Festive good cheer this year is a guilt-ridden distraction from the miseries of Gaza, Ukraine, refugees, climate change and poverty, blasted constantly through the media alongside tinsel froth and gluttonous supermarket largesse for those with money.
2024 sees the continuation of Saturn in regretful Pisces for the second year, from which it exits in mid 2025. Pluto is still hovering on the cusp of Aquarius, dipping a toe in late January to late February, mid July to early September and late November to late December 2024 after which it moves fully into Aquarius until 2044.
Neptune is getting up to the penultimate degree of Pisces in 2024 in readiness for the shift into Aries in 2025. Uranus will follow suit exiting Taurus in 2025 for Gemini.
So we are still standing even more so than usual for the year end with a foot in the old and a foot in the unknown about-to-come.
Looking on the bright side: – Pluto last time round in Aquarius brought social enlightenment and a push for equal rights – the better side of Aquarius, appreciating and living side by side with difference. The emphasis on tribal identity, which reached a peak under the patriotic inclinations of Pluto in Capricorn could hopefully fade.
Astrologer Andre Barbault thought the Neptune Saturn conjunction in Aries due in 2025 would be “the most benefic configuration of the century [which] will work for the best in a splendid relaunch of civilization.” I’m not that lyrical about it though Neptune in Aries last time did oversee humanitarian advances – the Geneva Convention, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Bahai faith, and the emancipation of the serfs in Russia. It also oversaw the US Civil War with the abolition of slavery at its heart.
Uranus into Gemini, also kicking off in 2025, has a track record of key scientific and technological advances which change the face of the culture – and that comes on top of Pluto in scientific Aquarius so the tech age is likely to be moving at hyper-speed for good and ill.
Transformational Pluto is not all sweetness and light, more often than not making the sign switch over on a major war – Crimean War 1853 Pluto into Taurus. World War One 1914 Pluto into Cancer 1914. Spanish Civil War 1938 and WW11 approaches Pluto into Leo. Russia invades Hungary 1956 Pluto into Virgo., UK versus Argentina over the Falklands 1982 Pluto into Libra. Russia invades Georgia 2008 Pluto into Capricorn. The lasting effects can be positive with Pluto in Virgo leading to major medical advances, and before that in Gemini with communication advances. But it tends to have a sledgehammer action e.g the financial crash of 2008; and Pluto into Scorpio in 1984 with the AIDs epidemic, so it can leave its mark in no uncertain terms.
Uranus in Gemini from 2025 has an uncomfortable track record for the USA being in place previously over the American Revolution in 1775/76, the US Civil War in the 1860s; and the USA entering WW11 after Pearl Harbour. There was a heavy cost in all cases but the end result in each opened up a new road.
Accentuating the positive – Aquarius can be humanitarian, Neptune compassionate and Uranus, a freedom fighter.
The final Solar Eclipse in 2023 in late October which is still in effect for the first three months of 2024 was a peculiarly difficult one in a Saros series hinting at ‘immense power, anger and force’, as a crisis emerges suddenly. The Hamas attack and aftermath exploding on the back of a powerful, fated final degree Aries New Moon certainly fitted the astrology. In addition that eclipse had a yod of a highly strung Uranus sextile Neptune inconjunct the New Moon – which tends to induce a mood of hopelessness and despair, being stuck, with the advice being to wait. There was also a New Moon opposition North Node square Pluto – so control-heavy and destructive.
The April 2024 solar eclipse in Aries is inspirational and less stressful though a Mars Saturn conjunction may cause odd mishaps. The October solar eclipse in Libra is about completion and endings, so can be marginally sad, not a time to be for a strenuous push.
The lunar eclipse in October 2023 hinted at a tendency to push religious and other beliefs as an excuse for aggression with the Full Moon tied into a Mars opposition Jupiter, which is often associated with soldiers of fortune. The March 2024 Libra lunar eclipse is determined though still mired in Neptunian aggravation and delusions. The September 2024 lunar eclipse in late Pisces could be over hopeful but also shows signs of a possible move ahead.
Last but not least the one planet to make a definitive move in 2024 is Jupiter, sticking to fruitful, indulgent Taurus until 24 May and then moving into lighter hearted, chatty Gemini for a year into 2025.
The ‘lucky’ Jupiter conjunction Uranus in Taurus of April 23rd 2024 falls on the same day as a Scorpio Full Moon square Pluto so there will be mixed blessings especially given the accident-prone Saturn Mars conjunction in Pisces of a few days earlier.