by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this New Moon at 10 Aquarius on January 29. This brings the Light of faith as a tool to rise above life’s fluctuations by being “faithful to self.” Doors are beginning to open!
We’re now solidly in a new era which began at the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction at 22 Taurus in late April. That conjunction, in effect until 2037, promised we have seen or will see the “white dove flying over troubled waters.” That symbolized a sign from Spirit that having endured our “ordeal,” we could move into a new life. That is now an active element in our lives and will become more prominent in May 2025.
This Lunation launches an extremely transformational month, with a new understanding of the larger atmosphere of “rebellion” and “revolt” as tools to free ourselves from the ghosts of the past. Perhaps the most remarkable thing is there are NO oppositions or squares in the Lunation chart!
The span between 6-10 Aquarius is about “contribution” on the social and emotional levels of life. 10 Aquarius fulfills the span which began with increased tension from being “a solitary officiator of a mystery ritual” we began at 6 Aquarius. Aquarius and Pisces are heavily represented this month, so it’s time for vision and closure!
The Planetary Spread
In this chart, because the inner planets are between early Aquarius and late Pisces in a 53+ degree span, that’s the main focus for the next 4 weeks. At this point, with the planets occupying half of the zodiac between Aquarius and Cancer with none in Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, or Capricorn, it creates a Bowl Jones pattern. At this time we have planets in Aquarius, Pisces, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer.
Depending on the position of the Moon and the inner planets relative to the outer planets, different months bring us different Jones Patterns. These patterns operate their own independent influence, regardless of which planet is in which sign.
Currently, the outer planet occupied span begins with Pluto in early Aquarius, and proceeds through Saturn in mid-Pisces, Neptune in late Pisces, Uranus in late Taurus and ends with Jupiter in mid-Gemini. (We don’t include TransPluto, since Jones didn’t use it in defining his patterns). Because we have 5 signs represented in about half the signs with an empty span of about 190 degrees, we have a “Bowl” Jones Pattern.
So What is a “Bowl” Jones Pattern and how does it work?
This type of spread, with all the planets occupying approximately half of the signs with an empty half opposite the occupied half, creates a “special type of conscious selfhood,” which Dr. Jones says “marks the Bowl type of temperament. He goes on to state “Fundamentally it is an extreme self-containment,” which “holds things, and a Bowl individual is one who always has something to bear.”
He goes on to state that with the Bowl, “the whole dynamic of man, his total power of achievement, arises in his instinctive realization that he is set off against a definite part of the world, that there is a complete segment of experience from which he is excluded in some subtle fashion. The Bowl not only holds something, but also places whatever it holds into relationship with a larger consideration.”
Dr. Jones continues that “the occupied segment of the Bowl horoscope reveals the activity and organization of the self, since planets are significant according to their place by sign and house, and the unoccupied segment becomes a challenge to existence, or the need and emptiness to which the native must direct his attention. The outstanding characteristic of the Bowl temperament is its marked sense of what is self-contained in contrast with what the self cannot hold, and this take an everyday form in an advocacy of some cause, the furtherance of a mission, an introspective concern over the purpose of experience.”
He concludes his explanation of how the pattern works with “The Bowl native always has something to give to his fellows, whether literally or psychologically, whether constructively or vindictively, because his orientation to the world arises from division; that is, frustration and uncertainty. The leading planets, determined in exactly the same way as for the Locomotive pattern, give a point of application, and shows where and how the native seeks to carry out his mission or gain his everyday justification for existence.”
He brings up another important point of analysis, as he states “the leading planet is of secondary importance in the Bowl pattern, unless it is found in a strong opposition or cosmic cross. The fundamental attack on the problems of life by the Bowl individual is indicated more significantly by the tilt or house-position of the Bowl-segment.”
He concludes this section by stating “the Bowl character is definitely more self-expending, or self-seeking, and more practically interested in what things mean and what they are. It continually throws the emphasis from the signs into the houses. It a general way the Bowl tends to ‘scoop up’ things and initiate experience when the position of the leading planet ranges from the fourth cusp, up and over the ascendant, to the Midheaven cusp, and then inclines to “capture” things or consummate various phases of life when the leading planet is placed similarly from the tenth angle down over the descendant to the nadir.”
Pluto at 2 Aquarius is the leading planet on a degree of “An unexpected thunderstorm.” This means that as we enter opportunity or experience, we will go through major purifications related to the collective Aquarian seeds being sprouted.
Some will experience life changing events which involve a “cosmic visitation” which “galvanizes to action” in order to be “liberated from adverse conditions.” This entry to the Bowl tells us we are all under pressure to be honest to the core and have faith that if we just “mobilize” in the right way we will be liberated by rising to the challenge with faith and determination.
With Mars retrograde in Cancer closing the Bowl, we’ll finish experience with either longing to live life as a grand adventure, or see how we’re frustrating our desire to do so, or see how we longed for a new life in the past in a way that’s connected to our current longing. It could show us how our faith and patience has brought us to a new dream or desire, or how something from the past is being claimed or excised from our subconscious mind.
This leads with actional contribution, and closes with emotional and social consolidation. Because the leading edge is Aquarian Air, approach experience with a sense of vision, cooperation, the uniqueness of each part of the whole, and willingness to rise to an occasion. Because the closing edge is Cancer Water, by the time you’re done with a given experience, you’ll have a new understanding of what you’ve been dreaming which is being made manifest.
The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon
A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following month will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 10 Aquarius, and it is said that the first third (decan) of any sign deals with the physical, material, and actional levels of life, and being the first decan of Aquarius it has a sub-influence of Aquarius/Saturn with an added dose of Venus. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The Sabian symbol for the 10th degree of Aquarius is "A Popularity which proves ephemeral.” In the Astrology of Personality, where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, Rudhyar states this degree is one of “ability to rise above vicissitudes of passing fortune,” “faithfulness to self,” “dependence upon native endowment,” and “projection.”
In his Astrological Mandala, we are told that this degree is one of “the need to deal with human beings as persons rather than as screen upon which one projects one’s dream and ideal.” He goes on to state this degree contrasts the ideal and the reality, the person and the archetype they seem to represent. He states “the star’s popularity fades away, the person remains.”
He continues that this symbol is about “person versus archetype. This can mean a critical need to self-evaluation.” He offers that this is in the Span of Defensiveness, and is the culminating degree on the emotional-cultural level of the Scene of Contribution in the Act of Capitalization.
Dr. Marc Jones says this symbol is one of “the eternal challenge which comes to an individual at every point of climax in (their) experience, and of the swing of the pendulum between an endorsement and a repudiation of (our) efforts by (our) social group.” He offers that we must “accept the applause as encouragement in (our) self-strengthening” even as we search for “continued sustainment from (our) own ability of being.”
He continues that “a courageous self-confidence and an unflagging faith are worthy of recognition, but only in their moment of significance.” He offers us the keyword APPROBATION, and says when this degree is working positively, it’s one of “a gift for bringing the issues of life to a dramatic consummation at a time of crisis.”
From this symbol, it seems that over the next few weeks there is an ability to see how we are or how we did rise above life’s “vicissitudes” while reverting to our “native endowment.” We can find understanding related to what we’ve projected or are projecting on to our world, as well as those we’ve accepted from our world, and in some cases, step back from them, if only temporarily.
Important Aspects
Remember that in reading a Lunation chart (as well as a horary, inceptional, electional, or any event chart) the forming aspects show things to come, while separating aspects show things already past. Partile separating aspects show what’s been going on in the Now. This section covers only forming and partile separating aspects.
The Lunation is conjunct Mercury, semisquare Venus, quadranovile Mars, trine Jupiter, decile Saturn, biseptile Uranus and semisquare Neptune; Mercury is septile Venus, trine Jupiter, semisquare Saturn, and conjunct Pluto; Venus is quintile Jupiter, conjunct Neptune, and septile Pluto (through Mercury’s translation of light); and the Sun makes the same aspects as the Moon.
Outer planet aspects feature Mars novile Jupiter, trine Saturn, sextile Uranus, and trine Neptune (the latter two through collection of light by Saturn conjunct Neptune); Jupiter is vigintile Uranus, quintile Neptune, and quadraelftile Pluto; Saturn is bielftile Uranus, conjunct Neptune and semisquare Pluto; and Uranus and Neptune make only separating aspects to each other and Pluto
This month the friction is provided by 6 semisquares, 0 squares, and 0 sesquisquares. While squares challenge “right action” at a turning point of a cycle, the semisquares are more about internal decisions and movement with personal inner crises, both public and private, which we must deal with.
Sesquisquares on the other hand create friction, agitation, and irritation in our world that involves others. In my experience sesquisquares are not necessarily associated with times of crisis, but they do seem to be times of no rest and spurs to act that may be inconvenient and aggravating. They definitely aren’t calm! And quincunxes force adjustments and sacrifices.
The long term pressure of Saturn semisquare Pluto is a time of serious internal decisions and movement related to the emergent structure of that which purifies everything. It’s been in play during the recent global conflicts. Adapt, purify, imagine, adjust, and show good humor while not letting the aggravation factor of the semisquare get to you.
Special Configurations in Evolutionary Astrology
This month we have 2 special evolutionary configurations, one involving the Lunation and both involving Mars.
1) The Lunation is quadranovile Mars and trine Jupiter with Mars novile Jupiter. This generates 3 points of a “9 Pointed Star of Spiritual Realizations,” with realizations coming after a period of gestation, or putting some things on hold so they mature a while. Zones most affected include 1-3 Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn, 9-13 Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius, 19-23 Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, and 29-30 Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.
2) Because Mars is trine Saturn and Saturn is conjunct Neptune, Saturn “collects the Light” and brings Mars sextile Uranus and trine Neptune back into play. This is very favorable for planet and points we have anywhere in the second half of the Earth and Water signs.
I’ll give a special mention here for three important aspects. First, Venus is conjunct Neptune and both are quintile Jupiter, bringing unique gifts and blessings for those affected. This brings specialization and “quintessential” experiences to planets or points near 26-30 Pisces, 8-12 Gemini, 20-24 Leo, 2-6 Scorpio, and 14-18 Capricorn.
Next, the Lunation is biseptile Uranus, showing a culminating “fork in the road” of our ability to manage wild energies with skill as we turn away from old things. This will primarily affect planets and points we have near 8-12 Aquarius, 30 Pisces-4 Aries, 22-26 Taurus, 13-17 Cancer, 4-8 Virgo, 25-29 Libra, and 16-20 Sagittarius.
Third, Mercury and Pluto are both septile Venus, putting the rulers of our Gemini and Virgo sectors at a fork in the road with our Taurus and Libra sectors. As this blends Mercury’s waning septile with Venus and Venus’ waxing septile to Pluto, this opens and closes at the same time. Zones most affected include 1-5 Aquarius, 23-27 Pisces, 14-18 Taurus, 5-9 Cancer, 26-30 Leo, 18-22 Libra, and 9-13 Sagittarius.
Explaining Harmonics
Aspects in the same series are considered to be various stages of “harmonics” for each series.
The novile (9th harmonic), septile (7th harmonic) and elftile (11th harmonic) series all feature spiritual aspects. All novile series (9th harmonic) aspects indicate things which need to be put on the shelf for a while, or that which has been waiting can now move forward. They represent gestative energies that can lead to great spiritual realizations. Septile series aspects represent forks in the road of destiny, while the 11th harmonic elftile series indicate that faith is required to deal with transcending some dualities, issues and points of evolution where we must make a leap of faith to attain a form of mastery over that type of duality. This series tests our faith. Both the 7th and 11th series involve non-rational aspect values, bringing an element of irrationality in behavior and circumstances.
The quintile and biquintile (5th harmonic) and related 10th (decile and tredecile), 15th (quindecile), and 20th harmonic (vigintile) aspects are all specialization aspects. You can find more by going to Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Pt. 1 – The Quintile and Biquintile, and Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Part 2 – The Decile, Tredecile, Quindecile and the Vigintile.
You can find out more about the spiritual aspects (septile, novile, and elftile series) by referencing this brief overview of Astrological Aspects – the 7th, 9th, and 11th Harmonic Series Aspects and their Symbols. I did a much lengthier exploration and explanation of how each of the 11th harmonic series aspects work in the article The 11th Harmonic Aspects in Astrology – the Elftile Series of Faith and Transcendence.
Element Balance
This month shows a seriously imbalanced distribution. This month the 10 traditional planets occupy 5 signs. We have 0 planets in Fire (inspiration and warmth), 1 planet in Earth (practical grounding), 5 in Air (relatedness and communicating), and 4 in Water (feelings and experiencing).
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, it’s a little more cool than hot. This shows an excess of feelings and ideas, with little practicality or inspiration.
The current sequence at present of Deciding, Feeling, and Thinking
We’ve been through several different sequences over the past few months. There are six patterns, and each has their strengths and weaknesses. This continues the recent pattern. For now, as a process of moving through events, the most effective “firing sequence” for approaching life and experience over the next four weeks involves beginning activity with thinking, then deciding, then feeling.
This pattern leads with a vision, or an understanding, or a communication, and then makes decisions and actions based in those things. While it is tempting to move back into more thinking, communicating, and envisioning, it is more important to move from deciding or acting into feeling what we’re experiencing as a result of those actions and decisions, and bring those feelings to the surface of your consciousness and get clear about what you’re feeling and why.
By naming the feeling or experience, it will naturally lead us back to new information, new vision, new ideals, and new understanding upon which you can do your next set of decisions and actions. Then again name what you’re feeling. That way nothing will get bottled up through underuse, and you can move through experiences with power and clarity.
What is your vision or understanding telling you that you must do? Are your ideas inspiring action? Let your knowledge lead you to make clear decisions.
Summing Up
This New Moon will bring forth new activity driven by a detached view of new understanding, knowing we must leave something from the past behind. It could be an idea, or a behavior, or something we projected to the world. We’re seeing how we do and do not want to make our greater contribution to the Aquarian work we’ve been doing for a few years. This balances and recalibrates our view.
Have faith that as you feel your way through the flow, you’ll find the understanding you need and the blessing to go your own way or to do your own thing in your own way. We’ve already had glimpses of what we believe abundance or fulfillment might look like; now we prepare for what’s coming. Follow any “longing to live life as a grand adventure,” as the next month prepares us for that adventure which launches in the coming Northern Hemisphere Spring.
With so many semisquares, expect a lot of internal tension requiring right action at the right time. This time gives us understanding of seed ideas and core material in terms of the step plan in what we have to do in the Spring and Summer. Be clear about your role(s) to play, knowing this is a turning point in the life renewal begun in April 2024 which will lead to new power and “genuine rejuvenation” by May.
We’re at the far side of an 11 week period of saying goodbye to old ways, places, and people, However, since all forms pass away in this impermanent world, this created space for new ways and new experiences since there’s more potential than there is in whatever has left. Celebrate the uplifting energies at play in your chart, and let go of memories which don’t serve the flow into the future. Feel the lightness of your unique evolutionary dance through space and time. We’re all moving from the interpersonal to the transpersonal level of focus.
Neptune is showing the way to “let go let god” as we approach the threshold of a new Neptunian experience of Aries for the first time in about 150 years. For now, practice sensing the flow and simultaneity of knowing and experiencing a vaster connection to the collective field. This prepares us for receiving what we need to walk into the new collective reality of Neptune in Aries in late March!
We have been exploring our new life, new land, new field and new focus which has unfolded since January 2024. We now will be given glimpses of the future which may show us the need to reorient, or escape some “polluted” situation altogether. Be willing to learn, to see, to understand, and be open to other futures. This helps us glimpse a greater freedom and heal old losses by seeing how it brought us together with our Spiritual Brothers and Sisters.
Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend
While Saturn’s in Pisces, we are learning about the collective field and techniques of “non-local awareness” while developing our subtle senses of clairvoyance, clairaudience, and clairsentience. Forgiveness allows Divine Grace to manifest, and the quicker things flow down the timestream the less of an obstruction they’ll be.
Saturn in a sign of “distributing feelings” is teaching us how to demonstrate practical compassion as we live at a higher level than we used to. We are now living the life renewal we “heard as a call” last June, and are preparing for our symbolic “feast.” Have faith that your faith in your process has brought you to a threshold of seeing the fruits of that faith made manifest.
Saturn in Pisces helps us understand how to deepen our connection with others and Source. It has allowed us to restructure that sign response in our lives, and given many of us a more mature view of life’s passages and common themes. We’re stabilizing our “feeling knowing” over the next few months, so go with the flow, even when it means you have to take a plunge!
Because Saturn plays such a large part in our lives, if you haven’t gotten your copy already, please give yourself the timeless gift of my book, Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend. This book shows you the way to take command of your power to steer your life in a conscious way, using Saturn’s strengths and skills to master life on your own terms. It was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers, and will help you understand how your life experiences assisted your Soul growth and your power to change negative karma to positive karma. Each time you re-read any part of it you’re sure to find undiscovered gems of insight helping you throw off attitudes which frustrate your ability to live your higher Purpose on your own terms.
And now, on a related note….
Because Venus is the ruler of Uranus and herald for the Sun and Mercury, She continues to be very powerful in showing the way to the future. She is already in her shadow zone, preparing to go retrograde on a degree showing us a new worldly order coming where we have 11 Aries.
As She is conjunct Neptune and both are quintile Jupiter, we have unique “quintessential” experiences promised this next month. With the harmonious aspects and the “fateful” septile from Mercury and Pluto, Venus will light the way to the next Aries era! Expect lucky circumstances by intuiting what, when, and how.
We’ll all add something elegant to our values this month as we prepare for a spiritual harvest and beginning of a life renewal in February. Venus has tremendous influence in shaping our expression and how we release our “potential for beauty” or “potential to enjoy life with others.” This month She brings beauty and value to our ability to contribute to the larger group work.
If you want to know more about how Venus works its magic to bring us the people and things we need to find spiritual understanding, you can get a deeper understanding of you power to shape your future by getting your copy of The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames.
It’s the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and takes a deep dive into how our Venus shapes our likes and dislikes, and how we can change our patterns of attraction to make future relationships more fulfilling. It explains the world of relationship from the angles of psychology, astrology, spirituality, and worldly experience. I’ve been told it helps people find strength to turn away from unhealthy relationships and understand how not to attract anything similar in the future. It examines the qualities in healthy relationships and friendships, and offers tips on how to create long lasting personal relationships and friendships, why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, Venus retrograde, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
The Long View
In 2020 we entered a transition phase in human history. While we will be functioning within the Capricorn cycles we began then, we also have begun an era unknown to humanity since the 13th and 14th centuries. Even then, we were still in the depth of the Age of Pisces, so the awakening of new ideas then were relative to the old era, whereas what’s coming involves wave after wave of Aquarian energies, pushing us to the coming Great Age emerging in the second half of this century.
The long wave Aquarian pulses were initially set into motion by the Mars conjunct Saturn at 1 Aquarius on March 31, 2020, marking the initiation of archetypal Aquarian preliminary structures offered by Saturn. The promise and potential of the new Aquarian pulse then began to expand into a greater social and cultural vision beginning at the Jupiter conjunction with Saturn, the Grand Mutation of the Solstice also at 1 Aquarius. So we have 20 years of Aquarian energies set into motion by that conjunction!
All Aquarian transits and conjunctions in 2022, 2023, and 2024 have given a new impetus and new expression to the Aquarian structures which took shape in 2021. Each transit strengthens the Pluto in Aquarius “generation” of the 21st century which lasts until 2043. As there will be a Jupiter conjunction with Pluto at 15 Aquarius in 2033, we’ll see the “expansion of the Angels of the Age of Aquarius” at that time.
2021 opened a new adventure for all of us, and the “metamorphosis” we went through showed us what the coming Age of Aquarius is about. 2022 helped us remember we are Beings of Light, a Superstar shining the Light of our Eternal Love into our world. We’re now expanding our spiritual knowledge, understanding, and effective forms of service, and have entered a new phase with Mars in a new Sun/Mars conjunction cycle.
New groups of Spiritual communities have formed since 2021, and are being given a boost this year. Those which are Aquarian in nature will be “lifted on the wings of angels” in 2024. Trust the process. Revolution is in the air! And when you find things and people of eternal worth, value them with all your heart.
© Copyright 2025 Robert Wilkinson
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