Astrology for the First Quarter of 2023: Astro Update #21

The First Quarter of 2023

The first 3 months of 2023 have a lot of movement! 5 planets will change signs, and the biggest month is March. The comprehensive overview is in my video, and that’s at the end of the blog.

The Planets

Mercury

Mercury will be Retrograde from December 29th to January 19th. This affects ground travel. I find it causes mix ups in numbers. So regardless of your form of travel, pay attention to things like dates, times, gate numbers, flight numbers, etc. Also try to do any shopping for electronics before the retrograde and ideally before the shadow period that begins on the 13th of December and after until February 7th. Then Mercury will be his usual speedy self, moving into Aquarius on February 11th and Pisces on March 3rd.

Conjunct Neptune

In Pisces, conjunct Neptune around the 16th of February. This is our creative ideas. Our intuition is heightened and we can ‘see’, including seeing inwards to what we fundamentally need. It can be creative downloads or some insights out of nowhere.

Conjunct Saturn

Mercury will conjunct Saturn at very end of February. This can be critical thinking as Saturn influences Mercury’s ideas and thought processes. This is at the final degrees of Aquarius, around 29. Maybe this will be some final reflections on Saturn’s long trek through Aquarius before he too changes signs. One last critical look to make sure the Saturnian work has been done, we’ve become more responsibly and the questions of boundaries has been addressed. On the collective, it’ll relate to groups and organizations, especially those that are concerned with equality.

In Aries

Then into Aries on the 19th of March and our communications are more forthright. We are thinking of what we want and how to do it. Maybe insight from the 12th house has carried over and is changing your outwards persona. The 1st house is our self, individuality, physical self and online profile.

Mars

Mars goes direct January 12th. He is still slow into February, but now is the time to go ahead with whatever began before the retrograde. If you watched the December videos, you know where Mars is bringing energy to your chart. For all of us, Mars is in Gemini, so the 3rd house in natural chart. This is all communication. Mars is an individualistic, driven energy. We could see someone really speaking out, especially online, in order to defend what they feel is right. It could be a conflict between two views that has both sides polarized. Remember Gemini is two.

Mars and Jupiter

Mars and Jupiter will be in loose sextile mid-January to mid-February. Jupiter is in Aries, Mars’s sign. Jupiter is going to bring expansion to a sign that is driven and individualistic and also concerned with self identity. In a general way it is energy to initiate something, a desire to speak up, defend ourselves. It doesn’t mean you’ll be attacked more or even at all, but Aries and Mars don’t take things lying down. And they don’t look for compromise like Venus would.

Jupiter also wants us to expand in terms of growing and learning. Jupiter rules philosophy, so we can be looking for a higher sense of self and strengthening it, allowing us to move more confidently through the world. Because we know what we are about.

Mars in Cancer

On March 25th, Mars moves into Cancer. This is family and home. Mars is not comfortable in Cancer. Mars is impulsive and individualistic. Cancer is nurturing and security. Mars, the god of war, doesn’t do security! Cancer is the mother energy, ruled by the Moon. It is our emotional selves.

Mars will defend a cause, and Cancer is our primeval emotions, so we can definitely be easily antagonized. We can be reactive to every slight or perceived slight.

Collectively, this is in the 4th house. Some of us can be moving, buying a house, renting a new place, redesigning or redecorating. Or perhaps there is something with family dynamics. People moving in or out. The 4th also relates to our homeland: we may see migrations, people leaving a region or country for another.

Venus

Venus will cover 5 signs in the first 3 months of 2023. Her energy will change with each one, as she alternates between easier and more uncomfortable placements. Venus also takes on the qualities of each sign.

Venus in Aquarius

She will be in Aquarius on the 2nd then Pisces on the 25th of January. Venus is love, beauty, art and money. Venus wants to enter into relationship with others and to work together. In Aquarius, Venus struggles. Venus in Aquarius is an abstract love focused on the group needs and fairness. We could see more cooperation between grass roots organizations, smaller non-profits. But Venus will struggle to finds common ground between groups with different ideas and priorities. She will be more logical in Aquarius and less willing to compromise.

Venus in Pisces

Venus is exalted in Pisces. Romance can flourish, we will all want more beauty and art around us (think anything pleasing, you don’t have to go out and buy the Mona Lisa). If you have an artistic pursuit or romance blossoming, this is the time to pursue it. If you are in a committed relationship, there will be more romance and expressions of love. Love and romance will have a dreamy quality.

When Venus is conjunct Neptune from the 13th to the 17th of February (over Valentine’s!), she may be wearing Neptune’s rose colored glasses. A romance that starts with this aspect can look lovelier that it really is. It doesn’t mean it can’t work, but it starts with an unrealistic perception. Neptune with Venus we have to be careful not of becoming the savior of the other person, or being the one needing saving.

Venus in Aries

But by February 20th, Venus will be in Aries and we are back to that individualistic, get up and go energy. Venus in Aries is atypical; she is self focused. This is wonderful for artistic pursuits that started in Pisces, because it is the energy to move forward. Or if you need to assert yourself in a new romance that started of dreamily but now need a reality check. Just remember that Venus in Aries tends to forget about others, being very focused on what she wants.

Venus in Taurus, conjunct Uranus and Saturn

Venus is in Taurus on March 16th, where Venus is at home. The focus shifts to beauty on a physical plane. We want luxury that we can feel, wear, smell and see; something pleasurable to the senses (think a spa or a good meal). It also related to wealth and is an excellent placement for increasing wealth. There is a practical quality to Venus in Taurus.

It is also romance or love with a strong physical connection, again something pleasuring the senses. Venus in Taurus also values loyalty and stability.

Venus Sextile Saturn and Conjunt Uranus

From March 16th to the 20th, Venus sextile Saturn. This is a fortunate combination. Saturn will have us pursuing money making ideas or jobs (with the goal of making more money) thoroughly. Also we will want more structure with our finances, like a budget. Saturn is task oriented!

Relationships will also undergo Saturn’s influence. You’ll examine responsibilities – yours and others- and want structure. Who does what? How is the relationship defined? It can also mean meeting someone older, or you may be the older party. This can be romantic or platonic. But this person will have a guiding role and will advise you. Or you may be in the counseling or mentoring role.

March 29th to the 31st, Venus is conjunct Uranus. Expect something unexpected in relation to a romance or money. Perhaps using technology.

Saturn

Saturn will shift into Pisces on March 7 to start his 3 year transit of this sign. He is the traditional ruler of Aquarius and was strong there, but is more lost in Pisces. Remember Saturn is structure and a solid foundation, Pisces is watery and has no boundaries. This will shift the energy in your chart, which has probably felt uphill, slow, and delayed during the past 3 years, in one area of your life particularly. It will move to another area, another house, and I think will be less intense because of this uncomfortable placement.

Saturn in Pisces

Saturn in Pisces wants to bring structure to our beliefs, spiritual and religious practices. More and more we will feel the need to ground ourselves with a practice that works. Saturn is saying get clear on your beliefs, your system.

At the same time, globally, this can be a challenge to organized religion. A questionning and reform. A challenge to collective faiths. Saturn is Pisces is always a form of crisis of faith.

Challenge to Religion

Saturn was in Pisces from 1937-38. The rise a nazism and the targeting of Jews. That persecution was based on faith.

Saturn was in Pisces in the 60’s. The Pill was now available. This brought the sexual revolution: sex for pleasure, outside of marriage. This newfound sexual freedom opposed the rules of the church.

Saturn was in Pisces in 1993: The Religious Freedoms Restoration act was passed in the US (it pertains to religious ceremonies conflicting with laws). The Church of England ordained its first women ministers.

Pluto

Pluto will make a brief dip into Aquarius, not even making it to 1 degree. But this will shift from the power structure of Capricorn: people at the top, government, people with money, power, influence, to power at the base of society. As John Lennon sang: ‘Power to the People.’

Pluto is a power and control shift. It is doing away with one system for another. But the key word here, I believe, will be balance. In Capricorn, the system is out of balance when those at the top forget the base and the people who put them there. In Aquarius, it can become too many rules, too much power for the good of the group but at the expense of the individual. There’s a lot to ponder here, and when Pluto moves into Aquarius for good in January of 2024, we’ll have 20 years to get it right.

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