Winter Solstice is the true New Year for the metaphysically minded. Symbolically, it is the time in the Northern Hemisphere when the Sun is reborn & the days begin to get longer once again. This year, that moment occurs @ 3:47 pm CST on December 21. (Adjust if you are in a different time zone.) If you are able, take a moment that day & allow the shift to flow through you. With mindfulness, you may be able to sense the turn of the energy as Solstice is initiated. It’s a fun exercise to try out!
This year the Solstice chart suggests cautious optimism. Though we are still dealing with a Geminian kerfuffle with Mars retrograding through that energy, for the most part, the energy of the celestial orbs is moving along nicely. All of the outers except for Uranus are in direct motion & by mid-January, 
just a few weeks after the solstice, both Mars & Uranus will also station direct. Imagine that fierce little creature, Mars, shaking himself off, doing a turn or two to get his bearings & then, in true Gemini fashion, taking off without a glance back! To get a sense of how you might interact with this energy individually, locate 9* Gemini in your own chart. That is the area of life where you might, indeed, be experiencing a bit of a muddle, a stop/start sort of impulse & where you might begin to experience more clarity in understanding, intentional action & general direction.
Another indicator of optimism is the Sagittarius Moon that is closing in on the Sun in the balsamic phase. Two messages here. This balsamic phase is always meditative, reflective & thoughtful. It lends itself to insight, visions & increased intuitive activity. Nevertheless, Sag is such an exuberant energy, full of courage, zeal & buoyancy. With the ruler, Jupiter, newly entered into Aries & in full Direct Motion, there is a sense of growth, a rekindling of initiative, and a feeling 
of hope. Fire fuels the soul to aspire to new heights & with the Moon in Sag ruled by a feisty Jupiter in Aries, we are filled with FIRE. Of course, there is that hesitant Mars (ruling Jupiter in Aries) still circling around & around but we can use the hint of restraint as we get ourselves into gear. It has been a horrendous few years and the general mood of the collective, whether compliant or contrarian in regard to the C#$%D narrative, is one of exhaustion. We are all DONE with whatever this is that has been going on. The Solstice chart promises us that we are nearing the end of the confusion and that 
we still have the capacity to hope & aspire for something that better reflects true humanity, natural goodness & spiritual connection. Let’s all make it happen, shake the dust off our feet, lift up our heads & BELIEVE that LOVE truly will conquer evil.
Another useful practice is to take a peek ahead at the year that is being born & get our bearings for the various shifts of energy. It’s useful to mark the retrogrades & the ingresses on our calendars as little reminders of the flow of the celestial orbs. A list will follow!
Naturally, the Sun will transit all 12 signs between Winter Solstice 2022 & Winter Solstice 2023. We can track this methodical movement around our natal charts. Remember, the SUN ILLUMINATES whatever house it finds itself in, whether in the natal chart or by transit. Pay close attention, especially to each angle, ASC, IC, DES & MC. The dynamics of each of these quadrants are intensified as the Sun shines his light on them. As an example, if you have Cancer on the MC, you might feel a sense of enterprise throughout June & July or you might find yourself pondering your focus in life, and the direction you are taking. Similarly, if you have Gemini on the ascendant, May & June could suddenly be very busy for you & you 
might start thinking about strategies & new directions. And, of course, we all have that very special moment when the Sun re-connects to the exact degree of the Zodiac that he occupied at our birth—the SOLAR RETURN moment. Each person will interact with these SOLAR TRANSITS uniquely so the best way to understand your own process is to keep a record of what actually occurs in your life at each significant ingress. The LAB Method—observation & co-relation! And, if you are so inclined, go see a competent Astrologer! If you are not sure about who to consult, drop me a line. I have a list of names that will give you some options.
The MOON also is worth tracking as this celestial object transits the entire zodiac once every month. In this context, the MOON is moods so you can better understand your own biorhythm by keeping an eye on where the MOON happens to be on any given day. Like Moods, the texture of the day can change rapidly as the Moon only spends 2.5 days in each sign on a monthly basis. A Moon Calendar that indicates where the Moon is each day is very useful for recording moods & impulses. After about 3-6 months of faithful record keeping, you will have a pretty firm sense of your own biorhythm. This is extremely useful when it comes to planning activities. If you know that a certain time is usually one when you like to cocoon, what’s the point of planning a party? And, of course, the collective FULL MOON three-day period can be fraught with drama for all of us so at the very least, track the FULL MOON!
I am not going to list each lunation here but I do send out a blog on a monthly basis about the collective New & Full Moon. Watch your inbox & then mark the dates on your calendar. The very first New Moon after the Solstice occurs on December 23, 2022, in the energy of Capricorn. This is yet another indication of a fresh start, a hopeful initiation point.
And now, to the planetary movements for 2023!
As always, there will be several Mercury Retrogrades. You cannot just stop during these periods but you can be extra mindful as you go about your activities. Earth energy is under the retrograde lens for 2023.
There is a shadow period attached to each retrograde, one before the actual retrograde station & one that follows the Station Direct. Ripples of the retrograde will start to appear prior to the actual Station & there can be a lingering effect after the energy shifts Direct. Again, forewarned is forearmed. These are immutable occurrences. We either work with the flow & ebb of the energy or we work against it. That is the essential meaning of the phrase—‘go with the flow’…It’s not always about being in full forward motion. Sometimes we have to pause, turn around, reflect & realign. If we know in advance that we are moving into this sort of period of time, then we can adjust accordingly. This principle applies to the slower-moving outers also.
(Note: I ‘round up’ the degrees. To get the degree with minutes, consult an ephemeris. Also, be aware that the so-called shadow periods extend each period 2-3 weeks prior to RX station & 2-3 weeks post-Direct Station. Think of these weeks being somewhat like waves, energy flowing in & then ebbing.)
MERCURY:
December 29, 2022 SRX 25* CAPRICORN
January 18, 2023 SD 9* CAPRICORN
In Capricorn, the structural systems are under review. How are the systems that are currently in place working? Can we rely on the infrastructure of our social systems to sustain us? Expect to experience revisions in this area.
April 21, 2023 SRX 16* TAURUS
May 15, 2023 SD 5* TAURUS
In Taurus, our survival systems experience a reboot. What are the values that fuel our souls? Are we connected to Natural Law & the goodness of the earth itself? Is there a place for us within this current system of things or do we need to re-organize the way that we live?
August 23, 2023 SRX 22* VIRGO
September 15 2023 SD 9* VIRGO
In Virgo, it’s all about process. Are the strategies that are in place contributing to smooth operation? Are our habitual rituals helping & healing or hindering? Is our reality making sense? What can we do to amend things if needed?
December 13, 2023 SRX 9* CAPRICORN
January 2, 2024 SD 23* SAGITTARIUS
2023 began with a retrograde in earth energy (Capricorn), & ends with Mercury in retrograde motion from Earth (Capricorn) into Fire (Sagittarius).
Could this be an indication of an incoming shift in relation to the structural nature of our current reality? Earth is what is solid & stable, set in stone, so to speak. Fire is the disrupter, the initiator, that which transforms from one state into another. We shall see…???
VENUS
July 23, 2023 SRX 29* LEO
September 4, 2023 SD 13* LEO
This regular 18-month cycle last occurred at the beginning of 2022 with the retrograde in Capricorn. This year the retrograde shifts into Leo, the energy of self-love, self-expression & self-awareness. What have we learned about ourselves? How do we express ourselves? Do we hold ourselves in high esteem, never abusing ourselves, always addressing our basic fundamental needs? Find Leo in your chart. This is where you will re-evaluate what is meaningful in your life. If you have Venus in Leo in your natal chart or by progression, this retrograde will touch you most personally, giving you ample opportunity to re-align to that which is truly of value in your life, to discard the superficial & stay real.
MARS
The next Mars Retrograde will not occur until 2024 when this celestial orb transits the signs of Leo & Cancer. Be prepared to turn your attention to deep inner work (Cancer) resulting in increased self-awareness. More next year…LOL
Here are the significant Mars transits for 2023:
(Reminder: I am rounding up the degrees. If you are a stickler for detail, consult an ephemeris to get the degree & minute of each placement.)
December 21, 2022 12* Gemini RX
January 1, 2023 10* Gemini RX
(Mars is almost at a standstill now)
January 12, 2023 9* Gemini STATION DIRECT
(We now enter the post-retrograde shadow phase. The next 2+ month period is all about INTEGRATING the convoluted experiences that we may have had during the actual RX period.)
March 15-18. 2023 26* Gemini (Mars reaches the degree where he first Stationed Retrograde…so long, Gemini, see you again in about 2 years…lol)
March 28, 2023 Mars enters CANCER
May 21, 2023 Mars enters LEO
July 11, 2023 Mars enters VIRGO
August 28, 2023 Mars enters LIBRA
October 13, 2023 Mars enters SCORPIO
November 25, 2023 Mars enters SAGITTARIUS
December 21, 2023 20* SAGITTARIUS
This last date is the Solstice which brings us to the conclusion of the yearly transits & the initiation of a whole new yearly cycle.
Mars has traveled 180*+ around the zodiacal wheel.
At each ingress date, locate where in your own natal chart Mars is located by transit. Ponder what is being activated, stirred up, or initiated. Use all of the Mars keywords to consider this. Think of Mars as a trigger (along with the MOON). The trigger could be proactive or reactive. It all depends on how YOU choose to integrate into the energetic environment around you. If you are a Mars RULED or influenced individual, (ARIES SUN, MOON, RISING; SCORPIO SUN, MOON, RISING; Any of the PERSONALS in the FIRST HOUSE; MARS in ARIES or SCORPIO), these Mars transits will be of special interest to you. You are an action-oriented person who has strong willpower & prefers to be in charge of your own reality. Keep an eye on this moderately rapid moving energy to regulate both your initiatives & your responses.
(Do you have your date book at hand? Are you marking the dates of the planetary movements into it?)
The mid & outer planets regularly go retrograde each year for months at a time. These are slow-moving orbs providing us with plenty of time to reconsider & review. Because the energy moves relatively slowly, we are better able to adjust to the flow & integrate it into our psyches. These retrograde periods give us the much-needed space to establish & refine our reality.
JUPITER :
December 21, 2022 1* Aries
January 1, 2023 2* Aries
May 16, 2023 Jupiter enters Taurus
September 4, 2023 SRX 16* TAURUS
December 21, 2023 6* TAURUS RX
December 31, 2023 SD 6* TAURUS
This is the JUPITER RETURN period for those who have Jupiter in ARIES or the first half of TAURUS. This 11+ year cycle gives a sense of aspirational progress throughout our lives. We reach for the prize through our Jupiterian selves. He monitors our hopes & dreams. He connects us to our higher, more intuitive selves. If you are in the midst of a ‘return period’, use it to imagine your future. And, because this is Jupiterian energy, no 
holds barred! Reach for the stars in your heart of hearts! Be bold & fearless in mapping out your future. You will only reach that which you aspire to so aspire hugely!!!
As with all transiting planets, locate the degrees of the transit in your own chart to determine where you will experience opportunity, serendipity & renewed optimism. If you happen to 
have Aries/Taurus on one of your angles, watch closely how Jupiter ushers abundance into your reality. Jupiter augments & expands whatever he touches so the reactive side of this transit is that if you are in the midst of restructure or chaos, it may feel a bit out of control for the duration of the specific transit. This same principle applies to proactive energy so watch that you do not bite off more than you can chew at any one given time! LOL…
Jupiter at the Ascendant or first house can cause even the hardiest of souls to waver in the face of the tidal wave of expansion…
SATURN
December 21,2022 22* AQUARIUS
January 1, 2023 23* AQUARIUS
March 8, 2023 ENTERS PISCES
JUNE 17, 2023 SRX 7* PISCES
NOVEMBER 4, 2023 SD 1* PISCES
December 21, 2023 2* PISCES
Saturn is our REGULATOR, our TEACHER, our INNER CRITIC; basically, the REALITY CHECK mechanism within our psyches. Once we have mastered how to work with the energy of SATURN, we are the post-graduates of the zodiac, able, efficient, controlled, and masterful. Saturn sets the boundaries of our reality and once we understand these boundaries, we can attain much success in our routines & personal ambitions.
If you experience challenges with the transit of Saturn, view it as a ‘call to action’, an opportunity to improve whatever area of life is under stress. Meditate on what kinds of strategies could help you to refine, repair & rearrange yourself so that you function more effectively & without undue hardship. Not saying it will be easy but definitely suggesting it will be worthwhile.
Tips to interact with Saturn energy:
The REGULATOR:
When glitches occur, locate what in your psyche is
OFF-BALANCE.
Brainstorm methods to get back into gear
Take some time off to reboot yourself
Deep breathing to get centered
Water to hydrate (make sure it is living water)
Monitor diet
The TEACHER:
Pause & consider what your reality is attempting to ‘tell’ you
Control your anger when blocked; look for strategies to clear the blockage
Pay attention EVERY MOMENT to the signals you are getting as you take action
The INNER CRITIC:
Cut that critic down to size with BRUTAL efficiency
Do not wallow in your victimhood
Recognize who that INNER CRITIC is…(hint–YOU)
Love yourself
If the INNER CRITIC keeps persisting, do an ‘exiting ritual’. Create a sacred space & ask the INNER CRITIC to ‘please leave’. Be sympathetic but firm & get across to your INNER CRITIC that there is no longer any room in your home (YOU) for him/her. Thank your INNER CRITIC & usher him/her out the door.
The above can be done by visualization but you can also play-act it if that is in your wheelhouse. At the very least, write down INNER CRITIC & any specific descriptions of what those criticisms are on a piece of paper & at the end of the meditative ritual, burn the paper to symbolize the EXIT.
Above all, EMBRACE the parameters of your own individual reality & accept that they have been created to support & protect you.
URANUS
December 21, 2022 16* RX TAURUS
January 1, 2023 16*RX TAURUS
Uranus is now moving ever so slowly as he nears his STATION. Folks with FIXED energy at & around this degree will feel the volatility most intensely. (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius)
January 22, 2023 SD15* TAURUS (STATION DIRECT)
August 29, 2023 SRX24* TAURUS (STATION RETROGRADE)
December 21, 2023 20*RX TAURUS
The next Station Direct for this planet is JANUARY 27, 2024 @ the above degree (19* 5.3”). After this, he will remain in the last decanate of Taurus, the Capricorn Decanate, for the remainder of his duration in this energy. This is the integrative decanate of this transit. From now until the shift into Gemini is fully realized in 
2026, we have the opportunity to concretize any & all changes that have occurred in our lives. Capricorn is the ‘systems manager’ of the zodiac & by being realistic, methodical, practical & determined, we can fully ‘crystalize’ that which is now attempting to be born in our psyches. It will take nerve & grit on our part but if we work with the energy & not against it, we can get to the other side of this.
NEPTUNE
December 21, 2023 23* PISCES
January 1, 2023 23* PISCES
(Neptune Stationed Direct in December, 2022 at this degree.
As with all outers, it takes a bit of time for the celestial orb to pick up steam)
June 30, 2023 SRX 28* PISCES
December 6, 2023 SD 25* PISCES
December 21, 2023 25* PISCES
The principle function of CONFUSION is to impel the one who is confused to search for clarity. There has been much confusion about so many & varied topics over the past decade. Many of these topics refer directly back to our own individual connection to the source of our spiritual self, whatever that may be. Humans need to feel connected to something greater than what they can experience with the mere so-called ‘5 senses’. Each person has his own methodology & frame of reference. It is imperative that no one person deny the validity of any other person’s spiritual understanding. We have lived through a time of 
hatred, vilification, zealotry & sheer evil. True, positive, proactive Neptunian energy is about COMPASSION, LOVE, FORGIVENESS, ACCEPTANCE, TOLERANCE & THE RECOGNITION OF THE DIVINE IN THE OTHER. We must all pray (in our own unique way) that we are learning this most important (perhaps THE most important) lesson of living. Peace & Harmony must become the INTENTION for all of us.
PLUTO
December 21, 2022 28* CAPRICORN
January 1, 2023 28* CAPRICORN
March 24, 2023 PLUTO DIPS INTO AQUARIUS…
May 2, 2023 SRX 1* AQUARIUS
June 12, 2023
PLUTO SHIFTS BACK INTO CAPRICORN—30*
October 11, 2023 SD 28* CAPRICORN
December 21, 2023 30* CAPRICORN
Pluto is completing his transit of Capricorn & in 2024 he will dip back one more time but again STATION DIRECT at this most critical degree of 30* CAPRICORN.
The past two decades or so we have seen the utter collapse of our current ‘system of things’ (CAPRICORN rules structure). That which was corrupt & HIDDEN is now out in the open for all to see. Most of us have lost faith in our so-called ‘leaders’, in the institutions that appear to keep this reality moving & even in the basic infrastructure that supports the lifestyles that we have. Who do we trust? Who can we depend 
upon? Who is telling the truth? What is the truth, really? The answer is simple. Pluto into Aquarius is about taking the power over our reality into our own hands. We can trust US. We can depend on US. We are the TRUTH. Only WE can decide what the truth is. The collective must rise. And it will, once that most critical tipping point is reached. As a wise man once said…
You can fool all the people some of the time,
and some of the people all the time,
but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
I pray that this wise man, freer of slaves, fighter for equality was RIGHT.
It’s worth meditating on 30* CAPRICORN since it features so strongly at the end of the PLUTO transit.
The Sabian Symbols for 30* Capricorn/Cancer are:
A SECRET BUSINESS CONFERENCE
A DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The suggestion here is that there are, indeed, hidden power structures that may or not have the interests of the masses in mind. What is the tolerance level of the people of any given nation in the face of these hidden forces? Can anything be done to create a more inclusive, more equitable system where many can benefit, not just a few?
The American Revolution can be seen as symbolic of a struggle for freedom, the initiation of a grand experiment to rule by collective agreement rather than by singular power & might. It was, one could argue, the beginning of the end of the era of the ‘KINGS’.
Interestingly, America was born when Pluto was last in Capricorn & at the end of that transit. Back in 1776, the ‘people’ seized power & assumed authority (Capricorn) for self-government. It could be argued that the cycle that began back then has now come, in a sense, to a culmination. How has that experiment turned out so far? Have the fighters for freedom become the secret oppressors? The polarity symbol seems to suggest that more revision (revolution) is necessary. The struggle for freedom is never done. It can always be refined, Sometimes, we have to go 
back in order to go forward. The admonition is to continue to fight for that which is YOUR right. Do not give up hope. If you fall, get up & try again. If you falter, hang on, help is on the way. Trust, trust, trust! Believe that this is a fight that we can ALL, together, win. Is freedom worth it? Is the truth worth fighting for? The answer should be obvious to all. Let’s make it a better 2023…let’s stand for truth, for justice & above all for love. Blessings to all…