2016: Highlights of the year and what the transits mean

2016 is gearing up to be quite a year, astrologically speaking! January brings the final pass of the Uranus-Pluto square that has brought so much change and turmoil to the world since 2008. Mercury retrogrades four times, Mars retrogrades, and we have an important mutable t-square in the sky this spring. Here is an overview of some of the most important astrological changes of the year ahead.

The Uranus-Pluto square has dominated the sky for years now. This transit has caused upheaval in the world, political and economic change, and major change in our lives if it has aspected your personal chart. If so, you have planets in the first half of the Cardinal signs (Cancer, Capricorn, Aries,  Libra) and at mid degrees. During January-February this transit makes its final pass, before moving on. January will be a chaotic month as a result with great changes, especially the start of the month and toward the end. While these two planets will be separating, the results of this transit will play out for months, even years, to come. The most significant dates are, January 4-8, the new moon (January 10) and then January 21-31 as the square is set off, , and February 6-7. Expect these dates, and the days surrounding them to be significant in the world and your life if it aspects your personal chart.   

Mercury retrograde

Since we start out the year with the winged God's first retrograde this is the next topic. Mercury retrogrades January 5-25 from Aquarius to Capricorn.

Next retrograde will be April 28-May 22 in Taurus.

The third retrograde occurs August 30-September 22 in Virgo.

The fourth and final retrograde occurs December 19-January 8, 2017.
Retrograde Mercury is a time to plan, redo and rethink, not start new projects or buy high ticket items.

We have two eclipses in March, one in August and two in September.

Eclipses are powerful and often reveal things previously unknown or we change course in some way. An eclipse falling at a sensitive point in your chart shows us a focus on things to come-good or bad and all eclipses are not bad.

The first solar eclipse occurs March 8, at 18.56 degrees of Pisces. Pisces is the natural ruler of things secret and hidden. Pisces is the most spiritual of signs and rules religion, spirituality, and psychics. That said, Pisces is ruled by Jupiter and Neptune, and Neptune rules illusion, delusion, confusion and lies. As Pisces naturally rules the 12th house, we may be concerned with things in our subconscious mind, things secret and hidden, and the realm of the unknown. Religion will play a role in world affairs or that which cloaks itself as religion. The Sun opposes Jupiter and situations may become blown out of proportion or we may be concerned with foreign connections and people. A solar eclipse occurred at this degree on March 9, 1997.

A lunar eclipse occurs March 23, at 3 degrees of Libra. Lunar eclipses occur on full moons, and can signify endings, at times. Libra rules the 7th house of marriage, relationships, partnerships and courts. It also rules those consider known enemies. This eclipse is all about relationships, and that can include non-romantic relationships or partnerships as well. The Moon (and Sun) oppose Mercury, and this can be somewhat argumentative and place a focus on  travel and transport, young people or relatives. Jupiter squares Saturn and this is a restrictive transit and we could hear negative financial news, or news relating to foreign people or entities.

A lunar eclipse occurs August 18, at 25 degrees of Aquarius. Aquarius is the natural ruler of the 11th house of friends, groups, hopes and wishes and the collective. This full moon sextiles Uranus and this can be an exciting time for many, and the sextile can show us new ideas and unique or different approaches to things.

A solar eclipse occurs at 9 degrees of Virgo September 1, 2016. We experienced an eclipse at this degree on September 1, 1997. This eclipse squares Saturn, creating a restrictive energy focused on responsibilities, and it opposes Neptune, creating a cloud of confusion, lack of clarity or deception. It also squares Mars, the God of War, and this creates a frustrating and angry type of energy. The Sun squares Saturn and this is a frustrating, often negative type of energy that can delay or end. We will see major events in the world.

Another lunar eclipse occurs in Pisces at 24 degrees on September 16. This eclipse opposes Mercury creating a willful type of energy and focus on travel or transport and young people and communication. It also squares Mars which fuels anger and agitation, sickness and burnout.

Mars retrogrades

Mars retrogrades April 17, at 8 degrees of Sagittarius. Mars retrogrades about every year and a half. When a person is born with a retrograde Mars there isn't an even, comfortable flow of energy and some people have lower energy, or they get more accomplished when things reach a crisis state. The same holds true for those with a progressed retrograde Mars.

When Mars is retrograde by transit many people experience low energy and there can be an abundance of manipulation in some cases. Competitive or argumentative energy can occur  as Mars turns retrograde and turns stationary direct, as can accidents and sickness in some cases. As Mars rules men, sometimes men can go 'retrograde,' and changes can occur. Energy is ineffective, or at the least accomplishment can seem harder. The most significant times will be when and if Mars makes aspects to your own natal chart. If Mars sets off a natal planet you can experience anger, rage, sickness or accidents, rash action or you can back up and change your mind or delay something.

Mars is in Scorpio through March 6, when it enters Sagittarius. Mars is powerful and intense in Scorpio as it is in the sign of its rulership. Scorpio is concerned with eighth house matters: money, sex, death. other people's money and transformation.

As Mars moves into Sagittarius, we become more concerned with ninth house matters: education, trips and travel, the intellect and ideas, and foreign affairs and issues.

Mars retrogrades back into Scorpio May 27, and turns stationary direct June 28, at 23 degrees of Scorpio. It remains in this sign until August 2, when it moves into Sagittarius once again through September 27. Mars will travel through only two signs the first 9 months of the year!

If you are a Scorpio or Sagittarius you will find yourself very busy as Mars moves through your signs, but you may back up and have to retrace your steps or change your mind on certain things as Mars retrogrades back into the next sign.

A retrograde Mars is not the time to start a business or get involved in a new relationship. If you do, you may have to make changes, or view things differently as Mars turns direct.

The retrograde Mars 'shadow period,' when we begin to see a shift in energy occurs February 18, and the post retrograde shadow period is not over until August 22.

Jupiter squares Saturn

Jupiter squares Saturn for the first time this year March 19-26. This transit can seem restrictive, especially if it aspects something in your personal chart. This transit can bring lawsuits or legal difficulties, endings and changes, and can represent a poor time to expand affairs. This transit is most important in mundane astrology (the study of world affairs through astrology) as typically it represents a downturn in economies. Jupiter squares Saturn again the latter part of May, becoming part of a mutable t-square with Neptune,

Jupiter-Saturn is one of the ten Major planetary cycles. This cycle goes from conjunction to conjunction, and the last cycle began in May of 2000, in Taurus, the natural ruler of the second house of earned income, possessions and money.  Since that time we have seen massive changes in the financial world. In June of 2006, Jupiter was in a square to Saturn at 9 degrees, Scorpio/Leo and at this time many analysts were pointing to a bubble in the housing market that would become the crash of 2008. Another square occurred in October of that year at 23 degrees. In 2011, (March) Jupiter opposed Saturn at 14 Libra-Aries, and it was at this point that Greece was feeling the debt crisis and the International Monetary Fund was  signing off billions of Euros to Ireland Portugal and  Italy. Greece agreed to extreme austerity measures once again on the eve of the Jupiter-Saturn square of 2015, driven by Germany, and this situation will be played out between now and when the next conjunction occurs in 2020, when we will begin this cycle again in Capricorn.

The Jupiter-Saturn cycle has been considered of greatest importance in shaping history and these two planets have been called the 'chronocrators of the ages.' Nicholas Champion wrote, "There cycle can be considered the ground base of human development, which makes the interaction between perception of human ideas, potentialities, possibilities and their manifestation in the concrete material world. As noted under the interpretation of the conjunction this pair has a great deal to do with the development and evolution of social structures and a sense of corporate national identity. Barbault makes a compelling case for the dominance of this cycle in the unfoldment of European history so that each phase of this cycle appears to mark out a relatively clear pattern of development year after year."

Case in point to the above is the recent and continuing financial turmoil in Greece that escalated in 2015. When Jupiter squared Saturn (summer 2015) China devalued its currency.

In 2015 on the eve of this powerful square we saw the normalization of relations and raising of the US flag once again in Cuba, which the US has had no relations with for nearly 50 years.  

 Many important events will occur during this cycle and we will see major clashes between political parties, the potential of violence  around the globe. All in all many situations will be re-accessed that include foreign relations, laws, and finances. As this is an election year friction between parties will become even greater and the economy will play a large role in the election.

Jupiter will square Saturn for the second time late May, but this time it will become part of a t-square with Neptune. A T-square involves the energies of three planets instead of two.

The mutable t-square

By May 23, Saturn is again squaring Jupiter at 13 degrees of  Sagittarius/Virgo, but this time Neptune comes into the picture, forming a t-square at 12 degrees of Pisces (Neptune opposites Jupiter, and squares Saturn). This is the most significant transit of the year.

The Neptune-Saturn square began its transit the latter part of 2015 and became exact around Thanksgiving 2015. We saw a terrorist attack in Paris, then San Bernardino. Suddenly, the world became concerned with ISIS, and that was all the news. If you recall it was as if they had come out of nowhere While the terrorist group has been building for some time, it was during this square the world sat up and paid attention.

I think we can expect more of the same as these three planets come together over this period.  The t-square will reach a peak the week of May 23, with Saturn and Jupiter exact at 13 degrees and Neptune at 11-12 degrees of Pisces.

Neptune and Saturn form an exact square at 13 degrees of  Sagittarius-Pisces June 5-18.

As Neptune rules religion (or that which poses as religion) issues will arise in this realm and it is not limited to ISIS. Religious beliefs may be challenged on many levels. As Jupiter and Saturn are involved we will see major clashes between political parties and the Republican party especially may become more splintered. As Jupiter-Saturn typically relates to economic issues we are at risk of world wide issues in this area as well. It is likely during this time we will once again see a crisis relating to the thousands of immigrants leaving Syria, as this major problem has not yet been resolved. We have not seen a flood of refugees like this since the 1940's with the flood of refugees leaving Hitler's Germany. Neptune was square Saturn in the mid 1940's as well.

As I wrote in 2014, Saturn transiting through Jupiter's sign is not positive for overall growth (economic). There was been a recession each time Saturn has transited through Sagittarius, or within months of its entrance in this sign, going back as far as 1836. I hope this is not the case, but my motto is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Other issues that can arise we can see an emphasis on regulatory matters, social unrest, unemployment and health issues.

As the mutable t-square comes into aspect on a personal level this will be about change, adaptability, and uncertainty. In our own lives many things can change, or fade out. 

During this time things can be in a flux before the new replaces the old. Neptune tends toward a fading effect, and many things may dissolve into something else. This can include relationships, jobs or any number of areas, depending on where this transit hits your own personal chart. It is more important than ever to use discernment in your choices. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks, it might be a duck!

If the t-square aspects something in your chart, this transit will have a bigger effect than if it does not. If it does aspect your chart then you have mutable planets (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) from 9-14 degrees.

At its worst this transit brings depression or discouragement, cynicism, lack of clarity or a feeling of unreality.

At its best it can bring compassion and idealism, and structure to long hoped for dreams. One reality may seem to switch to another, or we may suddenly feel this way.

During this transit we will have to confront things and situations that are in need of change. We may suddenly be confronted with issues that should have been dealt with earlier or issues that were there all along but come to light during this time.

Some will experience vivid dreams, prophetic enfoldment or growth, and spiritual awakenings. Those in creative fields may experience great creativity during this period.

Saturn and Neptune will also form an exact square again the first three weeks of September.

Jupiter: Virgo into Libra

Jupiter leaves Virgo and enters Libra September 9. Jupiter in Virgo is the natural ruler of the 6th house of health and work, and it is here we can experience gains during this time.

Jupiter is where we find our luck and Jupiter in Libra will rule 7th house matters: courts, legal matters and relationships as Libra rules the these areas. Jupiter last transited through this sign from September 2004-October 2005. Many people will become interested in relationships and there could be a surge of marriages.

Jupiter squares Pluto

Jupiter opposed Pluto in 2014 and we saw the rise of ISIS. Jupiter-Pluto transits are associated with terrorism, and Jupiter will square Pluto the third week of November at 15 degrees of Libra-Capricorn, and will repeat this square in 2017.

 Jupiter-Pluto transits generally bring to the fore individuals who have an agenda to push and believe they are right about something. They often embody a 'might makes right,' attitude.  This will inspire many people who are not terrorists to find themselves at war as well, in many areas of their life. This transit relates to obsessive or fanatical behavior and makes some unwilling to hear any other viewpoint, and anyone can encounter this type of individual in their life, or react in this manner. They may be inspired by religion or idealistic reasons, and often overlook critical facts. There are many forms of terrorism: internet bullying, domestic abuse, or bullying period, which is a form of terrorism that may not involve police or military actions except in the most extreme cases.

Saturn trines Uranus

We end the year with the positive Saturn trine Uranus becoming exact the third week of December at 20 degrees of Sagittarius-Aries. While Uranus represent the new and unusual, Saturn represents the old and there can be a marriage between the two. We can see the implementation of new concepts, inventions, medicines. It is associated with the implementation of brilliant ideas, insights, inventions and reforms. This should represent some new opportunity or achievement if it aspects your personal chart in a positive manner.

Best wishes  to you for 2016!