Additional coverage of Neptune in Aquarius is at the Reality Check diary.
Today is Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. In the background of this week’s astrology is Neptune’s change of signs from Aquarius to Pisces. Outer planets changing signs mark distinct eras in the story of the world, or perhaps just the story of our culture. Being able to see these changes, and see the defining moments of these eras, is a basic element of modern astrological training or even awareness. The cycle that turns over on Friday, when Neptune ingresses Pisces (and makes no more retrogrades into Aquarius) has its origins on Jan. 28, 1998 (the day Neptune changed signs to Aquarius prior to its retrograde into Capricorn), and a second root on Nov. 27, 1998 (when Neptune entered Aquarius to stay for that cycle).
A lot has changed since 1998. You could argue the point that more changed in these 14 years than in the century that came before them, but really one is a logical extension of the other. Let’s come back to that in a moment — it will be a recurring theme this week, in blogs here, on the Reality Check website and with a focus in this week’s subscriber editions. Friday subscribers will receive a special edition horoscope focused on Neptune’s sign change.
Let’s look around at the rest of the sky. Mars turned retrograde a week ago and is still close to the point where it stationed, at 22+ Virgo. The theme of this degree is the discipline to control the martial power of Mars (the resemblance in the two words — Mars and martial, is not a coincidence). Mars is useless and even dangerous if we cannot control its power — which is about will, intention, vital force and more aggressive manifestations of the psyche.