I hope your new year is off to a great start. And I hope you have read my recent Facebook post about this being a great time to change habits, not because of what I affectionately call the Mickey Mouse new year that happens on January 1, but because this one actually came in with a nice Cancer full moon which favors letting go of things that no longer serve you. So I hope you are already taking positive action to make this a fabulous year!

We just had a beautiful full (super) moon in Cancer on New Year’s Day, and we are in the completion phase of the moon’s cycle. And that means it’s a great time for releasing anything that is no longer needed. Cancer is the sign of the gut, so if you are making dietary changes, all the better. This full moon cycle takes us up until Tuesday, January 16 when we will have a great Capricorn new moon (8:17 p.m. pacific) in which all things pertaining to discipline, rules and routine are favored. So if you haven’t already begun to eliminate what’s holding you back, now would be a great time, as you’ll want to be ready to start new projects in an orderly fashion on or shortly after the 16th.

This week, there are notable conjunctions involving Venus, the planet of love and money, the sun (all energy and life force), and Pluto (power and transformation). From now until next Tuesday is also a good time to handle relationships with love and care, and share your vision for your relationship with your partner. Then get on a practical path to make that vision a reality.

Speaking of practical: Saturn is back in it’s home sign of Capricorn. This is actually good news for everyone, even my fellow Cappies. Normally, when Saturn visits your sign, it’s like having a cop follow you on a trip that takes about 2 years. And I’m sure my Sagittarius friends are feeling the relief now that the officer has taken the off-ramp into Capricorn. But us Caps are used to Saturn. And Saturn is easy to work with, just follow rules and routines, do what you say you’re going to do, and budget your time and money effectively. Having a coach or accountability partner is very favored now, BTW.

What else does Saturn in Capricorn mean. Well, you can expect to see more wrong-doers brought to justice.

And speaking of Capricorn-Saturn, we’re getting a heaping helping of that discipline now, as Mercury moves into the sign of the goat on Thursday. The upside is more efficiency, and a nice dose of wry humor. On the downside, watch out for those who would appeal to your deepest fears. Use caution and spell-checkers in all work-related emails at this time. Usually, heavy Saturn influences bring more caution in all affairs.

Things could get a little explosive this weekend. If you can’t steer clear of political/religious debates, well, I told you so. Where is this most likely to happen? Well, probably Facebook and Twitter. But most likely, it won’t kill the relationship in question, as it’s a short transit, and a new moon goes a long way in washing away hurt feelings. Try not to break up with anyone this weekend unless it’s been a long time coming.

Good luck with your new year’s resolutions. Saturn’s got your back. But remember to notice those things that threaten to take you off-track so you can develop strategies to head them off. Saturn favors noticing and recording, so keeping a journal will help you navigate.

New year’s blessings,

Jackleen