Sun Enters Aquarius
Pluto Joins the Party
Hello everyone, and welcome to Aquarius Season! I’m thrilled to be here with you all. I will be joining you as a contributing member of Astrum Opus each month when the Sun ingresses into a new sign, bringing you a bit of insight for the zodiacal season ahead. My focus is on the human body as it relates to each sign. Please feel free to add your comments or questions! - Alison Dale
So, let’s begin with the sign of the Water Bearer, Aquarius, whose season starts Saturday, January 20. This is no ordinary entrance for our beloved luminary. At 5:44 am PST that day, the Sun and Pluto meet at the last minute of the last degree of Capricorn (29°59′- the end of the end of the end). Then, a few hours later, after the Sun’s ingress into Aquarius at 6:08 am PT (your time), Pluto joins the party at 4:57 pm PT. Hand in hand, Sol and Hades boldly leap off the earthy Sea Goat’s mountain peak and drift up into the atmosphere. Penetrating the air sign of Aquarius, this dynamic duo will magnify the archetypal patterns of community, humanitarianism, technology, authenticity, and the future.
Pluto entering a new sign after 15 years in Capricorn is one of the biggest transits of 2024. Look for major conclusions in the part of your chart that contains Capricorn and brand new chapters in the house of your chart that contains Aquarius.
Sun Conjunct Pluto in the Anaretic and Critical Degrees
The Sun conjunct Pluto is a potent, powerful aspect. The conscious, creative life force of the Sun is meeting the planet of death, destruction, and rebirth, and the vibes are anything but subtle. Pluto, or Hades in the Greek pantheon, is the god of the riches buried in the underworld. So the Sun cozying right up next to him illuminates and clarifies what shattering transmutation is necessary in our consciousness in order to uncover hidden riches.
This conjunction is made even more intense since it is happening in the 29th degree of Capricorn and the 0 degree of Aquarius. The final degree of a sign (29°) is called the anaretic degree, or the degree of fate, and it represents a point of tension, culmination, and urgency.
In ancient Greek, anaretic translates to “the destroyer” or “that which kills.” A planet occupying this degree holds great tension. Ready to move on to the next thing, but also holding on to existing ways of being can feel like pressure. One may exhibit a tendency toward hasty decisions, pulled by an impatience and overreadiness to move on to the next energetic blueprint.
The anaretic degree is also known as a place where we have no more conscious influence- the fruit of the sign in question (Capricorn, here) is overripe, and it must wait for fate to intervene in order to fall to the ground.
The first degree of a sign (0°) is also considered to be a critical degree. It too comes with a sense of urgency and crisis though it carries the eagerness to learn the language of the new sign and its planetary ruler. It’s raw, undiluted energy, like standing in the doorway to a new room looking around with no idea what the space has in store for you.
It’s a lingering question- what does Aquarius season 2024- let alone the next 20 years of Pluto in Aquarius- have in store for us all? The Sun’s month-long stay in the Water Bearer’s sign will provide many hints. Mercury, Mars, and Venus will all enter Aquarius (and conjoin Pluto) with the Sun co-present. Look for big mutations, unearthings and revelations in areas of communication, assertion, and what we value, especially in the house of your chart that contains Aquarius.
Saturn: Ruler of Capricorn & Aquarius
In most cases, the jump from 29 degrees of one sign to 0 degrees of the next sign is a substantial change because neighboring signs have different planetary rulers, different gods they must answer to. However, in the case of Capricorn and Aquarius, the ruling planet of the two signs is the same: Big Daddy Saturn. (In modern astrology, Uranus has also been associated with Aquarius, but for most of astrological history Saturn has been its ruler.)
Saturn is known as the Lord of Time and Karma. If you think about it, the celestial bodies were the first clocks, with their movement across the ecliptic helping our ancestors track the passage of time. The moon’s cycle, ruled by Cancer, easily keeps track of time on a day-to-day basis, which is necessary to monitor the growth of plants during the summer months. Saturn, as the furthest visible planet from the Sun, has a much slower cycle and results in the monitoring of time over a much longer, generational period. Both Capricorn and Aquarius are Winter signs (in the Northern Hemisphere where their mythology originated), when both slowing down and having foresight for the future are essential.
But even from one Saturn-ruled home to the next, there are still huge differences between the energies of the two signs. In Capricorn, a cardinal earth sign, Saturn is all about the rules and underscores the time and discipline needed to build the foundations that support systems of earthly life. In Aquarius, a fixed air sign, Saturn’s foresight and big-picture thinking enter the atmosphere, providing new vistas. Longing to innovate, Saturn’s masculine expression sees what only the rebel can see. In the revolt against institutional rules, new ideas come to form and shape our future.
The United States Pluto Return
Over the past few years, many astrologers (myself included) have been deeply focusing on Pluto as he finishes up his journey through Capricorn. This is partly because the ingress of the slowest moving planet into a new sign is a big energetic shift. But what has made Pluto such a huge focus of attention in recent years, too, is the fact that he had returned to the same place in the sky that he was in 1776, the year the United States of America was founded. We are currently going through what is known as the Pluto Return of the United States since 2022.
A Pluto Return (every 248 years) can fundamentally transform a nation, and we can see it happening before our eyes. The Lord of the Underworld reveals what has been hidden beneath the surface, in the shadows, and the United States is deep in a purging process. The past few years have brought to the surface deep structural power imbalances that exist in the country and its founding. In a tense election year, Pluto promised to pull the proverbial rug of the US from under us, at its very foundations.
The next 20 years will be unlike any time period anyone living today has experienced before- and probably far beyond our wildest dreams. Science fiction, from Phillip K. Dick to Star Wars to Black Mirror, has been exposing us to potential future outcomes for most of our lives. Some of these are utopian, but more reveal the dystopian potentials that could evolve if we don’t pay attention. Doubling down with curiosity, the abiding question is, “What does it mean to be human?”
The answer lies not only outside of us or within our minds, but within our bodies as well.
Aquarius in the Body: Circulation of the Center for Heart-Filled Forward Motion
As we leave the calcified and hierarchical structures of Pluto in Capricorn and enter the fluidic and node-based structures of Pluto in Aquarius, it’s helpful to remember the correlation of these signs in our human bodies.
In Medical astrology, Capricorn is the ruler of solid structural elements of our bodies- our skeletal system, our teeth, our strong joints that can bear weight (knees and elbows), and the structural container for all our fluids, our skin. Capricorn is calcified and hard, rigid and acidic. Aquarius, also traditionally ruled by structural Saturn, is the ruler of the fluidic, moving, and rotational structures of our bodies- our circulatory system, our ankles and calves, and the electrical impulses of our nervous system.
Just as blood makes a revolution around our circulatory systems and electrical impulses make revolutions around our vast network nerves, Aquarius rules revolutions and networked intelligences.
The counterpoint to Aquarius, on the opposite side of the sky, is Leo, ruled by the Sun and ruler of the heart. The veins and arteries are structural channels responsible for distributing oxygen and nutrients through the body, but they require the heart to beat and pump the blood; the two must work together.
The ankles and lower legs are the hardest part of the body for our blood to reach, and also the most important body parts when it comes to taking bold steps forward into the future-, and pivoting on a dime when necessary (an Aquarian trait for sure!) A healthy circulatory system is one where all parts of the network of cells in our body are being nurtured and helped… and a healthy Aquarian society just might be one where the many have access to systems of health and well-being, instead of a select few.
As we ride wave-lengths of major evolutions and revolutions, I encourage you to practice your breathing. I read recently that the feeling of fear is just excitement without using the breath- a beautiful tool we all have to help us stay calm and regulated in the face of change. It’s not always easy to remember to use it, but practicing definitely helps!
I’ve recorded a guided meditation and breathing exercise to embrace this new Aquarius energy. As you listen, please take what resonates with you and leave the rest.
Alison Dale is an artist, ecological astrologer, and somatic guide based in the traditional lands of the Tewa people, known today as Santa Fe, NM. Learn more about her work and current offerings at alisonmariedale.com or on Instagram at @astro.somatics.
Transcript: Guided Meditation for Aquarius Season: Embracing the Energy of Aquarius
Sit comfortably in a quiet space, allowing your body to relax and your mind to become calm. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, release any tension or stress you may be holding.
Continue breathing in and out through your nose, relaxing your forehead and jaw, and bringing the energy of Aquarius season into your body. Aquarius is an air sign, filled with curiosity and open mindedness. As you breathe imagine creating channels of airy space in your body, space for your curiosity and wonder to flow.
Now, bring your attention to your ankles, a body part that is associated with Aquarius. Your ankles allow you to move forward in space, and also to flexibly pivot as you change direction. Visualize a gentle stream of energy flowing into your ankles, bringing a sense of freedom and liberation. Feel any restrictions or limitations being released, and a newfound lightness filling your ankles.
As the energy continues to flow, shift your focus to your calves and shins, also ruled by Aquarius. Feel the energy expanding and enveloping these areas, instilling a deep sense of innovation and forward-thinking. Notice any sensations or warmth as the energy stimulates your calves and shins.
As the energy continues to rise, focus on your circulatory system, which is associated with Aquarius. Visualize the energy flowing through your blood vessels, purifying and revitalizing your entire body. With each breath, feel the energy circulating throughout, bringing a renewed sense of purpose and connection to the greater whole.
Now, bring your awareness to your mind, the seat of intellectual curiosity and innovation. Allow the energy of Aquarius to infuse your thoughts, inspiring new ideas and expanding your perspective. Embrace the philosophical ideals of Aquarius, such as equality, progress, and freedom of thought.
Take a few moments to bask in this energy, feeling the power and potential of Aquarius within you. Embrace the spirit of innovation and embrace the uniqueness that sets you apart. When you are ready, gently open your eyes, carrying this sense of Aquarian energy with you throughout your day.
Join us for our next Astro Salon on January 25, 11 am – 12:30 pm PT. We will chat about… Pluto! Of course! RSVP to info@astrumopus.com.
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Congrats on the writing collaboration and hello Pluto in Aquarius!
Exciting! Congratulations!