January 2008 Astrocast

Key Events:  

New Moon:  01/08/2008

Full Moon: 01/22/2008

Mercury Retrograde: 01/28/2008

Other RX Planets:  Mars until 1/30; Saturn until 05/03 

You're likely to be more aggressive than usual and you may find people looking at you as if you've sprouted horns or some other foreign appendage.  Make a conscious effort to utilize this energy in a constructive way.  If there's something that you've been putting off or just want to get started, now is a good time to get all your ducks in a row as far as planning is concerned in preparation for the end of the month when it will be "all systems go."  Just watch out that you don't come on too strong and scare people, in other words act like an Aries, since people aren't used to that from you.  You may be hyper and bounce from pillar to post like a fox terrier, but normally you're not perceived as aggressive.  Knowing that you usually have a host of projects in work simultaneously, this extra boost may help you bring some of them to completion.  If this all has a ring of déjà-vu about it, it's because he was in your neighborhood during most of August and September, so you get a second chance at having that extra energy at your disposal.  Use it well and consider it a gift from the heavens.

With several planets clustered in Capricorn and Aquarius, that means there's a lot going on astrologically in your Natural 8th House, which comprises sex, transformation and shared resources, and your 9th, which comprises academia, legal matters, long distance travel, religion and politics. Jupiter, who recently entered Capricorn and your Natural 8th House, will bring a sense of expansion to this area of your life.  With the Sun there as well this month, there will be a lot of emphasis in this area.  This will feel similar to the sense you get upon climbing a mountain, reaching the summit and then enjoying the vistas beyond.  If you've recently accomplished something significant, you'll assimilate the full realization of how it has changed you and recognize that your life is going to be different now.   The New Moon on January 8th will emphasize this sense of entering a new phase of your life even further.  Any shared resources you may have, either with a spouse or business partner, are likely to be a topic as well.  Speaking of that, however, bring the first caution flag related to this month's planetary aspects.

For starters, during most of January, Jupiter, who is normally your friend, is in a somewhat scratchy aspect with Neptune.  As noted earlier, Jove brings a sense of expansion and is generally recognized as a benefic planet.  However, when you combine this with dreamy Neptune, the results aren't always in your favor.  Idealistic Neptune provides us with dreams and inspiration as well as our sense of wonder and fantasy, which is all well and good, but on the down side he can also create illusions and delusions similar to chasing rainbows.  Note that he's been hanging out in your Natural 9th House for what will be exactly ten years at the end of this month.  If you'll think back over the last decade, I'm sure you'll be able to recall various ways in which you were both inspired and misled relative to that area of your life.  With those situations in mind, think of inflating them ten fold or more and you'll have an idea what to expect this month.  And since the aspect we're talking about is generally one of irritation or friction, more than likely the effects won't be positive.  So keep an eye on anything related to these two houses and make sure you are seeing things as they really are.  Use your propensity for data and logic to make sure you have all the facts, get any agreements in writing, and generally don't believe everything you see, hear or think during this timeframe.

The good news is that some of the other planets are assuring that you have a bit of help in this area.  Saturn, in particular, who is camped out in your Natural 4th House of home environment and represents all forms of structure and practicality, will be in positive aspect to the Sun from January 1 - 3.  This will keep you fully reminded of your responsibilities to home and family and more than likely squelch any pipedreams Neptune in cahoots with Jupiter throw your way.  Then from January 10 - February 1 he'll be in a nice harmonious trine to Jupiter, which will bring further home-based activities to the fore and put Neptune even more in his place, though you may harbor a sorry thought or two on how nice it would be if you could go chase a rainbow or two just for fun, especially when you factor in that Mars energy noted earlier.

And speaking of Mars, from January 1 - 13 he'll be opposing Pluto, who's packing up his god of the Underworld tools in preparation for leaving Sagittarius on the 26th.  These two can be bad actors in their own right, but when they get together it's definitely something to watch out for.  The god of War and god of the Underworld faced off with one another--do the math.  For Twins, Pluto is in your 7th House of relationships and as already mentioned, Mars is in your sign, which is the foundation of your personality.  In a nutshell, you're likely to be more aggressive than usual and if there are any power trips or hidden agendas with those with whom you have a close relationship, the stage is definitely set for some confrontations.  In particular, anything that has not been resolved but swept under the rug is likely to come out in all its dusty glory for clean-up during this time.  Pluto tends to function as the Zodiacal Rotorooter anyway, and you can bet that before he leaves Sagittarius for Capricorn that he's going to make sure he did his job properly.  The people involved are going to be those with whom you have a one-on-one relationship, such as your spouse, close friends and relatives, or business associates.  If you're more irritable than usual and either of you are on a power trip of any description, more than likely you're going to either be disarming a bomb of some sort or cleaning up the mess.  Whatever you do, make sure you tell Neptune and his delusions to get out of Dodge during any discussions.  It's possible that it won't be entire resolved until Mars makes that direct pass in the February - March timeframe, but do the best you can to clean up what you can now, even if it requires more work later.  Bear in mind that the suppressed anger thing is likely to go very deep and have transformational effects with Pluto involved.  It will be cleaning house much more than Mars alone, but your likelihood of resolving it once and for all is quite good.

Some good news along these lines is that come the end of the month, i.e. January 25 - February 2, Mercury, the communications king and your Sign Ruler, will be in a nice, harmonious trine with Mars, which will provide good communications during this time.  Whatever you do, don't simply sweep it all under the rug again.  Pluto's there to help with this stuff (all right, it sounds like when an IRS agent tells you the same thing, but you get the idea) and wants to do his job before he leaves, plus on the 28th Mercury will go retrograde, which will honk up communications of all sorts, including mechanical devices as well, until February 19.  (Mercury RX is okay for reworking or replanning something already in progress, but not the time to start something new.)  So even if there are some unpleasantries involved, getting it resolved once and for all will be easier now, plus then you'll have it over with and not festering in your psyche.  Venus is also in Sagittarius until the 24th, which should help keep some affection up front with all this.  During roughly this same time period, i.e. from January 4 - 9, she'll be squaring Saturn, however, which could cause a conflict of some kind between your homelife and relationships.  This could even be the catalyst for starting the dialog that Pluto is trying to facilitate.  If there is anything at all that comes to mind that requires discussion, the planets are trying to tell you to deal with it, once and for all.  It might not be easy, but when all is said and done you'll be glad you did.  Clearing the air is essential for Twins who, as an Air Sign, need to rid their environment of any pollution they can in order to function properly.  Trust me on this one; do it now. 

The Full Moon on January 22 occurs in Leo, your Natural 3rd House of thoughts, neighbors and short journeys.  The 3rd House is Gemini's Zodiacal domain, so this is likely to have some significance, more than likely representing closure on something in one of those areas.  Maybe an idea will come to fruition, a project with a neighbor will be completed, or a short trip will be taken that you've been planning for a while.  It won't necessarily be earth-shattering, but will undoubtedly herald something along those lines.

Considering that it looks like a fairly busy and somewhat intense month for you on the mental landscape, it's nice to know that the month will end on a positive note.  From January 30 to February 4, Jupiter and Venus will be giving each other a nice bear hug in your 8th House of intimate relationships with the happy couple in harmonious trine with Saturn in your 4th House of home environment.  This should provide a nice happy ending to any of that other stuff you've been dealing with.