a longview for 2025 & a close up of the month ahead... HNY!
my podcast notes for our Turning Signals episode, lost due to technical difficulties
2025 is a big year! Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter are all changing signs, following Pluto’s transition from cardinal earth Capricorn to fixed air Aquarius in ‘23-‘24. The unprecedented (seriously) flurry of planetary ingresses begins in March and continues until July. Such a lot of astrological change is sure to bring dramatic shifts within collective reality! Adaptation will be necessary as we each move through a year that promises to shake things up. The outer planetary ingresses are as follows (dates provided are for Western Australia, so may vary slightly):
Neptune into Aries 30th March
Saturn into Aries 25th May
Jupiter into Cancer June 10th
Uranus into Gemini on July 7th
The Jupiter~Saturn square is a strong signature for the transition between ’24-’25. All interplanetary aspects must be understood in the context of their cycles. The Jupiter~Saturn cycle is a 20-year cycle that represents society and civilisation, the institutions (e.g. government, democracy, education, medicine, justice) we create to provide order, structure and cohesion to our collective life. This is the first quarter, 90 degree or waxing square between Jupiter and Saturn since they made their spectacular Great Conjunction (Mutation) in the first degree of Aquarius at the Capricorn Solstice 2020. The ¼ square is known as a hard aspect, of the nature of Mars, it brings friction, conflict, a call to arms and decisive action. When we consider that Jupiter represents belief systems and a coherent world view, Jupiter in Gemini has to do with the information, thoughts, philosophies and narratives that inform these. Saturn represents the structures and forms upon which we rely as humans. In Pisces these are challenged by cyclical erosion, entropy, decay and dissolution. The establishment (by which we are conditioned, to which we are ostensibly bound) is no longer fit for purpose. Saturn through Pisces since ‘23 has brought this reality into material awareness for most people I think, to the extent that the Macquarie Dictionary named enshittification as their word of the year’ 24.
So, we’re invited to consider some big questions: will algorithms, large language models and platforms like ChatGPT save us from the mess (environmental and cultural) we’ve made? Can the control of information (a la Edward Bernays’ approach) prevent the kinds of revolutions and civil unrest that have been seen during past transits of Pluto in Aquarius (American and French revolutions) and Uranus in Gemini (American civil war)? How do we make sense of the world when we are inundated with biased and algorithmically curated information? Is the answer to hand authority to government departments and international organisations to fact check and verify truth? Is this option even viable given how many people have become understandably disillusioned and cynical in recent years (as evidenced by the worldwide backlash (rallies, demonstrations, protests, movements, riots) against globalism)?
On a personal level we are called to find ways to unite the opposites and bridge the divide between Jupiter’s urge to grow and thrive and Saturn’s confining and restrictive limits. Each is necessary to our refinement and evolution. And each casts its own shadows: Jupiter is given to excess ~ Saturn eats his own children to maintain order and control. When in harmony these two archetypes turn adversity into advantage. They recognise the gifts of hard times: wisdom, maturity, integrity, patience, perspective, and a sense of humour.
The shift of the Lunar Nodes: North Node ~ Rahu into Pisces, South Node ~ Ketu into Virgo on the 12th January (true) and 29th January (mean). This window between the two (true and mean nodes) represents something of a transitional period and can be mined for insights into how to bring all that we have learned in the past 18 months regarding Mars~Aries into a Piscean context. These archetypes can seem incompatible but the process through which we are living affords us the opportunity to gain insight into how such distinct energies can be used constructively. The image of the spiritual warrior comes to mind for me, and the shaman. The Don Juan character from Carlos Castaneda books may be worth re-visiting. Don Juan’s teachings are about living like a warrior and walking the path with heart. This resonates with both Aries and Pisces because it connects Aries’ courage (the root of which is cor which means heart) and the exaltation of Pisces being Venus whose function is fundamentally to connect with others via the heart resonance. I think its very important to consider this embodied Venusian side of Pisces because the energy is so easily dissipated. Pisces is a water sign but in its vapour form. So it disperses and is lost without containment and structural support. This is the transpersonal nature of the sign and why one of Pisces’ shadows is around substance abuse and escapism. It needs support and structure to get traction in the real world, otherwise it just floats away like a cloud. Its not grounded. Which is why Pisces needs Virgo! Maintaining contact with the earth. With reality. Pisces can resist this earthly realm, because it is very aware of the Truth that its all illusion and so ephemeral and fleeting and ultimately we are all made of stars and nothing matters and we’re all unified in Oneness. But this ultimate reality is also not all that practical, and it often tends to become either nihilistic (despairing) or hedonistic (pleasure-seeking and narcissistic). This is one compelling reason for why I believe that we are now coming to the end of the age of Pisces because, as Nietzsche suggested, once God is dead because we have killed him, what is left but despair (hello opiate epidemic! And pharmaceutical interventionism en masse, numbing ourselves to the grim realities of life in this time) and/or distraction through drugs, parties, scrolling, sex addiction, screens. Each of these commonly found means of coping in the contemporary world is totally understandable. The alternative is to find God through one’s own experience. And this provides an anchor point to sanity peace and equanimity that is very difficult to access if one is only subject to the constant stream of craziness that is this time. I’m not preaching any particular way or means. I think its different for everyone and it can probably be authentic in all the ways (meditation, prayer, breathwork, nature, chanting, dance), but if it relies on particular substances or external sources like the church, or the ashram, or ayahuasca in the jungle, or whatever it may need further examination. And that too points to Aries. Aries says “I am”, it is the self, and the individual human being is the access point by which we encounter the divine. So the weeks ahead act as something of a portal through which we are invited to step into another dimension of sorts. That’s a good segue into...
Neptune ~ North Node conjunction on the 7th February is a powerful moment to glean insight into Neptune’s transit of Pisces since 2011. It is worth considering how life has changed in this 14 year period. In particular I think about social media and smartphones and the impact these have had on most of us. So we might anticipate this strange Neptune~Pisces fog in early Feb and plan to practice our most reliable means of orientation and grounding in weird times. I would expect feelings of mass disillusionment to rear up and maybe become acute for some reason at this time, such as maybe big act of deception. But as well I believe that disillusionment represents one of the primary and most appropriate responses in the zeitgeist for some time, and (IMO) its not a sign that more censorship legislation is needed. Despite what Harari suggests. I think about how disillusionment urges us towards our own personal evolution. What does it mean if we are completely disillusioned with the system? The end of the world as we know it: decay. It seems like enshittification may have reached its zenith.
Mars retrograde is almost halfway done, lit up by the Cancer Full Moon on the 14th of January. Mars is back in Cancer now after being in Leo since the 3rd of November. The opposition to Pluto in Aquarius has brought a lot of tension to this already challenging transit, showing up, again, the juxtaposition of individual and collective. On the 16th January Sun will oppose Mars which represents the peak of the Mars synodic cycle that began November 18th 23. So it can be quite productive to consider the storylines that have been developing under this cycle, especially in relation to action, effort, direction, courage, conflict. And also to consider this in relation to the NN in Aries, which has invited each of us to develop our Mars~Aries ness. This chapter is about to end, as NN enters Pisces. Anyway we will talk more about Mars retrograde in my Full Moon post episode (coming soon)…
Mars retrograde will be closely followed by Venus retrograde, during which she makes her transition from evening star (Hesperus) to morning star (Lucifer ~ light-bringer). Currently Venus is exalted in Pisces and remains there until the 4th February when she enters Aries. She will station retrograde on the 2nd of March at 10 degrees of Aries and travel back to 24 Pisces until mid April. We will talk more about that as we get closer, but in the meantime we might observe Venus conjunct Saturn on the 19th January, and the last few Venus moongates (new crescent Moon conjunct Venus) before her heliacal set around mid March or maybe even the Aries equinox depending on how lucky we are...
(Venus will be visible as morning star probably by the end of March or early April. Venus Star Point ... Venus conjunct NN on the 1st of April too)
Venus Saturn conjunction 19th January is an interesting signature that can bring some reality checks or even hard lessons around money~resources &/or relationships. But as well this quick transit can provide a good touchstone for the beginning of North Node in Pisces. We might reflect upon how Saturnian structure and discipline, concepts like time for example, or values and priorities, can provide support to our next 18 months of NN in Pisces. Priorities is a very Venus~Saturn concept.
This brings us to the Inauguration of Trump on Monday the 20th of January. Sun will have just entered Aquarius, and be applying to conjoin Pluto, bringing light to the transit of Pluto through Aquarius 23-44. It remains to be seen who among his appointments will actually have a role to play in his administration and I am open to and hopeful for some real and meaningful change thanks to people like RFKjr. And the DOGE department of government efficiency is a very interesting idea with so much potential. I saw a Trump tweet, poll, asking X users if they agreed with Musk idea that there should be legislation to ensure that all bills introduced to congress should be digitally available to the public at least seven days before Congress vote. This seems like a no-brainer to me. Although if it were up to me I’d make it a minimum of 28 days. Anyway that kind of change seems positive. In any case, it is very astrologically significant that Elon Musk is so heavily involved. Musk was born under a potent Mars North Node conjunction in Aquarius. His incredibly literal interpretation of this signature is to colonise Mars, and “to make life multiplanetary” it states on SpaceX website. He seems to be getting all his ducks in a row for the achievement of this goal. Its also interesting that he has Sun in Cancer. So he wants to make a home out there “among the stars” he waxes lyrical.
I’ve got grave concerns about Musk’s intentions and his underlying agenda, whether conscious or unconscious. I am very concerned about the potential harms that could be done through his social media platform, AI, starlink technology and other means with the practically endless resources at his disposal. I am worried that even if he were a decent human being (which is a big if) he is presumably only human (another potentially problematic assumption) and can therefore be compromised, corrupted, and captured.
Having said these things, it seems necessary that someone fulfill this role for humankind at this time. And he is doing a pretty amazing job, whether the saviour or supervillain of our time, he seems a good example of Nietzsche’s Übermensch who does not relent just goes his own way, come what may. Even if what may is the end of humanity. Or the planet. Lol. So maybe he does represent everything that’s wrong with our left-brain approach. Or maybe he is the best hope we’ve got and we should just go along with his plans. Who knows?? It all remains to be seen... and we’ll get a chance to see more this year!
So as the world continues to do its thing this year it feels vital to me that we just stay true to self. To practice cultivation of the awareness of and connection to that authentic human experience. People in power Trump Musk whoever have their roles to play in this human drama. And so do we. Don’t underestimate what that role is, because I think, if you tune into the variety of voices that can be heard in the world since covid, there is a movement, there is a web of life, and each if us is responsible for attending to our own thread and weaving that into the whole. Whatever it is, doesn’t matter, its just got be authentic. Raising kids, creating a home, growing a garden, creating beautiful things, meditation, painting, stargazing, making songs, or a podcast, writing a book, becoming healthier. Just keep going. Keep working on what feels alive and real and creative.
On the 29th January is the Aquarius New Moon. This happens also during Mercury’s conjunction to Pluto in Aquarius, so be attuned to the downloads, sudden insights, out of the box solutions and approaches that come through the end of January and into February. Mercury is the new dispositor of South Node Ketu, and so should be though of in relation to shadows as much as light over coming months. Mercury’s shadows as they pertain to Virgo can be worry, pedantism, nit picking, hyper criticism, fussiness, maintaining smallness or perhaps roles of service that are outgrown. In moving towards Pisces, we are ideally expansive, but not dispersive. We might make use of Virgo’s work ethic, and grounded effort, but not reduce ourselves to serfs or slaves in the process. In light of themes that seem likely to dominate the mundane world, the risk of our becoming chained to the wheel, mere cogs in The Machine is marked. Finding ways to move beyond such hazards (not merely escape via distraction or substance use) is one of our top priorities over the coming 18 months. Another interesting thing, Uranus will station direct in Taurus at this new Moon and is bound straight for Gemini. This will be a big quickening when Uranus hits Gemini. I don’t know if the singularity or AGI or superintelligence is on the cards that soon (like July) but it seems very possible for the next seven years or so. Gemini is everything to do with information, data, algorithm and intelligence. The trine from Sun~Moon to Jupiter brings optimism and enthusiasm, allowing new inspiration to flow in...
A few days later, Venus conjunct (invisible) Neptune on the 2nd of February will be accompanied by the new crescent Moon and Saturn, very close to the North Node. Circumstances will conspire to reveal a path forward at this time, an opportunity may present itself. Venus and Neptune in combination heralds romanticism, idealism and delusion... Things may not be all they seem, but there is a visionary quality to this alignment, especially in relation to the North Node, that can inspire and arouse our energies. But the involvement with Saturn indicates some level of difficulty, reality check, testing, restriction. This is not a bad thing. in fact, Saturn might help us to make something of the otherwise ineffable energies at play. In Vedic astrology NN/Rahu/the Dragon’s Head is a malefic influence; we should keep in mind that the urge to move forward and to grow and stretch and evolve is often accompanied by a volatility and unpredictability that can bring complications or unforeseen difficulties that are more than we bargained for. When this is coupled with Neptune and Venus, there is a potential for naivete, delusion, and perhaps grandiosity as Jupiter in Gemini is slowed to station direct on the 4th. Saturn’s down-to-earth reminder that things that seem too good to be true often are that, may be good medicine, if it does not come too late. But do enjoy the influx of grace that can come through such an alignment.
In any case, these events early next month will help to inspire us, even provide direction through the coming year. But it is important to recognise that big changes are ahead. The outer planets changing signs represent big societal shifts and events in the outer world. So be prepared to adapt. “We can learn like the trees how to bend how to sway” sang Ani DiFranco. At the same time, adaption can easily become maladaption when the chips are down and we feel as though we don’t have a choice. So hold true to the image, maybe that spiritual warrior image and tend Vesta’s sacred fire. She is in Scorpio now and square to Pluto in Aquarius. She stays in Scorpio until September and has a lovely dance with Juno and Black Moon Lilith, and is intermittently engaged with squares to Mars in Leo. That’s significant. Don’t give your power away. Lilith is a staunch defender of the feminine (not female!) capacity for darkness, magick, mystery, mayhem. Dad made those very apropos bumper stickers in the late 1990’s Plan for Catastrophe, Allow for Chaos. Very good medicine. And there are things that cannot be predicted or accounted for necessarily by science or modelling or economic theory or AI or any of our limited left brain approaches to problem solving that dominate our collective world view. And this is a big part of the Pisces NN direction that I am feeling, this gradient is opening up from the self-directed wilful ego with a plan into a more subtle field awareness. We might seek to attune and respond to energies and vibes and frequencies, by providing a Saturn container (time space), a practice and discipline (think Virgo as disciple) that can give some structure to the inspiring visions we are sensing over weeks ahead. We can, with Saturn in Pisces, bring our vision into reality. Make it manifest. That is the work. And it is work. We can’t neglect effort and persistence. If we do we squander the opportunities that are afforded through this time period.
Having said that, I just want to say, like a grain of salt to take with this inspiring idea, just because things may not go the way we envision them or want them to go on an ego level or we can’t seem to manifest the way the gurus say we should, I am a strong believer in and proponent of Amor Fati (to love one’s fate) and Amor Mundi (to love the world as it is). I know this could be interpreted as a cop out, or hedging my bets or inadvertent admission of my own various, not insignificant, privileges. I acknowledge all these likelihoods and realities. I’m not saying its easy to be grateful for one’s own limited and limiting condition, but our condition (fate) does invariably represent the precise circumstances that convey us to our destiny. The hardness is all part of the alchemical process. The conditions are meant to be challenging. Anyone who says otherwise is a snake oil salesman I think. Experiencing life as difficult is not a sign of weakness or failure. Our willingness to confront and contend with our subjective reality is all that is needed to begin on the path with heart. Step towards feelings of sorrow. Welcome the hard feelings as representatives of various aspects of self. Fragments. Disowned. Rejected. Othered. Don’t gaslight yourself. Don’t gaslight parts of your own ecology. Of course there is healing needed. And steps taken to support and remedy the injuries and wounds we have each and all sustained are part of the journey. Part of restoring the habitat we’ve eroded to make way for the civilisation/colonisation of ego and persona. So I know re-wilding is a bit of a dirty word for some, because its got its globalist shadows, but we do need to welcome in those wild and untamed parts of self, and to reclaim the habitat where they dwell as part of our psychic terrain. Self-sabotage may need addressing. And a variety of traumas need our loving attention. Its not like we just accept life as it is and do nothing. That, again, is nihilism and so passe Age of Pisces. We are called now to go bravely where none has gone before. But be patient with yourself if there’s not much clarity or inspiration at the moment. Something is coalescing.
The Fates ~ Clotho Lachesis & Atropos spinning allotting & cutting