Welcome to 2016. If you haven’t made your New Year resolutions you’ll have plenty of time to revisit them when the planet of information, Mercury, goes retrograde January 5 – 26^th. Meanwhile, the planet of action, Mars, lands in its natural home of Scorpio on the 2^nd. It’s contact with Mercury in innovative Aquarius challenges us to stretch our ideas and think outside the box. Back up your electronic devices and tune up your vehicles to prepare. Frankly, this time-out helps us catch up from the hectic holiday season. It’s not the time to initiate new starts. Marketing would not be wise either. Just give it until the 26^th when Mercury resumes its direct motion and save the headache. Setting goals and planning are definitely on the agenda. Strict Saturn joins partner oriented Venus the 7^th through the 9^th. You’ll have plenty of stamina to finish creative projects. Neptune prods us to loosen the reigns on rigid ideas and keep an open heart. Changes in leadership may surprise you as unpredictable Uranus squares Pluto and the Sun around this time-frame.

Delays and adjustments continue with the weather as we plan our year ahead. Jupiter, the planet of expansion is retrograde until early May. We have to be more diligent and focused. This particular retrograde is an examination of your beliefs and how you manifest them. How do you coach yourself? Are you critical or encouraging? What skill set or connections do you need to further your ambitions? Since determined Saturn entered goal oriented Sagittarius, these same questions are on our radar. Sagittarius is higher education and reaching beyond the normal boundaries of language and country. Venus’ contact with Saturn on the 8^th – 9^th can literally put people on our path. Yes, look away from the cell phone and have conversations with those around you. There’s something rich about information shared by others now. The challenge is not to let them slip by.

The New Moon on the 9^th flavors the whole month with the Sabian Symbol of 20 Capricorn. A Hidden Choir Singing During a Religious Service. We’re honing our intuition. How do you learn to trust the inner voice? Do you meditate? Can you act on the information you receive when its coming from thin air? The more we can…the more Spirit grown us. One congruence at a time. You’ll also feel communicative Mercury backing into methodical Capricorn. Letting go of un-necessary distractions will help you tackle the tasks at hand. Flashes of insight are possible around the 12^th when creative Venus sparks the genius of Uranus. You’ll have deeper insight on the meaning of the Mercury retrograde January 13^th – 14^th , so pay attention to information that feels fated in some way. Because of the nodal connection it feels karmic. Are you reviving something from the past?

The Sun moves into Aquarius on the 20^th. The load may feel lighter, even though the responsibilities have not changed that much. Intense messages arrive on the 22^nd, when a little advice goes a long way. Sometimes things are better left unsaid. Venus moving into Capricorn on the 24^th can boost your career image. Maybe your wardrobe or hairdo could use an update? The full Moon will reflect the community and our place in it. By the 26^th the planet of communication goes direct. It’s station to volatile Pluto will continue until February 1^st. We could see sweeping changes in our global economy around this time. Until next month…