astrology & you

THETHE POETRYPOETRY MANMAN Astrology & You

By Frank Fratoe January Commute January Commute In Fredericksburg In Fredericksburg

After rainfall or mist the showers become snow coming down gradually as a cold-snap rides in.

Our city that had slept is no longer lethargic but throngs the streets with a convoy of people.

Not dismayed by weather crowds proceed en route returning to their work between fall and winter.

Holidays are recalled of the year-end warmth they had left dreaming in a transient snowfall.

Nothing will stop them subduing a viral-plague which antibodies deter and energy can overcome

Frank Fratoe lives & writes in the city.he loves.

Happy New Year

At the moment I am writing this a lovely, big bald eagle is cruising in the blue sky behind my house, probably looking for that stray little mouse the cat missed (hopefully he isn't eyeballing Henry, our cat). I was debating about the theme of this month's article, but my winged friend has inspired me to offer some perspective for the year ahead. Eagles are excellent at seeing the big picture. For them, it is literally a matter of keeping on top of their game. So below are a few highlights to consider as we head into 2022.

Mercury will go into retrograde four times this year. As always, retrograde can be disruptive or add a kafuffle to the mix, but it is also a suitable time to slow down, rethink, recheck, and reconsider things. These retrogrades will tend to be more in earth signs, so look at your birth chart to see how Mercury might be mixing it up in your life. January 14 to February 3; May 10 to June 2; September 9 to October 2; December 29 to January 18, 2023.

Pluto will make its return in February. This is an every 248-y year event, and we all know what was going on 248 years ago here in the U.S.: a revolution! Certainly, we are in a time of upheaval and change, not only in our own country but worldwide. But, as disruptive as Pluto transits can be, Pluto is all about clearing away what is no longer serving us, forcing us to look ahead. Pluto is in the sign of Capricorn, which reflects government, responsibilities, structure, limits, restrictions. For those of you with a prominent Pluto or with strong late Capricorn planets, you may want to take a gander at what this means for you personally. Someone wise once said, "…the degree of pain one experiences as part of a Pluto transit is equal to the degree with which they cling to the past." So, take excellent care of your physical, mental, and spiritual health and remember that change is the most certain element in life. My grandfather's words: There is nothing so certain as change….

Solar and Lunar eclipses will be on the Taurus/Scorpio axis and the theme could not complement the Pluto return any better! These eclipses trigger energies that allow us to dive deeply into our values and discern what is most important to us, what drives our choices, our words, our actions. The key word here is choice: do we take the high road and do the right thing? Here are the dates: partial solar eclipse on April 30; total lunar eclipse on May 15/16; partial solar on October 25; total lunar on November 7/8. On the new Moon we keep an open heart, ready for the new. On the full Moon we honor the possibilities.

Mars will station retrograde on October 30 in the sign of Gemini and will go direct on January 12, 2023. Mars goes into retrograde about every two years and this retrograde can impact some folks(depending on where Mars is in your chart) with low energy, sluggish thoughts, difficulty getting going with studies or projects. It isn't the most optimal time to begin anything new. Rather, it could be advantageous to reflect on how you relate to Mars energy, to get in touch with your own Mars within and how it manifests in your life. How Mars plays out for you depends upon the sign and house Mars occupies in your birth chart. This should give you a clue about ways to approach this retrograde. Starting in the beginning of November, Mars will be out of bounds until May of 2023. Be aware of any frustrations regarding a slow down in your activities and know that it will pass. Out of bounds Mars will be packing an energy punch when it stations direct in May and energy and ideas will have room to move forward.

Uranus will be conjunct the North Node. As Café Astrology notes, this is more like astrological weather, as it will impact all of us. The North Node is where we are evolving to and in the sign of Taurus it speaks to beauty, calm, abundance, values, nurture. Uranus embodies the collective, societal concerns, innovation, and sometimes quick changes. Together they embody the possibilities of growth regarding how we care for each other as well as how we fill the role of benevolent stewards for our earth. Quite a lovely time to engage in a community garden (Downtown Greens!), roadside cleanup, or speaking out for kindness and conservation.

By Dianne Bachman

Diane Bachman is a psychotherapist & astrologer practicing in FXBG. She can be reached at FourwindsastrologyLLC@gmail.com

Painting Splendor Solis by Salomon Trismosin (1582)