New Year 2024

New Year 2024 - Checked Expansion

"WE may be through with the past, but the past is not through with us."

— Bergen Evans
The Natural History of Nonsense

"If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future."

— Winston S. Churchill

We begin a New Year, 2024, on Monday this week, marking the shift from a "7" year to an "8" year. The 7 showed us the 'scaffolding' — clear evidence of a vast restructuring following the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 2020. The 8 offers expansion but also checks over optimism and overly idealistic aspirations. The "8's" affinity to Jupiter is particularly important as Jupiter's activity is especially notable this year. A Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in mid-April offers promising, inventive advancement. However, the 8 influence of the year 2024 will quickly show us any flaws in our overall plans as we move past the completed conjunction. As well, Jupiter will move into Gemini near the end of May. Again, the 8 influence of 2024 will help us to avoid trying to avoid ambitiously 'biting off more than we can chew', which Jupiter in Gemini is prone to encourage. Once in Gemini, Jupiter will make an auspicious trine to Pluto, which will be back in Aquarius for most of 2024. The Jupiter-Pluto trine (late May to early June) is both enthusiastic and ambitious. Jupiter's activity, especially during the 1st half of the year will help us to make the most of the expansive, abundant promise of the "8" influences of 2024.

Our planning for 'ambitious advancement' begins almost immediately this week. Mercury turns direct on Monday, leaving only Uranus still 'technically'retrograde although practically (and powerfully) 'standing still'. The building sense of freedom is significant all week. Intuition is still quite powerful, which actually helps to boost the return of reliable intellectual perspectives offered by the direct motion of Mercury. We do need to remember that Mercury will still make one more exact square to Neptune next week which will bring back some of the confusing or deceptive rhetoric that was floating about for much of December. However, it should become easier to see the importance of 'faith in the process' under the last Mercury-Neptune square. This week offers us a feeling that we are beginning to see the future laid out before us. When Mars arrives in Capricorn on Thursday, our ability to channel our energy into tangible 'purpose' is greatly enhanced. There is a sense that we are, at last, 'in the driver's seat'. Unrealistic idealism, as well as our susceptibility to confusing rhetoric, begins to slip into the background. We are increasingly focused on setting intentions and pursuing our ambitions with a practical surge of energy and focus. While we may begin the week with the remnants of some extraordinary — but questionable — idealism, practicality hones our intentions. Of course, 'taking the wheel' requires at least a modest amount of responsibility. We may need to watch out for the sense of 'entitlement' or self-indulgence that comes with the developing sense of ambition and surge of power. A Sun-Chiron square at the end of the week offers a gentle reminder that our past experiences offer both wisdom as well as lingering 'blind spots' — remnants of unresolved pain, anger and resentment than might derail or slow our progress. Nonetheless, next Thursday's Capricorn New Moon (3:57 AM PST 20° Capricorn) will tightly trine Uranus as it powerfully stations direct, suggesting a new round of surprising developments that will tend to move us further towards our ambitious goals and support our practical, responsible efforts.

Our thinking may feel 'stalled' on Sunday. We may be vulnerable to being misled or operating on some pretty shaky assumptions. Intuition helps us to shift into a more intellectual perspective as Mercury turns direct on Monday. There may be some judgemental assessments and our idealism could take us off the rails quite quickly. We need to recognize the need for cooperation on Tuesday and acknowledge the importance of asking for help. Our approach is more nuanced and diplomatic in the evening. We recognize that we are in unfamiliar territory on Wednesday. The overwhelming sense of freedom takes us by surprise. Idealism begins to move into the background on Thursday. We can better channel our energy into practical effort and sidestep many conflicts. There is an extraordinary sense of power in the atmosphere on Friday. We feel that we are in the 'drivers seat'. We hit a few 'bumps in the road' on Saturday but they aren't too threatening. We need a bit of courage to explore some of the 'dark shadows' that might threaten our progress.