The time has arrived: It’s Aquarius season. On January 19, the sun will move from its place in hardworking Capricorn into the sign of the water bearer, where it’ll stay until February 18. Astrologers are saying that Aquarius season marks the real start of 2022 (sorry, Capricorns!), so prepare for a clean slate.

The vibes of this new season are, if I do say so myself, immaculate. “While Mercury and Venus will still be retrograde as the sun enters Aquarius, by the time February 4 arrives, there will be no retrograde planets in the sky!” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Luminary Power. That’s right — the celestial bodies are about to be on their best behavior. Venus retrograde? Done with. Mercury retrograde? I don’t know her. Aquarius season is bringing positive, forward-moving energy into all of our lives for the next month.

Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer for Keen.com, says it’s time to relax from the seriousness of Capricorn and take the time to approach things in a more open-minded and receptive manner. “Capricorn is a sign associated with work and results, while Aquarius is more about expanding our world, socializing and interacting with others, and looking into new ideas and ways of doing and approaching things,” she says. We’ll be craving connections all Aquarius season long, so make sure you’re prioritizing (safely) seeing or at least speaking with your friends and family.

We’ll want to get closer to our colleagues and new professional contacts, too. And this season ushers in harmony, so if you put in the effort, your networking efforts will pay off. “Even with Mercury retrograde mixing our signals during the first couple weeks of the season, it’s an auspicious time for professional networking and serious collaborations — especially given that responsibility-focused planet Saturn is aligning with the sun in Aquarius,” says astrologer Nina Kahn. Reach out to a new person at work or pitch a wild idea that involves a different department — you never know what could work out if you don’t try.

Even though it’s Aquarius season, Mars didn’t get the memo, and will enter the sign of Capricorn on January 24. That’s okay, though. “In this initiatory earth sign, Mars is exalted and can work for us at its best,” says Montúfar. “This planet-sign combo will help us stay on top of things and will give us a focused and goal-oriented approach to life.” This timing couldn’t be better, because this Mars placement will help us organize everything we’ve learned during both the Venus and Mercury retrogrades.

One specific day to mark on your calendar is February 16, when Venus and Mars align in Capricorn. “This energy is ideal for romance, creativity, and balancing our feminine with our masculine energies,” says Montúfar. “We can expect good surprises in all kinds of relationships during this time.” Keep your eyes peeled and your heart open.

So while January 1 may be the start of the new year on paper, if you go by the stars, things are just now beginning to settle into place. We’ve shed the negativity from planetary retrogrades and are ready to start fresh (again). Who knows what the next seasons will bring?

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Mercury retrograde may be in full swing at the moment, causing chaos and technological mayhem, but we’ve got some good news to add to your astrological update. On January 18, Uranus, the Planet of Rebellion, will finally end its retrograde after five long months. Since August 2021, Uranus’ backwards dance had been bringing us breakups, shakeups, and breakthroughs — and now, we have a chance to relax and move forward.

Uranus retrogrades once a year, and this past transit in Taurus had us working on our long-term goals and absorbing the planet’s genius energy. But it was also had us feeling seriously stuck in the mud, since this retrograde is notorious for delaying change and and sapping motivation. “[Uranus retrograde] may have made us feel like we were stalled or stagnant in some areas of our lives — or like we were being prevented from progressing in the way we desired,” says Madi Murphy, co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution. “But once it stations direct, we may feel all of that change happen at once.” This retrograde has caused us to feel incredibly restless and frustrated, so once it ends, we’ll feel an eruption of change and transformation on a personal and global level.

Because of this, “now is the time to try new and innovative ideas and look for new solutions to the same old problems,” says Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer for Keen.com. “We can approach things from a different angle and sometimes ideas and concepts come out of the blue like a bolt of lightning.” Uranus is often called the Great Awakener planet, and for good reason — after its sleepy retrograde, we’re ready to pounce on any and all opportunities. Take advantage of this energy: Start new projects, pick up old ones that got left behind, and lean on your creativity to move you forward.

Since Uranus is moving direct in the stubborn sign of Taurus, Murphy says that our foundations will be most affected — areas related to money, material possessions, real estate, and our connection to our values. Astrologers are warning us to expect the unexpected. This is especially true “since the North Node of Destiny enters Taurus the same day,” says Lisa Stardust, author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck. “As Uranus turns direct, we will have a chance to look inwards by becoming the most unique and authentic versions of ourselves.”

The day after Uranus goes direct, the sun will move into the sign of the water bearer, meaning that Aquarius season is finally upon us. “Since Uranus is the modern ruler of Aquarius, the light of the Sun super-charges the element of surprise and the possibility of unexpected events happening around this time,” Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Inner Luminary Power. “Themes around the environment, insurrection, technology, the financial market, and cryptocurrencies are bound to be all over the news.”

Change can be scary, but it’s needed. “Taurus isn’t a sign that is known for its embrace of change, but look at the way you are being asked to change and leave your comfort zone… and think about how it may be catapulting you towards your ‘cosmic zone,'” Murphy suggests. “These changes may be connecting you to a new level of worthiness, self-esteem, or value to what you offer to the world. Uranus direct wants to teach you you have enough, you do enough, and you are enough.”

Last year, Uranus taught us to embrace authenticity — that the more we leaned into ourselves and our truths, the happier we would be, Montúfar says. “And 2022, this trend not only continues — it accelerates.” Uranus direct will help free us, so let your freak flags fly and start living your truth. What’ve you got to lose?

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This Is When Mercury Will Be In Retrograde In 2022

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It’s a new year, and you know what that means — there’s a new cycle of Mercury retrogrades for us to get through. Since 2021’s retrogrades were pretty chaotic, I decided to look ahead at 2022 to see exactly when the Planet of Communication’s backwards dances will descend upon us, to help you get ahead of the astrological game.

The Planet of Communication’s backwards spin always sends us into a tizzy: we experience difficulties with technology, our personal connections and communications get wonky, and even our travel plans go haywire. But on the brighter side, these transits also give us an opportunity to reflect and, if we take advantage of them, to plan out changes that could make our lives happier.

Mercury retrogrades three to four times a year — more than any other planet in our solar system — and the planet is relatively close to our own. As a result, the Rx energy is noticeable, and it plagues us pretty often. In 2022, Mercury will retrograde four times, which means that “we will be experiencing major cosmic shifts and changes throughout the year,” according to Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck.

What’s more, while Mercury usually tracks backward in just one element a year, in 2022, three of the four Rxs will occur in two elements: air and earth. What does that mean for you? According to Stardust, we can expect to examine the way we handle materialistic things and our finances this year. It’s all about the money, honey.

The dates Mercury will retrograde in 2022 in the U.S. are:

January 14 to February 3. From January 14 to January 25, the retrograde will occur in the sign of Aquarius; from January 25 to February 3, it will shift into Capricorn. The pre-retrograde shadow (which is the time before the retrograde officially kicks off, when we may already start feeling the effects of the movement) will begin on December 29, 2021 and the post-retrograde shadow ends on February 23.

May 10 to June 3. From May 10 to May 22, the retrograde will take place in in Gemini; from May 22 to June 3, it will cross into Taurus. The pre-retrograde shadow will begin on April 25, and the post-retrograde shadow ends on June 18.

September 9 to October 2. From September 9 to September 23, Mercury retrograde will be in Libra; from September 23 to October 2, it will be in Virgo. The pre-retrograde shadow will begin on August 22, and the post-retrograde shadow ends on October 16.

December 29 to January 18, 2023 in Capricorn. The pre-retrograde shadow will begin on December 12, and the post-retrograde shadow ends on February 23, 2023.

Take these dates, add them to your 2022 calendar, and plan for the year ahead. As we mentioned, Mercury retrograde isn’t all bad, but it can cause some chaos, and preparing for what’s to come can help you handle it with grace — and even to come out on top. “Retrogrades are a time of reflection and somewhat erratic activity — not necessarily the doom and gloom that we all think,” Stardust points out. “If used correctly, we can make major changes in our lives that will affect us for years to come in amazing ways.”

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Astrologically speaking, 2022 is already off to a pretty good start. We’ve got Jupiter in Pisces, Mars in Sagittarius, and now, the very first new moon of the year will occur in the ambitious, hard-working sign of Capricorn on January 2. Thankfully, we’ll be starting the New Year out on the right foot.

This new moon is setting the vibes for 2022, and we’re using this year to get down to business. “Having the first new moon of the year be in Capricorn, as opposed to Aquarius, sets the tone for the year ahead, and it’s all about taking action steps and bringing family and career to the forefront,” says Madi Murphy, co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution.

The luminary doesn’t just mark the start of 2022 — it also marks the start of a brand-new personal year, Murphy says. “We think of it this way because it’s a time when we set our intentions for what we want in the year ahead,” she says. “These goals become like a mountain, and that mountain becomes the object we set out to climb. Luckily, Capricorn has a determination that equips us with the patience, discipline, and persistence to reach the top.”

It may be cliché to tell you to set goals for yourself this New Year, but the proof is in the stars — or, rather, the moon. Now is, astrologically, the perfect time to create mood boards, write down action plans, and start working towards what we want for ourselves as 2022 starts to unravel before us. “While this may not be the most entertaining or fun-filled lunation, it will serve us extremely well if we put these positive, realistic, and useful energies to work getting in gear for the New Year,” says Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer for Keen.com.

The first new moon of the year is especially… Capricorn-y, because four celestial bodies are in the sign of the goat: the sun, the moon, Venus retrograde, and Juno, the asteroid. “This is going to be one of the most critical points of the retrograde of Venus, when things might be super intense in relationships of all kinds,” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Luminary Power. “This is when some of them might come to an end, in fact. However, if we manage to look beneath the annoyance and pain, this lunation can really give us a glance at the things we need to change in order to be more successful in the new year.”

Your relationship could fall victim to the Great Uncuffing, or it could persevere through the holiday season and into 2022 — just know that either way, there may be some road bumps that you have to tackle first. If anything, the new moon energy will give us a relationship reality check and help us to realize what we really want out of love.

During this new moon, both the sun and the moon will be forming a trine with Uranus, the Planet of Change and Freedom, according to Montúfar. This astrological happening is bringing that tried and true “new year, new me” energy. “This connection is more than ideal for abandoning the old and stepping into the new,” she says. “So, if we feel like we are still dragging negative stuff from 2021, Uranus will help us liberate ourselves from what no longer serves us. While awakening to hard truths might be tough, Uranus will help us err on the side of freedom so we can move on with more confidence and a stronger sense of identity.”

Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck, echoes this, adding that we’ll be “focused on exploring new possibilities as we enter the new year.” She advises us to “get our manifestations in order and write down everything that we want to attain and achieve in the new year” to really take advantage of the new moon in Capricorn.

The moon will also be in a sextile with Neptune, which Montúfar says is a time in which we can trust our intuition. “Connecting to it will be key when it comes to making important decisions,” she says. “During this lunation, our intuition, creativity, and perception will be stronger than usual.” In other words: trust your gut.

New moons are known as a celestial clean slate, and these vibes coupled with the new year are making letting go and moving on all the more important. What do you want to leave behind in 2021? What do you want to change and pursue in 2022? Think on it, manifest it, and get to work.

“The new moon is inviting you to sit down, put pen to paper, and get really honest with ourselves,” Murphy says. This is the time to open your heart to those seemingly unattainable dreams and desires — the ones that thrill you and scare you in equal measure. This moon is giving you its blessing. What are you going to do with it?

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If you don’t have plans this Saturday night, don’t sweat it. There’s a powerful new moon total solar eclipse in Sagittarius taking place that will provide more than enough weekend entertainment for all of us — in a good way. While eclipses are often strikingly intense, the upcoming lunation on December 4 is bringing a much more positive, optimistic tone to the astrological world. Forget about
New Years’ resolutions — now is the season to focus on your eclipse epiphanies.

“The astrology of this eclipse is about an ending of a chapter and asking us to let go of the things we are trying to control or releasing things we have outgrown,” says Madi Murphy, the co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution. New moon eclipses tend to be seen as a chance to make positive changes, and the nearness of this one to Mercury, and its positioning in Sagittarius, gives it an “if you believe in yourself, anything is possible” vibe, Murphy says. In essence, we’re being “asked to free ourselves from anything that is not connected to the core of our most authentic and spiritual selves,” she explains.

There’s a distinctly hopeful mood to this new moon solar eclipse, thanks to the influence of Sagittarius, a sign ruled by the lucky planet of Jupiter. “Sagittarius is the sign of the higher mind that focuses on expansion and the big picture,” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Luminary Power. “So, during this lunation, we get cosmic permission to think big and feel optimistic about our future growth and all its possibilities.” Right now, the world is quite literally our oyster. Ask yourself, what would you try out, if no one could tell you no? Envision it, then go do it.

“Sagittarius and Jupiter like to do things in a big way,” adds Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer at Keen.com. “Go big with a plan and you will have a good chance at accomplishing something worthwhile.”

But Montúfar makes an important distinction: While eclipses can open and close doors, it’s more useful to plan on surrendering to the universe’s plans during this time, rather than on harnessing the energy of the lunation to push through your own plans. And as many of us know, the universe’s plans for us are often bigger and better than anything we can dream up for ourselves. So, pay attention to what’s naturally being brought into your life or taken out of it, and work on letting it happen.

This eclipse also marks the end of a cycle that began in early June 2020, when the first eclipse in Sagittarius took place, says Montúfar. “Since this is the last eclipse that will occur in the sign of the archer in many years, we are closing a cycle that began back then,” she says. The major themes of that very first Sag eclipse were revolution and anger — two things that were undoubtedly prominent in the thick of the pandemic and during the protests aimed at fighting racial inequality, police brutality, and systemic racism in the United States. Since then, how have you used those emotions to create meaningful change? Have you put in effort to make the world a better, more equitable place? Although we’re rounding out this eclipse cycle on a positive note, it’s still important to ask yourself these questions and be truthful with your answers — if you are disappointed in them, vow to work harder in 2022.

In other planetary news, this particular solar eclipse in Sagittarius aligns with Mercury and Saturn. It’s also sharing a minor frustration with Uranus, the Planet of Rebellion. “This is giving us the drive and power to move away from the constructs that have been holding us back,” says Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck. “It’s bringing a major release as we move towards the next vision.”

There’s also the involvement of Neptune, the Planet of Dreams — which just went direct — and the asteroid Vesta, which gives this lunation a very deep, spiritual nature. “While Neptune’s influence can be confusing due to all these Sagittarius planets forming a square to it, we can use it to attune to this planet’s higher vibration and inspirational energy,” Montúfar says. “Approaching Neptune’s energy means focusing on activities like meditation, visualization, and creative pursuits.” And if 2021 has been a particularly brain-foggy year for you, these practices are even more important to try out.

Release. Freedom. Change. This is what the new moon total eclipse is gifting us. Murphy says that the end of this eclipse season is a good time to “separate truth from illusion, to liberate yourself from outdated beliefs and to welcome in beneficial cosmic change.” Although we might not know what’s in store for us, we do have the power to set our own course — or, at least, to embrace it.

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What The End Of Neptune Retrograde Means For You

Ah, Neptune, the Planet of Illusion, Deception, and Dreams. For the past five months, this planetary body has been in retrograde, which means it’s been appearing to move backwards through the sky. Retrograde can be a scary term, but Neptune’s backwards dance is more subtle than say, Mercury’s, due to it being much farther from the Earth. Even so, we’ll notice a definite shift when Neptune retrograde finally comes to an end on December 1.

Neptune retrograde exposed the harsh realities of the world to us and, at times, made us feel uncertain and confused. But now, it’s a different story. “We will be seeing situations clearly, after not being able to since June 25 when the dreamy planet started its retrograde journey,” says Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck. The rose-colored glasses are coming off and on at a rapid pace here, so chill out and slow down as you figure out what’s real and what’s not.

Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer at Keen.com, agrees. “Neptunian events have a tendency to appear as surprising, but in actuality the basis of what gets revealed was there all along, just hidden in a fog of confusion and obscured from recognition,” she says. And, sorry to break it to you, but this can be especially true for matters involving our relationships — this is the time when you may be forced to face the reality that a person you’re interested in just doesn’t feel the same way, Hale notes. Our advice? Take some stock in your romances during this time. What have you learned in the past five months? What have you been missing? Being disappointed or heartbroken can feel like a bummer, but use this time of newfound clarity as a stepping stone to becoming your better self.

Neptune is often associated with spirituality and imagination, and Stardust says we’ll be focusing on spiritual endeavors instead of materialistic ones, especially since Neptune is in the tender sign of Pisces. “It’s a great time to start healing and working towards mending issues, particularly personal traumas,” she says. “Also, embracing our inner artistry and talents, and opening ourselves up to unconditional love and mysticism or spirituality.”

When Neptune retrogrades, we’re more likely to listen to our inner voice and our psychic abilities may increase — now, we’re ready to share that knowledge with the world. “Pay attention to what you have learned about your intuition over the past five and a half months, who has shown up for you in your inner circle, and any lessons in spiritual discernment (aka any reveals around teachers, gurus, or ideologies that may not be up to snuff),” says Madi Murphy, the co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution. “Life is about to feel a little dreamier as we move into the clouds again, but we want to make sure our feet are on solid ground.”

Murphy suggests using this time of Neptune’s direct motion to go deeper into journaling, visualization, or meditation. “Use compassion as your compass and see what your imagination and creativity want to reveal to you now,” she says.

There are some vines to be on the lookout for during Neptune’s move. “This year, Neptune goes direct around the time the solar eclipse in Sagittarius takes place, as both of the luminaries and Mercury form a square with it,” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Luminary Power. “This will intensify the feeling of being lost in a cloud of confusion. Our vitality could take a toll around this time, so it’s important to keep a lighter schedule and rest around December 3, which is when this powerful lunar event takes place.” Rest is always important, so just make sure you’re marking down December 3 as the perfect day for a cat nap — or two.

Neptune can be positive in its effects on our creativity and ability to exercise compassion, says Montúfar. “Since Neptune will be crucial to the astrology of 2022, we should all try to attune to its vibration, even when feeling like swimming in a foggy sea of nothingness.” So push through those clouds and allow yourself to come out on the other side, clear and ready to take on the world — the fate of your 2022 is depending on it.

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Mercury Is In Sagittarius — Embrace The Chaos

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Sagittarius season has finally arrived. When the sun moved into the sign of the archer on November 21, it brought with it positive vibes and joy. And now on November 24, Mercury, the Planet of Communication, slides into Sag, ushering in another dose of optimistic and idealistic energy that will persist until December 13, when the tiny planet moves on and into Capricorn.

Mercury is in its detriment (aka at its weakest point) in Sagittarius — that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does bring up some habits that it’s best to be aware of. “When Mercury moves into Sag, our minds expand,” says Madi Murphy, the co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution. “Thoughts become bigger, visions become enhanced, and, yes, stories become exaggerated.” We’ll be channeling some major Taylor Swift energy for the next couple of weeks, Murphy says — extravagant and entertaining storytelling will be our M.O. “Use your communication skills to take others on an adventure with you to help broaden others minds or get other people excited,” she suggests. “You may find yourself dazzling people with your wit and exuberance.”

Although being more charming and witty sounds fun (as long as you keep your exaggerations from getting away from you too much), we can run into some snags while the speedy planet is hanging out in Sagittarius too. Archers, infamously, have a tendency to put their feet in their mouths. And because Mercury influences our communication, Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck, says that the planet’s entrance into the sign makes it especially likely that this period’s blunt and direct nature will seep into our contact with others. “This placement doesn’t really rely on facts; it’s a very impulsive and impetuous placement for Mercury, which makes communication happen quickly without knowing all of the truth of the matter,” she says. This is part of why Sagittarius is one of the chatty planet’s least favorite placements, “because Mercury loves to know the tea and all the details of the situation before taking action, which is the juxtaposing energy of this transit,” Stardust notes.

Being impulsive isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but be aware of when you need to pull in the reins as this month goes on. Specifically, Murphy says we need to watch out for where your passion turns into preachiness. “We love that you have such conviction and courage in your beliefs, but it doesn’t mean that everyone has to feel the same way,” she says. Keep this piece of advice tucked in your back pocket — with the holidays approaching, it may be a good idea to keep any family drama on the down low. But still, some battles are worth it. If you reflect and decide you still want to ruffle some feathers, Murphy says, “I also support that.”

One particular day to look out for is December 7 — Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer for Keen.com, says this will be a pretty confusing time due to Mercury clashing with Neptune, the Planet of Illusion. “This is not a good day for making solid decisions or for meetings as the truth may be hard to come by,” she says. “Don’t believe all you hear, and remember that Neptune can make things appear worse (or better) than they really are. This is a good day to take things with a grain of salt, and let the fog clear before making any type of decision or commitment.” Beware of donning rose colored glasses today and take a day before making big choices — trust us.

In all, Mercury in Sagittarius is full of possibilities. We’re interested in broad perspectives and feel upbeat and empowered to take on whatever comes our way. For the next two weeks, embrace the chaos — after all, what’s more fun than that?

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This might just be my Sagittarius moon talking, but Sagittarius season is one of the best times of the astrological year. From November 21 to December 21 (when the sun moves on into Capricorn), the air will be imbued with a sense of adventure and optimism, making us feel ready to take on the world. As we hurtle towards the end of yet another hectic year, Sag season bringing us into a positive headspace feels like a major gift.

Unlike Scorpio, Sagittarius isn’t interested in drama or diving deep into intense emotions. “After the intensity of Scorpio season, the sun’s entrance into the sign of the Archer should feel mellow and healing,” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Luminary Power. This will feel especially pronounced during the first ten days of Sagittarius season, Montúfar says. Take advantage of the positivity coming your way and figure out a way to work this energy into your life — optimism can be your secret weapon as we enter into the stressful holiday season.

But the happiness this month can bring isn’t empty-headed. While the sun is in the sign of the archer, we can make a lot of progress toward our goals. Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck says that Sag season gives us “a moment to be adventurous and take fearless action to move towards our visions.” Now is the time to work towards making whatever you’ve been manifesting for the past year a reality. The energy is there — all you have to do is act on it.

One of the best aspects happening during Sagittarius season is the sextile between Saturn and Chiron on November 26. “This is a rare opportunity to heal old and past wounds, and since it’s happening around Thanksgiving, it could bring the very much-needed healing we need in our relationships,” Montúfar says. Whether you need to mend a romantic relationship or a platonic one, this is the best time of year to create harmony. And Lucky for us, Montúfar says that these good vibes will last until the end of the year.

There will be some eventful moments packed in there, due to Neptune stationing direct just days before the last solar eclipse in Sagittarius. “From this moment until the arrival of the full moon in Gemini on December 18, so many endings will occur,” Montúfar says. “These two weeks will most likely feel weird, as we will be closing a chapter that began in May of 2020 as this lunation rises in the sky.” Endings can be painful, but they can also be illuminating. With this cycle coinciding with the end of 2021, things in your life hitting their expiration date may feel more satisfactory than sad. Embrace your evolution — change doesn’t have to be a scary thing. Often, it can lead us to exactly where we need to be.

There is a particular day to be wary of, though: December 4. This is when the total solar eclipse will take place and connect with Mercury, which Stardust says adds force, passion, and drive to our lives. But, there’s a caveat. “Words will hurt on that day,” she warns. “Sagittarius is it only a sign of the zodiac who has a weapon (the bow and arrow) so they shoot right to the heart with words.” Although taking a beat before sounding off on someone is always a good idea, it will be especially helpful during this chaotic transit. Remember: Your words carry power and weight. Use them wisely.

The main theme of this year’s Sagittarius season is freedom, says Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer at Keen.com. “You may feel a desire to be free to pursue your own ideas and goals,” she says. “You may even strongly want to cut ties with any person or situation that seems to hold you back.” If there’s one thing to get out of Sagittarius season, it’s that change and letting go can be healing — therapeutic, even. Let this be your time to let go of the reigns and see what can happen. What have you got to lose?

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Erin Wallace is 25 years old and almost $200,000 in debt. And it’s not because she recently bought a house, or is carrying a huge credit card balance. Instead, it’s because she decided to become a teacher.

Wallace received both her undergraduate degree and her masters in education from Ithaca College, a private college with a tuition of almost $50,000 a year for undergrad, $20,000 a year for grad school. Now, three years after graduating, the monthly student loan payment on Wallace’s private loans is almost $800 dollars. She takes home $1,880 every other week as a teacher, and says she feels trapped — like she can barely afford her enormous loan payments and the cost of rent in New York City, where she works. But, “that’s the lowest I could get them after I refinanced them,” she tells Refinery29. And when the hold put on her federal loans as part of a COVID-19 emergency relief program ends next January, she’ll be paying even more. “It puts so many restraints on my life,” she says.

Wallace is from Ithaca, NY, which is part of the reason she wanted to attend Ithaca College; she wanted to stay close to home. She knew she’d have to take out loans wherever she attended, but says she didn’t give enough weight to the dollar amount of the loans she’d have to take out when she was looking at schools. “I definitely wasn’t thinking about money, and I definitely wasn’t thinking about how much money I’d be making as a teacher,” she says. “I was just thinking about where I thought I would be happiest.” 

Wallace’s story is relatively common in her field. Nearly two in three educators under age 35 took out student loans, and one in seven owe more than $105,000, reports the National Education Association (NEA). The average educator took out $55,800 in loans, and they still owe, on average, $58,700, which reveals part of the issue: Student loans often have high interest rates, and educators’ salaries remain too low to keep up, leaving them with ever-increasing amounts of debt. The NEA notes that many teachers carry their debt into their retirement. What’s more, Black educators are often much more likely not only to take on debt, but also to take on higher amounts of it. 

This same situation is playing out across other industries. Students borrow money to pay for their education, expecting that their degree will help them secure a good-paying job, which in turn will let them pay back their student loans. Sometimes, that happens. But very often, a graduate soon realizes that their starting salary isn’t enough to cover the cost of living and the cost of paying back what they borrowed — and sometimes, their salary won’t ever be enough. Particularly when they’ve taken out loans to pay for the exorbitant costs of private colleges.

As Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY) said during a February 2021 press conference about federal student loan debt forgiveness, student debt burden is “due in part to the fact that wages have remained stagnant for decades, even as the cost of a college education has skyrocketed.” Private college tuition in particular has soared. In the 1980/81 school year, the average student paid $2,737 for a year’s worth of classes, plus room and board, at public colleges, and $5,470 at private schools, reports the National Center for Education Statistics. Now, the average in-state tuition is $10,388 per year for public universities, $22,698 for out-of-state, and $38,185 per year for private universities. According to FinAid.org, tuition has risen at twice the rate of inflation while post-grad salaries have barely budged. As CNBC reported, college costs have increased by 169% since 1980 — but pay for young workers is up by just 19%.

This dichotomy between increasing education costs and stagnant salaries is leading many people to ask whether college is a scam, and whether or not private college, in particular, is ever worth it. For some time now, the consensus is that the more expensive — and thus more exclusive — an education is, the more it will be valued by prospective employers, and in turn lead to better job opportunities. But, a 2016 study from Columbia University found that while graduates of selective private colleges tended to earn higher salaries than graduates from public schools, people with public school degrees were more likely to have a full-time job four years after earning their bachelor degree. The researchers also pointed out that once the student debt-to-earnings ratio is factored in, the salary advantages of private institutions start to pale. “Unsurprisingly, taking loan debt into account makes public institutions look better,” the study authors wrote. 

The researchers noted that a student’s major made a difference: STEM and, to some degree, business majors tended to earn more across the board, which could make the name recognition and resulting high cost of a private institution worth it. But for people going into other fields, it’s becoming impossible to justify taking on high student loan debt, including in fields — like journalism — traditionally known for prioritizing degrees from top private universities. 

Amanda Mull, staff writer at The Atlantic, went to a public, in-state university — the University of Georgia — and graduated with zero debt, thanks to the HOPE Scholarship Program, a program in Georgia that assists students who meet certain GPA thresholds with tuition costs. “I didn’t have to take out any student loans. I knew people at UGA who had student loans for living expenses and things like that, but I didn’t know anybody who had this sort of high, five- to six-figure loans that are really common among people who went to private schools,” Mull tells Refinery29. “I went essentially for free.” Other states have similar scholarship programs, including California, Louisiana, Missouri, and South Carolina. Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and New Mexico fund student scholarships through state lottery winnings.

Mull knew she wanted to study journalism, but she didn’t seriously consider paying more money to attend a top-tier program at big-name private schools like Medill at Northwestern University or the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Mull explains that this is part due to the fact that she’s from the South, where private colleges, in general, carry less clout. “There’s a sense that college should be fun, you should go to a place that has a nice town and bars and restaurants and good weather and an opportunity for you to be at a sorority or fraternity if you want to, and sort of have the Animal House college experience,” she says. “I think that having that experience is, in some respects, considered a failure of ambition by some other people with different ideas of prestige.” For Mull, the decision to go to UGA came down to a couple of things: the price was right, and she knew she’d be getting a solid education at what seemed like a fun school. And, considering that journalism isn’t known for being a high-paying field, it seemed like a good fit. 

Mull has been happy with her decision. “Having no student debt and going to a public school on a scholarship absolutely created the foundation for the life I have right now,” she says. “My parents are middle-class; we’re not rich. They could not have paid for me to go to a private school. I would have had to take a lot of loans to do anything like that, and if I had significant student loan debt I’m almost certain I wouldn’t live in New York. I certainly would not have the job I have now.”

The pandemic has brought a new angle to the conversation around whether or not college is worth an enormous investment. Last year, many institutions only held virtual classes due to COVID-19 restrictions, and yet did not change their tuition costs at all. In fact, some schools — including Harvard and Yale — raised their tuition for the 2020/21 school year, citing, in part, increased costs associated with adapting to virtual learning, and the loss of revenue-earners like dorm fees. Students, however, argued that they were getting an inferior product: Virtual classes were less effective and engaging than in-person sessions, and some teachers struggled to adapt to the technology. Why should they be asked to pay more? In fact, virtual schooling was so unappealing that one in four high school graduates in 2020 delayed their college plans. 

Increasingly, there seems to be a fundamental misalignment between what students expect to receive in exchange for their tuition, and what institutions of higher education believe they’re being paid to deliver. As Scott Galloway, the co-host of New York Magazine’s Pivot podcast, said in an interview with Intelligencer, the “intransigent obsession with exclusivity and prestige” is the main culprit here. “Elite universities and their leaders have decided they want to be Birkin bags, not public servants,” Galloway says. “The universities have morphed from the greatest upward lubricant in history to the enforcer of an emerging caste system in America.” 

Private colleges appear to be stuck in some alternate reality where their brand name alone secures graduates access to a career with high earning potential — but that simply hasn’t been shown to be the case, especially if students must take on huge amounts of debt to attend. “Having the name of a particular college on your resume will not do anything for you all by itself,” says William Deresiewicz, PhD, former Yale professor and author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life. “In fact, for any given student, according to a large-scale study, where you go to college has no impact, on average, on your future earnings. What matters is the student, in other words, not the school.” A few industries (like medicine) still give enough weight to brand-name schools to make the return on investment worthwhile, he acknowledges. But most of the time, there’s no advantage to taking on large amounts of debt in order to attend a private institution.

“What we need — and this has nothing to do with college — is to recreate an economy where you don’t have to go to college to have a decent life,” Dr. Deresiewicz says. He says we must prioritize providing every citizen with free or affordable child care and health care, and a live-able minimum wage — the sorts of resources that can improve overall quality of life and allow people to more easily gain the training they need to succeed in their field, whatever that looks like. “I don’t think that everyone should go to college, but I certainly think everyone should have the chance. Money should not be an obstacle,” says Dr. Deresiewicz. “People who want to go [to college] and can’t go should be helped to go — but you also shouldn’t have to go in order to have a middle class life.”

In an ideal world, “the only thing people would have to consider is what their talents and interests are,” he says. “College would be a place of intellectual seriousness and rigor as well as free and fearless debate. The working world would offer lots of jobs that do not require a college degree but that pay middle-class incomes. Whether we are working towards that world, or whether it is a pipe dream, neither I nor anyone can say.”

As it is, experts are increasingly telling would-be college students to consider what they’re getting in exchange for what they’d be paying for their education. “You can’t assume that private institutions are always automatically better just because they are private or expensive. It is important to ask questions about both graduation rates and post-college outcomes,” Judith Scott-Clayton, PhD, one of the authors of the Columbia University study, told Money about her research. It’s also essential to consider how much debt you’d have to take on, and weigh that against what you can expect to earn post-grad and the kind of lifestyle you’d like to live. Sometimes, borrowing money to pay for a private education makes sense — but not often.

Wallace doesn’t exactly regret going to Ithaca College, but does say that if she were to do it over, she would have chosen another college — and it wouldn’t have been a private one. “What I got out of school was my masters and undergrad in five years,” Wallace says. “I wouldn’t be prepared for the job I have now if it weren’t for the courses that I took, but I could’ve probably taken the same courses at a SUNY school.” She doesn’t think having the Ithaca College name on her resume helped her get the job she has now. And she knows that if she went to public instead of private school, she’d be in a different financial situation. “My sisters both go to SUNY schools, so they’ll have around $30k loans,” she says. Wallace’s sisters will be able to pay off their debt in a much shorter time frame — meaning more financial freedom in the long run. Wallace, on the other hand, knows she’ll have to plan her life around her debt, including living with roommates or even moving back home to be able to begin to pay down her balance.

Now, not a day goes by where Wallace doesn’t think about the crushing weight of her loans. “It’s this big looming thing that’s always going to be there and it’s never going to go away,” she says. It’s hard to say anything would be worth that.

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I love love. It’s fun, it’s heartwarming, and it brings excitement into our lives. Keeping tabs on the movements of Venus, the planet that rules love and relationships, can help us keep up with what’s in store for us, romance-wise — and Venus’s latest moves are indicating that we’re in for quite a change. On November 5, the Planet of Love will leave adventurous Sagittarius and enter practical Capricorn, where it’ll stay until March 6, 2022.

The major theme for Venus in Capricorn? Commitment. “If you’re suddenly not feeling the casual flings, booty calls, or one-night stands anymore, this Venus transit may be the culprit,” says Madi Murphy, the co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution. “This is a serious position for Venus, and you may be getting honest with yourself about what you want.”

The cuffing season energy here is strong, and if your situationship isn’t ready to be DTR’d, then you may get the urge to move on for good. If you’re looking for a lover, be careful who you’re swiping right on — Venus in Capricorn will have you interested in more serious relationships, so make sure your prospective partner checks all of the boxes before diving into a whirlwind romance. Murphy advises us to ask ourselves these important questions: How has your idea of what love and relationships mean changed over the past year? Where have you matured? What is the new commitment you are making to yourself (or your partner)?

Once those are answered, prepare yourself for what’s to come: Venus retrograde. Yep, the reason Venus is hanging around in the sign of the goat for so long is because it is entering an intense retrograde from December 19 to January 29 — and all that means that our love lives may be a bit more chaotic than usual. In fact, the planet will enter its pre-shadow zone on November 17, go fully retrograde on December 19, then linger in its post-retrograde shadow period until March 1. This will be the time for some deep soul-searching, so be prepared to get to know yourself on a whole new level, says Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck.

“Along the way, Venus will have some major transits,” adds Stardust. “For instance, the first Venus Star Point of 2022 occurs on January 8 during the retrograde.” This astrological phenomenon happens when the Earth, the sun, and Venus align in the sky to form what looks like a five-pointed star. “It’s a great time for manifesting love and money,” she says. “Being that Venus will be retrograde, it’s more about reflecting on what you want to bring in and leave behind.”

Another transit to look out for: Venus will conjunct Pluto, the Planet of Power and Transformation, on December 11, December 25 (while in retrograde), and March 3, bringing our ambitions to the forefront. “This means that we will ring in the new year with a huge lesson on how we use our power not only in relationships, but also in our career,” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Luminary Power. This aspect brings an energy that’s perfect for constructing a plan, and since Venus in Capricorn tends to be very career-focused, Murphy advises you to ask yourself exactly what action steps you can take to work towards your goals. Then, take them. “This is your invitation to stop selling yourself short, settling for breadcrumbs, and undermining your authority,” Murphy says.

Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer for Keen.com, says that during this particular aspect, we will be inclined to look beneath the surface in terms of relationships and personal values. “By doing this, we have a chance to figure out what is really working and what is not,” she says. But, be wary — obsession, jealousy, suspicion, and mistrust can become a theme with this aspect. “The more honest you are about your real feelings to yourself and others, the sooner you can let go of fears, feelings of betrayal, or other negative emotions from the past,” Hale says.

Although it may get a bad rap sometimes, Capricorn is a powerful, ambitious sign. And with Venus in its domain for the next four months, we can use the sign’s practicality and persistence to be unstoppable.

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The New Moon In Scorpio Brings Out Your Dark Side

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We’re in the midst of Scorpio season, one of the most intense parts of the astrological year. It can be chaotic, but ultimately this time of year will inspire us to release the past and make way for the future. And the new moon in Scorpio, which occurs on November 4, makes that distinctly scorpion-like desire for a transformation even stronger. New moons always symbolize beginnings and fresh starts, but with this double dose of Scorpio energy, we simply won’t be able to ignore our drive to create change.

Scorpio, as a sign, is pretty emotional, so this week may bring up some intense feelings. Don’t back down. “Deeply buried emotions can be triggered during this new moon, and the best way to deal with them is by allowing them to come out, as uncomfortable as it feels,” says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Luminary Power. This is especially true because this luminary is ruled by both Mars and Pluto, which Montúfar says are the two most intense planetary energies. “Together, they will work hard to help us release fears and insecurities — but we must dare to go deep and explore some of our shadow side in order to get there,” she says.

We all have a dark side, one that we often shy away from or try to hide. But this new moon is inviting us to look that part of ourselves square in the eye. Ask yourself, What do I want to change about myself? What can I heal from that’s in my control? Maybe you’ve been acting selfishly lately and want to be more giving, or you’ve been short with your partner and want to be a better listener and more understanding. As Montúfar said, the best way we can get through this emotional new moon is to face our inner, darker selves head on to see where and how we can move forward. Do something productive to let out your emotions, like journaling or even heading to a rage room — anything that helps you release your innermost feelings. “If we have been wanting to make significant changes in our lives but haven’t dared to take the leap, this lunation could pave the road for them to finally happen,” Montúfar says.

Of course, as we know, new beginnings go hand in hand with endings. “For some, this new moon will coincide with breaking away from things and individuals you feel are standing in your way,” says Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer for Keen.com. “This can be the ending of a planned response such as leaving a job, or it can more likely be an unplanned response that occurs out of the blue. If this is the case, it would be the result of tensions that have been building for some time.”

The new moon’s transformational energy is all the more potent thanks to its tight opposition with Uranus, the Planet of Rebellion, that is currently retrograde in Taurus. “We can expect impulsive emotional outbursts — from ourselves and others,” warns Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck. Madi Murphy, the co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution, agrees. “Wild, eccentric, rebel-with-a-cause planet Uranus brings an erratic energy, so your emotions may be all over the place,” she says. “Notice where you may feel extra irritable or impulsive; this may be a reaction to the enormous energy shifts going on. Many will feel unsettled.”

There are things we can do to work through this frenetic energy. “Ask yourself how you can self-regulate and ground your energy so you can integrate these frequencies,” suggests Murphy. “This new moon is like a high-voltage shock running through you. What are the pylons you have in place to help you absorb it?”

The new moon will square Saturn in Aquarius as well, directly setting off the Saturn and Uranus squares that have been happening in 2021 (and what astrologers have called the defining aspect of 2021). There was one on February 17 and another on June 14, and one more is coming on December 24. To prep for this transit, Stardust says to think back to these two dates — what was happening in your life then? When Saturn and Uranus form a square, the problems within our political, financial, and social institutions often become exposed, Montúfar previously told Refinery29.”This new moon sets off those aspects and transits,” Stardust says. “Therefore, we can expect another element of the situations from those dates to resurface and to set the stage for the final Uranus and Saturn square that occurs on December 24.”

Change can be scary — but ultimately, it’s often for the better. “You are able to manifest some amazing changes now,” says Murphy. “Like a snake shedding its skin, you are being asked to shapeshift into a much more potent and powerful version of yourself.”

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I’ve never been a quitter. That’s not a brag: I’ve stayed in shitty jobs for far too long, failed to end relationships that had clearly passed their expiration dates, and wasted so much time struggling through other meaningless commitments that no longer served me. I’ve stuck things out when there was every indication that I shouldn’t. It’s a curse, really, and one that has brought plenty of unwanted drama into my life. But when I ask myself why letting myself give up on certain people or situations feels so damn hard, my only answer is that I’m afraid. Not that I’m losing a good thing, but that I’ll be branded a quitter.

The fear of quitting is real, says Ellen Hendriksen, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and the author of How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety. She tells me that this fear is often related to something psychologists call the sunk cost fallacy, a term that refers to people’s tendency to continue a behavior or a commitment once they’ve already invested significant, unrecoverable effort into it. For example, if someone paid for nonrefundable plane tickets to go on vacation, then broke a leg just before the trip, they’d likely consider the “sunk cost” — the price of the tickets — when deciding whether they should still go. But that money has already been spent; it’s better to consider whether you’ll actually be able to have a good time on the trip, and to take into account the additional money you’ll spend once you’re there, on costs like transportation, food, and entertainment.

The sunk cost fallacy can be applied to personal as well as financial situations. You might delay breaking up with someone just because you’ve already dated for so long — you don’t want to “throw out” however many months or years you’ve already invested. Similarly, you might justify putting off looking for a new job by focusing on all the time and effort you put into getting or gaining expertise in your current job. But actually, the time or effort is a sunk cost — it’s already been spent. So look forward: Putting aside the money or time or energy you’ve put into a situation up until this point, does it make sense for you to spend another year with someone or doing something that doesn’t fulfill you?

So a fear of quitting could be related to a fear of “wasting” sunk costs. It can also be chalked up to a simple fear of change, which many people feel to one degree or another. “Regardless of how we interpret it, it’s a natural human tendency to want to keep doing what we’re doing,” Dr. Hendriksen says. “Change in itself can be scary. Consistency, even if a situation is hurting us or even if it’s uncomfortable, is often more comforting than stepping out and quitting or making some other kind of change.” If you’re thinking about quitting your job, for instance, you might worry that you’ll dislike a new job just as much, or tell yourself that it’s better to settle for the devil you know than to risk things with the one you don’t.

But my specific fear — about being labeled as a quitter — is distinctly American, Dr. Hendriksen says. In the U.S. especially, there’s a belief that anything can be accomplished through hard work. “There’s this cultural ethos of, of course you’re going to struggle, of course you’re going to face setbacks, but ultimately you will prevail and you will succeed,” Dr. Hendriksen says. “And sometimes that’s not actually the case.”

Whether it was my American upbringing, the sunk cost fallacy, a fear of change, or a combination of all three, somewhere along the way I learned to equate being a quitter with being a failure. Fortunately, Dr. Hendriksen says there are ways to get over this kind of fear. She suggests starting by asking yourself: Who is really watching my career and judging my career decisions? Who is actually worried about whether or not I stay with my long-term partner?

Fear can often make us feel like there’s a dark figure is lurking over our shoulders, judging our every move as wrong or embarrassing. But, sometimes that feeling is more internal than external. Say I sign up for an adult intramural sports team, tell all my friends about it, then discover after two games that I hate it and decide I want to quit. My brain tells me, “No, don’t be a quitter.” But who is really thinking that about me? My friends certainly don’t care what I do in my spare time. And even if they do think I’m a quitter, is it more important to me to be happy or to prove them wrong? And if it’s just me thinking I’m a quitter, is there a way to reframe that thought? Why not think of myself as adventurous and flexible for trying something new in the first place? This type of mental flip can make quitting easier — even liberating.

It may not be that you’re afraid of letting someone in your life down — but try asking yourself, What do I really think will happen if I quit this thing? Is that a realistic thought? “We can pinpoint what it is about quitting that makes us anxious or makes us scared, and we can challenge those beliefs or perceptions or we can take action, despite feeling scared or feeling uncertain,” Dr. Hendriksen says.

To me, “being a quitter” means someone who’s not in control of their own future. But in practice, becoming a quitter has made me feel like I have even more of a say in how my life plays out.

While Dr. Hendriksen says it’s good to let go of things that no longer serve you, there is such a thing as a bad quit — usually, a quit that’s impulsive and not well thought out, such as rage quitting your job with no F You Fund in place. “If it’s both rational and seems like the right decision, then I think that’s a good quit,” she says. She also points out that the debate over whether or not to quit something is typically harder than the act and aftermath of quitting. “We usually feel the worst before we make a decision or before we do something. Once we do pull that trigger, we often feel less anxious because now we have more control,” she says. “It’s done. And so we’re not looking forward, we’re not anticipating it any more. Now we’re in it and we can take action.”

If you’re stuck in the debating stage, Dr. Hendriksen has this piece of advice: We often regret the things that we don’t do. If you’re looking to get out of a relationship or a job or any other kind of circumstance that’s draining you, ask yourself what’s really holding you back. You may be holding onto a flimsier reed than you think.

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