Before I begin my assessment of January, I would like to say a few words about the energies of 2023, because once we are clear on what the year could bring, we can be more mindful and make wiser choices. The year 2023 will be dramatic and pivotal, largely because Pluto makes a shift from Capricorn to Aquarius between March and June. This takes us into a transitional phase, as Pluto will not be fully in one sign or the other, and since he spends such a long period of time in each sign (twenty years on average), we will have to adjust between the old ways that are collapsing and the new ways that are just beginning to emerge. This is in addition to the ascension process, which is now rapidly increasing.

In transpersonal astrology, Pluto is responsible for evolutionary growth. Where he resides in the horoscope and the aspects or angles he makes to other planets reveals the evolutionary intent of the soul at incarnation. Some souls take on a tough life, often to force an evolutionary jump, and a Pluto transit pushes us to evolve in ways that aren’t comfortable. This is why Pluto is both revered and feared. He has a habit of razing to the ground whatever prevents a soul from growing, and since it is human nature to stick with what we know and what feels safe, we don’t always welcome Pluto with open arms.