Go!

So. Here we are at T - ~36 hours (February 3 @ 20:12 PT) until all the planets in our solar system will be in direct motion until April 29th.

Having all planets in direct motion is the exception not the rule.

Why you have to slow your roll…

Except for the Sun and Moon (who never go retrograde), some planet or whole clusters of them are retrograde during the year — often during overlapping periods. It’s the cosmic equivalent of having different department heads go “Doh! Oh wait! New data came up that hadn’t been considered when we set out. My hypothesis was a little (or a lot) off. Gotta go back and figure out what kinks need working out before we can proceed.”

From the point of view of the Sun (which in jyotish is considered the “atmakaraka” — literally the significator of the soul and individualized consciousness — so basically the Director or CEO of the enterprise that is one’s embodied existence), it can either be feel like a Captain Picard-esque montage of slow face palms or the determined and faith fueled resignation to a cooperative process.

Since April 27, 2021, at various points, we’ve been asked to go back and:

• RE-CONSIDER in whom and what we’ve been investing our faith, devoting our individual talents, and getting a clear on whether or not these commitments truly enable us to cultivate wisdom, internal and external alignment and integration;

• RE-STRUCTURE the organizations through which we individually and collective find personal meaning by offering value to each other, our communities, and society at large through a process of identifying which boundaries and commitments make these organizations less effective or relevant;

• RE-MIX our understanding of what resources truly give one a sense of agency and security — because it really might not be in the accumulation of money — as well as having to re-order our relationship to the Earth;

• RE-VISE how we transcend from our individual experience to a collective understanding of what it means to be a human being by learning to remove the illusions and projections we have around identity and to consciously re-examine how our confirmation biases may prevent us from living in more authentic relationships to ourselves and each other; and

• oc, RE-TOOL our operating systems, efficiencies, and how we package and deliver our thoughts so that we can more effectively interface with our environment and relationships.

See! Those retrograde periods were good for something more than frustrating you. As much as most people would like to think it, we aren’t omniscient beings who can game through all scenarios and control every circumstance or person in order to get the outcomes we THINK are best for us — and secondarily the people around us. We’re more like four year olds in nursery school who need the Universe to keep us from accidentally self-destructing by providing regular naps and time outs and the strategic re-direct of our attention and energies.

You’ve got to slow your roll before you drive into a turn so that you can actually accelerate through the apex, use centrifugal force to help maintain control of the vehicle — rather than speeding into it, having to step on the breaks, and struggle not to crash into the safety barrier — oh yeah, let the racing analogies begin.

On your mark? Let’s just make sure…

The planets always slowly but surely get back on track — and then sync up for long enough to gain sufficient ground before the next pit stop.

And that’s what we’re coming into now. 12 weeks of full steam ahead — whether you like it or not.

This period can be likened to the Le Mans twenty-four race: Drivers are required to balance speed and position with maintaining focus and energy whilst working as a member of a team and keeping your car sound over A VERY long haul. Le Mans is won by the car/team that can cover the greatest distance in that twenty-four stretch NOT who finishes first. Most drivers of endurance races will say you go into it with the goal of finishing to the best of the abilities of the drivers, the team, and the car; and, if you come out alive, you’ve already won.

So, let’s marvel at divine timing and use this last stretch of Mercury retrograde to do some pre-race checks.

Venus is now just starting to get her legs back under her after having gone direct on Saturday, January 29 at 00:45 PT; and Mercury will need a minute to pick up steam after it stations direct on Thursday, February 4 at 20:12 PT. Both are hanging out in Capricorn having recently been joined here by Mars — who they both adore — it’s like finally! Someone to open the pasta sauce jars, take out the rubbish, and do the heavy lifting!

But, in all seriousness, the area of your chart covered by Capricorn is doing it’s job to get you set up for the next 12 weeks — because Saturn and Jupiter have plans for you — plans that will probably involve truly experiencing FREEDOM and AGENCY and the kind of ADULTING we thought adulting was when we were six and really not down to eat broccoli and vowed that we’d eat ice cream whenever we wanted when we grew up.

But, I digress. Mercury’s dip back into Capricorn from it’s foray into Aquarius at the beginning of January has probably manifested in some form of dealing with red tape. Maybe they’re formalities or details that didn’t seem particularly vital when Mercury was reaching out towards that lovely party full of inspiring people and big ideas and lofty aims in Aquarius; but OH BOY! Have they made themselves a pain in your ass and the kind of barrier to entry that leave you looking up into the sky, shaking your fist, whispering, “Why me?!?”

But, c’mon, there’s a part of you that’s secretly glad whatever it is got hung up. Otherwise, you’d be starting the race without a full set of brake pads — and you know that would not end well.

Get Set | The Pre-race Checklist

So, before all y’all run out to your cars (yes, that’s what they do at Le Mans), let’s make sure you’re actually going to be set.

Read for your rising, moon, and then sun signs.

MUTABLES | Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces

Alright, my lovelies, I realized too late that my little Sags didn’t get a horoscope for Venus retrograde; but, between you and Pisces, it’s hard to tell who God’s playing favorites with more these days. You really didn’t my help, did you?

Anyway, let’s talk about consolidation and making sure you’ve thoroughly made sure that you know what actions you need to initiate when it comes to the storehouses of value in your lives.

Gemini
Let’s start with you since Mercury retrogrades tend to hit you a little harder than most — like being stuck inside your head and watching bizarro you wreak havoc on your life for three weeks. If you haven’t already, it’s time to figure out where all the receipts are — whether or not you’ve started collating them into one place is not the issue until after Mercury goes direct. You might also want to get onto paper that list that’s been accumulating line items in your head about that talk you need to have with your committed romantic partner, business partner, or clients to make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to contributing to that common pot. Maybe practice what you want to say? Don’t leave anything to chance — if there are contracts involved, dig those up and have them at the ready — review them carefully. Get on their radar and get a meeting on the calendar for when Mercury is direct. The thing to remember? What’s the big picture here? How are these shared values and assets helping you understand where you fit in in the bigger picture of life, the universe, everything?

Virgo
Remember how last newsletter your assignment was to learn about service and pleasure by asking for help? How did that turn out? It’s time to do a some of your favorite things — collate, declutter, and make action lists! Gather into one place all of the information you’ve been collecting on classes, volunteering opportunities, recipes, sex positions, vacations, books on self improvement, investing, parenting, and/or practical magic — especially the ones that have come back for you to give them a second look during the retrograde period. Contemplate which will truly

a) bring you pleasure and draw out your inner child;
b) both allow you to feel like you’re truly doing you AND showing up in the world as the person you want to be; and
c) you can work into your daily schedule and/or enables you to engage more regularly with your community.

Next, delete or toss out everything that doesn’t satisfy all of these parameters. Finally, generate a checklist as to how you will take the action steps necessary to do and make room for this source of pleasure and self improvement in your life.

Sagittarius
See! You are seen and remembered! This pile up in Capricorn is all about your values, wealth, and understanding of what resources give you a sense of agency. It’s now time to set to paper your values manifesto and look at the plan that’s been swimming around your head about how to initiate the concrete actions you need to put into place the structures and relationships necessary to make your resources work for you — because you will need them to be able to initiate and execute when all the planets are direct. Have you contacted your financial advisor to discuss long term goals around wealth and security (and we aren’t just talking about money here)? No? Get that call on the books. Have you talked to your mentors or supervisors about the trajectory you envision your career needs to take in order to leave a legacy that truly reflects you? No? Get that call on the books. Have you had that talk with your partner about how your relationship impacts the way you’re able to take care of nourish yourself (and hence be able to better show up for your partnership)? No? Get that talk on the books.

Pisces
So…just checking in…How’s that assignment from last newsletter going? Did you refresh your network contacts? Collate a docket of passion projects? No? So, please, at least do this in the next 24 hours: Go through your contacts and just write down a list of people you should contact — if only because you haven’t spoken to them for ages. Trust me. They want to hear from you. Make a schedule to call them. Yes? Good job! Now, time to list out what actions IRL you will need to take to follow up and follow through re: these value generating conversations — oh, and, yes, SCHEDULE them and, if you need to, draft in an accountability partner — whether that’s your life or business partner or a family member — get a standing accountability call in the books.

FIXIES | Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius

Alright, my fellow fixies, how’s that efficiency audit going for you? Uncovered enough forgotten paperwork, licensing, or accreditation issues to make you feel like you’re filling out the endless immigration intake forms to get a travel visa and that you are literally in a circle of hell because you don’t know where the fuck the back-up you need is? There isn’t anything more terrifying or humbling that suddenly realizing “Yikes! I don’t know where my birth certificate actually is.” No. This has probably not been a glamorous Mercury retrograde period for you — and it’s probably felt a lot like being forced to finally clean your room because someone is coming to inspect it with white dust gloves and a loupe…but it’s for your own good. I promise…Things are about to go full steam ahead and yes a loose sprocket here or a over tightened bolt there can bring things to a screeching halt.

Taurus
How’s that cosmological schematic looking? Unearthed a bunch of pesky steps you need to take in order to test out if you really fit in where you think you will be able to be most you and contribute the most value? Have you listed them out? Generated a budget? Revamped your résumé or website? Worked active meditation into your daily schedule? Gathered all the forms in one place and figured out the back-up you need to apply to whatever course of study, grant, or program will take you to the next level?

Leo
Oh my fellow kitty cats…Tell me you’ve scheduled your yearly physicals or whatever appointments you need to make to audit your body as a resource. If not, maybe let’s get those on the books? Have you tidied up your work space to maximize efficiency and maybe audited your efficiency apps so that you’re getting the best value for your needs and money? Maybe let’s book a pomodoro for the next week to do that? How about auditing how you manage your cash flow and/or your wealth generation plans? Maybe hit up your friends and see if they have someone who can help you if you don’t already have someone? Have you figured out how to better manage your time so that you can make seeing friends or volunteering a more routine part of your life — because, really, that’s gonna help you with showing up more presently for your partners and/or clients (if you’re a freelancer)? Maybe list out tasks that you can find a way to delegate out or ones that are now just habitual but don’t really contribute value, and free up those time blocks. You get the point.

Scorpio
Oh boy…This Mercury retrograde has probably all been about checklists, reviews, deep probing conversations about shared resources, taxes, insurance, and getting a no-holds-barred eyeful of your net worth. You probably don’t need me to nag you…but maybe a little prompting to look over those lists again and make sure they’re complete and represent the most efficient and empowering way for you to do the problem solving you need done. Also, don’t forget to sign up for whatever class that is that you need to refresh or power-up your skills.

Aquarius
Did you root around in your proverbial attic and find all those old journals, proposals, and ideas that were ahead of their time and have been lying fallow? Have you been tossing them about and assessing which are ready to step from idea into reality and which really give you a very palpable sense of being seen and/or give you a reason to get out of bed and have the Devil exclaim “Uh-oh! They’re up!”? Been having probing conversations with partners or stakeholders as to how your vision aligns with their talents and resources? Or maybe you’ve been gaming out ways to get out of your own way? It could also be you’ve backtracked and are analyzing how your commitments to shared resources or agreements to allowing another’s values to define your own are preventing you from what you know you feel morally compelled to do? If you’ve peeped the other horoscopes above, take the clue, schedule some time to get these things done…Your unique voice and vision want to come out of you NOW so do what you need to do to smooth the way.

CARDINALS | Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn

What can I say? For the most part, you’re doing great right now. (I know, it feels like it’s never enough.) It’s just that, okay, you need to figure out a different way to ask for what you want. So, hopefully, you’ve been sorting out what old approaches need to be jettisoned from your tool kit.

Aries
Have you figured out how to ask for that raise or put yourself forward for that promotion yet? Venus wants you to have it; but Mercury needs for you to ask. Then, Mars will give you the wherewithal to step into that new authority…but the key is that you have to ask — and not in the usual ways. Did you listen attentively to whatever critiques Venus retrograde sent your way in order to uncover your true value in this part of your life? Have you started creating a plan on how to proactively implement the guidance it imparted on you with a systematic, step-by-step approach that can be integrated into your work environment or daily life? Have you started factoring in ways you need to re-package how to position your unique value prop?

Cancer
How has that work on vulnerability been going for you? Over the last three weeks have you been going over old ground with partners about the terms of your relationship(s)? Or have you been sitting on a lot of things you want to say but don’t know how because you’re afraid you’ll either look foolish or have to do a radical about face on something you previously dug your heels in on? Maybe something you always suspected has been confirmed and the ball is in your court about how to proceed next. Either way, here’s your chance to take a breath — or a really relaxing soak in a sea salt bath — then write out everything you want to say. Maybe even have a close friend read it back to you so you can hear how it sounds coming from someone else. Revise and retool until you’re sure what you’re asking for and want to talk about is actionable and fosters trust and intimacy.

Libra
How’s the work going around moving beyond justifying your worth in exchange for security and care? Have you been sorting out what conversations you need to have to make home more secure and a place you can feel unconditionally accepted? Yes, this doesn’t have to be fraught. It could be with your contractor(s) or potential contractor(s). If these transits have been manifesting literally in your home environment, please make sure you are completely briefed as to what permits, paperwork, etc you need taken care of before work commences (if it hasn’t already with Mars having gotten here last week). If it’s manifested more metaphorically, this is one of those times when you need to sort out how issues around stepping out from behind familial and societal projections will help you enter into the discussions you need to clear up long simmering issues and family structures that impede you from truly enjoying your family life and building a safe space with those who consider as your ride-or-dies.

Capricorn
Oh Cappies…Your modesty hasn’t really enjoyed this being about you you you. You like to just get stuck into the work and carry on…but right now it is about YOU. It’s all to play right now for YOU. So it’s time to pipe up and figure out the right way to speak into existence the life you want. This isn’t me being woo woo — would I do that to you??? But you know as much as a Libra does that any successful negotiation starts with knowing what exactly you want out of it before a single word or term is put on the table. You need to know your floor and your ceiling. And you need to make sure you’re damn well acquainted with as much as you can about the person sitting across the table from you. You need to know the inside of your heart and what feeling you’ll be experiencing when you get what you want and how it fits into the daily landscape of your life. You like precision; you like clearly stated expectations; you like knowing there is a step-by-step plan with contingencies from anticipated hurdles. The twist here is that maybe you need to tweak how you usually get these conversations started. So, have you figured out why in the past your approach has kept you out of the driver’s seat? Have you talked to your mentors to see if they can help you reframe?

GO!

Okay, so you’ve got a day and a half left of Mercury retrograde. If there are items on your checklist that haven’t been ticked, this isn’t a THE SKY IS FALLING!!!! recognition.

You haven’t failed or not done what you were supposed to do. That isn’t the point. Maybe it’s all part of your work during the direct motion of all the planets; and the most important thing in this moment is to accept that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be and you are absolutely doing the best with what you’ve got.

That’s all any of us can ask of ourselves — and to keep the metaphor going — of our car and team.

Until next time when — for a treat — we’ll explore relationship astrology!

P.S. Feedback?

Except for the occasional email response, it’s difficult to gage how helpful all y’all are finding the content; and, given that the writing of these dispatches is a labor of love and take a significant amount of time, it would be great to get some feedback to find out if it’s time well spent.

While many of my colleagues have moved to Patreon or subscription models for the distribution of their more in-depth content, I’d like to avoid moving in that direction for as long as possible — partly because that becomes its own beast to feed (and our household is about to double in mouths), that would take time away from the other astrology centered projects in the works that will be more — shall we say — engaging for all, and YUCK! A pay wall :(

With that said, it would be so appreciated that, if you liked what you’ve ingested, to please let me know with a tip! And maybe a message with what content you’d like more of.

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