January Forecast

Happy new year, stargazers! With the new year comes a few significant changes to the planetary alignments. At the beginning of this month, the new moon can help us plan accordingly for the new year with a full moon to mark what we’re wrapping up from the last year. There will be a shift in retrogrades, with one starting and one ending. Mid-January poses to be a significant change for the collective focus, but we’ll get to that in a moment! Let’s dive into the significant transits for the month ahead, shall we?

Major Transits

January starts strong as Mercury ingresses into Aquarius and the new moon in Capricorn occurs on January 2.

Mercury leaves one Saturn-ruled sign for the next, unable to escape Saturn’s stern grip. Luckily, Aquarius is co-ruled, so Uranus does have a little bit of say with Mercury’s train of thought. Mercury in Aquarius has Einstein energy. The little mad genius comes out when Mercury transits zippy Aquarius. Although this transit is neither dignified nor detriment, Mercury still arguably operates well in Aquarius because it’s an air sign! So, communication, thinking, writing, and learning may come naturally to this transit. But it comes with a flair for the eccentric. Mercury in Aquarius is electric! The mind becomes alive with revolutionary ideas as Mercury in Aquarius aims to produce something radical and revolutionary. Mental patterns come in bursts of inspiration, likely triggered by the desire to modernize something in your life. Brainstorming sessions are a huge pinnacle of Mercury transiting Aquarius since this is the perfect time to think outside of the box. But this may lead to some wacky conversations as Mercury in Aquarius could entertain some unusual thoughts, ideas, and points of interest. However, it’s refreshing since Mercury in Aquarius can flex its intellectual side while also bouncing ideas off of someone who is on the same mental wavelength. Writing may take on a weird yet wonderful tone, punctuated by unusual words or thought-provoking phrases. If anything, Mercury in Aquarius needs to watch out for its god-like complex. As a fixed air sign, Aquarius can be relatively obstinate with its intellectual prowess. Telling someone during this Mercurial transit that they’re wrong or challenging their freethinking ideologies can lead to cutthroat, dare I say arrogant, debates. But Mercury in Aquarius can also use its freethinking mindset to consider opposing views and opinions. It’s a matter of perspective. As Saturn and Uranus govern Mercury’s plight, a futuristic structure can come from this. Whatever you speak or think could come to fruition down the line!

The new moon in Capricorn can help us define our NYE goals and manifestations as Capricorn’s can-do energy desires productivity that will lead to successful results. New moons initiate a new cycle or chapter that will carry through until the full moon occurs in the same sign as the new moon. It’s a six-month process that comes full circle. As this lunation occurs in Saturn-ruled Capricorn, it’s considered detriment since Luna finds her exile in stoic Saturn’s grip. Although detriment, the moon can be purposeful for considering our NYE goals in a black and white manner. The first new moon of 2022 is governed by Capricorn and 10th House themes; maturity, responsibility, authority, leadership, mastery, career, legacy, notoriety, and status. These next six months can be crucial for accomplishing something noteworthy in your life, that may hone your leadership capabilities. It could be a karmic duty or task that comes full circle. You may even rise above any Machiavellisnm in your life as lasting success comes from honest-to-goodness hard work. For some, it could play a part in your relationship with work, being widely known, or even the authority figures in your life (like the Father). To make the most of your new moon, you should consider writing down your goals, creating a game plan to attain your NYE manifestations, or making a vision board. Honor the earthy lunation with a physical representation of your goals. Aside from this, you can also create a money bowl for the next six months. For a money bowl, find a fire-safe bowl and put salt in it. Feel free to include rice. Add loose change, bills, and crystals. I recommend black tourmaline, selenite, clear quartz, green aventurine, malachite, peridot, pyrite, and obsidian. Have at least one black, one green, and one clear/white stone. Black protects, green attracts, and white balances. Once you add these items to the bowl, they stay in the bowl. You can’t take your money or crystals back until the spell is done. If you work in the service industry and have been given a classic $2 bill, then put that in it. You can either clip the money to the bowl or use a magnet. Add any of the following herbs into the bowl: bay leaves (with intentions or names written on the leaves), rosemary, cinnamon, basil, Irish moss, thyme, mint, juniper berries, clove, and dill. Finish with a green or white candle. Light every day for a few minutes. When the candle runs out, repeat the whole process. Do this until the end of the lunar cycle.

The Rising signs will experience a new cycle unfolding in these Houses:

• Aries Rising: 10th House of Career, Legacy, Recognition, Public Status
• Taurus Rising: 9th House of Long-Term Travel, Higher Education, Spirituality, Law, Ethics, Morals, Beliefs
• Gemini Rising: 8th House of Merging, Joint Assets/Finances, Marriages/Divorces, Taboo, Occult, Psychology, Sexual Bonds
• Cancer Rising: 7th House of Contracts, Commitments, Partners (of all kinds)
• Leo Rising: 6th House of Work, Daily Grind, Routine, Healthy Habits/Practices, Pets
• Virgo Rising: 5th House of Joy, Fun, Hobbies, Past-Times, Pregnancy/Children, Dating/Romance, Drama
• Libra Rising: 4th House of Home, Family, Heritage, Mother/Mother-Figure
• Scorpio Rising: 3rd House of Neighborhood, Local Community, Local/Short-Distance Travel, Communication, & Siblings
• Sagittarius Rising: 2nd House of Personal Finances, Financial Security, Material Items, Personal Property, Values
• Capricorn Rising: 1st House of the Self & Perception
• Aquarius Rising: 12th House of Self-Undoing, Hidden Enemies, Hidden Weaknesses, Hidden Talents
• Pisces Rising: 11th House of Greater Community, Friends, Friend Groups, Social Groups, Technology, Dreams, Humanity

Just as we’re getting into the swing of things, Mercury stations retrograde in Aquarius on January 14. This is one of four Mercury retrogrades to occur this year, with three of them being in air and earth signs! Retrogrades are a time to rethink, review, revise. As it’s occurring in Mercury, it’s a relatively short-lived retrograde with significant impacts on everyone’s life. Generally speaking, Mercury retrograde can cause miscommunication, issues in local neighborhoods (immediate groups/connections), travel issues, and technological mishaps. As it regresses through the sign of Aquarius, the themes of ingenuity, innovation, greater communities (all types of networks/connections), friendships, freedom, dreams, and research are also in focus. The air-led retrograde implies being in our heads more than usual, especially if something is said or put online that strikes quite a nerve. It could be difficult to accept quirks, or atypical aspects in our lives during Mercury retrograde in Aquarius. Unforeseen eccentricities or radical changes could erupt.

Then three days later, there will be a nostalgic full moon in Cancer! Full moons can represent not only the end of a cycle but also a checkpoint or milestone. It can represent the end of a chapter too. The lunar journey through Cancer began back on July 9, 2021, under the new moon in Cancer. From then until now, there has been a cycle of nurturing your hearth and heart. Compassion, intuition, leading from the heart, and emotionally investing in new endeavors without fear could have been part of the journey. There may have been significant revelations or adjustments in your private life. Your relationships within your family, especially with your mother, may have changed. It will likely be a highly emotional lunation as it opposes Pluto in Capricorn, representing a transformative death and rebirth. Now under the full moon, you are encouraged to emotionally reflect on your familial dynamics, ancestral relationships, and leadership capabilities have developed. To honor Luna in her domicile state, consider lighting a blue candle for your past relatives. You can adorn the space with things they enjoyed, pictures, and crystals that resonate with you. Another way to honor the lunation would be a shower or bath ritual as it could be a great way to wash away the past, the lingering shadow aspects of Cancer, and any pains that are no longer worth holding onto.

The Rising signs will experience the ending of a cycle in these Houses:

• Aries Rising: 4th House of Home, Family, Heritage, Mother/Mother-Figure
• Taurus Rising: 3rd House of Neighborhood, Local Community, Local/Short-Distance Travel, Communication, & Siblings
• Gemini Rising: 2nd House of Personal Finances, Financial Security, Material Items, Personal Property, Values
• Cancer Rising: 1st House of the Self & Perception
• Leo Rising: 12th House of Self-Undoing, Hidden Enemies, Hidden Weaknesses, Hidden Talents
• Virgo Rising: 11th House of Greater Community, Friends, Friend Groups, Social Groups, Technology, Dreams, Humanity
• Libra Rising: 10th House of Career, Legacy, Recognition, Public Status
• Scorpio Rising: 9th House of Long-Term Travel, Higher Education, Spirituality, Law, Ethics, Morals, Beliefs
• Sagittarius Rising: 8th House of Merging, Joint Assets/Finances, Marriages/Divorces, Taboo, Occult, Psychology, Sexual Bonds
• Capricorn Rising: 7th House of Contracts, Commitments, Partners (of all kinds)
• Aquarius Rising: 6th House of Work, Daily Grind, Routine, Healthy Habits/Practices, Pets
• Pisces Rising: 5th House of Joy, Fun, Hobbies, Past-Times, Pregnancy/Children, Dating/Romance, Drama

Major astrological changes are the following day as Uranus stations direct in Taurus and the Nodes enters the Taurus/Scorpio axis!

Now direct, Uranus in Taurus is ready for a fiscal revolution. Throughout the long retrograde, there was a collective consideration for fiscal matters, primarily what we value. On a personal level, Uranus retrograde may have affected someone’s property, budget, bank account, or appraisal of value. There could have been an internal revolution quaking, ready to shake up the perceived value of what matters. An example of this would be the supply chain crisis, coin shortage, and labor shortage that heightened throughout 2021. Following the long retrograde, Uranus can begin to unfold its chaos in a slow but sure manner. Like an earthquake itself, Uranus in Taurus will erupt. Since it’s a distant, collective planet, the majority of people will feel its effects over time. Following Uranus stationing direct, we can expect serious changes in the economy, such as economic relief, passing incentives to alleviate the labor shortage, passing bills that may correlate with the course of the pandemic this year, or mediating the supply chain crisis. Uranus will shockingly disband old values for new ones, likely encouraging us to consider the Taurus values of comfort, security, stability, and peace. Property may come and go in appalling ways, especially if the appraisal of such property has a significant turn in worth.

Uranus in Taurus is in the U.S.A.’s 6th House of work, health, and routine, so there may be year-long adjustments throughout 2022. Uranus will bring out an unexpected turn of events in this area. For example, there may be changes in working remotely or going back to the office. Everyday routines may be shaken up again, depending on how the collective continues to respond to the pandemic and Saturn in Aquarius’s restrictions. Health could seriously focus on vaccines, such as finding a more effective vaccine that protects against all current strains. Uranus in Taurus could even allude to the health crisis regarding obesity, particularly the probability of nationwide accessibility to healthier food options. Finally, Uranus in Taurus could shake up the higher education debt. As I’m writing this at the end of December 2021, the federal student debt has been payments deferred yet again. So, hopefully, Uranus in Taurus could lead to forgiving student debt or even greater economic relief for students.

Over the last year, the Nodes taught the collective valuable lessons on Sagittarius/Gemini axis. Fate and destiny were rooted in communication, education, travel (local/long-distance), and ideologies. But now, the new karmic past and destined future are activated as the Nodes enter the Taurus/Scorpio axis with the North Node in Taurus and the South Node in Scorpio. Consider the Nodes like a bow and arrow. The South Node represents drawing the arrow back on the bow, the tension that holds the arrow in place. Once you find your target, releasing the arrow is like the catalyst of hurdling towards your North Node. So, the South Node is the karmic past or the comfort zone we feel most comfortable hanging out in because of the tension. But when we rise to the occasion to embody that tension, we reach our fate and destiny in the North Node.

The South Node in Scorpio can represent the shadow aspects of Scorpio and the 8th House as the collective comfort zone to grow from. Themes of power struggles, control, security, relying on other’s resources, psychological manipulation, feigned intimacy, issues with vulnerability, rejecting the taboo, refraining from death, and inability to transform may be apparent. It could represent a dramatic time of using or being used, likely to empower one while disempowering another. Some may see the evilness of the Scorpion phase come out as control issues, wielding trauma as a defense mechanism, or wrongly using sexual energy. The South Node karma is stagnant personal growth resulting from a lack of shadow-work or psychological application. Instead of accepting the shadow self – the taboo and hidden – there’s rejection. As a result, the contained energy of Scorpio becomes a catalyst. Think of the South Node in Scorpio as a Tower moment. From there, the North Node begins to surface.

When each individual feels like the time is right, the North Node in Taurus is ready to launch its fate and destiny. Themes of comfort, security within one’s means, relying on yourself for your necessities, having a well-rounded idea of value, accepting stability, living honestly, having a down-to-earth mentality, gradually accepting and giving intimacy in relationships, and accepting growth as it comes with grace. The North Node in Taurus invites the collective to forgo a mastermind plan to rise, conquer, and control. Instead, the North Node in Taurus propels the fate of comfort and security within personal means. It may look like relying on yourself instead of others or institutions for security. If anything, the North Node in Taurus could be a financially empowering transit as we may come to value our budget, property, and other materialistic items with a simplified lens. The concept of value goes beyond being materialistic, taking on a more graceful tone. Fate and destiny reside in living honestly, which may look differently depending on the person. Regardless, the ultimate destiny is prioritizing a stable lifestyle with committed connections, means of income, and a grounded perspective.

Then a new astrological season begins as the sun enters Aquarius on January 19. Traditionally, the sun is in exile in Aquarius, but any transit has pros and cons. Now in Aquarius, the sun reports to Uranus and Saturn. Both powerful planets give the sun a unique, futuristic authority. As Aquarius is a fixed, air sign concerned with the 11th House of greater communities, technology, and dreams, these aspects will be apparent throughout the astrological season.

Mars finds its exaltation in Capricorn on January 24. Mars leaves the Archer for the Sea-Goat, so the warring planet now reports to Saturn. Now under Saturn’s authoritative rule, Mars operates with productivity. Mars becomes structured in Capricorn, which is ideal for turning dreams into reality. Every action taken is responsible, durable, and calculated. Mars in Capricorn doesn’t waste time when it knows what it wants. But before making that decision, Mars in Capricorn forms a thorough game plan so that it can reach each of its goals. Everything done under Mars in Capricorn aims to build upon a foundation. Long-term goals infer a greater reward, so the tenacious Mars is not afraid to commit to a long-term challenge. After all, Mars in Capricorn has enduring strength. Plus, Mars in Capricorn is practical, so it has realistic goals that can be attained with a little hard work. Since Saturn gives Mars a karmic aura, every move has a consequence. Keep this in mind as you plan accordingly with Mars in Capricorn. Aside from taking action, Mars in Capricorn has a sturdy rage. Since Mars is the minor malefic reporting to the major malefic, this is not a Martian transit to fuel a fight. Mars in Capricorn can be aggressive in a cold, calculated manner. When enraged, this transit will inspire the utter worst (and by that, I mean truly the best next to Mars in Aries or Scorpio). Earth-led Mars transits can have a wave of slow-burning anger, so Mars in Capricorn may take a while to anger. Once triggered, Mars in Capricorn will be ruthless. Controlling and insensitive, Mars in Capricorn won’t think twice about verbally beating someone down with an air of intimidation. The Saturnian complex implies that Mars in Capricorn will only anger if it’s timely, which means that Mars in Capricorn is very aware of the time and place when it acts with aggression. Despite the supposedly cold nature of Mars in Capricorn, it can be a surprisingly sexual transit. It’s not romantic or emotional. This isn’t the Martian transit where you will feel driven to make a passionate scene. If anything, Mars in Capricorn goes to great lengths to keep it professional until sexual feelings are definitively reciprocated. When that happens, Mars in Capricorn will treat sex like a job which means that sexual acts are executed with consistency, efficiency, and excellence. 

Next, Mercury retrograde enters Capricorn on January 25. As it leaves Aquarius, Mercury retrograde becomes less heady and more grounded as it enters Capricorn. The remaining portion of the retrograde will go through the sign of the Sea-Goat, which turns the mental mind to review the Capricorn themes of maturity, accountability, timeliness, and karma. Mercury retrograde can have karmic undertones that may allude to potential self-mastery if the lessons are not only learned, but applied. If anything, the remainder of Mercury retrograde in Capricorn is rather ideal as we can assess before acting. Use this aspect of the retrograde to consider your long-term goals and plans, but from the foundation up.

Finally, Venus stations direct on January 29. Now direct, Venus in Capricorn is ready to move forward with committing to a foundation in love, romance, beauty, art, and money. However, the retrograde’s reminder is to honor each commitment with a practical mindset. Venus will feel more sturdy and headstrong in its direct state. If there’s something Venus in Capricorn wants to do post-retrograde, it will put its head down to get to work! As Venus moves through Capricorn, each commitment should play into a long-term goal or sought-after accomplishment. Ambition is will be the motivation for everything forward-moving Venus does. In money, this could be the commitment to sustaining a budget for a specific period, working towards having a minimum in your savings account, or gradually paying off a financial commitment. It could allude to ridding yourself of debt. Venus could even seek out new financial opportunities to capitalize on! In romance and love, Venus in Capricorn willingly commits to intelligent romantic investments. So, this may mean breaking off relationships or situationships that won’t lead to anything long-lasting. People may find themselves single with incredibly high standards as Venus in Capricorn demands an equal for a partner. Couples are likely willing to put in the work to make their relationship long-lasting. Venus could allude to taking a relationship more seriously by moving in together, sharing assets, even agreeing to marriage. Couple’s therapy could also be on the table as Venus stations direct because the couple could be willing to commit to bettering their relationship. In beauty, Venus could allude to committing to healthier practices, such as adopting a more loving attitude towards yourself or elements of self-compassion. For some, this could be the debut of a glow-up! Even the commitment to physically enhancing yourself through a new style, haircut, or look. Finally, Venus will commit to creative self-expression, adopting your personal style, curating art, or romanticizing your life as art.

The Dates

Follow @the__crone for additional astrology updates. Check out my daily work horoscopes, weekly work horoscopes, and weekly forecast articles on astrology.com!

• 1/2: Mercury enters Aquarius, New Moon in Capricorn
• 1/14: Mercury stations retrograde in Aquarius
• 1/17: Full Moon in Cancer
• 1/18: The Nodes enters the Taurus/Scorpio axis, Uranus stations direct in Taurus
• 1/19: Sun enters Aquarius
• 1/24: Mars enters Capricorn
• 1/25: Mercury Rx enters Capricorn
• 1/29: Venus stations direct in Capricorn