Lunar Transits
Often, I like to start my discussion of transits each month with an examination of the motions of the Moon.
The moon rules such all-encompassing things as the general environment and atmosphere that surrounds and colors our lives; whatever happens with the moon – the sign it occupies in and the aspects it forms – will set the mood and the tone for everything else. Thus being mindful of what’s going on with the moon provides a lot of information in and of itself, and informative for understand other transiting aspects as well.
There are two periods in the early part of the month that we need to watch out for: the 1st-2nd when the moon occupies Capricorn forming a square with mars and a conjunction with Saturn, and the 8th-10th when the moon occupies Aries forming a square with Saturn and a conjunction with mars. In both these cases the moon is being maltreated by two malefics, both of which are in their own domiciles (Saturn rules Capricorn and mars rules Aries).
This can cause general stirs or upsets amongst everyday workings and routines of business. It can cause errors in judgment, miscommunication, and just general “bad luck.” Just this last Saturday on the 12th I was teaching a workshop and the moon was forming the conjunction with mars in Aries and squaring Saturn.
That configuration was culminating in the 10th house an hour before I stared teaching: the computer file containing the handout I was going to give to everyone got corrupted and wouldn’t print, and someone took the projector from the classroom so the slideshow I spent 3 hours crafting became moot. I had to improvise and change things around quite a bit, and I only had 15 minutes to pivot.
Be also mindful when the moon occupies Cancer on the 15th-16th. The moon likes being in cancer and generally this is a favorable period, but this month (and every month until Saturn ingresses into Aquarius) it will be opposed Saturn. This can also cause some restrictions, blocks, and general difficulties. Be also mindful on the 23rd and 24th, when the moon occupies her fall in Scorpio opposed mars. While modern astrologers generally try and whitewash this placement, the simple truth is that the moon does not like to be in this sign.
The moon’s desire for stasis, emotional security, and physical support and nurturance does not fit comfortably into a sign which is preoccupied with death, loss, letting go, and oftentimes paranoia and fear. Traditionally, Gautama Buddha had this placement – one of his core insights is that all the things of the material world (significations of the moon) are empty, transient, and in a state of constant flux (significations of Scorpio). So when the moon occupies this possition, opposed its ruler who is in detriment in Taurus, we can expect those couple of days to be a little rocky.
That’s the negative: some positive periods with be with the moon occupies Taurus on the 11th and 12th – Taurus is the moon’s exaltation and the moon will be forming a trine with Venus. This makes for a very agreeable couple days: The moon in her exaltation will allow for us all to feel more at home and comfortable in our environments and in our bodies, and the chance that any of us will feel overly carried away by our emotions is negligible.
Other Key Points: venus and Mercury
The Venus trine eases interpersonal communication and has the potential to smooth over any difficulties that we may be feeling with other people in our lives. If you have been delaying having a difficult conversation with someone or feel that you really need to get something off of your chest, this is a good time to do so.
The same applies when the moon in in Virgo on the 19th and 20th, but it won’t be as pronounced since the moon doesn’t have any essential dignity in Virgo. Also of note is the moon’s time in libra on the 21st and 22nd – the moon enjoy being in the house of Venus and this placement is considered very positive for diplomatic endeavors and anything that involves connecting in one-on-one relationships.
That sums up stuff for the moon. There’s a couple other planetary motions I’d like to highlight. The first is Mercury, which rules communication, writing, travel, networking, and charm. Mercury will be in Aquarius for the first third of the month, and then on the 10th it moves into Pisces. While it generally likes being in Aquarius (it’s what we call a triplicity ruler) as the rarified, abstract, and intellectual quality of Aquarius coheres well with what Mercury signifies, the watery, interpersonal natural of Pisces is difficult for Mercury.
Mercury is in detriment in Pisces, since mercury’s domicile is Virgo and Virgo is opposite Pisces on the zodiacal wheel. When mercury occupies Pisces, his needs for clear communication and speech, and successful applications of the linear/discursive mind become obscured by Pisces’ emphasis on emotions, deep experiences, subjectivity, and one’s own inner processes.
With Mercury here, we may all feel like our minds are less clear and focused, and they are prone get caught up in our emotional processes. Introversion, introspection, and one’s own emotional processes can become more pronounced in general. This will become intensified when the sun moves into Pisces on February 18th.
Finally, we come to Mars. The red planet occupies Aries for the first half of the month, and then it ingresses into Taurus on the 14th. Mars ioccupies detriment here. The static, relaxed, calm nature of this sign ruled by Venus does not cohere well with the initiative, dynamic, aggressive energy of mars. With mars in Taurus our willpower and our motivation will be dampened – the energy to get things started and get things moving is absent and suppressed by a desire to keep things as they are and uphold the status quo.
One example that a friend of mine uses for mars in Taurus is a general or a gym coach who is responsible for setting the ball in motion and keeping us on our toes who has smoked a fair quanity of cannabis and is sitting under a tree looking at flowers. He’s not in an environment (a zodiacal sign) that i supports the work he wants to do, and our own personal willpower will suffer as a result.
While this is great for meditation, and in some ways practices like Zen that are all about tuning into things exactly how they are will be helped by this placement, it is not as good for finding the internal drive and motivation to get things done.
That sums up the most salient things to watch out for astrologically this month. Of course, Jupiter and Saturn are still in Sagittarius, and the effects that we have been feeling from them will continue. In order to apply these transits to your life more, you can always see which houses and planets they will be transiting in particular. Someone with Taurus in the 5th house will feel this mars transit differently than someone with Taurus in the 11th.