Sun Into Aquarius 2020: Let There Be Lightwork

Inventive, independent Aquarius is often credited with a visionary knack for tapping into the future and setting standards and trends. As an air sign, it emphasizes the intellect and the ability to detach, both from the irrationality of emotions and from group think. Those skills will come in handy for all of us as the Sun and Mercury journey through astrology’s eleventh sign early in 2020, because late in the year, Saturn and Jupiter will enter Aquarius for much longer transits. Jupiter will be in Aquarius from December 19, 2020 until December of 2021. Saturn will explore Aquarius from March 21st through July 1st this year, and then settle in for the long haul from December 17, 2020 until March of 2023. So, true to form and for the next month, astrology’s individualistic, offbeat outlier is taking us into the future, and it would be a good idea to take note. Supporting the big picture thinking, the Aquarius Sun cycle starts with Venus in intuitive Pisces and ends with Mercury’s first retrograde of the year, also in Pisces.

Also appreciated for its capacity to give perspective, the mutable water sign of Pisces informs us through the languages of spirituality, subjectivity and art. The genius of Aquarius draws its conclusions quite differently than Pisces. But the co-mingling of planets in both of these signs during this time can produce uncanny and astonishing foresight. Venus will be in Pisces until February 7th, and Mercury will leave Aquarius for Pisces on February 3rd. Mercury is the planet that influences our thinking and communication, and it will spend an unusually long two months in Pisces, with the exception of a revisit to Aquarius from March 4th through 16th during its retrograde. That retrograde officially runs from February 16th through March 9th, but its shadow period extends from February 2nd through March 29th. The key to having a productive Mercury retrograde, especially one in spacey Pisces, lies in our ability to set clear, coherent intentions at the outset and to maintain laser focus on them for the duration.

Fortunately, astrology’s packing a sizable “get real” punch these days. Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and the South Node are in Capricorn, and on February 16th Mars joins them. Capricorn is the cardinal earth sign, so it is particularly adept at both keeping us off the couch and at seeing that tangible results come from earnest efforts. The planets have been concentrated in the Saturn-ruled sign for months, and Saturn’s recent conjunction with Pluto imprinted 2020 with Capricorn’s seriousness. Mars is the planet of action, and its presence will further the industrious drive of Cap. It stirs our passions and its “get ‘er done” ethos is well matched to the inherent initiative taking of enterprising Capricorn. Mars will be in Cap until March 30th, kicking us in the pants throughout Mercury’s retrograde and shadow exit period. In combination, the Sun and Mercury in Aquarius instill vision, Venus and Mercury in Pisces expand our creativity and add a holistic view and Mars in Cap will add the needed push to get real stuff done. The final ingredient to this cosmic cocktail is earth-shaking Uranus.

As well as staying focused on our goals, we’ll also need to be alert to hunches, reports and opportunities we receive about shifts in the collective that will have personal implications for the years ahead. Obviously the relevance of news is unique to each of our circumstances. But “a-ha” moments will abound, and they need to be noticed. Besides the Sun and Mercury visiting Aquarius, its ruler Uranus is early into its seven-year-transit of Taurus, astrology’s fixed earth sign. Uranus is astrology’s favorite disrupter. It is a global force that brings shocks, sudden change, revolution, breakthroughs and often a lot of chaos in the process. Whether its crypto-currency in finance, vegetable-based protein in food, workers’ rights in the gig economy or renewable and alternative forms of energy, Aquarius and Uranus point to innovation. It’s important that we pay attention to oncoming changes and that we adapt accordingly, the earlier the better. In short, the dance beginning now essentially guides us through the remainder of the winter before depositing us into early spring and start of Q2 2020. Q2, featuring the onset of multiple retrogrades, including those of Venus and Jupiter, will have a very different timbre than Q1. Now is the time to bring the year’s goals and aspirations into focus.