"With each trip around the sun presenting its own unique grab bag of wins and challenges, ringing in another year can feel a bit like moving to a new city or heading out on a first date—there’s a world of possibilities but you’re not quite sure what to expect. But unlike a first date, the stars give us a pretty solid blueprint of what’s coming in 2024 and how to make the most of it. This upcoming year can be a catalyst for major change and growth if we let it be, especially when it comes to who we are, our relationships with others, our spiritual practices, and manifesting our dreams.
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The planets kick off 2024 with strong energy that’s perfect for setting goals and getting those New Year’s resolutions in motion. After April, we get some well-deserved R&R and can spend the summer just enjoying life and the company of friends and family. I recommend taking full advantage of this time because December 2024 could be challenging. Remember that overcoming these challenges has the potential to transform us into the best versions of ourselves and live a life that’s more in line with who we are.
Knowing when astrological transits are going to happen and what they mean for you is the key to owning the year ahead. While I’m doing a lot of the heavy lifting for you here, you can dive even deeper by looking at which house of your birth chart these transits fall into. Say that Mercury goes retrograde in the sign of Aries, as it will on March 14, and your seventh house is in Aries. This means that this Mercury Rx will impact your seventh house the most, and you could see setbacks or just feel more introspective in the areas of marriage, professional relationships, or contracts.
Now that you’ve got an idea of how to make the 2024 transits work for you, let’s dive deeper into what the astrological calendar has in store for this year:
Planetary Retrogrades in 2024
Let’s be real—the word “retrograde” has a bad reputation and can make even the most confident of women feel a little anxious. In reality, retrogrades are just an opportunity for us to chill out and reflect a little bit before moving forward. All planets have retrograde cycles (not just Mercury!), and we might see things get a little wonky or not go as smoothly as we’d like simply because it’s not time to act—it’s time to plan and think. In 2024, all of the planets, except Venus, will have a retrograde cycle. Here are the major ones to look out for:
Mercury in Retrograde
March 14, 2024 to April 25, 2024; August 5, 2024 to August 28, 2024; November 25, 2024 to December 15, 2024
If you’ve even so much as glanced at an astrology book or blog, you’ve heard of Mercury Retrograde. It’s typical for Mercury to go retrograde three or four times a year and in 2024 we’ll see three cycles of this. Mercury first goes retrograde in Aries from March 14 to April 25, bringing a time where we can really benefit from thinking before we speak and reassessing our opinions. Then, from August 5 to August 28, the planet goes retrograde in Virgo, making it trickier to stay organized and focus on the details, but teaching us to be patient and be okay with friendly disagreements. The last Mercury Rx of the year is in the sign of Sagittarius. Unlike the previous one, this Mercury Retrograde challenges us to think about the details and feasibility of our big-picture ideas and spend time in meditation or resting.
Saturn Retrograde in Pisces
June 29, 2024 to November 15, 2024
Around the middle of the year, Saturn comes in with major dad energy and asks us to reconsider what we really want in life and whether our dreams still match who we are on the inside. This is a time when it can be difficult to set boundaries, so be extra mindful if you know that you have trouble in this area. It’s also the perfect time to start dreaming things into existence, clearing the way for change, and doing manifestation work, but don’t officially start a new project until after November 15 when Saturn goes direct.
Jupiter Retrograde in Gemini
October 9, 2024 to February 4, 2025
Jupiter turns retrograde towards the end of 2024, making it difficult to focus on our goals and make progress. You might feel inspired, bursting with ideas, and craving change (LOTS of change) but it’s best to stay where you are as long as you’re comfortable enough and safe. Instead, channel your energy into laying the groundwork for a change once Jupiter goes direct in February 2025. It can be super frustrating, but taking the opportunity to rest and dream can go a long way. Also, PSA for my risk-loving and gambling women out there: This is not the time.
Mars Retrograde in Leo
December 6, 2024 to February 24, 2025
Mars Retrograde only happens about every two years and it can really test us, especially if you’ve got a fiery, passionate personality to begin with. As challenging and annoying as it is, it can also bring some super positive change to our lives. Just in time for the holiday season, you might find yourself struggling with how to express your anger, deal with conflicts, or create a healthy relationship with your sexuality. Since this Mars Rx is in the sign of Leo, the answer is creativity and listening to your heart. Using art or activities you used to do as a child is the move right now, and could help you work with these emotions in a healthier way moving forward.
Eclipses
Eclipses are supercharged full and new moons that basically act as portals—not in the fantasy, time-traveling kind of way but in the sense that it’s possible to go into an eclipse as one person and come out as another. Eclipses stay in a pair of signs for a couple of years. In 2024, we’ll be finishing up the Aries-Libra eclipse cycle and moving into the Pisces-Virgo cycle. Expect to see major changes in whichever part of your chart these signs are hanging out in.
Libra Eclipses: Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Libra & New Moon Solar Eclipse in Libra
March 25, 2024 & October 2, 2024
If you’re looking to find your other half, rekindle a friendship, or simply light a fire under your social life, the Libra eclipses are here to help. This is a great time to get clear about what you want in a partner or friend and send it out to the universe. If you’re already in a relationship, you might find yourself diving deeper into it, or even deciding that it’s not for you and choosing to go in another direction. Personally, I have a habit of being resistant to the changes that eclipses bring at times, but they always turn out for the better, so remember to trust the process.
Aries Eclipse: New Moon Solar Eclipse in Aries
April 8, 2024
Bringing the opposite energy of the Libra eclipses, the New Moon eclipse in Aries occurring on April 8 is all about that solo energy. It’s a time to celebrate the powerful, independent woman you are and all that you bring to the world. Whether you’re trying to find yourself after a long-term relationship, or within a long-term relationship, or have been solo for a while and are ready to reinvent yourself, this eclipse is it.
Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Pisces
September 17, 2024
While the Aries-Libra eclipses are a constant push-and-pull between ourselves and our relationships with others, this Pisces eclipse is an opportunity to find a moment of peace in the middle of chaos. It reminds us that being alive is something special in itself, regardless of how we live up to the expectations that the world places on us (which is way too much sometimes, TBH). This is the perfect time to focus on mindfulness or spiritual practices, whether that’s yoga, meditation, praying, or even sipping your coffee as you watch the sunrise every morning without your phone. This is a big opportunity for manifestation, so get clear on what you want and shout it out to the universe.
Other Notable Transits
Jupiter Conjunct Uranus in Taurus
April 20, 2024
Jupiter helps us continue riding that motivational energy from January by bringing optimism, motivation, and a need for freedom into our lives when it forms a conjunction with Uranus. A conjunction happens when two planets end up hanging out right next to each other in the same sign. These two planets, in particular, only meet up every 14 years or so, so from about mid-March to mid-May, this transit brings fresh and harmonious energy that we haven’t seen in quite some time. With this conjunction happening in the sign of Taurus and right around Earth Day, nature is a major theme. Turning to nature to escape the daily grind, freeing your mind from troubles and responsibilities, and reconnecting with yourself is the perfect way to unwind and fall in love with the world around you.
Venus Conjunct Jupiter in Taurus
May 23, 2024
Venus conjunct Jupiter happens just about every three years, so while it’s not uncommon, this one is going to be extra lovey-dovey since it’s happening in Taurus. Just in time for summer, Venus, the planet of love and beauty and one of the planets that feel most at home in the sign of Taurus, meets up with Jupiter, the planet of expansion and abundance. This energy will be felt from about mid-May to the end of June. During this time, things are just easier. Abundance flows in without a ton of effort and we can just chill out and enjoy what life has to offer. You might really be feeling yourself during this time and have more confidence. It’s also easier to see the beauty in life, dive deeper into what you love, and appreciate friends and family.
Jupiter in Gemini squares Saturn in Pisces
August 19, 2024 & December 24, 2024
On May 25, 2024, Jupiter, the planet of luck and abundance moves into Gemini, the sign of communication, variety, and intellect, and stays there until June 9, 2025. During this time, Jupiter in Gemini will square Saturn in Pisces twice: on August 19 and December 24. In plain speak, this means that the two planets are 90 degrees apart from each other and separated by three zodiac signs. Because squares can only happen between signs that aren’t super compatible, it’s a transit that’s full of tension and challenges.
Full disclosure: This transit brings some serious Big Lotus Energy (BLE) with it. The lotus is a flower and sacred symbol in several Eastern religions that grows out of the mud and blossoms into something beautiful. We’re definitely going to be working through some mud during these squares, but there’s strong potential to make something beautiful happen, especially when it comes to making our wildest dreams come true.
Pluto in Aquarius
November 19, 2024
Pluto has been flip-flopping between Aquarius and Capricorn for some time now because of its retrograde cycles, but on November 19, 2024, it moves into Aquarius for good until 2043. This marks a turning point and brings us further into the Age of Aquarius. Expect to see big changes in how we connect with each other and how we use technology. From here, there are really two paths we can take as a society: We can become more emotionally and socially disconnected or we can work to build a world that works for everyone. Your daily actions and keeping an optimistic mindset have the potential to change things for the better.
Saturn in Pisces
Saturn moved from Aquarius into the sign of Pisces in 2023 and it’ll hang out there for all of 2024. In 2025, it will take a brief trip into Aries before moving into Pisces again until 2026. Those born with Saturn in Aquarius in their birth chart just finished up their Saturn returns (we survived!) and those with Saturn in Pisces are gearing up to go through it next. How your Saturn return will affect you depends heavily on which house of your chart the planet lives in—expect to see major changes related to spirituality, dreaming, and meaningful community in those areas.