When to Say Goodbye

​As we start a new year, we don’t just focus on the new things we want to get started in our lives. It’s also a time to focus on the stuff we need to let go of, move on from, and say goodbye to. This is governed by the 12th house, which is the house of endings.

Good Times to Say Goodbye Astrologically:

If you want the ending to go smoothly, you usually want to see positive aspects (sextiles and trines) by transit (moving) Jupiter, Saturn, or Pluto to your 12th house cusp, ruler, or Neptune (the natural ruler of the 12th house). This will help you say goodbye and move on without too much nastiness.

If it’s something that will be quick, you can use a Uranus aspect, and even conjunctions, square, and oppositions (the hard aspects) by Uranus can be positive, especially if it’s a big change where you’ve been stuck and need a giant push to do. Uranus is the planet that rules the sudden, so Uranus is usually involved when it's quick. This may be an aspect by transit Uranus or an aspect to your natal Uranus. But when it is a hard aspect, there may be an unexpected quality to it, and you have some adjustments to make.

Pluto conjunctions, squares, and oppositions can also be used for big change. It may be more of a challenge though, and you really have to push hard for the ending to come. You may have some trials and tribulations to go through first, and you end up learning a lot about yourself, others, relationships, or life.

Transit Neptune aspects can be good for saying goodbye depending on the planet or house being aspected and what they rule. If it’s a love relationship, it can be aspects to Venus, the 5th house (of love), or the 7th house (of relationships). If it’s with your work or career, it can be aspects to Mercury or the 6th house (of work), or Saturn or the 10th house (of career).

The nature of Neptune is to "dissolve", and it's the natural ruler of the 12th house of endings, so it's naturally associated with endings. With Neptune, they're not usually as dramatic as with other planets (especially Uranus and Pluto), and it can be more of a gradual fading away into the background and out of your life at times.

It can also be helpful to see the planet that rules whatever it is you’re letting go of transiting (touring) the 12th house (so if it’s a love relationship, transit Venus in the 12th house; if it’s with your work life, transit Mercury in the 12th house, etc.). If you don’t have that, you can use the transit planet of the natal planet that rules the house that rules the matter in your natal chart (so if your 7th house is in Sagittarius, Jupiter is the ruler - that would make transit Jupiter in the 12th house can be good for endings in a relationship).

Transit Mars in the 12th house can be an excellent time for goodbyes and a lot of letting go, and often is a time where you absolutely want and need to. This is because Mars is the planet of energy and drive, so you can be driven to clean out your life and let go of anything that’s been holding you back. It can be best when you also have a positive transit aspect to the 12th house cusp, ruler, or natal Neptune or transit Neptune aspect at the same time that transit Mars is in the 12th house.

Challenging Goodbyes: Saturn

Transit Saturn in the 12th house or conjunct, square, or opposite the 12th house cusp or ruler can make it harder for you to say goodbye, because you usually have hoops to jump through or extra stuff that needs to be addressed. Saturn is restrictive by nature and wants to teach us lessons, so it may be really uncomfortable to say goodbye, or there may be issues that have to be resolved first before goodbye is possible.

BUT it can also become super important for you to say goodbye with Saturn, because Saturn may not stop tormenting you until you do, if this is truly the right thing for you to be doing. Saturn always wants you to do the right thing, but also wants to make sure you do it the right way.

Suggested Reading: Beginnings & Astrology