The New Moon solar eclipse on January 26 (January 25 on the West Coast of the United States and points west) is the first of 2009 and has an impressive lineup in Aquarius, drawing our attention to the qualities and agendas of this forward-looking sign.

Aquarius is noted for being able to think outside the box, and we will be reminded of this in no uncertain terms, not only because there are six bodies in Aquarius but because this lunation has the extra punch an eclipse brings with it.

The asteroid Juno moved into Aquarius on January 22, heralding a shift in the way we will perceive our structured partnerships such as marriage. This may be the time when we begin to redefine the concept of marriage to be more inclusive than exclusive. Juno conjoins Jupiter in Aquarius, where the Big Guy is happy to put his considerable weight behind increasing awareness of all humanitarian issues for a change. In Roman mythology, Jupiter was king of the gods, and Juno was his wife. With the waxing conjunction of Juno to Jupiter from now until around Valentine’s Day, stepping out on one’s spouse would not be a good idea . . . Juno came up with some very creative ways to punish her philandering husband!

The theme of change is very powerful on this New Moon, and while many of us pay lip service to enjoying new ideas and ways of thinking and being, the reality can be quite uncomfortable initially. If Uranus is active in your natal chart by conjunction, sextile, or trine, you are more likely to embrace the new, but if the aspects are squares or oppositions, the resistance can be fierce. Often those with tense aspects have lives that are periodically turned upside down by outside forces and consequently hunger for a peaceful status quo.

The North Node in Aquarius is also part of the stellium with the Sun and Moon and signals the need to broaden our perspective and think globally instead of nationally. The Sun will conjunct the North Node on January 28, the peak of this cycle. The internet, a very Aquarian network, has made it possible for people like Pat and me to reach out to others all around the world; and we are just one small website among an ever-increasing number. Humanity is less isolated than ever before, and we increasingly need to set aside seeing our differences and focus on how much we are alike. What type of world do we want to live in? What ideals do we want to see promoted?

Neptune is still traveling with Chiron, reminding us that the path to true and lasting healing is through recognition and forgiveness of old wounds. If we cradle our grievances to our breasts, nurturing our feelings of anger and resentment, we will simply not be able to forge a better life for ourselves. Neptune offers sympathy and compassion and will help us dissolve and wash away our pain, but only if we actively participate in the process.

Uranus and Venus are conjunct in Pisces, both opposing Saturn in Virgo, and the next exact opposition of Saturn and Uranus is drawing closer. For now, we have the gift of Venus as part of this aspect pattern, suggesting that kindness and being agreeable are better tools for conflict resolution than aggression and denial. Conversely, the Mercury-Mars conjunction in Capricorn tells us that taking a firm, decisive, practical approach to problem-solving will help us. Because the conjunction in Pisces is sextile the Capricorn conjunction, we can blend these energies easily with Saturn in Virgo’s common-sense way of doing business and find our way into the future.

While Pluto is refraining from an active role in this lunation, I’m sure if you have personal planets or angles in the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) from 2 to 5 degrees, you are keenly aware of him. Keep in mind that if you feel like you are being pulled under by this transit, letting go will let you bob back to the surface. There is a very good possibility that what you were holding onto so tightly is unnecessary anyway.

As always, the Sabian symbol is an amazing fit. For 7 Aquarius, it is “a child is seen being born out of an egg” with the keywords EMERGENCE OF GLOBAL MAN. Being free of the inertia of humankind’s past, a transmutation of something entirely new is coming onto the world stage. When we move away from our history, we have an opportunity to see ourselves with new eyes and can choose which facets of ourselves we wish to polish for display.

It is especially important to remember to be kind to one another in times of great change because uncertainty creates stress. Mercury is still retrograde, and it is easy to misspeak right now, so let’s do ourselves a favor and practice thinking before speaking. OK?!

**Please read Pat’s weekly forecast for this week, January 19, too. She has more pertinent information on both the eclipse and the next exact Saturn-Uranus opposition.

posted by Neith . . .

Of course, today is the day to write your New Moon abundance checks! Here’s how.