Important astrological energies for the month of January:

• New Moon with Sun and Moon in Capricorn occurs on January 2, 2022.
• Mercury in Aquarius turns retrograde on January 14, 2022. It will re-enter the sign of Capricorn in retrograde motion and turn direct on February 3, 2022. It will re-enter the sign of Aquarius on February 14, 2022.
• Full Moon with Sun in Capricorn and Moon in Cancer occurs on January 17, 2022.
• North Node enters Taurus and South Node enters Scorpio on January 18, 2022.
• Venus in Capricorn turns direct on January 29, 2022. It went retrograde on December 19, 2021.

Questions Unanswered

By Misty Kuceris ©2021

There is so much going on in the world as the new year of 2022 begins. People are concerned about their health. They miss seeing their family and friends. They want to move on with their lives. And yet, there are still so many questions unanswered: To play it safe or to take risks and go out into the world. The reality is that you’ll feel conflicted this month because you still won’t get the answers you seek.

When the year does begin, Mercury forms a trine to Ceres retrograde on January 1^st. With Mercury forming this trine to Ceres retrograde, you want to talk to other people about your family and home. You want to create a space that feels safe. You realize that you might need to compromise on some situations, but you’re willing to do that if it brings more safety into your life.

As January 2^nd starts, Mercury enters the sign of Aquarius and the new Moon occurs later in the day. Mercury in Aquarius can operate one of two ways: You’re either open to new ideas and concepts, or you feel that it’s important to maintain the status quo of a situation and get along with others. This is because Aquarius is ruled by both Saturn and Uranus, two totally different energies. Saturn is the planet of rules and regulations where Uranus is the planet of change and upheaval. What’s interesting is that when Mercury is in the sign of Aquarius, you may find yourself more willing to listen to what others have to say so you can understand their point of view. But, if you believe their ideas are too radical, you’ll find yourself pulling back and becoming alarmed at some of those very ideas.

This concern that things may be too radical increases as the new Moon occurs. This is because both the Sun and Moon are in the sign of Capricorn, as are Venus retrograde and Pluto. Capricorn is a sign that indicates it’s important to find ways to maintain the current situation. Also, Capricorn represents the desire to create a structure that enables embodies past values sometimes to the detriment of new concepts.

With this new Moon in Capricorn you want to find ways to fit into society. You don’t want to be isolated from others. Yet, there is a part of you that’s willing to take risks. This is shown by the fact that the new Moon forms a trine to Uranus retrograde. And, if you feel society is getting too restrictive, you’re also willing to mount some form of rebellion even if it’s a small statement. Perhaps the most important thought you’ll come away with is that you are willing to do what it takes to prevent being isolated from others while still finding a way to maintain safety in your life.

Often, Neptune is seen as the higher octave of Venus in spiritual astrology. This means that both indicate the importance of unconditional love. When Venus retrograde forms a sextile to Neptune on January 5^th, you want to make certain that you take care of people in your life. You don’t want to cause any injury. You want to provide them with the support they need.

In a lot of ways, you’re looking for that perfect someone if you’re not involved in a relationship. You want to find your soulmate. But even if this aspect is a sextile, you need to be very careful that you see the person for whom they are rather than who you perceive them to be.

And while a sextile is a positive aspect, you still need to be careful in signing any contracts that involve financial matters. The deal may appear good. But it may be too good, meaning that there is some form of deceit involved. You’re better off waiting, not only until Venus goes direct later in the month, but also when Mercury which turns retrograde on the 14^th of this month, also turns direct on February 3^rd.

When Mercury forms a sextile to Chiron on January 9^th, this is the first sextile in this Mercury triad sequence. With this sextile, this indicates that today is a good day to talk about things that have bothered you and just what you want to do about it. This is also a good day to look at those self-defeating behaviors that prevent you from moving on with your life. Self-defeating behaviors (or SDBs are they are called) are behaviors that you learned as a child because they somehow gave you a sense of protection. Yet, now that you are an adult, the behavior no longer serves you. Instead, it can inflict greater pain in your life. (One example of this is that you learned to throw temper tantrums to get your way as a child. But now, when you throw temper tantrums other people back away and no longer want to be around you.)

Because this is the first of the triad sequences between Mercury and Chiron, you may want to think about potential SDBs in your life and make a list of them. Also you may want to see if they are serving your needs or interfering in your life. When this aspect occurs on January 18^th, you may want to find ways to release the SDBs. While it may not be easy, you’ll definitely be able to come up with some solutions on February 23^rd when the aspect occurs for the last time.

Don’t be at all surprised when your energy is low on January 11^th as Mars forms a square to Neptune. Neptune just dissolves that desire to go out into the world and get things done. You’d rather rest. You have difficulty focusing. You can’t seem to stay on task. But, that’s all right because there are times in life when relaxing is a healthy thing to do. So, take care not to push yourself too hard. Instead, take that time for yourself.

January 14^th is a day of duality. You feel as if you have to step back to observe situations while you also have to move forward to make things happen. The reason for this feeling is that Mercury turns retrograde around 6:42 am EST while Ceres turns direct around 4:22 pm EST.

Mercury is in the sign of Aquarius when it turns direct. It will re-enter the sign of Capricorn in retrograde motion and turn direct on February 3, 2022. It will re-enter the sign of Aquarius on February 14, 2022. Mercury entered the sign of Aquarius at the start of this month and you may have felt almost as if you were going through conflicting thoughts: Being open to new ideas yet also wanting to maintain the status quo.

With Mercury now turning retrograde, it is time to re-evaluate some of your new ideas to see if they can safely work in today’s climate. Perhaps you can start taking some risks while maintaining a level of safety. Or, perhaps you feel that it’s getting dangerous out in the world again and you want to pull back. It’s almost like being attracted to fire but realizing that if you put your finger in the flame you’ll burn yourself.

In some cases you do need to take precautions. With Mercury in Aquarius, there could very well be increases in computer viruses as well as human viruses. At the same time, you also need to be cautious with what you hear from various sources and individuals. Some people may dredge up old information which is not valid. Or, you may receive some information which is important as you make decisions in your life. But, in many ways this will be a frustrating Mercury retrograde because you won’t get the information that you feel you need when it comes to going out into the world or retreating from the world.

As Ceres in Taurus turns direct you realize just how many people in your life care about you. Also, with Ceres in Taurus, you find it’s important to be loyal to people you care for. You want to be there for them. You want to find ways to protect them and keep them safe, as you want to keep yourself safe. Just remember that you can’t control others as you try to protect them and keep them safe. There is a tendency when Ceres is in Taurus to think that you know best and other people need to follow your direction.

Control becomes a big theme when the full Moon occurs on January 17^th. This is because the Sun in Capricorn forms a conjunction to Pluto and a trine to Ceres. Meanwhile, the Moon in Cancer forms an opposition to Pluto and a sextile to Ceres.

Usually when the full Moon occurs with the Sun in Capricorn and the Moon in Cancer, it’s the time period for you to considered whether work is getting in the way of your emotional needs, or whether work is providing you the security you need to feel safe emotionally.

When the Sun forms a conjunction to Pluto, you feel very adamant about what you need to do in life. You don’t want to be controlled by others. You want to understand the inner workings of situations. You don’t want to be taken for granted.

With the Moon forming an opposition to Pluto, you feel as if other people aren’t listening to your needs. You feel as if they may use things against you.

It helps that both the Sun and Moon make beneficial aspects to Ceres. If you pay attention, you’ll know where you can compromise to stay safe. You’ll also know how to use your power to bring attention to those things that matter to you. You may decide it’s time to retreat to your own personal space. Actually that would probably be a good thing right now.

Before the Moon’s Nodal Axis changes signs on January 18^th, Mercury retrograde forms it’s second sextile to Chiron, and Uranus in Taurus turns direct.

Mercury initially formed a sextile to Chiron on January 9^th in this triad sequence. Now that Mercury is retrograde you may have a better idea of how to get rid of those SDBs. You may even decide that not all of those behaviors are bad, if used in the appropriate manner. While you still don’t understand the extent of these behaviors in your life, you are willing to do what it takes to bring more positive experiences into your life and release pain from the past. Since Mercury is retrograde right now and this is the second time this sextile occurs, you probably still don’t have all the answers you seek. You will get those answers by February 23^rd when this aspect occurs for the third and last time with Mercury in direct motion.

With Uranus in Taurus turning direct you may find that you may need to deal with some matters ruled by the sign of Taurus which you put off when Uranus turned retrograde on August 19, 2021. Taurean matters could be very practical, such as taking care of your finances or perhaps ridding your home of personal possessions you no longer need. Taurean matters can also be emotional, such as reviewing your value systems to see if you’re living life the way you feel is spiritually fulfilling. You may even decide that some relationships need to change because of the differing value systems you have with the individuals.

When the Moon’s North Node enters Taurus and the Moon’s South Node enters Scorpio, you feel another surge of energy. This is because the Moon’s Nodal Axis represents a paradigm shift on a spiritual as well as material level. This is a cycle that occurs every 19 years and lasts for about 1.5 years. So, when the Moon’s North Node enters Taurus and the Moon’s South Node enters Scorpio today, it will stay in these signs until July 18, 2023.

The Moon’s North Node represents what you want in life and the path you’d like to take. It can represent the direction of your spiritual life and how you implement spirit into your mundane world. When considering the mundane world, the Moon’s North Node also represents what you want from your leaders as well as how you want to integrate into society.

The Moon’s South Node represents the past and how you need to implement the lessons you’ve learned from these past events. In addition, it points to where you’ve let things linger, unresolved, to the point that the situation can become a major problem that interferes with your spiritual well-being, as well as your mundane well-being. And, when it comes to the mundane, the Moon’s South Node can represent the types of fears that leaders use in order to get their agenda meant and not necessarily one that’s best for the public.

During this next year-and-a-half, you’ll find yourself thinking about your value system, as well as your financial well-being. You’ll review your relationships with other people to determine if you want to continue those relationships. You may find some people no longer share the same values you do. For that reason you’ve lost common ground and may decide it’s time to move on.

Quality of life increases in importance. You don’t want to work in situations which put you at risk physically, emotionally, or financially. You want more leisure time to enjoy being around people you love. You also want to see more people being treated with respect and not alienated from society. For this reason, you may see more unions in various service industries. Or, you may see more individuals demanding changes in their workplace so they get the respect they deserve.

Improved quality of food is another area which becomes more important. You’ll see more plant-based options sold. While there may be some supply-chain problems, you’ll still see an attempt to have better food selections at stores.

There is also a greater emphasis on ethics and ethical approaches to science and health. Some of these approaches will involve changes in how research is conducted. Other changes involve a re-evaluation of how end-of-life situations are approached.

When it comes to government leaders, or leaders in general, you expect a focused approach. You don’t want your leaders to vacillate. You want information. You want to know where they stand. More importantly, you want to know what direction the world is traveling in. You are tired of not knowing. At the same time you need to be wary of leaders that use conspiracy theories to try to promote their agendas. Or, leaders who use fears of financial insecurity as another means of promoting their agendas.

As the Sun enters the sign of Aquarius on January 19^th, you want to reach out to other people, especially with Mercury retrograde and Saturn in Aquarius. You don’t want to be out in the world alone. You want to socialize and see people you haven’t seen in a while.

Caution is actually a key word for January 21^st when Mars forms a quincunx to Ceres. There’s a tendency to act impulsively and move too quickly to go after what you want. You may not take time to consider the consequences if you don’t take other people’s needs into consideration. If possible, try to pull back and observe your environment before you act. And, don’t let other people talk you into taking any action you don’t feel comfortable with.

When Mars enters Capricorn on January 24^th, you think about work and how you want to organize your life. You are willing to do what it takes to get things done. You are also willing to find ways to improve on your goals and be successful in whatever is important to you.

You continue to take things very seriously as Mercury retrograde re-enters the sign of Capricorn on January 25^th. You want to go after your goals. You want to discuss how to achieve those goals with other people. This is even a good time to review your plans since Mercury is retrograde. You may not be able to achieve a lot right now, but at least you’ll be able to develop some milestones which give you the knowledge that you’re on the right track.

Mercury retrograde in Capricorn forms a second trine to Ceres in Taurus on January 27^th. The first time that it formed this trine was on January 1^st when Mercury in Capricorn was direct and Ceres in Taurus was retrograde. Although this is the second time this trine occurs, it will not occur for a third time, so this is not a triad sequence.

With Mercury retrograde in Capricorn, you are concerned about work and also understanding how to operate in society. With Ceres in Taurus, you want an environment that supports your values. You don’t want to work in an uncomfortable situation. You may even find that you’re re-evaluating your current work environment. What you realize is that while you may need to compromise on certain things, there are other situations where you are no longer willing to compromise because the situation doesn’t support your value system. You may decide not to make any changes quite yet because Mercury is retrograde. But you are willing to consider making changes if necessary. You may just want to wait until Mercury goes direct on February 3^rd because making the final decision.

Mercury retrograde forms its second conjunction to Pluto in this triad sequence on January 28^th. The first time that it formed the conjunction was on December 30, 2021 a few days after Jupiter entered the sign of Pisces. At that time you felt the need to focus on your direction in life. You didn’t want other people telling you what to do. At the same time you wanted work within your social structure. It was a good time to draw up a plan for action. If you did create a plan, today is a good day to review that plan to see if you need to make any changes. If you didn’t create a plan, perhaps you may want to do that today. Or, you may just have an intuitive sense of what actions you need to take and you just want to wait until February 11^th, the last time this aspect occurs in this triad sequence, to put your plans in motion.

On January 29^th, Venus in Capricorn turns direct. It went retrograde on December 19, 2021.

When Venus was retrograde, you may have run into people you hadn’t seen for a while. Or, you may have decided that it was time to re-evaluate your financial matters. Now with Venus in direct motion, you’re ready to move on with new relationships. You’re also ready to re-evaluate your work situation since Venus is in the sign of Capricorn. Perhaps you realized that you were spending too much time at work and not enough time with loved ones. Or, you may realize that you’re spending too much time at a job you don’t like.

As the month of January ends, Ceres forms a conjunction to the Moon’s North Node on January 31^st. You may want to take this time to move forward with your life. You may want to look at the plans you made earlier in the month to see if there need to be some changes. With both Ceres and the Moon’s North Node in the sign of Taurus, surrounding yourself with individuals who share values is important. And, trying to find a path forward while keeping yourself and those you care for safe is critical. Still you have so many questions and are realizing you still need more answers.

For more information on Misty Kuceris, her classes and seminars, as well as other articles, just go to https://mistykuceris.com/

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