Sun in Aquarius: Spaciousness

The ground is cold. Compacted, soil and mud have hardened in hopes to endure. In Capricorn season, we have been pushed to solidify, to set goals and boundaries, and to make something durable and lasting under our feet. But what if we seek to fly? Surveying the scene from 10,000 feet, Aquarius asks what these structures and foundations mean for all of us and for our collective future.

As an archetype, Aquarius zooms out to gain a higher perspective on what we have done and where we are going. Like a satellite surveying earth from outer space, Aquarius detaches from the material world to survey our global activities and their impacts. It asks: What are we doing as a human society? How are we pursuing our collective visions? Who is impacted by our seemingly-individual choices? How can we build a progressive future that truly and equitably benefits all? Aquarius’ critical mojo is its ability to coolly remove itself from the weeds of material reality in order to cultivate crystalline insights, make space for weirdo ideas, and shatter all forms of convention.

With five planets in Aquarius over the next month, Aquarius season’s high-minded vibe will be especially profound. This energy supports our individual and collective capacity to think progressively, experimentally, and futuristically, and it encourages us to analyze what we each uniquely contribute to the shared project of living together on Earth. If we use this energy well, we can envision and invent new systems and structures that benefit the most oppressed, break away from long-standing traditions that no longer serve us, and foster a spirit of collective purpose.

However, Aquarius is also often misunderstood. For one, despite its aquatic name, Aquarius is an air sign, focused on the cerebral and immaterial realms. Yet its more fundamental paradox is that, despite Aquarius’ ability to perceive a breadth of radical visions, it is ultimately most committed to its own. With its zoomed-out worldview, Aquarius can become convinced that its perceptions and logics reign supreme, resulting in ideological inflexibility and a rigid sense of how society should function.

At its worst, Aquarius can become dismissive of individual pain and suffering in the pursuit of what it rationally perceives as “the greater good.” It can champion ideological self-righteousness, zealous groupthink, and collective mentalities that yield harmful consequences -- which we have already seen in the siege of the U.S. Capitol by a violent group of white supremacists. As this season’s Aquarius placements form an aggressive square to Mars and Uranus in Taurus, the potential for additional explosive confrontations of cold ideology and brute force is high. We must not forget that ideas can have very real and very material consequences.

During this charged astrological weather, use the power of Aquarius season to fly. Use Aquarius season to pause, zoom out, and invite the spaciousness that is required to see more clearly. Use Aquarius season to volunteer or join a cause that serves our collective future and get freaky with your most progressive visions. Use Aquarius season to refute the norm and imagine all the ways that liberation, justice, and collective care are possible -- and most importantly, use Aquarius season to choose them.