Astrology of 2021: A New Way, Together

Astrology of 2021: A New Way, Together

Though, astrologically, 2021 is far more mild than 2020's many shifts, 2021 holds really incredible energy of breath-full innovation, imagining things never imagined before, inviting life to happen without forcing intent, and really exploring freedom when it comes to doing things in collaborative and humane ways with one another. 

To paint 2021 astrologically, first I will discuss the nature of each of the social planets (Jupiter, Saturn), and the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) in 2021, as these slower and larger planets concern the universal or the collective. Then I'll touch on the core astrology aspects, detail 2021's eclipses, and include a list of key 2021 astro dates.

Photo: Gabriela D'Elia

Jupiter & Saturn
2021 begins at the threshold of Jupiter and Saturn forming a conjunction in 0°28' Aquarius on December 21, 2020. This is a potent aspect marking the beginning of a 20 year cycle of the two social planets, as well as a new 200 year cycle of the two meeting in air signs (as opposed to earth signs for the prior 200 years). This is the closest Jupiter and Saturn have been in 400 years. The last time this Great Conjunction happened in Aquarius was in 1405, over 600 years ago. 

Throughout 2021, Jupiter transits Aquarius. For the next 27 months, Saturn will do the same. Old and calcified structures and identities are breaking down. Jupiter and Saturn are the the two social planets, guiding us into connection with one another. How do we deal with growth and responsibility, together? In Aquarius, they explore freedom and innovative new ways of working, and seek the wisdom of maturity, in a collaborative and humane way. This is the moment to allow ourselves to step into imagining what has yet to be imagined. How do we work together, as mature beings on this planet, to feed spiritual food to the world? 

How do you invite and invoke this adjustment without intending or commanding it? Many of us see intentions as something special, although my intentioning thereby erases the earth's (and cosmos') dynamic relating. Intentioning is stuck in that very calcified place of colonial overwriting. How do you allow life to come to you without forcing intent? 

Cornel West offers a sort of mantra for this moment: Justice is what love looks like in public.

You can read about more Saturn-Jupiter conjunction details in the December 2020 Sagittarius New Moon of Fire Greeting Air blog post.

Neptune
Throughout 2021, Neptune will be transiting 19-20 of Pisces, and has  just 4 years left of their 14-year journey through Pisces. Neptune was last in Pisces, their home sign, about 160 years ago, between 1847-1861. Being in their own domain, Neptune has all of the resources they need to do what they do best. Neptune rules the oceans and all that is intangible and. Neptune is mysticism, madness, and the undoing of the mind. Neptune is like a mist that or fog that descends upon us, clouding our surroundings, and we can feel inspiration, spirituality, dissolution, or confusion. Neptune is the psychic force that obscures, deceives, addicts, escapes, and dissolves boundaries and structure. 

This transit has been referred to as going from a "Mystical Breakdown to Mystical Breakthrough". 2021 marks the last 4 years of this oceanic force of boundless, energy that fuels inspiration, imagination, spiritual enlightenment, addiction, escapism, and sensitivity.

Photo: Gabriela D'Elia

Uranus
Throughout 2021, Uranus will be transiting 6-10 degrees of Taurus. Uranus travels through Taurus from May 2018 to April of 2026.  This is a very earth-shaking placement for Uranus and a big symbol of our time, personally and collectively. Uranus is considered in their "fall" in Taurus, without much power and resources to do what Uranus does best. Uranus suddenly liberates, Taurus patiently builds; Uranus disrupts the mind, Taurus anchors in the embodied senses. There may seem to be opposite energy here, or perhaps just a unique complementing of one another.

For these 7-8 years, the Uranus in Taurus archetype point towards a slow release, a build up of earth's quaking, liberation of our stubbornness, and a kind of breakthrough when it comes to our earthly senses. The Uranian awakening is awakening us to the earth and to our sensual bodies. It is as though our bodies are part of the earth and things don't begin or end at the surface.

Pluto
Throughout 2021 Pluto will be transiting 24-26 degrees of Capricorn. Leading up to 2020's Great conjunction, Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter have essentially danced around and in between one another throughout the whole year. Pluto is the courage to uncover the darkness. So, something about this Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius experience is propelled by both of them having a run in with Pluto. We have been shown what is not working. At their worst, Capricorn is a sign of restriction, isolation, brokenness, repressed depression, and external authority. At their best, Capricorn is a sign of integrity, fulfillment, celebration, discipline, and manifestation. Of maintaining values even when we don't feel like it. Of living your life in a mature, honorable way.

Photo: Gabriela D'Elia

Chiron
While Chiron isn't a planet, this slow moving asteroid is quite important for looking into collective evolution, transformation, and healing. Chiron is the wounded healer -- he is eternally killed by the wounds of his father and also eternally reborn. While nobody could ever find a cure for Chiron's suffering (until finally being able to die), he goes forth and spends his life healing others. Where ther is Chiron, there is often really deep wounding. Have you been feeling sorry for yourself? How have you been projecting onto others?

Chiron usually ends up indicating that the problem is the solution... where we are wounded is actually where we have resources and capacity -- where we have the tools for healing. We must be willing to do the work and stay with our wounding. Chiron reconnects what has been fragmented, separated, and isolated. For this reintegration to happen, we live with our brokenness, not away from it, to embody healing by being in the present moment. In Aries, Chiron brings up pain (and thus healing resources) having to do with the right/wrong use of force, courage, competition, unfiltered energy, aggression, fear, and independence. 

In Aries, Chiron brings our awareness to ancestral pains of previous generations and the wounds of our identity. How have we been victims of or been suffering through the ways in which we assert ourselves, go for what we want, or draw borders to express ourselves? How have our identities felt ashamed, inadequate, broken? Here, Chiron unpacks the ego. What am I actually expressing from? What am I initiating from? From unconscious biases? What's in the way of heartfelt pure essence? For these next 9 years, we are on a wave that explores how each one of us can resolve and heal to become more radiant in what we offer. Chiron in Aries energy recovers through action with static or somatic practices. 

2021 Core Astrology Aspects

Saturn Square Uranus
Aquarius is co-mentored by Saturn and Uranus, and this year their square highlights the shift (further) into the Aquarian Age. This square represents the struggle between those who hold onto the past, and those who hold onto the future. 2020 was a year of Plutonic purging, restriction, and destruction. 2021 will be a year of radical paradigm shifts with how we perceive the world and each other, and building new communities in brand new ways.
Aspect Dates: February 17, June 4, and December 24

Saturn Sextile Chiron 
A sextile is rather sexy -- a feel good, cooperative, stimulating energy looking for direction. Chiron is deep wounding and healing resources, and Saturn is slow processes of maturation, obstacles to work through, mastery, and earth wisdom. This aspect suggests that throughout 2021, rather than fighting in dysfunction, we will live close to our brokenness, in a really beautiful way. We will be able to learn from recent ravages, to rebuild new ways, new communities, new perspectives, and transformative solutions.
Aspect Dates: June 24, November 26

Photo: Gabriela D'Elia

4 Eclipses in 2021

Eclipses are portals that can shift or break dynamics and patterns. Usually there are 4 or 5 Eclipses throughout a year, but this year there are 4 eclipses, scattered about the seasons, opening portals of restructuring and energy flow. The eclipse axis relies on the North and South nodes, who spend about  18 months in a pair of zodiac signs. Throughout 2020 the ecliptic nodes entered the Sagittarius-Gemini axis.

Eclipses regulate collective and individual karma. Right now our karma is processing the primal awareness between Cancer (nurturance, protection, gentleness, control) and Capricorn (desire to achieve, respect, status, long maintained structures). In 2020 Earth's Eclipses moved into processing the karma between Gemini (distraction, meaningful exchange, restlessness, edginess, active listening, and dialogue) and Sagittarius (freedom, arrogance, hedonism, greed, adventure, curiosity, faith, and surpassing your comfort zone).

On June 24 2021, the nodes will enter the next pair of zodiac signs: Taurus-Scorpio (the nodes go in reverse order). In the second half of 2021, Earth's Eclipses move into processing the karma between Taurus (North Node) and Scorpio (South Node).

Taurus' Karmic Symbolism (North Node):

• Loyalty
• Awareness of boundaries / inappropriate intensity
• Taking things one step at a time
• Sense of self-worth and personal values
• Enjoying the physical senses / Bogged down in sensual appetites
• Gratitude and grounding
• Patience / Impatience
• Awareness of earth's nurturing
• Forgiveness / Judgmental tendencies
• Persistence

Scorpio's Karmic Symbolism (South Node):

• Possessiveness
• Overconcern with ownership (enjoying things without having to own them)
• Resistance to change / Resistance to others' input
• Attraction to crisis situations
• Openness to partnering, supporting, and merging power with others
• Self-discipline
• Choosing constructive change
• Releasing whatever causes stagnation and low energy
• Eliminating non-useful possessions
• Attachment to comfort and the status quo
• Seduction / Manipulation
• Being overly secretive or cynical

2021 Eclipse Dates:

May 26 in 05°26' Sagittarius - Total Lunar Eclipse

June 10 in 19°47' Gemini - Annular Solar Eclipse

November 19 in 27°14' Taurus - Partial Solar Eclipse

December 4 in 12°22' Sagittarius - Total Solar Eclipse

There will be 3 Supermoons in 2021, defined as when the Moon is less than 223,694 miles from the Earth's core. These Supermoons will be on April 27 in Scorpio, May 26 in Sagittarius, and June 24 in Capricorn.

Photo: Gabriela D'Elia

Key 2021 Dates & Configurations

Winter

• January 4: Jupiter semi-square Neptune (03°Aquarius 32')
• January 14: Uranus stations Direct in 06°43' Taurus
• January 17: Jupiter square Uranus (06°44' Aquarius to 06°44' Taurus)
• January 20: Saturn semi-square Neptune (07°14' Aquarius to 07°14' Taurus)
• January 30: Mercury stations Rx in 26°29' Aquarius 
• February 8: North Node square Neptune (18°09' Gemini to 18°09' Pisces)
• February 17: Saturn square Uranus (07°14' Aquarius to 07°14' Taurus)
• First out of three. This aspect happens every 22 years.
• February 20: Mercury stations Direct in 11°01 Aquarius
• February 21: Ceres enters Aries
• February 26: Jupiter trine Nodes
• March 7: Pallas enters Pisces

Spring

• April 9: Saturn trine Nodes
• April 20: Vesta stations Direct 06°42' Virgo
• April 27: Pluto stations Rx in 26°48' Capricorn
• May 5: Jupiter quintile Uranus
• May 6: True Node sextile Chiron
• May 8: Ceres enters Taurus
• May 13: Jupiter enters Pisces
• May 23 Saturn stations Rx in 13°31' Aquarius
• May 26: Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in 05° 26' Sagittarius
• May 29: Mercury stations Rx in 24°43' Gemini
• June 10: New Moon Annular Solar Eclipse: 19° 47' Gemini
• June 14: Saturn square Uranus (13°07' Aquarius Rx to 13° 07' Taurus)
• Second out of three.
• June 20: Jupiter stations Rx in 02°11' Pisces

Summer

• June 22: Mercury stations Direct 17°08' Gemini
• June 24: Saturn sextile Chiron
• June 25: Neptune stations Rx in 23° 12' Pisces
• July 9: New Moon in 18° 02' Cancer
• July 14: Pallas stations Rx in 27° 44' Pisces
• July 15: Chiron stations Rx in 12°56' Aries
• July 28: Jupiter Rx enters Aquarius
• July 31: Ceres enters Gemini
• August 2: Juno stations direct in 08°20' Sagittarius
• August 21: Uranus stations Rx in 14°48' Taurus
• September 6: New Moon in 14°38' Virgo

Autumn

• September 27: Mercury stations Rx in 25°28' Libra
• October 6: Pluto stations Direct in 24°19' Capricorn
• October 8: Ceres stations Rx in 12°08' Gemini
• October 10: Saturn stations Direct in 06°53' Aquarius
• October 18: Jupiter stations Direct in 22° 20' Aquarius
• October 18: Mercury stations Direct in 10°08' Libra
• November 4: New Moon in 12°40' Scorpio
• November 8: Pallas stations Direct in 09°03' Pisces
• November 14: Juno enters Capricorn
• November 16: Vesta enters Sagittarius
• November 19: Full Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse in 27°14' Taurus
• November 26: Saturn sextile Chiron (08°40' Aquarius to 08°40' Aries)
• December 1: Neptune stations Direct in 20°24' Pisces
• December 4: New Moon Total Solar Eclipse in 12°22' Sagittarius
• December 19: Venus stations Rx in 26°29' Capricorn
• December 19: Chiron stations Direct in 08°26' Aries

Winter

• December 21: Ceres Retrograde enters Taurus
• December 24: Saturn square Uranus (11°05' Aquarius to 11°05' Taurus)
• Third and final aspect.
• December 24: Jupiter quintile Uranus
• December 28: Jupiter enters Pisces

Photo: Gabriela D'Elia

Fungi in 2021

As we envision what has never before been imagined, let us share, trade, support, explore, digest, evolve, transform, listen, receive, connect, mature, and recompose as the fungi do. As we imagine new ways, let us take moments of stillness, breathe, and gratitude before beginning. Let us search for nourishment and ways to extend the nourishment. Let our humanness reflect earth's wisdom -- let us connect to ourselves, each other, and our terrains with presence, compassion, honesty, and reciprocity. Amidst the systemic transformations, let's remember to refer to our earthly ancestors for guidance, love, and wisdom.

How do I apply this to my own Natal Chart?

Please do not hesitate to reach out (WeRecomposing@gmail.com) or book your own astrology reading or lesson! I also have quite a few educational materials on the website including info on Astrology 101, Zodiac Signs, and Houses.

One way to get into reading into your own chart is to look at House Placement. A good 2021 example is looking at what House(1-12) rules Aquarius in your own chart. There are celestial shifts in Aquarius throughout 2020, so observing that house, or area of life, and its symbolism will be telling. Even if you don't have any planets in the house, it's still a house in your life, and the house and the Aquarius zodiac character are encoded with information. Let's say Aquarius is your House 9 of Journeys, then you can work with astrology to be present to shifts of your personal philosophy, education, teachers and guides, long distance travel, religion, and the bigger questions.

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sending you sweet, imaginative, breath-full spores for your 2021 seasoning.

-g