2024 in Review: Planetary Movements and New Year Intentions
As we prepare to step into 2025, we have the final New Moon of the year occurs in Capricorn on December 30th! This is a perfect moment for reflection if you haven’t already taken the time to do so. The New Moon invites us to harness Capricorn’s positive traits and set intentions for the year ahead, guided by its placement in your natal chart. If you have not have your natal chart you can create one at www.astro.com
Before diving into the magic of this New Moon, it’s worthwhile to reflect on 2024 and review the year’s major planetary movements and themes, which shaped our collective and personal journeys.
Reflecting on 2024: Planetary Movements and Key Themes
Pluto’s transition into Aquarius
Pluto made its final move into Aquarius on November 19th, 2024, after its earlier dip from January 20th to September 1st. Pluto’s influence, rooted in radical transformation and profound change, will remain in Aquarius for decades. The last time Pluto was in Aquarius (1778-1798), it brought sweeping societal transformations.
In your chart, note where Pluto is transiting to understand the long-term shifts in your life. For instance, if you are a Pisces rising, Pluto’s presence in your 12th house highlight themes of spirituality and seclusion. As Jeff Green described in his book - Pluto: The Evolutionary Journey of the Soul, with Pluto transiting the twelfth house, it could suggests the need to become aware of the nature of personal dreams, illusions and delusions will characterise the theme or archetype of this evolutionary process. Commonly, the dreams and wishes that the individual has or has had will be manifested in reality at this time. To keep a dream journal so that a record can be made of these dreams would be a good strategy during these time. For example, fixing one middle finger could suggest fixing one individuality - communicates order and purpose. With Pluto in the 12th house, it also suggest the individual is also learning to live in the moment at this time, the eternal now. Living each moment as it comes will allow the individual to evolve into his or her future as it is unfolded in each successive moment. Additionally, look at the area of life ruled by Scorpio in your chart, reflect on how these transformations align with your evolving role in society and consider your vision for the coming years.
Key theme: Radical transformation, profound change through innovation, cultivate humanitarian principles, challenge to break free from the social limitation and explore the unknown, to develop originality, become a unique individual, technological breakthroughs, and collective progress.
Saturn’s journey Through Pisces
❤︎ Saturn in Pisces March 7th, 2023 to May 24th, 2025
❤︎ Saturn in Aries - May 25th, 2025 to August 31st, 2025
❤︎ Saturn in Pisces (Retrograde) - September 1st, 2025 - November 27th, 2025 Saturn goes direct
❤︎ Saturn in Aries - February 14th, 2026 to April 2028.
Saturn’s transit through Pisces since March 7th, 2023 to May 24, 2025. It will dip into Aries for a few months, retrograde back to Pisces on September 1st , to November, 2025 and from there it will move on to Aries from February 14th to April 2028. Saturn in Pisces calls us to integrate discipline with emotional and spiritual exploration. This influence encourage healing, empathy, and establishing structure in areas that require work (look for where transiting Saturn is in your chart). Saturn’s lessons often come with challenges, but they reward consistent effort and discipline.
Reflect on how Saturn’s presence in Pisces has affected your chart since March 2023. Have you embraced the call to address emotional vulnerability or integrate structure into your spiritual practices? Identify the areas where effort is needed, as Saturn’s discipline brings long-term rewards.
Key theme: Transcending limitations and creating discipline through emotional and spiritual integration.
Jupiter’s Shift from Taurus to Gemini
Jupiter transitioned from Taurus to Gemini on May 25th, 2024, expanding opportunities for intellectual and social engagement. In Gemini, Jupiter foster curiosity, adaptability, diversity, and communication. Before its move into Cancer on June 9th, 2025, take full advantage of its influence in Gemini and the house that it transiting.
Where is Jupiter transiting in your chart? Reflect on how this energy has broadened your perspectives or fostered new connections. How can you embrace this intellectual growth in the months ahead?
Key theme: Intellectual expansion, Adaptability, and Social Connection.
Jupiter Squares Saturn: Points of Growth
The tension between Jupiter and Saturn - freedom versus discipline, restriction versus expansion - came to a head in three squares:
First Square occurred on August 19th, 2024 (Saturn retrograde in Pisces, Jupiter direct in Gemini)
Second Square occurred December 24th, 2024 (Saturn direct in Pisces, Jupiter retrograde in Gemini)
Third Square will be in June next year on June 15th, 2025, half way through the year, in the third square we have Saturn in Aries and Jupiter in Cancer, both are in direct motion, and in Cardinal sign, which requires initiation, action. The first two squares asked for flexibility, adaptability, adjustment of houses they are transiting where it might felt have been stagnant, old structure that need to be relook at, old beliefs, the last square will demand decisive action. Look for where transiting Saturn and Jupiter placement in your chart, and house(s) they rules.
For example: Transiting Saturn in Aries in the second house (taking persistent action also have a hard look of your personal resources, and your values, to build a solid foundation in your personal financial sector, it squaring to transiting Jupiter in Cancer in the 5th house which creative self-expression, things that you put wholeheartedly that give you personal joy, what are the tensions here? What needs to be looked at to release the tensions, how can you channel this tension in a way that push you to grow? The fire signs tends to think in pictures and sudden flashes of insights, there is a strong mixture of will or desire and a need to transform, while Water signs perceives by means of feelings. In the cardinal sign, Cancer reaches out to create new life.
Key theme: Rebuilding structures and balancing expansion with discipline.
Mercury Retrogrades in Fire Signs
Mercury’s retrograde in Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius encouraged re-evaluation of goals and visions. With the year that Mercury retrograde in Fire signs, it ask us to
Fire sign - Aries are concerned with action in the present, based upon future consideration. Leo - the energy radiating inward toward a centre, it most centred in the here and now.
❤︎ Aries (April 1st - 25th, 2024): Reflect on independence and leadership.
❤︎ Leo/Virgo (August 4th - 28th, 2024) : Reassess creative expression and daily routines.
❤︎ Sagittarius (November 25th - December 15th, 2024): Revisit long-term goals and philosophies.
Key theme: Pause, Analyse, Organise, Refine visions for the future, think about how you go about your realising your goals, how did redirect your creative energy? What has provided enthusiasm and vision in the past that may not have meaning in the future? Think about the house that Mercury retrograding?
In 2025, Mercury will continue to retrograde starts in Fire sign then back to the water signs, which ask us to think about matters of security, intimacy, and the past will be a focus for review throughout the course of the time Mercury retrogrades in signs of water element.
Here are the dates for head up.
❤︎ March 14th - April 7th starts in Fire-sign Aries, ends in Water-sign Pisces.
❤︎ July 17th - August 11 in Fire-Sign Leo
❤︎ November 9th - November 29th starts in Fire-sign Sagittarius, ends in water sign Scorpio.
Eclipses in Pisces/Virgo Axis
The first eclipse in this axis occurred on September 18th, 2024, with a Lunar Eclipse in Pisces at 25°41’. This eclipse symbolised new beginnings and parting ways, emphasised themes of separation and transformation. Reflecting on what has been unfolding for you since September this year, eclipse effect can last for the whole eclipse season or longer.
Last time Eclipses occurred at this degress was in 2006-2007. Go back to these year and reflect on what happening around these areas of life?
Upcoming eclipses in this axis include:
❤︎ March 14th, 2025 - Lunar Eclipse in Virgo at 23°57’
❤︎ March 29th, 2025 - Solar Eclipse in Aries at 9°00’
❤︎ September 7th, 2025 - Lunar Eclipse in Pisces - 15°23’
❤︎ September 21st, 2025 - Solar Eclipse in Virgo - 29° 05’
It always good to note the date and have the awareness which houses that the eclipses falls in our chart.
In 2026 -
March 3rd, 2026 - Lunar Eclipse in Virgo at 12° 54’
August 28th, 2026 - Lunar Eclipse in Pisces at 4° 54’
Key themes: Major ending and beginning in their house placement.
The year end with Mars Retrograde in Leo/Cancer
Mars stationed retrograde on December 6th, marking a 2.5 month period of slowing things down. It offers a break to harness this slow pace end of the year, to step back rather than push forward. Its time to take a moment to pause before reacting. Its time to revisit and resolve the area where Mars retrograde in your chart. This is also a great time to close old chapters, reassess past disagreements and use this time to realign your life and design new modes for getting what you want where Mars retrograde in your chart. What motivates you? You come face to face to your own power. Any pent-up frustrations must now be examined. Step back. Slow Down. Examine how stress is influencing your attitudes and behaviours. Claiming ownership of your ability to function independently, confront a need to take responsibility for the consequences of your actions. When Mars turn direct in February in the new year, you’ll be ready to begin to forging new trails. But first, use this retrograde period to make sure the destiny you are moving forward and the passion or power you are using to propel yourself are in harmony with where you want to go.
Key theme: Reassessing motivations and refining your path forward.
The Magic of the New Moon in Capricorn
New Moon Magic
Finally, we come to the last two day of year 2024, with the New Moon occurs in the sign of Capricorn at 9°44’.
Before the new moon, which is the dark or balsamic moon, reset and release anything that you do not need to take on to the next lunar cycle. Allow yourself time to integrate and process the lessons of the month just gone and to pause to prepare for the next lunar cycle. The more you honour this time, the more magic the rest of the month will hold, as you begin the cycle fully tuned in - to yourself and the magic of the moon.
The New Moon in Capricorn on December 30th is an opportunity to set powerful intentions for the new year! Capricorn’s keyword “I ACHIEVE'. Its ruled by Saturn, the task-master, it is squaring to Jupiter retrograding in Gemini. Think about of what needs to restructure, readjust that support your seeds to flourish when come to July, full moon in Capricorn next year? Where are they transiting in your chart?
Capricorn - Controlled, Frugal, Ambitious, Strategic, Structure, Businessman, Dignified, Cautious, Dutiful.
Think about of the house that the new moon placement in your chart, and set intention with the Capricorn’s positive qualities/expression. Actively participate to flowering your seeds.
Saturn - Where Saturn is in your chart, it indicates areas of Life that need work, Our relationship to Groups, Rules, Learning a Discipline, Teachers, The Limits of what can be perceived with the Ordinary Mind. Bosses.
Capricorn’s energy emphasises ambition, discipline, and structure. As the ruler of this New Moon, Saturn asks us to focus on areas that need work and commit to steady progress.
At this New Moon, visualise and imagine all your inner desires, goals, hopes and reams and let them surface. This is a making plan phase, preparing the ground and plant the seeds. This phase allows you to take conscious control of your life, make a vision board for the new year. What you want in life and how to get there; set intentions using the keywords for Capricorn, and the where the house the new moon occurs in your chart and create affirmations! Vision and dream your ideal life daily. Remember that Mars still retrograde, so be patience with the pace, this is a good time to put all the ducks back in a row, reassess your inner desires to kick off the new year!
In the next article, we will dive into the Soulful New Year 2025!
“Jupiter/Saturn - Principle - achieving success through perseverance”