Welcome to 2017, Sagittarius! The Taskmaster Saturn remains in your 1st house for most of the year. You have already had to undergo a lengthy phase of patience, limitations, personal insecurities and responsibilities. Your approach to life, relationships and personal needs has undergone a series of changes, asking for maturity and realistic expectations. You had to deal with a considerable amount of self-examination, which will assist with your inner development. You have had to go without, feeling unloved or suffering from bouts of depression, but this also depends on other aspects in your natal chart. Saturn moves into your 2nd house of personal earnings on December 20th.
Big brother Jupiter, your planetary ruler, remains in Libra your 11th house of friends, hopes and wishes. In coming months your network of friendships will increase, benefiting you with your future hopes and dreams. It’s also a time to broaden your ideals and comradeship, extending your associations, groups and organizations. Take time to think about your aspirations. Keep your long-range plans on track, and along the way you may be able to assist others.
New love attractions are indicated for eligible Archers, while the attached among you will find happiness and fulfilment in existing relationships. Children may enter into your life, especially those who are not biologically your own, for instance the child of a partner from a previous match. Do things in a big way, but avoid overplaying your self-importance, intelligence and competence amongst friends, as this could create negative results at a later time. A word of warning: Mars conjunct disruptive Uranus opposes Jupiter your life-ruler on February 27th, so take it easy in the days around this date. Actions are likely to go too fast and too far. It is in your best interests to remember that there is more than a little potential for unpleasant results if you experience too much of a good thing. Physical efforts may be paralysed by laziness and unwise actions, or proceed with extreme force inviting dangerous consequences. Spirituality can turn into fanaticism, so avoid arrogant displays of superiority. Save grandstanding and bravado for another time. On October 10th, 2017, Jupiter moves into Scorpio, your 2nd house of personal earnings.
Mercury will be in a retrograde phase four times this year, and indeed the New Year starts with Mercury retrograde in Capricorn, your 2nd house of personal earnings. Give consideration to your budget and increasing your earnings, while juggling and paying out bills. Mercury hunts back into Sagittarius on January 4th, when you will resume thought on your personal plans for 2017. The Cosmic Messenger stations on January 8th in Sagittarius, then swings back into your 2nd house on January 12th. It’s a shadow phase after the station, when you will continue to mull over talks and negotiations on money. It won’t be till after January 28th that you see a clearer pathway with your financial plans.
Venus Retrograde
This year Venus turns retrograde in fiery Aries, your 5th house of romance, creativity and speculation, then steps back into Pisces, your 4th house of home and family. A planet is retrograde when it appears to be moving backwards through the zodiac. It’s a cosmic illusion, as planets are never actually retrograde or stationary, they just seem that way, thanks to the interaction of the planetary orbits. It’s a bit like travelling on the road watching another car beside you: when the other car slows down, or you speed up, it looks as though the other car is moving backwards.
Sensual Venus turns retrograde only once every eighteen months, with the phase lasting about six weeks. The love Goddess turns this year in conjunction with the Fixed Star Alderamin, marking the right shoulder of Cepheus, the King. It’s a fortunate star, ruled by Saturn and Jupiter, grave and stern in judgement, awakening severe trials, celebrated in poetry and drama. By the Kabalists this constellation is associated with the Hebrew letter Shin and the 22nd Tarot Trump, “The Fool”.
At 9:10 UT on Saturday, March 4th, 2017, Venus reaches her retrograde station at 13° Aries 6′, in preparation for a period of retrograde motion that will last until April 15th, 2017, when she reaches her direct station at 26° Pisces 54′. At this time she halts in the sign of the Fish and begins her return to direct motion through the zodiac. On April 28th, she re-enters Aries, but remains in a shadow phase until May 19th, 2017.
The first part of the Venus retrograde phase occurs in your 5th house. From March 4th to April 2nd, the influence of the Goddess turning in Aries affects your 5th house of romance, creativity and speculation. Your feelings towards loved ones may lack luster, given the Warrior’s cosmic disagreements between February 21st and March 1st. Children may take priority, or you may moderate your desire for pleasure and fun. A past love attraction could reconnect, making it difficult to reach a resolution pulling at your heart strings. Give your current relationship the extra effort of love, and make a peace offering that suits both. Take care of unfinished business, although your creative avenues could lay dormant. This phase does not favor getting the best out of inspirational writing and artistic fields.
The second part of the Venus retrograde phase occurs in Pisces, your 4th house of home and family, from April 3rd to April 27th. During this time there may be family relationships to mend and call a truce; renegotiate on recent developments with agreements, finances, real estate, and property. You’ll be less inclined to finish off redecorating plans, so keep things practical and cost effective. April 6th to the 25th, Venus and stern Saturn will form a stressful square aspect, so it will be hard to please yourself, let alone family members. You could suffer a disappointment through relationships, decide to separate, or take a realistic approach to problems. A family member may decide to leave the nest, or a parent may cause you concern.
The Dragon’s Head and Tail
The Moon’s nodal axis, the Dragon’s Head and Tail, is particularly potent just before changing signs. The Moon’s Nodes normally travel retrograde, and the Mean North Node will be moving from Virgo into Leo, your 9th house of the higher mind on April the 29th, with the True Node following suit on May 9th. However, the effects of this change will be felt most strongly at 0 degrees of Virgo, your 10th house of career and ambitions. Remember, its movement is backwards through the zodiac.
The North Node retrograding into your 9th house offers karmic lessons that revolve around speech and thought processes. There is a need for education to be able to relate to others. A fear of being misunderstood and mulling over words that have been said needs to be resolved. Curiosity may get the better of you. Being engrossed in detail before making decisions in itself creates multiple thought processes, and getting bogged down with too much information. There’ll be a great thirst for knowledge, understanding and feeling worldly. It will be important to clear inner doubts, attachment to trivia, and having too much to say. Open doors to the higher mind with positive thought patterns and focus on ideas, rather than a language of spoken words.
Relationships: the Journey to the Heart
Rebellious Uranus remains in Aries all year, stimulating your 5th house of romance. This transit has brought a turnabout as unexpected events and people have changed the course of your romantic life, together with your creative and artistic expression. Some may have experienced a restless urge for freedom in relationships, featuring short-lived but exciting romances and new ways of conveying your sexuality in relationships. Children may need your attention, as they explore new avenues with their own personalities.
Passionate Mars campaigns at home in Aries, your romance sector from January 28th to March 10th. This will stimulate your energy and sexual passion, lifting your libido no end. You’ll be motivated to complete projects, fire up your creativity and use your excess energy in your favourite recreational sport, gym and other fun activities. However, it’s also the time to be cautious with speculation and avoid gambling. Your social side will also pick up with interests in music and the arts, seeing live shows, movies or enjoying dancing.
Stylish Venus then sweeps into your romance sector from February 3rd, but you’ll have to ride the waves, thanks to Mars and Uranus. The Goddess turns retrograde in Aries on March 4th, just when love matters and relationships are reasonably smooth. Some of you will experience a brief separation due to other commitments taking priority and feel a period of loneliness. Venus travels up the backstairs passage into sentimental Pisces on April 3rd. Thankfully Venus re-enters Aries on April 28th, when you can tune up your heart strings and release your emotions. After May 19th, you’ll be back to having fun and romance. Between April 20th and May 15th, the Cosmic Messenger will be at play in a retrograde phase when you will have to watch game playing with your words and loved ones.
Mars enters witty Gemini, your 7th house of declared relationships, from April 21st to June 3rd. Co-operation and compromising may be difficult to achieve thanks to ego differences getting in the way of harmony in relationships and partnerships. Agreements, legal contracts and problems with open enemies could surface now. On the flipside, your sensuality could surface, providing control issues don’t work against creating harmony.
A marked improvement in relationships opens up as the Sun enters Gemini on May 20th leading up to the Solstice on June 21st. This is followed by a powerful New Moon in Gemini on May 25th urging a new direction for your emotional needs in relationships and elevating existing love relationships. Some may start a new relationship, a live-in situation, get engaged, or mend any recent rifts. Mercury will seal the deal from June 6th to the 21st when decisions will be made about relationship commitments and legalities.
December 3rd brings a Full Moon in Gemini, your house of relationships. It will be a tricky one as Mercury retrogrades once more but this time in Sagittarius, your 1st house of personality. You’ll have a few days of self-contemplation about your emotional needs, building stability in relationships, overcoming indecision and vagueness over home affairs and family members. Venus enters your sign on December 1st, so your personal magnetism and physical charm will be significantly enhanced. Attending a concert, art or fashion show may be on the agenda. Partners and other allies are supportive, helping you attain your personal goals and improve your self-image. You can easily dominate the romantic scene. Just don’t overdo it and turn the whole situation into little more than the pursuit of ego-gratification.
Career and Finances: Stake Your Claim
The main focus on your career will be in the latter part of the year. March 12th sees the Full Moon in picky Virgo, your 10th house. It will turn the light onto your career, long-range plans and ambitions. You may be acknowledged for your achievements, be involved in the public domain, or rewarded by your employer in some way. Are you satisfied with what you have achieved, or do you need to change your tactics to increase success? You will need to deal with a number of issues, as emotions will be heightened in relationships, with negotiations over finances and making relevant adjustments with love relationships, children and practical needs. You will need to juggle your career, home life, family and obligations as well in the midst of emotional indecision.
Mercury enters your career realm on July 25th but retrogrades in Virgo from August 13th to August 31st before heading back to Leo on the 1st of September. Mercury goes direct on the 5th, then re-enters Virgo from September 9th to the 29th. It will be critical to get your thoughts together, your ideas and plans about your professional future. Although you may put these on hold in the short term, clear up areas of lesser importance and clarify vital points that will help you with your career.
The Sun beams through your 10th house from August 22nd to September 22nd. This is the time to consider important career moves, or the uptake of another career contract. New opportunities may avail themselves, giving you extra high profile attention from employers, those in your profession, and influential people in your life.
Fearless Mars comes on the scene from September 5th to October 21st when you will have greater enthusiasm and motivation for projecting your public image and career. Keep in mind not to overdo your energetic actions and upset authority types or your employer. This is also the time to watch your reputation, and avoid treading on the toes of those in your profession.
Venus follows suit from September 20th to October 13th, just as the New Moon arrives in Virgo. This promises a new start for optimistic Archers, as it’s a delightful time to hit the limelight, find success, improve your public status and receive recognition. You’ll not only impress authority types, but also your employer. There’s the chance of luck, extra money, and excelling in love relationships too. Be creative, dazzle the public, and use your artistic skills.
Finances
Dark Pluto remains all year in practical Capricorn, your 2nd house of personal earnings. Pluto brings major restructuring to your earning capacity and your personal values. This transformative power also impacts on your possessions. It hasn’t been the easiest time for you in balancing the budget and being frugal with purchases. You will continue to make changes to your financial structure for some time, including possible losses through investments, and business partnership ventures. You need to take up a restructuring process and rebuild your empire, even if it takes longer than initially expected.
At the start of the year Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn, your 2nd house of personal earnings, when you will take the time to analyse your monetary affairs. The Cosmic Messenger will briefly detour into Sagittarius on January 4th, turning direct on the 8th, but revisiting Capricorn on January 12th to set you on a course of budget ideas, checking income, expenditure before you decide to make any financial outlays, which is advisable after the 28th.
The Full Moon in Capricorn illuminates your personal finances on July 9th. Intense emotions will surround this Full Moon, particularly over joint accounts, investments, and other people’s money. Pay close attention to financial obligations, debts and expenses. Your earning capacity could be altered in some way if you are expecting it from outside sources. Refrain from any unnecessary expenditure and don’t let your feelings get the better of you and those around you.
Taskmaster Saturn enters your 2nd house on December 20th. With Pluto there already breaking down your financial structure, Saturn will lead the way in teaching you how to rearrange your money tree, and be economical and thrifty. If you learn your lesson, Saturn will reward you well once this transit is over.
December 25th sees Venus cruise through your 2nd house to January 17th, just in time for Christmas and the Holiday season. Money will be easier to come by from the least expected sources, but needless to say, watch out for those year-end specials and be careful with your expenditure.
Home and Away: Family and Children
Nebulous Neptune remains in sympathetic Pisces, your 4th house of home and family, all year. Archers have been experiencing shifting sands on the domestic scene, and they’re not done yet. Your role may have changed, or are you sacrificing your personal needs for family members? Inner changes are also under way to allow for spiritual growth, so all is not lost. A change in residence, real estate problems and even loss of property could eventuate. During this phase it may be difficult to see through the fog in finding your identity, finding inner peace and reflecting on traditional values in the household. Wise Archers may gain benefit from meditation, or interests in metaphysics and spirituality. Take care against the potential for difficulties with water, effluent, gas, or oil problems in the home.
Fearless Mars is raising his fist in your 4th house from the start of the year until January 27th. Your physical energy will get things organised around the home, sorting out what is no longer needed and sprucing up the residence. Tension and arguments are indicated with family members and there will be costs associated with repairs. Children could be more demanding due to their excess energy, so be mindful of their activities. Problems may arise from real estate, rental properties, contracts and agreements. Go all out for home improvements, but watch out for those accidents particularly if you are in a hurry to finish a job. This is also a time for accidents and fires, so keep your insurance up to date.
February 11th, sees a Lunar Eclipse in Leo, your 9th house, which will signify a desire for travel, knowledge and expanding your view of the world in various ways.
However, the Sun enters Pisces, your 4th house, from February 18th to March 19th. This will be a busy time, with more than the usual amount to do enhancing your home, improving your relationship with family members, renovating, entertaining at home and inviting over relatives. Family heirlooms, photos, memorabilia, security and comforts will come under light. You will spend more time on discussing ideas and plans with Mercury moving into your 4th house from February 25th to March 12th, when it will be time to prioritize, consider moves, make decisions and agreements.
February 26th brings the Solar Eclipse in Pisces, which can stimulate unexpected life changes. It will take a number of courses, including your plans on the home front. Venus in her retrograde phase during April will reconsider decorating ideas. There may issues with a family member that will call for a truce, or you just won’t feel inclined to entertain family members with their demands.
At the end of this, July 23rd sees a New Moon in Leo, followed by a Solar Eclipse on August 21st. It’s going to be a wow of a year for travel, adventure and excitement. You might prefer just to do some armchair travelling instead, gaining better insight of the world, cultural beliefs and ideals.
Work and Health: Balancing Your Energies
March 10th to April 20th, fearless Mars will be at helm of your 6th house of work and health. You will have a greater capacity and energy to carry out your work and routine. However, in an effort to do your job, frustrations and impulsive actions could get the better of you and create clashes with your boss or workmates. Don’t risk skipping details to get quicker results. Hasty actions could eventuate in accidental injuries, particularly around machinery. Look after your health, as there is vulnerability to headaches, fevers, burns, cuts, abrasions and surgical operations.
Mercury moves into your 6th house on March 31st, but retrogrades from April 9th to April 19th, then re-entering on May 16th. There’ll be a period of inconsistency in the workplace, when your mental activities could take a dive while you experience delays in one form or another.
Thankfully, the Sun shines in business-minded Taurus from April 19th to May 19th, which will get you into the swing of efficiency, concentrating on your work efforts, and offering more importance to the role you play. You may be involved in researching and analysing finances. This is the time to take a critical view of your health, hygiene, exercise and diet. The New Moon in Taurus on April 26th will set you on a new path of attending to health matters, changing bad habits into good habits, and improving your hygiene. Rally your relationship with co-workers, subordinates and employees, and focus on services given.
Lovely Venus then dances into your 6th house from June 6th to July 4th, just as Mercury moves into your 7th house of relationships. This signals a good time to add harmony into the work place. Working conditions could be enhanced, there could be an increase in salary, and your relationship with work colleagues should be pleasant. You may be involved in public relations, beauty therapy, mediation and social activities connected with your work. Good health is favoured if you can avoid sweet and starchy foods.
November 4th sees the Full Moon in Taurus illuminating your health, work and routine. It will also have a bearing on working towards family harmony and future plans for the home. There’ll be work behind the scenes, perhaps a partner’s health to consider, along with your spiritual development. Your emotional intensity will be greater, but gratifying in building up your finances.
