We All Have a Past

This forecast begins with highlights of your past because if what I say about your past rings true, then you can trust what I say about your future.

Astrology is based on cycles. We can learn from our past. For example, you began something new in the early 90s (after giving up a lot in the two years prior.) This was the beginning of a major 30-year cycle for you whether you were aware of it or not. Fortunately, partnerships were supportive. The year 1994 was a blessing for school, higher education and travel; however, your reputation really sparkled in 1995 when everyone thought you walked on water.

Then you came to a three-year window from 1996 to 1999, when job changes and residential moves seemed to be inevitable. And by the year 2000, you had wonderful opportunities to improve your home. You might have bought a home or rented something bigger and better. Some of you even expanded your family then or the following year.

By 2002, lovely job opportunities came your way; and by 2004, you benefited from the wealth and resources of others. Your partner might have started to make more money then, or you might have received an inheritance.

By 2006, you were looking good! This was definitely a benchmark year for you because you began to take your power. Bosses and VIPs were impressed with you, and you became more ambitious. Unfortunately, 2006-2008, were tough on partnerships and close relationships.

A chance to boost your earnings in 2009-10 brought relief to many of you. But it was not until 2011, that you began to see your goal in sight. In 2012, you had a chance to improve your real estate and family situation; and by 2013, you really started to hit your stride. This was a time when you felt proud of your achievements. In 2014, many of you travelled more than usual or had a chance to explore opportunities in publishing, the media, medicine and the law.

By 2015, partnerships greatly improved. At last! And last year in 2016, many of you benefited indirectly from the increased wealth of your partner or from another source. (Money is so handy when you want to buy things.).

Wealth, Career and Reputation

In the year 2017, many of you will enjoy more work-related travel. You will also have more opportunities to make advancements or explore avenues in publishing, the media, medicine, the law and anything to do with higher education. In fact, some of you might go back to school or take further training in something related to your work. Regardless of your age, do note that the year 2017 is one of the best years to go back to school or enter school in over a decade because you will love whatever you learn -- the process will be extremely exciting and rewarding.

It's also important to keep in mind that in the latter part of 2017, beginning in the autumn, you will have a chance to call attention to your professional reputation. At this time, you will begin to shine in the eyes of bosses, VIPs and people in authority. Therefore, whatever you do in 2017 is a preparation for 2018, when you can put your name up in lights. Keep this in mind at all times. You are headed for a time of adulation and acknowledgement, the best in over a decade. Early Aquarians might notice this at the end of this year. Later Aquarians will not experience until later in 2018 and even 2019. But you are destined for this year-long window of promotion and praise! "The envelope, please?"

Meanwhile, because you have been feeling strong about your accomplishments ever since 2012-13, one of your continuing challenges is to find that healthy balance between working to deliver what other people want from you - and at the same time, making sure that you are true and fair to yourself. After all, you can't sell out. You count, too. So finding that healthy balance between hard work to impress others and at the same time, remembering that there's more to life than your job and your career - this will be your subtle challenge.

Another wonderful influence this year is the fact that lucky, moneybags Jupiter is in your fellow Air sign. Since Aquarius is an Air sign, (yeah yeah, it's confusing because the symbol for Aquarius is the Water Carrier) but nevertheless - you are Air. The intellect! (You unique types are all alike. A bunch of smarty-pants, clever geeks who want to gather together like-minded individuals to make the world a better place. "Sign this petition!") But I digress.

This lovely relationship of Jupiter with your own sign means that 2017 will be a pleasant year! In fact, it will be so easy and mellow, you might think you can kick back and enjoy yourself and do nothing. (Of course, you can't.) It will promote your good health and feelings of well-being. It will also be a positive influence on your finances because Jupiter is associated with wealth. The only downside is that it will not push your ambition. You will be tempted to sit back and rest on your laurels. (Hmmm - don't squat with your spurs on.)

Therefore, your second challenge (in addition to finding that nice balance between working for others and working for yourself) will be to overcome the inertia and love of leisure that you might experience this year. I say this because it's important to remember that in the year 2018, you will have the chance to put your name up in lights! And if this is the case, it means you have to do something in 2017 to work towards this time of recognition and acknowledgement. You can't just play dead and then suddenly hope to have your fairy godmother touch you with her magic wand. Admittedly, this kind of thing will happen to a small percentage of you; but hey - don't hold your breath.

So it's a fact that your career, your job, your professional life and your reputation among your peers will flow easily this year. This means you have to guard against falling into inertia under the spell of this pleasant year because you have to be ready to make the most of what will come for you in 2018. Right? (Sorry to nag.)

One final comment: Obviously, it helps to know how to make plans in 2017 if you know what is coming in the future. And I can tell you this: Around 2018-19, you will enter a two-year window where you will begin to let go of people, places, possessions, relationships, friendships, residences and jobs. Obviously, you won't let go of all of these things; although some of you will. But there is a time in your very near future when you will start getting rid of what is no longer relevant. You will divest yourself of anything that is holding you back, dragging you down or is simply deadweight. This knowledge about the future can help you make plans in 2017.

Romance and Relationships

Many of you will travel much more this year than in previous years. Furthermore, you will have a desire to learn more about the world around you and to understand different cultures. You will also be more open to meeting people from different backgrounds. All of these impulses will lead to new friendships for many of you; and in some cases, new romance. Woo woo! This will be exciting because probably more than any other sign, you are attracted to characters and people who are different.

Also, as curious as this might sound, your sense of humour will be sharpened or heightened this year, and this too, will facilitate your meeting new people, making new friends and entering into relationships that will become intimate and romantic. So right off the bat, this is the tenor of things for you with your friendships and relationships with others in 2017.

In addition to your desire for more travel, and a chance to learn more about the world, many of you will be involved in classes and school work more than in other years; and this too, will expose you to a wider variety of people. Even those of you who do not travel or go back to school will find that you are reading more than usual in 2017 because you have a genuine desire to explore philosophy, metaphysics, religion and politics. You want to learn more! All of these impulses will not only make you feel more alive and appealing to others, but they will throw you into a situation where you will be in contact with new kinds of people - and these situations will be stimulating!

One aspect of growth that many of you will undergo this year is that your exposure to new ideas, new people and new learning will force you to drop old prejudices and beliefs that are no longer appropriate to your world. This affects your involvement with others, as well.

This is also a time when many of you will become involved with people of an age difference. You might act as a teacher or mentor to someone who is younger. Or you might be the student or younger person who learns from someone who is older and more experienced. Either way, you will have more opportunities to meet people from different backgrounds and people of a different age both in friendships and for romantic relationships.

For those who are in a partnership or close relationship, and you question the benefit or veracity of this relationship, it might influence you to know that in 2018, you will enter a two-year window when you will let go of relationships and partnerships that are no longer viable. Either theses relationships crush you, cramp your freedom or they are more trouble than they are worth. Some of you are close to a time of endings.

Please do not focus on this aspect too literally or be worried about it. This time of letting go, which will begin in 2018, is similar to a time around 1989-91. You might recall that at that time, you let go of a job or a home but not necessarily a relationship. Obviously, you are not going to let go of anything that is meaningful to you. It's just more information for you to throw into the pot if you are ruminating and wondering about a current relationship. For example, if you feel like you are in a dead-end situation - you probably are. On the upside - your reputation will definitely shine next year, and nothing is as sexy as success!

Home, Family and Real Estate

In the bigger picture, the most positive influence that will impact your home and family is simply the fact that this is a strong time for you. Lucky Jupiter is travelling through the Ninth House of your chart, bringing you opportunities to travel and explore new ideas and further education. It will also encourage you to embrace people from different backgrounds.

This is also why you will entertain at home more this year because you will meet people who are different, unusual and intriguing. And you tend to bring characters home almost like trophies.

Since 2012, you enjoyed strong personal success. But keep in mind that in 2018, you enter a two-year window of time where you will start to give up what is no longer really necessary in your life. You will say goodbye to places, people and possessions. Since this is right on the horizon, in the year 2017, you might begin to winnow through your possessions to see what you want to recycle, sell or give away. It begins gradually. It's not like something that occurs at 10 AM on a Thursday. "Time to downsize!" This means there is a strong likelihood that you will start to contemplate getting rid of things. You might also start to think of moving in the future. You might have a desire to tidy up things and be motivated by the notion that less is more.

If you start to get the vague notion that you might be moving soon, this is very likely the case. When you see the broad strokes in the future, it can help you make a decision.

Count your blessings in 2017. Be aware that in 2018, your reputation will be stellar, which might mean entertaining at home or a promotion that could entail a residential move. In addition to this, the year 2018 is also a time where you enter that two-year window of downsizing and getting ready to move on. Use this information to plan well. But in the meantime, your home life, your personal life, and your real-estate situation are favoured and blessed.

Highlights of 2017 Month by Month

A Sneak Peek Beyond

The year 2018 is fabulous for you and your career. That's because you look so good to others! Once every 12 years, lucky Jupiter travels across the top of your chart promoting your reputation, especially to bosses and your peers and this is the year! This favourable situation will not return again until late 2029. Therefore, make the most of this.

The year 2019 is a popular year for you; however, at this point, you are dismantling much of what you created since 2005. By 2021, you will be entering a new world. In fact, for some of you this change will be so different, you will change your daily wardrobe.

Do make note that 2024 gives you an excellent window where you can improve your real-estate situation. This is the perfect time to buy, sell or build a home. If you are renting, you can count on renting something bigger and better. Even your family life will improve and family members will be warmer and more mutually generous. The year 2025 is a great year for a big vacation because you really want to laugh it up!

Your Aquarius Mantra for 2017

"This year I will learn, travel and explore!"

Mercury Retrograde in 2017

Mercury retrograde occurs three times a year. This is when Mercury appears to go backwards in relation to planet Earth. (In reality Mercury always moves forward.) During these so-called retrograde times, the areas that Mercury has domain over inexplicably suffer from errors and delays. The errors are small but frustrating!

Mercury is the symbol of everything that moves forward:

1. all forms of ground transportation, (cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, buses, taxis, trains)
2. the mail, parcels, packages (Post Office and Courier and Delivery Services)
3. communications -- email, social media, phone calls, conversations
4. daily living (the people we encounter, the items we deal with, the transactions we make and how we relate to others.)

During Mercury retrograde, all the areas under the rulership of Mercury tend to go "backwards." (They certainly have trouble going forwards!) This is why we can expect transportation delays, missed buses and car breakdowns. Mail will be late or lost, daily items that we handle like keys and papers will be misplaced; and communications with others will be confused and misunderstood. Plus people from our past will pop up into our lives. "Boris?" "Natasha!"

Use Mercury retrograde times to finish things, study the past, do research and reflect. But do not open a business or begin new projects then. Mercury retrograde is also a bad time to buy cars, trucks, bikes, computers, printers and phones.

The dates below are the actual retrograde dates plus the buffer times. This is because Mercury starts to slow down before it goes retrograde. Then afterwards, it needs more time to catch up to where it was at when it first went retrograde.

The craziness (delays and errors) is most pronounced during the actual retrograde time. However, if you are buying a big ticket item like a car or a computer, I recommend that you play it safe and avoid these purchases in the buffer times as well. You'll be glad you did.

December 19 - January 8	(Buffer times: December 2016 to - January 28)
April 9 - May 3	(Buffer times: April 1 - May 21)
August 13 - September 5	(Buffer times: July 30 - September 20)
December 3 - December 23	(Buffer times: November 26 - January 11, 2018)

Lucky Days for 2017

• January 1, 2, 27
• February 24, 25
• March 23, 24
• April 19, 20, 21
• May 16, 17, 18
• June 13, 14
• July 10, 11
• August 6, 7, 8
• September 3, 4, 30
• October 27, 28, 29
• November 23, 24, 25
• December 21, 22, 23