printable version

Greetings, everyone! As Neptune moves into Pisces during this astrological month, I thought I would begin this section on Celestial Happenings with a brief essay about this event. If you want to get right into this month’s transits, all you have to do is just continue to scroll down. If you have a bit more time and patience then come with me for a swim in Neptune’s waters as follows:

One of the major contributing factors to today´s personal and collective tensions is the fact that we have not fully entered into the New Age. We will not be completely anchored in it for at least another two hundred years. Thus, ours is an epoch that clearly expresses the influences of both the Piscean and the Aquarian Ages. This juxtaposition and mixing of archetypes is resulting in a plethora of illusion-based glamour-filled and even demented corporations, political parties, religious and other cults.

In the 1960´s, the Beatles wrote a song called, "Magical Mystery Tour." I think we could apply this title to the decade of 2011-2020 for those of us on a spiritual Path. Unfortunately for most of the world, the colorful, psychedelic world of self-discovery and God realization that the Beatles' Tour touted will not be the way of personal experience. Instead we will see a consistent clash of cultures, customs, and cults that will continue to violently interface on most—but significantly on not all—levels. These events coupled with a number of major climatic shifts and changes will result in even more economic and religious warfare and the accompanying disruptions of people´s lives.

The influence of Neptune/Pisces will come forth in greater strength over the next 13 or so years. Neptune entered Pisces for the first time in its current cycle on April 3, 2011 where it remained until August 4th of that year but always in the first degree of this sign. It will emerge in Aquarius in about 150 years when the Aquarian Age will begin to mature. Neptune reemerges into the Fish on February 3, 2012 and will remain in this sign until it touches the Aries Point on March 30, 2025 when the Sun will of course also be in this sign (subject for an article that I look forward to writing for you at that time!).

In general, humanity does not do too well with Neptune because the majority of us center our lives in the whirl and swirl of the emotional body, the body of desires and sensual response, the aspect of ourselves that is attached to instinct, the Moon, and thus to our biological karma. This vehicle of our consciousness (making most of us unconscious most of the time) is known in esoteric terms as the "astral body." It is composed of the energy of dreams or rather when you dream the "substance" of your dreams: colors, images, and energies, is "astral matter." The same is true when we "day dream" and leave our physical or mental bodies and fly off into our desires and their images and projections. This occurs for example when a teenage (or even middle aged!) girl becomes rapt over a movie or a rock star, hangs pictures of this idol on her wall and dreams of being this man´s lover or wife. It happens when men build their lives around their Harleys, creating a cult and lifestyle based on these emotions, and women build their lives around such "machine men." All of this is illusionary and reveals the creative power that is inherent in our lives, but which the majority of us use to further the astral nature and its sensations and forms. Most such "astral dynamics" are relatively harmless and may even be enjoyable (like the building of an "American Idol"), but some are very, very dangerous (such as the constant violence of religious fundamentalism and its resulting terrorism).

Neptune´s recent entry and subsequent 13-14 year passage through Pisces will tend to increase this collective "astralism" as well as intensify anything to do with the oil industry as oil comes directly under Neptune´s astrological rulership. Yet I want to underscore the potential for good and the amazing opportunities for spiritual growth and the resulting expressions of Universal Love that this transit will also express. In this respect, let me quote from the book Esoteric Astrology, by Alice A Bailey (words in parenthesis are mine):

The fish goddesses who have leapt from Earth (Virgo) to water (Pisces) unitedly give birth to the Fish God (Christ) who introduces the waters of life into the ocean of substances and thus bring light to the world. Thus does Neptune work.

What Bailey means in these very cryptic words will be easier to understand when we speak a bit more about the function of Neptune on the level of the Soul, both in terms of the Soul of Humanity and your soul and mine. Neptune is the planet of illusion and the plunge into darkness caused by addictions in general and most specifically, to those particular Neptunian substances, alcohol and drugs. But Neptune is also the expression in the solar system of the energies and potencies hidden in the Heart of the Spiritual Sun. It is that awakened Heart that lives in the breast of the consciousness of every soul-centered, spiritually awakened man or woman. And this Heart (and Neptune´s higher energies) gradually unfolds as we develop. You can feel this happening to you as your orientation to the impersonal life becomes stronger than your attractions to the personal.

You can experience this higher "Neptunian awareness" as your need to be of service to humanity dominates the focus of your daily awareness. Such is the power of this facet of Neptune, that your need to see and support the urge for universal and unconditional love becomes the center of your personal way of loving others. Many of us are already walking this Road; Neptune´s transit through Pisces will see this type of transformation occurring in the lives of millions of people. In addition, many of the children born in this 14-year generation will have this level of awareness already built into their substance and will be at work expressing this dynamic of Right Human Relations out into the world. Many others born in this same period will possess sadly, a "natural" predilection for the worship of false idols, religious cults, alcoholism and addiction to drugs.

As usual, all times and dates are given in GMT. ***

January 20: Sun enters Aquarius at 04:11pm.

Enjoy your friends—it’s Aquarius time!

January 21: Venus sextile Pluto at 8 Pisces/Capricorn.

Very beneficial for you if you have planets or important points at 7-9 degrees of these signs as well as Taurus or Scorpio as these transits can be very beneficial for finances or career. In general, this is a good day for financial negotiations.

January 22: Sun sextile Uranus and Sun square Jupiter at 1 degree Aquarius to 1 degree Aries and Taurus respectively.

Anthropology and archeology can flourish under these influences, but this is not a good time for the application of decisions at the World Court or in trying to find some form of legislations that will be applicable to all parties concerned. If these degrees fall in important points in your chart, you just may find yourself on an adventure.

January 23: New Moon at 2.42 Aquarius at 07:40am.

If this is your birthday, you definitely will be enjoying it with your network of friends and no doubt will have lots of FB and tweet reminders of how well liked you are. In general, this is a good day to be with friends and/or to plant a seed for some aspiration you would like to achieve in the coming month in terms of Right Human Relations.

January 24: Mars turns retrograde at 23 degrees of Virgo.

The retrogradation of this planet is not the happiest of events for Aries or Aries-rising people unless of course you wish to revise some work project and make it better. But Aries is not the "retrograde type of guy," so you (actually we, as I belong to this tribe) may have to cultivate some patience until the Warrior goes direct again on April 14th. This position is great however if you plan to turn inwards to see how you can improve your health and methods you use to accomplish your tasks. Scorpio will tend to do better with Mars retrograde in Virgo as you guys like strategies and generally can wait a long time until you are ready to reveal a project to the world.

January 26: Mercury square Saturn at 29 degrees of Capricorn/Libra.

A day of structuring assigned or assumed mutual responsibilities—"Who does what and how are things balanced between us?" is the question at hand.

January 27: Mercury enters the sign of Aquarius where he is quite happy to be.

January 28 to February 6: Saturn trine Neptune at 29 degrees of Libra/Aquarius changing to Saturn at 29 Libra to Neptune at 0 Pisces on February 3.

I like this combination, especially while these two planets are both in airy signs (Libra and Aquarius). This is a favorable period for aligning what is ideal with what is real and practical. When Neptune mutates into Pisces, the positive effects of this trine are minimized as the ideal will be stronger than the real and effect of less practical worth come forth even if intentions are still good.

January 28-29: Mercury sextile Uranus at 1 Aquarius/Aries followed by Mercury square Jupiter at 2 Aquarius/Capricorn.

This combination is great for philosophical discussions, interests in history and anthropology and for making travel plans. The latter however should take into consideration not just one’s urge for adventure but such practical considerations as money and the right equipment needed for any type of journey.

February 1: Venus opposition Mars at 22 Pisces/Virgo.

"Love is in the air," as they say, but there are complications as the more idealized sense of romantic love may be interrupted or impaired by considerations from the more practical side of human relationships.

February 7: Saturn turns retrograde at 29 degrees of Libra; Full Moon at 18 Leo at 09:55 PM; Sun conjoined Mercury at 18 Aquarius.

This Full Moon may see a lot of miscommunication between friends or within groups of associates. Make sure that what you say is clear to the people to whom you are saying it, and also check twice to see if you have really gotten the message others are trying to tell you. 22 to 29 degrees of Libra have been sensitive since November of 2011 and will remain so until early October of this year (this is especially the case for 22-23, and 28-29 degrees of the Scales). If you have planets or points at these degrees (or the same degrees in Aries, Capricorn, or Cancer), you will find that there are certain wake-up calls in terms of your relationships and responsibilities in general. Pay attention. What is the Universe trying to tell you? You’d best wake up, accept the verdict, and act accordingly. If you miss the first round (11/11 to 6/12) you will be reminded again from 6/12-10/12. If you have these degrees in Gemini or Aquarius, you are on your way to accomplishing something quite nice, something that has taken a lot of time and effort but you will win the prize for all your hard work.

February 8: Venus enters Aries at 06:02am where she is not such a happy camper.

Now that said, this does not mean that you have to be sad for her. In fact if you have Venus in your natal chart in Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius, this can be quite a nice period for you in terms of your personal relationships. (Please note: in this comment and in everything else astrological, the entire chart needs to be examined before a firm conclusion may be offered.) Venus is not happy in Aries because she loses a lot of her poise, grace, and subtle timing in this sign of assertive passion. She much prefers to be sensual and laid-back in Taurus or charming and poetic in Libra.

February 10: Venus conjoins Uranus at 2.12 Aries.

Some relationship suddenly happens under unusual circumstances if 1-3 degrees of this or any of the other cardinal signs (Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn) feature in important placements in your chart. Enjoy your time with this special friend or lover.

February 13: Mercury trine Saturn at 29 Aquarius/Libra.

This can be a great day for making plans that involve friends and groups of people. Just give the idea more time to gel as Saturn is retrograde. Agreements can be made by political and social groups as well but the rules will need to be clearly understood or the agreement will not stand the test of time.

February 14: Mercury enters Pisces where it conjoins with Neptune at 0 degrees of Pisces.

I’d rather not think about it. I can’t think about it. Thinking about it only makes me more confused. I think I’ll play video games. It’s time I caught up on some movies. Never mind, I’ll do it (or I won’t do it) later. Please don’t bother me; I’m going to have a nap.

February 15: Venus square Pluto at 9 degrees of Aries/Capricorn.

If you have 8 or 9 degrees of the Cardinal signs strong in your chart, take care about financial issues. This is not a good "money day." Arguments or differences about finances can play havoc with relationships.

February 16: Mercury sextile Jupiter at 5 degrees of Pisces/Taurus.

Mild and pleasant aspect that is good for travel, study, and gentle conversations.

February 18: Mercury sextile Pluto at 9 degrees Pisces/Capricorn; Sun trine Saturn at 29 degrees Aquarius/Libra.

Good day for taking care of practical responsibilities and for looking under the surface to find out the deeper meanings for any social situations on your agenda. This would tend to be a pleasant process with good results.

Alan is available for individual consultations and mentoring. Please go to here for details or contact him personally via email.

***To calculate the correct hour for your local time in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, please note that for EDST subtract 4 hours; CDST minus 5 hours; MDST minus 6 hours; PDST minus 7 hours. In Britain add one hour, CEDT add two hours, and for EEDT add three hours. For my friends in Australia, NZ, and other points south of the equator, I know that the time adjustment that you need to make to GMT is already familiar to you.

back to beginning