Did you have a defining Pluto-entering-Capricorn event over the last few days? Today’s a good day to turn the symbolism over in your mind. Maybe your dreams are trying to bring through a special message related to this event. This week the meaning of the event will start to play out, perhaps in more practical terms, in your life. The first hurdle of the week will be travelling and communications tomorrow (Monday 28th), for Mercury is going retrograde, and skywatchers have got used to seeing its trickster hand in the realms of communication. The retrograde motion of Mercury happens early evening (UK time), so you may get to your destination fine, then have a more complicated journey back. It might be worth asking the question though: why does Mercury do this to us? The answer from me, is I don’t know, but I have observed that under the retrograde people are lax about their verbal communications, are unconscious about that, and misunderstandings arise. So be aware of your communications, and make sure the other person hears you clearly. Mercury is retrograde until 19 February, so you have plenty of time to figure out what you need to work on in your communications. If any skywatchers are working in public transport, they may evolve some understanding of how the transport systems need to change. Venus trines Saturn on Wednesday (30th), and this can encourage commitment and loyalty in relationships, engagements or renewals of mutual vows. Later that day Mars goes stationary prior to turning direct. Some of you may have felt that retrograde motion of Mars over the last few weeks in different ways, such as a pressure to get things done, jobs piling up, but an inability yet to do so. Therefore, it will be a welcome relief to start to catch up on those tasks in early February (Mars skids for a few days before actually turning round). Friday 1st February is a great day to be getting married with Venus conjunct Jupiter. Well if the engagement was only on Wednesday, that’s fast going. So rapid developments will take place in relationships this week. Elopements to Gretna Green are usually chilly at this time of year, but we are having milder temperatures than usual here in the UK. It’s also a good day for social celebrations generally, and Cinderella may get to the ball. And by Friday, Mars is starting to move forward again so it’s a good time to release the passion for house and garden work, get those rubber gloves, oven gloves or gardening gloves on.

Did you feel balanced on Monday (despite the economic slump), emotional on Tuesday (missing a loved one), spiritual on Wednesday (in a holy communion), profound on Thursday (insight into deep issues) and different on Saturday (feeling a change in perception about the world)? Score 2 points for every yes, and 1 point for every no. More than 5 points and you are in tune with the planetary forces and movements. Less than 5 and either you create your own reality entirely, your memory is poor, you don’t notice much that goes on, or there may be no basis in truth for Astrology. To find out more, tune in to next week’s Astro-quiz.

Much has been promised for this week, but will it deliver its brief? Sunday morning (20th) kicks off with an opposition between Venus and Mars. We all go back to the drawing board on the battle between the sexes. Are you polarized on one side or the other, or are you a balanced blend? The Sun also enters Aquarius on that day, so we are geared to the new but not quite sure what to expect. Monday (21st) brings the first of three main events this week, a trine between Jupiter and Saturn. Here’s a different opportunity for balance, this time between hope and caution. Don’t be tempted to dismiss this aspect, it’s important, and doesn’t come round very often. In the heady mix of this week with a need to juggle various forces, don’t underestimate the helping hand it is offering. Tuesday (22nd) delivers the next Full Moon, which steps up the sense of anticipation. The Moon itself is in the sign of Leo, with the Sun opposing it from Aquarius, calling for another balancing act: this time between the needs of the individual (Leo) and the team (Aquarius). Can Kevin Keegan, with his Aquarian ability for team-building, deliver his promise and brief? In the early hours of Wednesday (23rd) Mercury is conjunct Neptune, which can bring about mystical meetings of minds on the spiritual plane, but as much of it goes on silently there may be many different experiences and interpretations. Venus takes centre stage the following day (Thursday 24th) in the final dress rehearsal for Pluto’s entry into Capricorn. Venus conjoins Pluto (favouring in-depth psychology and awareness, especially as applied to intimate relationships) and then enters Capricorn, softening the way for the lead character. For in the early hours of Saturday (26th) the main event takes place of Pluto’s entry into Capricorn (see the blog I made earlier). Will we see it immediately for what it is? Of course it will have a cumulative effect over the next few years, but there may be an event which encapsulates the meaning in the moment. If so, take note. Just to recap the week so that you get everything in proportion: event No. 1 – Pluto enters Capricorn, the most important and far-reaching event. At No. 2 – it’s Jupiter trine Saturn, those planetary giants on their best behaviour. And at No. 3 – the Full Moon in Leo, theatrical but not to be over-dramatized. The essay question set for this module is: how do you balance the three polarities of this week – male and female, optimism and pessimism, and individuality and collectivity? Answers next week.

At 2.37 a.m. (UK time) on Saturday 26 January we will be entering the era of Pluto in Capricorn. This era will last 15 years, a little longer than the era of Pluto in Sagittarius which began in 1995, so it’s almost a generational thing. Pluto in Sagittarius saw extremism and excess in religion, society and in personal lives. The principles of Pluto in Capricorn are subterranean activity (both emotional and geographical: “Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known”) and also the breakdown (Pluto) of outworn structures and even traditional institutions (Capricorn) to make way for future rebuilding when Pluto enters Aquarius. Some of these effects are already in evidence, such as the possibility of economic recession. Looking at the previous time Pluto entered Capricorn we find the rise of the theory and spirit of revolutionary ideas in the 18th Century. These rumblings of the human desire for freedom occurred during Pluto in Capricorn and included the American Revolution, but by the time of the French Revolution Pluto had entered Aquarius, the sign of a new world order, assisted by the discovery of Uranus in 1781, planet of the new. Looking to the future, the next 15 years encompasses 2012, the end of the Mayan Calendar and the London Olympics. There are some powerful collective thoughtforms building in this connection. The Ascension movement has given rise to many channellings about how the earth may evolve at that time, hinting at new dimensions. Meanwhile, other sections of the population have mentally booked their seats for the Olympics. The Millennium was a similar exercise or focus which showed how powerfully influential mass thoughtforms can be (in inducing panic for example) when driven by fear. So be mindful of what you are putting into the collective consciousness for 2012. What I would like to throw into the ring is worldwide religious understanding, mutual tolerance and unity – that’s my pennyworth. Allied to past-life regression but going in the opposite direction is “future progression”, literature on the subject including books by Chet Snow, Bruce Goldberg, Brian Weiss and Anne Jirsch. They offer glimpses into our projected future(s), where their clients have seen us working towards rural communities and high-tech societies, with more contact with our space brothers. Timing is variable, sometimes nebulous and indeed changes according to different choices made and depending on what is accomplished in the meantime. The question we need to ask ourselves as Pluto enters Capricorn could be: what are we being asked to let go of that we don’t need and doesn’t serve ourselves or the planet? This in order to make way for a better future, it’s a detox for the planet.

What could be a more delightful prospect than re-visiting your inner child and your inner Buddhist at the same time? Cambridge Buddhist Centre are performing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Friday January 25th and Saturday January 26th at their Theatre. It promises to be both hilarious and spiritual, and stars our own Flick (well known to the readers of this website) who will be exercising her Wicked Queen and maybe other Archetypes – who knows? Entry to the panto is free, but donations would be welcomed. So it’s tickets on the door at 7.30 p.m. both days.

Bit of a hair-raising week last week, and I’m glad to have my usual font back. Today’s a good day to extract all the possibilities from the healing vibes of Venus sextile Chiron which are still available to us. If you are a practitioner, then it’s time to heal thyself. Tomorrow (Monday 14th) Pluto sextiles the North Node, and pay attention to the karmic signs strewn upon your path, which may help you understand the meaning and import of the forthcoming event of Pluto’s entry into Capricorn next week. There are huge changes coming, both personally and on the wider scale, and the Pluto-North Node connection will help you start to understand what these are about. A little light relief from navel-gazing comes on Wednesday (16th) with the interlude of Venus sextile Neptune: sublime art, romance, idealistic love. Put on a Chopin nocturne and get into the old world charm of this aspect. You might re-live one of your old lifetimes in the Age of Chivalry and courtly love. In fact, you could treat this whole week as an interlude, because next week is an important week astrologically and you’ll be busy. Keeping this brief, because I’ll be doing double time next week!

Sunday lunch is the focus of today (UK time) with two very different aspects jostling for expression. Perhaps you are catering for meat-eaters and rawfoodists at one meal, but the first aspect, Sun sextile Uranus, could bring the unexpected, such as a surprise birthday party. It introduces new elements, new ways of eating and new ways of expressing creativity. The lunchtime conversation could bring new ideas about how to prolong your resolutions, how to look further than what is in front of you, and how to inject more life into your lives. Perhaps you are dining with new friends or old friends with a new outlook. The other aspect, Venus square Saturn, could also bring some sad reflections to the table, nostalgia for instance about the past or people who have passed on to other dimensions. It’s not an aspect to entrust a fledgeling romance to, so make an excuse that you are washing your hair until there’s a more favourable vibe to nurture a blossoming relationship. Mercury enters Aquarius on Tuesday (8th) and if there’s been any sluggishness about your communications lately, they should perk up. Make that call and let him or her know that your hair is now washed and you are ready to make a new date, or at least discuss making a new date. For you still need to take things slowly, there’s another tricky aspect to negotiate coming up, and you need to stay centred. Tuesday however offers another opportunity for a fresh start with the New Moon in Capricorn, and for those who have made New Year’s resolutions, you can renew your vows. For those who haven’t you can re-affirm your right not to. The New Moon in Capricorn is about assessing your overall direction in life from one year to another. Perhaps you remember what your position was this time last year, and can review past, present and future in this moment. If your memory isn’t playing along, just ask yourself if this is where you want to be in your life direction, and whether you need to take a step or two in a different direction. On Thursday (10th) Venus sextiles Chiron, good for any therapies undertaken now, and you could see some healing possibilities in that new relationship but you still need to stay centred. For the tricky Venus square Uranus aspect on Saturday (12th) could throw a spanner in the works, relationship-wise. You may find out that there is a distance between you that can’t at the moment be bridged, and need to be glad that you’re still you. You can still make yourself laugh, you can still dream, and there’s always an alternative.

It’s Capricorn’s year, but to clear confusion straight away, under the Chinese system we are on the cusp of the Fire Pig and Earth Rat years. Back to confusion: It should be a good year for you Capricorns out there! Yes, you read that right. Jupiter is moving through your sign, and it is time for you to move forward. Last year was the Year of the Centaur, and famous Sagittarians who made good were Christopher Biggins and Marco Pierre White. To be fair, it has not been such a good year for Centauress Britney Spears, although she did receive some good reviews for her album…Anyway, back to my thesis for Capricorn. Dividing the sign into the three decanates, those born between 22 December and 1 January will have their moment or moments in January (Jupiter started to transit your sector over Christmas and New Year). Actor Jude Law’s birthday is 29 December, and his high spot is coming up soon on 22 January. Those born between 2 January and 12 January will have something to smile about in February/March, and July to November. This will include politician Nick Clegg, who celebrates his birthday next week on 7 January, and whose favoured times to win over the voters would be 6 March, 16 July and 11 October. And those born in the third decanate between 13 and 20 January will be enjoying the fruits of their good karma April to June, and then December. Supermodel Kate Moss celebrates her birthday on 16 January, and may be able to turn things round on 18/19 December. If Capricorn is your Ascendant, and you know the degree, you can work it out. Those born around 22 December will have the extra challenges of Pluto transiting their Sun, and I would recommend reading “Healing Pluto Problems” by Donna Cunningham. For those who are interested in the upcoming Chinese Year of the Rat, I recommend “Animals and the Afterlife” by Kim Sheridan who channels these much misunderstood creatures.

A team of Psychologists at the University of Hertfordshire have come to the conclusion that it may be best, especially for women, to make your New Year’s resolutions early. Certainly today’s aspects would be conducive to making an early start on re-setting your moral compass. Mercury is sextile Uranus, favouring the quirky or unusual, so if you’ve got any whacky New Year’s resolutions it’s a good day to affirm them. The Sun is trine with Saturn today, which favours laying down long-term (e.g. annual) plans. Additionally, Venus enters Sagittarius, which supports the emotion of hope, without which a New Year’s resolution cannot survive more than a day. Tomorrow (31 December) Mars enters Gemini, in retrograde motion from the sign of Cancer. Some of you have been reporting to me difficulties with Mars being retrograde lately – it’s like a rampant toddler you have to keep an eye on, or a loose cannon you need to keep track of. The best way of dealing with it is to consciously develop your inner and outer vision and grow eyes in the back of your head, so it does have its uses in helping us to sharpen our senses and faculties. Another aspect prevalent as we end this year, is Venus squaring the Nodal Axis. This asks us to examine the karma of our relationships, and see if there is anything we can do to bring about more peace and harmony in our individual and outer worlds, so be still and then ripple outwards…Ready with your checklist as we enter 2008? 1. New Year’s resolutions done. 2. Watch that toddler. 3. Achieve Inner Peace…Here’s to 2008, and it’s a Happy New Year from me, but there’s no actual aspect on New Year’s Day itself. There’ll be time to sleep it off then, consolidate your New Year’s resolutions, keep working on your vision issues, and wonder how world peace can be achieved. Actually, the latter would be a very apt focus, because the first aspect of the New Year, which occurs on the evening of Wednesday 2nd January (UK time), is Mars opposite Pluto. This is an aspect which builds tension to the max, and the peacemakers need to be on hand to de-fuse or diffuse the tensions. Of course, they will have been prepared, having read this blog. There is then a period of digestion and assimilation for the rest of the week. Those Psychologists from the University of Hertfordshire also said that New Year’s resolutions work better if you proclaim them to the world, so I hereby declare that I will live on salad in 2008. The dilemma is what to do with the chocolate mountain I seem to have accumulated over the Christmas holidays….

It’s a quiet Christmas on the aspect front, you may be pleased to know if you found last week a bit much. The North Node is still caught in the crack between Pisces and Aquarius, so the karmic sea-change described last week is still going on, and some of you may have sensed it as a different perception of life, less paranoia and more serene detachment or acceptance. I should have been ringing a bell just before dawn this morning, as the Sun is conjunct Jupiter: Jupiter’s parting shot of grace and hope before it gets fully down to its business in Capricorn of balancing reality and faith. It will require us to back up our dreams with practical actions and not only to rely on the Universe or our Guardian Angels to do all the work. They will anyway, but they can get more done with our co-operation. It’s Christmas week, and I can unembarrassedly mention Guardian Angels. It’s so difficult sometimes, trying to please the agnostic and humanistic readers as well as the totally New Age or the religious among us. So apologies in advance if I have toppled over the line for you personally. Make the most of today, because as you may be able to feel in your waters, there’s a Full Moon first thing tomorrow, and there may be some tension in the air generally tomorrow. The Full Moon consists of the Moon in early Cancer opposing the Sun in early Capricorn, and at this time there may be a dilemma concerning the pull between home and work. For instance, you may be the only commuter in your train carriage to work, as many will be starting their festivities already and will have left their working year behind. Hard on the heels of the Full Moon we have two oppositions tomorrow (Monday 24 December, also known as Christmas Eve). Mars opposes the Moon, then the Sun, so first we have an emotional tussle (should have taken a sickie), and then we have a more physical tussle (confrontations such as road rage, rail rage, telephone rage etc.) A good time to re-tune yourself to the higher possibilities of the North Node in Aquarius: Peace on Earth and Good Will to All Men and Women. Mercury trines Saturn on Christmas Day, which at least is a harmonious aspect, though not as romantic or glowing as we could have for that day. Happy Christmas to you anyway, and hope you have the Christmas you wish for. Remember to tune into Maitreya’s Christmas message at 3 p.m. which catches his blessing in the form of the Part of Fortune on the cusp of the eighth house. The Mercury-Saturn trine suits the practical approach on Christmas Day, so if you’ve given a practical present it should be a winner. If however you’ve got a whimsical approach to present-buying, you’ll get the reaction “What do I need one of those for?” There will be plain speaking, but not the wounding variety which sits in the memory until the next Christmas. Dinners might be a bit unimaginative: Turkey, brussels, roasties and pud…unless you’re having a vegetarian alternative which throws the format wide open. I think you’ve got the gist of that aspect now, no need to labour it. In contrast, Boxing Day (also known as December 26) will see us letting our hair down and whooping it up after all that restraint. If you bottled out of that Amy Winehouse impersonation (no pun intended), go for it on Boxing Day! It could be a while until you see these particular family members again, and if they’ve had a sherry or two they might even sing along. The rest of the week is yours to do with as you wish, because the planets are having a seasonal break from work. But they, and I, will be back on Sunday 30 to blog the New Year in.