It is birthday time of the year, and you can sense things are going your way at last! Having the Sun and Mercury in the first house of your horoscope is always a big advantage, and as you enter February, you are still feeling the glow of the new moon, January 23. That new moon still has a bit of light left to it that you can use to your advantage during the first week of February. If there’s an important person you still need to see, a proposal you need to make, or a project you want to start, do so during February’s first week.
Everyone, of every sign, will have to be patient, however, because many planets are retrograde. Mars started retrograding on January 23 in your eighth house of other people’s money (ironically, the same day as the new moon), and that usually spells delays, snags, or a setback involving finances. As a few examples, you may have hoped to be wired an amount of money (that may not come) from a venture capital group, or find that the refinancing plan to your mortgage may take a little longer than you expected. If someone owes you a large amount of money, you may have to wait to get it, or your ex may suddenly stop paying child support on time because he or she may run into financial difficulties. If you are due an insurance or divorce settlement, it may be held up for a while. Mars will reactivate on April 13, a time to watch carefully for big news. I will explain.
Planets are the most powerful when they hang like lanterns in the sky – not moving backward or forward, but are just still – brilliantly lit but just hanging still in space. In the case of Mars, this will happen within three days of January 23 and April 13. (Astrologers call this the “station” or “stationary period” of a planet about to move retrograde or direct.) You might feel that something that happened last month near January 23 was fated, inevitable, or inescapable. Those start and stop periods – what I call bookend periods – of retrograde planets are very, very strong, so you must always watch those days closely, no matter what planet is involved.
Think back to the time near (within three days of) January 23 to see what happened to you, if anything, particularly in terms of finances and conflicts. (Mars also rules injuries, which may have happened then or that you may have been discussing, say, in a court case.) Because Mars was starting to retrograde last month on January 23, you now may have to go back and rethink your strategy or ask a client or judge to change things. Prepare to make future changes. In that case, be ready to watch what happens on the date that Mars goes direct, April 13, plus three days. Sometimes when a planet goes direct, there is headline news, and it’s very dramatic. You have to wait and see. If you have no aspects to Mars at 23 degrees Virgo, you may not have seen any effect.
In the meantime, this month, with Mars retrograde, you will need to push yourself to stay motivated and on top of these things, especially in regard to financial and contractual matters, because Mars is IN a financial house, but naturally RULES your solar third house of contracts and agreements – both are subject to delays. If one door closes, you can find another one to open – even if you have to pick the lock! The third house, where Mars retrograde is currently based, also rules advertising and promotion, so if you were to be involved in one of these activities, see if you can delay the start date until a better time, late April, after the new moon April 21.
During the Mars retrograde, from now to mid-April, is not the best time for you to sign contracts, but many of us have no choice, for waiting could be problematic. See if you can do a temporary contract that is made permanent later. Ancient astrologers wrote that anything started with Mars retrograde seems to fall flat without the proper energy to propel to a successful, profitable conclusion. It is best not to initiate, but to respond.
I need to do more empirical research on Mars retrograde periods. If you would like to comment on your experiences as we go through this period, I tend to tweet on Twitter every day and my tweets are also linked to my Facebook page.
I am “Susan Miller Astrology Zone” on Facebook. On Twitter I am @AstrologyZone
As long as I am telling you about retrograde planets, I might as well drop the other shoe. Beginning February 7, Saturn will retrograde too, in your ninth house, ruling university study, broadcasting and publishing ventures, long distance travel, and relationships with people abroad. One of these areas may need tweaking, due to circumstances beyond your control. This house also rules all legal matters, which also may come back for more discussions, appeals, changes, and so forth, until Saturn is due to go direct June 25.
OK, don’t get mad at me when I tell you that Mercury will also go retrograde March 12 to April 4. As you see, things are not going to move as quickly as you had hoped. Just when you assumed you could finalize a deal or a plan, you’ll hit one delay after another. It might cheer you to know that everyone will be in the same boat. It’s rare when the universe speaks this clearly, underlining its message several times: slow down! It suggests things are about to shift, but we just can’t see in which direction they will shift just yet. During times like these we all have to look closely at every piece of evidence – every tiny remark, a fleeting look, certain words that are chosen as opposed to others – as tiny clues. It will take time for the whole puzzle to come together to allow you to see the big picture.
This month, just on the day that Saturn will turn retrograde, February 7, you will have a full moon in Leo (18 degrees) in your seventh house. This full moon makes no key aspects to other planets, so how it will affect you will depend on how this full moon fits into your own natal chart, and of course, I can’t see that from where I sit.
I can say that something is coming to culmination, and a relationship will be very important to you and very much on your mind. It may be positive, or not, for the seventh house rules those who support you, love you, and want to commit to you, as well as those who criticize or want to harm or compete with you. My antenna is up because February 7 is the same day that Saturn goes retrograde in your very legally oriented ninth house. You may have to prepare for a lowlife character to come out. Once you see that person, you can deal with him or her!
If you are interviewing for a new position, test all your references by having a high level friend call them to ask about you. You need to be sure those trusted references are saying the positive things about you that you would expect them to say. New positions are hard to get, and with this full moon that could go either way, I am simply asking you to be careful. I do like meetings on full moons because they are decisive, especially if this is a meeting that might conclude many previous conversations.
The seventh house is the house of marriage and collaborations, but also the house of open enemies who are on the attack, perhaps to take a piece of your territory, a portion of your money, or to claim credit for work you did. How do you know which is which? The seventh house will bring a secret enemy out in the open if you have tough aspects to that house (that I cannot see here). If this applies to you, it won’t take long for you to see and identify this person, for they will howl loudly. If you hear nothing, it means you have no open enemies. (Don’t worry, your chart suggests no secret enemies at all.)
In a very real sense, a full moon is a cleansing aspect, flushing out anyone who may not be on your side. You’ll know if this applies to you, but if I were you, I would not worry one bit. Being given information by a kind universe is always helpful, for it allows you to protect yourself. If you have no one who is jealous of you or wants to discredit you, then you will see not much happen.
There is a middle course, and not involving a “secret enemy,” which in itself sounds so ominous. If your romantic partner seems unhappy about something, your partner will now speak up at that full moon February 7. If you love each other, you can talk things out and bring your relationship back to an even keel. You are always in control – you can decide what to do, for you have free will.
Although I have spoken about possible difficulties that might come up at this full moon of February 7, I want to say strongly that this full moon could be a time of celebration and closeness with a partner too. This day falls very close to Valentine’s Day, so you may get engaged or married on February 7, or over the weekend of February 4 or 11. All full moons have a period of influence of a plus or minus of four days looping in those dates too.
If you are single and hoping to find love, there’s good news! Venus will enter fire sign Aries, a very compatible place for you, dear air sign Aquarius, from February 8 to March 5. Venus will glide through your short distance travel sector, making your quick trips lots of fun, and could even bring an unexpected meeting with someone with whom you share great chemistry. Venus in such a compatible sign makes this a great time to freshen your appearance with new clothes, a haircut, or other new look.
February 9 is an outstanding day for love that I would like you to watch, when Venus and Uranus, your ruler, will combine forces. That day is sure to be fun, as your ruler is involved, writing your name in the night sky and bringing lots of electricity and surprises. Love may be very exciting, especially if you travel on that day – to another city – or if you are simply out and about in your neighborhood doing errands. Believe it or not, you need not be on vacation to meet someone – it can happen anywhere, in the supermarket, the post office, or the card shop, as a few examples, for the third house rules your close vicinity too.
Mercury rules your solar fifth house of true love, and lucky you, Mercury will be rolling out the red carpet for you during the week of February 13-16, just in time to make Valentine’s Day (February 14) special. I know that my Brazilian readers won’t celebrate Valentine’s Day until June 12, but you are such a loving group – if you like, you can celebrate our holiday too, this week!
I say your outlook for love is great during February 13-16, for these reasons.
On Monday, February 13, Mercury will link to Neptune, and possibly cause you to receive a very tender, sentimental message from someone who loves you very much.
On Tuesday, February 14, the moon will be in Sagittarius, a sign that blends beautifully with yours.
Then, on February 16, Mercury and Jupiter, giver of gifts and luck, will bring more happy experiences – traveling together to a romantic spot, or receiving a beautiful card or a beautiful, generous gift. All the dates I give you have a plus or minus of one or two days, so as you see, Valentine’s Day should be a standout.
Do you want to give a party? Then choose Friday, February 24, or Saturday, February 25, when the Sun and Jupiter will meet on your behalf and create one of the most sensational two days of the year for a celebration at home. (It must be at home, not a restaurant, to unlock your luck.) You can give a party for 100, cocktails for twenty, pizza for ten, or a romantic dinner for two – you decide!
Your most romantic date nights include: February 1, 2, 3, 7, 12, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 28, and 29.
Now let’s talk about your money, for there will be some amazing shifts in the heavens this month. From November 11 and continuing until July 3, you have had (and will continue to have) Mars in your eighth house, forcing to strategize or question certain money matters. Mars often brings disputes, so you may not agree with how an insurance company has decided one of your claims. Or, in another example, you may be in court over a divorce, child support, or other case and although you thought the case was simple, the other side is making a federal case out of it. It may be that your employer sent you the wrong amount on a commission check, or there may be errors on your credit report, as this house rules that too. On the smallest level, you may be busy getting your papers together to do your taxes.
Mars in your eighth house is also causing you to spend a lot of money, but it may be to buy real estate or to fix up your home – either is a great idea now, and I will explain why later. Let’s keep focused on what is happening in your money houses. Mars may be in your eighth house of other people’s money, but there’s a lot of activity about to happen in your second house of personal wealth, possessions, and earned income.
On February 3, Neptune is heading for Pisces and will settle in your solar second house of earned income a very long time, until January 2026. You’ve never experienced this planet in this house in your lifetime, as the last time Neptune visited Pisces it was 1847 to 1863. This is a new influence for everyone of every sign, so we all will be finding ways to take advantage of it. Neptune likes to be in Pisces, for it is the sign it rules. In that sense, Neptune will be coming home. This means Neptune will exert its finest influence, for Neptune is strong in this sign.
There are two possible, very positive manifestations of Neptune in Pisces. First, Neptune will encourage you to give money to charities in the coming years. I say that because Neptune asks us to be empathetic and to give freely of our time or money, to help those who suffer. As an Aquarius, you are always interested in finding ways to help humanity. Now you will have not only an opportunity to do so, on any level you choose, but you may feel a driving need to do so. You may write the check OR you may volunteer to help raise the money needed, and perhaps do so by taking on a leadership position in the charity. No matter how the money arrives, the charity will benefit, in great part because of you.
You may also start to make good money from an artistic venture that you created too – that is not only possible, but also likely, for Neptune also rules all of the arts.
Neptune does have a downside in that Neptune brings the mist or fog wherever he goes and will obfuscate facts. When dealing with financial matters (the place Neptune will be training his energy) this can be problematic. You must, from now on, work with a lawyer on all your future contractual arrangements. Don’t even THINK about signing anything without one – that small contract that you think is “just routine” probably has a clause that could cause a financial catastrophe. You don’t want to invite Neptune’s flood! (Actually, thinking about this, you may want to get homeowner’s or renter’s flood insurance too, with Neptune influencing your second house of income and possessions for the next fourteen years.) You need to read financial statements and get better at financial management, even if you think you’re a whiz now!
Neptune has been in Aquarius since January 1998 and you may miss him now that he is leaving. Over the past fourteen years, Neptune has stimulated your imagination and enlarged your capability for expressing your creativity. Neptune may have also encouraged you to bring your ideas to market. Influential people accepted many of your visions and opinions over the past fourteen years, and that had to be gratifying. You emerge from this period much more confident in your own visions, and that’s valuable. This excitement won’t end – it will just be different, in that you are now about to see material gain from your efforts.
With Neptune in Pisces as of February 3, you will move into the second stage of gestation, where the ideas that you seeded during 1998-2011 will start to sprout and bring you profits and security. If you are a scientist and you have worked on a new drug to cure a certain disease, the move of Neptune into Pisces may now mean your drug will soon be given government approval and be given the green light to move to market. Or if you are an engineer, new software that you created will now become ready to launch. If you have painted a body of new work, soon you may have a gallery opening and see a bonanza of sales.
Neptune moves slowly, so it may take a long time for you to see the upbeat effects of this planet in your second house – it could happen instantly or it could take years. Either way, keep working! Success is not only very possible but likely, something you may see as soon as this month! This month! Wow, why do I say that? It all has to do with this month’s new moon!
The new moon of which I speak will appear in Pisces 3 degrees on February 21, will light your second house of earned income and possessions, and will appear very close to Neptune. This same new moon will also send amazing vibrations to both Jupiter and Pluto. Jupiter is in your fourth house ruling real estate and also the “end of all matters” that have been going on a while. Pluto is in your behind-the-scenes sector ruling confidential talks. You may ask for a raise and get it, or you may negotiate for a new position with a higher salary. You may make a big purchase now – and it may be for a valuable piece of art.
With Neptune so close, you do have to work with your lawyer to find, delete, or change troublesome clauses. You both also have to decide what is NOT in the agreement. Neptune has the power to make things invisible, so what you are not thinking about could be more troublesome than thorny items you do see in the contract.
As said, Jupiter is currently in a real estate house and is making this time an excellent time to buy, sell, renovate, update, repair, or change your space in any way. Jupiter is in Taurus, ruling flowers and greenery, so you may order new landscaping – it would turn out beautiful with Jupiter so near. Start looking at estimates now, with the aim of launching your plan in late April, after Mars is direct.
You seem to have considerable family support now too, as your fourth house, so beautifully aspected, also rules help from parents. If you need help with your rent or part of a down payment on a house, it looks as though your parent may want to help you if you ask. Some Aquarians are living at home in this difficult global economy, and it looks as though you have a very loving and understanding family who welcomes your arrival.
After June 11, Jupiter will leave and you won’t have his amazing help in real estate matters for another twelve years – not until 2023. It’ll soon be time to act, and with Mercury retrograde March 12 to April 4; you won’t want to initiate anything then!
February 25 will be outstanding for all residential, property, and family matters. The Sun and Jupiter will have a meeting on your behalf, and news should be sensational! This behooves you to look at your options, even if you aren’t sure you want to act just yet. Sometimes the universe says, “You are on the air! You have to go on stage now, ready or not!” This seems to be the case in regard to your home-related matter by late April. Dear Aquarius – be ready!
