There is an extraordinary planetary line-up in Capricorn and Aquarius from the end of December to the end of February with every planet except Saturn and Uranus travelling through the Capricorn-Aquarius zone of the zodiac. Capricorn and Aquarius embody the themes of traditional and conservative vs. new and radical. These are signs of collective rather than personal energy, so we enter 2009 with the focus on international and group cooperation. The ongoing opposition between Saturn and Uranus will be with us for the next two years, forcing us to apply the insights and knowledge arising from the technological revolution to solving the practical problems of global warming, population explosion and establishing sustainable supplies of clean air, food and water.
2008 has certainly been a year of surprise and upheaval. Some would say a year of correction for past excess. Here’s a quote from an article I wrote last January for Living Now magazine. “An overriding theme for 2008 is the need to sort out our financial affairs and take a more responsible attitude to reducing debt and increasing savings or establishing a firm financial base. With three of the major planets in earth signs throughout the year – Pluto and Jupiter in Capricorn and Saturn in Virgo, it’s time to tighten the belt and get real.”
So what we can we expect in 2009? Certainly more ‘belt-tightening’ as Pluto and Saturn continue to move through cautious Capricorn and pragmatic Virgo, but on a brighter note, Jupiter will be moving out of Capricorn into Aquarius in early January, just two weeks before Barack Obama’s inauguration as US President. Barack Obama is a man of his time, bridging cultures and belief systems. Our bilingual Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is also in tune with the zeitgeist.
Neptune, Chiron and the North Node have been in radical and egalitarian Aquarius throughout 2008 making us realise we cannot continue to operate as individuals or separate countries or power blocs. Black and white; Jew and Muslim; East and West; man and woman; middle class and working class. These artificial divisions have become increasingly meaningless as we come to understand our codependence at this time of global challenge.
When philosophical Jupiter joins Neptune, Chiron and the North Node in Aquarius, we will be faced with the choice of clinging to a past of feeling special and culturally superior (or richer or better educated etc) vs. being part of an exciting, yet unfamiliar new world. The current energy is similar to the period prior to the French Revolution which culminated in the overthrow of the French monarchy, the rise of the peasant and middle classes and the destruction of the power base of the nobility. The slogan for that revolution was ‘liberty, equality and brotherhood’. Many of us believe we have moved beyond the concept of a disenfranchised peasant class, yet we continue to import cheap goods and services produced by the modern day equivalent of the ‘disenfranchised peasant’. Just because we don’t see these people slaving away, doesn’t mean they don’t exist! Check the labels in the clothes you are wearing and the products you buy and see for yourself.
Jupiter’s move into Aquarius is accompanied by Mercury, a combination that forces us to think deeply and focus on the big picture. Jupiter is the planet of expansion, good will, enthusiasm, law, philosophy, higher learning, religion, nature and environment. So Jupiter in Aquarius will enhance the ideals of social justice, unity, progressive thought, utopian dreams and visions.
Expect astonishing developments in information technology coupled by radical change in the collective mindset. As the stability of the old order (banks, stock markets, pension and superannuation funds, home ownership, dependency on oil, job security etc) continues to crumble, we will start to move towards new cultural and business models. Many fear these changes. Change is never easy, but we can choose to embrace the new possibilities rather than cling to the old… and the possibilities are endless! Bartering instead of cash transactions; on-line trading rather than driving to the local shopping centre, communal living and shared ownership of expensive items vs. one family per block owning every item possible, farmers markets vs. supermarkets. The current economic and astrological climate will force us to share. And sharing is not only practical and sensible but also very enjoyable and a loving thing to do, especially when not fuelled by concepts of limitation, sacrifice and martyrdom. People who have lived through wars and harsh economic times or shortages always talk about how they became more resourceful and how good it felt to work together with others to beat the odds.
The shadow side of Jupiter in Aquarius is fanaticism and totalitarianism. Aquarius always puts the group before the individual and this can lead to laws and systems that threaten personal freedom and choice. Another shadow to watch out for is the concept of technology as a cure-for-all. We humans haven’t changed much over the years and our best resource has always been each other. You may like to think about what you would enjoy sharing with others at this time, rather than what you stand to lose. 2009 offers us a new blueprint for a new future fuelled by a major shift in public consciousness. That means you!