Party’s over! It’s back on the treadmill – figuratively and literally – and time to start figuring out how you’re going to keep up and make new plans at the same time.

And that’s probably what the entire year is going to be like. Many of us found a new groove in 2010, but getting in it, staying in it, and building momentum was a problem. We can do that in 2011, starting this week.

The Moon enters serious Capricorn on Monday and immediately conjoins Pluto. Right there, you’ve got a reminder of events that took place under the cardinal T-square over the summer. On Tuesday, the Moon eclipses the Sun at 13 degrees Cap, the first of six eclipses this year. For details, check out my New Moon post last week.

Several other transits make Tuesday a big day. In addition to the eclipse, Jupiter meets Uranus for the third and last time before heading back into Aries later this month. Talk about momentum! These two made up a powerful leg of the T-square over the summer, and we might have experienced breakthroughs back then were it not for Saturn standing in the way. Then, we might want to be grateful for that. If Saturn hadn’t supplied the brakes, the effect might have been like skiing down a steep, ice-covered slope with no poles.

With Jupiter and Uranus both at the end of mutable Pisces, we can expect a rush of last-minute changes that position us for success in our goals. The pieces are all falling into place, and rapidly.

We also need to include Neptune in this aspect. Not only is he in mutual reception with Uranus, but he’s the modern ruler of Pisces. Often, what holds us back is some aspect within ourselves that hasn’t yet been healed, which in turn keeps us from tapping into the part of our being that is pure energy. That’s the part of ourselves that’s connected to everything, including what some call the “God” force. Whatever you want to call it, it’s where healing takes place – “heal” being from the same Latin root as “whole.”

Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune all get contact from Venus on Tuesday, which tells me that love and relationships are a major part of our emerging wholeness. How can it be otherwise? Connections, by definition, are relationships. Planetary aspects are relationships. There is no movement without relationships. As we gain momentum, our relationships will grow and change, too.

On Wednesday, Venus squares Chiron. Alone, this might indicate a painful experience in love, but with the interplay of the other planets, I see this more as a reminder. Moreover, Chiron in air sign Aquarius suggests that the pain may be in our collective memory. It’s always good to be aware of these things, because then we can release them or, at the very least, accept and embrace them as part of our identity.

There aren’t any other major planetary aspects mid-week, but we’ll be plenty busy in the wake of the eclipse.

Friday is a mixed bag, with Venus entering Sagittarius and the Sun squaring Saturn. Sun-Saturn contacts can feel heavy, and you may feel the effects all week. Still, I think the heaviness may be more on the order of a tough physical trainer or coach who tries to goad you into exceeding your self-imposed limits. He may seem cruel at the time, but when you accomplish more than you ever thought you could, you thank him.

Venus in Sagittarius is the bright spot of the week. Venus normally spends three to four weeks in a sign, but because of her retrograde phase, she has been in her detriment in Scorpio for four whole months. Although the party’s over for now, we’ll at least have some fun and joy in our lives.

Don’t forget to laugh! It’s a great way to stay balanced in the face of stressful change. Indeed, it might be able to help you enjoy the thrill of the ride.

Wishing you all much love and laughter,
Pat