Summary
Mercury Direct at 28 degrees Scorpio January 1
Mercury Transits Sagittarius January 7 – February 1
New Moon in Sagittarius/Purvashada January 11
Sun Transits Capricorn January 14 – February 13
Venus Transits Sagittarius January 18 – February 11
Full Moon in Cancer/Pushya January 25
February 2024 Headlines

Summary

For an in-depth analysis of specific planetary placements, please continue with the full planetary forecast.

Mercury Direct at 28 degrees Scorpio January 1

As the calendar date moves to January 1, 2024, active Mercury who has been in retrograde phase since December 12th will slow to a stop and resume direct motion at 28 degrees Scorpio later on New Year's Day. This would be a great day for a clean slate! Get that 2024 vision board wiped for the new calendar year.

Looking at the new year's chart of the moment for Washington, DC (the capital of this astrologer's country), we see Ketu in Virgo ascendant, which will commonly be the ascendant for that New Year's moment within our lifetimes.

Ketu and Rahu last occupied Virgo and Pisces from March 2005 through October 2006. It is always interesting to reflect back on certain time periods to gather clues as to what the upcoming transit could bring on personal and global levels.

Studying this chart, especially as relevent to the United States, one of the main features that could act as a symbolic signature for 2024 is the retrograde ascendant lord, Mercury, in parivartana (exchange of signs) with Ketu, who is co-lord of Scorpio, where retrograde Mercury is resuming direct motion. Turn about is fair play!

The tightly bound knots, the unsolvable problems, the impasses, the neglected projects... Have you encountered these painful joints and crossroads, with the wind blowing cold, no aid in sight, and nothing adding up? Are you ready to leave this wasteland behind?

2024 could be the year, but the risk associated with cracking through that shell must be calculated and confronted. It's time to feel your brave heart, create solutions based on calculated risk, set up protected scenarios, and take your leap. Fear and faith are both part of the equation and both need to have air time. When innovation meets tradition to build a solid platform, we can gather all our strength and faith as we race toward the springboard with joyful momentum.

In the above chart, this positive momentum is seen with the auspicious arrangement of the three sattwic, or pure, planets occupying the fire signs, with Jupiter in Aries, Moon in Leo, and Sun in Sagittarius. Jupiter's auspicious influence extends to all three of these signs from Aries and is further locked in by a positive exchange of signs between Jupiter and Mars, bringing out the best of both planets.

In this equation, hesitation is the enemy. Make sure you've triple checked your calculations and plans and then turn it over to the powers that be, making your way forward with courage and heart.

With Saturn and Jupiter creating a cushion for a remarkable 7th house Rahu in this chart for calendar year 2024, our recipe calls for a steady, slow approach combined with a confident initiation of hopeful plans, with hope that long shots will finally land on target, with a bit of skill, faith, and genius all sprinkled in.

Intelligent Mercury resuming direct motion on January 1st while exchanging signs with the mysterious intuitive force of Ketu gives us an unexpected twist as we embark on the fresh road of a new year. It is time to recalibrate our efforts and turn our situations upside down as we seek informative new angles. Dig deep for poetic inspiration that drives creative solutions in surprising directions.

Mercury Transits Sagittarius January 7 – February 1

After direct motion is resumed, the messenger Mercury, who symbolizes our intelligent and analytical mind that participates in transactions like communication and market activity, begins to slowly re-approach the border degrees between Scorpio and Sagittarius. This small zone is known as gandanta, the joint that lies between the water and fire signs of the zodiac, symbolizing the difficulty we commonly face here on Earth as we attempt to join the watery, emotional, and heart-centered portion of ourselves with the fiery, logical, and head-oriented part of ourselves.

If anyone can figure out how to bridge this difficulty, it's our friend, Mercury. The part of the gandanta that lies in the last few degrees of the water sign will always be covered by a nakshatra (lunar sign) that is ruled by Mercury. The clue here is that in matters of the head and heart, an objective set of eyes can be extremely helpful.

There are three gandanta zones in the zodiac. The first comes between the signs of Cancer and Leo, the royal signs ruled by the Moon and Sun. In this gandanta, we explore the themes of family, personal sovereignty, vulnerability, power, individual expression in the face of group demands. The second gandanta comes between the signs of Scorpio and Sagittarius and has a battlefield quality. On the individual journey, we transform our personal power and identity to exist in the collective evolution, which requires leaving behind some of the egoic frameworks to which we natuarlly cling. This is the gandanta in question here at the beginning of 2024.

As we begin to re-create our approach to these puzzles, keep in mind that there isn't one right way to proceed. Part of the human experience is translating individual assets and talents into situations that expand global or group welfare. There is always a cost for this transformation and the benefits can often not be perceived until the attempt is made. If it feels like its time to go all in on something, it probably is.

The last four paragraphs are about the first week in January, after Mercury goes direct and begins to approach that 2nd gandanta zone. On January 7th, he breaks on through, joining Sun and Mars in Sagittarius. This could feel like emerging from a cloudy, windy slot canyon into a sunny, warm field. There are pros and cons to each environment!

Sagittarus is benefitting currently from the warm and fuzzy aspect coming from Jupiter in Aries, further glued in by Mars and Jupiter making a deeper connection through parivartana, exchange of signs, which extends through February 5th. The last three weeks of January could be quite productive and expansive with Mars and Mercury working together under Jupiter's direction.

This transit of Mercury into Sagittarius could feel much different than the past couple of weeks when retrograde Mercury returned to Scorpio. Scorpio is currently receiving the combined aspect of Rahu from Pisces and Saturn from Aquarius, which creates an unstable and busy environment for Mercury to navigate. With Mercury in direct motion in Scorpio during the first week of January, we may continue to feel a bit depleted as we push through into new situations.

New Moon in Sagittarius/Purvashada January 11

The Sun and Moon join for the first time in 2024 at 27 degrees Sagittarius, in the final pada of Purvashada nakshatra, on Wednesday, January 11th. Sagittarius is the fire sign ruled by positive, growth-oriented Jupiter. Purvashada nakshatra lies in the latter part of Sagittarius and is ruled by Venus. While things seem rather sunny in Sagittarius due to the gathering of planets occupying it combined with the positive aspect of Jupiter, we may be drawn to remember what's going on with dear Venus at this moment.

After Mercury exited Scorpio on January 7th, Venus was left alone in Scorpio, managing the deep and dangerous waters on her own, receiving the choppy aspect of Rahu from Pisces, which could be bringing up confusing facts and feelings that affect the peace and unity of relationships. Additionally, the practical and relentless Saturn is also beaming into Scorpio from Aquarius, reminding us of lessons already learned that may cause pressure that doesn't mesh with current relational situations.

The wisdom here is that even as we are sprouting, growing, rising, and building new trajectories, there will be remnants of past lessons that continue to shape and flavor the next generation of creation. While it is tempting to move on and completely wipe slates clean, there are cases in which we are wise to remember what didn't work already in order to avoid repeating lessons that were difficult to learn in the first place.

New Moon times tend to expose energetic and emotional vulnerabilities, which can be planned for by not overscheduling or making goals too lofty. Be open to the messages that come through about how to fuel new ventures without blowing the bank. Find the right balance of conservative decision making and risk assessment as you make plans to launch into fresh trajectories during the first quarter of 2024.

Sun Transits Capricorn January 14 – February 13

After winter solstice in late December, the Sun begins to gain annual strength, leading us toward longer days and springtime. The solstice itself occurs when the Sun is in the hopeful sign of Sagittartius, reminding us that the light is due to return.

In mid-January, we see Makar Sankranti, when the Sun enters into the sign of Capricorn, beginning a two month stretch when the Sun passes through the signs of his enemy, Saturn. Capricorn and Aquarius, remind us that even as we head toward the light, the darkness still prevails, demanding resolution and determination. See this as an invitation to dig deep into personal work that involves discipline, detachment, and personal responsibility. Winter is a good time to let go of the defunct and clean out our space in preparation for new growth potential.

The first of Saturn's signs that the Sun traverses is earthy Capricorn, from January 14th through February 13th. The last couple of weeks of January sees the Sun alone in Capricorn, with no other major aspects coming in. This could be a great time for solo work, even if teamwork and collaboration is part of the program in the end. Find your groove, shut the door, and allow yourself to create and express from the depths of your being.

As the Sun reaches the halfway point in Capricorn at the beginning of February, the company begins to arrive. By the time Sun moves to Aquarius on February 13th, Mercury, Mars, and Venus will have entered Capricorn, keeping up the creative work momentum started by the Sun. Productivity could be high during the first couple months of 2024! Figure out where you want to channel that fire and make way for new levels of output.

Venus Transits Sagittarius January 18 – February 11

As the Sun exits Sagittarius, space is opened for Venus, finally jumping out of the cold waters of Scorpio, through the gandanta portal and into Sagittarius on January 18th. This puts some passion into play for the latter part of January, with Venus finally catching up to Mars again.

In June and July 2023, we had some Venus and Mars interaction in the signs of Cancer and Leo, which broke up because of a Venus retrograde phase. Since then, Venus has been following Mars through the zodiac and will begin to catch up in Sagittarius, making a tight conjunction with Mars in Capricorn in February.

The dance of Venus and Mars is interesting in the context of the very Earthly, human expression of masculine and feminine energy that come through Mars and Venus respectively. For all of 2023, Venus was “pursuing” Mars through the zodiac, almost catching up last summer before retrograding. In 2024, we see Venus catch up and pass in February, leaving Mars in the dust, giving the masculine an opportunity to do the pursuing in 2024. This could feel like leading with grace and being backed up by strength. In 2023, it was like power taking the lead, with compassion struggling to catch up.

With this in mind, we see Venus begin to approach Mars while in Sagittarius, with easy going Mercury still in the room, making things friendly and positive. Let us begin to explore how we approach the strength, power, and strategy of Mars when we are need of resources for our beautification projects and space for fluid expression within relationships and groups.

As Venus approaches and moves past Mars during this first couple of months of 2024, we may feel a call to shift how we are funding our projects and pursuits. Are we creatively inspired or are we practically motivated? How can freedom of expression mingle with the responsibility of power? Are we in relationship for the right reasons, being nurtured and revitalized by our connections? Are we compromising our freedom and innocence when we bargain for security and protection?

Full Moon in Cancer/Pushya January 25

On January 18th, when Venus moves to Sagittarius, the Moon exactly conjoins Jupiter in Aries, lending her reflected light to Jupiter's influence. For the next week, we experience calmness in the sense of planets remaining in signs where they are placed, with only the Moon progressing to fullness.

The full Moon at 12 degrees Cancer opposes the Sun at 12 degrees Capricorn on Thursday, January 25th. Emotions could be suddenly big and bold as the Moon is in its own watery sign of Cancer with the messy aspect of Rahu beaming in from Pisces.

Themes of safety could arise, as well as the demand for letting go of what is causing imbalance. Weighing the pros and cons of peace vs power and detachment vs community could be one of the exercises available during this first month of 2024.

Pushya nakshatra is located entirely within the sign of Cancer and is ruled by Saturn; this nakshatra is considered supportive to most activities except for the act of marriage. With Saturn's rulership of Pushya layered with the Moon's rulership and occupation of Cancer, we are caught in the crosshairs of toughness and tenderness. When we can find the right balance between those two qualities, we find the ability to blossom, maintaining structure so that the magical essence of life has a place to exist.

After this full Moon of January 25th, the waning Moon rides out the month, joining with Ketu on the last day of January, inviting us to make any adjustments that may have become necessary over the course of riding through the first month of 2024.

With Ketu in the first house of our New Year's chart, the themes of turn about being fair play and of frequent analysis and adjustment being skillful tools come through very strongly. Learn by picking up and then putting down, repeating processes, and seeking alternative perspectives that fill in the details of the big picture.

February 2024 Headlines

Mercury Transits Capricorn February 1 - 19
Mars Transits Capricorn February 5 – March 15
New Moon in Capricorn/Dhanistha February 9
Venus Transits Capricorn February 11 – March 6
Sun Transits Aquarius February 13 – March 14
Mercury Transits Aquarius February 19 – March 6
Venus + Mars Conjunction in Capricorn February 21
Full Moon in Leo/Magha February 24