How the Planetary Cycles Affect Our Lives
I’ve been becoming more and more aware of the layers of planetary cycles that are happening in our lives the more I study astrology.
At first, I was simply wanting to experience more ease and flow by aligning my life with the moon’s cycles. But then I fell down the rabbit hole of astrology.
By studying astrology, I realized that we are subject to all the cycles of the planets in our everyday lives. What we choose to do with that information determines how we feel as we travel through the cycles.
How we all have been conditioned to live
For example, we all agree that the Sun takes 365 days to go around the Earth. And in that time, it hits points where the temperatures change and the seasons change, depending on where you are on the Earth. I’m not going to go into detail about which patriarchal power determined that the calendar starts on January first. Feel free to research it yourself, though.
My point is that we have been conditioned to believe that our energy should follow the Solar year and the dates set forth on the consensus calendar. Solar energy is yang energy, masculine, assertive, forward moving. So it’s no wonder that the yin creatures of the planet (the females) are feeling the pressure and the burnout more readily than our male counterparts.
I believe that we have all the energies within us, and some express each in ways that oppose gender identification and expression. I tend to express more yang energy due to my fiery rising sign. Hence, burnout because my female form doesn’t get as much rest as it needs.
What if we decided to follow the lunar cycle instead?
The lunar cycle is a shorter cycle. It actually takes the moon 354 days to complete 12 moon phase cycles, or venturing through the entire zodiac from New Moon to New Moon. Some calendars are built around this cycle. Cultures in Asia, for example, still follow the lunar years—Chinese New Year being one of the largest celebrations among them.
And some cultures practice what is called the LuniSolar traditions, in which their calendars are aligned with both the Sun and Moon’s cycles. This is where things can get confusing or interesting. Take your pick.
The Pagan traditions have divided the Solar Year into quarters marked by the season changes which are more noticeable when we take into account the amount of light in a day. These days coincide with the Tropical zodiacal points. Seasons begin when the Sun is at Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn at 0º. The halfway points to each season’s end/beginning are marked with the Sun in fixed signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius at 15º. These are the Sabbats that the religious holidays are based on. There is a religious holiday at each one in the Christian tradition—at least in relation to the Spring and Winter ones. Easter (Spring Equinox time) and Christmas (Winter Solstice) anyone?
In the middle of all of that Solar energy shifting around, we experience the New and Full Moons in relation to the Sun and Moon’s journey through the zodiac. When the Sun is in each zodiac, the moon will join the Sun in the same zodiac sign for the New Moon, and then travel across the zodiac to its opposite sign for the Full Moon. Example: Aquarius Sun and Aquarius New Moon on Friday, February 9, 2024. Two weeks earlier, the Sun was in Aquarius, but the Moon was in Leo for the Full Moon.
The Moon’s synodic cycle is flipped at the moment as things are manifesting before they are being intended, but that changes this June/July when we have 2 Capricorn Full Moons to get us back on track to intend then manifest with the Moon’s cycles.
This year, I decided to plan my life and set my “goals” according to my personal Solar Energy. I set goals relating to the energy I was going to experience in relation to my birthday, which in essence is New Moon energy. So, when everyone was planning Q1, I was planning Q3. I’m lucky that my birthday is the opposite of the consensus New Year, otherwise, there’s a lot more math and calculations involved.
So far, it’s working out ok.
I am using what energy I have to become more visible, put myself out there and release new things to the world. Setting up the stage for the last waning quarter of my year when, historically, I have had less energy and wanted to turn inwards. This is new information to me. I always wondered why I just wanted to stay home when the rest of the world was celebrating Spring and all the events that go with it such as graduations and weddings.
Do you relate?
If you divided your year from your birthday, and aligned it with the lunar phases of New, first quarter, Full and last quarter—does it correspond with your energy historically? Do you feel like hitting the ground running the day after your birthday, feel an intensity to make a choice three months later, then feel super busy, social and overwhelmed at the 6 month mark, and finally feel like cutting away some stuff as you make it towards your birthday again?
The Solar and Lunar cycles are not the only cycles we are subjected to on this planet.
Planetary Cycles and Their Effects on Us
We can start to layer in the other planets to see how they have been helping or hindering our achievements and goals in life.
Mercury
Mercury’s trip around the Sun is super fast since it is so close. It takes 88 days for it to go all the way around the Sun and through the entire zodiac. That means that we get three cycles to work with the magical messenger God in our own charts.
AND we get the pleasure of experiencing three retrograde periods. I used to fear them, but now I embrace them.
With Mercury, we get to focus on our communication patterns, technology, travel and commerce or marketing. Adding this cycle to your plans can help you pinpoint the best times for you to do the Mercurial things and when to not, based on the retrograde periods.
Venus
Venus’ Solar trip is a little longer, 225 days. Which means that her retrograde periods are less often at one every 18 months. It’s a beautiful cycle to study, which I will dig into eventually. I was first introduced to it last summer when Venus retrograded in the sign of Leo. The fun, or not so fun part, was looking back at the historical events that occurred in my life regarding love and relationships. Stay tuned for a Venus Rx workshop in 2025. She will be in the sign of Aries! Ooooo! Fiery and fierce!
For Venus, we get to work with the themes of love, relationships of all kinds, but specifically with female figures, our values, and our worldly possessions like stuff and money. She’s a benefic planet, so she brings harmony and support with these situations.
Mars
Mars is one of the malefic planets that can cause harm and disrupt so this cycle is also important to note in one’s calendar. It takes Mars 687 days to travel around the Sun, so we have more time with the Mars cycles to push forward and start new things.
Mars themes are war/protection, what drives us, and impulsivity. Mars will be retrograde this winter starting December 6 in the sign of Leo. Mars will be helping us to dig into what truly drives us and how we may want to adjust moving forward.
Jupiter
Jupiter cycles are about 12 years long. This is another to pay attention to. Jupiter brings us luck, abundance and resources for our journey through life. Every year, Jupiter changes signs and the house in your chart. I use whole sign house system for ease of predicting and understanding the cycles. Jupiter will change signed to Gemini this May after spending the last year in Taurus. What gifts has Jupiter brought you in regards to money, values, possessions and earthly treasures or pleasures for the past year?
Jupiter’s focus will be on Gemini themes until next summer. Communication, information, socializing/networking, analyzing data, etc. Your Gemini house will get a boost, if you’re ready to receive it. I will teach about the Jupiter cycle in June, just after Jupiter moves into Gemini. As a member, you get this workshop for free!
Saturn
This is the planet I used to call the asshole of the Solar System. Then, I experience Pluto going through my house of money and values for the past 16 years. Pluto won. Well, Saturn and I are still working on our relationship, Saturn is all about boundaries, restrictions and constricting. When Saturn moves through your chart, it takes 29 years. This cycle can be quartered, like the Moon’s cycle too.
A developmental milestone in our lives is the Saturn return at 28-32 years of age. Always a sobering time of realizing that you are in fact an adult, and that you may or may not need to adjust some choices to move forward. Mine was rough, how about you? Personally, I’m determined to get to my second return with more vigor and pride than the last one. I have 15 more years to go.
I will do a Saturn Cycles workshop this August to help you understand this cycle too. It was eye-opening to see the way Saturn was challenging me over the course of my life so far.
Those are the big cycles to pay attention to. The personal planets: Mercury, Venus and Mars, help us in our day to day, and the teacher planets Jupiter and Saturn help us grow over our lives. Knowing when these planets will be supporting us and challenging us can help us plan our lives and empower us.
Meaning, if I had known that my Saturn return was coming, I may have thought longer about moving across an ocean and racking up $12k in debt. Twice. Hindsight, right?
