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OVERVIEW

Some of the astrologers discussing this month’s transits of planets circling the zodiac see February as an important lead-in to the bigger events in March, and even April.  Yet there is also a sense that February helps things settle down.  Rick Levine on Astrology Hub called the theme of February one of being “kinder and gentler,” saying it is a beginning of less turbulence, but adding “we’re far from done with whatever the last two years were.” 

The Astrology Podcast discussion this month included Chris Brennan and Austin Coppock joined by Patrick Watson as the third musketeer of the zodiac. They cover the venus retrograde in Capricorn period and its journey back toward Pluto and into Mercury’s path, and the chase that Mars makes to catch up to Venus in that sign. There is a lot of fast-moving-planet action with Mercury, Venus and Mars strutting purposefully through the tall, cold structural land of Capricorn, and they check in with the slow and steady Pluto plow, that is digging deep beneath the surface to unearth things that have not been seen –either for a very long time, or ever. The fast-moving planets are playing tag with Pluto, who does not pursue them but gives up the goods as they pass by—including values, love, money, secrets, or powerful reactions, especially once Mars shows up.

Not only are these fast-moving planets interacting with slow, powerful Pluto, they are also forming trines to erratic Uranus, also moving at a fairly slow pace.  Both Capricorn (where Pluto is) and Taurus (where Uranus is) cover business, finance, the economy and the status-quo or at least change-resistant areas—which offer security, stability, values, and structure. So those are the areas that could be felt the most.

Mars and Venus can combine into a charming and effective result, Austin tells us, as Chris suggests it is a matter of “form and function, the principles of going out and getting something versus waiting for something to come to you.” Whether it is romance, dance or martial arts, we seek the balance between the two, lest we go too far in one or the other direction. Austin adds that it inevitably brings the passion—self-indulgent or destructive, but certainly with an appreciation for sensuality.

Several of the astrologers, including Pam Gregory, note that after Mercury turns back to a direct motion on February 3^rd, all the planets will be moving forward, which she says “creates this feeling of momentum of fast-moving events, of things happening very,very quickly.”

Another key transit this month—relating to the U.S.—is the first exact Pluto return to the 27˚ mark where it was on July 4, 1776.  This is the first of five exact hits of Pluto to that degree point, which happens on February 22, 2022—that’s a lot of twos. 2/22/2022.  Pluto, in the original chart for July 4,1776, is in the second house for the United States—the house that represents the economy.  Expectations are that this will usher in the dismantling and restructuring (Pluto) of a new economy (2^nd house), a new power structure (Capricorn) and new ways of doing business (Capricorn). 

Chris Brennan and the Astrology Podcast gang discuss this with Patric pointing out that there is a noteworthy pattern between Pluto in Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) and monetary systems. The Federal reserve was established when Pluto was in Cancer, he points out. The US dollar became “uncoupled from the price of gold,” he says, when Pluto was in Libra, and when Pluto first entered Capricorn this time around—in 2008—we had the financial crash, and the Federal Reserves had to “take extraordinary measures…of essentially printing more money in order to cover the liquidity shortages.”  When Saturn and Pluto were conjunct in Capricorn in the last two years, he adds that we have seen the Federal Reserve again taking measures to prop up the financial system.

Chris Brennan says that the challenge at this times is that both side are saying the democratic process has been undermined. Now is when the system will be fixed or crumble to a worse degree. 

Kamala Harris’ chart is feeling the stress of this pluto return forming a challenging square to both her sun and moon in her birthchart, which can diminish her power or increase her power, but nevertheless, she is not having a great time related to control and other issues of power. Yet, Austin points out that while Pluto has the “power to negate people…that part of your life turns off and then reappears later…transformation, negation, disappearance followed by a later changed re-emergence.” 

For their discussion about the economy and cryptocurrencies, watch the video for February’s forecast.

Rick Levine (on Astrology Hub) says he sees February as the preparation for the Pisces new moon on March 2^nd, which will be very intense, he says, “because we have Venus, Mars, and Pluto in Capricorn…(and)…a conjunction of Mercury (which is direct) and Saturn in Aquarius—an exact conjunction on the day of the new moon.”  In addition, on the day of the new moon in Pisces, that new moon is conjunct Jupiter (close to Neptune).  This, he explains, means that the Capricorn planets relate to “deconstruction stuff…and stuff coming out that no one ever knew or that we knew but we couldn’t say out loud” for the past decade or two.  Then, Mercury connecting with Saturn means the authority  will need to deal with the truth, and change our minds if we are wrong about something.”  Then the new moon in Pisces  (on March 2^nd) conjunct to lucky, generous Jupiter with nearby confusing, fantasy-producing Neptune, expands our dreams and vision. By April Jupiter and Neptune will be exactly conjoined, and it is a “one-in-14-year expansiveness of dreams and imagination and Neptune becomes our opportunity.”  February is when we will begin to feel the build-up to something important, to energy mounting that will likely be “a little bit gentler in the amount of eruption or surprises or intensity.”

Pam Gregory also talks about the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction in April and has created a video on that topic.

DAILY DETAILS:

FEB 1
NEW MOON IN AQUARIUS

The new moon in Aquarius hits close to a challenging 90˚ angle to shake-it-up Uranus just ahead of the new moon, and then the moon and sun meet up with serious, responsible, slow-it-down Saturn.  This new moon forms right after midnight on the east coast of the U.S., which means that the west coast and Hawaiian islands will have a second new moon in January, since it forms ahead of the midnight hour to the west.

Rick Levine says it is “not a terribly easy new moon” on February 1^st, but Saturn is at 15˚ of Aquarius, and Uranus is at 10˚ of Taurus. The new moon will come together at 12˚ of Aquarius, so the sun and moon will form their square to Uranus separately on the way to meeting up in Aquarius.  But by the next day, the moon moves faster ahead, and Saturn ends up being between the sun and moon. When the moon squares destabilizing Uranus, it is emotionally ready for some kind of shift, or breakthrough—something new and different. The we have the new moon formation—ushering in a new phase. But once the moon catches up to Saturn, Levine notes “we will have some resistance, we’ll have to make it real, we’ll have to pull in.”

For those setting intentions at this new moon, Levine suggests creating a structure around our values and/or grounding our values, making them real, and/or putting something that requires discipline into our intentions.”

The sun follows a few days later and meets up with Saturn on the 4^th. We’ll talk more about that, but Saturn will stabilize the destabilization that Uranus begins.

Pam Gregory points out that this new moon occurs in Aquarius, which is ruled by Uranus, and it is also in an aspect to the actual planet Uranus at the time it comes together.  Aquarius, she notes, is “visionary, future-oriented, as is its ruler Uranus; it’s the energy of freedom, the energy of the rebel, the revolutionary; it’s the energy of the higher mind, of the galactic, of the foreigner, and Uranus is the planet of the awakener.”  She sees this as a connection to “very strong futuristic visionary energies of truth.”

But the new moon is close to Saturn, and Pam reminds us that when Saturn first left Capricorn to go into Aquarius, it entered on March 22, 2020, the day before most countries in the western world shut down as the pandemic began to spread. Saturn in Aquarius can be seen as restrictions of freedom, and this new moon, Pam points out, is shining a light on that same energy—and possibly a repeat of the rules, regulations, and lockdowns.  “It is also really shining a light on the building (Saturn) of new social structures (Aquarius),” which, she says, is another way to look at these connections between the planets.

Venus has turned around and is heading in a direct motion toward Aquarius again (and another connection to Pluto in March).  Mercury is slowing down and getting ready to head in a direct motion by the 3^rd. 

Pam notes that having the four planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars and Pluto–in Capricorn at the time of the new moon along with Mercury being conjunct to Pluto, makes it a good time for research, digging up secrets that are sexual or financial, possibly related to rich, powerful people.  This connection along with the new moon in Aquarius, brings out the Aquarian truth element and bringing those truths to light (under the two luminaries).  In addition, value- or money-oriented Venus in a tight trine to unpredictable, disruptive Uranus in the financial sign of Taurus can relate to the government (Venus in Capricorn) and banking and economics (Taurus).  Uranus being futuristic—related to digital, online things- could even relate to cryptocurrency.  The new moon as well could disrupt our financial system in its square to Uranus in Taurus, as well as issues related to the food supply.

Patrick Watson says he watches the memes that are circulating around the new moons and full moons, and with the new moon, he suspects we may see memes related to people looking sad or old.

FEB 2

Chris Brennan pointed out that this is the choice (by the Astrology Podcast) for the electional chart 2/2/2022.  It is at the time when Jupiter hits the ascendant at 7 degrees of Pisces, and there is a positive angle of opportunity between the Venus/Mars alignment and the ascendant. The moon is connecting with Jupiter directly in Pisces.  Chris says this bodes well for growth, expansion, idealism, creative things.  It is a good day to “create something dazzling.”  However, it is not great for friends, groups and alliances. However, if you would like to succeed at what you are starting anew, Jupiter will be thee to help.  It is a good time for a victory or a win.

FEB 3

Today Mercury stops its retrograde motion and prepares to head back to where it came from when it turned around in Aquarius. We will feel the effects of Mercury having gone back “to revise and revisit communications,” Chris Brennan points out. And Mars begins closing in on Venus—the sense of what we want and how we are going to get it—the desire, the passion and the action.

FEB 4

Saturn and the sun form a Cazimi—the blending of the light of both planets when a planet joins up with the sun.  The Astrology podcast discussion brings out that the push-pull Saturn-Uranus square is activated (though somewhat less strongly).  Austin Coppock describes the energy’s meaning as “this way for now, so what do I do about it?”  We sit with the structure as it is at the moment.

Chris Brennan suggests somberness or soberness, and Patrick Watson says it would be low sentiment.

Rick Levine describes it as being “almost like we have to take all the everythings that we want to do and pare it back.”  He adds, “We’re better off accomplishing something real that’s [something] less, than [we are in] not accomplishing anything at all.” But this is the beginning of being able to see the big picture, he says, along with “innovative ideas and …wild ideas or things that you want to accomplish in your life.”  While we get a foreshadowing of it when sun and Saturn conjoin, he notes that it may be April before we even see things start to happen.

But wait, there’s more! We see action-oriented Mars forming an angle of potential with generous and benevolent Jupiter. Austin Coppock describes today’s energy as demotivating in relation to the Sun’s connection to Saturn.  “It is what it is,” he says to describe the feeling.  But with Mars in this positive angle to Jupiter, “you can do stuff about it.”  There is, he says, the endurance of suffering while working to change a situation, combined with the hopefulness and willingness from the Jupiter vibe.

Rick Levine adds that we could feel a sense of enthusiasm, confidence, and going ahead, though he cautions that it could be a false confidence.  If we can hold onto this position, that everything will work out, for a few more days (until the 8^th), we could see some breakthroughs.

Pam Gregory notes that if we know where Jupiter and Mars are falling in our charts we can determine what aspect of our lives will be affected. Jupiter, she says, “normally brings the expansion or some kind of growth or recognition or success around the affairs of that house [in our charts that it is in right now] so we’ve got some really very positive aspects happening here.”

FEB 6

As motivated Mars moves closer to a harmonious trine to unpredictable and unconventional Uranus, the bump in the road happens today as Mars is challenged by a stressful square to Chiron, the wounded-healer and teacher.  Rick Levine points out that this means we may have to “deal with either physical limitations or something from the past that is stopping us from getting to where we want to get to.” But in a couple of days, things open up energetically for Mars.

FEB 8

Rick Levine talks about a harmonious trine (120˚) angle between active Mars and future-oriented, but disruptive, Uranus, which gives us a sense of being free to let our “freak flag fly,” or in other words, to be different, to be innovative, to make breakthroughs happen or to just be weird.  By the 8^th it will be easier to do this.

Austin Coppock says that this Mars/Uranus trine is a great time to make changes that you need to make. It is a time for “spontaneous action,” Patrick Watson adds. “Take the opportunity to get things done you did not plan on getting done. Be prepared to spring into action.”

FEB 11

Rick Levine points out that thoughtful, communicative Mercury will line up exactly with intensely deep Pluto for a third and final time.  “It’s a time when we’re not satisfied with surface communication,” he tells us.  We also could be talking about the kinds of things we don’t normally discuss, whether from fear of mentioning them or because we think it might cause a problem.  “Mercury conjunct Pluto brings that stuff out into the open,” Rick adds. 

Acyuta-bhava Das points out that from February 11^th through the 14^th  there will be significant change from Mercury based on deeper, heavier, more dynamic communication and insights that come from dreams.  Pluto represents the underworld and it could bring up “subterranean energies” that bring deep impulses to express “invisible, enigmatic thoughts.”

With Mars and Venus getting together, he says he feels “Mercury is brokering some kind of deal” because loving Venus and passionate Mars can bring things together, and the force of the two coming together tends to be ”a harmonizing force,” he says. And that harmonizing force at the same time as the Mercury/Pluto conjunction can mean that the “deep stuff” Mercury is bringing up can “serve the process of Venus and Mars coming together.”

FEB 14

Chris Brennan’s Astrology Podcast group brings up that on Valentine’s Day, beautiful, affectionate Venus and passionate, assertive Mars are within a degree of each other, which can bring out the passion.

Rick Levine points out that logical Mercury leaves serious, disciplined Capricorn today and it moves into futuristic, quirky Aquarius—a sign that Mercury likes to hang out in. The sun and Saturn are already there, he says, which brings a sense of “intellectual, conceptual breaking through of old ideas.”  He adds that, “Even if you don’t have a love or a lover, it’s a good day to hang out with friends because Mercury in Aquarius is very much oriented toward friends…relationships that are equal.” He adds that the cosmic lovers, Venus and Mars, both meet up and will soon move together into Aquarius (in early March on the same day). Patrick Wilson, who looks to see what the memes are saying at such planetary alignment times tells us to look for “memes about being horny.”

FEB 16
FULL MOON IN LEO

Today’s full moon in Leo is at a challenging angle to the North and South Nodes—the trajectory points that indicate where the eclipses will fall this year. This forms a grand cross in the sky—a very challenging aspect that touches on several areas of life at once.  Chris Brennan points out that sentiment is high, and emotional reactivity is at a high point, as well. He is concerned about this full moon and the Russia situation with Ukraine.  “People will be riled up to act or react badly.  The moon at this heightened state means people will be making rash decisions or will be at an impetus to do something.”

Brennan also mentions the “change” of Mars and Venus, which connects to themes of war and peace—the interchange between the two—Mars gets the upper hand over Venus, but by March, the peacekeeping impulse comes in and calms things down.

Rick Levine points out that in addition to the opposition of the moon at 28˚ of Leo and the Sun at 28˚ of Aquarius, Venus and Mars meet up exactly today. It is about “creativity…it feeds the idea of love…so on Valentine’s Day we have…the dance between our sense of values, our sense of beauty (Venus) our sense of aesthetic perfection and Mars—how are we gonna get there, what are we gonna do to make it happen.”  With the full moon at the same time in Leo and Aquarius, it brings a dilemma of (Leo) “the I, me, mine part of love and the Aquarius, the collective, the community, the global.”  Here, Levine says, is where we struggle with where our place is in the larger scheme of things.

Acyuta-bhava Das says that the conjunction of Mars and Venus today is “not your typical conjunction” because Mars is moving faster than Venus and it will make the rare move of passing over Venus, and later Venus will pass over Mars. He says these cosmic lovers are “coming together creatively again in business at work, in relationships, and family.” And wherever they are there will be a tension that brings conflict into harmony—it is a time to negotiate, figure things out, and push everything forward to reach some state of resolution or agreement in order to accomplish the next phase.

Pam Gregory sees this full moon as a time to switch from the age of the mind (Aquarius) to the age of the heart (Leo). The unusual long-term connection of Venus and Mars that begins this week and lasts about two months (until early April) can signify romance if Capricorn is in your 5^th or 7^th house—possibly suggesting a new relationship, if you are open to that. This Venus/Mars conjunction, she tells us, is in a harmonious trine (120˚ angle) to Uranus, which she explains “can bring in the sudden, the unexpected, the very different kind of person who may be younger, foreign, or have a different background to you.”   Aside from romance, she says it is also a lovely time for “establishing long-term social connections with whom you can move forward into your future.”   When Venus and Mars meet again in Aquarius on March 6, there will be an even stronger suggestion of “finding your family of frequency, finding your tribe,” Pam says.

The Mars trine to Uranus at this full moon, she adds, also symbolizes freedom, truth, human rights, awakening, and revolutionary energy, as well as earthquakes and volcanoes. It can also be about galactic news, she says.  In addition, expansive Jupiter in Pisces is beginning to form an angle of potential to surprising Uranus, which she says is “about…opening up our consciousness to something higher. Uranus was the sky good and Jupiter is very much connected with long- distance travel…reaching out to the cosmos.”

Pam also points out the uncomfortable quincunx angle (150˚) between the full moon in Leo and Pluto in Capricorn.  She sees this as representing feelings that are going to be “intense, deep, compulsive, obsessiveve” and that people will feel issues around the heart (Leo), and it will be powerful (Pluto).  Government control or policies (Pluto in Capricorn) can be involved, or it could “reveal corruption in high places.”

FEB 17

Rick Levine talks about the sextile (angle of potential) between adventurous Jupiter and unpredictable Uranus, which he sees as an “opening energy,” which he explains as “the mind is like a parachute, you know, it doesn’t function when it’s closed.”  This connection between Jupiter and Uranus, he says, is “like an intellectual mental aha experience where lightning strikes (Uranus, the great awakener)” and Jupiter’s location in Pisces brings in a spiritual energy. He says we will be feeling this aspect for days before and days after the 17^th.

Acyuta-bhava Das notes that today we have the “god of expansion, growth and abundance (Jupiter) that grants blessings and boons and often creates collaboration and fellowship,” coming into a sextile (which is like Venus—very harmonizing) with Uranus, “the god of revolution.”  He sees it as very positive energy that represents “one of the more productive, positive periods of the month.”  It can break us out of a slump and change the narrative moving forward.

Austin Coppock comments that beneficial Jupiter connecting at this positive angle to shifting Uranus can be “help in making useful Uranian changes or help managing Uranian chaos.”   Patrick Wilson, however, brings up the Taurus connection to the financial markets and Uranus representing volatility. “Jupiter might be greater stability,” he says, with Austin adding, “A little hands on the wheel.”

FEB 18

Rick Levine notes that today the sun moves out of Aquarius and into Pisces, which shifts the energy.  When it moves into Pisces, it joins Jupiter and Neptune and will soon be joined by Venus and Mars and eventually Mercury. This gathering of energy piling up, Levine says, can be more emotional or spiritual and even delusional. It means as they connect with Neptune, planet of fantasy, imagination and confusion, we have to “watch that line between fantasy and reality.”

With the move of the sun out of Aquarius, Chris Brennan points out that we are moving away from restrictiveness – with Saturn, the wall-builder, sharing the space—to optimistic Pisces, building up over a few days. Austin Coppock’s keyword for the change was ebullient, cheerful and full of energy.  Patrick Wilson warned that the combination of the sun and Jupiter in Pisces would threaten people’s will power to maintain Lenten sacrifices. “Things are more Bacchanalian, especially with Neptune.”  People would be gravitating toward easing their longing for what they give up.  Austin noted that Jupiter is “good for spirituality.” It could make spirituality more meaningful but we could do a worse job at it.  They agree that this begins a “definite momentum shift” and what Austin called “a period of relative chill” from now through March 5^th.

Acyuta-bhava Das tells us that as these planets begin to march into and through the sign of Pisces, we are moving into “practical accomplishment energy”  and a “willingness to compromise, ease tensions, to see both sides of the story,” as Venus and Mars move into angles of potential (sextiles) to Neptune on the 23^rd.

FEB 23-24

Today energetic, aggressive Mars, feeling strong in Capricorn, makes its positive angle of potential to Neptune, which Rick Levine notes feeds fantasies and changes our physical energy and changes it “based upon our imagination and the fantasy…. It’s a great day for a costume party.” Though it is the opposite time of year for costumes, this aspect between Mars and Neptune, Levine says, “is about imagination and dreams.”

Chris Brennan points out that while the positive angle of potential (60˚ sextile) occurs on the 23rd, it is followed by the same angle between Venus and Neptune on the 24^th.  He notes that this is a weak, but moderately positive vibe of things being okay.  Austin Coppock says it is like a “split anti-anxiety pill” with Chris adding, “a single glass of wine or a few puffs of reefer, to take off intensity and dynamic of Mars/Venus,” which he dubbed, “Neptune and chill.”  Acyuta-bhava Das says that the energy of harmony is in the air, bringing a sense of agreement and accord. There can also be a sense of romance or subtle imagination or creativity as well as “a sense of mission and vision.”  But there could also be a bit of delusion around the 23^rd and 24^th, he says with Neptune in the mix.

Acyuta-bhava adds that logical Mercury will form a 90˚ square with unorthodox and unpredictable Uranus in Taurus at the same time that Venus and Mars comeback together.  This happens when Mercury arrives at the same degree it had reached in January when it turned retrograde and headed backwards into Capricorn.  This point when Mercury returns to the degree of reversing is “a moment of innovation, an epiphany, or inventiveness.”

Levine also comments that “this is unstable, it’s exciting, it’s breakthrough,, it’s new, it’s learning, and something new, but it’s disruptive.”

At the same time, Jupiter in Pisces making a half square (45˚) to Pluto in Capricorn on the 23rd “give or take a few days, can bring some things not only bring things out into the open  but they become like balloons where we can then  watch them fly and actually then be inspired by  them and have them elevate us,” Levine says. He adds that things that feel difficult and complicated create fear or terrify us, can become bigger when Jupiter connects up with Pluto. “Jupiter is a magnifying lens, but they [the fears and difficulties] also can become more apparent so that we can actually work with them and do something about them.”

These are the last major aspects of the month, but as Chris Brennan pointed out, we are building up to a “conjunctional climax of 2022” that will be exact in March—the Sun shinging a light on benevolent Jupiter in spiritual Pisces, high-energy Mars moving toward the blockade of Saturn in Aquarius, and around the next new moon in Pisces on March 2^nd, a triple conjunction of Venus, Mars and Pluto at the 27˚ point, the degree in Capricorn where Pluto last visited in July of 1776.  It will bring extreme passions, Patrick Wilson said.  Something to look forward to?