Only major aspects (conjunction, 0°; sextile, 60°; square, 90°; trine, 120°; opposition, 180°) between the sun and planets are included here. All lunar aspects (other than full and new moons) have been omitted, hence there is not an entry for every day. Aspect patterns frequently overlap; where there are several major aspects occurring on the same day, synthesize their combined characteristics to determine the overall trend, then act accordingly. But remember...YOU make the final call! An aspect's influence can last from a day or two, in the case of Mercury, Venus, or Mars, to several weeks and even months when the slower-moving 'outer' planets are involved. Times given are when aspects peak. In addition, planets periodically appear to slow down, stop, then change their orbital direction, turning Retrograde or Direct; these periods of apparent motionlessness are called Stations and for a week or two either side of them, all themes associated with the planet are greatly emphasized.

7 Mercury sextile Saturn 12:13am—Make business decisions, sign contracts, consider options to buy or sell real estate; seek vocational counseling or guidance; enhanced self control and mental discipline is a boon to creative writers, and teachers. Mercury sextile Neptune 7:16am— A moment of awareness could provide the solution to a problem; new ideas or experiences may come your way; spiritual or metaphysical study now can bring both inspiration and enlightenment. Mercury enters Capricorn 10:34pm (till Jan 27)—Thoughts become more serious, and turn toward business, career and practical considerations; ambition is fueled; patience and discipline are easier to come by.

8 Mercury trine Jupiter 10:05am—Catch up on correspondence; reorganize your office, improve your filing system; travel can be rewarding; begin a study course. Mercury square Uranus 3:24pm—Avoid acting on impulse...be aware in the moment, and take the time to consider the consequences of your actions; drive with extra care; back-up important computer files, as system or mechanical malfunctions are possible. Full Moon 11:30pm, at 18°26' Cancer—Domestic responsibilities may be pressing, but the need to take care of business could also be strong; strike a healthy balance between home and business or career needs.

12 Sun trine Mars 8:46pm—An abundance of physical energy may take some sublimating...get plenty of exercise! creative self-expression brings satisfaction; have faith in your ability to achieve.

13 Venus trine Saturn 1:05am—Seek financial support for personal projects; a reestablishment of past ties may have karmic implications; constructive artistic work is favored; if you're considering an investment, look into art, precious metals, or real estate. Mercury conjunct Pluto 5:01am, at 07°45' Capricorn—Look to see what you can re-use or breathe new life to; be aware of all you say and do now...thoughts and words have much power! This aspect will occur again next week. Venus conjunct Neptune 7:18am, at 29°16' Aquarius—Judgment in business or partnership matters may be below par; however, aesthetic sensitivity is heightened; translate dreams into reality. Venus enters Pisces 9:47pm (till Feb 7)—Intuition is enhanced, creative inspiration abounds; love takes on a more spiritual, idealistic quality...however, beware of self-delusion.

14 Venus sextile Jupiter 6:49pm—Consider the future, review your hopes and wishes; begin classes, attend a seminar; financial enterprise involving foreign investments or travel is favored.

19 Sun square Saturn 1:20pm—The natural vitality and flow of creativity derived from the Sun is now constrained by Saturn's limiting influence, portending some frustration; duties and responsibilities may weigh heavy, but persevere, as progress can be made through disciplined work and focused effort; meditate on cheerfulness and joy.

20 Sun enters Aquarius 8:10am (till Feb 18)—Reassess goals and ambitions...are you on target? Venus sextie Pluto 12:31pm—Overhaul financial or business practices for greater efficiency; seek greater harmony in close personal relationships; a new interest could become absorbing.

21 Sun sextile Uranus 5:21pm—A progressive new project could benefit from a blast of creative ingenuity; seek innovative ways of financing a venture; begin a program of astrological, metaphysical or scientific studies. Sun square Jupiter 10:35pm—Avoid impulsiveness, act only after careful deliberation; you may be inspired to tackle projects that you normally wouldn't consider; the stock market could show some instability at this time.

22 New Moon 11:39pm, at 02°42' Aquarius—All new moons are imbued with the energy and attributes of Aries...initiation, new beginnings. This Aquarius new moon may inspire bold new objectives in some; others could feel the need for a greater sense of personal freedom.

23 The Chinese New Year of the Dragon begins at sunrise. Mercury trine Mars 3:17am—The mind is sharp and the wit, keen; be enterprising in business, take the initiative; say your piece! Mars stations Retrograde 4:54pm, at 23°05' Virgo (till April 13)—All martial themes are energized...desire, self-assertion, leadership abilities, and increased energy; the potential for conflict also exists.

27 Mercury square Saturn 1:21am—Deal with tasks requiring great concentration; banish fleeting worries or frustrations, just keep the mind focused on the job in hand; avoid signing contracts or making deals for a few days. Mercury enters Aquarius 10:12am (till Feb 13)—Favorable for creative writing, and conceiving progressive ideas; the study of metaphysics, science, or astrology

28 Mercury sextile Uranus 10:27am—Intuition or simply inspired imagination could provide an innovative solution to an old problem; unexpected developments could necessitate a change in plans; if you have a natal horoscope, get it out today and study it for insights. Mercury square Jupiter 8:08pm—Communication frustrations; remain skeptical of proposals or offers that come your way now, make sure you have all the facts; try not to promise more than you can deliver; don't underestimate expenses..

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EXPANDED FORECAST FOR JANUARY, 2012

Mercury sextiles Neptune on January 7th then squares Uranus on the 8th, a two-day period when mechanical or systems failures are possible. Therefore, be sure to back-up computer files or get your vehicle checked out beforehand. Postpone important decisions or signings for a few days, as mental processes may tend to be somewhat erratic. This is a great time to brainstorm, though. Under the Mercury-Neptune alignment, a moment of awareness could provide the solution to a problem, while spiritual or metaphysical study can bring both inspiration and enlightenment.

Also on the 7th, Mercury leaves the expansive realm of Sagittarius and enters Capricorn, when thoughts turn toward business, career and practical considerations. Ambition is fueled, while patience and discipline are easier to come by during the next three weeks.

Catch up on correspondence, messages and email when Mercury trines Jupiter on the 8th. This is a great time to reorganize your office, and to improve filing and data management systems. Travel can be enjoyable and rewarding now. This is also a favorable time to begin a study course, or to sign up for a workshop.

January’s full moon culminates late on the 8th (early 9th, EST) in 19° Cancer, when domestic responsibilities may be pressing, and yet the need to take care of work or business interests could also be strong. If possible, strike a healthy, practical balance between home and your professional or career needs around this juncture.

An abundance of physical energy may take some sublimating when the sun trines Mars on the 12th, so be sure to get plenty of exercise! Creative self-expression now can bring both enjoyment and satisfaction. Have faith in your ability to achieve.

Artistic Venus conjuncts dreamy Neptune in the last degree of Aquarius on the 13th, before entering Pisces later the same day. Judgment in business or partnership matters may be below par just now. However, aesthetic sensitivity is heightened and intuition is enhanced. Creative inspiration abounds, while love can take on a more spiritual, idealistic quality.

On the 14th, when Venus sextiles Jupiter, make time to consider the future, and to review your hopes and wishes. Financial enterprise, foreign investments, or travel is favored now.

When the sun squares off with Saturn on the 19th, the natural vitality and flow of creativity derived from the sun is constrained by Saturn’s limiting influence, portending delays and minor frustrations, while duties and responsibilities may seem especially onerous. Do persevere, however, as progress can be made through disciplined work and focused effort. Meditate on something cheerful that brings you joy, it will lift your spirits.

The sun enters forward-looking Aquarius on January 20th, a time to assess whether you’re "up to speed" with the techniques or technologies that can keep you at or get you to the head of the pack in your chosen field. If not, now’s the time to do it. Consider your goals and ambitions over the next four weeks. Are you on target? Align with organizations, groups or friends who share your objectives.

On the 21st the sun moves into a precise square to Jupiter, a cosmic augury to avoid impulsiveness or squandering valuable resources. Act only after careful deliberation, as you may be inspired to tackle projects that you normally wouldn’t consider. This planetary aspect seldom bodes well for real estate interests, or for the stock market; wait till after the new moon to make your move.

The first new moon of 2012 arrives late on the 22nd (early 23rd, EST) in 03° Aquarius. While all new moons are imbued with the energy and attributes of Aries—initiation, new beginnings—this Aquarius new moon may inspire bold new objectives in some, while others could feel the need for more personal freedom.

The Chinese New Year of the Dragon becomes official at sunrise on January 23rd, following last evening’s Aquarius new moon. In a Dragon year, we are galvanized to think and act big, and throw caution to the wind in pursuit of ambitious goals. However, it would be prudent to temper one’s enthusiasm and plan carefully before leaping into the unknown, as successes and failures can both be magnified in this potentially volatile year of extremes. An increase in natural disasters, violent acts of nature, and wild and erratic weather are also hallmarks of a Dragon year. In traditional Chinese astrology, this is an auspicious year in which to "tie the knot", begin a new business enterprise, or to start a family. If you can maintain a sense of proportion in the highly charged atmosphere a Dragon year portends, you stand an excellent chance of success in whatever you strive for.

Celestial warrior, Mars, officially beats the retreat by stationing retrograde in 24° Virgo on January 23rd, commencing a rare backward trek through the zodiac till April 13th, 2012, temporarily diminishing the traditional Martian assertiveness factor. In this reverse mode, Mars is more reluctant to act, instead, holding back energies that might actually be better off expressed. Thus, hostilities can erupt as pent up energies accumulate, evolve into acute frustrations, attain a critical mass and go ballistic. This is, in fact, a most appropriate time to seek a compromise with an antagonist, as people may be more conciliatory, or especially patient. Nevertheless, impulsive tendencies exist, and motivations need to be questioned—your own, as well as those of others. This is not the ideal launch window for a new venture, or for making a major purchase, as the motive force required to get a project off the ground may be insufficient to overcome the inertia. Instead, check your moral compass, your game plan and, most importantly, your motivations, and focus on tasks requiring patience in the meantime.

Mercury squares Saturn early on the 27th, which can be particularly helpful if you need to deal with tasks requiring great concentration. Banish fleeting worries or petty frustrations; just keep your mind focused on the job in hand and you may actually accomplish quite a lot. It may be prudent, though, to avoid signing binding contracts or making deals today.

Mercury quickly moves on from Capricorn’s realm of rules and tradition and enters revolutionary Aquarius later on the 27th (till Feb 13), a transit that is especially favorable for creative writing, conceiving progressive ideas, and for the study of metaphysics, science, and astrology.

Mercury’s mentally stimulating influence continues through the remaining days of January by making contacts with Uranus, then Jupiter, on the 28th, when intuition or simply inspired imagination could provide an innovative solution to an old problem. However, with Mercury, the trickster, so active, we must also expect the unexpected and sudden developments could necessitate a change in plans, while communication frustrations are also possible. Remain skeptical of proposals or offers that come your way now—make sure you have all the facts. Even though you may be feeling quite hopeful and optimistic, try not to promise more than you can deliver!

Tim Gunns is an astrological writer and consultant with over 25 years experience, a conference coordinator and producer, new age market and speaker consultant to the entertainment industry, formerly program director of the Los Angeles Conscious Life Expo, and of the national Whole Life Expos, and co-producer of the 1st Los Angeles Sound Healing Conference in 2008. To help you to better understand yourself and those you closely interact with, Tim prepares personalized no-nonsense interpretations of Natal Horoscopes ($40), Future Forecast Transit Reports ($75 for 1 full year) and two kinds of Relationship Compatibility analyses ($45 each). Private consultations with Tim by phone may also be scheduled, which must be pre-paid and scheduled in advance. Send Name (as you'd like it to appear on the chart), Date of Birth, time (as close as possible), place of birth (city/country, etc.) for each person, and return address & phone# to: Tim Gunns, 110 Hilltop Drive, Waynesville, NC 28786, USA, or phone 828-452-7885 or email: tgearthstar@aol.com to schedule a Consultation. Payment can be made via Paypal to tgearthstar@aol.com