The next few days bring some powerful influences. A conjunction of the Sun to Jupiter is a beneficial influence that adds confidence to all of our endeavors, and a trine of Mars (energy) to Saturn (discipline) helps to provide the focus to get things done and manifest our desires and wishes. Venus (relating to others) forms a sextile to Mars (aggression) which helps to energize our relationships and aid in collaborative ventures. However, an opposition of Saturn to Venus suggests that there may be tests and challenges in our interpersonal relationships that will require some work to navigate successfully.

All of this leads up to a powerful Solar Eclipse, one of an amazing six eclipses in 2009. The eclipse on January 26 occurs in a New Moon in Aquarius at 2:55 am EST. This New Moon is a potent Aquarian fiesta, with Jupiter conjunct the Sun and Moon, and Chiron and Neptune also in the sign of Aquarius. A New Moon is a time of new beginnings, and in Aquarius we see an emphasis on Justice, innovation, invention, community. Eclipses can be significant harbingers of a shift in awareness or focus, and this one, coming so closely after the inauguration of Barack Obama, is certain to energize the power of that new beginning for the US and the rest of the world as well.

Mercury (the mental function) forms a sextile to Venus on the day of the eclipse, a planetary combination that enhances creativity and facilitates understanding, and is energized by Mars the following day (January 27th). The mind is a crucial player in the Aquarian drama, and the fact that Mercury is so active now suggests that it will be easier to bring our mental processes on board with the consciousness shift occurring now.