Tags: Astrology
Welcome to 2019! It’s Capricorn season, a new Gregorian calendar year, and there are two eclipses just around the corner.
Capricorn is a hard-working, cardinal Earth sign that wants us to start the year off by harnessing a highly industrious flow. It’s a sign that asks us to actively work on manifesting our most major goals and intentions. To continue onwards no matter what, bit by bit.
Capricorn also arrives to tell us that now is not the time to get caught within the webs of our own self-imposed limitations, or doubt our dreams. Rather, Capricorn is reassurance to trust our vision, value what we can hold, and work to maintain what holds us. The completion of every task is a sacred step towards progress no matter how small or quotidian. Capricorn says that the lessons we learn in perseverance are what make life beautiful.
As if the Sun in Capricorn wasn’t pushing us forward enough, there are also quite a few planets exploring fire energies this month! January begins with Mars entering fire-sign Aries on the 1st. Mars rules the part of our sky that has to do with fighting energy and passion, and Aries is the ever intense cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars. When these two reconnect, it’s the universe is handing us whatever tools we need to begin new projects and get things done.
We have two major eclipses coming up: a solar eclipse in Capricorn on the 5th of January and a lunar eclipse in Leo on the 22nd. Eclipses stimulate sudden and dramatic changes by incorporating a bit of chaos into our lives. These changes always come with the intention of helping us reach our fullest potential in life, but can be hard to take in stride when it’s emotionally colder signs like Capricorn or Leo granting them. Because of this and the general workaholic vibe of Capricorn season, it’s important to remember to keep tabs on the energy you’re spending in the balance between career, creativity, and social outputs. This month’s sky is one that we can burn out on easily, so putting aside intentional time for healing and rest is crucial.
Uranus finishes its retrograde through Aries on January 6th, marking the end of a hugely transformative retrograde period that dominated most of 2018. Now, all planets in the sky will be direct until March 2019, giving us the clear-headedness to work through the lessons eclipse season has in store. No more noisy retrograde nostalgias to stop us in our tracks, yay! The next day on January 7th, when love goddxss Venus enters fire-sign Sagittarius, a new feeling of boundlessness in our relationships will settle in as well.
We really are going to be putting in work over the next few weeks thanks to classy Capricorn energy, so with all of this in mind, here are my thoughts for each of the 12 signs!
**A gentle reminder to readers – I encourage you to learn your Rising and Moon signs, and read those predictions as well. Seeking one’s self based solely on a Sun Sign reading can be inaccurate. Your relationship to the universe is a deep, ancestral one built on all planetary positions when you were born.**
All art by Nandini Moitra
Capricorn
Happy Solar return, Capricorn! There are powerful energies influencing you this month as the Capricorn solar eclipse grants you a cosmic rebirth. When an eclipse occurs in your sign, the universe hits the reset button on your sense of self and identity. Urges you may have to make a big change in your routine, dietary choices, or career path around this time come from the Sun’s influence to push you towards your higher self. Your ruling planet Saturn has a lot to do with this as it sits in Capricorn as well, guiding you through tough-love to on a path towards self actualization.
January finds you meditating on the challenging notions of what makes you the person you are, and taking stock of how far you’ve come in life. While the changes and introspection this solar eclipse bring may not be easy to handle (as is common when speaking to Pluto and Saturn the way this one is) Uranus going direct on January 6th paired with Neptune’s spiritual energies have you quick on your feet. Whatever trials lie ahead over the next six months will definitely put you to the test, but luckily they find you with all of the confidence and technical skills you need to sort them.
Aquarius
The skies are saying that January is a time for you to find closure, Aquarius. When the Capricorn solar eclipse occurs on the 5th in an area of your sky to do with karmic endings, energies are encouraging you to leave what isn’t serving you behind. Be this people, a place, habits, or the current headspace you’re in; 12th house eclipse energies want to push you out of your comfort zone and into a new chapter of life. This may sound ominous, but karmic ending aren’t always full of lamenting or solace. Eclipse lessons are difficult to swallow, but end up being a long term sigh of relief for your soul.
If you’re open to new intimacies, around the 21st of January there’s a chance you’ll be swept off of your feet! Venus meets up with Jupiter on this day to bring romance and excitement to a part of the sky that has to do with revolution, community, and friendships. Carrying on with the theme of the first eclipse, this looks like a time of huge change and soul-fulfilling closure – but with an exciting, flirty twist. Keep your plans open towards the end of the month to allow Venus, Jupiter, and the lunar eclipse in your opposite sign Leo, to work their magic. Life and love have the potential to take a big turn, and it just might be what you’ve been waiting for since Venus Retrograde!
Pisces
The skies are looking social and full of prosperity for you this month, Pisces. The work Capricorn season wants you to commit to takes the form of meeting and connecting with new people. Around January 7th when Venus enters Sagittarius and appeals to your highly mutable nature, energies will stimulates your keen ability to cultivate deep empathy and seek meaningful connection within your community, allowing you to sail you through the seas of adventure in new friendships and relationships.
The solar eclipse in Capricorn on the 5th is also occurring in a place that has to do with community and friendships for you. Trust that revelations (and perhaps some drama) around this time having to do with your place within the community/communities you belong to are happening for a reason. Whether your “inner circle” is growing or thinning, this Capricorn eclipse has your best interest in mind when it comes to the long-term goals you’re trying to manifest.
Aries
Cosmic energies are rapid and intense this month, Aries. While your cardinal fire sign instincts grant you the ability to follow a fast paced rhythm and adapt quickly, it might take some time to process the dose of truth that Uranus wants to deliver to you. When this unpredictable planet goes direct in your sign around the 5th of January, clarity and truth about a situation (or feeling) you’ve been struggling with will finally strike. Take time in the middle of January to process it by not over-saturating yourself with social activities.
Be weary of the way you communicate with others around the 20th when your ruling planet Mars squares off with Saturn. With tensions high and revolving around familial bonds, it could be easy to lash out at a child, sibling, or cousin you’ve grown frustrated with! Always critique from a place of care, and prioritize expressions of love over exhaustion. At the time of the lunar eclipse in Leo on the 22nd, Saturn will make a beautiful connection with Neptune that brings inspirations and helpful non-traditional healing solutions for you to channel into your family bonds.
Taurus
January is taking you to faraway places, Taurus. Whether it’s books and research you’re engaging with or actual jet setting, the sky this month has an emphasis on 9th house energies of your chart. Travel, cross cultural learning, and the values systems you support are at the forefront of your mind. On the 4th of January when Mercury enters Capricorn, a message or sign from a distant place is likely to arrive, so keep and eye on your inboxes! Whatever it is will set the stage for the surprises that the Capricorn solar eclipse on the 5th has in store for you. They could range from a spiritual cleansing of old beliefs you no longer hold, to an opportunity to visit somewhere unexpected.
Remember that the effects of eclipses last for six months, so if messages around this time are a unclear, have confidence that their role in the bigger picture will evince. Also, towards the end of the month on the 22nd when your ruling planet Venus meets up with Jupiter in a lustful union, your sexuality will take center stage. Don’t be afraid to flow with these vibes and search for karmic reward between the sheets!
Gemini
Welcome to the January eclipse season, Gemini! In astrology, the Sun both represents and influences our ego. When it eclipses, we are able to learn fast paced lessons of selfhood in relation to the area of the sky it’s eclipsing in. For you, quick-witted air sign, the Capricorn solar eclipse on the 5th of the month has everything to do with wealth and finances. Now is an optimal time to reconsider not only how you define wealth, but what your material desires are for the future. What things do you need to be like The Magician tarot card and manifest your truth? Could they already be around you? If so, this eclipse will open your eyes to what’s at your fingertips by revealing an unrealized potential.
On the 4th of January your ruling planet Mercury enters Capricorn, bringing a serious, task oriented vibe to your communication style. However, the way Mercury is speaking with Neptune does add a flirtatious spin to these energies! Use this as an opportunity to flex your astute social skills. Have some fun meeting new people or socializing with your mates – especially folx who have the potential to be more than just friends!
Cancer
January is all about communication, Cancer. The radical softness you harness within yourself isn’t always easily found in others – especially in a cold time like Capricorn season. Luckily, when Mercury in Capricorn meets up with Neptune on January 4th, empathy and understanding are in the air. Any deep discussions brewing with friends or intimate partners can be executed in a space of love, and careful concern.
This Mercury energy also sets you up well for the lessons in love and relationships that the solar eclipse in Capricorn has to deliver! While it might feel easiest to retreat into your shell when things get tough, try not to isolate yourself. If emotions run high and tears start flowing, allow yourself to feel your own sorrows and understand their root cause. Be open to reaching out to people you love and trust for support – this eclipse season isn’t going to be easy for anyone and I’m sure most folx will be looking for some solidarity, too!
Leo
There’s a lunar eclipse in your sign this month, Leo! Eclipses open up new windows of opportunity by giving us the closure we’ve been hesitant to initiate or acknowledge we need. On the 22nd of January when the Moon reaches its full phase and eclipses in the sky, the universe will encourage you to celebrate a new chapter in life. Realizations about major parts of who you are and the goals you have for yourself are likely to become clear. Eclipses are also a great time to kick bad habits or switch up your routine. If changes to your health and fitness have been on your mind, use this time to start incorporating those adjustments into your routine!
This lunar eclipse marks the end of a series of eclipses that have been happening in your sign; making January pretty major for self reflection and actualization. To encourage this, try out some home based tasks like redecoration, journaling, sketching, or cleaning. Refreshing the vibes of your “nest” to reflect any changes in the way you feel about yourself can help stimulate progress and keep you motivated through the next six months.
Virgo
This month’s sky is exhausting for you, Virgo! January starts you off on a serious vibe with the Sun and your ruling planet, Mercury, both in Capricorn on the 4th. This fellow earth sign’s energy pushes you forward in work-based projects and creative outputs – especially with the way Neptune connects with Mercury in the sky. However, burnout is something to be wary of. While you’re great at pushing through heavy workloads (especially self-imposed ones), eclipses take a lot of emotional energy from us. They sprinkle chaos and drama into our lives in unpredictable ways that can feel like unnecessary punishment! Luckily the long-term rewards they bring often make the strife we’re put through worthwhile.
Use Venus’s loving connection with Mars on the 18th to do some wholesome self-care oriented activities with friends, housemates, or intimate partners. Holding space for yourself to rest and heal is crucial, and it doesn’t always have to be in an isolated environment. Then, around the time of the lunar eclipse in Leo on the 22nd, give yourself a mini-vacation if possible. This fiery eclipse is happening in an area of your chart that has to do with your body and stamina. So once again – the importance of rest and recovery is front and center!
Libra
The solar eclipse in Capricorn finds you thinking about home, Libra. When this intense cosmic event occurs on the 5th of January, matters of the fourth house enter your sphere. Your ancestors may come to you in dreams baring messages from your motherlands, and calls from ascribed family members could start filtering in. Listen to what everyone has to say, and remember that the eclipse wants you to revisit your relationship to home as both a concept and place. That call from your cousin could serve as a great way to reconnect with a family member, or a karmic reminder about crucial events from the past. If feelings of past pain and hurt do surface, it’s important to give yourself space to process them. Additionally, if your physical home isn’t giving you the comfort you need during this time of the month, spend it with folx who feel like home.
The eclipse might also signal to you that it’s time to move house, or move your furniture around! Refreshing the visual perspectives of your home environment can heal difficult associations lingering around from the greater Venus Retrograde season in October and November. When your ruling planet, Venus, moves into Sagittarius on the 7th of January your perspective on this matter will clarify as a bigger picture comes into view. Use this Sag fire sign energy to carry you through into Aquarius season when things will be looking more work oriented!
Scorpio
Scorpios tend to catch a lot of heat for their blunt communication style and tendency to be direct. However, what people forget is that along with their ability to tell it like is lies deep compassion and a strong sense of sympathy for others. You may be a fixed sign, dear Scorpio, but you’re watery and soft nonetheless! On the 5th of January when the solar eclipse in Capricorn brings a major shift to the way you communicate, it’s likely that this side of you will be exposed in interactions with your siblings and neighbors. This may feel anxiety-provoking (as you’re not always keen to show your softer side to others) but is ultimately part of a wider eclipse season lesson that Saturn and one of your ruling planets, Pluto, intend for you.
It’s possible that Uranus will bring a shift in your career and finances when this planet of surprises goes direct in Aries on the 6th of January. Don’t be afraid to reach out to elders or mentors in your line of work should this starts to feel overwhelming. The eclipse’s lessons coupled with Uranus surprises might be difficult to navigate all at once, so seeking guidance from people at a later stage in the game (especially folx who have already undergone a Saturn return) never hurts!
Sagittarius
The sky is filled with romance and love for you this month, Sag. Onwards from when Venus enters your sign on the 7th of January, this goddxss planet will make lustful connections with your ruling planet Jupiter throughout the month. Sparks will fly, and your ability to both express and receive love will be unrivaled. Many tangible opportunities are cropping up as a result of your heightened charm, too, so be sure to express appropriate gratitude as they come!
You might find friends and kin leaning on you for support as eclipse season energies suddenly shift the lives of people around you. This is not to say that the eclipses in Capricorn and fellow fire sign Leo won’t be a big deal for you, Sagittarius. It’s that the lessons that they bring up in regards to your ego and cultivation of self love won’t be that difficult to answer! The Capricorn solar eclipse presents itself as more of a chance to review affirmations and recalibrate your already strong sense of confidence. What’s most important for you to remember this month is to check in with your humility regularly, and keep tabs of the people supporting you on your ascension to high places.