160 | Mars Turns Direct: Points on the Scoreboard!

This week: A very busy Venus makes a swooning trine to Mars, squares the Lunar Nodes (and pushes us out of our comfort zone), and squares Uranus, shaking up relationships and finances. Mars finally stations direct, but don't move forward too quickly. And the Libra Last Quarter Moon wraps ups a powerful Lunar Phase Family that began in late 2020. And April answer’s a listener’s question about how to make the most of New Moon cycles when they sometimes skip houses in your chart. Plus: The algebra of kindness, a cheesy grin, and...who's the boss?

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Timestamps

[1:13] Venus at 08°11’ Aquarius trines Mars on Jan. 9 at 7:22 AM PST. The two planets conjoined on March 5, 2022 at 0°1’ Aquarius, squared each other on Sep. 16 and then had an opposition on November 30.  It’s time to kiss and make up.

[3:40] On Jan. 10 at 11:51 PM PST, Venus at 10°18’ Aquarius squares the Lunar Nodes in Taurus and Scorpio. This square is activating the eclipse point from the April 30, 2022 Solar Eclipse at 10°28’ Taurus. It also forms a wide square from Venus to the upcoming Lunar Eclipse on May 5, 2023 at 14°58’ Scorpio.

[4:52] The Sabian symbol for 11 Taurus, which is the degree of the North Node, is A woman sprinkling flowers. This Aquarian Venus square the Nodes on the Taurus / Scorpio axis represents an opportunity to let go of fear and suspicion and embrace trust.

[6:35] Mars stations direct (finally!!!) on Jan. 12 at 12:56 PM PST at 08°07’ Gemini.  Mars entered Gemini on August 20, 2022, turned retrograde on October 30, and enters Cancer on March 25, 2023.  Before leaving Gemini, however, the planet squares Neptune in Pisces on March 14. All of these transits may have had a dampening effect on our desires to take care of business over the recent months.

[10:31] On Jan. 13 at 6:11 AM PST, the Sun in Capricorn sextiles Neptune at 23°06’ Capricorn and Pisces. The Sabian symbol for the Sun, 24 Capricorn is A woman entering a convent. The Sabian symbol for Neptune is 24 Pisces, An inhabited isle. There’s an opportunity to peek out of your cave and get a little bit more involved socially...it’s your choice.

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[13:37] Venus squares Uranus on Jan. 14 at 5:22 PM PST at 14°58’ Aquarius and Taurus. The Sabian symbol for Venus is 15 Aquarius, Two love birds sitting on a fence.  Have your business or personal relationships been feeling stale?  This could be an opportunity to leave for greener pastures.

[15:53] Moon Report! The Last Quarter Moon at 24°38’ Libra (Jan. 14 at 6:10 PM PST) squares the Sun conjoined Pluto in Capricorn.

[16:19] This Last Quarter Moon is the final critical point in a Lunar Phase Family that began with a turbulent New Moon on October 16, 2020 at 23°53’ Libra, intensified at the First Quarter Moon July 17, 2021, and revealed a full story at the April 16, 2022 Full Moon. This final action point of this Lunar Phase family asks us to decide what is salvageable in relationships and what needs to be thrown into Pluto’s cosmic compost bin.

[19:06] Void-of-Course Moon Periods (VOC). On Jan. 9th at 5:52 PM PST, the Moon at 23°21’ Leo opposes Saturn in Aquarius. It will be VOC for about 13.5 hours (!!!) before entering Virgo (Jan. 10, 7:15 am PST). Use feelings of being overlooked as fuel to work on a solo creative project.

[20:22] The Moon in Virgo trines Pluto on Jan. 12 at 3:06 PM PST. The Moon will be VOC for about four hours and then enters Libra at 6:56 PM PST. This is also the same day that Mars in Gemini turns direct.  Focus may be hard to come by, but try to use this VOC period on an analytical, detailed-orientated task.

[21:44] The relationship-orientated Moon in Libra squares Pluto on Jan. 15 at 12:39 AM PST. It will be VOC for about 3.5 hours before entering Scorpio at 4:08 AM PST.  If you happen to be awake at this time and are tempted to regret certain interactions, remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”

[23:41] Listener Luisa asks about how to get the most out of New Moon cycles when they skip certain houses in her birth chart. (Here’s April’s video on how to change house systems on astro.com.)

[30:29] If you have a burning question about astrology that you’d like April to answer on a future episode, please leave a voicemail of one minute or less at speakpipe.com/bigskyastrologypodcast or just send an email to april(at)bigskyastrology(dot)com.  Be sure to put “Podcast Question” in the subject line.

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