January begins with Jupiter retrograde in Taurus, Mars debilitated and retrograde in Cancer (Neecha Bhanga), Ketu in Virgo, Mercury in Scorpio, Sun in Sagittarius, Moon in Capricorn, Venus and Saturn in Aquarius (own sign), Rahu in Pisces.
January Transits:
Mercury in Sagittarius on the 4th
Sun in Capricorn on the 14th (Makara Sankranti)
Saturn and Venus in exact conjunction on the 18th
Mars retrogrades back into Gemini on the 20th
Mercury in Capricorn on the 24th
Venus exalted in Pisces on the 27th
Full Moon in Gemini and Punarvasu Nakshatra on January 13th at 15:26 MT
Debilitated Mars continues his retrograde dance in Cancer, creating a neecha bangha effect. In my experience, this is not a complete cancellation of the debilitation. There may be some upliftment as Mars desires to express himself more, however, the inward pull remains. Mars is a fiery planet of action and karma. His debilitation in the water sign of Cancer douses his flame. Notice where you are being indecisive, resisting or avoiding taking action, and being complacent. Mars needs you to show up, even if it feels challenging.
Mars still needs your attention and follow through- especially with action steps. Continue your heart work and gentle approach to action as Mars takes his long dance through his debilitation sign of Cancer. Pushing and forcing outcomes won’t be effective at this time. Slow and steady wins the race. What are you learning about your need for gentleness right now?
Sun is poised to shift into Capricorn, called Makar Sankranti. This Vedic celebration marks the “return of the Sun.” Makar Sankranti in the Vedic Calendar marks the movement of Surya (Sun) into Capricorn and the beginning of more light and longer days. Mentioned in the Mahabharata, this solar festival is estimated to be about 5,000 years old. Mark this timing with intention and invite in the return of the light. What are you inviting in and ready to receive?!
Interestingly, unlike the majority of Vedic celebrations which are calculated by the placement of the Moon, the Makar Sankranti celebration is calculated by the position of the Sun. The Sun is connected to father, knowledge, power, the Soul and the light within you. Get organized and start shining! This is a powerful time to set intentions and goals for the 2025 in order to have a rich harvest.
Venus and Saturn will be conjunct all month, climaxing on the 18th with an exact conjunction in Aquarius. Typically, Saturn and Venus do well together. Saturn is structure and contraction, while Venus is water and flow. Together the structure of Saturn offers a direction to the water of Venus. When planets get too close, however, a war takes place. There will be a battle between structure and flow in the coming weeks that require your consistency. Saturn is in his own sign of Aquarius and is stronger than Venus as a result. In many ways Saturn always wins every war in the sense that he is the ultimate ruler of life, health, vitality, and support. When you disobey Saturn, you will suffer. Venus will eventually win this planetary war after the 18th when he strengthens in degrees and passes Saturn. Remember that the Saturn and Venus dance is about balance, harmony, and integration. What needs to be harmonized in body and relationships? Where do you need to integrate structure and flow?
The full Moon in Gemini and Punarvasu arrives on January 13th at 15:26 MT.
The full Moon in Gemini and Punarvasu nakshatra awakens the desire for universality, new resources and support. Ruling deity, Aditi, is often referred to as the “mother of all goodness”. She birthed 33 Devas. Of these children, 12 were Adityas- powerful allies for resources, material support, wisdom and guidance. She is the expression of expanded awareness, the mother in all things, the foundation of the universe and non-duality. She awakens and supports the awareness of oneness, non-difference, sama or the equanimity of the mind.
Aditi gave birth to Vishnu himself, the ultimate sustaining force that upholds dharma. The bounty and blessings of Aditi will awaken and expand possibilities and potential for you. She is limitless, formless, unbounded, non-dual abundance that is the foundation for all nourishment in this life.
Where are you already in right relationship with nourishment in your life? What is feeling supportive, nourishing and bountiful?
Where are you disconnected or resisting nourishment, abundance and support? What resources and guidance are missing on your path?
Use this full Moon to crack open the parts of you in lack and malnourishment. Attend to your grief and emotional body. Honor and acknowledge the needs that are not being met in your life and your relationships. Dig deeper into your struggle and hardship. Does it really have to be so hard? Where are you making it harder than it needs to be?
Only when you are truly willing to face your shadow and honor its gifts, will you be able to make space for and allow new possibilities to arrive. Ask for what you need and gather the resources and support that will make it possible. This is a very creative cycle so use this time to create, communicate, and write a new story for yourself moving forward.
New Moon in Capricorn and Sravana Nakshatra on January 29th at 05:36 AM MT.
Venus goes exalted in Pisces just before the new Moon. He will conjunct Rahu during this unusual transit through his favorite sign. Rahu intensifies anything he touches. Venus will be big, expansive, and expressive in watery Pisces. Rahu will increase this expansion even more. The abundance of Venus mixed with the increases of Rahu could bring sizeable growth with love, money, wealth, beauty, the feminine and creativity. The challenges could come through excess, shadow, illusion, doubt, and deception. Expect the unexpected with this transit. Be extra cautious with water, relationships, money, weather events, vehicles and traveling. This is a volatile time for all things Venus.
Typically Venus transits last about three weeks, but his movement through Pisces will be extended and unusual, lasting until end of May. Mercury joins Venus and Rahu in Pisces on February 27th. This is his debilitation sign. Venus will be exalted, while Mercury is debilitated. Both extremes will be intensified by Rahu’s conjunction.
On March 1st, Venus will slow down and retrograde, creating an Uccha Bhanga effect, which cancels his exaltation. Exalted planets express themselves at 100% capacity, while debilitated planets express themselves at 0% capacity. Uccha Bhanga creates a confused planet that doesn’t know how to express itself. Expect challenges, confusion, miscommunications, and low life force energy as Venus debilitates with a debilitated Mercury and Rahu offers his shadow in watery Pisces. Endings, losses, release, and deaths are inevitable with relationships, money, mind, and vitality.
To make this transit even more confusing and uncertain, Mercury will go retrograde in Pisces on March 14th, creating an Neecha Bhanga effect. His debilitation will be cancelled and rendered exalted. In my experience this is not a complete cancellation. If anything, it’s more of an upliftment which allows the energy to move outward, rather than turn in on itself. Mercury will have an opportunity to express himself, albeit clunky and challenged. He will be conjunct an Uccha Bhanga Venus who is equally confused and unable to express himself, all while conjunct the notoriously deceptive and confusing Rahu. This combination of energies creates overwhelm, highs and lows, boom and bust, big gains and losses. Do not take risks at this time with relationships, women, love, money, travel, vehicles, or your health.
This series of transits is the beginning of a tidal wave of changes that kick off the big changes of 2025. An unusual and powerful eclipse cycle also begins in March, culminating in a six planet conjunction in Pisces. The magnitude of the cycle ahead will be felt for years to come. Pisces signals important ancestral work, the feet, isolation, retreats, solace, endings, hospitalization and death. The nature of Pisces and the 12th house is loss. These losses will make space for a new beginning and a very new cycle ahead.
Mercury goes direct on April 7th, returning to his debilitation status. Venus goes direct on April 13th, returning to his exaltation status. Venus will make his way across the entire sign of Pisces during his retrograde cycle, ending up at the very edge of Pisces before going direct and walking back through his favorite sign. By the time Mercury and Venus go direct, Saturn and Sun will have joined both planets in Pisces. The planet stacking will be well under way. This cycle will be intensified by two eclipses in March.
It will be vital to stay close to your body, ground, support your health and vitality, tend to your grief, and honor your mental health through June. The location of Pisces in your chart will determine what part of your body and life will be most impacted by these transits. Your natal relationship with Venus, Mercury, Rahu, Saturn, Sun, and Moon will play a big role in the results of this cycle. Everyone will need to be careful with feet, bones, and life force energy. Health will be delicate and vulnerable.
Mercury won’t leave debilitation until May 7th which is a very extended stay for him since his transits usually last around three weeks. Venus won’t leave Pisces until May 31st, another unusually long transit. A kala sarpa yoga will be in effect during this time and Jupiter will shift into Gemini, only intensifying the highs and lows taking place.
Read more about the powerful shifts happening in the first part of 2025.
New Moon in Capricorn and Sravana Nakshatra on January 29th at 05:36 AM MT.
The New Moon arrives while Moon is transiting Capricorn and Shravana nakshatra, a constellation ruled by Lord Vishnu. Waning Moon and new Moon energy is slower, inward and dark. You may notice in this part of the Moon cycle, your emotional body feels the darkness more acutely. This is the part of the monthly cycle when we should attend to our grief, release, and clear away of excess. Amavasya, or the new Moon, sparks potential, possibility and creativity. What possibilities are alive within you? What darkness needs to be confronted?
Vishnu is the god of dharma- that which sustains and maintains order in the universe. The constellation of Shravana is his domain, which allows the passing of knowledge and wisdom- usually through sound. In ancient Vedic times, dharma was passed through oral tradition until eventually it became written word.
Lord Vishnu gifts the constellation of Sravana with momentum for one’s purpose. He sustains and upholds that which supports the dharmic path. If it is life supporting and honors Natural Law, Vishnu will bless it and help it thrive. If it does not bring life and sattva (purity), it won’t get his support.
Sravana nakshatra reminds us to align with our inner wisdom and to strengthen the capacity to listen for truth. What is your truth? What is your deepest intention and soul purpose? What is the driving force and inner intelligence that gives you strength? Put emphasis here and pay close attention in the coming cycle for dharmic reminders. Gather resources, support and guidance to assist your clarity, purpose and inner guidance. If it’s not nourishing you, let it drop away- or it will likely fall away on its own.
The new Moon and waxing cycle ahead supports the power and strength of your dharmic path. Are you aligning with your dharma through your choices and actions? Are you moving closer to your passions and purpose, or further away?
Who will listen?
I proclaim with uplifted arms,
Practice of Dharma leads to Artha (material prosperity)
Kama (pleasure of life) and Moksha (liberation from karma),
Do not be deaf to my cries!
– Vyasa at the conclusion of the Mahabharata
December and January Horoscope for Each Rising Sign:
*Based on your sidereal rising sign. You can check Moon and Sun sign as well.
ARIES: Dive into your depths for transformation and healing. The light begins to shine brighter for you in the coming months, but not without boundary work. Home and heart continue to be vulnerable.
TAURUS: Growth is happening, but requires your diligent effort, consistency and structure. Creativity and self expression may feel challenging but continue with slow, steady steps. Your power is being tested. Keep listening to your gut.
GEMINI: Finances, voice, and food require much attention and focus right now. The grief and trauma in heart and home feel unstable. Trust your steps and keep moving towards dharma. Ask your ancestors for more support.
CANCER: Body and life continue to be vulnerable and challenging. Relationships require more attention and focus. Saturn in your 8th house is one of the most challenging times of life. The only solution for you is dharma.
LEO: You are being pulled into your past, fears, and unconscious terrain. Relationships require you to look at your grief and use your voice. The answers you seek are found in the ancestral body. Ask them for help.
VIRGO: Life and body are extremely sensitive. Learn from relationships and firm up your boundaries. Diet needs your attention. Expand your dharmic path and refocus on your creativity.
LIBRA: Offering your gifts and wisdom feels challenging right now. There is an important transformation taking place with your material success. Less is more. The spiritual body holds the answers you seek. Clarify boundaries and ask your ancestors for support.
SCORPIO: Steady heart, steady mind. Learn from and listen to your relationships. Dharma is going through a transformation. What does your joy and pleasure tell you it needs?
SAGITTARIUS: Your offerings are changing rapidly. Keep moving towards your heart and land. You’ll need to learn new boundaries and take care of your gut. Heal the past, and honor the sadness and grief that has not been fully digested.
CAPRICORN: Relationships continue to prove challenging and tender. What are you learning? Get creative with your hands and heal the trauma around your dharmic path. Your power center needs more attention. Food, diet, and voice require more consistency.
AQUARIUS: Life and body require great consistency right now. Saturn wants you to focus on dinacharya, diet, and what you put into your body. Are you really listening to your heart and gut? The undigested trauma in your body is the real issue.
PISCES: Move towards self awareness and transform relationships. Your power and gut health need more attention. Get creative and use your hands. Refocus on dharma, sharing your gifts and making new friends.
Your body has all the answers you seek.
Your Jyotish chart is a map of your entire body, as well as your ancestral body.
If you’re seeking a therapeutic approach to Vedic astrology, my embodied Jyotish classes will support your inner clarity and self trust.
- Classes coincide with waxing and waning Moon cycles to give you maximum monthly support.
- One private Jyotish session included for personalized guidance.
- Two classes per month makes it easy to stay connected to your body and class resources.
- Sync with the transits and awaken your own body wisdom using your Jyotish chart as a self care tool.
- Awaken your creativity through body-centered expressive art therapy practices.
- Deepen your intuitive listening skills so you can increase nourishment, joy, and abundance in body and life.
Classes start January 3rd.