Happy New Year everyone. There is so much happening astrologically in 2001 that it is impossible to give a complete overview in the confines of this newsletter so I will touch on some major points to help you develop an effective strategy for the New Year.

For those of you wishing to launch a new venture (such as a marriage, new business, career change, new product release, relocation…), my advice is to wait until the second part of the year. After July there are longer windows of opportunity that are not encumbered by moon wobbles and retrograde planets. If you need to make a move before then, there are a few time periods that I will highlight in the monthly section of the newsletter.

Do not make or break romantic commitments when Venus is retrograde March 8th through April 19th. When the planet of love and relationship is retrograde, it is time to inwardly reflect  on our relationship needs and how we can improve the way we relate. It is not the time to externally make any change in the status of your relationship. Avoid even discussing relationship issues with your significant other because there can be misunderstandings. If someone breaks up with you, do not react. Wait till Venus turns direct. Chances are they will regret their action and if you have not made the situation worse by reacting harshly, it is possible to reconcile. Above all, never get married during Venus retrograde.

In terms of planning travel and vacation time, the worst month of the year is June.  During June we have a difficult Moon Wobble, the planet Mercury which governs travel and communications turns retrograde in the sign of Gemini from June 4 to June 28, and there is a powerful Solar Eclipse on June 21. Travel and communications will be undergoing a difficult transformation throughout 2001 as the planet Pluto in Sagittarius will be opposing Jupiter and Saturn in the sign of Gemini. This aspect also reflects much violence, turmoil, and the potential for wars between nations. Sagittarius is the sign of philosophies and many of the clashes will arise over differences in belief systems. Pluto brings the dark side of whatever sign it is transiting to the surface, into awareness, so that it can be healed. Intolerance is the dark side of Sagittarius and we will be witnessing extreme examples of it on the stage of the world.

Mars, which normally spends six weeks in a sign, will be spending almost seven months in the sign of Sagittarius. This is highly unusual and will fan the flames of the incendiary Pluto-Saturn opposition. Incidences of violence and insurrection will be making world news. To give you some perspective, the last time Pluto opposed Saturn was in 1965 when the news was filled with revolution, assassinations, wars and protests. What can each of us do to handle these difficult collective energies?

First of all, the collective energy is a result of all of our individual actions. If we are to impact the collective, we have to start with ourselves. We each need to look at where we are intolerant and work to be more inclusive in our beliefs and attitudes. Intolerance can be a very subtle thing at work in our lives. Watch your attitudes. If you run into someone dressed unconventionally, do you avoid or dismiss him or her? Do you think less of someone who votes differently than you do (a major point of division in our country now!)? Are you frightened, repulsed or suspicious of the fellow in the turban who takes a seat next to you in the airport? Have you cut a family member out of your life because he or she does something you do not approve of? We all must do our part to become more aware of our narrow mindedness. It is a part of being human to have prejudices and they will always exist. So don't beat yourself up over them. Be tolerant with yourself as well. By becoming conscious and acknowledging where we fall short of the ideal, we will raise the level of consciousness in the collective. How can we harshly judge another for intolerance when we see it all too clearly in ourselves?

With Mars spending so much time in one sign, we will also need to learn how to handle the aggressive energy. Those of you with natal planets in Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo and Pisces will be especially impacted. Life will be very busy and you can blow a fuse if you do not plan and pace yourselves. Mars enters Sagittarius on February 14th (isn't ironic that it should occur on Valentines Day, the day we celebrate love in our lives?) and will be there until September 8th. It retrogrades from May 11th until July 19th. Mars, on the positive side, is what gives us  the drive to accomplish our goals and to pursue our desires. It invigorates and impassions us. We feel more alive and more sexual when the Mars energy is flowing. When we have a healthy relationship with Mars, we don’t take our anger out on other people. We use it to accomplish our goals to overcome obstacles, to fight for what we believe in. If the Mars energies are repressed, we feel dull and depressed and we lack energy, passion and zest for life. Violence is the extreme manifestation of a frustrated Mars.

To make the most of this long Mars in Sagittarius cycle:

Look for positive role models, people who use their Mars in a healthy way, and pattern yourself after them. Whatever you think of Hilary Clinton, she has a very healthy relationship with Mars. She goes after what she wants and is not discouraged by the obstacles (and there have been many!) or criticism. I have never heard of her burning out, being ill or having an accident even with all her personal difficulties and professional responsibilities. She is assertive without being combative. Tiger Woods is another fine example of a person utilizing Mars in a positive way. But another sports figure, Mike Tyson, even though he is a boxer, has a very poor relationship with Mars. Think of him as the poster child for a Sick Mars.

The release and popularity of the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is synchronistic with the Mars in Sagittarius cycle. It's a beautiful film incorporating martial arts, metaphysics, passion and desire. Seeing action films is a good way to stay in touch with and honor the Mars energies. I love that the film's greatest action sequences are between women. In our culture women are generally discouraged from developing their Mars, and women are rarely the leads in action films, so "Crouching Tiger" is uniquely inspirational.

January is a very chaotic month. We are in Moon Wobble for the first half of the month which reflects a time when everyone is more emotionally reactive. Refrain from confrontations, be extra cautious driving, and practice patience with others. There is a Lunar Eclipse in Cancer on January 9th which adds to the emotional volatility factor for the next three months.

Uranus and Mars are activating the Grande Cross Eclipse we had back in August of 1999 and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of May 2000. This critical time period reaches its climax during the first week of Bush's reign as President of the U.S. It's already clear that Bush has many crises to address as he comes into power: energy, the economy, a country divided over his election, and astrologically it's not getting easier anytime soon. He may soon be wondering who really lost the election!

There are several difficult travel aspects occurring between January 19th and January 28th. January 27th is especially dangerous.

January is not the ideal time to make major changes or start new projects because of the hard aspects the planets make to each other. However, it is better to take care of pressing business before Mercury turns retrograde on February 3rd. Mercury will be retrograde until February 25th. Do not sign contracts, make major purchases or mass-mail important promotional materials during this cycle. Be aware that there are more miscommunications, computer problems, and travel glitches during this time frame and plan accordingly. The best use of Mercury retrograde is for reviewing, reorganizing and catching up on old business.

In addition to Mercury turning retrograde, Mars opposes Saturn on Saturday February 3rd. This is a day to stay home - very difficult. Mars-Saturn can frequently signify the explosion of tensions in the world.

After Mercury turns direct on February 25th, there is a period of opportunity until Venus turns retrograde on March 8th to make changes and launch new ventures. This is the best time frame in the 1st quarter. However, avoid taking action when the Moon is void-of-course on the morning of February 27th and all day March 1st and March 3rd.

Venus is retrograde from March 8th through April 19^th. As discussed in the overview, do not make or break any romantic commitment during this cycle. In business, Venus represents finances, credit, business alliances, product pricing, and how customers receive products. It is therefore not a good time for starting a business, business expansion, new product launches, contracts or creating new business alliances. Also, do not schedule cosmetic surgery or try a radical new hairstyle while the planet of beauty is snoozing.

On March 18^th, Mars conjuncts Pluto in Sagittarius, another flash point of potential trouble in the world. Mars is well into the sign of Sagittarius and will soon retrograde. How well are you utilizing the Mars energy? Is it energizing your life or are you burning out? Take stock and use the tips for handling Mars more effectively to get back on track.

On March 20th we have the start of Spring and the beginning of a Moon Wobble which lasts until April 13th. This Moon Wobble is short and not as difficult as the Moon Wobble we will be experiencing at the end of May into July.

The next decent time frame to move ahead with new plans is between April 20th and May 10th when neither Mercury, Venus nor Mars is retrograde and we are not in a Moon Wobble. Get done whatever you need to get done before the difficult months of June and July.

In closing, 2001 until July of 2002 while Pluto is opposing Saturn, there is the likelihood of more wars. We can all help to mitigate the effect of this transit by praying for our world leaders. May they find peaceful means to settle differences. And may we all grow wiser and more tolerant as a result of this year's planetary cycles.

© January 2001