Show Notes:
Here are the timestamps for the weekly forecast:
0:00 intro
0:33 title and date
0:47 Good morning, friends! Updates
1:54 weekly overview
4:10 Third Quarter Moon in Libra–Wednesday, January 3, 2024
6:24 Mars enters Capricorn–Thursday, January 4, 2024
8:09 Mercury Square Neptune–Monday, January 8, 2024
12:05 Tarot cards for the week
16:35 In conclusion
16:40 End Remarks
Transcript:
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You’re listening to the AstroMommy Weekly horoscope, a forecast that hopes to shine a light in the dark, helping us all see where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. Whether you’re a first-time listener or a long-time subscriber, thanks for being here! I truly appreciate you being in the AstroMommy community. I hope you enjoy this week’s horoscopes and card reading.
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Without further ado, here is the weekly horoscope.
Good morning, friends!
Happy New Year! I hope you had a lovely New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day! It was cool and crisp and sunny and my kids and I baked some pumpkin bread and watched The Wizard of oz in between writing blocks. It was a lovely way to start the New Year!
My New Year resolution is to learn to do a handstand unassisted. This may seem easy but I tell you it’s not! LOL!
Homeschooling starts back up today and I am excited to start our new semester. The winter break always gives me much hope for the rest of the year and so I feel renewed—especially with Jupiter and Mercury having stationed direct just before—I feel like I have the wind behind me, pushing me forward on the sea of learning! The sea is vast and I cannot imagine actually getting to know every drop of it, just like every ounce of knowledge would be impossible to teach my children, but we can get to know some of it quite well and the rest of it in a broad sense and perhaps the best thing I can teach my kids is how to sail the sea so they may go wherever their hearts desire.
Gosh, the Mercury in Sagittarius is in full force over here! *smile*
Okay, let’s get into… the astrology
(All times are in Eastern Time (ET) unless mentioned otherwise)
The Weekly Overview
We started the New Year with a bang with Jupiter and Mercury both stationing direct within a day or so of each other last week! That is awesome and imbues the beginning of this calendar year with many blessings! But, January is full of some pretty dynamic astrology that is sure to knock our socks off! We have several things building this month but most importantly, the Sun and Pluto will conjoin at the final degree of Capricorn and ingress into Aquarius together on January 20, 2024! This is HUGE and so I will be counting down the days as we approach this historical event.
This is Pluto’s second to last ingress into Aquarius, his final one being on November 20, 2024. The Sun conjoins Pluto every year wherever Pluto is along the ecliptic in that year, but the Sun does not conjoin Pluto at the final degree of a sign and ingress with him into the next sign every year! This is rare and means that this event heralds a major shift to the storyline of all of our lives. This event is the seed that will sprout into some pretty radical new things. I wrote some of my predictions about what Pluto in Aquarius may bring to the world at large in the post titled, “Some Thoughts About Pluto In Aquarius Over The Next 20 Years”, and I also wrote “Pluto's Transition From Capricorn To Aquarius--Horoscopes For All 12 Signs”—you can go back and read those archived posts if you’d like. They may be helpful.
Here is a handy graphic I made of Pluto’s retrograde and ingress cycles during 2024 for your reference.
Okay, so we are 19 days out until the sun and Pluto meet and ingress into Aquarius together. Interestingly, Mercury will also exit his post-retrograde shadow on that same day as well.
Alright, so that is where we are headed, now let’s talk about where we are.
This week we have three important transits to focus on:
The Third Quarter Moon in Libra on Wednesday, January 3, 2024; Mars’ ingress into Capricorn on Thursday, January 4, 2024; and Mercury in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces on January 8, 2024.
This is a week where I am using the phrase, “Time to…” because it is time to do some important things as we get closer and closer to this major domino being tipped in a huge domino design!
Third Quarter Moon in Libra—Time to Make Wine
The Last Quarter Moon or Third Quarter Moon is when the Moon makes the final 90° angle to the Sun before the next New Moon.
You can see in the chart above the Moon on the bottom left in Libra in square to the Sun on the bottom right in Capricorn.
The Third Quarter phase of the Moon is a potential crisis point when we take stock of what we’ve accomplished since the New Moon three weeks ago. Have we manifested any of the intentions set with that New Moon? Have we made any progress along our path?
Because the Moon is waning and losing light during this phase it represents a time when we are deciding how to best use the resources that we have to create something new out of something old or that has already been seeded and come to bear fruit, but now we are making decisions how to preserve it. It’s like turning grapes into wine or dried fruit or using the birth analogy: if the New Moon is conception, the First Quarter is the woman beginning to show, the Full Moon is the third trimester, then the Third Quarter is the birth of the baby and the beginning of the healing process where the body gets ready to do it all again! We have now turned the amazing seeds of creation into something that will live on outside of ourselves and pass us by in time.
So, whatever intentions or new beginnings were set in motion three weeks ago, it is now time to take a look at them and decide what to keep, what to scrap, and how to transform the energy into something that will live on and regenerate itself.
The Moon in Libra wants to create harmony, peace, and something beautiful and aesthetically pleasing and the Sun in Capricorn is striving for something, reaching for a goal, or climbing the mountain toward the summit of success; what this is all about will be very personal to you and your life. So, you may experience or notice those around you making edits, finalizing plans, or giving birth to things that they set in motion weeks ago.
Since the Moon is approaching the South Node this week, we can also expect to see some emotional or tangible purging—people may dump their emotional traumas, baggage, or physical items in an attempt to make space for what they want to manifest, keep, and grow in the future. It’s like when the plant goes to seed, the damaged and unviable seeds decompose back into the earth and only the healthy strong ones survive until the next spring. So, we are psychically or materially making these edits during this phase of the Moon.
Mars Enters Capricorn—Time to Compete and Win!
You can see in the chart above, Mars on the left at the 10 o’clock position at 00°Capricorn 00’.
Mars is exalted in Capricorn and that means that he is very strong and dignified and able to be very Mars-like in his expressions and manifestations. Mars is the planet that represents war, aggression, strife, cutting, and severing, and indicates what we are willing to fight for, how we fight, and why we fight. In Capricorn Mars fights to get to the top of the mountain, the top of the class, the top of his career, etc…Mars in Capricorn is fiercely competitive and aggressively wants to win and be the best.
People with Mars in Capricorn may be very ambitious, goal-oriented, disciplined, and push themselves to a level of mastery that others shy away from because of the grueling work involved. Mars in Capricorn natives make sacrifices, apply their strength and determination to achieve their goals, and often obtain the top level in their fields.
With the Sun also in Capricorn right now, Mars coming into this sign means that there will be more of a driving force behind our commitments and there will be less talk, philosophizing, and posturing, and more action, initiation, and effort applied to our goals.
If you set any New Year’s resolutions, you can expect to feel compelled to begin them or have a lot of energy toward accomplishing them come in at this time. You may work out an actual plan, checklist, or other way to track your progress. If you didn’t set any new goals for the New Year, you may find yourself wanting to do so when Mars ingresses into Capricorn. You and those around you may feel more competitive in general.
Because Mars is exalted in Capricorn, people with Capricorn placements may experience or exude an expansion of their egos or identities as well.
Mercury Square Neptune—Time to Outsmart the Illusion
Mercury in Sagittarius, now direct, but still in his post-retrograde shadow period, will square Neptune in Pisces for the final time in this cycle, on Monday, January 8, 2024, at 8:24 pm ET.
You can see in the chart above Mercury in the lower right of the chart at 4 o’clock, in a square to Neptune in the upper right of the chart at the 1 o’clock position.
This is the third square in this cycle. The first was on November 27, 2023, when Mercury was direct and Neptune was retrograde, the second was during Mercury’s retrograde while conjoined Mars and Neptune was direct, and this is the third with both planets direct.
Mercury square Neptune can indicate wishful thinking, cloudy judgment, mental fatigue, or feeling lost. It can also mean deception, lies, delusion, or disillusionment about something. We may have thought about something one way only to find out the reality of the situation was something totally different. We may have felt optimistic about something turning out a certain way and then we were let down when reality didn’t fit our fantasy. We may have felt confused, lost in a fog, or mentally tired during these previous squares.
This square is a bit unique in that both planets are direct and so there is something a bit different to this transit than the previous two—maybe how it manifests will be easier to spot, maybe despite it being a transit that indicates mental fog, we will see something more clearly this time around and outsmart the illusion. Maybe the story will be more defined now that Mars has moved out of Sagittarius and into Capricorn joining the Sun. Maybe the musical application or inspiration will be more forthcoming. Maybe the writing will be better. How it manifests for you depends on your natal chart and if this transit affects any of your natal placements.
Let’s talk a bit about the other aspects of this transit chart to flesh out the picture…
Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, and the traditional ruler of Pisces, the two signs that Mercury and Neptune occupy right now, respectively, is also direct now and is in Taurus at the top of the chart above. This is a positive testimony in that it means that Mercury and Neptune are receiving a little bit more support from their host. Neptune especially is getting a boost since Neptune and Jupiter are in a sextile relationship by whole sign, meaning that they can see each other. Jupiter also stationed direct before contacting Saturn by degree—if he had continued moving retrograde for a couple of more degrees, he would’ve formed a sextile to Saturn, and although a sextile is not a challenging transit by nature, Saturn is a serious planet that can represent father figures and authority figures—so that is a bit like avoiding having to pay a fine or getting caught sneaking out by your parents. Jupiter avoiding a run-in with Saturn is also a positive testimony and may play a part in the story between Mercury and Neptune.
I like that the Moon has just conjoined Venus in Sagittarius and feel that this speaks to a more harmonious emotional state during this transit. This is much better than the last square during the retrograde when Mercury was conjoined with Mars at the time, which meant a lot more frustrated or aggressive attitudes. I remember that day feeling edgy and full of discontent. It just felt like it was easier to be pissed or irritated by things. I avoided driving that day and actually, it was not only because of this transit, but also because I had a migraine (Mercury and Mars, literally “pain in the head”) and it was raining cats and dogs (Mars square Neptune)! The migraine and the rain definitely would’ve made driving harder and accidents more likely (Mercury/Mars square Neptune = accidents from some sort of impairment).
So, this time we still have the possibility for accidents due to impairment because Mercury represents transportation and Neptune can indicate intoxication of all kinds or spacing out, so, it is still wise to use caution when traveling on or around this transit. The Moon conjoining Venus on this day is a good sign that good fortune and harmony are possible and may provide a bit of a buffer around this transit, especially if Venus or the Moon are making positive aspects to your natal chart.
The Tarot Spread
Let’s move on to a 3-card spread for the week representing the idea, the process, and the aspiration.
The first card representing the idea is:
XV The Devil
On this card, we see a smiling goat, standing in front of a phallic symbol, with two orbs full of males on the right and females on the left, the testicles of the phallus, as it were. The goat is behind the Egyptian Eye of Horus Staff which symbolizes vision and intuition. The goat is the symbol for Capricorn and Capricorn is ruled by Saturn therefore Saturn’s rings surround the top of the phallus.
XV The Devil card not only represents Capricorn, but also the half-goat, half-man, God of Merriment: Pan, as is symbolized by the smiling goat on the card. XV The Devil represents facing what we feel may be tempting us or leading us astray, but also keeping our sense of humor, even when life is hard.
As the card that represents the idea, this may mean that right now is a time when we need to laugh at our circumstances and find humor in them somehow.
The idea is to creatively make a comedy out of your life, instead of a tragedy, by finding a solution to your reality.
Interesting that this week Mars moves into Capricorn to join the sun and we get the card associated with Capricorn. This is a strong indication that we are to use the energy of Capricorn: tenacious, productive, and goal-oriented, to face our problems and at the same time use Pan’s humor and mirth, to get through it all.
“The difference between a comedy and a tragedy is that in a comedy the characters figure out reality in time to do something about it.” ~ Bennet W. Goodspeed
The second card representing the process is:
5 of Cups: Disappointment
On this card, we see five empty glass cups. Two lily pads shade the cups from up above, their vines intertwining, touching all the cups and forming an upside-down star; their roots form a butterfly beneath the bottom-most cup. The butterfly symbolizes transformation. Two lotus flowers inside the star, droop and lose petals into the the churning sea below. The symbol for Mars rises high in the orange-red sky and the symbol for Scorpio sinks into the depths of the card at the bottom.
The 5 of Cups symbolizes feeling disappointed, like a failure, and focusing on the things that have gone wrong instead of the opportunities that may be available to you.
It’s a card about feeling vulnerable, emotionally fragile, and broken. The upside-down star represents feeling off balance and teetering on edge, deep transformation being the root cause.
As the card that represents the process, this is a very heavy card and it means that what we are going through may be deep, heavy, irrevocable, and cathartic. It is no light matter.
The 5 of Cups encourages us to find a way to move on from the loss, disappointment, and feelings of failure to a brighter and better future, but we must first acknowledge and release the pain and our attachment to it.
And the third card representing the aspiration is:
XVIII The Moon—Reversed
On this card we see a crescent moon hanging between two towers, guarded by the Ra kings of ancient Egypt. Below the gates is a scarab beetle pushing the Sun over the horizon to set in the evening and rise again in the morning.
XVIII The Moon represents the choice to be our authentic selves each day. The Moon throughout her cycle fills herself up with brilliant light becoming the most that she can be and then retreats again, hiding her true form. This symbolizes putting our most authentic selves out there or hiding our true selves to project what we are “supposed” to be like. Each month the Moon has a choice and thus this card represents choosing to be honest and truthful with who you are or deceitful and hiding your truth.
In the reversed position this can mean that we have already made the choice and are undergoing the internal process of living that choice. The Moon also represents family and romance so it could indicate standing in your truth with a family member or a significant other.
As the card indicates the aspiration, I feel that it means we no longer want to have to choose between who we are and who others or society wants us to be and we are aspiring to be as authentic as possible in our expression.
So, to recap:
The idea is that we need to laugh at ourselves a bit about our situations or our circumstances and find working solutions with a sense of humor.
The process that we are going through is one of inner transformation and there may be a lot of emotions surrounding this change. It is time to do some deep healing and soul-searching.
The aspiration is that we want to be the most authentic expression of ourselves that we can be and unapologetically stand in our truths without fear.
In conclusion…
I would love to hear your thoughts and reflections about this card reading and the Weekly Forecast. I wish you all a wonderful week!
I hope this is helpful!
Until tomorrow,
AstroMommy
Thank you for reading or listening to the weekly horoscope!
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Today’s card was pulled from The Thoth Deck and Book Set available on Amazon.
Episode #260: Third Quarter Moon in Libra, Mars Enters Capricorn, and Mercury Square Neptune—Time to Make Wine, Compete, and Outsmart Illusion