A February of Spiritual Investment for Practical Momentum

February begins with a strong hit of meditative inner awareness, not least because Mercury is still in its retrograde shadow, officially ending on February 7th. This month also inherits from the potent self-reflective Aquarius New Moon, from January 21st, that colors the lunation cycle for the first three weeks of February. There is also a really interesting grand trine in the sky on February 1st, initiated during the last few days of the previous month, between Sun, Mars, and the new planet Makemake, which represents an activism based on deep principles of right action and right relationship. The recent New Moon also featured Venus in Aquarius, in close conjunction with the limitations of stodgy old Saturn, indicting a concentration of commitment – and also a slowing down, a sense of confinement – regarding your energy for the important partners in your life.

Saturn being thus emphasized during February must also contend with its antithesis in the Trickster energy of Uranus located in the Venus-ruled sign of Taurus. Uranus is greatly emphasized in the Leo Full Moon of February 5th, because the Sun and Moon make a close T-square to Uranus as this configuration also further emphasizes relationships. Unexpected events and surprising revelations will not be uncommon. Uranus is also highlighted in an interesting juncture a week later when the Moon’s Last Quarter hits, taking place on February 13th, in Scorpio. This is the day before Valentine’s Day, and Venus forming a conjunction with Neptune in this configuration gives a sweet and fantasy background glow to some otherwise potentially stormy relationship energy. During both these early February lunations, Chiron is highlighted as well, bringing up the possibility of inner wounding and its solution in the healing attention that we can pay to it. The interaction with Jupiter and Chiron in Aries on the part of the new Nature planet, Makemake, in Libra, is quite profound, and indicates that we have a good opportunity now to deal with self-worth issues, or other residue of early childhood trauma, by applying a good dose of self-care and internal understanding.

The February 13th event also stimulates a strong internal urge to bring our deepest principles into concerted action with the Sun and Moon at the 24 degree mark of their respective signs in partile or same-degree aspect to both Neptune in Pisces and Eris is Aries. Eris represents a Feminine Warrior energy in support of soul intention and the more we can lean into this important new 21st century archetype, the closer we can come to understanding our life purpose; and the happier we will be in fulfilling this deep-seated objective.

When the Pisces New Moon hits on the late evening of February 19th PT, or the early morning of the 20th for points east, there is a significant presence to another one of these new KBO planets that I have been researching for the past few years, namely Haumea, which references profound connection to Nature, and to an internal moral compass. Haumea is located in the first degree of Scorpio, and trined by this New Moon taking place in the second degree of Pisces. There is a sense of right action and right relationship involved with all of these new KBO planets, and this feeling of an internal moral compass is made still more potent by the elevated presence of Makemake, in Libra, directly opposed to Jupiter in this New Moon.

Throughout February, we can see a strong influence of both Haumea and Makemake, which can be shown to involve a profound connection with an important and somewhat hidden natural part of us that wants only the best for ourselves and for all of earth’s creatures. This goes as well for our earthly environment, and for everyone that we encounter. When we lean into their message we might find a new freedom rising within us to do well by simply doing good. Notable Vietnamese sage Thich Nhat Hanh was fond of encouraging his devotees not to “water the seeds of anger” within themselves, but rather to choose to nourish what is ultimately revivifying. And this is something that we can all do, in each and every moment, to help to ameliorate our difficult situation and that of the world.