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Home / Blog / Astrological Forecasts / January 16-31 2017 Astrology Forecast: 2017’s Most Important Grand Cross!

January 16-31 2017 Astrology Forecast: 2017’s Most Important Grand Cross!

January 14, 2017 by Benjamin Leave a Comment

2017’s most important Grand Cross fires up unique opportunities for revolutionary transformation … as Vesta joins the Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square for three months! Mercury also forms a T-square with these three powerhouse planets to create new possibilities for change-making communication.

You can also take advantage of an Aquarius New Moon, Mars and Venus aligning with a powerful Saturn-Chiron square, and more!

Click astrology graphics to see larger images.

1/16 (Mon)

A Mars-Chiron conjunction (21°39′ Pisces) can strongly energize spiritual healing modalities. This is a good thing, because this aspect can also stir up your unresolved emotional and psychological issues. Many people have found my Healing Invocation effective in clearing this shadow material quickly, easily and effectively.

This Mars-Chiron conjunction also supports mentoring. Since it’s in Pisces, spiritual and creative mentoring receive special support.

1/17 (Tue)

No major astrology events.

1/18 (Wed)

Jupiter aspects two personal planets today. First off, a Mars-Jupiter quincunx (22°34′ Pisces-Libra) can energize your ability to act as the warrior, pioneer, or entrepreneur … if you’re willing to make the necessary adjustments. With Mars in Pisces, your enthusiasm for divine union practices or sacred sexuality can also receive a boost.

Jupiter’s second aspect today is a Mercury-Jupiter quintile (4°35′ Capricorn-22°35′ Libra). This fairy dust aspect can amplify your mental creativity, especially in practical matters.

1/19 (Thu)

Grand Cross Begins: Vesta-Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto

3 6 17 Gc Vesta Ju Ur PlThe most important Grand Cross of 2017 begins today! It bears this distinction for two reasons:

  • It incorporates the revolutionary Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square, and
  • It lasts for three months! It starts today (1/19), peaks on 3/6 and ends on 4/20.

I’ve already written extensively about the Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square. Here’s a brief excerpt from my December 11 interpretation to give you a flavor (or reminder) of it:

The Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square, which lasts until 5/1, is one of the strongest astrological events of 2017.

At the most basic level, Jupiter is rekindling the power of the waning Uranus-Pluto square. This amplifies the power of revolutionary transformation. Pluto in Capricorn can take a wrecking ball to old structures that have outlived their usefulness, while supporting new structures whose time has come. Pluto normally takes its time, but Uranus in Aries has no patience. It wants those changes yesterday! On a personal level, this square can fuel the acceleration of your own life-affirming changes in all areas.

Click here to learn much more about the Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square. 

What does Vesta add to the party? For starters, she’s about honing yourself into a finely tuned instrument, like an athlete in training. Once you’re skillful enough to be helpful to others, the next step is to devote yourself to a higher cause. Ideally, this focus on service to others fills you with tremendous joy and satisfaction. (If not, find a path of service that does!)

The final way I interpret Vesta is controversial, and you certainly don’t have to work with it if it doesn’t resonate for you. It’s the practice of sex magic: using arousal and orgasm to energize your Law of Attraction manifestations.

Yes, the Vestal Virgins were sworn to celibacy. But their pre-patriarchal predecessors in other cultures, also represented by the Vesta archetype, were not. Societies that were less erotiphobic and more connected to the earth openly celebrated the power of sexuality to enhance abundance of all kinds. If you’re open to it, you can too!

Click here to learn more about why I associate Vesta with sex magic.

It’s unusual to have a Grand Cross this powerful last so long. This gives you plenty of time to work with whatever flavors of this potent aspect pattern call to you!

If you exploit it mindfully, a Mars-Saturn square (23°22′ Pisces-Sagittarius) can bear delicious fruit. It can give you long-lasting energy, and can help you stand more firmly in your leadership and authority. If your power is being challenged, it’s only to encourage you to take your game to the next level. If you’re hitting a roadblock, Mars’ raw energy and Saturn’s ability to plan and execute can help you get past it.

With Mars in Pisces, this square can powerfully energize Law of Attraction manifestation and spiritual practices that integrate embodied awakening. This is an intense square with huge upside potential!

Aquarius GlyphThe Sun enters Aquarius today at 4:24 PM EST. To make the best use of this:

  • embody the energy of the unique human being your soul sent you here to be,
  • follow your intuitive flashes, and
  • serve others using your special talents that you most love to use!

1/20 (Fri)

Abundance and creativity are smoothly and energetically supported with Venus sextile Pluto (17°36′ Pisces-Capricorn). This aspect also can make it easier to integrate positive transformation into your relationships. With Venus in Pisces, you can also awaken more fully to the ecstatic awareness of your higher self.

1/21 (Sat)

No major astrology events.

1/22 (Sun)

No major astrology events.

1/23 (Mon)

Mercury makes two aspects today. With Mercury quintile Chiron (9°55′ Capricorn-21°55′ Pisces), you can receive the inspiration you need to become more efficient and productive as a mentor and healer.

With Mercury sextile Neptune (10°22′ Capricorn-Pisces), your mind can more easily receive a constant flow of intuitive guidance and inspiration — especially in practical matters. If the answers aren’t already flowing in on their own, simply ask your higher self what you should do. Be sure to leave enough quiet space after your request so that you can hear the answer!

1/24 (Tue)

No major astrology events.

1/25 (Wed)

T-square Begins: Mercury-Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto

1 31 17 T Sq Me Ju Ur PlThe second half of January features two aspect patterns that incorporate the six-month Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square. The first and most important added Vesta to the T-square on 1/19 to form a three-month Grand Cross. The second only lasts a week and a half, but is also worth your attention: a Mercury-Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square. It starts today (1/25), peaks on 1/31 and ends on 2/5.

As I noted in my 1/19 forecast, the Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square lasts until 5/1, and is one of the strongest astrological events of 2017. Its most important effect is that Jupiter amplifies the power of revolutionary transformation embodied by the Uranus-Pluto square.

Mercury joins this T-square as it snuggles up to Pluto. With the addition of the learning and communication ruler, this T-square offers a great opportunity to revolutionize your thinking. This may come through intuitive flashes, or by encountering information or situations in the world that challenge what you thought was true.

This can be a good time to regard all the things you believe as conditional truths … placeholders to be used until a different truth comes along that better fits the evidence of your experience. A belief that appears bedrock certain at one level of consciousness can look very different when viewed from a higher level of awareness!

You can also use this T-square to speak out as an agent of revolutionary change. If Pluto has its way, you’ll communicate without inhibition or concern for taboos. Mercury’s placement in Capricorn can help you get your ideas across simply, clearly and efficiently.


Relationship healing is powerfully supported by a Venus-Chiron conjunction (22°0′ Pisces). So are mentoring and other forms of healing, especially if you allow spiritual energy or creativity into the mix.

1/26 (Thu)

The inspiration you need to make positive relationship adjustments is available with Venus quincunx Jupiter (22°57′ Pisces-Libra) … but you’ll need to make a deliberate effort to activate this aspect. You can also proactively amplify your creative inspiration.

1/27 (Fri)

Aquarius New Moon

1 27 17 New MoonJanuary’s New Moon lines up at 7:07 PM EST (8°15′ Aquarius). Any Aquarius New Moon is good for new beginnings in being your authentic self, following your intuitive flashes, and being of service to others by employing those talents that bring you the greatest joy.

Aspects

This New Moon is remarkable for having no major aspects at all! So the effects of the connections it does make may be subtle.

This lunation makes two 30° semi-sextiles. A Neptune semi-sextile can help you connect more consciously with your divine self and enjoy more inspired creativity. The other semi-sextile is with Pallas Athena, which can help you be more strategic and embody more feminine assertiveness

There are also three 45° semi-squares: one to Sagittarian Saturn, and two to Piscean Venus and Chiron. These aspects may catalyze challenge in areas where a relationship is out of balance. But they also embody plenty of healing power, so any issues that arise have the potential to be harmoniously resolved. These aspects offer a similar opportunity for financial challenges, and also support creative productivity.

Sabian Symbol

This New Moon’s Sabian Symbol is, “A flag is seen turning into an eagle.” It would be easy to interpret this as a uniquely American image. American flags with eagle-topped flagpoles are a common sight in the USA, and the bald eagle is an official symbol of the United States.

But by thinking more broadly, we can see this Sabian Symbol as a potent image of manifestation. A man-made object is transforming into a real live bird! This is a potent metaphor for making your dreams come true, which can be done through techniques such as the Law of Attraction.

And an eagle isn’t just any bird, but one renowned for its far-seeing vision, strength and love of freedom. So this Symbol invites you to step back and see the big picture, and to cultivate your inner strength. And just like this Aquarius New Moon, it asks if you’re ready to liberate yourself to be the authentic, one-of-a-kind human you were born to be.

The universe may write you a reality check on your relationships, creativity and finances as Venus squares Saturn (24°12′ Pisces-Sagittarius). For more on this, see the discussion of the square created by Venus, Saturn and Chiron in my New Moon interpretation above.


Inspiration that can take your sacred sexuality to the next level is available with Mars quintile Pluto (29°51′ Pisces-17°51′ Capricorn). You may also get flashes of insight on how to act as the warrior, pioneer or entrepreneur… and on how to get to the next level of your spiritual awakening or creative expression.

1/28 (Sat)

Mars transits Aries today thru 3/9. Mars rules Aries, so this puts double emphasis on the shared meanings of the planet and sign: warrior, pioneer, entrepreneur, leader and sexual being. Add fuel to the fire in the areas that excite you!


Just as Mars and Aries share the same meaning, so do Aquarius and Uranus. So a magical quintile connecting the Aquarian Sun and Uranus (8°57′ Aquarius-20°57′ Aries) gives you a sweet opportunity to more fully embody their essence. Be your authentic self, follow your intuitive flashes, and serve others in the ways that most inspire you!

1/29 (Sun)

Today’s Mercury-Pluto conjunction (17°55′ Capricorn) is part of the Mercury-Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square that started on 1/25. Please refer to my T-square interpretation to understand this Mercury-Pluto conjunction in context.

1/30 (Mon)

No major astrology events.

1/31 (Tue)

T-square Peaks

The Mercury-Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square that started on 1/25 peaks today and ends on 2/5.


Today’s Mercury-Uranus square (21°2′ Capricorn-Aries) is part of the Mercury-Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square that started on 1/25. Please refer to my T-square interpretation to understand this Mercury-Uranus square in context.


You can be inspired to speak boldly and with authority as Mercury quintiles Mars (20°46′ Capricorn-2°46′ Aries).

Void-of-Course Moons

It’s best to avoid starting important new projects or making major purchases during void-of-course Moons. “Business as usual” is the optimal strategy. Void-of-course Moons occur when the Moon has made her last major Ptolemaic aspect, but has not yet moved into her next sign.

1/17, 1:09 AM – 6:16 AM, Libra
1/19, 3:55 AM – 5:09 PM, Scorpio
1/21, 8:24 PM – 1/22, 5:45 AM, Sagittarius
1/24, 12:33 PM – 5:43 PM, Capricorn
1/27, 2:18 AM – 3:37 AM, Aquarius
1/29, 0:52 AM – 29, 11:10 AM, Pisces
1/31, 12:36 PM – 4:47 PM, Aries

Whatever your Sun Sign, AstroShaman’s forecasts can help you make the best use of the current astrological energies.

All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time zone. Events are most powerful on the dates listed, but their influence will be active for at least several days before and after.

Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you’ll be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart.

Discover how these transits will personally affect you by booking a session with me. Learn more about my Astrology+ sessions.

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Filed Under: Astrological Forecasts Tagged With: Aquarius New Moon

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About Benjamin

I offer the soul-level insights of astrology, the healing power of shamanism, and the life-transforming support of life coaching. My podcast won a Top 10 Astrology Podcast Award, and I was a Best Astrologer winner three years running. After 10,000+ sessions, I can help you master challenge, embrace transformation, and enjoy a more wonderful life! Click for more detailed bio.

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