February 2021

By Bob Mulligan

(a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) 

February 2021 shows progress toward a better world through conflict.   Saturn Square Uranus is exact on the 17^th, but will be with us all year.  This indicates the tension between the results of our history, and the vision of where we would like to go.  For the world as a whole, the progressive spirit will have the day, but this underlying conflict will stay in force.  Mars and Pluto form a Trine on the 24^th, but bracket the entire constellation of planets all month, except occasionally the Moon.  The god of war (Mars) working harmoniously with the lord of the underworld (Pluto) will manifest material results as both are in earth signs.  Mercury turns Direct on the 20^th and will ignite our passion for getting new information.

The New Moon is on the 11^th at 2:06 PM EST on the 23^rd degree of Aquarius. With all planets in a tight bundle, and six planets in Aquarius, we can expect the flourishing of ideals aimed at a brighter future.  However, the fact that there are no planets in fire (energy) and that Venus in Aquarius is Square Mars in Taurus, we will see a consistent pushback from the forces of inertia still embedded in our culture.  Venus (goddess of love) Conjunct Jupiter (lord of abundance) shows the inherent optimism of the month.  Because Venus and Uranus are in mutual reception, we are apt to see a grand synthesis between ideals that can look like dueling aspirations on the surface.  Underneath the veneer of conflict, there is a unifying force pulling us together. Mercury is in close Trine with the North Node of the Moon, which he rules.  Our natural curiosity will overrule simplistic fantasies; the vicious hold of stupid conspiracy theories weaken, and will continue to leave us. 

The Sun enters Pisces on the 18^th at 5:45 AM EST.  This is the last month of winter.  Saturn (fear) Square Uranus (freedom), having just become exact, will dominate the month.  Last  December, Saturn and Jupiter both left Capricorn, then joined at the beginning of Aquarius, which Uranus in Taurus rules. Saving the earth will be a major theme until adequately dealt with.  Venus, in forward-looking Aquarius, is Sextile Mars in Taurus; our energy is moving toward solutions of long-standing problems, even if slowly.  The Moon (in Taurus) Square Jupiter (in Aquarius) directs us toward the most basic issue, i.e., our planet’s health.   Mars Trine Pluto, acting as the final container of all the planets, is the engine powering the practical moves forward during the coming solar month.  These planets are ruled by Venus and Saturn which are both in Aquarius, so our journey forward is aimed at materializing progressive ideals. 

The Full Moon is 8 degrees 57 minutes of Pisces/Virgo on the 27^th at 3:17 AM EST.  The Full Moon is a time of release; so what are we letting go of?  With the Sun Conjunct an exalted Venus in Pisces, ruled by Neptune in his own sign, what has   been achieved is monumental. Now is not so much a time of relinquishing as it is repurposing.  The Moon herself is Trine Uranus showing our willingness to try something new, as the old ways weren’t working.  With Mercury (information) Conjunct Jupiter (ethical awareness) Trine the North Node of the Moon (dharma), our jump into uncharted territory brings joy, abundance, and a feeling of exhilaration. 

From the 1^st to the 7^th anticipation fills the air.  Expectations for a better world color our perspective on the events of last month.  Even with conflict and disruption creating some barriers to forward progress, we are all on the move, and there is no going back.  Putting our “wish list” front and center allow us to see what we must do next.  We can be off saving the world, but our home life and personal concerns still need attention. 

From the 8^th to the 14^th what starts with everyone being stuck in a particular point of view, can alter as the week goes along.  We hit a lucky moment of continuity.  People come together with all eyes on a common cause.  We each need to extend a hand to help others come along.  This is not easy, but our direction is inevitable.

From the 15^th to the 21^st the desire to make practical decisions will be put to good use.  Immediate material concerns capture our attention.  We imagine a better world, and take tangible steps toward making it a reality.  Compassion and intelligent choices have a positive effect instantaneously. 

From the 22^nd to the 28^th although work is slow and tedious, we do have the strength to complete what is being asked of us.  We have reached an important decision point; what stays and what goes?  We are in a new world with new rules.  Some lingering habits from recent history can be incorporated in our new direction. 

1^st – Monday – Sun Square Mars, Venus enters Aquarius, Sun Contra-parallel Mars –  We are off to a quick start, but may be misunderstood by others.  Being inclusive requires some detailed explanations, but will allow us to reorganize our approach to the landscape in front of us.  Our energy and efforts are most effective when our mind is calm. 

2^nd – Tuesday –  Real harmony is close at hand if we can remember that other people’s differences remove limitations and enhance our freedom.  Appreciation for other people’s uniqueness creates the context that allows everyone to get what they need.  It is best to express concern while maintaining some distance.

3^rd – Wednesday –   Mercury Semi-sextile Pluto –  Looking a little deeper into our recent decisions provides opportunity for correction and editing.  Something good and necessary for our next step may have been left behind.  When we acknowledge our missteps, we can reclaim elements from our past. 

4^th – Thursday – Venus Semi-square Neptune –  Our natural inclination is to do something good.  Still, what we are creating is out of focus with the larger movement of culture.  Reorganizing our timeline gives us a clearer path to success. A good idea today will still be good tomorrow. 

5^th – Friday –  Reorganizing our home, office, and priorities can reveal a truth.  We have more than we need; our journey is lighter, brighter, and more fun if we get rid of redundancies; some of our possessions lack meaning in the current world. 

6^th – Saturday – Venus Conjunct Saturn, Mars Contra-parallel Jupiter, Venus Square Uranus – It’s decision time; we can’t be in two places at once.  Commitment and loyalty are virtues in our current situation.  Is our attachment to an ideal, or to the people in our lives?  They are actually one and the same if we have eyes to see the truth. 

7^th – Sunday – Venus Parallel Saturn, Sun Semi-sextile Neptune –  Adventure can be discovered close to home.  Traveling is not necessary to expand our horizons.  Simple pleasures come through common rituals when we express gratitude for what we have been given. 

8^th – Monday – Sun Conjunct Mercury, Mercury Semi-sextile Neptune –  We can be hardheaded and softhearted.  A correct blending of empathy and stalwartness reveals the way to take the next step.  What we strive for is closer than we might think. Admitting our mistakes in logic and reason has benefits; we perceive more clearly and stop self-sabotaging.

9^th – Tuesday –  Concentrating on practical matters close at hand keeps us moving in the right direction, while ushering in many accomplishments.  It’s easy to get stumped by what looks like unsolvable problems.  A mind free from worry will grasp the significance of present obstacles. 

10^th – Wednesday – Venus Contra-parallel Mars, Mercury Square Mars –  Old solutions don’t work.  New methods aren’t coming to us.  Expressing our energy in a new way can be liberating.  When frustrated, we find peace by accepting the external conflict we are experiencing is really rooted in our inner world.  Peace comes through prayer and meditation. 

11^th – Thursday – Venus Conjunct Jupiter, the New Moon is at 2:07 PM EST –  Luck is with us when we strive to be self-correcting going forward.  Any effort in the right direction receives help from the cosmos.  Big ideas are emerging from chaos; setting intentions for this cycle will have a great impact when we act on our great ideas. 

12^th – Friday – Sun Contra-parallel Uranus, Venus Parallel Jupiter –  An abrupt change of plans gives our path new meaning.  Others help us and we help them. Common goals gather potency when expressed, acknowledged, and promoted.  Things long in the planning stage start to manifest. 

13^th – Saturday – Mercury Conjunct Venus, Sun Parallel Mercury, Mars Sextile Neptune, Sun Semi-sextile Pluto, Mars Contra-parallel Saturn –  Powers of persuasion move mountains.  Each of us needs to be certain that we are truly aligned with our underlying values.  At the same time, we need to be lenient with those who see the world differently.  Diversity makes life more interesting. 

14^th – Sunday – Mercury Contra-parallel Uranus, Mercury Conjunct Jupiter –  Each of us has an opportunity to take a stand on our truth.  This is not something grandiose, but just an alignment of our common sense and our conscience.  We need to say the truth or keep silent.  Every aspect of our lives can be deeply affected by our ability to uphold an ethical standard in thought, word, and action. 

15^th – Monday –  It’s time to act.  We took important steps in the right direction, and now a culmination of sequential moves places us in a new position.  So much more of what we have wished for is suddenly available. One winning move leads to the next.

16^th – Tuesday –  As good will disappears, everyone’s position on key issues of collective life seems to harden.  “Live and let live” in this instance means allowing for differences. Taking a stand on truth is a good model for our own behavior, but doesn’t give us permission to correct others. 

17^th – Wednesday – Venus Semi-sextile Neptune, Saturn Square Uranus –  On one hand, it is easy to do something that brings joy and beauty into life.  At the same time, an inner tension is building up.  We are caught between duty and a spontaneous desire for freedom.  If we are able to gain enough detachment, we can see the right course of action.  Our higher obligation is to behave in a way that we believe is appropriate for all. 

18^th – Thursday – Sun enters Pisces –  Enjoyment comes by getting back to basics.  Simple pleasures of life have a calming effect on thinking.  Careful examination of our recent past can instruct us and lead to self-correction. Integration of our personal insights has meaning. Sharing our observations with others is best left until later.

19^th – Friday – Mercury Parallel Venus, Venus Square Mars –  Reorganizing our thinking and manner of expression provides a healing balm for troubled times.  Our own need for freedom finds expression when we give to others what we ourselves crave. 

20^th – Saturday –  Mercury turns Direct –  Options emerge when we have the correct balance between our desire for expansion, and our need for assurance.  Standing still and observing the great expanse of life can lift our vision from the mundane to the glorious.  

21^st – Sunday –  Clear thinking comes when we pay attention to little things that may have been overlooked.  If we make one other person happy it will be a day well spent.  Curiosity opens doors to new possibilities.  Staying close to home brings emotional comfort. 

22^nd – Monday – Venus Semi-sextile Pluto –  Some key relationships help us fulfill our duties. We might like to set a new course for our life; this requires effort; we provide space for a new perspective by overcoming past emotional impressions. 

23^rd – Tuesday – Venus Contra-parallel Uranus – Familiar people and surroundings provide warmth.  An inner prompting reminds us that we have things left to achieve.  Moving beyond our comfort zone to chase some new fascination doesn’t require us to leave friends behind.  Comfort and adventure can happen simultaneously. 

24^th – Wednesday – Mars Trine Pluto –   Personal potency gives us a chance to shine when our energy is directed toward things of importance in the world of form.  The journey ahead requires real effort and sluggish emotions can hold us back.  A careful eye for detail gets us moving by giving focus to our attention.  Today we may be just flexing our muscles.  That’s ok. 

25^th – Thursday –  Venus enters Pisces, Sun Sextile Uranus –  Expecting too much from others can leave us frustrated.  If our job is such that other people’s approval is necessary, it is best to wait.  A step in the wrong direction can be costly. 

26^th – Friday –  Sun Semi-sextile Saturn –  For all the fuss, the way forward is through embracing routines.  Practical concerns for our personal lives can be exciting if we learn to see beneath the surface.  Our needs for affection can lead us astray.  We don’t need to earn love, but we do have to let it come to us. 

27^th – Saturday –  The Full Moon is at 3:18 AM EST –  New opportunities emerge when we complete the task at hand.  Life in front of us is thrilling.  Our world expands by quickly finishing lingering projects.  Practical concerns need to be handled before we become visionary.  Take time to jot down random thoughts as innovation begins by taking time to notice messages from our own unconscious.

28^th – Sunday –  Basic household chores need completion, then it is time to relax and enjoy life.  Even though social interaction has changed, others are still important to a healthy mental life. We are starting a new pattern of communicating that will become fully evident during the next week. 

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com.

My dear friend and longtime colleague, Chris McRae, passed away.  Life is so short.  I’m very blessed that my last conversation with her was a good last word.  Thank you, Arlan Wise, for letting me know about her passing.  I live my life so hermit-like that news sometimes doesn’t come until after the fact.

There are a few people in the astrological community that I have unfinished business with.  It is my goal to be complete with whatever is karmically necessary with them this year.

We all talk to people who think differently about the world situation than we do.  This is good and keeps our mind fertile.  Some of my close friends and some of my clients have been steeped in the most ridiculous conspiracy theories.  This has been troubling, but we are fortunately in a time when so many of these insane ideas have been proven false, and are just disappearing from consciousness.  There are some lingering biases that represent a very destructive layer of human consciousness; they had to be brought to the surface.  These thoughts will disappear in the next few years.

My clients and students remain a source of joy and fulfillment.  I learn something new with each interaction.  Naturally, writing my newsletter each month allows me to spend significant time conferring with the planets.

My brother, Richard, hosts a Zoom meeting once a week for the family, and it is always good to talk to family members and catch up.  Finding a time and day that works for everyone has been difficult.   I salute my brother for staying on top of it.

I have been asked about my health and about my upcoming book.  My health is good; I see my chiropractor once a month and get a massage every two weeks.  I have a good diet and good sleep and walk three times a day.  Good progress has been made on my book.

My dog, Teddy, has been with me most of his 15 years of life.  He spends time each day with Katie and stays with her most nights. We develop such deep attachments to our pets.  Teddy and I have always been close and the passing away of another of my close friends reminds me of how impermanent this world of form is.

There are some insights I have gained over the last 48 years in astrology that I feel impelled to share.  Originally I had planned this for 2023 but circumstances in my own life have forced the timeline forward.  As soon as I have the exact date for this Zoom talk I will let you know.  It will be in the month of April 2021.

You are always welcome to join in my once a month Question and Answer session.  Submit any astrological question in advance and I will do my best to answer it.  I’ve allotted an hour for this purpose.  Usually, your questions take up about half the time.  With the last 30 minutes I usually expand on information presented in the newsletter.  This month’s Q&A will be on Sunday, February 7^th at Noon EST.  Write me and I will send you a link.

“When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.” – Socrates

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com.