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We’re now right in the middle of Aquarius season – the Sun will move into the next sign of Pisces on Monday 19 February – and all the Aquarian themes are super strong and getting stronger.
A great deal of astrological interpretation depends on locating themes. So Aquarius is one of the signs that has two ruling planets, Saturn the traditional ruler and Uranus the modern or co-ruler. Last Saturday Uranus turned direct –
Saturday 27 January
- Uranus turns direct 19.05 Taurus 07.36
The other golden rule of accurate interpretation is as above, so below. The turnings points of retrograde to direct or vice versa mark turning points for us down here on planet Earth. As Uranus is so slow moving (an 84 year cycle) it will take a while to pick up speed in the right direction, which is why he appears to be “stuck” at 19 degrees of Taurus for so long, ie all of December, January and February, clicks over into 20 degrees Taurus in the middle of March.
So the thematic point is that Uranus is SD (Stationary Direct) just as the Sun travels through Aquarius. The even slower Pluto (248 year cycle) is newly arrived in Aquarius and Mercury follows early on Monday morning. So next week is going to start with the Mercury conjunct Pluto that won’t repeat for another year.
If you’re interested in learning more about aspects have you discovered Astrology King Jamie Partridge’s brilliant website? Here’s a link to get you started –
https://astrologyking.com/mercury-conjunct-pluto/
The end of the week brings the New Moon in Aquarius, swiftly followed by Mercury in Aquarius’ aspects to both Saturn and Jupiter. Mars will move into Aquarius the following week, Tuesday 13 February, followed by Venus on Friday 16 February. So both of them will have Pluto at 0 Aquarius as their first date. And finally we’ll have the Venus – Mars conjunction (once every 2 years) at 6 Aquarius.
Enough Aquarius for you? This is going to be so interesting to watch and I’ll be covering all of the above points in the weekly blog that will be mailed out as usual on Monday. If you’re not already a subscriber and would like to start receiving the blog just message me or go through the sign up boxes on the home page of my website –
Read on for my description as Aquarius as a Sun sign – my father, elder sister, niece, several close friends and a stack of long standing students and clients all Aquarians, it’s a sign that I’ve been up close and personal with all my life, or I should say as up close and personal as Aquarians ever allow.
OPPOSITES ATTRACT – AND EDUCATE
So what does this build up in Aquarius under a powerful Uranus suggest? At a personal level a really helpful starting point is to think about opposite signs. In this case big hearted, fiery and passionate Leo is the sign of the performer, centre stage, individual glory, recognition, attention, you will not ignore me if it’s the last thing I do, you will love and adore me or else I will shrivel up and wither away … how many times have I written that there’s nothing sadder than an unloved Leo? Or madder. Watch out for the roar and the claws.
The opposite sign of cool and objective Aquarius doesn’t show feelings in the same way. They’re all under the surface but you’ve got to dig deep. It’s a total privilege for an Aquarian to bear their soul with you, it doesn’t happen very often, and they’re superb at rationalising as a way of distancing. True intimacy doesn’t come easily to Aquarius whereas Leo just wants to be stroked.
The Other Polarities – here are some ideas, not a definitive and total list, to give you the sense of opposites:
Aries | Self, independence | Libra | The other, partnership |
Taurus | Sensuality, safety | Scorpio | Sexuality, risks |
Gemini | The eternal youth, knows a bit of everything | Sagittarius | The higher mind, knows a lot about something |
Cancer | Home, family, property | Capricorn | Career, empire building |
Virgo | Health of the person | Pisces | Save the world |
So stay cool. Play the game. Don’t allow personal feelings to escalate and try to keep the principles of justice and fairness uppermost in all scenarios. Try to see what is best for everyone. Use lashings of common sense, and work clever as well as hard. Enjoy family get togethers or catch up with friends.
Aquarius and Uranus link to the collective, that sense of community and the importance of team work and group efforts, rather than singling out any individual. This is why political systems like Marxism are said to be Aquarian, or any humanitarian or ecological organisation. Or any fundraising project.
Greta Thunberg is a Capricorn but one of the generation born with Uranus in his own sign of Aquarius. No time of birth for her but would put money on that Uranus dominating her chart, eg on the Ascendant or Midheaven.
So how are these themes showing for you or around you at the moment? I can definitely say that it’s more obvious for me this year as I’ve just finished the book, and that takes you out of circulation faster than anything. Book writing is a totally solitary creative process, fits with my Moon in Leo! If you need to get back in circulation now’s the time to do it.
Also I’ve done my usual shout out for the cat sanctuary (on the Full Moon in Leo sign of the cat) and I’m getting more and more involved, at least to the extent that time allows.
The usual fundraising subjects apply, which are primarily food and the ever present vet bill as the first thing Evie does with any new arrival is organise sterilisation. She will go without things for herself to make sure that this is done because otherwise there literally would be an exploding population and it would be out of control. At any given time there are between 40 and 60 cats up there.
The idea of sterilisation is not established in the Greek culture, not by miles. Even a doctor friend of mine once commented that it wasn’t natural. It’s uphill work to change deeply embedded beliefs and attitudes.
The Aquarian and Uranian themes though say that change starts with education, many hands make light work, many little donations add up.
We’ve also just received the biggest single donation that my fund has ever received which has taken this campaign to a whole new level. We can now start to rebuild the Cat Cave, the outdoor secured section for the sick and needy, a corner of beauty that was tragically destroyed last year in a fire.
If you’d like to watch the progress of the fund, make a donation or share the link here it is. Small amounts are invaluable – 10 Euros buys 24 sachets of kitten food – and you can hide the amount or donate anonymously, whatever you prefer –
https://gogetfunding.com/joanna-watters-for-cat-sanctuary-lefkas/
SUMMER SCHOOL IN GREECE
Talking of groups here are the links for this year’s courses, two in June and two in September. There are definite bookings for all courses so they are all going ahead.
It’s been pointed out to me that I haven’t run an actual beginners astrology course for a long time so there is a possibility that I could schedule one for May. If that’s of interest to you do let me know asap and I’ll take it from there.
https://joannawatters.com/course/tarot-and-astrology/ – with me
https://joannawatters.com/course/answer-questions-horary-astrology/ – with Elisabeth Brooke
https://joannawatters.com/course/astrology-readings/ – with me
https://joannawatters.com/course/medieval-astrology-secrets/– with Chris Mitchell
LOVE STUFF
One golden rule to follow for the next few weeks is friendship first. Aquarians place a high value on friendship and, contrary to popular ideas, tend not to have large circles of friends but a select chosen few. Aquarius is associated with above average intelligence and a meeting of minds is crucial. Remember we’re heading for the Venus (women) Mars (men) conjunction – or any gender combination – that signifies two people coming together.
Here’s the lowdown on Aquarius taken from my book –
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 –
SUN IN AQUARIUS
- Ruling planet: Saturn
- Co ruler: Uranus
- Symbol: The Water Bearer
- Element and Mode: Fixed Air
- Key Phrase: I understand
Spot the Aquarian
As two very different planets rule this sign between them so are there two distinct types of Aquarians. The Saturn type is conservative and tends to dress down, even for a special occasion. Favourite items get worn until they drop into holes and indulgence is frowned upon so the women tend to eschew makeup or jewelry. The Uranus type is quite the opposite, experimenting wildly with styles and colours regardless of what may be in fashion. They take pride in their own unique look, which sometimes comes off as flamboyant or eccentric, and often stand out in a crowd. In the physical body Aquarius rules the lower leg and ankles, and the women in particular tend to have long legs and lovely slender ankles. Aquarius also rules the circulation and this sign usually suffers from the cold. Look for the person huddled in a sweater on a warm day. Also look for stunning eyes, often a piercing metallic blue in Uranian types.
The Aquarian Nature
Much can be learned about the Sun signs by considering the nature of opposites. The blazing fire sign of Leo prizes individuality but Aquarius is the voice of the collective. The immediate paradox with this sign is that, although they are the sign of the group, they often struggle to “fit in”. It is unusual to find an Aquarian who has not had the experience of feeling deeply “different” from their peers, even from a very early age. Often there is a childhood story of feeling misunderstood or sidelined, or of being raised in a family culture of strict rules or emotional neglect.
Quirky, unusual, curious and usually of above average intelligence an Aquarian tends to make sense of the world through logic rather than feelings. Organized, systematic, compulsive list makers, placing great value on their own particular way of doing things, these individuals have strong and often unshakeable convictions. Never enter into an argument or a heated debate thinking for one moment that you will win. As Aquarian astrologer, the late Derek Appleby, once said to me, “Virgos think they are right, Aquarians know they are right!” Or in the words of another Aquarian friend, “it’s not me who is strange, it’s everyone else”.
Love & Relationships
The textbooks tell us that Aquarians are cold, detached and lacking in empathy. While it is true that they can definitely give this impression, and some Aquarians do end up in closing down a lot of their feelings or never fully recover from early repression, you can rest assured that more usually there is a turmoil bubbling behind the cool mask of indifference. Some of the most emotional people I have ever known are Aquarians, but they definitely take a lot of getting to know.
The journey from friendliness to true intimacy is a long one for this complex sign. Saturnian types in particular are easily embarrassed or uncomfortable with displays of emotion and can be disconnected from their own authentic feelings. They crave union yet they create distance, often by giving out the wrong signals of superiority, inflexibility or militant independence. Uranian types can also be intransigent but are more gregarious, easily embracing the unconventional and attaching huge importance to their many and varied friendships.
Unsurprisingly, then, Aquarians especially need time to build trust and understanding, and successful partnership tends to spring from friendship first, lust second. A true meeting of minds is crucial for this sign and, even when a relationship breaks up, Aquarians tend to keep ex lovers and partners as friends whenever possible. Emotional bonds, once forged, foster a touching and steadfast loyalty.
Vocation
Aquarius is objective and stands for the bigger picture of society, the planet and the world at large. Communism and organizations such as Greenpeace, Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières can all be said to be Aquarian. Inside every Aquarian is a conscience, a sense of definite rights and wrongs, a moralist, a rebel or a philanthropist so any work that is aimed for the greater good of the whole has their name written all over it. This is where the Aquarian low on drama streak works most effectively, on causes that need brain power rather than purely an emotional reaction to human suffering.
Along with humanitarian, ecological and revolutionary concerns many Aquarians are also to be found in political offices, social work or teaching roles, especially those linked to minorities or special needs. With their disciplined nature and appreciation of structure and systems they are also able administrators, making for good team players or leaders within large companies or departments. With Uranus’ link to technology many Aquarians are also drawn to the world of I.T. and inventions. With their curiosity, brilliance and being ahead of their time this is where we find the mad professor archetype, producing geniuses, scientists and original thinkers.
Health
Aquarius rules the legs, especially the lower legs and the ankles, and all accidents or afflictions affecting these parts of the body. It also rules circulation of the blood and this sign often suffers from the cold or circulatory problems. Metaphorically, this links to Aquarians’ reputation for coolness and can signal the need to create warmth, cosiness and passion in their lives.
Regular exercise also benefits this sign. With their intellect there is a higher than average risk of living too much in their heads and neglecting the physical body. Psychotherapy and counseling in any form are also powerful tools for channeling their busy brains along the neural pathways to good mental health and the avoidance of nervous ailments.
In a nutshell: systematic, impartial, inquisitive, friendly, humane, original.
Textbook Aquarians
Oprah Winfrey shot to fame by revolutionizing the talk show format through her emotional involvement with her guests. Known as the greatest black philanthropist in American history she has donated about $400 million to educational causes.
When Rosa Parks refused on 1 December 1955 to give up her bus seat to a white person she became an international symbol for the fight against racial segregation. The United States Congress has referred to her as “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement”.
Groundbreaking naturalist Charles Darwin changed the face of evolutionary theory forever. His personal life was subjected to the same systematic detachment, with two lists headed “Marry” and “Not Marry”. The pros included “constant companion and a friend in old age … better than a dog anyhow”.
MOON SIGNS – CONTINUED
Also taken from my book Essential Astrology I’m serializing the Moon signs, continuing today with Scorpio.
MOON IN SCORPIO (Sign of “Fall”)
Note that Mars thrives in Scorpio where the Moon is at her most vulnerable. Then throw in the fact that Scorpio is also co-ruled by all or nothing Pluto, planet of power, sex, death and rebirth, and you begin to have a taste of what Moon in Scorpio people are up against. Formative experiences amongst my own client work include early bereavement, the wicked stepmother, being rigidly controlled or suffering abuse.
These Moon people absolutely have to find their own power or they can abuse in return or self destruct. Often this means rebellion or flying in the face of convention in order to embark upon the healing journey. Louise Hay was raped at age 5, dropped out of school, had a teenage pregnancy and, on her 16th birthday, gave up her baby daughter for adoption. Gynecological problems are common for women with this Moon sign and in her early fifties she was diagnosed with “incurable” cervical cancer. She refused conventional treatment and cured herself. She is now world famous for her book You Can Heal Your Life which investigates the physical – metaphysical nature of disease.
Nancy Friday also embodies the awesome “powerful woman” archetype of this Moon. She exploded the taboo around women’s sexual fantasies with her first book My Secret Garden, and explored the psychology of guilt about sex that women hand down to each other in My Mother, My Self.
A psychologically and spiritually enriched life is possibly this Moon’s paramount need. The gift of deep insight often extends into psychic abilities too. This is Nostradamus’ Moon.
In a nutshell: wounded, resilient, transformational.
OTHER CELEBS WITH MOON IN SCORPIO
- Ben Affleck
- Beyonce
- Bob Marley
- Caroline Princess of Hanover
- Charlie Chaplin
- Elizabeth Taylor
- James Dean
- Jennifer Lopez
- Kate Moss
- Katy Perry
- Lady Gaga
- Lily-Rose Depp
- Margot Robbie
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Miley Cyrus
- Nelson Mandela
- Orlando Bloom
- Robbie Williams
- Scarlett Johanssen
- Will Smith