astrology

A new year is almost upon us! And that, astrologically, means nothing.

Here’s what I mean: from a planetary standpoint, nothing special happens on January 1 of each year. In fact, as you’ll read in this post, 2022 is largely affected by planetary influences that started in 2021.

But, as arbitrary as terrestrial time-keeping is, it helps us break down long astrological cycles into digestible chunks.

Before we begin, I want to be clear about the perspective through which I approach mundane astrology (the study of world events through astrology).

I believe history has consistently demonstrated the resilience of nature — and the human spirit. Nothing halts evolution and progress. Life goes on. Our planet has gone through five major mass extinctions… and here we are. So, any claim that an astrological aspect or phenomenon is a harbinger for “end times” is absolute nonsense.

Even the most cursory review of the last few centuries provides countless examples of atrocities, horrors, and strife. But, we as a human race persist. We set goals, create art, develop technology, start nonprofits, go to therapy to better understand ourselves, take care of our health, fall in love, sing along to our favorite songs, have fun with friends, go on vacations, and try our best to enjoy our brief stay on this oblate spheroid we call Earth.

Of course, we all go through challenging moments. It’s okay to experience disappointment, doubt, frustration, and sadness. It’s important to not feel shame around these emotions — and even more so to be able to share them. This has especially been on my mind lately because an acquaintance and a friend both died by suicide this fall. If you are experiencing emotional distress or thoughts of self-harm, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24/7, free, and confidential) to speak to a crisis counselor: 1-800-273-8255.

When I analyze and write about astrological cycles, I choose a narrative that sees challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, darkness as a way to appreciate light, and moments of reckoning and “truth bombs” as important pivot points of evolution.

I don’t mean to downplay or minimize difficult and harrowing events. My Virgo moon despises toxic positivity and fairy tale forecasts that promise “an amazing year” ahead. My point is simply that humanity has an amazing capacity to adjust and overcome.

I also believe that we each energetically contribute to the overall state of the world. I want my contribution to be one that raises awareness and shows the bigger picture in a practical and realistic manner, but with a dose of measured optimism. If you’re looking for doom and gloom, fear-based predictions, rants about how “we’re all screwed,” or something to contribute to your stress and anxiety, you are in the wrong place (and I encourage you to explore why you seek that kind of information).

Let’s begin. For ease of reading, this post is divided into subsections.

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