The Astrology of 2022

At first glance 2022 could appear to be a more easeful and optimistic year when compared to 2021. One might look to the movement of Jupiter back into Pisces; this is a sign that buoyant Jupiter loves to reside in; and Jupiter meets up with nebulous Neptune in April before heading into Aries over the Summer. We’ve moved past the exact squares of Saturn to Uranus, though they will get within a degree of arguing again in the latter part of 2022. Those can be considered positives, for sure. 

The places that 2022 shows us some big changes is through outer planets entering new astrological territory, and some once-in-a-lifetime events that unfold in this turning point of a year.

As always, if you know your own chart and know the houses (areas of live) where these signs are located, this will tell you where in your own life these events will transpire.

Without looking at specific New or Full Moons, or retrograde dates, but instead looking at the bigger picture as a whole, I consider these to be the major cycles to observe:

Venus and Mars dancing together for weeks, often touching Pluto in Capricorn. This is in play from February 4 and the most precise meetings in Capricorn will be on March 1 through the 6 trigging the span of 25 to 27 degrees of the sign of Capricorn. Venus and Pluto both met up in Capricorn in December as Venus went retrograde, so look to themes from December returning, but with a Mars rocket booster. Both Venus and Mars jump the broom into zero degrees of Aquarius together on March 7, and they stay within a couple of degrees until Venus gets three degrees ahead of Mars on March 22. Note that Venus returns to this same area of the chart to wrap up 2022, in December and then meeting back with Pluto precisely at 27 degrees on January 1, 2023. 

These movements will bring lots of discussion and energy to Venus-ruled subjects like love, money, and values, with the will and drive of Mars and the Phoenix-like death and rebirth energy of Pluto. Expect crazy swings in the markets, lots of information coming forward about power struggles. We will all have a better understanding of who is really in charge of things by the end of this year. There will also be an emphasis on the dark and heavy aspects of male and female relationships; in non-binary language, the battle between solar and lunar forces. The high vibe outcome will be the divine feminine and divine masculine merging to renew themselves and become something greater than they were before. The low vibe outcome will bring destruction and harsh endings to things formerly thought to be powerful and prestigious.

The United States Pluto Return. Pluto takes approximately 248 years to rotate around the Earth and a Pluto “return” is when the planet comes back to its placement in the birth chart. Our young nation is about to have it’s very first hit at 27 degrees and 33 minutes of Capricorn on February 21. Keep in mind that it will be very close, within a degree, by February 2. Due to Pluto’s retrograde the Pluto Return will play out in a wave all year, meeting with precision two more times this year, July 11-12 and on December 29. It’s a pivotal year for the country and will bring up anything lurking in the underbelly. Pluto transforms in deep ways that require great skill and understanding to see the goodness. It is a time of rebuilding and reworking from the ground up. For example, with Saturn energy, the building gets shaken. With Pluto, it burns to the ground.

Remember the previous paragraph, with Venus and Mars also triggering this Pluto Return. Watch that first meeting in February; I consider February the month when we determine the “writing on the wall.” The way to elevate this energy is to clear out things that no longer work; it’s very much like a puncture wound that looks okay on the surface, but underneath is filled with infection. With appropriate action, the wound can be drained and healed. If left to fester, the problems increase in scope and magnitude. 

The Lunar Nodes moving into Taurus/Scorpio. The Nodes of the Moon are points in space that relate to the pathway the Moon orbits around the Earth. They tend to be very karmic in nature, influencing the greater world at large. They are always across the sky from each other, and usually are the answer to each other’s problem. Using True Node (versus Mean Node) the North Node moves to Taurus and the South Node moves into Scorpio at 29 degrees on January 19. Remember, the Nodes are the only symbols in the sky that move backward. Watch the signs and symbols on that date to see what might unfold over this new 18-month cycle. These placements will deliver some sharp lessons to the Aquarius and Leo areas of our charts, as well as illuminating subjects related to Taurus and Scorpio. There will be a big emphasis on Taurus ruled things -- currency, food, values and resources; as well as the Earth herself as a resource. Add in that Uranus in Taurus will come together and meet the North Node in Taurus late July until the end of August. Watch particularly the August 1-4 range where Mars will also be with them and create a powerful triple conjunction at 18 degrees of Taurus. 

Once again, money is emphasized, and with Uranus in Taurus, the only thing to expect is the unexpected. Unpredictable weather and Earth changes; what we hold near and dear; how we spend our money and time; how we eat and enjoy ourselves. This all will come under the microscope of Scorpio intensity. Another element that adds to the idea of secrets being revealed and certain truths becoming undeniable. Watch for big swings as far as cryptocurrency, fiat currencies, land values, farming issues and food security.

Jupiter moving through Pisces and touching Neptune in Pisces. The planet Jupiter moved back into Pisces on December 28, 2021. Look back to the time in 2021 that Jupiter moved from Aquarius into Pisces for a short visit from May 14 to July 29. These are two signs that feel very comfy cozy in the sign of Pisces. They come within a three-degree orb of touching the first week of April, 2022, and they conjoin on April 9 through the 13th at 23 degrees. Jupiter is straight up flying, and this is the last time they touch exactly this year, but it is a period to watch. The last time these two signs met in Pisces was 1856, a year of record flooding as well as serious in-fighting in the United States. Because Neptune rules the media and influences our deepest emotional states you must be sure to high vibe this energy through spiritual practices, art, music and cosmic inspiration. The low vibe expression of this could be getting lost in addiction or delusion. This is “cult” type energy. Beware of being manipulated through your heart strings.

Jupiter moves into Aries on May 12. This is going to bring the fire and a larger focus to Aries energy. This brings a focus back to the individual; it brings a drive for independence and desire. The last time Jupiter was in Aries was June of 2010 and he was standing with Uranus in the sky back then, so look backward to see the way forward. Ponder any opportunities you might have had during the Summer of 2010, or if you were falsely optimistic in any way. Particularly watch the time period triggered around May 26, 2022, when we have a huge party of planets in Aries – Mars (which rules Aries) touching Jupiter at 1-2 degrees; Chiron at 15 degrees, and the Moon triggering Venus at 26 degrees – all in Aries! Jupiter retrogrades back into Pisces for a brief respite on October 29 and then moves back into Aries for good on December 22. High vibe this Jupiter in Aries to move towards what you really want and desire. Get clear on goals and get to work. Exercise can help to move any excess energy, be sure to watch your temper, repressed anger or desire.

Saturn being sweet. Saturn has been the tough guy in the story for the last couple years, and this year he stays off to himself in innovation mode in Aquarius. Saturn squares the Nodes from March 30 to April 26, so pay attention to that time frame for some future gazing. Mars gets tangled up in there for a while at the beginning as well, so this is a testing period. Can the Taurus and Scorpio ruled areas stand up to the innovation that Saturn in Aquarius requires? It retrogrades back to 19 degrees and engages with Uranus again in a square configuration, but never exact. They stay within that one-degree orb until early November, perhaps resurrecting back some themes from 2021 for a final fix.

Chiron moving through Aries 12 to 16 degrees. Chiron is traversing new territory, starting the year at eight degrees of Aries and moving all the way to 16 degrees. This is the symbol of our wounds and where we need to find healing. Know your chart and observe if it meets any sensitive points in your chart. In general be cautious with your head (ruled by Aries), heat related issues or anger.

The period February 3 to April 29 all planets are direct. Some planets will be in their shadow zone, but these three months are “GO” time. The first planet to put the brakes on will be Pluto, who got all the way to 26 48.5 minutes in 2021. The degree and minute zone is brand new from January 28, 2022 forward through the retrograde at 28 degrees 35.9 minutes on April 29, 2022. It doesn’t move out of this zone in 2022.

I’m approaching this year as a play in four acts. These dates are not super firm, but general ranges to observe, much like the acts in a play.

Act 1 – January 1, 2022 to March 19, 2022.

This is where observe and comprehend the Capricorn capers, including the themes that came up with the Venus/Pluto conjunction in December 2021. Watch the Mercury retrograde period from January 14 through February 4, which also triggers this Capricorn zone. The Full Moon at 27 degrees of Cancer on January 17 illuminates anything we need to tend to in order to finalize our Capricorn lessons. Observe the Uranus station on January 18; the Nodes moving into Taurus and Scorpio on January 19; Mars moving into Capricorn on the 24th and Mercury on the 25th. Observe also Venus direct on January 29. The new Moon February 1 at 12 degrees of Aquarius shows us where we have laid in the groundwork for our future. And the rest of February you are watching the United States Pluto Return. As the Sun ventures into Pisces on February 18 you begin to glimpse of the waters you will be swimming in during Act 2. Early March, it’s Pluto time again, this time amplified by Venus and Mars.

Act 2 – March 20, 2022 to May 23, 2022.

March 20, 2022 is the Spring Equinox, the astrological New Year, and the Sun enters Aries. It is a very busy astrology week that launches Act 2. Observe the New Moon on April 1 at 11 degrees of Aries, this is where Saturn is in conflict with the Nodes. Take this surge forward and make some decisions, you’ll have good traction before the retrogrades begin at the end of April. Observe the Jupiter/Neptune meeting April 9 to 13. Watch also the New Moon Solar Eclipse on April 30 at 10 degrees of Taurus with Venus amplifying Jupiter. We will be living big life here and through the rest of eclipse season, remember that the eclipses of May are in the signs of the Lunar Nodes (Taurus and Scorpio). Venus goes into Aries May 2; Jupiter finishes the quick plunge through Pisces and emerges into Aries on May 11. There is a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse at 25 degrees of Scorpio on May 16. The Sun moves into Gemini on May 20. Whew.

Act 3 – May 24, 2022 to September 24, 2022.

I chose this date of May 24 to launch Act 3 for the year, because Mars moves into Aries, along side the Moon, and plows forward to meet Jupiter May 29. As we move through June the outer planets of Saturn and Neptune begin to retrograde, which slows down events and brings time to rethink, reconsider and redo. The Nodes dance with Uranus in Taurus, and Saturn begins to ask for integrity from the changes Uranus is bringing. The focus shifts from reacting to the changes brought by the early part of the year and into hard realities of what comes next.

Act 4 – September 25, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

September 25 is a New Moon at 1 degree 59 minutes of Scorpio; a Moon that opposes Neptune, touches Venus, trines Pluto, touches Mercury, touches the Sun and opposes Jupiter. This is our launch into the final Act of the year. All of September the five outer planets were retrograde, and in October we get some stirrings of direct motion; Pluto on October 8 and Saturn on October 23. Our last eclipses of the year demonstrate final lessons related to the Lunar Nodes and also Uranus, watch the New Moon Solar Eclipse on October 25 at two degrees of Scorpio and the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse at 16 degrees of Taurus. Jupiter slides back for a short while into Pisces and Mars retrogrades in Gemini on October 30. Observe the astrological tug of war between Taurus and Scorpio placements November 4 through 11; and a beautiful harmonizing aspect starting November 12. December is a month of sharp turns, yet deep blessings.

I hope you found this useful and helpful; check back throughout the year to see how the cycles evolve for YOU.

Namaste,

Jill