This is a copy of my free newsletter that goes out to my mailing list every other weekend. Welcome to the first of the year, and Happy New Year. You can add yourself to the free mailing list using the sign up box on the home page of this website or just contact me direct and I’ll add you myself.
So here we go into 2024 and astrologically it could hardly have got off to a better start with Jupiter turning direct on NYE followed by Mercury turning direct just two days later.
This is a great double act as any combo of Mercury (the mind and communication planet) and Jupiter (all positive and beneficial things such as opportunity, luck, liberation, travel) often signals good news, great decisions or the chance to make positive progress with the things in your life that are currently most important to you.
As an astrologer I obviously listen to a lot of bad news, goes with the territory, the time for a reading is generally when you’re having struggles and not when life is going smoothly. So it’s actually been very uplifting to watch this symbolism working out, both in email news and in the lives of those around me.
News has included two people making “no going back” escapes from abusive relationships, an engagement, a long awaited and longed for IVF pregnancy that’s going really well, the birth of a first grandchild, quitting a horrible job, a health diagnosis that was a revelation and an animal rescue. Not bad for the first 6 days of the year.
The rescue work fits with the lesser known side to Jupiter, who is primarily associated with his masculine sign of bouncy Sagittarius – the learner, traveller and freedom lover – but who has a softer side as expressed through his feminine sign of Pisces. In this combination we find compassion for suffering, and the archetype of the Rescuer and Protector of those in need.
Of course it’s not all smelling of roses, there has been some sadness too, and this leads me to Kate Garraway – no time of birth for her but Sun Taurus, Moon in Pisces – wife turned rescuer and protector. Her husband, Derek Draper, had been in and out of a comatose state after contracting Covid in the very first deadly wave in early 2020.
Kate spent Christmas in hospital with her husband after he suffered a heart attack in December, and yesterday announced the news of his death. During the last few years she’s been very much in the public eye, not just with her usual media work but in particular with her work about Derek’s condition, including documentaries and a book entitled The Power of Hope. It’s not hard to see why she captured the UK’s heart.
Her exhaustion, at every level, is the first thing I thought of when I read that she’s now taking an indefinite leave of absence and has cancelled all of her TV and radio work. If you’ve ever been a carer you’ll identify with that. I remember at the end of my time I didn’t even use the word “died”, I just said, “it’s all over.”
I mention Kate’s story not just because it’s deeply moving but because I was absolutely positive that she would have something picking up the degree at which Jupiter turned direct. I remember tutor Derek Appleby saying that Jupiter often showed for deaths of the merciful release kind, when all hope of any quality of life was over.
I don’t say this to be morbid. Quite the opposite. When we can see any kind of loss in the astrology it’s a huge stepping stone to acceptance, knowing that everything really does happen at its appointed time.
Chiron the Wounded Healer also often shows for all matters relating to health, who has also just turned direct, at the end of December and not 1 January as I wrongly posted last week –
Wednesday 27 December
- Chiron turns direct at 15 Aries 03.10
Sunday 31 December
- Jupiter turned direct at 5 Taurus
Tuesday 2 January
- Mercury turned direct at 22 Sagittarius
Kate Garraway – 4 May 1967 – in fact picks up all of these three turning points, with three personal planets all either exactly at or very close to the sensitive degrees –
- Natal Mercury – 5 Taurus – conjunct Jupiter’s turning point
- Natal Venus – 23 Gemini – opposite Mercury’s turning point
- Natal Mars – 18 Libra – opposite Chiron’s turning point
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Kate_Garraway
It’s been pointed out to me that not everyone is familiar with how Instagram works. It’s changed a lot since I first used it pre pandemic. I now use it from my desktop, which means loading a photo of your choice first and then adding text on the next page. So on any Instagram account you simply click on the photos to reveal the accompanying text.
You can now follow me on Instagram for free daily astrology posts –
https://www.instagram.com/joannawattersastrology/
You’ll also find these posts on my Facebook group The World of Astrology – https://www.facebook.com/groups/131108987086161
FRIDAY’S POST ON INSTAGRAM
With Mercury and Jupiter newly direct we fully expect to see these sensitive degrees showing strongly in the horoscopes of those hitting the headlines.
OSCAR PISTORIUS
Oscar Pistorius the former Paralympic champion came out of prison on Friday on parole, having served half of his sentence for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013. Under South African law, all offenders are entitled to be considered for parole once they have served half their total sentence.
One of the most important things to remember when studying astrology, and therefore horoscopes – and therefore people’s lives – is to suspend personal opinions. Instead we must focus on what the astrology is telling us.
Does Oscar Pistorius have anything at these sensitive degrees? He has both. Venus is at 5 Scorpio, exactly opposite Jupiter’s turning point, and Uranus is at 21 Sagittarius, conjunct Mercury’s turning point, opposite Chiron at nearly 20 Gemini. This is liberation for him at one level, but he’ll be the source of ongoing controversy for a very long time.
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Oscar_Pistorius
READINGS 2024
There is ONE slot left for a 2-hour year ahead reading which is staying at the same price –
- YOUR YEAR AHEAD 2024 – a detailed report of transits from both the outer and personal planets, progressions and lunations for the next 12 months. We can also cover any specific questions – £245.00 for all prep and a 2 hours consultation
There are now two categories for consultation fees. You can subscribe to the blog at the time of booking a reading in order to qualify for the subscribers’ rates. Wait time is currently 4 to 5 weeks –
A first horoscope reading, natal interpretation, reference to the past and key features for the coming year – one hour and a quarter £165.00 / Weekly Blog Subscribers £145.00
Subsequent readings – one hour £125.00 / Weekly Blog Subscribers £105.00
Tarot with reference to your horoscope for the next 6 months, ideal for specific questions – £125.00 / Weekly Blog Subscribers £105.00
NEXT WEEK’S BLOG
The Weekly Blog still goes out every Monday and averages 3.5k words. I cover all of the unfolding astrology for the week ahead and include interpretation techniques, for a deeper understanding of both natal and predictive work.
Have you been missing the weekly blog, if you’re now on this fortnightly mailing only? Everyone is entitled to one free week so do let me know if you’d like to receive yours, at any time.
Subscription fees for the blog are staying the same and are designed to be affordable for everyone –
- Monthly subscription of £5.95 – or £1.37 a week
- Annual subscription £57.00 – or £1.09 a week
If you’re allergic to filling in sign up boxes or PayPal just reply to this newsletter so that I can make this painless and add you myself.
joannaw@otenet.gr or WhatsApp 00306976296085
UK bank details on request or you can find the PayPal links on the home page of my website – https://joannawatters.com/
Wherever possible I illustrate my points with an example horoscope of someone currently in the news, or in my own life or in the stories unfolding around me. My aim is to ensure that you learn something new every week.
This coming week will include –
- More about Mercury and Jupiter now both moving things in the right direction and what to expect in our lives with these two planets picking up speed now and over the next few weeks
- The final of the three Mercury – Neptune squares
- A very powerful Mars in the picture – exalted in Capricorn and making positive aspects to Saturn and then Jupiter
- The Capricorn New Moon in a trine (positive aspect) to Uranus
- Uranus in turn is SD – Stationary Direct, getting ready to switch back to direct motion on 27 January.
- The words “ground breaking” come to mind and I hope that’s not literal in terms of any more earthquakes, but there’s a lot of shifting going on.
- So I don’t think that this New Moon is going to be just about Capricorn work and career stuff, but part of an ongoing shakeup, and I’ll be developing this theme
- Horoscopes – so far am looking at Glynis Johns who died this week age 100, memorable for playing the suffragette mum to the children in Mary Poppins, the first Disney feminist!
- This of course led me to the horoscope for P L Travers who wrote the book and famously battled with Walt Disney about his production, captured in the movie Saving Mr Banks, some fascinating psychology going on there re Travers own childhood.
- Which of course has led me on to Disney himself, Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson … I’ll see how far I can get with time and space!
May 2024 bring you Jupiter blessings,
Until next time, love from Lefkada
Joanna
MOON SIGNS – CONTINUED
Taken from my book Essential Astrology I’m serializing the Moon signs, continuing today with Virgo.
Essential Astrology (previous titled Be Your Own Astrologer) has been relaunched under the new title by Cico Books. Here’s the link for the paperback or kindle version on Amazon –
NATAL MOON IN VIRGO
The Moon in Mercury’s feminine sign is more complicated than it seems. Early stories include parents who set impossibly high standards, working parents who never had enough time for their children, never feeling good enough or winning love through achievements. Often they battle with the ingrained belief that they are unlovable when in fact it was their parents who were unloving.
One of my Moon Virgo clients traced many of her problems back to her mother, who was the ultimate housewife, investing all of her energy into keeping a perfect home and holding lavish dinner parties for her top businessman husband. This fits perfectly with the Moon (mother) in Virgo (perfection and service) in a routine that was sacrosanct. Even my client’s teenage suicide attempt was interpreted and treated as a massive inconvenience. The Moon rules mirrors and illusion, so the real issue of course was that she had shattered the image of the perfect family.
That, of course, is one of the worst case scenarios but it illustrates the very sensitive and complex needs of this Moon. The Virgo tendency to pick things apart can make the emotional life a hard one and eating disorders are a common problem. These individuals need gentleness, unwavering approval and acceptance.
They also thrive on routine when it is not too obsessive. Just don’t move their things around, they notice the slightest thing out of place, or leave the bathroom in a mess! They may be overly fastidious and fretful but, when happy, they are delightful, witty, deeply insightful and, when you are in need, they are the first to come to the rescue.
In a nutshell: vulnerable, meticulous, observant.
CELEBS WITH NATAL MOON IN VIRGO
- 14th Dalai Lama
- Courteney Cox
- Dolly Parton
- Elon Musk
- Gordon Ramsay
- J K Rowling
- Jack Nicholson
- JFK
- Jodie Foster
- Madonna
- Princess Anne
- Richard Branson
- Robert Redford
- Sean Connery
- Serena Williams
- Zac Efron
ASTROLOGERS CALENDAR 2024 by JILL SHEARER
A lovely New Year idea is Jill Shearer’s beautifully crafted astrologers’ calendar that she produces every year, a bargain for £18.00, you can order from her Etsy shop with a delivery time of about 3 days, here’s the link –