The Astrology of 2023
Photo by OC Gonzalez on Unsplash
The year of 2023 is a year of big shifts and changes. The top three events are:
Pluto exiting Capricorn and entering Aquarius
Saturn exiting Aquarius and entering Pisces
Jupiter exiting Aries and entering Taurus
Pluto is exiting Capricorn for the first time in over 14 years and entering Aquarius. Saturn, which takes 2 ½ years to move through a sign, is exiting Aquarius and entering Pisces. Those two events alone, occurring close together in March, mark the opening of a new era. In two years the other slower moving outer planets will be changing signs as well: Neptune enters Aries in and Uranus enters Gemini in 2025. There is a new chapter of time opening up that begins with this year.
Jupiter moves more quickly, and moves through a sign in about a year so comes around to the same sign about every 12 years. It will change signs mid-year from Aries to Taurus.
I’ve covered these top three events in detail below. There are other events that I will cover as we get closer to mid-year, which include:
Venus Retrograde in Leo (Jul 22 through Sep 3)
The nodes changing signs from the Scorpio/Taurus polarity to the Libra/Aries polarity on July 18
The eclipses moving to/from the same polarities as above
I’ve included some information about the Mercury Retrogrades and the eclipse dates at the end of this post. I’ll be writing about each of those events in detail here as they occur, so stay tuned!
A note about the retrogrades of January. We are usually told to get going in January: start a new health regimen, get going on that creative project, or take that first step toward your goals. However, we begin the year under two retrogrades: Mercury and Mars. Mars has been retrograde since October 30th, and Mercury since December 29th. Mars will station direct on January 12th, and Mercury stations direct on January 18th. Mercury rules communication, and Mars is about action. The year may get off to a sluggish start, but go with the flow on this. It may just feel like the start of 2023 has been postponed. Momentum picks up and the wind will be at our backs again in February. Take January as a time to attend to business as usual, wrap up loose ends, and continue to clear the way for the new energy that you’d like to welcome in for the year.
Helpful Tips:
Mark any or all of the following dates on your calendar of choice. For example, I always mark the Mercury Retrograde dates for the year ahead on my Google calendar with a special color coding for “astrology.” I note the eclipse dates for myself in the same way.
Reflect on your life in the context of these transits. I have noted the last time each of these events happened. You can ask yourself: What was going on then? Often those themes will show up again, but you can now work with them more consciously. It’s also helpful to know how common, or how rare, these events are.
I have included some ways to make these collective transits more specific to you. For this to work, you will need to know some of the basics of your natal chart: what planets are in which signs, the degrees of those planets, and which signs fall in what houses. It is also helpful to know whether you have planets in cardinal, fixed, or mutable signs and their degree.
If you don’t know anything about the basics of your chart and are interested in finding out more about how these transits are affecting you, please schedule a Year-Ahead Forecast reading. Getting a reading is the best way to know the timing, duration, and impact of these transits within your chart.
PLUTO ENTERS AQUARIUS
Dates: Mar 23 - June 11, 2023, then retrogrades back into Capricorn until Jan 21, 2024
Once it re-enters Aquarius next January it will be there until 2043
Last time this occurred: 1778-1798
Pluto reveals the dark side of the sign where it resides. It also intensifies what it touches, unleashing the properties of that sign full force for better or worse. For the past 14 years of Pluto in Capricorn, we have seen the dark side of power, government, and the patriarchy. These are things associated with Capricorn. However, there have been transformative events in these areas as well. Secrets have been revealed (think #metoo) and the rot of corruption and criminality in the system has been laid bare for all to see (in too many ways to list here). The shadow is revealed so that we can heal.
Aquarius is the sign of revolution, invention, technological advances, and groundbreaking humanitarianism. With Pluto traveling through this sign over the next twenty years, big changes are afoot across the board. We may see incredible advances in technology, inventions that can help large groups of people, and revolutions against entrenched power. We will also likely see the dark side of Aquarius: revolutions that bring only chaos, dissociative behavior by those in power, and twisted uses of technology.
On a personal level, we are asked to look at where the revolution needs to happen in our own life. Where can you be a force for helpful change? In order to answer this question for the higher good, we will need to work to stay connected to our heart. Otherwise, we might lose ourselves in the idealistic thinking that can be the downfall of Aquarius.
Even though Pluto spends less than three months of 2023 in Aquarius, we’ll be getting a powerful sneak preview of what’s to come with Pluto here for the next two decades.
Make it specific:
-If you know what house(s) early Aquarius occupies in your birth chart, this area of life is where you are about to witness a sea change. Possibilities: coming into your power through authenticity, secrets coming to light, finding inventive new ways to release old blocks.
-If you have planets near zero degrees of the fixed signs, Pluto will be making a hard aspect to these planets (and may already be). Hard aspects from Pluto invite confrontation of your fears and investigation of old wounds. There are also opportunities for healing and regeneration in the areas of life associated with the planet(s) affected.
SATURN ENTERS PISCES
Dates: Mar 7, 2023 - May 2025, then Aug 2025 - Feb 2026
Last time this occurred: 1993-1996
Wherever Saturn lies, it is where we are called to Do The Work. Pisces is about surrendering the ego, transcending boundaries, and embodying compassion. The assignment on our collective plates during this transit is to apply the wisdom that we have learned on our path and use it in compassionate service.
Saturn in Pisces will be a time when we’re invited to let go of our illusions and face reality. Paradoxically, it is also a time when we can bring our dreams into form, our visions down to earth. In order to do so, we must embody Saturn and be willing to put in the time and energy to make it happen.
Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, and so is a sign of endings. Saturn, the planet of boundaries and limits, shows us what is truly and finally ready to end in our lives. This can sound frightening, but we can also find release from burdens that are not ours to carry into the next big cycle. There is relief in that, if we can learn to trust the flow of life (Pisces).
In order to see what is no longer ours to carry, we will need to do some soul-searching. This could be a melancholy, introspective time wherein we are inclined to reflect on the past. This serves us only in so much as we don’t get hung up on regrets and what-ifs. We can instead let our reflections inform us about what is important to us now.
Helpful in all of the above is having a regular spiritual practice. What is your way of connecting with the mystery? How can you spend more time in that state of connection?
Make it specific:
-If you know what house(s) Pisces occupies in your birth chart, these areas are most affected by the above themes through 2025.
-If you have planets in late fixed/early mutable signs, Saturn will be making hard aspects to these planets. Hard aspects from Saturn bring crossroads, big decisions, and the need to be realistic in the areas of life associated with the planet(s) affected.
JUPITER BEGINS THE YEAR IN ARIES
Dates: May 10 - Oct 28, 2022, then Dec 20, 2022 - May 16, 2023
Last time this occurred: 2010-2011
Jupiter in Aries supports us in making fresh starts and new beginnings. This will be especially refreshing after a time of pronounced endings (Jupiter in Pisces, which ended on Dec. 20th). If you have something you would like to get started Jupiter in Aries can help you out with this for the first 4 ½ months of this year (particularly after the Mercury and Mars retrogrades are over in late January). You must first be willing to take a risk. It is time to step up and be courageous. Fortunately, Aries energy helps us to face our fears. With Jupiter magnifying what it touches, we can be braver than usual.
The shadow possibility is a rise in the “me first” mentality that already abounds. At its worst, this could result in an increase in violence and unrest. This may be hard to avoid. But as Aries is about free will, we each need to exercise ours and choose to focus on the positive new beginnings that we can make.
Make it specific:
Jupiter moves quickly through Aries until May when it enters Taurus, so in order to know exact aspects to your planets and their timeframes, a year-ahead reading is suggested.
JUPITER ENTERS TAURUS
Dates: May 16, 2023 - May 26, 2024
Last time this occurred: 2011-2012
Ultimately, the message of Taurus energy is: Get grounded. Get in your body. Calm down. Jupiter here will be helping us to achieve these Taurus ideals. Overall, we can simplify our lives so that we can feel more secure.
Taurus is about our connection to resources, including but not limited to money. With Jupiter, planet of abundance, in Taurus, we have the opportunity to grow our wealth. The path is to take things slow and steady, and be willing to stick with a strategy over time. This is not a time to expect things to happen quickly or without effort. We must take practical steps with patience, and Jupiter will assist by bringing opportunities to go the next step in our financial growth.
This transit will also help us to reconnect with our values. Taurus energy gets us in touch with what we enjoy, especially on the material level. Jupiter is helping us to remember what really brings us enjoyment, pleasure, and simple fun.
And finally, Taurus is about our connection to our body. Jupiter’s presence can help us to improve our health. It is a good time to create a health regimen that you want to stick with, especially if it’s been hard to do so in the past. Jupiter will be magnifying the fixed quality of Taurus, giving us more ability to do something regularly and for the long haul.
Make it specific:
If you have planets in the fixed signs, Taurus will be making hard aspects to these planets sometime between May of 2023 and May of 2024. Hard aspects from Jupiter bring opportunities to go beyond your comfort zone. It brings up the need, but also offers the assistance, to improve or expand the areas of life associated with the planet(s) affected.
MERCURY RETROGRADES
Mercury Retrograde occurs about every three months, for roughly three weeks.
For the year ahead, starting with this retrograde in Capricorn, the three full retrogrades of 2023 will be in the Earth Signs (Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo). The earth element is about practicality, resources, and security. It will be time to rethink things that are not working in the main areas of career, finances, and health. The good news is that we’ll be given the time and opportunity to reconnect with our values and decide how we really want to spend our time, energy, and money.
Make it specific:
If you are an earth sign, you will be more strongly affected by this family of retrogrades in 2023.
You can always find the exact dates for the next three retrogrades HERE
(you will also find a free eBook at the bottom of the above page: “How to Work with Mercury Retrograde”!)
ECLIPSE DATES
Solar Eclipse in Aries Apr 20
Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio May 5
Solar Eclipse in Libra Oct 14
Lunar Eclipse in Taurus Oct 28
