OUR NEW YEAR: by Maya del Mar Perhaps the most noticeable thing about our coming year will be slowdowns, stops and starts, doing one piece of a project now and another piece later. There may be a jerkiness, a discontinuity to life. This is because there are many days of retrograde planets. A retrograde planet acts like a dam in the flow of outer events. It does, indeed, create a deep still pool of inner reflection, of energy held in reserve to be released when the dam is breached and the planet turns direct. Our culture is impatient—"Let’s get on with it," and does not tolerate retrograde periods well. However, those periods are essential in developing our integrity. It is during retrograde times that we return to source, to our centers, and make our experiences our own. During the entire year there are just two short periods when all planets are moving direct: Jan. 25 – Feb. 3 and Feb. 25 – Mar. 8. On the other hand, June is the heaviest retrograde month. This seems ironical. For June is quicksilver Gemini’s month, butterfly Gemini who likes to be flitting and flying and tasting all the flowers. In addition, Gemini is the most occupied sign of the year, and perhaps least likely to tolerate stop signs along the road. This is the year that Gemini learns patience, for in April, cautious, careful Saturn enters that sign. The collective focus will be on perception, communication, and seeing the dualities and multiplicities of life. With Saturn in Gemini we discipline our minds. All work in communications fields will be emphasized. During the first half of the year Jupiter moves through Gemini, encouraging growth and success in mental pursuits. Then it moves into Cancer for the rest of the year, enhancing all types of nurturing activities. Sagittarius is also heavily tenanted this year. Gemini is lower mind and Sagittarius is higher mind. Gemini is information and Sagittarius is understanding. This is the mental axis, and a major polarity in the U.S. chart. It was a long station of Jupiter in Gemini opposing Pluto in Sagittarius that accompanied the whole election imbroglio. Jupiter will again oppose Pluto in early May. Later on Saturn too will oppose Pluto, in mid-August. Pluto regenerates, and Jupiter and Saturn govern our social structures. Look for more revelations about how our systems work. There are 5 eclipses this year, 3 in Cancer, 1 in Capricorn, and 1 in Sagittarius. Changes continue in the Cancer-Capricorn axis, the other major polarity in the U.S. chart, and the eclipse cycle in Gemini-Sagittarius begins It will be an interesting year, filled with variety and mental challenges. There will be lots of talk and discussion. Media will be vital. New political groupings will emerge. Changes in business and family continue. Again, action centers on the United States.