Greetings!

Today, we have the full moon, with the moon in Leo and the sun in Aquarius. Even though Valentine’s Day is a few days away, the full moon today has almost nothing to do with love, so while love is a good thing, it is not the emphasis at this moment. Rather, the energy in the air is all about challenges, challenges we are experiencing all too much.

Astrologically speaking, there is an aspect pattern called a fixed sign T-Square present between the sun in Aquarius, the moon in Leo, and Uranus in Taurus. Mercury is conjunct with the sun, tilting the weight of the T-Square towards Aquarius. Aquarius is the energy of the group and the future, while Leo is the energy of the self and individual. Taurus is the energy of tradition, practicality, and consistency. Essentially, these three signs are not resonating well at the moment, as we see in the world today, with the conflict being between tradition and the future, and the conflict between the self and the group.

In esoteric astrology, it is said that the way to handle this energy is through discipleship. Some of this implies consistency and resolve, while some of this implies not only believing in something, but also living out this belief, and therein lies the rub. What do you believe in? How do you express it in your daily life? Where are you stuck in the past? And, just as importantly, how are you embracing the future?

If you’re too focused on the past, its probably a rough time right now. If you’re too focused on the future, the same might be true. If you’re too focused on you, then there’s a problem, but if you’re too focused on humanitarian causes, then that’s a problem, also.

Uranus in Taurus is the third leg of this aspect pattern, and herein lies the rub. Uranus is the planet of the unexpected, but also rebellion and the Internet. Taurus is an earth sign, and when Uranus is located here, it tells us the unexpected may regularly come up in daily life, and when it does, it can cloud your clarity and focus. Uranus in Taurus also tells us a major factor in finding the harmony between the group and the self is the Internet. This also means the Internet can be a fantastic tool for change. The rebellion trait of this combination is important now, too, as we can sense a tension in the air that could boil over if cooler heads don’t prevail. Even if cool heads do prevail, it could be argued that rebellion is already occurring.

If all of this isn’t enough, the coming week is going to bring more tension into the picture, because the moon will be moving through Virgo, and this will form a tense opposition to Saturn, Neptune, and the North Node of the Moon, all in Pisces. The good news is that this opposition will diminish the challenges from the fixed sign T-Square, so some of the current challenges will subside. However, they will be be replaced with tension between practical, daily life, and the bigger picture of the visionary. Another way to look at this is the tension between the trees and the forest, or the microcosm and the macrocosm. Sometimes we get caught up in the minutia and lose sight of the bigger picture, which ultimately works against us. Yes, we should live in the moment, but not at the expense of where we’re going in the future.

This isn’t enough to discuss though, as two personal planets make waves the last week of the month. Mars, which has been retrograde since December 6, directs February 23rd, and a few days after that, Venus retrograde in Aries from March 1st through April 12th, beginning in Aries and moving back into Pisces. We get a few days of relief between the two cycles, but that’s about all of the relief we’ll have until the middle of April. Metaphysically, Mars is masculine energy and Venus is feminine, and when they are retrograde, the emphasis is on reviewing and changing our approaches to them. Mundanely, Mars is energy and Venus is creativity, so when they are retrograde, they manifest differently. The Mars retrograde has brought about a wave of lethargy and hidden actions, while the Venus retrograde will bring unresolved romantic relationships up, either physically or psychologically, and will most likely impact your pocketbook.

So, this means that until the next full moon, challenges will lessen but will be replaced with tension, and will culminate with energy brought to us by Mars, and this energy will impact all things Venusian. Oh, and by the way, all of this comes to a climax that lasts from March 14th until April 7th, when Mercury directs. Yeah…. Between December 6 2024 and April 7, 2025, Mars, Venus, and Mercury all retrograde, so if things feel personal, its because they are, astrological speaking. The focus is on you: fixing you, seeing other perspectives, and learning how to navigate a shifting society. This means drudging up the past to look at it and make peace with it if you can.

Yes, it’s been rocky. Yes, it will continue to be rocky for quite sometime yet, but it will only be as rocky as you accept. Remember that the mind is the most powerful tool you have, and now is the time to go within and change your consciousness, not only for your health and growth, but also for the benefit of the greater world at large. No one is an island. We can say “I  don’t care about you, I only care about me,” but there will come a point in life when that will fail. This is something people who have had a rough life understand, which is why they are usually more compassionate than privileged others.

What is the best thing we can do right now? That, my friends, is easy. We can focus on fixing ourselves. We can be understanding and diplomatic with others. We can lead by example, and most importantly, we can evolve to the point that we understand the interconnectedness of all life and how important it is to work with this guiding principle.