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How do we define community, our people, our circle? What philosophy and vision guide us? At the end of 2020 and through early 2021, Jupiter and Saturn, the two arbiters of social consciousness, conjunct in the communal fixed air-sign Aquarius. Like the Sun and Moon on the New Moon, when two planets conjunct they begin a new chapter; this one instigates a 30-year revolution in our Aquarian concept of community and social responsibility.
Aquarius calls us to expand our horizon, to think globally, idealistically, philosophically. The trap can be to see everything through the filter of our philosophy and lose the ability to see what's really going on, or to try and control others to fit our concept.
Aquarius can bring stubbornness. Under this influence, fanatical people can run full steam ahead and start conflicts around political mind sets, their own world-views, or religious theory
To bring out Aquarius's gift we need to keep it authentic and responsive, to observe what's really happening, incorporate multiple points of view, and develop a healthy, flexible philosophy that pulls us out of the pettiness of the single story. Let's think about our personal and collective vision for the future.
Jupiter and Saturn, and soon Pluto in Aquarius, call us to truly think globally and act locally. But this is just a taste—preparation for the big social and political work we’ll need to do when Pluto enters Aquarius in a few years, from 2023–2044. The last such relationship occurred was from 1777–1798, when the USA labored to form a country that embodied its Constitutional vision statement.
Saturn, and soon Pluto in Aquarius, need us to investigate how we can save our ecosystem and create a mutually beneficial world without oppressing the freedom of the individual.
The New Year kick-starts metamorphosis as motivating Mars forms an exciting, uncooperative conjunction with change-maker Uranus— squaring Jupiter, January 20–23, just as America inaugurates a president.
We’ll either be working with a new government or building up resistance to old ways. Mercury retrogrades 1/30– 2/20 and lets us catch up, reorganize and repair. Our community and our beloveds will need pragmatic loving compassionate action as Venus Jupiter and Saturn, and soon Pluto in Aquarius, call us to truly think globally and act locally. But this is just a taste—preparation for the big social and political work we’ll need to do when Pluto enters Aquarius in a few years, from 2023–2044. The last such relationship occurred was from 1777–1798, when the USA labored to form a country that embodied its Constitutional vision statement.
Saturn, and soon Pluto in Aquarius, need us to investigate how we can save our ecosystem and create a mutually beneficial world without oppressing the freedom of the individual conjuncts Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter through mid-February.
(art Credit: For My Mother © Penn King 2018 from We'Moon 2020
February ends as Mercury enters Aquarius and gives voice to the Jupiter-Saturn debate. We can sketch out the grand landscape but may become too far-sighted. We have to carefully look for the needs of our beloveds.
Because we’ve been so busy with politics and community, it’s important that we put relationships and creativity back on the front burner in March as Venus conjuncts Neptune and calls us back to our heart and our muse.
Jupiter enters Pisces on May 13, retrogrades June 20 and reenters Aquarius July 28–December 28. Jupiter and Saturn both intermittently square change-maker Uranus throughout the year, keeping politics and tectonic plates restless; we may be unable to settle, but that helps us continue an evolution. Transformation is inevitable, but which way that change goes will be up to us.
A lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on May 26, and a solar eclipse in Gemini on June 10, emphasize the need to celebrate true diversity— the real gift of myriad different voices and perspectives. Let’s celebrate by finding someone way outside of our comfort zone and respectfully share stories.
Every summer brings retrogrades; this one brings quite a lineup: Pluto turns retrograde April 27, Saturn on May 23, Jupiter June 20, Neptune June 25, and Uranus on August 19. Mercury retrogrades January 30–February 20, May 29–June 22, and September 26–October 18.
These retrogrades ask us not to push forward but to hold our ground, renew, garden, and review the events of the year. Take time to investigate, fix mistakes, clarify problems, and fine-tune future plans.
From June 26–July 22 Venus and Mars are both in extroverted Leo; they stay active throughout the summer and inspire personal and political drama/melodrama. Life is performance art. Summer romances have a certain unrealistic flare; arts festivals can flourish, and the arts change our cultural understanding. Politics will be either heart-centered or ego-grandstanding.
(Art Credit: The Three Graces and Their Cats © Denise Kester 2004 from We'Moon 2020)
We get a fresh sense from September 6 on that we have work to do, and it’s time to get back to it as Mars trines Pluto and Saturn. Don’t get discouraged if old problems need our attention—ones we thought we’d already conquered—as October dawns with six planets and a few asteroids retrograde.
Between October 6–18 Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto create tumult as they all station to turn direct. Then the channels clear and give us a green light forward. Mars in social-justice-loving Libra then trines Jupiter, squares Pluto, and nudges us to clear up misunderstandings and heal a rift.
If conflicts are not resolved now, they may come to a boil after Mars enters Scorpio and opposes energizing Uranus through November. If we’re not in a fight, this aspect powers our efforts. Mars enters Sagittarius on December 13 as Venus conjuncts Pluto; together they encourage us to finish the year with a flare of competence, forgiveness, and travel in mind, body, or spirit. Come back to that deep Aquarian understanding that we are unique selves intricately connected to all our relations.
Heather Roan Robbins © Mother Tongue Ink 2020 from the We'Moon 2021 astrological date book
Colorful Queen © Destiney Powell 2017 from We'Moon 2020
The personal is political. In 2020 the stars ask us to pay attention to our spiritual life and relationships, but always remember they are embedded in the body politic, and the body politic needs our help. Our spirituality must feed into community and community organizing to help us build a healthier world. Jupiter and Saturn both conjunct Pluto in structural Capricorn, one after the other, and then finish up the year conjunct with one another in collaborative Aquarius on the Winter Solstice. We have a chance to turn things around, but we need to stay awake, aware and involved.
As Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto run together, they bring an opportunity for death and rebirth of power systems and political structures throughout the world; but it may get messy before it gets better. Pluto brings revolution to the nature of the sign it occupies by exposing its shadow side; 2008–2024 Pluto in Capricorn asks us to look at the abuse and use of political power, nuclear and fossil fuel power, gender-based authority, tradition, honor and responsibility. Pluto now approaches its first return to its position during the American Revolution, perfecting in 2022.
Spirit Wings © Elspeth McLean 2011
Jupiter—connected to liberal politics—is expansive and speaks of generosity, abundance and codependence. Saturn—connected to conservative politics—contracts and speaks of structure, tradition, discipline, restriction, control. A balanced tension between the two influences holds us upright. Every 20 years we have a great conjunction between these two; since the American Revolution, every great conjunction brought to the USA a presidential term where the presidency underwent attack or stress—often precipitated a healthy bipartisan response. This year, in Aquarius, that conjunction calls for a philosophical rebirth.
Mercury usually retrogrades for three weeks, three times a year; this year's dates are 2/16–3/9, 6/17–7/12, and 10/13–11/3. On voting day in the USA, it appears stationary direct, which can precipitate problematic confusion, close votes and recounts. During this year, in which we need to overhaul systems that serve the community, let’s advocate for transparent, efficient voting systems around the globe, and vote early in the USA.
On January 10, Uranus turns direct under a full moon and lunar eclipse in Cancer, which can pivot change both at home and in work. Saturn conjuncts Pluto on 1/12, and begins a breakdown of old structures. It also asks us to investigate what makes us secure, the health of our bones and teeth, the foundations of our house and our work. Watch out for power trips on every level.
New Moon — Venus © Pamela Read 2010
Jupiter sextiles Neptune repeatedly this year—2/20, 7/27 and 10/12—renewing our sense of hope, helping us imagine a better future. This soft, intuitive, potentially escapist aspect can make us lazy or can make is visionary; it’s up to us to use it well. Seek visions.
Saturn encourages us to step into a more collaborative, less authoritarian approach, as it steps out of Capricorn and into Aquarius 3/21, retrogrades back into Capricorn 7/1, and reenters Aquarius 12/16. We need to keep our philosophies alive and compassionate, not just impose a new system that still doesn’t listen to the people.
Jupiter calls for introspection on the political left as well as the right, as it conjuncts Pluto at 24° Capricorn 4/4, 6/29 and 11/12. Jupiter maximizes whatever it touches; and here it increases the Hecate-Kali work of revolution, transformation, death and rebirth. We can use this to create a liberating time, or experience control issues. Some incident could call us to face our fears of mortality and move past them into a bigger acceptance.
Eclipse © Tamara Phillips 2017
Truth will out; the search for honesty becomes a spiritual practice. We may be surprised and transformed by a new perspective which precipitates change, triggered by a full Sagittarius lunar eclipse. The moon squares Mars in Pisces on 6/5. All of this is echoed and magnified by a total solar eclipse 12/14, with Sun and Moon at 23° Sagittarius, and Mercury 20° Sagittarius. These eclipses ask us to examine our personal illusions, check our truths, and speak them aloud; we can demand truth, but can’t rush to a new conclusion or simplify reality. World events or personal issues call us to move out of victimhood and into a deeper understanding, deeper compassion, and compassionate action.
As the year closes, the stars bring it home to us that our personal lives are intricately woven into our community, our community into our country, our country into the global present. As we face the realities of environmental troubles and seek collaboration to solve them, as we face health and economic issues which stem from our interwoven connection around the globe, we become acutely aware of this interconnected global community and our place in it. Saturn enters collective, cooperative Aquarius 12/16; Jupiter enters Aquarius 12/19; and at winter solstice on December 21, they join for the great conjunction for the first time since 2000. Aquarius turns our vision outwards and asks us to hold hands, to look at how we structure our families, circles, teams, society and global community. We are encouraged to form and expand spiritual and political circles, and find collaborative answers in cohousing and community investment.
(Art at left: Yemaye © Cinders Gott 2010)
This Capricorn/Aquarius nexus works in systems. Like the roots of trees within a forest, our psyches and our daily living conditions touch one another throughout the globe. We become deeply aware of our human role in the ecosystem, and can begin a great effort to transform that role. This conjunction encourages us to work together to investigate, address and heal systemic racism and gender assumption, systemic inequality, systematic abuse of our mother Earth.
As our eyes turn outward, we may neglect our more intimate relationships unless we remember to truly hold hands and feel one another’s hearts. As the stars call us outwards, it’s up to us to choose and treasure interpersonal sensitivity and emotional connection.
Heather Roan Robbins © Mother Tongue Ink 2019
Heather Roan Robbins is a writer, ceremonialist and astrologer committed to bringing high-quality intuitive arts to the public in an accessible and useful format.
This post's feature image is "Sister Circle / Goddess Magic Energy" © Carrie Martinez 2017
Carrie Martinez (Gainesville, FL) Artist, muralist, and tarot deck illustrator whose work embodies nature, mysticism, dreamscapes, and Goddess.
Cinders Gott, M.F.A., is an expressionist visual/performance artist, melding ecofeminism with mysticism, a priestess of Arachne Circles, a wild woods witch, and love-shamaness in training. Cinders taught interdisciplinary arts in 50+ schools/colleges, Her Venus art is currently touring the world.
Tamara Phillips (Vancouver, BC) is inspired by the raw beauty of the natural world. Her watercolour paintings are woven together in earth tones, and she explores the connection between myth, dream, intuition and reality.
Pamela Read (Solon, IA) I live on a beautiful lake with my husband and cat, where I paint, pray, play, and plant whenever I can!
Elspeth McLean (Gooseberry Hill, Australia) creates her vivid and vibrant paintings completely out of dots. Each dot is like a star in the universe. Elspeth hopes her art connects people with their inner child and can bring some joy into their lives.
Interested in exploring more? Visit our Journey into Astrology blog post collection to browse through our constantly updated collection of interesting and informative posts about astrology and celestial influences like:
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