January
This year starts out powerfully with a New Moon in Capricorn and it’s near strong, determined Pluto. Make New Year’s resolutions about important issues. What patterns in your life do you truly want to change? Could this be addictions, destructive relationship patterns, unhealed emotional wounds, or behaviors that negatively impact your health? Instead of casual promises, make resolutions that come from a deep commitment to yourself and to your personal and spiritual growth.
Jupiter turns retrograde, helping you view your life with compassion. You’ll have inspired ideas about how to make changes. It’ll be fun to set out on your chosen path. You can begin meditating, practicing yoga, or eating more consciously.
Mercury is retrograde, which actually helps you be more introspective about the shifts you want to make, but it’s best to not talk about them too much. Choose one person who believes in you to keep you inspired and accountable. Don’t fritter energy away by talking. Make plans and take action so that you see tangible results!
February
Keep taking steps toward your goals. Also focus on financial integrity. How are you spending your money? Do you deal with stress by overspending? Do you get distracted from deeper issues by creating financial chaos? Explore philosophies about prosperity and abundance to open your mind to empowering ideas.
Finances also correlate with self-esteem. Go through your house, office, and even your car and get rid of junk that’s laying around. Throw out or give away what you no longer use. Freeing your environment of clutter allows new energy to flow. You’ll be amazed at how much happier you feel, and how additional sources of income appear!
The Full Moon on the 22nd can tempt you toward old patterns. Or, it can be a victory of standing up to negative thinking, realizing you have power over your fears and unconscious habits that previously led to unhappy outcomes!
March
On March 9th, there is a total eclipse at the New Moon in Pisces. It’s what’s called a “Super Moon”. This has a lot to do with breaking illusions that keep you from being fully powerful. The effect of this eclipse lasts for six months. Think about how you create your reality through your thoughts and also by your expectations of what you’ve already experienced in life. The quantum field is infinitely vast, so how come you keep repeating the same small set of experiences? This eclipse pushes you to release a sense of victimization by life, and wakes you up to the truth that you “write your own script”.
Making daily gratitude lists lights up new parts of your brain. Dwelling on positive thoughts like, “How would I feel if I were truly happy and what would my life look like?”, stimulates fresh parts of your brain too, and trains you to feel like a new person! Persist in training your brain to think in new ways as you let go of the habits that keep you stuck in a tiny reality!
April
Both Mars and Saturn are retrograde in Sagittarius. Usually Sagittarius is an optimistic sign, but Mars likes to go fast (and certainly doesn’t want to go backwards!), and Saturn likes to be more careful. The result can be frustration and discouragement. Look at this as a check-in time — similar to race car drivers having a pit stop and getting their oil changed and whatever else the pit crew needs to do. In order to keep racing, a short rest is needed to be tuned up and ready for more. Be grateful the Universe is giving you time to check your plans and adapt to new circumstances. Rearrange your thinking in order to have more success!
The Sun in Aries is always a good pick-me-up, as is the New Moon, and on the 7th they will be connecting with innovative and enthusiastic Uranus. Release old stuff that has built up. You’ll feel refreshed and ready for more fun, fulfillment and blessings!
May
Mercury is retrograde, but don’t despair! It can seem annoying since life details don’t go smoothly, technology can screw up, mechanical things get weird, and communication gets confusing. But Mercury is also about inner communication. So, the retrograde is about taking time to go within, to meditate, to ask for messages in dreams, and to reconnect with your source and center. Once this balance of the inner and outer world is re-established, you’ll see that outer issues aren’t as problematic during Mercury retrograde times, and you’ll stop dreading them! (Mercury turns retrograde 3 or 4 times a year for about 3 weeks at a time.)
Jupiter moves direct, making it easier to reap rewards, feel positive and start new ventures with optimism. You’ll gain insights into exciting new ideas that unfold easily because they’re in harmony with your authentic self and effortlessly in alignment with others!
June
Ask others you trust for guidance and input. You’ll have lots of great ideas with the New Moon in Gemini on the 5th. But Neptune, the planet of spirituality and creativity, as well as self-deception and fogginess, will be turning retrograde (something is always going retrograde, right?!). It’s a reminder to make sure you’re being led by your highest self, and not letting your frightened, or cocky, or otherwise limited self run the show. On the other hand, if you’re someone who always looks to others to validate your opinions and actions, you need to trust yourself and your intuition.
Also, challenge yourself about fears. Mars is in Scorpio, asking you to gain power over some “paper tiger” in your consciousness. Maybe you need to ask someone on a date, go skydiving, or update your resume and prepare to look for a new job. Maybe you need to challenge negative recordings in your mind that hold you back from true happiness. The Full Moon on the 20th brings courage, so plan your attack and defeat your fear!
July
The New Moon on the 4th of July also connects with Mercury and Pluto. Observe yourself with family since you can find and overcome emotional triggers. You’ll avoid power struggles and also see the root of problems others have between themselves, offering insights to free them from negative cycles of relating. You’ll uncover solutions to money issues or work related challenges — and create compromises that meet everyone’s needs.
Later in the month, Mercury and Venus move into Leo, which makes for positive relationships. It’s easy to be warm-hearted and forgiving. Mercury and Venus make a harmonious angle to Saturn, and all three help for work advancement, prosperity and general feelings of accomplishment and self-esteem! Even better news is Mars moves direct and gives you lots of positive energy for your goals.
August
This exuberant month starts out with a New Moon on the 2nd that works with Mars and Saturn. You’ll feel grounded and focused, without being bored. It seems fun to get things done! If you’re starting a new relationship, you’ll be realistic while still feeling in love. Current relationships can be renewed through a sense of mutual appreciation.
The Full Moon on the 18th works in an easy way with Uranus, the planet of new ideas, adventures and open-mindedness. Kids feel enthusiastic about the impending school year. End of summer parties will be especially enjoyable. It’s a great time to be working out or exploring new ways of eating, so being healthy becomes interesting.
Venus moves into Virgo and it’s a great time to shop or redecorate. You’ll find great bargains easily, or high quality items that exactly fit your vision. But you won’t be tempted toward over-extravagance or buy stuff you don’t really need.
September
Jupiter moves into Libra, greatly improving relationships, and self-love too. Jupiter has a twelve year orbit and stays in a sign for a year. It brings good karma and light-heartedness. To get even more benefit form this placement, think about your values and ethics. The more your actions align with your beliefs, the more results you’ll have with very little effort. Life will seem magical and you’ll feel blessed. The more you give out what you want to receive, the more quickly blessings flow to you!
Mercury is retrograde in Virgo. Look at your critical thinking, whether about yourself, others, or life circumstances. Focus on praising yourself and on thoughts of gratitude. This shift of thinking brings solutions to difficult challenges. By taking your mind off issues, answers come. Like Einstein said, “A problem cannot be solved from the consciousness that created it”.
October
Mars is in Capricorn. You’ll feel ambitious and easily accomplish your goals. Since the Sun is in Libra most of the month, there’s also an air of “plenty of success for everyone”, which eliminates the stress of competition and allows for mutual encouragement and camaraderie. The New Moon on the 1st is near positive Jupiter, helping you dream big, and the “can-do” spirit of Mars in Capricorn gets plans into action! (Otherwise Jupiter can be a bunch of good ideas that just hang-out in the ethers!)
The Full Moon on the 30th works nicely with Neptune, the planet of spirituality and compassion. There can be a healing of addictions or puzzling patterns. You can find ways in which diametrically opposed people can work well together, either in families or in careers. If you’re artistic or musically inclined, you’ll find a lot of inspiration. It’s also a great time to work with yoga, meditation or other metaphysical pursuits.
November
Venus is in Capricorn, improving finances. You’ll think clearly about savings, and how to organize money to feel secure and confident. Mercury is in Sagittarius, giving optimism and hope. The New Moon on the 29th works with Neptune, inspiring future plans and smoothing out relationships. In addition, Neptune turns direct on the 19th (all planets except the Sun and Moon turn retrograde and direct, not just Mercury!) This restores trust in others and strengthens faith in yourself. You’ll feel more connected to your intuition and make choices with clarity and insight.
Mars is in Aquarius, producing a spirit of cooperation and connection with others. Group projects at work go well, and you’ll feel more comfortable with your family too. It’s also great to do some sort of volunteer work or community service.
December
Uranus moves direct, creating enthusiasm about the impending New Year. You’re craving to be free of old habits and to be open to greater possibilities for your life. The Full Moon on the 14th increases the drive toward completion. Full Moons, by their nature, bring that sense of closure. December’s Full Moon is extra strong because of Saturn’s involvement. Saturn not only brings karma to a clear ending, but also offers wisdom about your life. Even if things have been hard, there’s a sense of gratitude and deep knowing about why you’ve experienced what you’ve been through.
Create a sort of ritual for the release of 2016, being grateful for everything, whether good or bad. Let go of the “woulda, coulda, shoulda’s”. Forgive the cruddy stuff. Envision a better future and be open to a greater quantum reality for 2017!
by Aluna Michaels, M.A.
