’s not going anywhere. General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries: Venus enters your career sector this month, and a new moon occurs in your career sector on the 9th, but Mercury retrogrades back into your career sector, and that can throw everything off. Try not to make big decisions about your direction right now, and make sure long-term plans are as flexible as can be since what you think now is likely not what will remain. It’s an excellent time for a second chance at an old goal though, so try working on that, especially around the time of the new moon. The basics: A retrograde occurs when a planet appears to be moving backwards from our vantage point here on Earth. It isn't actually moving backwards, it just appears that way. Mercury turns retrograde most often because it's nearest to us, about 3-4 times per year, and lasts for several weeks. When a planet retrogrades, what that planet rules tends to be thrown off, along with what the sign it's retrograding in rules. With Mercury retrograde, we experience a shadow and a storm. The shadow period starts when Mercury first hits the point in the zodiac it will turn direct at, and ends when it last hits the point in the zodiac it will turn retrograde at. Most people don't feel the effects of Mercury retrograde until it enters the storm period though. The storm period of Mercury retrograde is when Mercury is moving at its slowest, less than 40 minutes per day. Mercury is a fast-moving planet and hates it when he's moving slowly. There's usually two storm periods, one around the time Mercury turns retrograde, and one around when it turns direct. The shadow of this Mercury retrograde begins December 19th and ends February 14th. The exact retrograde begins January 5th at 8:06AM ET and ends January 25th at 4:50PM ET. The first storm period is from January 2nd - 9th, and the second storm period is from January 21st - February 1st. This Mercury retrograde begins early in the sign of Aquarius, and we can feel disconnected to one another, have difficulty getting along with each other, and have trouble with groups. Large organizations and charities can come under fire. We can question the future, unsure of what’s to come, and we can feel that things won’t work out the way we want them to. Friendships can be strained, tech can go wild, and we’re ultra rebellious. We can be a lot more rebellion with Mercury retrograde in Aquarius. This retrograde won’t last long in Aquarius, quickly moving back into earth sign Capricorn on January 8th. This is where the bulk of the action happens, and where the bulk of the impact will be. Capricorn rules governments and politicians, so they tend to not behave so great with Mercury retrograde in Capricorn, and we can see more anger with them (like there isn’t enough as it is!). Capricorn rules authority figures and our elders (parents, bosses, mentors), and we can rebel against them as well. Capricorn rules restriction and limitation, and we can feel others are stifling us too much, or we choose to hold ourselves back too much. Capricorn also rules responsibility, maturity, and practicality, all of which can be an issues during the retrograde, and adults act like half-brained teenagers, we’re pushing back against the rules, or we can be so serious and adult that we’re dull and lifeless. Try to focus on some Capricorn positives, like recommitting to old goals, reconnecting with old elders, or reviewing plans with a practical eye. This Mercury retrograde starts square (a hard aspect) Mars, freshly in Scorpio (exact on the 5th at 7AM, just before the retrograde starts that day). Then the retrograde ends conjunct (in the same spot as) Pluto in Capricorn (exact on the 22nd and 30th). So the start and end of this retrograde will be far, far from easy! We’ll have some seriously contentious energy to find a way to deal with, and we shouldn’t be surprised if we’re seeing a lot of people exploding, a lot of anger and rage, a lot of misdirected energy as this retrograde begins and ends. Try to give yourself something to keep you busy at the start, and work on transforming something at the end. Other than that, this Mercury retrograde will conjunct the Sun on January 14th, bringing more emphasis and focus on the retrograde. It can also show the start of something that reaches completion in about a month. It's helped by Mercury retrograde trine Jupiter that day as well. Mercury retrograde also squares Uranus on January 20th, which can make us avoid the unconventional and different and uncomfortable with change, or we go too far with change and make things wonky. This is a wonky retrograde anyway! So be sure to refrain from big changes, and try to manage these difficult aspects as best as you can. The turn retrograde begins at 1 degree Aquarius, so those of you Aquarians born before January 24th may feel the turn retrograde most. The turn direct occurs at 14 degrees Capricorn, so those of you Capricorns born January 4th - 6th may feel the turn direct most. For the rest of you, check the house(s) Mercury will be retrograding in of your own natal chart, and any aspects Mercury will make during its retrograde to your natal planets, to fully understand how it will impact you personally. If you have Mercury retrograde in your natal or progressed chart, you may not feel the worst of this. Those individuals generally don't experience the difficulties of the retrograde because it feels more natural to them. Of course, chances are everyone else around them doesn't have the same aspect, so they can still experience difficulties brought on by others. Suggested Reading: The Mercury, Venus and Mars Retrogrades page for general interpretations |
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