The Astrology of February 2023
Prescient Precipice
The Astrology of February 2023
Prescient Precipice
February's astrology is hardly the most remarkable in terms of outer planet changing of signs or aspects. Nothing is an epoch-making cycle beginning or ending. But, this is the final curtain call for the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.
(By this I mean the Age of Air ushered in with the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, not the mythical age of Aquarius that nobody can actually agree upon. Sorry to disappoint.)
Instead, February holds the honor of marking the last breath of the old way; the prescience of dawn whispered by changing jewel-toned sky suggests it's time to make the final preparations. Soon we'll be on the path/road/journey whether or not we remembered to double check the locks, and pack an extra pair of socks.
The first few days of the month see Saturn, and Venus in their own terms (or bounds) - this gives them each extra oomph. However, Saturn begins to descend under the beams of the Sun, drifting away from visibility before leaving the long strength of home territory for good.
I had the pleasure and honor of recording a February forecast podcast episode this last week. Since we said plenty about the astrology of the month ahead, this post is is nice a light.
Week #5: January 29th - February 4th
For January 29th through the 31st, see the last entries in the The Astrology of January 2023, or last week's Skyvibe Serial.
The remainder of the 5th week of the year is makes up the first week of February. The month opens with Saturn and Venus both in their own terms, and the Moon waxing from the first quarter in Taurus up through the Leo Full Moon.
Saturn dips under the Sun's beams, ending the 5+ year streak of solid Saturnine elections. Almost as if to compensate, we get Venus in Pisces just in time to catch the final waxing Cancer Moon free from the gaze of the malefics. There's still solid election (and even talismanic worthy) charts to work with. See the Betterthans & B-Sides report to learn more.
Wednesday February 1st
Sun at 12° Aquarius sextiles Chiron at 12° Aries
Mercury/Hygiea conjunction at 18° Capricorn
No aspects between classical planets, but you can bet your bottom dollar that the Sun's sextile to Chiron is indeed a thing. General ambiance in the air: sensitivity that sheds light on our core wounds. What fun! If you've got planets or angles around 12 or so degrees of the Fire or Air signs this one is more likely to emerge close to home.
Mercury's conjunction to Hygeia? This will be the first time I've truly noted this happening. I think it'll be a good time for a couple of things (on the theme of communication + clean):
- confessions and acts of disclosure "coming clean"
- cathartic writing or conversations "clearing out" stagnant or bottled up emotions
- deep investigation / research to "clear things up"
Thursday the 2nd
Among the most chill days of February there are just a four aspects that the Moon makes today. Two to the benefics. Between 12:54 am and 4:14 am the Moon is enclosed by benefics, while in Cancer, during the night, while Venus is exalted, and Jupiter enjoys dignity by triplicity.
This should make for lovely dreams. It's definitely a great excuse for staying up late, or waking up to stargaze in the middle of the night.
Friday the 3rd
Sun at 15° Aquarius square Uranus at 15° Taurus
Continuing with the tension between the desire to act now for a certain outcomes in the future coupled with the incessant demand to adapt to changing conditions yesterday, the Sun's square to Uranus calls for us to use our awareness of the long-term consequences to drive innovation today.
One small tweak today can cause a tidal wave of change in the future – both internally and in the world around us.
Saturday the 4th
Venus at 11° Pisces square Mars at 11° Gemini
The square between Venus and Mars will have been in effect the entire week. This is just the peak of a transiting aspect that holds sway for about 10 days or so.
Read the Forecast for Week 5, 2023:
Week #6: February 5th - 11th
The second week of February brings the Full Moon in Leo and our graduation ceremony from the fixed fuckery of the long-standing combination of Saturn and Uranus's square together with the eclipses which has rocked the Taurus/Scorpio axis.
Sunday the 5th
Full Moon at 16°40' Leo
If the Aquarius New Moon was the exit exam for the Saturn/Uranus square, then this Leo Full Moon is about finding out the results.
What is it that you have learned about where you meet others? About the difference between a collection of me's and a collective of we? And how do you protect and center your heart, while also keeping it vulnerable and open, so that you can share it with those with whom you're in community?
These are big questions that ask us to tolerate not having simple or even final answers.
As we discussed in the podcast episode, this Full Moon will give us a bit of a sneak peak into the summers Venus Retrograde.
Monday the 6th
Mercury at 23° Capricorn sextile Neptune at 23° Capricorn
The combination of Mercury and Neptune can lead to a vivid experience of the imaginal realm, or
Tuesday the 7th
Vesta enters Aries
Venus at 15° Pisces sextile Uranus at 15° Pisces
Venus and Uranus together is quirky, flirty, and cute. Uranus takes cues from Venus bringing us more directly in touch with the physical through heightened awareness of our senses.
Vesta in Aries brings our focus to the Aries part of our chart – an area where we've been initiating healing the wounds that stifle both our individuality and our interdependence.
Wednesday the 8th
The Moon's opposition to Neptune is followed up with trines to Mercury and to Pluto. We cannot be empowered in ways we cannot imagine. We cannot do what we cannot dream, or imagine or understand as being possible.
Thursday the 9th
The Moon moves into Libra and makes three different aspects with Jupiter - one based on longitude and two different declination based ones. In other words, the Moon will both flow amicably and have a subtle contrariness, relative to Jupiter.
Friday the 10th
Mercury/Pluto conjunction at 28° Capricorn
This is a conjunction I've been ponder for well over a year. With 2022 bookended by Venus first retrograde then revisiting Capricorn, 2023 coming in like a sequel with Mercury reprising the bookend role is making what was relational all about communication.
In other words, all those things that we learned about ourselves in relationship over the course of 2022 are now asking that we learn to talk about them skillfully in 2023.
The previous week's conjunction of Mercury with Hygeia was like a prepatory cleansing ritual. Mercury/Pluto aspects are more commonly associated with revelatory disclosure – often of the sordid and the scandalous. Considering that Pluto has been in Capricorn for 15 years its likely that the sortid is something that's been a very long time in sorting out, or some kind of skeleton in the closet.
Saturday the 11th
Mars at 13° Gemini sextile Chiron at 13° Aries
Mercury enters Aquarius
Lacing the wound is the turn of phrase that comes to mind. That is, when thinking about this transit on its own. Consider though, that this one is occurring just after Mercury joins up with Pluto.
With Mercury's entrance into Aquarius, Mars gets a big leg up, since Mercury will be able to see Mars. If you've been feeling like you're ready and rearing to go but aren't sure where, call on Mercury to help. We're well past shadow, and the air signs have a double heaping of triplicity assistance.
Skyvibe Serial
The weekly forecast for the 6th week of 2023:
Week #7: February 12th - 18th
The Sun/Saturn conjunction is the big transiting aspect of the week. In fact, it's one that will likely mark this year from others – if only in hindsight. This is the last of 5 consecutive years featuring a Sun/Saturn conjunction in a sign that Saturn rules. We won't see the same again for nearly 30 years.
The day ahead of this relatively infrequent stellar configuration we have Venus joining Neptune in the final decan of Pisces. The dreamy images and artistic musings that come with this transit are likely to be the stuff we start trying to make real once Saturn enters Pisces.
Sunday the 12th
There are no classical traditional planet aspects going on today, but Mercury's sextile to Vesta should bring some clarity and mental focus.
Monday the 13th
There's a metric fuckton of aspects today. The Moon makes aspects to 4/7 trad planets and 6/10 of the modern ones. It's a big day, and the Moon's double squares to the Sun and then Saturn is heavy. Up until the Moon makes it safely into Sagittarius it's a bit tough out there friends.
Tuesday the 14th
Comparatively fewer aspects today, but an opposition to Mars by the Moon is among them.
Wednesday the 15th
Venus/Neptune conjunction at 24° Pisces
This is an interesting one to watch out for. One the one hand: confusion, glamour, projection, idealizing the other – and other relational double plus goods. On the other: sensual engagement with the transcendent, aesthetic attunement, and channeling art.
Given that Saturn will soon enter Pisces too – where They consistently help to birth the great works – this is an important day for artists and creatives to pay attention to.
What creative works are asking to be birthed through / by you?
Thursday the 16th
Sun/Saturn conjunction at 27° Aquarius
The Sun shines a spotlight that illuminates the world around us for observing. The things that Sun shines their light on may or may not thrive under the bright rays of our solar system's central star.
Here we have the two diametrical opposites coming together. The Sun of the bright long summer day and Saturn of the short dark winter light; one hot and dry, the other cold and dry. On the dryness they can agree – suggesting that it's the detached, separating, and space increasing qualities of air that are going to be most present today.
The things that come into our awareness sometimes make plain as day the places we no longer wish to stay, and the
Friday the 17th
Mercury at 9° Aquarius sextile Jupiter 9° Aries
This is giving: I have a plan so don't you threaten me with a good time, energy.
Mercury is thinking clearly and functions quite well in Aquarius, and Jupiter does well in Aries. The two of them coming together in this way gives us the willingness to think courageously and to take intellectual risks.
Saturday the 18th
Sun enters Pisces
The Sun escapes the detriment of Aquarius, and we get that much closer to the Aries equinox. It's just a couple of weeks until Saturn visits this same degree.
Week #8: 19th - 25th
This week is front loaded with activity – Sunday in particular. Three of the big transits this week have to do with Mercury. It's all about chatting, talking, gabbing, and planning, scheming, and conceiving (of more plans).
Sunday the 19th
Venus at 29° Pisces sextile Pluto at 29° Capricorn
New Moon at 1°22' Pisces
Venus enters Aries
This is a big day, starting off a week that will apparently see us talking (talking, talking) all about it.
Monday the 20th
Mercury 13° Aquarius sextile Chiron 13° Aquarius
Mercury's sextile to Chiron isn't one that's I'd necessarily dwell on in the context of the whole month ahead if it weren't for the fact that Mercury squared Chiron three times just in the past month (or so). How we're communicating our wounds, and the things we need to heal them is central to the beginning of 2023.
Tuesday the 21st
Mercury 15° Aquarius square Uranus 15° Taurus
Kinks in the plan? They don't say necessity is the mother of invention for nothing. Funny thing: Mercury is known as a friend to humans in need.
Wednesday the 22nd
Mercury 16° Aquarius trine Mars 16° Gemini
This could manifest as having the mental clarity and prowess to cut through confusion (Mars is square to Neptune, though still widely applying at this time); to hone in on the details, to read cleverly between the lines, or to harness the power of succinct and incisive speech.
It's another one of those days for getting clear about what how you're weilding your s'word. This post about the power of our spoken words (s'words, get it) might just serve to dial you in to your synchronicity frequency.
Thursday the 23rd
After a week full of intense communication, today is day for integration of all that chatter. Time to digest.
Friday the 24th
The Moon moves into Taurus and then sextiles the Sun in Pisces. Time to take that Pisces New Moon dream out into the world.
Saturday the 25th
The Moon's conjunction to Uranus brings the usual dose of the unusual and unexpected. This day may have you feeling like something is just on the tip of your tongue – keep following the creative impulse. Late in the day the Moon's sextile to Neptune helps us to attune to the image and the dream behind it.
Skyvibe Serial - Weekly Forecast
You can read more about the week with details on each of the transits in Skyvibe Serial #8 by clicking the link below:
Week #9: February 26th - March 3rd
The final week of February is made up mostly of days in the month of March. The ninth week of 2023 hurtles us toward Saturn's ingress into Pisces, and the imminent preview of Pluto's long stay in Aquarius.
Sunday the 26th
Venus/Vesta conjunction at 8° Aries
Venus is the planet concerned with relationality – whether between people, or ideas and forms (as in art). Vesta is the asteroid associated with autonomy, service, and focus.
When you're focused on being of/in service to the relationships that matter most to you, what changed? What comes first? Who do you want/need around?
Monday the 27th
First Quarter Moon at 8° Gemini square Sun at 8° Pisces
This degree is interesting. The Moon and Mars spent most of January asking us to investigate and work with this degree. It's one that's very near to the present projected ecliptic degree of the royal watcher star Aldebaran.
It's also a degree that played host to the last Neptune/Pluto conjunction back in 1891.
Tuesday the 28th
The Moon moves into Cancer for one last dip through home territory without a malefic sharing the water or nocturnal signs. Of course, at this point, Saturn is still making a tight out of sign degree based aspect to the Moon, so I wouldn't quite call this fully free from the gaze of the malefics.
In English, make the most of the opportunity to simply abide in the experience of rest, care, nurturing, and feeding yourself – however that may look for you now.
We end the month we one last chance to recharge and fortify ourselves with copious doses of hopes, dreams, and our wildest imagination(s). Come March, it's time to put in the work to make the dream a reality. No need to worry about arriving at that destination though.
That's it for February!
As always, I hope these words find and serve you well. As other content is written and published about the month it'll get linked up here, so feel free to bookmark this page for the month and revisit it weekly.
Have a question for Bear? Want to connect with other astrologers and astrology enthusiasts?
As always, I hope these words find and serve you well.
If you'd like to start a discussion or pose a question to your fellow members (and/or Bear) feel free to post down below!
If you'd like to reach out to Bear directly you can reach him at: contact@bearryver.com
