January 2010 - A sample from the Datebook
4 January 10
We inherit two important Retrograde planets from 2009 – Mercury and Mars – who continue to back up in the heavens as we begin the new year. Mercury Rx is famous for brewing up blizzards and extreme weather conditions, especially now that he is in Winter sign Capricorn. Confusion, delays and schedule changes all add an extra level of stress to our lives during this part of Mercury’s cycle which finally ends on Jan 15.
Mars is also Rx all month long. Energy levels will be low around your home or office. So, this is not a good month to push new ideas and plans out into the world.
Saturn and Pluto will again make an exact square on Jan 31 increasing the pressure on financial systems worldwide, and on your own budget, too. Pluto will bring hardship to the masses in some way. Saturn can be selfish and cruel. Be conservative and patient in Jan. The theme of this square is contraction – Mars Rx at the same time makes it even more difficult.
In the midst of this bleak Skywatch forecast lucky Jupiter slips into one of his home signs, Pisces, on Jan 17. This once every 12 year event increases our creative, compassionate, psychic and spiritual awareness. And prompts us all to slip off into a good book, cd or movie – art and music can be healing in the months ahead. Pisces rules our dreams and this is an excellent time to start a dream journal or your masterpiece, if you have a book to write. Dancing lessons are bound to be more popular in the months ahead – Pisces rules the feet and shoes. So, 2010 is a good year to take music, art, dancing, painting classes. Swimming lessons, too.
KISS DAYS; 4+, 8, 11+, 18, 21+, 24. Use the best days + for financial transactions, and for beauty treatments as lovely Venus is on stage those days. Be sure to double check the details on the first three days while Mercury is Rx. This can also be when something/someone positive from your past reappears in your life.
QUACK DAYS: 5, 7, 29+, 30+, 31+. There’s a huge load of stress in the Skywatch which can lead to violence, breakdowns, accidents and crime these last three days. A Full Moon in Leo is conjunct Mars Rx right in the middle of the difficult Saturn Pluto square that weekend. This is like bowling with hand grenades – the energy on the street will be cold, cold, cold, and selfish. Be mindful, be safe. Lock up.
For some reason, every time Saturn makes hard aspects with planets like Pluto, my sister and I get a lot of things done. Organized, hard working, and steady as she goes, I’d say.
— Pam O Jan 6, 05:43 PM #that’s the best use of their energy…work and organize things….
you are right on…and it’s likely in your chart that Saturn and Pluto are aligned in harmony…
so, their appearance, even in a square, triggers this good energy in your life…
just a guess…
— Lance Ferguson Jan 6, 09:43 PM #Regarding Saturn/Pluto in your birth chart — what if they’re in a hard (square) aspect? Does that make the Saturn/Pluto square by transit more difficult to deal with? Or possibly if you have the square in your natal chart, does it have less impact because you’ve learned to adjust to those kinds of stresses?
An astrologer once told me that if you have a natal Saturn/Pluto hard aspect, you tend to stagnate but then make important changes all at the same time; would that also apply to the transit?
— Mimi K Jan 9, 07:18 PM #I have a Saturn PLuto conjunction in my first house…
I think all of what you ask depends on how you handle the aspects that you have…
my thinking is if you know/have Saturn Pluto aspects and have dealt with them in some manner…
you won’t be blasted by the square that comes up now…
if you haven’t dealt with the energy in your life…this square could be a real shit disturber…
— Lance Ferguson Jan 9, 08:41 PM #Interesting point. The stress of the hard Saturn/Pluto aspects feels “familiar” to me.
What seems to work is to not make things heavier or more enmeshed during these transits. It seems you can’t always make things better but you can make them worse! So there are choices in how to respond. And I try to use a bit of prayer to lift the energies if I can.
I had simultaneous hard aspects of Saturn to Pluto and Pluto to Saturn a while back and worked two full-time jobs in a somewhat harsh situation. Wasn’t very rewarding but I learned to endure and toughen up during those times.
— Mimi K Jan 9, 11:06 PM #Hi Lance, I just ordered my 2010 datebook. Can’t wait to receive it! I am about to enter my Saturn return this April, when I’ll turn 57. Any advice on how to manage it?
— Pam C Jan 11, 02:42 PM #Saturn return…at 29 and 58…is a time to realize time is passing…
and therefore you need to make some plans for the future…
knowing that you will be older and probably ready for a quieter lifestyle…
this is a good time to go up on the mountain…and see where you are…and what else you need to do…
as times change…
— Lance Ferguson Jan 11, 09:12 PM #I learn so much just from reading your comments. The year following my 29th birthday was cathartic. I quit smoking, started exercising and meditating, got pregnant and got closer than ever to my husband. That Saturn return is a big time for change. I can’t wait to see what happens after I turn 58!
When I grow up I want to be an old woman
— TJ Jan 13, 01:17 PM #P.S. The datebook is an invaluable resource. Knowing when to watch out for foggy brains and bad reactions or when to plan a fun trip for the entire family is a big help to this stay-at-home mom. My husband even marks the quack days on his work calendar, so he knows when to expect not-so good days. Thanks again Lance for sharing your knowledge and insight!
— TJ Jan 13, 01:22 PM #29 and 58…the big change in coaches at USC…he’s 58.
and you’ll see that a lot – a big boost in career on the second Saturn return…
I’m delighted you are tuned into astrology…
there’s something to be said for going with the flow…
— Lance Ferguson Jan 13, 06:08 PM #I know 59 years ago in Chinese astrology, I was born in the year of the ‘tiger’ with the element of ‘metal.’ Chinese new year 2010 is the year of the tiger, with the element of metal. What conjunction has a 59 year cycle?
— Merle Jan 16, 04:57 AM #Saturn returns to his original spot at 28 and 58-9 years of age.
— Lance Ferguson Jan 16, 08:33 AM #SATURN return!
(headsmack)
of course.
(duh! I even knew that!)
— Merle Jan 16, 05:35 PM #Interesting comments on Saturn Returns for this year. Depending what degree Saturn was in the natal chart may well be influenced with the Cardinal T-square that is happening. My Sat is at 1 degree Libra—and what a deep, transformative, and challenging time this is for me. Meditation & connecting with Spirit are what are the saving grace—my Jupiter is at 0 Pisces and this is positive too. May blessings and positive energy flow to all—Namesté.
— María Jan 17, 07:46 PM #Skywatch is an interesting site! A bit like an astrological weather chart.As a Scorpio going through her first saturn return I need all the help I can get as it has been rocky…I’ll be back here to have a look.
— Meagan Feb 2, 04:06 AM #Thank you so much for the datebook.I wish I had read it at Christmas time and I would have been informed about mars retrograde-forewarned is forearmed and all that!!
— Meagan Feb 2, 09:06 PM #Mars rx makes for huge misunderstandings and OTT reactions.Just gotta keep cool through the rest of this transit and this extra information is so helpful to this stressed out Scorpio!