Mercury, planet of communication retrogrades in the Air/Earth signs this year.

            Jan 11 - Feb 1                         7 Aquarius – 21 Capricorn

      May 7 – May 31                       1 Gemini – 22 Taurus,

 Sept 7 – Sept 13                      6 Libra – 21 Virgo

   ECLIPSES

The eclipse cycle shifts between the  Aquarius/Leo axis to the Capricorn/Cancer axis. The last time it was on this axis was between 1988 and 1989.  Expect to deal with similar energies in precisely the same places as it did the last time with 18.9 years of experience behind you.  Remember that the nature of eclipses is to force you to act to get your emotional needs in a particular area of life to better reflect your wants and your needs.  The Solar eclipse represents energies operating on the conscious level – affecting the Sun – so it would be where you project your identity in whatever house it is transiting through.  The Lunar eclipse represents your emotional energies operating on the non-conscious need level. They usually occur in pairs, always 2 weeks apart every 6 months. The cycle takes approximately 18 months.  The challenge is to recognize the areas that need work and to voluntarily choose to act during the first set of eclipses.  If you don’t then the universe will take care of it for you at the next set of eclipses and the change will be complete by the 3^rd set. 

August 6 marks the last eclipse on the Aquarius/Leo axis for 9 years.

      Solar Eclipse and New Moon Jan 26 at 6 Aquarius

      Lunar Eclipse and Full Moon Feb 9 at 21 Aquarius

                  Lunar Eclipse and Full Moon July 7 at 15 Capricorn           

       Solar Eclipse and New Moon July 21 at 29 Cancer

      Lunar Eclipse and Full Moon Aug 5 at 13 Aquarius

 Very narrow Partial Eclipse of the Moon December 31 at 10 Cancer

Prosperity Ritual

 An old pagan ritual (and my only superstition), I dance sky clad (a euphemism for naked) and burn a dollar bill as a sacrifice at the Equinox's on March 20 and Sept 22.  Coming from a time when it was a distinct possibility that one might not survive a harsh winter, and evoking the time-honored tradition of sacrificing something you value, you dance under the stars in the Spring at the Vernal Equinox, while burning a single dollar bill (it only takes a few seconds, and no, you don't get more if you burn a twenty). You thank God (or whatever name you call him, her, or it: "That which can create something out of nothing") for keeping you warm, safe, dry and fed through the winter while asking for a good growing season (prosperity). In the Fall at the Autumnal Equinox, you give thanks for a good summer and ask to be kept safe, warm, dry and fed through the winter. Less messy than a blood sacrifice and, not against the law like killing your first born child, it is a sacrifice (the burning making it a "pure offering") of something we value,  along with the heartfelt, grateful (thank you thank you thank you thank you) acknowledgment that without God's grace and indulgence, none of us would make it to the next season.  We can all use a little bit more prosperity and, after all, it couldn't hurt. 

Aries

The focus this year is reaching for a long standing hope, wish, goal or objective. Jupiter is in the same sign as the Eclipse cycle, so you should be able to reach your goal with the help of your friends and associates between February and August. Your male friends and colleagues come through in a big way, and you may have to learn exactly what it means to be a team player. Work and onerous duties continue to make demands on your time, but you can bring a major undertaking to a successful conclusion before Saturn leaves Virgo in late October. Health matters will finally be resolved, and you can begin a health regimen that with sustain you in your activities. Your life’s philosophy is pretty much formed and you will spend the next 12 years making an impact in your professional world – just don’t let professional power go to your head, and realize that you are not what you do – even if the world tells you that you are. Partnerships will be the focus of your energies during the latter part of the year and you may find yourself solidifying a relationship with someone quite different from you in either age or background. Venus retrograding in your first house in March and April will bring love back to your life, either consolidating an existing one or bringing back an old one questioning if there is room in your life for them, or even bring a new love relationship that is more suited to your style and tastes. Mercury retrograding in January brings a reorienting of your goals and objectives, in May your day to day living and in September your partnerships and your rights within them.

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Taurus

This is the year for you to reach for the professional brass ring and with the help of well placed friends and colleagues you can make substantial progress around the eclipses in February and August. Be sure to take into account the needs of the folks at home because they are the ones likely to suffer from neglect as your career takes more of your time than they might be used to, and you can expect complaints and resistance in March and April, as some passive/aggressive behaviors rear their ugly heads.  Affairs of the heart, especially those on the illicit side may appear enticing, but you are kidding yourself if you think they can remain hidden forever, so make sure the reward is worth the risk. You may get the opportunity to further your education, so take advantage of any on-the-job-training that is offered, and see if you can find a way for your employer to help defray the costs of education that will enable you to do your job better.  Career progression continues throughout the year, but will be done by October when the full extent of the responsibilities you are volunteering for show up and demand you deal with them.  Miscommunication during January can complicate professional goals, in May impact your financial sector and in September make a shambles of your work environment and take a toll on your health.

The eclipse cycle completes itself at the Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse in your sign in February and August, manifesting in new personal relationships as well as consolidating existing partnerships with matters reaching some kind of a climax during the August Lunar eclipse in your sign. Jupiter opposing your sign all year brings intimate one-to-one relationships into your life that reflect the energy you send out into the world,  so if you see something you don’t like in someone else, make sure that same energy isn’t lurking inside you somewhere. Partners may be older or more experienced or even completely foreign to you, but it will be these very characteristics that attract you; just wait until the end of the year before agreeing to any contracts or agreements that limit your ability to do as you please without having to consider somebody else in the equation. Your finances continue to be restricted and you may be surprised at how little you can get by with when times call for it – but you can expect some relief by October. Your love life pops in March and April with someone traveling quite the distance to make an imprint on your heart; just don’t believe everything you hear and remember that actions speak louder than words and talk is oh so cheap. The end of the year brings an increase in your personal power and you redefine who you are in your own terms by the time the year draws to a close and you are willing to fight anyone who gets in your way. Miscommunication can confound partnerships in January, create enmity between friends and associates in May and bring about minor legal conflicts in September.

A difficult year where you have to stay behind the scenes and bide your time makes it hard to endure, but you must carry on and not quit, no matter how tempting it might be. You may have to give more than you get this year, but consider it biding your time until you can use the full force of your energies to advance your own cause after Saturn enters your sign in late October for the first time in 29 years. You may feel quite alone, but that is necessary for you to learn the lesson of relying on yourself instead of a partner doing it for you because you are the only one not likely to let you down.  Once you have achieved that you can begin to love and laugh again, and single Libran’s will find someone quite adventuresome in March and April who can morph into quite the acceptable partner by the last eclipse in early August.  Love will fill your life again as your creative juices are finally flowing which can result in a variety of new loves, both of the physical and esoteric kind so be careful when you are creating things and what you wish for because you are likely to get it.  Misunderstanding in affairs of the heart can crop up in January, legal or educational matters may bog down in May and June while September brings personal problems and miscommunications in relationships.

A deep and profound understanding at the soul level has been slowly coming and it bursts into the forefront of your consciousness this year as a concrete plan to rehabilitate your home life comes to be in February charting out a clear path of action that you can put into effect by August creating a stable base of operation for you to operate out of. You will either refurbish remodel or even purchase new real estate, even if you aren’t planning on living there right away; it is the outer reflection of your desire for a stable inner world. Try to control the rehabilitation, don’t knock out walls if you don’t have to and remember that not everything has to be razed to the ground for the rehabilitation to be complete. Older female friends or colleagues continue to be a base of support for you so make sure you return the kindness when asked, and never, ever, ever welch on a deal – pay up and never make that deal again – anything less lacks honor. Single Scorpions can be intrigued by someone they work with, just make sure it is worth it, check company rules and remember that it is always the woman in the lower position who loses her job over it. Your ego can get you into the line of fire in the fall and, much like Yertle the Turtle, go one demand too far and collapse on yourself at year’s end. Your love life resonates in March, May, August and October. Misunderstandings at home can cause unmitigated problems in January, upset your delicate finances in May and June and be your own undoing in September and October.

The Eclipse cycle in your sign finishes up it’s transformation of your life in February and August and Jupiter in your sign brings the new you out for the world to see.  You can begin all kinds of new personal adventures this year and you may even be in the spotlight for one reason or another. Personal relationships should enhance the range of feeling in your life with opportunities coming in January and August for you to connect with people who fulfill you on both a physical and spiritual level. You may be cut off from accustomed sources of income and will have to work hard just to keep what you have rather than expanding your holdings, but the austerity should pay off by October and you will find yourself freer on a variety of levels than ever before and you won’t find possessions or responsibilities holding you back from expanding the scope of your life. You may have to say goodbye to someone or something that used to support you, but if you’ve lived your life right you will have other structures in place ready to act as a support in your life and you can bid the old ones a fond farewell.  You can combine business with pleasure in March and April, and single Aquarians may meet someone quite intriguing while out and about living your life, just wait a bit before jumping off the love bridge to see if it has any staying power. Miscommunication can complicate things in late January, spoil an otherwise good time in May and bring legal, educational or travel woes in September and October.