Thoughts & Explanations on The Astrology of February

Greetings beloveds,

There’s lots happening this month so let’s jump right in and discuss it all piece by piece.

After weeks of being in Pisces, helping us to find compassion and sensitivity in the face of injustice, discrimination, and egotism; Venus, the planet of love, pleasure and wealth moves into Aries (Feb 3) to help us find our fight for the things and people we hold dear. Since Venus is not typically at home in Aries (she prefers Libra, Taurus, and Pisces), there may be a few false starts and misfires when it comes to getting what we want, especially as Venus will be joining aggressive Mars in Aries for the majority of her stay. While Aries energy can help us with finding the courage to stand up for ourselves in the face of bullying and oppression, we have to be mindful of choosing our battles carefully as Aries can be the fire that quickly rages out of control, burning us all in the process with its “me first” way of operating. Though, if there was ever a sign you can call on to topple over an oppressive regime and the systems that created it, Aries is it. Think of Venus and Mars in Aries as the volcanic lava that produces the fertile and mineral rich soil in which new and nourishing things can be planted and grown. (When Mars squares off with power-hungry Pluto in Capricorn on Feb 21 and joins up with explosive Uranus in Aries on Feb 25, expect major clashes and shakeups)

By Feb 6 (Feb 5 if you’re on pacific time), Jupiter – the planet of abundance, travel, religion and law – begins its retrograde in diplomatic and marriage-minded Libra. While some astrologers, myself included, heralded lucky Jupiter’s arrival in Libra as a chance to spread the love, Saturn in Sagittarius (Sag is ruled by Jupiter) has ensured (as well as free will) that Jupiter in Libra has become more about being fair and impartial to the most xenophobic and bigoted among us (i.e. the argument on whether it’s okay to punch a Nazi, give Trump a chance, etc). However, with Jupiter retrograde in Libra, collectively we are going to be asked to rethink (and in some cases repeal) our ethics and laws, namely in context to fairness, justice, and respect to others. Personally speaking, I don’t believe that bigotry, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia fall under the umbrella of equality and respect. The Libra penchant for peace at any cost will have to be reexamined as we need to continue to have these uncomfortable conversations and encounters to spark true change. As Aquarius season continues, we’ll see that change, unrest and protest, community building and humanitarian efforts will remain the focus, especially when Mercury (communication) enters Aquarius on Feb 7.

Speaking of true change, Feb 10 marks the first of the eclipses on the Leo-Aquarius axis with a Lunar Eclipse in Leo. Similar to Aries and Libra, Leo and Aquarius handle themes of me versus we, whereas Leo’s fire is concerned with unabashed self-expression, creativity, and living from the heart while Aquarius’ air is concerned with helping others, innovation, and living from a place of logic. Though the power of Leo resides in its healthy dose of self-confidence, Leo must beware of egoism, vanity, and ruling its kingdom (and relationships) with a totalitarian, my way or the highway approach. At its best Leo can stoke a fire that inspires, warms, cheers, and entertains – which why some of our best leaders and entertainers are Leo Suns, Moons, and Risings. Under this Leo eclipse, these themes will be prevalent not only in our own lives but across the globe highlighting the best and worst of human nature. However, as this eclipse is a Lunar Eclipse, a powerful Full Moon for release, endings, and culminations this eclipse will be about releasing the Leo shadow of self-centeredness in exchange for that Leo sunshine that lights up the world.

Incidentally, back when the Leo-Aquarius eclipses swept through between 1998-2000 we saw: the European Court of Human Rights established; Leo Sun and then US president Bill Clinton impeached for gross misconduct and perjury; the famine in Sudan become a worldwide tragedy, exposing human rights abuses and "the failure of the international community to the famine risk with adequate speed"; South Africa release its final report from the Truth and Reconcilliation Comission which aimed to heal the country post-apartheid; Vladimir Putin take power in Russia; NATO intervening in the Kosovo War which was fueled by ethnic cleansing; the Columbine High School shootings which sparked gun control debates; and the 2000 US presidential election. Eclipses on the Leo-Aquarius axis tend to highlight people in power, how they manage that power, and the communal response to that power – especially if it’s been abused or unevenly distributed. I should note that while researching these eclipses, I noticed that there was a high occurrence of natural disasters like earthquakes, that seemed to represent the volatile and unstable energy of tearing down and rebuilding. P.s. Trump is a Leo Rising.

Lastly, when Pisces season kicks off on Feb 18, we are going to be pushed back into emotional territory as we center again on the importance of empathy and compassion for the marginalized and underrepresented, as well as the power of divine feminine energy and its capacity to heal. When Mercury arrives in Pisces on the 25th, followed by a Solar Eclipse in Pisces, the last of the eclipses on the Virgo-Pisces until 2024, the focus will be on using our hearts and intuition lead us. Since eclipses tend to create an emotional crisis of sorts because the Moon (feelings) is involved, some of us may experience a crisis in faith or a crisis in reality, especially as Pisces can be overly idealistic or flat-out manipulative in its expression. Around this time we may have to watch out for wolves in sheep’s clothing, being held back by relationships that drain us, or over-indulging in drugs, alcohol, and escapism when life gets too hard. However, as Solar Eclipses are powerful New Moons, a Solar Eclipse in Pisces can help us to flush emotional wounds that need to be healed, improve our connection to Spirit as well as each other, discover the power of our own magic. Another gift that Pisces will bring is recognizing when it’s time to rest and retreat.

Between Aquarius season, Venus and Mars in Aries, and the eclipses our adrenals are going to be worked into overtime with the rapid changes and volatile energy that will be swept in. This means that fatigue, anxiety, depression, malnourishment, and dehydration may be an issue. To combat this, we’ll need to create ample space for sleep, meditation, prayer, hydration and nourishment, time spent with loved ones, art and creative pursuits, as well as regular fasts from social media and the news. Since Pisces is known for its psychic energy, we’ll also need to be careful with energetic boundaries, especially as Mercury travels through Pisces. Through Pisces, thoughts and feelings become real which means we’ll have to be careful about what we speak into existence and the thoughts we choose to focus on. This is not to say that we shouldn’t acknowledge the darkness, it just means to not only acknowledge it but to also fill it with light. Watch closely for what happens around these eclipses, as they tend to be game changers.

To find out how you can change the game this month (and I’m not talking about the Superbowl), read my February monthly horoscopes.