Lilly leaves on Caddo Lake, Texas, USA, taken by Ian Parker, 2024
(Editor's Note: Above video is of the complete article, as is audio below.)
Written and Narrated by Pam Younghans
Current and previous weeks astrological overviews
Astrological Overview:
January 6 to 12, 2025
Astrologer Pam Younghans writes this weekly astrological overvuew based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.
Aspects of Note this Week:
All times listed are Pacific Standard Time. For Eastern Time, add 3 hours; Add 8 hours for Universal Time (UT).
MONDAY: Retrograde Mars re-enters Cancer, Mars sesquiquadrate Saturn, Mercury square Neptune, Venus semisquare Chiron
TUESDAY: Mercury quincunx Mars
WEDNESDAY: Mercury enters Capricorn, Sun square Chiron
THURSDAY: Jupiter trine Ceres, Neptune semisquare Ceres
FRIDAY: No major aspects are exact today
SATURDAY: Eris stations direct, Venus semisquare Eris
SUNDAY: Mars trine Neptune
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RETURN TO THE WATER: Mars has appeared to be moving backward through fiery Leo since it stationed retrograde on December 6. This Monday, however, the Red Planet returns to watery Cancer, so we are likely to feel a shift in the energies.
Over the next several weeks, we may find ourselves motivated primarily by our emotional needs and a desire to protect ourselves and those we love. Personal goals and issues related to home and family are top priorities.
While Mars is in Cancer, from January 6 to April 18, actions tend to be based more on intuition than on logic. We could find that we are strongly swayed by our mood of the moment and that it is harder to be objective. We may also feel somewhat withdrawn, less inclined to take assertive action — unless, of course, we feel threatened in some way, and then Cancer the Crab can quickly attack.
When a retrograde planet returns to the previous sign, it means that we collectively and individually are needing to learn more from that sign and to consider how we used its energies in the past. With Mars returning to Cancer, we are called to review our actions and emotional reactions of the past couple of months, since mid-October:
* How did we respond when we felt vulnerable or fearful?
* Did we go into fight/flight/freeze mode, the shadow side of Cancer?
* Did we react in anger and attack?
* Or did we use the Crab's gift of being able to sidle, to step to the side (and into the light) to allow for better objectivity and to gain a different, higher perspective?
As we review our previous responses, we have the opportunity to make new choices.
If we realize that we fell into the shadow before, this is not meant to be a time of self-recrimination, but rather a chance for us to grow and change. With Mars retrograde in Cancer, we now have the opportunity to choose to stand in the light in situations where we might once have resorted to anger and defensiveness.
ASPECTS THIS WEEK: Here are my brief interpretations of this week's most important planetary aspects, day by day:
Monday
Retrograde Mars re-enters Cancer: Mars will be retrograde in Cancer until it stations direct on February 23. It will return to Leo on April 18.
Mars sesquiquadrate Saturn: Frustrations and delays are possible with this aspect. We may be uncertain as to our best course of action or could feel overly worried about making a mistake.
Mercury square Neptune: The mind is intuitive and imaginative, but logic may not be our strong suit. Because of information being unclear or somewhat hidden, it is not the best day to make major decisions or to try to communicate our ideas.
Venus semisquare Chiron: People could be very sensitive today and quickly respond in anger, especially if they feel their personal needs are not being honored.
Tuesday
Mercury quincunx Mars: We may speak impulsively and with strong emotions today. We could feel a need to defend something we believe in.
Wednesday
Mercury enters Capricorn: While Mercury is in the sign of the Seagoat, from January 8 to 27, our minds tend to be more serious and realistic. We are drawn to think about and discuss practical matters and have less patience with subjects that seem frivolous or emotional. The mental state can tend to be inflexible and pessimistic at times.
Sun square Chiron: Insecurities arise if we feel we are unable to succeed at a goal we have set. With aspects involving Wounded Healer Chiron, it is always helpful to spend time focused on expressing caring and understanding for the aspect of our being that is feeling fearful.
Thursday
Jupiter trine Ceres, Neptune semisquare Ceres: Nurturing and compassion come more easily with these aspects, and we are able and eager to see the best in others. However, it is important not to idealize a person or a situation, nor to try to rescue another through self-sacrifice. Powers of discernment and personal boundaries may not be strong.
Friday
No major aspects are exact today.
Saturday
Eris stations direct, Venus semisquare Eris: The urge to stand up for oneself and to claim one's rights are heightened with Eris at its station in assertive Aries. Controversies are ignited and burn brightly. Relationships may experience challenges if they do not honor each person as an individual.
Sunday
Mars trine Neptune: Our actions are strongly informed by our intuition and are more fully in alignment with our spiritual values with this influence. Compassion and a desire to be of service motivate us to take risks or to assert ourselves in new ways.
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IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK (January 6 to 12, 2025):
An underlying restlessness inspires you to make significant changes this year. You may feel that you are a much different person than you used to be, and that certain areas of your life need to adjust to accommodate the new you. While you are very open to new experiences and will benefit from being flexible, you are also likely to encounter aspects of your inner being that are insecure or fearful about change. When these parts of you become known, it will be important not to ignore or repress them, but to turn to them with complete acceptance and embrace them with love and understanding. (Solar Return Sun trine Uranus, square Chiron, square Eris)
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TRANSLATION and AUDIO/VIDEO VERSION: This weekly Journal is recorded (in English) AND the text is transcribed into 30 languages! You'll see a row of flags under "Available Languages" in the upper right. And, there are options to listen to the audio (in English) or watch a video directly beneath the photo (see top of page).
The Journal entry is usually updated by Sunday evening, with the recordings appearing late Sunday or by Monday depending on your time zone. Please share this information with those who might benefit.
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CLASSES AND WEBINARS by Pam Younghans:
WEBINAR THIS WEEK: I'm looking forward to seeing you at my first webinar of 2025! "A Dark Night's Journey Into Day: From Conflict and Chaos to Clarity and Healing" will air live and be recorded for replay on Wednesday, January 8.
If you haven't yet signed up for the class, please do so as soon as you can, to make sure you have the monthly calendars for note-taking, as well as the Zoom link and passcode to attend live.
In the first half of the class, I will share my perspectives on the major astrological events of 2025. I'll then focus on the planetary activity that will occur in the first three months of the year, and what we can expect. To learn more, please visit https://events.humanitix.com/pamjan-mar2025.
DAILY ASTROLOGY: For my daily astrological insights, including lunar aspects not covered in this Journal, please follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamyounghans/
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For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.
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About the Author
Pam Younghans is a professional astrologer, editor, and writer. She lives in a log home northeast of Seattle, Washington with her beloved animal companions. She has been interpreting charts professionally for over 25 years. If you are interested in an astrology reading, e-mail
For more information about NorthPoint Astrology offerings, please visit NorthPointAstrology.com or visit her Facebook page.
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