Stars Over Puna January 2024

Welcome to the New Year of 2024.

True to the holiday season, we finished 2023 with a family-themed Full Moon in Cancer on December 26. There are many astrological aspects of agreement in this phase of the year. There are factors that stall some of the geopolitical arenas, yet, in our communities, families, and friendships, there has been much congeniality and joy. It is a good focus to start our new year.

Jupiter, the planet of gregarious spirit, expansive ideas, and bringing people together under its wing, like the “Mother hen,” has stationed direct on December 30, a blessing of potential for the New Year. Jupiter is the Exalted ruler of Cancer, the sign of the United States Sun, Venus, and Jupiter. It makes me wonder about borders, immigrants, and the national creed to offer freedom. New solutions could arise to meet the situation on the Southern border.

Mercury, the messenger, communication, and idea planet, is stationary turning direct on January 2. It is traveling close to Mars, the planet of drive, action, and motivation, giving impetus to be more physical and to have more fun. Together they are impulsive and reactive. Mars is about anger, aggression, and war. Sometimes Mars can act faster the Mercury can deduce another response, especially when they are together in a Fire sign. Like, act first; questions later.

The Moon moves through Sagittarius Sunday to Tuesday, January 7 to 9, joining up with Mercury and Mars for a quick pass that can lift spirits and boost camaraderie. Innovative ideas might be taken to the next level of development.

Mars enters the sign of practical, critical, pragmatic Capricorn where it is Exalted. That means Mars will be more its hero than villain, with more coordinated action this month and lasting into mid-February. Mercury enters Capricorn a week later, giving that push to organize the office, prepare tax readiness, and set better schedules. The two planets can get ideas and follow through to come together. Mars has a positive connection with Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, who is currently in Pisces, the sign of imagination and collective vision. This could be one of the better impulses to follow and act on in developing something new. It helps show how past processes and ways of doing things might be adapted and refitted for a new system.

The First New Moon of the year will also be in Capricorn with Pluto nearby on January 11. This is a summarizing influence that might help reorganize and turn attention to planning and future projects. Capricorn, the most rigid of the Earth signs, relates to structure, order, productive systems, hard work, and top-down organization of the structure of power. In some respects, there may need to be demolition.

There is a sense of closure in many respects. Mercury enters Capricorn on Saturday, January 13 just before the Moon enters Pisces to join with Saturn, stimulating dialogue about how things might shift over the coming year. If this weekend is social, it is likely conversation will drift toward everyone’s ideas of possibilities. This is an excellent time to collaborate with neighbors and friends in pulling collective ideas and wishes together in thinking about a sustainable future of self-reliance and networking resources.

Mercury, representing bargaining, collaborating, and negotiating will find a place of agreement with Saturn, who represents the entity of authority midweek, January 17. This could bring labor strikes to a close, finding mutually acceptable ground for settlement. Venus is still in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter is in Taurus, ruled by Venus. This is called mutual reception. Venus and Jupiter are the planets that rule both money and opportunity. They share their influence with Mercury and Saturn by Jupiter’s rulership of Pisces, which encourages the Truth, and best intentions for others. Jupiter and Mercury each rule two sets of opposing signs, so they are the model of negotiation and agreement. This positive energy leads right into the biggest astrological event of not just this year, influencing the world dynamics for the next twenty years. That is the ingress of Pluto into the sign Aquarius.

Slow outer planets such as Pluto, initiate a zone of the Zodiac for a couple of years before their transition is complete. January 20, 2024, is the second direct ingress of three times. Next Fall, Pluto will drop back to 29:59 Capricorn on September 2, as it stations retrograde. Then, Pluto stations direct on October 11 at 29:38 Capricorn, then enter Aquarius again on November 20, 2024.

Pluto last transited this zone of the Zodiac, making this entrance to Aquarius less than a year after the Declaration of Independence, from April 4, 1777, through December 1, 1778. This was a powerful period of the American Revolutionary War. From this “death-rebirth” process emerged the Democratic design and civil structure of the government of our country. We should keep this in perspective considering the type of events that are occurring at this current time and the last ingress is two weeks after the next Presidential Election and before the Electoral College vote to confirm the election.

Pluto is only one energy of the whole picture, but it represents the long cycle of 248 years. This new phase of life on this planet is evolutionary and revolutionary. Our ancestors merged skills, talents, and strengths to create a form of life they envisioned, as they had left behind old paradigms. We are at crossroads now, going into an era that is more about the Air element that represents information, ideas, and data. We can move steadily into digital conveniences provided by the mass controls of the dominant services, or we can pool our intelligent talents into services that still allow for personal privacy.

Pluto’s first entrance into Aquarius on March 23, 2023, began the initiation and conversation around Artificial Intelligence tools. By June, when Pluto stationed retrograde, we saw ChatGPT enter the marketplace. Now, companies are training their employees to learn to integrate AI tools. Many labor unions saw the danger to their livelihood, and they had to Strike for their own security.

It is notable that January 20 is the date of Inauguration of each Presidency and most often the date of the Sun’s entrance into Aquarius. Pluto is the energy of revitalization and a period of adaptability to new potentials. Much will be revealed in the year-long process. This next election cycle is paramount for the direction of our country’s future.

On January 27th Uranus stations direct at 19 Taurus. It is the planet of invention, innovative technologies, and greater awareness of potential. This can be breakthrough energy; serving to awaken and illuminate possibilities we have not envisioned before. This is also the first Full Moon of the year, in Leo, with the Sun conjunct Pluto in Aquarius.

We have nine weeks with all the planets in direct motion, which is going to help society move ahead in reaching goals. This is a time of greater cooperation and collaboration, as well.

By January 29, Venus and Jupiter will trine each other and sextile Saturn at the midpoint between them. This is a productive dynamic with planets that influence business and economic factors. The benefits have the upper hand influencing Saturn and the inner planets Mercury and Mars, which are now in Capricorn with Venus. Jupiter in Taurus and direct in motion, suggests stabilization in growth factors. This could be a time of cooperation with the workforce as contracts and agreements are more possible now.

Here is to New Beginnings.

Contact Norma Jean Ream at astrologyhawaii@gmail.com