It’s the most wonderful time of the year if you are an astrologer! We can finally start sitting with the astrology of the upcoming year. 2023 was quite a strange one that ended on the most bitter of notes, but 2024 is slated to offer us something a little more… interesting. The reason I say this is because we are starting the first of two transitional years that bring us closer to some major planetary shifts.
It took a lot of strength to avoid calling this post “mutable madness,” because there is a profound emphasis on what is happening in the mutable signs this year. There is a feeling of veering off into uncharted territory this year, that will test our willingness to push past the fragile stability we have fought to maintain the past couple of years. I would argue that the only stability that 2021-2023 offered was setting hard boundaries of where we cannot go back. The only challenge is that no one really agrees on what moving forward should look like. Fragmentation and scattering feel apt for the overall vibe of 2024 given this mutable emphasis. I hope my top transit picks of the year help you understand why:
Jupiter ingress into Gemini
Eclipses in Aries, Libra, & Pisces
Venus Star Point in Gemini
Mars Retrograde in Leo (& Cancer)
Jupiter ingress into Gemini
On May 25th, the greater benefic moves into the airy domicile of Mercury. Jupiter moves into the sign of its detriment, bringing up key challenges around the concepts of truth, morality, and narratives that the collective should place their faith in. Since Jupiter is in Mercury’s sign, there can be a focus on anecdotes and specific pieces of evidence over making sense of these things in a greater context. There may also be a sense of moral decay since anecdotes might make us think about how relative morality can be— “rules for thee, but not for me.” To add insult to injury, Saturn in Pisces is applying pressure to Jupiter in the form of looking for guidance to deal with fluctuating boundaries. Unfortunately, Jupiter has lost the plot and Saturn may force us to scrutinize these systems of thought and and belief in ways that skew negative.
But fear not— Jupiter has triplicity in Air signs, meaning the Air element is compatible with jovial principles. There is a quality of exploration, experimentation, and fluidity where Jupiter can operate comfortably. This may be a great year for challenging outdated modes of thought and morality, but also for making important scientific discoveries. People do not talk enough about how having too many options can provide a sense of analysis paralysis. And while Jupiter in Gemini may bring that, there is a sense of excitement that can come from stringing seemingly infinite options together. Saturn may also provide the necessary boundaries to limit senseless exploration.
Eclipses in Aries, Libra, & Pisces
Similarly to last year, we continue our deep exploration of the Nodal Axis in Aries and Libra through the eclipses. We are also continuing our trend of weak lunar eclipses this year since we do not get a proper Blood Moon until 2025. Yet again we are experiencing potential for unstable elevation and brutal humbling since the Sun is being eclipsed on the axis which it is exalted or fallen.
The Spring 2024 eclipses share the quality of being ruled by planets conjoining Saturn in the second decan of Pisces. On March 24th/25th, we get our first lunar eclipse in Libra. This one is interesting because it is ruled by an exalted Venus and because the lunation occurs in the lunar decan of Libra. While there is a chance for peace and equilibrium, there are deep connotations of disparity and how one responds to it in that first decan. With Venus coming out on the other side of her conjunction to Saturn, there is a sense of making some profitable exchange in favor of not crossing a boundary. There is a sense of turning a blind eye for personal gain or comfort, and a tenuous peace. It feels like denying equitable access to something to increase its value or scarcity.
This sets the stage for the Aries solar eclipse on April 8th. The tone is much more intense and not as subtle, since the Sun is eclipsed on its exaltation degree. I have always adopted the point of view that exalted and domiciled eclipses can have seemingly positive themes under very unstable circumstances. Given the narrative of deposing of kings associated with thousands of years of eclipse lore, I feel like some authority figure gets elevated at the expense of another. To add insult to injury, Mars rules this eclipse as it applies to a conjunction with Saturn in the middle decan of Pisces. I think there is an element of authority abandoning its responsibility to care for everything and everyone under its domain, and it gets swiftly corrected in an unstable way. From a Jyotish perspective, Mars has a sthambana (freezing) effect on Saturn, reinforcing this idea of the dissolution of boundaries to make way for the deposing of an authority.
The Autumn 2024 Eclipses take on a more somber and less idealistic tone, as they are ruled by unhappy benefics. However, the benefics that rule them have triplicity dignity, which suggests that people have a deep sense of empathy and agreement with the subversive role that the benefics are playing at the time. Both eclipses have themes of sacrifice as well, because they are occurring in malefic-coded decans of benefic signs.
On September 18th we get our first preview of the Pisces-Virgo eclipse axis with the lunar eclipse in Pisces III. This Mars-ruled decan asks us what we are willing to sacrifice for the collective good, which does include us and does not occur at our own expense. This eclipse is co-present with a retrograde Saturn which is grappling with a loss of faith in the collective good. As this eclipse is ruled by a Jupiter who stations retrograde the following week, there is a growing sense of needing a change or needing reforms. With Jupiter in the last decan of Gemini, we realize that something has to give and the unstable duality that we have tried to maintain for so long needs to give way for something different.
On the other hand, the subsequent solar eclipse in Libra acts as quite the unfortunate “October Surprise,” which does not bode well for my fellow Americans concerned about the upcoming presidential election. The Sun gets blotted out in the Saturnian decan of Libra in the closest configuration it has had to Ketu while eclipsed. There is a deep sense of humbling of some kind of authority figure, and a need for them to step aside as an ultimate testament to their obligations to other people. This feels like time (Saturn) has run out and the Sun has set for something that needs to go away. Sometimes a contract ends and you are disposable, which is never a good feeling. This eclipse is ruled by Venus in Scorpio’s middle decan. While there is a deeply nostalgic quality and a sense of collective effervescence that may wash over people, there is a sense of competing for creative control over the legacy of something that has come to an end. It feels like new, unstable alliances and acquisitions may come about as a result of this collective (mis)remembering which can forge trauma bonds.
Venus Star Point in Gemini
Another thing we can look forward to this summer is the lack of Venus retrograde! However, on June 4th we will get another Venus Star Point in Gemini, marking the halfway point between the the last retrograde in 2023 and the one in Spring 2025. This particular conjunction of Venus direct to the Sun in Gemini last occurred in 2016, so there may be thematic elements that repeat themselves for you and collectively. This conjunction takes place in the second decan of Gemini, so there may be themes of moral quandaries or dilemmas or questions of what is appropriate. Since Venus does well in this decan, I would imagine there is also a deep capacity for wearing the right masks, saying the right things at the right time, code-switching, and double speak in a way that is captivating.
Venus is transitioning from war-like morning star to seductive, pillow-princess evening star. On some level this transit reflects a shift in our approach to acquiring things of value, creating things, diplomacy, and relating to others. This configuration is ruled by Mercury in Gemini conjoined to Jupiter, which allows Venus to be more deliberate and tactical because she does not want to close herself off to the options being presented. However, the cazimi is square to a slowing Saturn in Pisces. I would imagine that despite the capacity for exploring these different states of being, there is some obligation or fear of scarcity that is forcing your hand or limiting the range of expression that is most comfortable or natural.
Mars retrograde in Leo (& Cancer)
This year ends on quite the cliffhanger! Mars stations retrograde in the first decan of Leo on December 7th. Since this retrograde takes place in the first decan of Leo, Mars will regress to Cancer in 2025. However, we will worry about what that means in the 2025 sneak peak! The planet of action, conflict, and separation in the Sun’s sign may drive lots of heated conflict over questions of sovereignty and right to be (hyper)visible. The first decan of Leo is tightly controlled and performative in its presentation, often vying for leadership and attention.
I prefer the Jyotish take on retrograde planets as being strong since they are proximal to earth at this point, and double down on their significations. Strong does not mean comfortable or operative. Especially not in this case. This feels like someone starting an uproar over being denied their perceived right to lead or failing to acknowledge their loss in a competition. They may be loud and they may be strong in their protests, but since Mars lacks triplicity in fire signs, there is not that same collective support Mars might have in the water or earth signs. Course may be corrected when Mars goes back into Cancer, but again— check back for my thoughts at the end of 2024 on this.
Interestingly, Mars in Leo rx will oppose Venus in Aquarius, which has an interesting echo of the Mars-Venus conjunction in Aquarius I we will get in February. Venus is harmed either way, but in February it seems like the conjunction facilitates some maladaptive pursuit of a desire that people feel is unattainable, especially if it involves breaking off to find a community aligned in material pursuits and aesthetics. December brings a clear rejection or rebuke of whatever action was taken in February at the conjunction, because the objectives outlined in February are likely no longer attainable. Venus does have the advantage in both cases as she is operative in her own decan, and uses the principle of exclusion to filter unwanted relationships and advances. On a mundane level, it will probably be a bad time. On a personal level for night chart people, this might be an opportunity to get realigned.
I’m hoping 2024 will provide opportunities for experimentation, even if it isn’t the most comfortable thing ever. If you want to find out more about how these configurations and others affect you specifically, please book a consultation at the link below. Those of you with Saturn in Pisces are entitled to a 30% discount on one reading of your choice, and this is good until 2026. Message me for access!
I also have a 30% discount on new consults (NEWRDG30 - available for the first 20 people who book). New pricing went into effect on December 4th.