Ready for a new year? We feel like we are sprinting away from 2020, to welcome, with some trepidation, the new year of 2021, not really sure what to expect.
So let’s go through the planetary changes for January and see what these new influences are likely to bring.
MERCURY – Let’s first just focus on what the planet of communication is doing this month and some of the implications of its movements.
1/01/21 – MERCURY goes combust the Sun. This means traveling too close for comfort to its friend, the fiery orb of our solar system. It stays in this condition until 1/12/21. During this period, conversations may hit some rough patches in which tact and diplomacy seem lacking (two of Mercury’s qualities). Misunderstandings can ensue. This is especially true for the signs ruled by Mercury, which are Gemini and Virgo.
1/04/21 – MERCURY moves into Capricorn, a friend’s sign. The practical, earthy influence of Capricorn means that the intellect and intelligence significations of Mercury will be employed in strategic, pragmatic ways now. This is mostly a positive transit for those with Capricorn Rising or Moon signs, as Mercury brings its 9th house energies to them, which include good luck, good fortune, dharma, natural law, and remedies. However, it also rules their 6th house of worry and health issues, so that influence could be primarily felt as some issues with nerves or skin, and having to face “competitors.” I still feel it will enhance the counseling ability of Capricorns, if properly used. This is the 8th house for Geminis, which is not the most comfortable placement for the lord of their charts. This house represents vulnerability, transformation, battles and disunion, life and death. So it’s not likely that those with Gemini Ascendants or Moon signs will feel their strongest, but clearly not everyone with this rising sign is going to pass away during this transit! It is just an unsettling placement which they usually have to deal with about once a year. But it will be felt a little more intensely since this time it will be traveling with Saturn and Jupiter there. Virgos have the advantage, as this placement is their 5th house of success, education, children, learning ability and romance.
1/25/21 – MERCURY now enters Aquarius, an air sign associated with humanitarian qualities where Mercury feels comfortable, as this sign is also ruled by its friend Saturn, just as Capricorn is. The collective conversation should now move into more humanistic arenas, focusing on programs that help society at large. For those with Aquarian Rising or Moon signs, this is their 5th and 8th house ruler, bringing them success and enhancing learning ability, but also having to go through some changes, and some type of vulnerability. For Virgos, it is their 6th house, so the best use of this energy is to harness their logic to help counsel others with their problems. Otherwise, they could experience some stress or health issues themselves. For the Geminis, it is a relief to now have the ruler of their charts transiting their BEST house, the 9th house, bringing more good fortune and ease.
1/30/21 – MERCURY goes RETROGRADE – until 2/20/21. During this time things may appear to be “going backwards” in your life, or feelings of being misunderstood or miscommunications may occur. ANYTHING that deals with communication may be affected, from my experience. From some big error on your bank statement, to telecommunications equipment, faxes, computers not working right, one must be prepared for glitches. Be very vigilant if you plan to be preparing your income tax returns during this time. “Avert the danger before it arises” can be an apt phrase here for laying low through this time of frustration. It’s not YOUR fault, and in many cases there’s not much you can do about it, so determine to ride the storm out. Geminis are advised to resort to their clever sense of humor to make it through those big waves. Virgos, also ruled by Mercury, should employ their practical logic and skills of deduction and not jump to conclusions.
What about the other planets? Yes, they are still moving through the Cosmos, radiating all that their natural energies imply.
We have three planets going into Combustion this month. Not just Mercury, but also SATURN on 1/07/21, and on 1/14/21, JUPITER. All that, and a Mercury Retrograde, too, beginning near the end of the month. Well then….patience is certainly going to be needed, and that may be in short supply. Let’s add in the pile up of planets in Capricorn and how intense that may feel. On 1/13/21, the Sun will move into this earth sign, joining the planets already there: Saturn, which is strong here, in its own sign; Jupiter, which is debilitated in this sign, yet receives Neechabhanga yoga (cancellation of debilitation – to a good degree) just from being conjunct with Saturn, plus Mercury. and the Moon will be there as well, from 1/13-15/21. Saturn and the Sun are “enemies” so their conjunction is a formula for intensity in and of itself. So there they are, milling all about, pulling ahead or getting behind each other by degrees, based on the speed of each of their movements. That is how we’ll have the Saturn combust period until 2/09/21, and that of Jupiter until 2/11/21. Combustion is a state that just does not allow a planet to feel comfortable enough to contribute its fullest gifts. Yes, we can note that some of this is going to be going on during the 1/20/21 Inauguration Day. There is certainly likely to be some public unrest, but on that day, the Moon will enter ARIES bright and early which is a positive position for both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
1/27/21 – VENUS enters Capricorn. It joins Saturn, Jupiter and the Sun, as those three planets will still be sitting there as Venus moves into this friend’s sign. It will be there until 2/20/21. This is the Yogakaraka (best planet) for those with Capricorn Rising or Moon sign charts. So this is a pleasant transit for our Capricorn friends, especially since Venus represents luxuries, pleasures, beauty, the Arts, music, and affection. This is also a good transit for the two signs ruled by Venus – Taurus and Libra. This is the 9th house for the Taureans, which brings support of Nature and good fortune. For the Librans, it is their 4th house of home, property, vehicles, friends, mother and maternal relatives, highlighting interaction with these areas of life in a fun way.
Happy New Year from the Sunshine Corner, here in Boulder, CO. Tel: 720-448-3742. Your referrals are appreciated; thank you! Services I offer include: natal chart readings, yearly updates, couples compatibility or astrocartography (location) readings. If you would like to book an appointment for yourself, or as a gift for someone, please call me, and we can schedule a 90 minutes session, which you are welcomed to record. Mary Stevenson, Vedic Astrologer, healingevents@yahoo.com
