Cosmic Forecast February 2024
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Illustration by Jess Stanley
February’s astrological energy is sombre and ethereal, like stepping into an ancient forest or over the threshold of a medieval stone abbey. This month brings whispers on the wind and rumblings of change in the deep. All the planets stack up across Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, and Taurus, giving the transits a serious, authoritative tone. Like January, this month demands maturity and, with Aquarian and Piscean influence, it’s spiritual maturity that’s in focus. We’re invited to practise greater reverence towards life, ourselves, and one another. The energy is monastic and wise–it asks us to move with intention and attention. It invites us to explore what is sacred to us and to practise greater devotion to the sacred in our everyday lives.
Pluto takes centre stage as Mercury, Mars, and Venus all conjunct the planet in Aquarius this month. Pluto has been stirring the collective cauldron since moving into Aquarius for the first time back in March, dipping back into Capricorn in mid-June due to its retrograde. Pluto’s path has been and will continue to be erratic over this coming year, moving into Capricorn again in September, then finally settling into Aquarius until 2043 in November. The many energetic shifts for the planet of transformation have left their mark on us: the changes that are happening on a global scale are altering each of us in unique ways internally. We cannot avoid the adaptations that will emerge from the tides of history. Such changes likely feel overwhelming, yet hard to place or name. Pluto is not an intellectual planet. Its influence is felt in electrical signals, brain chemistry, and magnetic fields—it’s deeply felt.
If you feel off, it’s safe to say that this is a completely normal response to the intensity of global events and the subtle but meaningful transformations that might be going on closer to home. Don’t fight it. These feelings will shape you like a river flowing over rock–slowly, quietly, but powerfully as time goes on. They will help you learn to be who the world needs you to be right now.
For the duration of the month, Saturn in Pisces sextiles Jupiter in Taurus. This positive aspect brings some levity to an otherwise austere affair. Cooperation between the planet of limits and boundaries (Saturn) and the planet of expansion and exploration (Jupiter) creates a safe container for taking risks that help us grow. Taking a chance on yourself requires you to find a sense of safety and security somewhere inside of yourself. Sharing your creative work, going after a new job opportunity, signing up for a course—doing anything new—can feel frightening and even threatening to a nervous system that needs certainty. Saturn in dreamy Pisces invites you to let your wild spirit be the source of your security: you’re a vibrant soul in the universe, impervious to judgement. Jupiter offers you good fortune and synchronicity, lining you up with the most supportive circumstances and teaching you how to say yes only to what feels the best in your body.
Once Mercury, Mars, and Venus have made it out of the Plutonian trench and onto the shores of Aquarius by the 17th, logic might feel a little more accessible to us in our everyday lives. Emotions may be easier to process, or at least intellectualize. Our desires will come into clear focus, and we may have some extra capacity to plan and set concrete goals during the latter half of the month. The path between what we want and how we’ll get it is illuminated.
The energy of the three personal planets moving through the sign supports Aquarian activities like writing and researching, going in-depth on topics of niche interest, learning more about ecology and evolution, connecting the past to the future. It’s a good time to indulge your inner nerd and scholar. Your curiosity could lead you to parts of yourself you may not have paid much attention to lately. Aquarius pursues knowledge to generate more collective wisdom, not to prove itself to others or achieve a specific outcome. What happens when you simply follow your curiosity without needing to be productive?
On the 18th, the Sun heads into Pisces. This shift can feel disorienting as we move from the more structured Capricorn-Aquarius energy to the boundless and ethereal energy of water sign Pisces. For some, the movement into Pisces can feel freeing. With the Sun shining through the sign of dreams and transcendence, creativity and intuition might feel closer at hand. For others, Pisces abstraction can feel confusing or unsettling, and if that’s the case for you, it’s important to focus on grounding yourself through body-supporting practices like stretching, walking, or embodiment meditation.
Then, on the 21st, Venus and Mars come into conjunction in Aquarius. Mercury also remains in the sign until the 23rd. This period will affect our interpersonal relationships and our love lives. The Aquarian attitude towards relating can be remote and is often characterized as cold or overly intellectual. Through another lens, this aspect of Aquarius is a wise sage—like a monk practicing non-attachment—who can always provide a compassionate, non-judgemental perspective. In our relationships, we might seek or prioritize intellectual conversation, or take time to dive into the life lessons of the people closest to us to strengthen intimacy.
As the month comes to a close, we experience a shift in spacetime. 2024 is a Leap Year, which means February gets its 29th day back. There’s a special kind of magic to a day that floats in and out of the fog of time like an enchanted island. An “extra” day is a gift that should be celebrated. It’s a great time to return to your reflections on the sacred and prioritise any newfound devotional practices—which can be as simple as taking a walk and noticing the omens you come across, or dedicating a gratitude list to whatever powers or people you believe have blessed your life. Like Samhain, the 29th is a day that hangs between the worlds, so it’s a wonderful day to tap into your psychic abilities or honour your ancestors. If it’s important to you, February is a powerful month for connecting with your spirituality and deepening your connection to the unseen energy that moves through all things.
Keagan (she/her) is a writer, tarot reader, and astrologer. Find her on Instagram @moonsingemini to book a reading. Subscribe to her monthly tarotscope newsletter here.
Jess (She/Her) is a multidisciplinary artist and illustrator based in Vancouver BC. Her main area of focus is the connection we share with the world around us, from environmental protection to the supernatural and spooky. She’s inspired by folklore and mythology and the way it weaves through our existence. One of her main goals is to make art accessible for all and to prove that anyone can be creative, regardless of skill level or age. She enjoys engaging with the community and bringing awareness to important issues such as the climate emergency and water protection. Follow her on Instagram @jessstanley.art and www.jessstanley.ca.
