There are lots of changes coming up in 2023, and questions of truth, justice, law, and religion will demand answers from individuals, organizations, and governments, as well as artists and scientists. I’ll look at it month by month later, but first, let’s consider what the astrology suggests about how we can prepare ourselves to navigate those changes so they lead to a better future.
You may feel that you’d happily pass on the changes, and be fine with a bit of stability, maybe even boredom, back in your life after these last few years. But we are in the middle of an era of massive social, political, and environmental upheaval, and are unlikely to be bored anytime soon. However, change always brings opportunities with it, and 2023 is rife with opportunities.
The astrology of the upcoming year plants the seeds of a collective awakening to reality that the coming years will bring to fruition. We’re encouraged to recognize the power of community, and consider what we bring to our communities. The planetary patterns galvanize personal searches for truth, and bring shifting power dynamics to the collective and in our personal lives.
I’m going to take a few paragraphs to dive into the technical details for those interested in the astrology. (If you’re not, skip past the italics.) Then I’ll look at how we can work with the planetary patterns to make the best of the year ahead.
[Astrologers: Here’s what I’m looking at:
Three outer planets changing signs:
- Saturn into Pisces March 7th
- Pluto into Aquarius March 23rd, then back into Capricorn June 11th
- Jupiter opening the year in Aries, moving to Taurus May 17th
Jupiter is the planet to watch this year. It semi-squares Saturn in Aquarius (March 21) from 16° Aries, then sextiles it in June from 7° Taurus. It squares Pluto in Aquarius (May 18) from 0°18’ Taurus (note that Pluto is at the degree of the December, 2020 Jupiter-Saturn conjunction), and pretty much hangs out in a semi-square with Neptune for the rest of the year (exact July 22nd and October 5th.)
Jupiter is also co-present with Uranus in Taurus, though it does not make the conjunction until April of 2024. Pay particular attention to 15° of Taurus this year — there’s an eclipse there in May, and Uranus, Mercury, and Jupiter all make a station on this degree, which is powerful in its own right as the midpoint between the March equinox and the June solstice. It puts the focus on big moves in money and banking, agriculture and the environment.
Keywords to keep in mind about Jupiter — truth, justice, law, philosophy, religion, visionary ideas, higher education, the courts.
Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus puts an emphasis on Taurus’ ruler Venus this year, and it happens to be a year when she goes retrograde. The retrograde begins July 23rd at Leo 29° and ends September 3rd at 12° Leo. This will emphasize creativity, and bring up issues of self-expression, self-worth, and social equality. And keep in mind that Venus always has something to say about money. Since she squares Jupiter 3 times and Uranus twice in her travels through Leo, you’ll want to pay close attention to financial matters, particularly as they affect or are affected by the wealthy.
I’m also looking at the shift of the Lunar Nodes from the Taurus/Scorpio axis to the Aries/Libra axis and the associated eclipses, and the four Cardinal Ingress charts. You can read my take on the Capricorn ingress chart (in effect until March equinox) here. I’ll write up the others as they happen, as well as the monthly New Moon charts. (Sign up for my mailing list here )
Lastly, all 4 Mercury retrogrades this year begin in Earth signs.]
Before we get into the predictions, keep in mind that not all of these general observations will apply to you, though you’ll likely see them playing out in the world. Want personal specifics? Contact me, and we’ll set up a consultation.
Q1: Ready, Set…Wait…Go
January begins with engines revving, but doesn’t quite get in gear until the last week or so. Don’t fret over delays. Find a way to use them, maybe to refine your plans or just get some rest. Take particular care with communications. Words can be powerful and destructive weapons, or tools to clear a path ahead.
February brings some emotional and financial issues to the fore, with opportunities to resolve them. Be clear and definite towards financial issues. Assess them objectively, and take action. Relationship issues, however, will require emotional finesse to explore the need for boundaries as well as compassion. This work can lead to spiritual/psychological/creative awakenings.
March features some major shifts in the zeitgeist. What pops up and demands your attention now will probably be sticking around for a while. Be ready to shift your focus and make necessary changes in your routines to accommodate new demands on your time.
I’ll note here that I think we are far from done with pandemics. Public health issues will require changes that may not be easy to implement in the months and years ahead. And it’s not just pandemics — pollution and other environmental issues will take a toll. Do everything you can to keep yourself, your family, and your community healthy.
Q2: Get a Grip
April is a bit confusing. There’s a drive to get ahead and a willingness to fight, but a growing understanding that we can’t build on shifting foundations. If you’re going to fight, make sure you are standing on firm ground. I expect some global financial weaknesses will become more evident starting this month. The first eclipse of the year, a solar eclipse on 4/20, suggests that we slow down and assess what we have vs what we need.
May opens with a lunar eclipse on 5/5, so hold steady for now — bold new moves are not recommended. The rest of the month brings power struggles in many areas of life — possibly over resources. Tempers may be short, especially in the last half of the month, so be sure to keep a grip on yours. Taking some time to get out in nature and enjoy the spring flowers will help soothe tempers.
June does not improve tempers, and we’ll see conflicts sparking all around. There may be serious environmental issues, possibly affecting food production. New rules are put in place at many different levels of society, some of which will be quite beneficial. What rules are you living by? You may want to establish some new ones, and break some old ones. Those who have broken laws may face the consequences.
Q3: Creative Growth and Pesky Details
July brings a focus on relationships, social events, and creativity, as well as money and land. If you want to do anything permanent to spruce up your appearance, get it done early in the month, or wait until after mid-September. Follow your muse into whatever sort of creative endeavor calls to you, and be sure to appreciate and admire the creative endeavors of others.
August should bring financial issues onto the stage if they aren’t there already. I do expect some chaos in the financial arena, but probably on a more high-flying level than most of us have attained. Financial scandals would not surprise me. Market volatility is likely. It will be important to pay attention to details. Keep your personal finances buttoned down, don’t fall for scams, and you should be fine.
September is a good month to consolidate gains and plan for the future. Take a close look at your daily habits and your spiritual/magickal practices. There’s probably room for improvement. The devil is still in the details, so don’t ignore the pesky-but-important stuff.
Q4: Rooted in the Earth
October continues the themes of consolidation, and also financial upheavals, which will only intensify into November. When you think about your finances and economic future, don’t make decisions without carefully considering the intensifying, ongoing effects of climate change on weather, public health, and resource availability. It’s easy to fall into thinking in terms of stock valuations, digital currency, and shiny new technology, but we forget the foundation of all economies at our peril. That foundation is the planet itself, and the intricate web of life on it that is currently being destroyed.
November brings more reminders of how difficult it can be for humans to work together if we can’t trust each other. I do think we will make strides this year towards overcoming dis- and mis-information, but the struggle against it continues, and we need an army of people who value truth enough to speak it themselves and demand it from others. Consider joining up and recruiting others. A reverence for truth and the courage to speak it are the only requirements.
December brings more relationship challenges, and, on a larger scale, issues of personal privacy and technology. There is likely to be tension in personal relationships over issues of privacy and openness that will need to be carefully addressed to avoid emotional explosions. The larger issue suggests locking down online accounts and being very careful about who can access your data.
“Whatever you think, be sure it is what you think; whatever you want, be sure that is what you want; whatever you feel, be sure that is what you feel.” ~ T.S. Eliot
In this year of change, we will need to make important decisions. Often, they need to be made quickly, as outer circumstances dictate. Wise decisions depend on a solid foundation of values. Can you spell out what your core principles and fundamental ethics are? Or are your ideas about what really matters to you kind of muddled, and maybe even contradictory? Do you need to think about what you think, what you want, what you feel?
Once you can clearly communicate what your values are (at least to yourself), then it is easier to evaluate situations and make good decisions. Make a practice of measuring small, everyday decisions and actions against your values. They won’t always measure up, but as long as you’re aware of where your actions fall short of your ideals, you’re on the right road.
There’s much more going on this year, of course. I generally send out one or two blog posts in a month, and if you’d like to get them all, sign up for my mailing list right here on this page.
I’ll leave you with…
Some Magic for 2023
For my magically inclined readers, artist and Witch Laura Tempest Zakroff has created a sigil for the year. Read all about what it means and how to use it here.
Happy New Year!
