Everything feels up in the air when the Sun moves out of detail-oriented Capricorn and into big-picture Aquarius on January 20th. This zodiacal zoom-out can seem a little disorientating, especially when faced with the blank canvas that is this new year. Take comfort in this astrological season’s keyphrase, “I know”, as it has the ability to be the lodestone of your life. The phrase “I know” isn’t meant to place you above reproach, but rather act as a mantra: you know what you know and you know what you don’t.
WELCOME TO AQUARIUS SEASON!
Aquarius might be the hardest sign in the zodiac to pin down; they’re a walking contradiction! It is an air sign, despite the watery aspect of its glyph and its name, which means ‘the water bearer’. Natives of this sign fiercely value their individuality and embrace their eccentricity. I’ve never met one Aquarius that was exactly like the other (trust me–as a person who was raised by two Aquarius parents alongside an Aquarius sibling), though they do all have that distinctive Vibe™.
So how do we come to understand this sign and the lessons this season has to offer? By going back to the beginning! Aquarius is one of a handful of zodiac signs with an undefined origin story; the widely accepted myth is that of Ganymede–a “lovely” Trojan prince abducted by Zeus who granted him eternal youth in exchange for his services as cupbearer and later placed him in the sky as the constellation known as Aquarius as a gesture of gratitude, if not devotion. Personally, I find the (admittedly less popular) version of this sign’s origin myth–involving the Cecrops–to be a more fitting parable in understanding the Aquarius archetype.
Cecrops was a king of Attica–the city that would later be renamed Athens in honor of the goddess Athena’s triumph over Poseidon in a contest for the city. Cecrops was actually the judge of this contest, highlighting the Aquarian habit of choosing the intellect (Athena) over the emotional (Poseidon). Cecrops was credited for having introduced the concepts of marriage, reading and writing, and ceremonial burial to the Athenians. These concepts absolutely revolutionized society at the time and really showcase that which is fundamental to the Aquarius archetype. They are forward-thinkers, certainly, but propelling humanity forward is absolutely key.
SEASONAL FORECAST
Despite some rocky astrology transits at the start of this year, the new moon in Aquarius sets off the season with a much needed reminder: ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. New moons are natural opportunities to manifest your desires; under this lunation–in innovative Aquarius–we are being influenced to dream big. Wide, too, maybe. It’s not a matter of ambition, it’s a matter of thinking outside the box.
This new moon is a time for magical thinking. It is a time to indulge your daydreams and a time to tear down the mental roadblocks unconsciously (or consciously) placed. This lunation is a billboard on the cosmic highway; the universe doesn’t want you to fit the mold, it wants you to break the mold.
Camila Rivera
Going against the grain is easier said than done, but the universe is installing a safety net for us on January 26th when Venus enters Pisces–the sign of her exaltation. As a sign, Pisces doesn’t like to trouble itself with whatever keeps it contained. Love is love is love, after all, and I can think of no better mantra to maintain during this hard season. The full moon in Leo on February 5th is an exclamation point on the matter, as Leo rules the heart. This lunation influences us to express (and play!) with a child’s heart: light, free, limitless. Creativity can strike like lightning around this time so keep your eyes peeled in case the Muse decides to visit. But remember! Drama is better left on the big screen; approach every situation with a temperate heart and a sound mind.
Mercury’s movement into Aquarius on February 11th is a cosmic nudge to merge the inner work we’ve been doing all January with our outer reality. Things aren’t fully real unless they live in the world, so take this as an opportunity to cement the new reality you’ve been building for yourself. On another note, the god of communication–when flying with Air Aquarius–seeks out new methodologies during this time. Allow his flights of fancy to inspire you: take a new route to work, pick up a random book in a genre you don’t normally read, clear space in your life to be surprised! We can get stuck in our routines because they’re as useful as they are comfortable, but they can take the wonder out of our day-to-day lives. This Mercury in Aquarius transit wants to know and the only way to truly know is to live without fear of failure or ridicule.