Winter in the Stars: Keep track of all your favorite heavenly bodies this season

At the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2021, the wheel of the year turns, ushering in the dark, cold winter months. A horoscope cast for the moment the Sun enters Tropical Capricorn sets the tone for the upcoming season. What pops out to the astrologer’s eye in this season’s chart is retrograde Venus in Capricorn snuggling up to big, bad Pluto. Both are opposed by Moon in Cancer. Pluto, with a 248-year cycle, was last in Capricorn during the American Revolution. With a “birth” chart of July 4, 1776, the USA is set to experience its first Pluto return in February 2022. This configuration in the Solstice chart sits on the USA’s natal Pluto and has great significance. We have felt Pluto’s influence throughout the last decade and will do so well into the next. Society changes when Pluto moves into play and it often takes years after the fact to figure out exactly what happened. Pluto moved into Capricorn in 2008 and will remain there until 2023. 

In the short term, Venus, ruler of love and money, retrograde in Capricorn speaks to women in positions of power: bankers, brokers, the financially and politically powerful. When retrograde Venus joins the Sun on January 9, it is a potent moment and a time to plant Venusian seeds. Manifestation of our desires and our ability to communicate receive an assist from the practical nature of Capricorn. 

The Moon represents home, the nurturing parent, and in world affairs, the people of a nation. In a configuration with the USA’s natal Mercury, we can expect the voice of the people to be heard. In Cancer, emotions will sometimes outweigh logic.

The New Moon in Capricorn on January 2, 2022 signals a time for the collective to sober up and get down to business. Jupiter’s move into Pisces at the end of December does not offer much hope in the realm of sobriety. With a 12-year cycle, Jupiter changing signs is a significant shift in the energies. While Jupiter is in Pisces, we often feel we have a direct line to the divine. This is all well and good, but this combination often produces the proverbial rose-colored glasses. It is important to see what is really happening, not what we wish to happen. Mercury, ruler of our thought processes, has moved into Aquarius at this time. Mercury likes it here. Ideas, intellect and logic are the perfect antidote to jumbo Jupiter rolling around in the misty, murky realm of Pisces. 

The Full Moon on Jan 17 across the Cancer/Capricorn axis kicks up the dust in the USA chart. An echo from the time of the Solstice hits the airwaves. Mercury retrograde warns us not to believe without questioning. Check it all out, wait until the dust settles before making any decisions. During Mercury retrograde periods it pays to be flexible. Schedules go awry, delays occur for weird reasons, snafus and snags rule the day.

The New Moon in February in Aquarius brings a clash between the cautious and the reckless. Mercury, turning direct on the 4^th brings some clarity to any situations we find ourselves in. Something different and unusual is on the horizon. Could be weather related or simply some shocking news that results in a public outcry. 

At Full Moon time on February 16, Venus and Mars are cuddling up in Capricorn. Venus rules love, money and our desires. Mars rules our actions and our sex drive. This combo is not looking for a one-night fling. The energy favors a long-term relationship. Capricorn constructs may be slow to start but they are built to last. The sex will be just fine, Capricorn is an earth sign and gets into those earthly activities. 

The Pisces New Moon on March 2 sets the stage for the month. We can expect some real zingers on the national and international front. There are so many potent and prevalent energies in this chart that it is difficult to pinpoint. Health, courts and legal issues, broken faith and contracts are among the many issues that face us. Events that occur now may have far reaching effects that we may not be aware of in the near future. On a personal level, relationships move to the forefront. Be wary of issues of power and control in any relationship. Ideally a relationship should be among equals. Everybody has a voice and should be heard.

The season closes out with the Full Moon on March 18. Venus and Mars are still running together. Now they have moved into Aquarius where relationships have a different feel to them. Unlike sober Capricorn, Aquarius is always ready for a walk on the wild side. In Aquarius, first and foremost is friendship. If a relationship moves into the kissy-huggy kind, all well and good. But they always start out as friends. And if it doesn’t last, they remain friends. Not a bad deal.

This season we will feel some subterranean rumblings. There’re big changes afoot. We may not be aware of the significance of events as they occur. As the season rocks and rolls along it is wise to remember what is in your control and what is not. The trick is to recognize the difference. Saturn, ruler of the winter season, governs what you can see, feel and touch. Dealing with concrete realities is the order of the day. And don’t forget the promise of Spring.