I found this tweet a few days ago — and good thing, because it beautifully summarizes a lesson my Mercury retrograde-addled brain was struggling to articulate.
Venus, the planet of love and connection, has been retrograding through Capricorn since late December 2021. She recently stationed direct, but she has yet to clear the shadow portion of her retrograde, meaning we’ll feel the effects of this transit for a little bit longer. She won’t exit Capricorn until March, either. March! That’s a long time for an inner planet to spend in one sign, especially one as harsh as earthy, Saturn-ruled Capricorn. And true to form, Venus’s slog through Cap has taught me some major lessons.
At first glance, Venus in a Saturn-ruled sign might seem like a mismatch. But it is no mistake that Saturn — the planet of responsibilities, judgment, and yes, boundaries — exalts in Libra, a Venus-ruled sign.
Boundary-setting requires us to a) identify our core needs and values, and b) clearly communicate when and where we are unwilling to compromise them. That is not an easy or comfortable process, especially for those of us from marginalized communities or backgrounds. In relationships, it usually begets decidedly uncomfortable conversations. It is still necessary.
When we enact boundaries, we erect solid foundations upon which our relationships can thrive. Not survive; thrive. We plant seeds of honest and direct communication. We rebuke nebulous, unspoken “agreements” in favor of structures we’ve had an active role in conceptualizing. We nurture a safe container for vulnerability and intimacy.
I know I am not alone when I say I experience fear of the unknown, especially in relationships. A sample concern: What happens if a relationship outgrows the container within which it first sprouted?
And a sample answer: We shimmy it out of its old container and into a new one of our own design.
Today’s astrology: There’s a New Moon in Aquarius on January 31 (or early in the morning on February 1, if you’re on ET like me). The Moon is neither dignified nor debilitated in Aquarius, and it’s co-present with its ruler, Saturn, who’s chilling out just 3 degrees away. It’s also separating from a square with Uranus, the planet of disruption and innovation. Aquarius risings, Taurus risings, Leo risings, and Scorpio risings will feel this lunation’s energy most directly.
Although Uranus normally jives with Aquarius’s rebellious, socially aware tendencies, the tense square aspect suggests a conflict or disconnect. New Moons mark beginnings or initiations; in Aquarius, a sign associated with the collective, we’re being called to renew our commitments to the communities we occupy. Our individualistic world brainwashes us to prioritize our own needs and wants over everything else, so believe me, this work is much easier said than done. The square with Uranus nudges us to be radically honest with ourselves: What are the stories we’ve internalized about the value of community care? What kind of future do we want for ourselves, our neighbors, and our loved ones? What steps can we as individuals take to get there? This New Moon is great for manifesting long-term goals — Saturn, the Daddy of the zodiac, always rewards patience and diligence — but I encourage you to prioritize collaborations or community-focused projects. Your colleagues, comrades, and community members will thank you.
Fave astro post: Pallas’s work always pushes me to examine astrological phenomena more deeply, and this post on planetary stations is no exception.