Has your life fallen apart this year? You can blame it on the stars
Illustration by Chloe Latour.
Have you barely made it to the end of this semester all in one piece? Has this year been a shit storm of drama and emotional turbulence? Well, you’re not alone.
Since January, almost every single person I have spoken to has said the same thing: 2024 SUCKS! Personally, my life is tearing at the seams, and I can’t sew it up fast enough. I’m one assignment away from leaving everything and moving to the woods.
In terms of astrology, this year has been crazy, which explains all this stress and turbulence. If you’re wondering what’s going on with the stars, don’t worry. I’ll break it down for you as best as I can.
2024 started with Mercury retrograde going direct on Jan. 1, which means it was exiting its retrograde period. I know, I hear the groans, but this does have an effect on your lives. Mercury is the planet of communication, so when it goes retrograde, it amplifies miscommunications. To overcome this, the celestial event urges you to look deep into your emotional self and to work on some habits you might be carrying.
Mercury retrograde is preceded by a pre-shadow and followed by a post-shadow period. Each lasts around two weeks on top of the three weeks of the actual retrograde. This means that Mercury retrograde comes in a three-act structure of confusing emotions and miscommunications.
The pre-shadow period introduces the main theme you have to work on during the retrograde itself, and the post-shadow is a time to reflect on what you’ve learned and to tie up any loose ends. So basically the first two weeks of this year was based on cleaning up any mistakes that may have been brought to the light in 2023.
Right after the Mercury retrograde drama occurred we had about two weeks before Pluto, a generational planet, transitioned into Aquarius on Jan. 20. It has been in Capricorn since 2008, so this changes everything. Pluto is the planet of change and transformation, and it also impacts the hidden, taboo parts in our lives. This shift signifies a rebirth and transformations for ourselves and also our society as a whole.
Aquarius is a rebellious sign in the zodiac, so this change in Pluto will usher in new technologically advances and challenge us to push boundaries and social norms. This could be reflected in art and also giving power back into society. The last time Aquaruis was in Pluto was from 1778–1798. During this time, the world experienced the American, Haitian, and French revolutions, plus the start of the Industrial Revolution.
This transition will also destroy anything that isn’t serving you or our society, creating more space for a rebirth. However, it’s hard to accept that things need to change, and you’re allowed to mourn the things that will be taken from your life.
Adding more to our troubles, on April 8 North America experienced a solar eclipse for the first time since 2017, following a powerful Lunar eclipse on March 25 and the start of another Mercury Retrograde that started April 1.
Eclipses are transformational in astrology, and the lunar eclipse revealed breakthroughs and discoveries. Because that lunar eclipse was in an Aries-Libra axis, it brought on themes of relationships, independence, and personal freedom. This eclipse season urges you to take a look at your current relationships and address what is not working for you.
This eclipse period is best used to look back on your personal journey and how you have grown. Whatever is brought up during this time will follow you through the rest of the eclipse season that ends March 2025.
On April 1, a week after the March 25 lunar eclipse, Mercury went into retrograde again. And while those events already made things worse, we experienced the solar eclipse. Solar eclipses catalyze major endings, beginnings and transitions, and since this eclipse is happening in Aries, the main theme of the event is self-reflection and self-discovery. This eclipse empowers us to focus on our inner strength and what we really want in life. What’s standing in your way from your happiness and your dreams? This energy wants you to put yourself above all. Just try not to hurt the loved ones around you.
This eclipse also is in conjunction with Chrion, which focuses on your deepest scars, it tells us how to find our power in pain. So this eclipse has healing powers in astrology, but to harness them you must face the fears that are standing in the way of your happiness. Whether that fear stems from an unfilled relationship, a job, or your anxieties, things are changing.
If you’re wondering if things are going to get better in astrology don’t hold your breath. After this Mercury Retrograde ends on April 25 we only have seven days before Pluto enters retrograde on May 2. After this we’re going to have a new planet retrograding every month and will have at least one planet retrograding for the remainder of the year. Retrogrades are generally a chaotic and uncool time in astrology, and with almost every planet retrograding this year, it might be best to hunker down until 2025. I’m sorry.
In astrology we are on a roller coaster of change and transformation. Picture the last few months as the Tower card in tarot. Things are crashing and burning, but this year is almost halfway done. In the meantime, give yourself a break and a chance to breathe. Change is powerful, but extremely hard. If you’re going through it this year, just remember that you’re not alone, and now you can blame the stars for this shitty 2024.
