January Forecast

New Moon in Sagittarius Jan. 1st

The New Year begins with a new Moon in Sagittarius, giving us a kick start to the 2014 calendar.  The Moon has already passed through its sign of debilitation leading up to New Year's day.  As the year 2013 and the Moon wanes we are brought to a place of surrender in time to begin anew.  New Moon's are a great time to reset the dial in our lives, as we reconnect with our roots and grow our lives from there.

The lunar sign in which the new Moon is placed is Purva Ashadha.  This lunar sign comes after the sign Moola in which we delve into our past.  Purva Ashadha takes us into the next stage, where there is a desire for an improved situation. 

Venus Re-enters Sagittarius Jan. 6th

Venus backs up into Jupiter's fiery sign and is under the influence of all of the outer planets (Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) as a result.  The balance of expansion and contraction from Jupiter and Saturn is one which our ideals and beliefs have been experiencing for some time now.  Mars's influence is to create frustration, owing to its position in the calculated Virgo.  When Mars is ill-placed it will let you know by an eagerness to push ahead when circumstances are telling you to assess the situation.

January sees Venus continue to move backwards and thus asks us to reassess what and who we value.  If you are growing impatient at the thought of another month of weighting up your options then take heart.  There are plenty of shifting energies in the coming months to satisfy your desire for change. 

For now you may take your time and take advantage of the relative calm that is the month of January.

Mercury in Capricorn Jan. 7th - Jan. 26th

Mercury moves into Saturn's feminine sign Capricorn for most of January and is more comfortable as a result of dealing with practical concerns.  It no longer has the influence of Mars, Jupiter or Saturn, but is now placed in an exalted Saturn's sign.  This gives Mercury great strength for the beginning of the year and we may take advantage of this by busying ourselves with these concerns moving forward.

This may be a good time to plan ahead, with Mercury moving ahead of the Sun.  The tendency here is to get too far ahead of ourselves of course, and there comes a need to reassess when Mercury begins its retrograde period in February.  It crosses the point which it will move back to on January 22nd and this is seen as the beginning of its shadow phase of its retrograde motion. 

Take note of the areas of your life Capricorn and the subsequent sign Aquarius represent, as these will be areas of your life in which you pay particular attention to over the coming weeks.

For now you may wish to busy yourself in terms of dealing with your lot and how you communicate what you need to with a certain detachment and a view of the bigger picture at the beginning of 2014.

Sun in Capricorn Jan. 15th - Feb. 15th

The Sun enters Saturn's sign on January and is traditionally known as Makara Sankranti - when the Sun changes to its northerly direction.  This can actually be traced back to the winter solstice, as this is when the Sun moved into this sign in ancient times. 

According to the dates and line-up of the Sun in our modern day, we have the Sun crossing the galactic center in the previous sign Sagittarius on the winter solstice and then move  into Capricorn on January 15th.  This period marks the time of year when the Sun continues to move in a northerly direction and increases its light for those on the northern hemisphere.

However, Saturn's sign Capricorn is not a comfortable position for the Sun, as we need to take care of business at this time of year.  The New Year and its demands subtract from the Self-centered Sun and our more philosophical concerns. 

We must pay attention to the cold light of day while the Sun moves through Capricorn and the following sign Aquarius.  This is the experience we have of winter and our need to take stock at this time of year. 

Full Moon in Cancer Jan. 16th

The Moon reaches its fullest at 04.53 (UT) on January 16th at the first degree of the sign Cancer.  This occurs in the lunar sign Punarvasu which connects the signs Gemini and Cancer and is one of the most auspicious lunar signs.  The ruling planet is Jupiter which has itself transited through this lunar sign in the last few weeks.  Jupiter is about to step out of the sign and back into the most inauspicious sign Ardra, for a few months, before re-entering Punarvasu in April.

The shift between these two extreme signs might be more apparent during this full Moon phase, as Jupiter changes signs on the same day.  The stormy seas of Ardra lead to a new dawn and enlightenment in Punarvasu, but sometimes we have to revisit a traumatic experience in order to assimilate all that we need in order to move on with our lives. 

The Sun is placed at the first degree of Capricorn for the culmination of the full Moon phase in the opposite sign Cancer.  This points to a need to connect with family and our community, in order to see what is needed by others, while taking care of business ourselves. 

Jupiter re-enters Ardra Jan. 16th - Apr. 24th

Jupiter retrogrades back into the lunar sign Ardra on the full Moon day and brings a reassessment to this area of the zodiac and our lives.  Expansion is revisited and a depth of understanding is reached in relation to any planets you have between 6 and 20 degrees of the sign Gemini. 

The lunar sign Ardra is one of the most difficult to negotiate as we experience a storm in whatever area of life that is represented here.  If, for example, you have the planet which rules your home placed in this sign, then there may be much turbulence to be experienced in the home environment.  Ultimately you will find safety and security beyond a physical home, as you delve deeper into your Being and the peace and quiet which is available there.  That peace and quiet is all the more profound once you have experienced the storms in life. 

Jupiter's presence here once again for the next few months will bring a much needed sense of protection to this area of your life.

New Moon in Capricorn Jan. 30th

We have a second new Moon in January which occurs in the lunar sign Shravana, ruled by the Moon itself.  This new Moon and new cycle in Capricorn has the benefit of a strong Saturn guiding us forward.

The first month of 2014 sets the stage for many new beginnings but is itself quite a calm month relative to the turbulence of recent months. 

The following few months see us moving out of the eye of a storm and into many more changes and upheavals.  Though all change is for the greater good ultimately, it is human nature to regard dramatic changes with fear and trepidation.

We can use the new Moon phases in January to remain somewhat detached from worldly affairs, as we reconnect with something greater than this life experience.

Venus Stations Direct Jan. 31st

Venus stations direct by the end of January, crawling to a halt after having backed up into Sagittarius from Capricorn.  Sagittarius is where we develop our faith and Capricorn is where we put it to the test in a very practical way.

Venus moving back and forth in these signs shows a need to reevaluate these areas of our lives and how these beliefs benefit our interactions. 

Now that Venus is about to move slowly forward in the coming days, watch how your values and your relationships seem to set more firmly, especially as Venus re-enters the sign Capricorn by the end of February once again. 

The period of review and reflection on the planet of love is at an end and the insights into these can be taken into our future relationships. 
Mars's influence on Venus will keep things passionate. 
Jupiter and Saturn's influence makes sure we have a balanced view of our ideals. 

OM TAT SAT