January Horoscopes

Astrology of January
Current Configurations
Past Months

Aries	Libra
Taurus	Scorpio
Gemini	Sagittarius
Cancer	Capricorn
Leo	Aquarius
Virgo	Pisces

January 2008

Current Astrology

	The Sun is in Gemini
	The Moon is in LibraThe Gibbous Moon is in Libra, Enters Scorpio 4:45 pm
	Moon Void of Course 7:53 am to 4:45 pm
	Next Mercury Retrograde Aug 23 - Sep 15

Current Configurations

by Henry Seltzer

January 8th New Moon
The New Moon in mid-Capricorn sextiles Uranus and is exactly semi-square the Uranus / Neptune midpoint, indicating that the energies of these imaginative planets may come to the fore at this time. All three outer planets, including Pluto, are about transformation but the actions of these two is more subtle. Uranus is the awakener, sometimes quite suddenly, while Neptune dissolves existing structure and opens us to the vast inner dimension of greater reality, the spiritual truth that we are all one. Together they represent the opportunity for the numinous to enter our lives more fully. This pull toward spiritual epiphany thus counters the earth-bound nature of the sign of Capricorn. Mercury also enters Aquarius this same day, where it will retrograde at the end of the month.

January 15th First Quarter Moon
The First Quarter Moon forms a sesqui-yod with Saturn, meaning that each luminary makes a sesquiquadrate or 135 degree aspect to it as they square each other. Strong aspects to Saturn emphasize its symbolism of limitation and concrete reality. Saturn is in any case the ruler of Capricorn, where New Moon has taken place, but the powerful other-worldly energies of the outer planets offset this practical side of the New Moon cycle, until now.

January 22nd Full Moon
The Full Moon again aspects Uranus, by semi-square and sesquiquadrate, and there may be surprises. Also at this time, Venus is in close aspect with Pluto, while Jupiter trines Saturn. Venus with Pluto implies that we will be taking a closer look at all our relationships at this juncture. This is either a hopeful or a difficult time, depending on how you take it, either Jupiter acting on Saturn, or Saturn acting on Jupiter. The good thing about it is that you get to choose.

Pluto enters Capricorn on Friday evening, January 25th. This event heralds a sixteen year cycle of cosmic challenge, so that the exact date of this ingress is not that important, although its symbolism will reverberate through our society over the next two decades.

January 28th Mercury retrograde
The last few days of January are packed with dramatic planetary aspects, and this Mercury retrograde in conjunction with Neptune is only one. The close Mercury-Neptune conjunction is also trine a stationing Mars in late Gemini. We can tune into the otherworldly nature of this glimpse of higher reality, which is really beyond our conscious understanding, or we can shut our eyes to what we might see. In any case we could find ourselves deceived by the appearance of things. The action of Mars on Neptune is to bring the numinous possibility closer to the surface of life, confounding the mundane realism streaming past us, while Neptune's effect on Mars is to let us seem to be what we think we are within each changeable moment.

January 29th Last Quarter Moon
The Last Quarter Moon forms a sesqui-yod to Mars just as it is standing still in the sky, about to change into direct motion the next day, and still in aspect to Mercury and Neptune, and brings out Jupiter's trine with Saturn as well. We will be feeling closely connected to the surrounding social structure at the same time that we are driven to transcend it.