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Aquarius II Heaven and Earth begins on 29 January 2026 at 4:46 pm EST, as the sun crosses into Aquarius this year. Austin Coppock called this decan Heaven and Earth, while T. Susan Chang called it Celestial Navigation. In the Tarot, it’s associated with the six of swords, the card that the Golden Dawn called The Lord of Earned Success. The ancient Greeks associated it with Phobos “Fear” — the chariot driver of Ares and the god of battle-panic. By Chaldean order it’s associated with Mercury. This decan last nine days, twenty hours, and forty-two minutes — Aquarius III The Knot begins on 8 February 2026 at 1:28 pm EST.
Tarot’s Six of Swords, in the pip card designed by Pamela Colman Smith for the Rider-Waite deck, shows a man poling a barge or flat-bottomed boat toward a distant shore across a lagoon or other flat body of water; two figures sit in the bow, one a child and one likely to be a woman. The six swords of the card are mounted in the bow of the boat, hilts to the sky. The Golden Dawn called this card The Lord of Earned Success, but it also represents a kind of self-exile or refugee’s departure from difficult situations — not violent, but armed and ready for trouble nonetheless.
I’ve recently re-read Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail (alt link), written in August 1963 — I re-read it on the Monday that’s a US federal holiday in his honor, and I’ve done so since 1997, sometimes to an audience, sometimes on my own. It always strikes me as a useful counterpoint to Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, part of her book The Wind’s Twelve Quarters published in 1975. Both writings respond to the same question, “what do you intend to do about injustice?” LeGuin’s characters leave, and tell no one where they’re going. King and his colleagues asked themselves constantly, “are you ready to be beaten, maybe killed, for the sake of protesting injustice?” The trio in the Six of Wands depart to unknown places, under their own power.
The god Phobos doesn’t have much of a role in Greek myth. Either a lion-headed man or a man wearing a lion-skin, he’s depicted as his father Mars’/Ares’ chariot driver — and one who troubles warriors’ hearts to panic and flee the battlefield. For the hand-to-hand combat of the ancient world (aided at times by short-range bows at distances of no more than about 100 yards or meters), panic on the battlefield almost certainly meant death. Phobos was the unrelenting, irrational terror of blood and violence that would make you drop your weapons and shield, strip your armor, and make you run. Yet such an action would almost certainly doom you, as well as all the comrades in your unit — possibly in your entire army. In the three-rows combat formations of the Roman legion, the most seasoned veterans were in the hindmost rank, sometimes with their swords close to the backs of the two guys directly in front of them: fight or die was the unspoken message.
There’s no unearned success in the fight against injustice. Either you show up, and learn to take on the one-on-one fights that are presented to you; or you get in your boat and pole away under your own power. Something of those assumptions exists in Coppock’s and Chang’s different names for this decan — celestial navigation is about using heaven’s signposts to direct the course of your life on earth. Are you comparing your highest ideals to the practical, real-word actions that you’re taking on the ground? Are you walking away from the systems that do not honor your ethical beliefs? Or are you putting on the armor of light that will allow you to confront those systems? Are you finding others that will not flee the battlefield when the fight is tough? Are you encouraging those others to hold the line with you?
the dodeks or Twelfth Parts of the second decan of Aquarius are assigned to Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo. Together they tell the story of the soldier of two minds, who begins in a state of uncertainty about their mission, or their ability to continue the fight. As their two opinions war with one another, an emotional response rises in them until it must be outwardly performed — either as a violent roaring or as a silent slinking away. It is only after the battle is over and done that the warrior is able to sit and judge their own actions in the moment, usually with an overly rational justification for the emotional decision.
Dates to Watch
In many ways, the most important event of this decan occurred in the last decan, the Aries Ingress of Neptune. Aries is always the beginning of a planet’s astrological year or the midnight that resets a planetary clock, and Neptune reached 0° Aries on 26 January 2026 at 12:34 pm EST. (I wrote a Hymn for Neptune in Aries, which you’ll able to use magically almost any time for the next thirteen years — Neptune is in the dodek Aries of Aries the Whirlwind until 9 April 2026, and Saturn will join him there, 14 February to March 9.) It’s going to be a while before we know what Neptune is going to do in Aries, but among the things that happened last time in the early 1860s was that governments around the world discovered the power of universal conscription.
29 January 2026 — Mercury conjunct Venus, Saturn sextile Uranus — the intellectual and aesthetic experiences of the first transit (delight in beauty, expressing detailed opinions about food or poetry or art) may be somewhat at war with the political and economic priorities of the second (fear of consequences and a risk-averse mindset mingled with a desire to experiment with new possibilities, and challenge status quo systems). Read two Mary Oliver poems about wildflowers if you find yourself repeating your parents’ mistakes —but call me in the morning if stress over uncontrollable change persists.
5 February 2026 — Mercury square Uranus. The day’s events are likely to be mentally stimulating and you may have to react quickly to changing circumstances. Holding to definite plans is unlikely, especially if you have plans that require an exact confluence of circumstances to remain steady. Accept that the day’s events are likely to outpace your ability to react to them, and that you will have to make large decisions without having all possible information. Do your best to remain rational and considered in your judgment.
6 February 2026 — Mercury enters Pisces 5:49 pm EST. The herald planet is passing from Aquarius where they have dignity as an Air Triplicity ruler to Pisces, where they’re both detrimented and in exile — the expert advisor or superior communicator caught with their pants down and not in possession of the most relevant facts. It will be easy to be an enthusiastic coach and advisor for two and a half months… but your advice may be genuinely wrong, especially where details matter more than the big picture. Mercury will be here until 14 April 2026 at 11:21 pm EST.
7 February 2026 — Venus square Uranus. It’s quite easy, under the influence of this transit, to let excitement and emotional upset confuse and roil the usual stability of your romantic and business partnerships. But rather than engaging in a confrontational argument, try seeking out new life experiences and new social experiments together instead. Visit a new restaurant or gallery together; go thrifting for a new outfit made of old clothes; take a workshop or class together. Test the malleability and stretchiness of your relationships with adventure, rather than digging into intransigent positions in confrontation.
8 February 2026 — From today until February 13 (7:11 pm EST), Saturn will be in orb to Neptune, but on the Pisces side of the the Pisces/Aries border — with Neptune promising big and exciting vision, and Saturn answering that belief with almost fanatical skepticism and agnostic suspicion: “You can’t do that; it’s not possible.” Once Saturn is in Aries, that skepticism is likely to flip to a process more rooted in debate and consideration: “we haven’t done it that way before; how would that work?” Vision has to get translated into actual, practical, actionable plans after Valentine’s Day, in other words — so allow yourself to get a head-start on the work.
House Delineations
The First House of self and self-presentation is Leo, whose ruler the Sun is in opposition and detriment. The other two Fire Triplicity rulers are both inconjunct. Dress well, and dress to impress — but be aware that your display may go unnoticed. Speak well and clearly for every audience — but know that you may go unheard and unheeded.
The Second House of money and possessions is is Virgo, ruled by inconjunct Mercury. The Earth Triplicity rulers are either inconjunct (Venus, Mars) or square (Moon). The South Node is present. Financial decisions require considerably more analysis and care than usual, yet your friends may be asking for emergency handouts that you think are perfectly reasonable requests and within the bounds of friendship.
The Third House of extended family and intimate friends is Libra, ruled by trining Venus. The Air Triplicity rulers are square (Jupiter) or inconjunct (Saturn), and trine (Mercury). The Imum Coeli is present. Supporting your extended family and close inner circle of friends will be valuable, but don’t make gifts without balancing others’ needs against your own basic comforts; and talk over each case with a spouse or significant other. There’s a deep sense of peace that may only come from remembering and then forgiving an old grudge.
The Fourth House of home, household, and parents is Scorpio, ruled by squaring Mars. The Water Triplicity rulers are either square (Venus, Mars) or trine (Moon). Make home into a secret nest for the moment, and defend it vigorously against peculiar intrusions — your gut reaction to known visitors is a good guide to whether to extend the invitation to come indoors when they ring the doorbell, though.
The Fifth House of pleasures and pastimes is Sagittarius, ruled by inconjunct Jupiter. The other Fire Triplicity rulers are sextile (Sun), or trine (Saturn). The Lunar Apogee is present. Chores and obligations, as well as time caretaking a spouse or significant other’s needs, are likely to be important in the coming days — but there’s also likely to be time for hobbies if you break from your official routines. When communicating with (mostly ‘your’) children, try to remember to converse and coach them as you would a peer or ally this week — honoring their agency will lead to better results.
The Sixth House of daily routines, pets, and injuries is Capricorn, ruled by sextile Saturn. The Earth Triplicity rulers are all inconjunct. Sometimes the only way to get through the day is to make your bed in the morning, and do the labors of the day with only a pretense of enthusiasm — and climb into the same bed at day’s end. There’s no value in going above and beyond.
The Seventh House of spouse, peer partners, and rivals is Aquarius, ruled by inconjunct Saturn. The Air Triplicity ruler Mercury is present, but the others are inconjunct. Pluto, Mars, the Sun, Venus, and Mercury are present — and all close enough together to be considered in council at a “secret meeting” where the nominal ruler is overruled by lesser officials in his cabinet. Argument, aggression, money troubles, clear communication, and make-up sex are all on the table this week — but both mercy and realistic expectations may fly out the window unless you hold onto them yourself.
The Eighth House of obligation, duty and legacy is Pisces, ruled by trining Jupiter. The Water Triplicity rulers are square (Moon) or inconjunct (Mars, Venus). The North Node and Saturn are present. Long-held beliefs may be challenged or shredded by events this week, and you may find that you have resentments against duties that were easy to perform just recently. A clear-eyed and intellectual analysis may help you overcome the emotions of resentment — do these tasks put money in the bank, food on the table, clean laundry in the closets and dressers, and a roof over your head? It’s easy to lose sight of gratitude for what you have, and resent what you must do, this week — you’ll have to provide your own counterweight of thankfulness.
The Ninth House of higher learning and long-distance travel is Aries, ruled by sextile Mars. The Fire Triplicity rulers are inconjunct (Saturn), sextile (Sun), or square (Jupiter). Neptune is present, as is the Midheaven. It’s difficult to plan travel too far ahead, but a spur-of-the-moment trip may be valuable. If you feel called to advanced degrees or to some sort of long-range certification of your skills, it might be time to start the process — but recognize that the first three years aren’t really going to be as easy as they feel today, although you will get there eventually.
The Tenth House of career and professional reputation is Taurus, ruled by squaring Venus. The Earth Triplicity rulers are inconjunct (Moon) or square (Venus, Mars). Uranus is present and retrograde. There’s a few last-minute reviews of your professional labors that may bring upset and turmoil in your workplace and challenge your reputation, but keep calm and steady — it’ll likely pass without true incident, although the anxiety and other emotional distress may be wearying. If you’ve been ethical at work up til now, that’s going to shine through.
The Eleventh House of friends, associates, and allies is Gemini, ruled by trining Mercury. The other Air Triplicity rulers are inconjunct (Jupiter), or square (Saturn). The Moon and the Lunar Perigee are present. Your intellectual knowledge and access to information is likely to be of great help to your friends and colleagues this week, but act quickly and decisively when it comes time to share it. Know the rules and follow them carefully, and advise your network to do the same.
The Twelfth House of both obstacles and opportunities is Cancer, ruled by the inconjunct Moon (who will arrive here in a little less than an hour). Exalted Jupiter is present but retrograde. The Water Triplicity rulers are all inconjunct (Venus, Mars, Moon). Hold big dreams and plan big plans for the future, but hold them close to your chest like you were playing a high-stakes poker game. You may be able to bluff your way to success while only holding a pair of twos, but the money on the table may be worth it to take the gamble. But — for right now — don’t put more money in the pot than you can afford to lose. Win big at low or no cost is the play here, and if the stakes are higher than you can afford — fold before you show your hand.
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.
Leo: It’s valuable to find a spotlight and stand under it to make your announcement, but you should have some sense of your ideal goal as well as what is currently possible. Make your point to the audience member you think of as your equal, too — not the higher-ups, nor the low-level functionaries, but to your peer and ally. Persuade them, and you persuade them all. The review of the recent past may be personally uncomfortable but you can’t hide from it; similarly, try to be realistic about the situation rather than brightly committed to overcoming difficulties you don’t yet know about.
Virgo: There are times when your own effective analysis fails and it’s time to phone a friend for a clear-eyed look at the situation from a “reasonable person’s point of view.” You don’t have to believe every point they make, but you should be prepared to lay out the facts and answer any and every question that arises… and accept a sensible analysis even if you don’t like the implications. It’s not that you’re not smart enough, I promise — but there are always going to be blind spots where your data gathering network hasn’t reached far enough into the world.
Libra: Contentment and peace come from continuing to do as you’ve been doing, but long-range plans may experience a few hiccups from recent decision-making for the long term. Think of it like cultivating a garden — weeds are a byproduct of deciding that a particular patch of ground is just for your preferred plants. It’s easier to get work done with people who’ve done the work before; ask your more knowledgable allies for assistance in the projects that you want to continue — not because you need their help, but because you love their companionship.
Scorpio: Some arguments are bound to arise when your ideas about shared living space clash with those of housemates, lovers, and spouses — or even business partners in a shared office or studio. You may not be able to see an ally’s point of view clearly, while you’re fixated on being right. It may be helpful to ask your familiar circle, one-on-one, what their ideal and preferred outcome is; and what they’re willing to tolerate. Expounding your own specific preferred outcome endlessly, though, is likely to land you in hot water.
Sagittarius: It’s going to be easy to shoulder a weighty burden in the next few days by breaking your own rules and taking up a task nobody else wants, “just for the time being, for fun.” But ask yourself if this is a sandbox or a playground you want all to yourself, or if there’s a broader obligation at work that needs stronger hands and more professional efforts. A clear-eyed look at the time required and the energy you’ll have to devote is worth it, before you choose to raise your hand.
Capricorn: There are times when all you have to do is your daily routines, and accept that there are tasks and debts and duties that must be completed — no other choice is really possible. If there are new responsibilities on offer that you think you’d like to have, though, you should give them a clear-eyed and thorough vetting. My grandfather’s method of vetting a new offer was to ask three questions: 1) will it help me save more money? 2) will I learn some new knowledge or gain new skills? 3) will I have fun? He thought that you needed three yes answers before you committed.
Aquarius: Big questions hang in the air about love and romance for you this week, as well as commitments to partnership. A lot of these may float in your head and heart and guts as doubts or emotional upset; there may be financial questions that weigh heavily on you; you may have a lot of unrelieved or unresolved anger or frustration; you may be challenged by the philosophical question what is love? (baby don’t hurt me no mo’) and you may be tying yourself in knots as you consider the current circumstances compared with what you think you want. Friend — it’s all a deep, deep emotional mess, but you’re telling yourself you’re being completely rational about it. You’re not. Humble yourself with gratitude that there are people who love you in the world, and accept that — for lots of different reasons — the world is hard on you right now. Hug someone you know care about you, and believe that it’s real even if you are feeling like it isn’t.
Pisces: Chore and errand are such hard words in our culture, implying something tedious, annoying or difficult. Consider instead that it’s an opportunity to get out of the house, or to leave the workplace for a little while, and find a little beauty in the world. Meander from task to task, and be enthused with each little stop: marvel at the tiny Swiss Army knives at the hardware store checkout line; debate which kind of candy or gum to get at the grocery store; work out a new vanity license plate for yourself while waiting at the Motor Vehicles office. Treat the exploration of the world while checking off your task-list, as a chance to be in a private garden — and bring home a souvenir from your adventure for a housemate.
Aries: Want to go far? Take a partner or peer, and expect that the adventure might need to be short — but that a friend may open a private world of thoughts and imagination to you. Oscar Wilde said that he always brought his journal with him when he traveled, so he’d have something sensational to read on the train. You might consider starting a journal this week, yourself — and expect that there’s a long-term grand adventure to be had in your own private world of thoughts pressed in paper.
Taurus: Professional matters are subject to upset just this once more, as you have to alter yet again something that’s been finalized several times over. Part of the problem is that there are too many peer reviewers and not just one person ready to make the final decision; and part of it is that nobody wants to be the one who got such a fiendishly complicated issue wrong… and even more, nobody wants to look stupid. So everyone has an opinion, but nobody wants to shout it out loud. It’s worth trying two things: first, ask everyone to give their best opinion and their worst fear; second, ask what it actually costs to keep delaying. Usually delays cost even more than not-deciding.
Gemini: It’s always fun to hang out with a few friends together — but honestly, it’s better for now if you find a little time to be on your own one-to-one, even in the middle of the crowd. Sit yourself down in the lobby and share a coffee or a tea (hot chocolate can be lovely in the winter!); or meet for lunch, and talk between yourselves. People will interrupt (of course they will) but your time together will be a welcome respite. Plan to be together for a bit, just you two, and split the bill down the middle. It’ll be hard not to talk about the difficulties in your workplace, but try to be both enthusiastic and realistic about that. Then move on to talk about your dreams and hopes.
Cancer: You may feel like you’re almost just about ready to take the leap into something bigger and better for yourself, but you want to run it by a friend or a sane colleague one more time, someone who’ll offer proper criticism of your plan and challenge all your assumptions. Let me offer a counterpoint: find someone who will absolutely say yes to your crazy ideas and expand upon them, and tell you to go for it, because that’s what they always do. If that person listens to you and backs up and looks at you slant-eyed, and suggests you’re out of your mind… then you can hold back. But otherwise… it’s probably time.
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.
