The 23rd of January is a cool date; in numerals, it’s 1, 2, 3 (1/23). This year, it brings us a Full Moon, which is in the fun sign of Leo. Maybe the kids of the eastern states will enjoy the snow. Full Moons frequently usher in a storm, and this one is a doozey! With power outages, coastal and street flooding, flight cancellations and closed roads, most people are “sheltering in place,” the modern term for hunkering down at home.
The area of the country that’s affected has Saturn, a planet of cold and challenges, at the foot of the Full Moon chart, a place that indicates “here” and where weather astrologers look for an indication of the conditions. It’s interesting to note that an asteroid named “Jonasz” (and there is no “Jonas” asteroid) is in a 90-degree position of friction relative to Saturn and not far from Chiron (a planetoid that highlights injury and difficulties) in the wet and wintery sign of Pisces. The named asteroids often present uncanny synchronicity. For example, the asteroids “Booth” and “Janhoet” (there is no asteroid “Janet”) were together on my birthday and rising at my exact time and place of birth.
CRAZY START TO THE YEAR
The stock market got off to the rockiest start for a year ever. Those astrologically in the know might have guessed there would be a big emphasis on economics at the new year. In its current Retrograde zigzag, Mercury hangs around a long time with Pluto, the planet associated with stocks and commodities, emphasizing Pluto’s long-term friction with volatile Uranus. The first Mercury-Pluto meet-up was 12/19/15, close enough to the winter solstice to portend extremes for the entire season. The second and third pairings on 1/22 and 1/30 bookend the final day of Mercury’s back-up on 1/25, coming near the Full Moon on 1/23. Full Moons often signal something having run its course. We can hope that’s the case with this market slide. At the end of the week on 1/22, the markets showed a net increase for the week for the first time in 2016, having gained ground the final two days of the shortened trading week. December was an up-and-down month and the serious tumble began around 12/29. That date provides a hint for more bouncing around to come.
Not only is Mercury joining Pluto’s present position three times, it also makes three passes over the degree where Pluto was at the “birth” of the USA (27-1/2 Capricorn). These occur 12/29/15, 1/11/16 and 2/11/16. Mercury is a key predictor for Plutonian matters in the USA because on 7/4/1776, Mercury in Cancer was across from Pluto, and Mercury was Retrograde. It’s in our “DNA” to keep our minds on our money AND to be dumb about it on occasion. The current Mercury Retrograde opposes the country’s birth Mercury position three times, too: 12/26, 1/13, 2/9. A little more stability may set in once we’re in the cycle that begins at the New Moon on 2/8, when Venus (a beneficial planet related to money) joins Pluto.
That said, the year as a whole holds big challenges for investors. Markets respond to people’s emotions, a primary one being fear. The USA’s birth Neptune (the planet associated with fear) is being visited now by Jupiter, the expander. At the 1/23 Full Moon, Jupiter is back at the exact degree it occupied at the winter solstice, having inched forward and then turned tail on 1/7. This combination inclines people to react, or should we say over-react, to worries and the unknown. Neptune is also the planet related to oil and a lot of the concerns stem from the depression of oil prices. In astrology, we see the correlation from pressure put on Neptune by a 90-degree tension relationship with Saturn, the planet of contraction. These two are in this difficult link for most of 2016 (with two spikes on 6/17 and 9/10).
Most of this Mercury Retrograde (1/5 – 1/25) takes place in Capricorn, the sign of the Establishment, but it began in Aquarius, the sign of the rebel. We see a lot of anti-establishment sentiment in the electorate as we prepare for primary season, with fringe candidates getting the lion’s share of attention. Capricorn is also the sign of organization and order, which many have witnessed erode during this backtrack of the planet of communication, information, paperwork and commerce.
Have you had a Mercury Retrograde experience? I sure have!! This one makes a “T” pattern (tension, turning point) with my natal Mercury, which is 90-ish degrees from my Uranus. Lots of challenges with technology-related circumstances. But great insights about the power of acupuncture and mediation, both related to Uranus.
I hope you enjoy this Full Moon!
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