Astrologically, the new year doesn't start on January 1—but we'll go with it as a convention, so I bid you welcome to 2008. May this be a healthy and prosperous year for you and yours.

Marked by a Cancer Mars still in retrograde, Sun and Mercury in Capricorn and Venus in Sagittarius, this year begins with a desire to "make good" on efforts, with the trick being not to put things off but not overstep one's bounds by pushing too hard, either. Details count, and personal profits come from focusing on doing your best rather than measuring all by results.

With Pluto at 29 Sagittarius however, that may be easier said than done. Any time any planet is in the last degree of any sign, a sense of "urgency" is experienced by all—and with Pluto lending obsessive desire to the Sagittarian cause of getting one's point across, finding ways to make your "thing" work and reaching goals, there are a lot of possible pitfalls out there. Most can be avoided by working from a basis of fact, but this fact must first be reconciled with our sense of highest purpose—the culminating concept of Sagittarian existence. Be firm but patient, and try to hold the emotionalism to a minimum. This can be a potent period for accumulating resources or building momentum which ultimately makes something good come to be, so don't waste time or opportunities. Yet all is not smooth sailing. Few things can be accomplished on your own now, but even when your efforts to control things are justified, correct or necessary, expect resistance.

It's just the nature of the moment—if you push, someone will push back. With all the ”rights,“ ”wrongs“ and ”lessons“ society has gone through since 1995/1996 (when Pluto first entered Sagittarius) now coming to a head, we can all expect a lot of finger-pointing—in our personal lives as well as on the national and international stage. Courtesy of asteroid Nemesis being exactly conjunct Pluto as the new year rolls in, some will try to convince, others will be insisting things need fixing—and everyone is going to have many an opinion on needs, lacks, benefits and why people should care. Contrary to much popular thinking, Nemesis is about standing against dishonesty and corruption, so if you get called on something, think first—then argue.

And if you're out partying on New Year's Eve, don't do anything you might regret come morning.    

Since Pluto will be at 29 Sagittarius until January 26 (January 25 for those in the Americas) this feeling of intensity is going to be with us for most of the month. And with Mars in retrograde, there's a lot of frustration going around. Together, these spell a little chaos, all of which is meant to get you to understand your limits, and in doing so, how to focus on things you can actually do and accomplish.

Is Pluto at 29 Sagittarius dangerous? To a few, perhaps. But threats are more likely than overt hostility and setbacks more likely than wholesale defeats, so expect the unexpected and try to remain flexible. Things are in the process of changing and that can feel incredibly disconcerting, but what is fading is (more likely than not) merely an ideal you've been holding onto, nothing more. Releasing this feels at the moment like an enormous loss of hope, but what fades at this time really has nothing to do with reality or your potential for growth, happiness or success. Far from it: truths which surface now are all about establishing new structures which will allow you to build profitable, viable life structures.

Come January 8, Mercury will enter Aquarius in tandem with a New Moon occurring at 17 Capricorn. This is an interesting combination with variable outcomes spelled out by  asteroids Atropos and Lilith being in conjunction to Mercury while asteroid Aphrodite is in conjunction to the New Moon itself.

New Moon in Capricorn often indicates a need to deal with commitments, some of which may be  fine, if in need of work, and some of which you will realize aren't even worth salvaging. Measured responses and planning before initiating plans proves most productive; with asteroid Aphrodite in the mix, understanding who you're dealing with is a must. Where you can, inspire or attract—don't assume or expect. Letting go of that which is outmoded is imperative, but try not to make decisions based on fear. This is a time for productive growth, clear and logical thinking and doing things according to established processes. Placing emphasis on ability, gratitude, honesty and a willingness to defer gratification is apt, as are situations where by  accepting challenges and the necessity to learn new (and quite possibly, better) ways behooves us all. Achievement is there for those willing to break through walls of reticence by accepting  facts rather dwelling in a world structured by ego.

From the 11th until through the 19th, putting ideas into practice is essential in order to reap benefits—don't plan anything unless you are willing to take a positive initiative and carry the idea through to the best of your ability. You don't have to know everything—in fact, admitting what you don't know will garner a better reception than you suspect. Also—when in doubt, be of good cheer. Something as simple as a smile or a ”thank you!“ could open doors and work miracles, underscoring the sort of well mannered optimism and social interactivity which increases when on January 20 the Sun moves into Aquarius. Known for quirky humor and wide-ranging interests, Aquarius is also a sign which functions best when structured and directed towards the building of cohesive, workable systems, the most basic of these being honest and open communication between people.

There's an implicit dichotomy in Aquarius which is often difficult to master, but once harnessed it becomes the epitome of strength: it's the marriage of tradition and innovation, the ”making a good thing better.“ Another version of this idea involves the innately Aquarian concept of the ”specialist team.“ Perhaps best envisioned in military special forces units, this ideal involves the assembling of a ”team“ where each soldier is an expert in a separate field with all being trained to  work together towards a given goal. Whether used on the battlefield, to construct a corporation or a relationship, this Aquarius concept of exalted individuality between equals is a truly wonderful thing when it works—but when it doesn't work, look out! Aquarian negatives are irresponsibility, anarchy, abandonment, neglect, elitism and ”my way or the highway“ behaviors, so try to avoid those. This is a sign which functions on fact and by agreement, and thus do the Aquarian precepts of teams, organizations, companies and societies thrive, promoting the acceptance, producing income and creating those kinds of success which fill us with satisfaction.

Given the wide conjunction to this Aquarian ingress by asteroids Icarus, Phaethon and Orpheus, there's likely to be a sense of walking a thin line between over-optimism which fosters disaster and a desire to do the sorts of good deed which will prove to you that you really can win through, that nothing bad is ever going to befall you (Phaethon and Orpheus). The middle ground here emphasizes the need for realism—don't not try, but don't throw good efforts after bad, either.

Whatever you're doing, a ”report card“ type of reminder arrives with a Full Moon at 1 Leo on January 22. With asteroid Eurydike hovering nearby, for good or bad you'll have to say ”good bye“ to something now, and the separation may be temporary or permanent. So even if  your dreams get delivered on a silver platter, expect some nostalgia and regrets as you let go of old problems and move on to living in Nirvana. 

That something shifts now is underscored yet again when on January 24, Venus moves into Capricorn to be followed by Pluto moving into Capricorn on January 25. This is a huge shift of major portent; Pluto's entrance into the earth element represents a karmic shift in value. Image, media hype and all things theoretical (what ”should“ be) gives way to thinking of a more practical, tangible, pragmatic and utilitarian kind—ideas which can be pretty much summed up in the old slogan "the proof is in the pudding.”

Given yearly retrograde patterns, Pluto will revisit Sagittarius for one last time from mid-June through November but this January is, without question, the beginning of a worldwide change which will affect everyone alive and become the hallmark of an entire generation to be born between 2008 and 2023 (less the summer/fall retrograde period cited above). If you have been working towards some tangible goal, results begin showing up now—or as Mars goes direct on January 30.

This is by no means the end of anything—it's actually the start of a new beginning to everything. So have a good January: do your best, be honest, look ahead and get real. There is a better life to be had for everyone—all we have to do is create it.

Best,
Boots Hart, CAP

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