The Planetary Planner| January 2024 Issue
Monthly Astrological Movements
Solar Spotlights
Sun in Capricorn, Aquarius
The sun begins the new year applying a square to Chiron—exact January 5th—through a degree that describes physical fitness, which feels all too conveniently apropos for so many personal new year resolutions… ultimately, any type of self-improvement most necessary would behoove you now.
Then, the sun connects to Uranus, by trine, on January 9th, through a degree that assures ‘the restoration of harmony through bringing hidden situations to light, or exposing them so they can be dealt with and rectified…’ though, with its connection being to Uranus, it’s sure to involve a little bit of surprise as well. Prepare to be unprepared and to expect the unexpected.
Next, the sun squares the NN, on January 10th, through a degree that is asking you to be open to teamwork, personal efficiency, willingness, and learning how to both give and take, and go with the flow… your best opportunities will be both challenged and exploited through these efforts.
January 11th finds the sun in its new moon state, at 20*44’ Capricorn, just barely separated from the NN… I will go over this in the Monthly Moon Mood section below.
All the while, through these solar aspects, the sun is ultimately applying its annual conjunction to Pluto…
This year’s sun/Pluto conjunction is a much bigger deal as it’s the final sun/Pluto conjunction in the sign of Capricorn since 2008. The sun will finally connect to Pluto on January 20th, though it will likely be felt as early as the 17th… this will occur through the last and final degree of Capricorn, as well as being the last conjunction, suggesting an absolute finality overall—a last chapter to a book we’ve been reading for far too long—a very final ending to something that is no longer needed to open you to something entirely brand new.
It is entirely crucial, this year, to know precisely what it is you need, want, desire, or are seeking…
This degree, ultimately, describes determination—determinations in controlling the course of events in one’s personal reality, as well as resolving important issues… though, these are more likely to occur behind-the-scenes, in accordance with private alliances, in secret, or ‘under the table’, as they say. Either way, quietly gaining ground is likely, and most appropriate now. Beware of manipulations, particularly if these manipulations have a shadowy intention. Most ultimately what these energies are attempting to highlight is a more intuitively attuned insight into what is ahead… and maneuvering most strategically.
Then, just after this conjunction occurs, still on the 20th, the sun will move into Aquarius and begin applying a square to Jupiter, exact on January 26th, through a degree that highlights renewal and self-realization… though you are being asked to refuse self-limitations now, you may be somewhat overwhelmed by these now—or at least feel as though you are and have excused yourself with as much. Remember that the mind is a powerful tool—it will believe what you tell it to, for better or worse. Or, you may feel as though you are nearly invincible and could behave somewhat improperly toward others—beware not to burn the bridges connecting you to potential opportunities.
The sun spends the rest of this first month within this new year separating from its square with Jupiter, and will eventually begin highlighting its last quarter phase with the moon in Scorpio on February 2nd.
Monthly Moon Moods
The Moon Through January
January 3rd offers the LQ moon and will occur at 13*15’ Libra—this moon will illuminate the need for a break, a breather, or a bender of some kind, but not without its fair share of feeling awkward or undeserving… issues of fairness and irrational subjectivity are piqued at this time, as well as your feelings about these matters. Ultimately, you likely need to take a moment to gain some composure in some way… but, just as ultimately, it will likely come with a struggle to appropriately achieve without irrational feelings of guilt.
January 11th offers the NM and will occur at 20*44’ Capricorn—this moon will illuminate difficulties in expressing particular emotions and/or fleeting feelings… beware of unintentionally creating a self-fulfilling prophecy you wouldn’t want to actually navigate. Right now you have the potential to hold much personal power in your hands, and within your intentions… be careful not to misuse these energies, or to cast them in ways that are ill-intentioned or unrealistic.
January 17th offers the 1stQ moon and will occur at 27*32’ Aries—this moon will illuminate our anger… and this will be much more dramatically experienced and most intensely navigated through the sun’s near conjunction to Pluto upon the last degree. This is going to be a real doozy of a moon, folks—I wouldn’t recommend taking any glimpse of inner insight for granted now—this moon will likely trigger a blow-up, or an inner breakdown of sorts, or much worse, the potential for accidents, should these energies be misguided or resisted. Sometimes disillusionments lead to disappointments, and either all too frequently result in unrealistic expectations not being met, likely, or sustainable… a very likely shift in attitude or in values is to your benefit.
January 25th offers the FM and will occur at 5*15’ Leo—this moon will illuminate the taking charge of a situation… though you will need to be in a potentially courageous and ultimately genuine place that is open to the sensitivities of others, as well as the feelings and needs of those who may be in direct conflict in some way. There may also be a feeling of a paused push wanting to push forward without an ability to do so… try to find ways that are cooperative and collaborative now. These contrasting conflicts likely also hold the key to what will eventually inspire the most movement.
Mercurial Machinations
Mercury Direct in Sagittarius, Capricorn
Mercury begins the new year stationing direct!—through a degree of Sagittarius that inspires self-sufficiency.
The key to moving forward, now, is through self-refinement, behind-the-scenes intentions and maneuvers, and the sustaining of yourself, your values, and your personal goals through unfamiliar terrain… this is a lovely opportunity to do necessary research, explorations, and writing to put yourself further along with a more grounded foundation from which to take off from.
On the way back to Capricorn, Mercury connects to Neptune one last time from Sagittarius, through a degree that inspires self-promotion.
Mercury moves back into Capricorn on January 13th and immediately begins applying its second and final conjunction to Mars through a degree that demands a more emphasized concern over your security and strategies, exact on January 27th, while simultaneously connecting to Uranus by a degree… these concerns may come seemingly from out of nowhere, and be but an inconvenient way to catch your attention in regard to something that is emerging as more and more important… or it could be a direct trip-up in some way, in an effort to forewarn you of something potentially preventable. It may be worth taking a look back at what was occurring the first time Mercury and Mars met in conjunction—this was back on December 27th.
Mercury finishes the month within Capricorn, set to move into Aquarius in early February.
Venusian Ventures
Venus in Sagittarius
Venus begins the new year already moving within Sagittarius, fancy and fancy-free—all but its immediate square to Saturn, on the 1st, through a degree that weighs down the necessities for practice, as well as new situations requiring such endeavor… you may find yourself in a bit of a challenging or obligatory predicament, through these energies occurring through this first week, ultimately in an effort to teach you a new perspective of independence.
Venus will require several days to fully separate from its square to Saturn… and will not connect further until January 11th when Venus connects to Chiron by trine through a degree that accents patience—and waiting for the right opportunities. As it’s in connection to Chiron, this patience needing to be practiced now will likely be quite frustrating, painful, and/or overwhelmingly difficult.
Next, Venus connects to the NN, on January 14th, through a degree that has you looking into the future toward your eventual, inevitable needs as they will ultimately be. It would greatly behoove you to look ahead at least six months—and create a list of potential needs and actual needs, and all of the necessities required to connect these dots, making arrangements to have everything in place by July. What obstacles do you foresee? How might you pre-plan to work around these obstacles? As it’s Venus, you may need to combine your efforts with those of another in a combined collaboration.
Venus is then applying a square to Neptune, exact January 19th, through a degree that forewarns you not to lower your standards, even if it’s convenient, or to avoid issue in one way or another, or to navigate yourself around conflict. Compromising your integrity, now, would only lead to more drama or disconnect, more conflict—however indirect, and/or more confusion.
Venus’ ingress into Capricorn is illuminated by an opposition with the moon on January 22nd and not until January 28th will Venus connect further, through a trine to Jupiter, upon a degree that inspires mastery and self-assurance… your abilities to bring about what you seek, desire, and/or what you have been manifesting, are at a peak.
Mars Motivations
Mars in Capricorn
Mars begins the new year moving through the final degrees of Sagittarius, and its ingress into Capricorn occurs on January 4th…
From here, Mars is finally finished from its separation from Neptune—confusions clearing and clarifying… though it is not until January 9th that Mars connects again—this time to Saturn by sextile—through a degree that has you motivated aptly to take ahold of your life and apply a more aggressive action upon it… there is a real need to get things under control now.
On January 12th Mars connects to Jupiter, by trine, through a degree that indulges new experiences opening to you—experiences, opportunities, and potentials that you already have, within you and about you, that which is needed to proceed.
Mars moves along with Jupiterian-infused inspirations until around the 17th before it begins applying a square to Chiron, exact January 25th, through a degree suggesting you may need to tend to something in regard to its physical fitness and/or ability to properly or appropriately provide or sustain what is required at this time.
Whatever it is you are attempting to do, particularly in regard to self-developments, will need you to be flexible, and willing to adjust, as many details and angles are changing and shifting, to allow for new potentials and opportunities… though, again, as it’s in connection to Chiron, these changes and shifts may be experienced as quite directly painful, challenging, frustrating, and/or overwhelming duanting.
This is when Mercury finally catches up to Mars—upon January 27th—mentioned above within the Mercurial Machinations section, conveniently in connection to the NN , Chiron, and Uranus.
And so Mars finishes this first month of the new year in this peaking, frustrating, challenging, and/or daunting connection between Mercury, Chiron, Uranus and the NN and will not be fully separated from—in other words, fully fading from—these influences until February 5th, and will move into Aquarius on February 13th—immediately connecting to Pluto in conjunction through that first degree, the degree that was hit from the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction of December, 2020, so stay tuned.
Junctures of Jupiter
Jupiter in Taurus: Direct—Degrees 6-8*
The last time Jupiter moved through these degrees—the first time—was from June 8th through the 23rd, and then—the second time—from November 23rd through now, as Jupiter stationed direct upon 5*35’ Taurus. By the middle of January Jupiter will be moving beyond its retrograde shadow.
November 23rd-Janaury 15th—6* Taurus: linkage; connections; mergers; unification; effort; ambitions; passage; transitions; conduction; overcoming difficulties
January 15-28th—7* Taurus: charity; hospitality; service; compassion; altruism; sympathy; understanding; fellowship
January 28th-February 6th—8* Taurus: faith; magic; miracles; transcendence of difficulties; imagination; resourcefulness; support
Structures of Saturn
Saturn in Pisces; Degrees 4-7*
Saturn begins the new year moving through degrees previously traversed due to retrograde. I have provided the dates of the last two passages so that you may reflect upon these time in your life from 2023—this will be the final move back over these degrees, and thereby an opportunity for you to apply the wisdom you have learned…Saturn will be fully beyond its retrograde shadow by mid-February.
The first time Saturn moved through 4* Pisces was from April 3rd through the 13th, then again from August 25th through September 6th…
December 28th-Janaury 8th—4* Pisces: congestions; convergence; overpopulation; overcrowding; inundations; blocking; choking; compression; saturation; consolidations; constrictions; condensation; aggregation; centralization; limitations; confusions; conflicts; obstruction; impediments; hindrances
The first time Saturn moved through 5* Pisces was from April 13th through the 25th, then again from August 11th through the 25th…
January 8-18th—5* Pisces: social activities; charity; philanthropy; humanitarianism; benevolence; goodwill; community involvement; fellowship; camaraderie; service; welfare; aid; assistance; altruism; contributions; generosity; kindness; benefits
The first time Saturn moved through 6* Pisces was from April 25th through May 9th, then again from July 27th through August 11th…
January 18-26th—6* Pisces: rituals; discipline; rules; rehearsal; dignity; protocol; decorum; formality; propriety; etiquette; conventions; custom; display; show; drama; ceremony; competency; responsibilities
The first time Saturn moved through 7* Pisces was from May 9th through 30th, then again from July 4th through the 27th…
January 26th-February 4th—7* Pisces: abandonment; withdrawal; repudiation; rejection; renunciation; retraction; defection; neglect; denial; annulment; cancellations; disavowal; disapproval; disowning; negation; nullification; objections; protests; dissent; refutation
Wow! ok will try ones more to look above the waves. Happy new year Jamie 💖