The aspects this week create a portal through which we can experience a different way of perceiving. We may end up with more questions than answers, but in the very act of questioning, we dare to leave our comfort zones and stretch into the stratosphere of thinking. Mercury in Capricorn forms an exact 90∞ square to Uranus in Aries on January 23. The friction generated by the square may amplify how stuck we feel in the status quo. The planets in earth and fire cardinal signs suggest a need to initiate strategic action in order to resolve it. The best way forward would be to integrate real-world practicality with disruptive innovation. On an external level, Mercury/Uranus typically brings about surprises and shocks in the form of new information coming in and we’ll need to discern how best to respond. Yet this is also a time to write down any crazy, far out ideas that may come into our mind lest we soon forget them. We may even experience what it feels like to be brilliant. The trick is to allow the lightning bolt to penetrate far enough into our consciousness to actually pay attention to what we are receiving and act on it. We probably have mind-blowing ideas much more often than we realize but how often do we put forth the effort required to bring them down to earth?
Later in the day on January 23, Mercury leaves down-to-earth Capricorn for Aquarius, the sign of the Outlier, which is ruled by Uranus. This amplifies the archetypal potency of the stress-inducing Mercury/Uranus square that is still tight and releasing its dynamic mental energy. Mercury in Aquarius emphasizes the importance of free individual expression. While Mercury operates through the Aquarius filter over the next 18 days, conversations may naturally focus on issues that concern our future and how we can make this world a better place for everyone. Mercury here leans into anything that is different as a way of keeping us moving freely towards the future. Tradition and common consensus equal stagnation, and endless patterns of automatic behavior lead to an atrophied mind. As the Mercury/Uranus alignment catapults us into the far reaches of thinking, may we focus on one pattern we would like to break long enough to awaken to the programming that created it.
A trine between Mars in Aries and Jupiter in Sagittarius on January 25 provides an adventurous burst of energy that can result in profound, sweeping movements. The archetypes of action and truth-seeking are even stronger operating their home signs and the harmonious trine between them will have us aiming for our highest aspirations. Under this robust influence, we can make significant progress on our goals as long as we have prepared the ground and put in the effort to manifest them. For example, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, who has a natal Mars/Jupiter square making her a formidable politician, announced her candidacy for President when the trine was within 2∞ of perfecting. This gives her the rocket fuel she needs to launch her campaign with passion and purpose. She has a good shot at it too because she has done the necessary hard work to get where she is. For us personally, this aspect can manifest as a calling to fight for truth no matter how powerful opposing forces may be. It can also be impetuous and correlate to overconfidence so we may need to employ restraint and wait for the timing to be strategically right rather than blurting out the truth when it is not appropriate or constructive.
On January 29, Mercury meets up with the Sun in the Superior Conjunction at 9∞54’ Aquarius. This is the culminating “full moon” phase of the four-month Sun/Mercury cycle that began on November 27, 2018 when retrograde Mercury formed the Inferior Conjunction with the Sun. Whatever seed idea has developed since the cycle began is likely to be manifested now. This is our opportunity to test out the new plan and consider if we’re on track or if adjustments need to be made. A sense of clarity is a hallmark of this aspect that unites the archetypes of our will and heart’s purpose with our way of thinking and communicating. In Aquarius, the Sun/Mercury conjunction represents a focus on the causes that connect us to our sense of humanity. Collectively, we still need a solution to the gridlock in Washington over a funding bill that was being deliberated at the beginning of the cycle. The related suffering others are experiencing as a result of the protracted government shutdown is reaching critical mass and those involved in the standoff will have to look at where this is taking us as a country. The Superior Conjunction in the wake of the powerful Total Lunar Eclipse last week could coalesce popular demand to do the right thing and give our leaders the clarity they need to make the deal.
Here’s the data for the major aspects this week (Pacific Time):
January 23 – Mercury square Uranus at 28∞43’ Capricorn/Aries at 3:13 a.m.
January 23 – Mercury at 0∞ Aquarius at 9:50 p.m.
January 25 – Mars trine Jupiter at 16∞39’ Aries/Sagittarius at 9:53 a.m.
January 29 – Sun conjunct Mercury at 9∞54’ Aquarius at 6:52 p.m.
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