Happy February, everyone! I especially love this month because it represents so many good things to me. For one, it contains my birthday, and I do enjoy birthdays! They present a great opportunity (and reminder) for those around us to show that they’re really happy we were born, and I am blessed with many fine people in my life who do just that. An additional benefit of February is that it’s the last theoretically wintry month of the year, which makes it the portal to spring…and who doesn’t love spring? Some religions celebrate Imbolc, Candlemas, or Brigid’s Day on February 2nd, which is the first of three spring celebrations. I can personally see real wisdom in choosing to celebrate joyously what could otherwise be seen as a rather icky month, and I encourage us all to find every excuse to create joy during the last stretch of this wintery season.
Incidentally, this February begins with a rather beneficial, especially cool conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in Capricorn, which will be visible in the east-southeast, early morning sky beginning on the 1st. Check them out on February 4th, about 45 minutes before sunrise, and you will be additionally treated to a planetary triangle formed by Venus, Jupiter and a lovely crescent Moon. I think I’ll set the alarm clock for this one!
So to commemorate this quirky, delightful month, my focus for this article is the equally quirky and mostly delightful sign of Aquarius. The Sun transits Aquarius every year from January 20th to February 18th. Its symbol is the Water Bearer, which sometimes causes a bit of confusion because Aquarius is actually an air sign, and is intellectual in nature. To clarify, Aquarius is a sign of great knowledge and wisdom, and Aquarians are said to enjoy a direct line to the Akashic Records, which can be likened to Universal Memory. Aquarians enjoy sharing the knowledge gained from such unfettered access with those around them, indicated symbolically by the pouring out of wisdom (represented by water) from the Water Bearer’s jar. Thus, the water actually represents knowledge, which is in line with the element of air.
Aquarius is the sign of harmony and unity. As the 11th sign of the Zodiac, it naturally occupies the 11th house of friendship. Aquarians make loyal, devoted friends and often regard their friendships as being the most important relationships in their lives. The more evolved an Aquarian is, the more likely she will create friendships within all of her relationships, be they familial, romantic, or work-related. Friendship is imperative to Aquarius in all aspects of relating. In my personal experience, the breaking up of a romantic relationship -- while potentially heartbreaking, is buffered by the opportunity to retain that person as a good friend. I choose romantic partners who have excellent friendship potential, and as a result, many of my greatest and most enduring friendships began as romances. What I find especially sorrowful is when a romance ends, and my former lover chooses to end the friendship as well. I can happily say that this has been an extremely rare occurrence. It is very difficult for Aquarians when they lose friends, as these close connections have become so much a part of their lives, that it leaves an awful hole when they’re gone. It’s a good thing that Aquarians are charming and outgoing, enabling them to make new friends so easily!
Aquarius is a positive, future-thinking sign which chooses to look at the potential good of every person and situation. If you’re looking for someone on your team who can conceptualize future trends and ideas, recruit an Aquarian. You’ll need to suspend disbelief a bit, since these intellectuals tend to think and communicate in the abstract. Fixed in nature, once an Aquarian sets her mind to do or believe in something or someone, she can be unshakeable and steadfast. If mistaken, however, an evolved Aquarian will be able to shift his thinking quickly in order to accept a different path. This will occur only after the error has been proven beyond a doubt, and being the born detectives of the Zodiac, an Aquarian will leave no stone unturned to get to the truth of the matter.
As innate humanitarians, you will often find Aquarians engaged in some altruistic passion or two in their spare time. We tend to be drawn to socially conscious, compassionate causes, as well as politics and matters of societal justice. Cruelty and unfairness are repulsive to Water Bearers, and being socially outgoing and openly honest, we tend to let those around us know when our sensitivities have been abused by bigotry and hateful statements. The more mature of us have learned to do this in a respectful manner, due to the acquired awareness that on the mundane level we are all entitled to our opinion, and at the spiritual level we are all at different stages of our own evolutionary paths. Even mature Aquarians will stand up at full volume where appropriate, however. We’ve simply learned to pick our battles wisely.
Traditionally, Aquarius was thought to be ruled by Saturn, a terribly uncomfortable alliance for the sign that insists upon marching to the tune of its own drummer. Upon the discovery of Uranus in 1781, however, it became obvious that the eccentric, unpredictable and unconventional energies of this quirky planet were more in tune to Aquarian nature. Uranus has the unusual distinction of revolving on its side, and its unique teal cloud cover is too dense to reveal anything of the planet’s physical secrets to modern science. This maverick planet is a much more fitting overseer of Aquarian energies than staunch Saturn, as it represents the qualities of personal freedom, individuality, new discoveries, and innovative ideas. To provide balance, however, Saturn still maintains co-rulership of Aquarius. This can be thought of as beneficial in that the planet of discipline and restraint helps to stabilize the otherwise erratic, uncontrolled energies of Uranus.
If you fall in love with an Aquarian, you can certainly expect a break from the norm. Aquarians are a rare breed indeed, and even the more conventional ones will surprise you on occasion with an unexpected trait that peeks out of hiding when you get close enough to really know them. Intellectual by nature, be prepared to share in your Aquarian’s love of knowledge, which they soak up like a sponge, seeking out new opportunities to learn in every moment. Life is a discovery for Aquarius, and those who sport this Sun sign are childlike in their desire to know everything there is to know. This passion for information leads the typical Aquarian down many paths in life, and they never seem to tire of shifting on a dime toward the next experience that will bring them closer to ultimate enlightenment. At times this behaviour can make your head spin, so if you’re the type that likes everything to be orderly, commonplace and plodding, you may want to just keep this interesting individual as a friend. However, if you’re looking for a break from routine, someone to stir up your pot and inspire you right out of your comfortable rut, Aquarius is the person for the job! If nothing else, it’ll be quite a romp, and Aquarians certainly love the company on their many experiential jaunts.
One thing of note to understand about Aquarian emotions: They are like Scorpio in that still waters run deep. While on the surface they can appear aloof and icy when something dramatic is happening, if you look a little deeper you will understand that they are feeling the experience every bit as much as you are. The difference is they’re just trying their best to process it while keeping their cool, in an effort to come out on the other side as intact as possible. For example, on New Year’s Eve this year, my boyfriend and I had to drive quite a distance through a snowstorm to get home. (Those of you in southeast Michigan know exactly what I’m talking about!) Some years back, I had experienced a rollover accident in wintery weather, and since then I get a little nervous being on the road in these conditions.
My boyfriend drove, fortunately, and I withdrew inside myself not wanting to panic and make the situation worse. He asked me to talk to him, and I calmly informed him that talking was probably the last thing he wanted me to do at that time! It’s true. If I had tried to talk, the fear would have escaped the carefully constructed compartment in my mind that I’d shoved it in, and the trip home would’ve been entirely different. By remaining quiet, I was able to focus on prayer, working energy for us and all the other drivers, and successfully avoided freaking out and making matters worse. Moral of the story: If your Aquarian love appears to be indifferent to your situation, look deeper. Trust me; they are totally with you in it. It is very likely that they are taking great pains to stay calm and be of better use in a rather trying state of affairs. Remember, these are intellectuals; reason and pragmatism are their tools in tough situations.
Because of the abstract nature of their thinking and communicating…especially those of us with Mercury in Aquarius…it’s very easy to misunderstand the meaning behind an Aquarian’s statements and behaviour. In suggestion for those involved with a Water Bearer, try to respectfully ask for clarification if anything seems a bit off-key. Give him a chance to shift gears and reassemble his thoughts, presenting them to you in a more down-to-earth way. I can almost guarantee that this method will prove to be most beneficial in maintaining a happy relationship! Conversely, I’d like to suggest to my Aquarian brothers and sisters to remain open to the possibility of explaining themselves, and to not take offense when asked. Most of us are aware that we’re a bit “out there” at times, and are therefore more than willing to comply to preserve harmony in our relationships.
Aquarians tend to be the “airiest” of Air signs, and oftentimes appear to be uncomfortable with this human, earth-bound existence. That’s because we usually are. My best friend calls me her “absent-minded professor” because while at times mentally brilliant, I’m often overwhelmed by some of the more mundane activities! Unless we have some strong Earth sign influence in our charts, we can float through life relatively ungrounded. Our heads are often in the clouds, and our eyes are focused on the future. One of the challenges Aquarians face is to become accepting of our purpose in this existence, and to bring ourselves more into the “Now”. We’ve decided to pay Earth a visit for a reason, and accessing this purpose will enable us to fulfill it, and move more easily along our paths.
Meditation and Hatha yoga can be quite beneficial, as well as gardening (digging your hands in the Earth is a great way to ground.) I have been blessed with two Earth sign sons, who have provided me with plenty of opportunities to ground! Carrying powerful grounding stones, such as black onyx or tourmaline, and “earthy” stones, such as malachite or turquoise will help keep us more in the present, while stones like fluorite will help us to focus our often scattered energies. We don’t want to overdo it, however, because there is a purpose for our airiness, and too much grounding can dampen our brilliance and promote depression.
Remember always that balance is the key, so enjoy your radiance and continue to shine your light on the world!
Namaste.
