The Sun enters Aquarius II on 29 January 2025 at 10:59 am EST. Austin Coppock called this decan Heaven and Earth. The Sun will remain here for nine days, twenty hours, and thirty-six minutes, passing through part of the term of Venus and all of the term of Jupiter before entering Aquarius III on 8 February 2025 at 7:35 am EST. T. Susan Chang called it Celestial Navigation, referencing the Six of Swords: a man poling a punt across shallow waters with a woman and child huddled in a boat like refugees, accompanied by six swords.
Sometimes the stars do direct us to begin a journey without safeguards.
The decan is administered by Mercury under Saturn’s rulership, a condition that might be described as the youthful enthusiast carries out the old man’s schemes under his careful tutelage, were the two planets in alignment with one another. Buuut…. Saturn is inconjunct in Pisces next door, and Mercury is trying to operate like the smartest person in the room — while everyone else only sees a smart-ass. Thus, it is more like Self-professed experts talk smack, but everyone can see who’s pulling their strings. Mercury is one of the triplicity rulers of Air signs, and over the next few weeks, we’ll see experts rise and fall. Mercury starts with considerable authority at the moment, which will gradually grow. But there are several stair-steps up and down over the coming weeks, as their power to create change remains — but with declining respect and honor. We’ll see whether or not these experts are willing to hang on to power even through loss of prestige. For now, they’re under the beams of the Sun, and besieged by Pluto and the Sun while the Moon is dark — they’re expected to remain in the shadow behind the throne (letting the king receive the adulation, while carrying out his will behind the scenes), and simultaneously constrained by the conflicting demands of merchant-prince and sovereign who each have quite different expectations of loyalty. Finally, Mercury reaches cazimi (a fancy astrological term for “in the heart of the Sun” or conjunction with the Sun) on 9 February 2025 at 6:46 am EST at 21° Aquarius, when we’ll start to see who hangs on through the disgrace, and how the sovereign’s plans are communicated.
Overall this decan represents the problem of idealism vs. practicality. Heaven and Earth represents, in part, Saturn’s idealism and search for the excellence of perfection… while Mercury gets bogged down in the details and specifics of what can be accomplished right now. We tend to think of Saturn today as representing decline, limitation, ruin, delay, and obstacle — but we forget that among his ancient significations are perfection, and perfectionism. That is, Saturn often lets the perfect become the enemy of the good, and so creates delay and challenge: by insisting that nothing be made or done except if it be done perfectly, Saturn prevents necessary steps toward the good from being taken. Mercury’s administration, therefore, represents the degree to which the almost-perfect can be shaped and moved forward.
The ancient Greeks took a far more forbidding warning to heart during this season than the mere idea of perfectionism, though. In ancient Alexandria, it appears the calendar directed the populace’s attention to Phobos, the god of fear or terror — and specifically the terror that the soldier on the battlefield might experience. Surrounded by the shouts of armed men and the clash of weapons, the poor sod in the middle of an ancient battlefield was wrapped in an overwhelming sensory experience. What the battleground lacked in explosions and bullets whizzing at your head from 500 yards away, it more than made up for with the screams of dying and injured men, the louder screams of dying horses, the hissing-snakes sound of thousands of arrows launched at once, and the violence of being covered with blood — not knowing if it was your own, or someone else’s, or if that person was friend or foe or beast. The ability to keep moving, keep fighting in a trained way, even in the midst of trauma and battle-panic, was a valuable skill to the citizen and part-time soldier of the ancient world. Phobos, the lion-headed son of Ares-Mars the god of war who brought on such panic, was to be propitiated and sent packing whenever possible. It’s likely that any rites offered to him at this time of year were specifically to help young men survive and thrive in the upcoming military season, like a Bible carried against the heart in World War I — a prayer for life, even if one could not have peace.
There’s something of heaven and earth in that, too. To panic on the ancient battlefield was to die — the records we have of battlefield casualties often show a terrible lopsidedness: 75% or more of the vanquished often died, either of direct blows on the battlefield, or of the wounds they sustained that could not be closed or healed. Among the victors, casualties of less than 5% was the norm. The difference in survival rates between the contending armies was stark, and victory most often came to the side that successfully avoided the damage of Phobia.
Aquarius II contains four dodeks or 2° 30′ segments, which are recapitulations of Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo. These represent the way in which a legislature divided between two or more parties, or an appellate court with multiple members, feels its way forward toward a decision which creates new policy or case law. The issue is first argued, one side against the other, and then approached sideways like a crab, with multiple legs and arms scuttling and pinching out references and resources to make the policy strong and well-fed. Then the voice of the policy-making body yells out, like a lion roaring. Finally, in Virgo, the policy is nailed down through a mixture of voting and printing, to result in a fixed form or result that is both assented to in records and published to the masses — resulting in new change.
House Delineations
the First House of self and self-presentation is Taurus, ruled by sextile and exalted Venus in Pisces and hosting Uranus and the Lot of Fortune (just under the Ascendant). Tend to the body’s immediate needs with excellence, but consider a minimalist strategy to how you present yourself to the world. You may be a keeper of the secret flame, but it’s ok if the world just sees a completely inoffensive old white guy right now (even if you’re not an old white guy, projecting the illusion of age and whiteness may be a useful camouflage). Save the secret flame for when you really need it, and pick your battles — no, put those two battles back, you don’t need those either.
The Second House of wealth and possessions is Gemini, ruled by trining Mercury under the beams and besieged between the Sun and Pluto; but hosting triplicity ruler Jupiter retrograde. The current financial difficulties are likely to get smoothed out, but there’s going to be a sense of being squeezed by both government and commercial interests on both sides. You can think your way out of the current mess, but it’s going to require professional brainpower and a little time. Work on these sorts of problems every day until they’re solved.
The Third House of siblings and neighbors is Cancer, ruled by the inconjunct moon in Aquarius and hosting triplicity ruler Mars retrograde in exile. Familial drama, or confrontations with neighbors, are likely to cut away your peace of mind and ease. Adopt gratitude practices this week to focus on what you already have; put out markers to delineate what’s not for the taking or what’s genuinely yours… and be prepared to enforce it, if need be, with an offering at the three-way crossroads to protect those who have your back.
The Fourth House of house, home and family is Leo, ruled by the opposing and debilitated Sun who is besieged between Mercury and the Moon. Your household and housemates and family need a good mix of womanly instincts and a queer eye for self-preservation this week. Shine some light on those who are in your orbit and nearby: who is most at risk in the current situation? Who would benefit from your protection? What principles do you cling to, and which practical steps should you take to defend your professional reputation and employment status? You don’t necessarily need to act on all of these today, but you need to make a plan.
The Fifth House of pastimes and children is Virgo, ruled by inconjunct Mercury under the beams and hosting the South Node; triplicity rulers Venus and Mars either oppose or square. Be a listening and favorable ally to your women friends rather than pursuing your own agenda, and help them analyze their current needs. Recognize that some of your male relations may be less help, or actively cause difficulty, both for your hobbies and your children; this may be true for some time.
The Sixth House of daily work, illnesses, and employees is Libra, ruled by inconjunct Venus and hosting the lunar apogee; triplicity rulers Mercury and Jupiter, both debilitated, offer assistance from their respective trines. The cause of justice is going to require some daily rule-breaking, your professional capacities as an expert, and likely some of your money as well. Recognize that current biases and partialities are their own sort of rule-breaking; prepare to identify how and when and where you can respond with your own unfairnesses in ways that serve larger causes of law and equity.
The seventh House of spouse and peers is Scorpio, ruled by trining Mars retrograde in Cancer. Though debilitated and overly concerned with family dynamics or local controversy at the moment, your significant other — whether business partner, romantic partner, or essential rival or foe — is likely to be a source of the fuel for your necessary intellectual and emotional growth in the next ten days. They’re likely to be paranoid or nervous about the future in ways that you’re not; and they’re likely to be calm about things that unnerve or worry you. Attend to these partners in ways that are diplomatic and discerning, yourself — heed them when they’re calm; calm them when they’re out of their minds with worry. Protect one another’s secrets.
The Eighth House of death and taxes is Sagittarius, ruled by opposing and detrimented Jupiter retrograde. It’s hard to concentrate on your responsibilities or share resources when you’re deeply concerned about what you actually have or own. The question of what is in your wallet or bank account affects deeply how you can go about selecting or choosing which duties to fulfill and complete, or in what order. Largely this is a question of priorities. All will be resolved in time, but do things in an order that makes financial rather than emotional sense.
The Ninth House of religion, learning and travel is Capricorn, ruled by sextile Saturn in Pisces, and hosting the midheaven in Capricorn III The Throne. The ways that you are expected to lead and learn in the next ten days require you to be discerning with your friends and acquaintances, and be clear about what you’re prepared to say to them, and what should be held in reserve. Not everyone needs to know everything about what you’re planning to do or why. Use Elizabeth II of England’s personal motto judiciously: Never Complain, Never Explain. To command your resources and team effectively, or to make travel easy — don’t tell anyone, anything, they don’t need to know.
The Tenth House of career, honors, and reputation is Aquarius, ruled by inconjunct Saturn and hosting the Sun, the Moon, Mercury and Pluto; Jupiter lends additional support from the trine. Your boss or supervisor is going to be greedy, miserly, and grasping this week, and you can complain about it, or you can calmly share your projections for 2025 Q1 and Q2: without my help, these numbers are going to be worse, should be strongly implied. It’s important that you be out ahead of his own projections, so get cracking with those spreadsheets and data analysis. Also, send PDFs, not raw data: show the idiot your analysis, rather than handing over the tools to find a different path.
The Eleventh House of friends and acquaintances is Pisces, ruled by squaring Jupiter retrograde and in detriment; and hosting Saturn, Venus, Neptune, and the North Node. There will be a definite hunger to sit down with friends and commiserate, as well as envision a new path forward together, you’ll be eager to make connections, build community, and find social cohesion. But bear in mind that there are factual realities about each person in your extended network that must not be ignored, and don’t simply overlook them for the sake of connection.
The Twelfth House of obstacles and challenges (and turning dreams into action) is Aries, ruled by squaring retrograde Mars in exile. Both your plans for the future, and your sense of which risks or obstacles you face are the most challenging, are highly unstable and likely to change frequently. Keep plans loose and flexible, and be prepared for to handle issues locally and from your immediate reserves; if it requires money or resources you don’t currently have eyes on, regard it as something subject to change. At least one friend you thought you could count on is likely to flake out or be unavailable — don’t hold it against them for now, but keep it firmly in mind for the future.
Horoscopes (by rising sign)
Decan I of any sign (usually covering the 21st of the month to the first of the following month) is free to all visitors; Decan II is only available to Patreon and Ko-Fi.com subscribers; and Decan III is available to Patreon, Ko-Fi, and MailChimp subscribers.
I recommend reading your Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign for best results. I write them with rising sign in mind, but several people have told me they find that they do better with all three.
Taurus:
Gemini:
Cancer:
Leo:
Virgo:
Libra:
Scorpio:
Sagittarius:
Capricorn:
Aquarius:
Pisces:
Aries:
Colophon
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If you want to read some of my astrologically-oriented poetry, the largest collection is called A Full Volume of Splendor and Starlight, available through my Etsy shop, and containing poems and hymns to the planets, constellations, decan deities, and Moon Mansion angels. While not astrological, Festae contains hymns to some of the older Roman gods and spirits from the calendar created by Numa Pompilius, the second ancient King of Rome.
I use iPhemeris for my charting software, and screenshot it to make charts. I want to thank the team that develops iPhemeris for the addition of Terms and Decans to their charts. I also use Hugh Tran‘s Physis typeface to craft logos for this blog, as well.
I use Christopher Warnock‘s The Mansions of the Moon as the basis of my Moon placement delineations, and Austin Coppock‘s 36 Faces for much of my planetary delineations. Neither gentleman endorses me.
