Astro Week
EMOTIONAL • PAUSE • PERSPECTIVE
Mars Retrograde shifts back into Cancer on Monday for the next three and a half months, kickstarting our week with feelings running high, and not in a way that’s easy to control. Mars Retrograde is like pressing the pause button on action, ambition, and the ability to get stuff done without screaming into a pillow. But Mercury entering Capricorn on Wednesday offers a grounding, thoughtful energy that can pull us back down to Earth if necessary. This week presents multiple opportunities to gain a clear perspective on where to focus our time and energy for the year ahead. It’s time to tap into leadership abilities to achieve the success we seek by recognising our own worth.
MERCURY SQUARE NEPTUNE (Monday)
Intuitive and imaginative, though logic may not be our strong suit. Because of information being unclear or somewhat hidden, it is not the best day to make major decisions or to try to communicate our ideas.
MARS Retrograde IN CANCER (06 January ~ 23 February)
Redefine bravery. This shift is like trading gladiator armour for a cozy blanket and a box of tissues. Take a softer approach to bravery, encouraging healing over conflict. Gentleness and empathy are the tools we’ll need, not a sledgehammer. True bravery is about handling emotions with grace and repairing our inner world.
We may find ourselves motivated primarily by our emotional needs and a desire to protect ourselves and those we love. Actions tend to be based more on intuition than on logic. We could find that we are strongly swayed by our mood of the moment and that it is harder to be objective. Personal goals and issues related to home and family are top priorities.
We are called to review our actions and emotional reactions of the past couple of months, since mid-October. Pause and reflect on past emotional wounds, unresolved themes from relationships, how we handle personal boundaries, and revisit unresolved family dynamics. Did we go into fight/flight/freeze mode, or did we step to the side (and into the light) to allow for better objectivity and to gain a different, higher perspective ? We now have the opportunity to choose to stand in the light in situations where we might once have resorted to anger and defensiveness.
We may find our drive and momentum experiencing a pause. External outcomes may not be immediately visible, but have faith in the direction we’re being guided by the Universe. Carefully evaluate choices and ensure they genuinely resonate with our true selves. We may feel somewhat withdrawn, less inclined to take assertive action unless we feel threatened in some way. Approach any confrontations with a mindful and cautious demeanour. A single disagreement has the potential to escalate rapidly. Contemplate words before expressing them.
MERCURY IN CAPRICORN (08 ~ 27 January)
Serious and realistic. Clarity and resolution to communications. We are drawn to think about and discuss practical matters and have less patience with subjects that seem frivolous or emotional. Structure and discipline to thinking and planning. If we’ve been feeling scattered, now’s the time to channel our inner CEO and make a plan. Consistency and patience; skip the impulsive decisions and take things step by step. Watch out for a tendency to be inflexible and pessimistic at times.
LUNAR NODES IN PISCES AND VIRGO (11 Jan 2024 ~ 26 July 2026)
A glimpse of what lies ahead as we are gently guided to let go of our anxieties and embrace a belief in a higher purpose beyond our individual existence. Prepare for profound transformations, as the Nodes shift into Pisces and Virgo for the first time since 2007, signalling the start of significant new adventures. During the eclipse seasons in March and September, this shift will be encouraging us to let go of our need for control and to welcome the mysteries that lie ahead.
MARS Retrograde TRINE NEPTUNE (Sunday)
A dreamy, intuitive note. Actions are strongly informed by intuition and are more fully in alignment with our spiritual values. A desire to be of service motivate us to take risks or to assert ourselves in new ways. This is a perfect day for creative projects, meditation, or simply letting emotions flow. Compassion and forgiveness make it easier to release old grudges and heal.