Aquarius & Mid-Winter
Sun in Aquarius: Roughly 1/19 - 2/18
When the sun travels through the sign of the water-bearer, we find ourselves simultaneously in the middle of winter and yet still near the beginning of the calendar year. This is a time when we're refining our long-range goals, making adjustments in our lives that head us in the general direction of those dreams we committed to around winter solstice. We are immersed in these energies at this time, and we revisit the themes below at the full moon in Aquarius, during the Leo solar month.
Innovate & Invent
At this time, we benefit from people, places, and experiences that stimulate different ways of perceiving ourselves, our lives, and how everything fits together. That's when we get innovation.
To take a fresh look at things...
☞ Take the larger structures of your life apart, and put all their little bits under the proverbial microscope.
☞ Turn everything upside down.
☞ Zoom way out for a long-distance perspective.
☞ Shake things up, and see how all the little pieces might fit together differently of their own accord.
☞ Do things in a different order than you usually do.
☞ Spend time with people who think differently than you do - folks with different priorities or beliefs than you, or folks of a different age, gender, or cultural background than your own.
In general -
Notice where "the box" ends. That's where your imagination begins.
Community
Aquarius is a community oriented sign, so this is an important time to connect with your network, and to have some group experiences. What happens when like minds get together is an evolutionary cocktail called collaboration. This is a month when we can expand our network, meet new people, and reach out to acquaintances we'd like to know better. New or rekindled human connexions stimulate new ideas and new opportunities.
☞ What communities are you connected to, and/or a part of?
☞ Are there other communities you'd like to reach out to, and become a part of?
☞ What innovative ideas or creations do you feel called to give to your community?
☞ What does your community give you, and does that feel good?
☞ What would be easier for you to do within the context of a group, rather than as a lone wolf?
Aquarius' combination of being both future-oriented and community-oriented gives it a natural correlation with the internet and social media. However, these modern expressions of Aquarius disrupt our experience of community if they replace our actual in-person encounters. So get together with your people - face to face - this month. Let others touch your heart as you touch theirs, and see what new insights that might generate for you all.
Individuation
There are two great paradoxes of Aquarius. One is that it is a community-oriented sign, and yet it is a sign that requires us to think differently, and therefore to stand out from the crowd. Consider the symbol of the water-bearer: Think of the "water" as some necessary and unique element you bring to your community. And although you are an intrinsic part of the "dinner party" experience of the group, you also stand apart from it by playing a unique and benevolent role.
☞ What unique role do you play within your community/ies?
☞ What unique perspective can you offer to your community/ies in a way that benefits the whole group?
Master of Systems
The second great paradox of Aquarius is it is ruled by both Saturn, the most "conservative" of the planets, and also by Uranus, the most revolutionary and iconoclastic of the planets. Saturn's impulse of merely towing the line and keeping things as they are breeds stagnation. On the other hand, a purely Uranian approach of abruptly changing things without first understanding how they work leads to chaos and unnecessary hurt.
The best way to work with this planetary dichotomy is to incorporate the best of both worlds: Understand, study, and respect the systems, constructs and authorities that exist, but also question them, and eventually introduce ways to improve upon the "status quo" with your own creative flair.
☞ What systems or establishments do you wish to innovate?
☞ How well do you know those systems, or are there some things you have yet to learn?
☞ How can you bring benevolent change in ways that respect the devotion and effort of those who have preceded you?
Big Picture Thinking
Because Aquarius invites us to look at "the whole," this is a time when we have a natural ability to consider the "Big Picture" -
☞ In the Big Picture, who matters most in all the people you know?
☞ In the Big Picture, what would you most like to do with your time in this body on this earth?
This goes beyond questions of career and path, although those are certainly important parts of your answer.
Ankles, Lower Legs, & Nerves
Aquarius rules the ankles and lower legs - that which supports you as you move, and helps you adjust to the shifting terrain of your life. It also has a correlation with the nervous system as a whole - that which connects your mind and body with the intricate and vast world around you. Tend your nerves this month (see herbal suggestions below, and decrease or take breaks from the usual amount of stimulation you take in, whether through caffeine, reading, television, etc). That will help you perceive and think more clearly.
The Element of Surprise
Lastly, Aquarius has a correlation with surprise.
☞ How do you respond to unforeseen events and circumstances?
☞ How might you embrace the change and insight these kinds of events can stimulate?
Herbs:
In order to innovate, we need clear thinking. For that, I recommend a tea blend of equal parts Peppermint, Thyme, Sage and Ginkgo.
Helpful flower essences this month are White Chestnut for quieting an overactive mind, and Rabbitbrush for making sense of how all the pieces fit together.
Being a mushroom, Reishi beautifully embodies the interconnectedness of Aquarius. Mushrooms are like the nervous system of the Earth, which is another nice medical astrology-herb correlation, since Aquarius relates to the nervous system. And Reishi is also a nourishing support to the heart, which brings a nice unity to Aquarius' opposite sign: heart-ruled Leo, especially active during the Aquarius month's full moon.
You may also wish to include Oat Straw (for the Aquarian nerves & Saturnian connective tissues) and St. John's Wort (resonates with the Aquarian nerves, and with the Leo full moon).
For a deeper exploration of Aquarius...
Feel free to schedule a private consultation. Here's wishing you a month of inventiveness, insight, and positive community - Rae