Jupiter left intense Scorpio for sunny Sagittarius on November 8, 2018, a planetary shift heralded around the world with the superlatives you would associate with a planet as big as Jupiter entering a sign as happy as Sagittarius. Astrological headlines declare “Outgoing, lucky and limitless”; “the upgrade your life needs”; “Getting to Yes”; “taking you on a beautiful adventure.” Everyone loves Jupiter, the planet of good fortune, luck and abundance.
Looking back to 2007
Because Jupiter rules Sagittarius its power to expand and open up new possibilities can operate unimpeded by other influences. Jupiter in Sagittarius seeks adventure, prosperity, faith and meaning in life. Jupiter generally takes a full year to go through each sign in the zodiac, and last traversed through Sagittarius in 2007. At the time, Pluto (obsession, destruction, regeneration) was finishing its journey through Sagittarius where it had overseen an obsession with bigger houses, more money, self-help and a relentless optimism that took a dive when Pluto moved into Capricorn in 2008. It’s difficult to separate the influence of Jupiter in Sagittarius that year from the Pluto problems, but one thing we know for sure is that every aspect of astrological archetypes has a dark side and a light one. Saturn, that devil of hardship and difficult lessons, bestows strength and the ability to master the physical universe. And Jupiter, the light of beneficence, can encourage so much faith and confidence that we don’t see the train coming as we veer off the track.
About Jupiter
Jupiter in the birthchart or by transit provides the impulse for us to grow and evolve. It is involved in the realm of faith and the search for meaning in life, and in doing so there is a bit of restlessness since growth cannot take place where complacency resides. Jupiter is bigger than life and this is shown by its astronomical properties: it is the biggest planet in the solar system with a huge magnetic field and is surrounded by over 60 moons, making it a small solar system in itself. Under the influence of Jupiter we seek a Grand Quest to know the truth and to find meaning in our lives. Jupiter isn’t comfortable unless it’s creating an adventure filled with new possibilities and grand achievements, and as it passes through its own sign of Sagittarius this Grand Quest is already prepared and ready for us to hop on board.
For Jupiter to be effective, we must be on alert and prepared to receive its bounty. Its gift of new possibilities can only be received when we are aware and open and able to experience gratitude for the gift. I’m sure you have known people who had wonderful things in their life but no appreciation – for them the gift of Jupiter was lost. There are fascinating stories of people who won the lottery only to have a string of bad luck follow them. The quality that makes the difference between good luck and bad luck is a deliberate openness of the human spirit. A closed heart will never truly experience good fortune.
As a social planet, Jupiter is involved in the development of shared ideas and cultural traditions as well as theology. Unlike Neptune, which confers a spiritual experience, Jupiter is instead involved with the mental realm of ideas, such as Truth, Beauty, Philosophy. Jupiter seeks a greater level of understanding through higher education, and seeks to connect people and create cultural ties through theology (religion) or shared ritual behavior. It is often said that Jupiter rules the law, but I can’t help but see that more as Saturn’s domain (the establishment of social norms and conventions).
Jupiter is associated with optimism and confidence, but in its more negative manifestation it is likely to over do these positive qualities. Arrogance and self-righteousness results when confidence has no limits, and unchecked optimism can lead to reckless behavior. As Jupiter travels through Sagittarius we are likely to see the best and worst of this glorious planet. With Jupiter we become the Creator God, bringing thought into manifestation, but the restlessness of Jupiter that inspires us to seek higher realms may become impatience and frustration. Jupiter’s rewards will be completely missed if the mind is focused towards negativity and doubt. A positive viewpoint is more likely to manifest an experience of Jupiterian abundance, regardless of the physical circumstances.
What can we expect as Jupiter moves through Sagittarius?
As Jupiter travels through Sagittarius with a double infusion of expansive faith and optimism it will no doubt bump up against its nemesis Saturn which is also in its own sign, Capricorn. Like Jupiter in its own sign of Sagittarius, Saturn’s effect is strongest in Capricorn which it rules. Where Jupiter seeks abundance and confidence, Saturn is skeptical and can be somewhat negative. Where Jupiter seeks the easy and well-lit path through life, Saturn looks for the highest mountain and attempts to scale it, just like the mountain goat which is the symbol for Capricorn.
I expect this first wave of Jupiter in Sagittarius to be enthusiastic and buoyant as this expansive energy begins to make itself known. In early January, Jupiter will form the first of a series of three intense alignments (square) to Neptune, the planet of transcendence and illusion. This planetary combination is wonderful for creativity as the boundaries of practicality are loosened and our inner selves are more easily able to emerge and connect with our spiritual selves. But this blurring of boundaries can also lead to deception and illusion if we are not careful to practice discernment. This is where Saturn being in Capricorn will come in handy, but we could feel some stress between the two before we are able to find a way to ground ourselves in the practical world in the midst of the expansion taking place within us.
In March when Saturn and Pluto begin to form an alliance in serious Capricorn it could cause some trouble for those of us who seek to soar into ever greater expansion under the guidance of Jupiter. The Saturn/Pluto alliance remains in effect through June, and I suspect that this could spell trouble in the financial markets and the economy which relies on faith and optimism to fuel economic expansion. The second phase of the Jupiter/Neptune confusion in July through September could create more trouble if we’re not aware of the underlying energies.
How you are personally affected depends less on your Sun sign and more on the general makeup of your chart and personality. If you are a person who tends to favor optimism over challenge, with lots of fire and air in your chart, you will love the first part of the passage of Jupiter through Sagittarius and find life could get difficult after April and through the summer months. If you are an earthy person who craves security or seeks success, you could do very well throughout the whole cycle as Jupiter will encourage you to expand your view of what is possible, and then Saturn will help you to focus on achieving that vision that Jupiter helped you to create. (You might want to consider booking a reading to learn more about how this cycle will affect you personally.)
How to get the most from Jupiter in Sagittarius
Here are some things to think about to help you to prepare for and maximize the benefit of this passage of Jupiter through Sagittarius:
- Jupiter’s unrestrained faith and exuberance can help us to gain confidence where needed and reassure us that our dreams and wishes are achievable. This is a good time to clarify your vision and reimagine what you believe to be possible.
- Jupiter will open doors of opportunity, but we will need to be awake enough to notice and to take that first step through the doorway.
- Convert old belief systems of fear and resistance and cultivate faith in the abundant power of Universal Wisdom to help us in the creative process.
- Cultivate optimism and gratitude.
- Winter is coming, in the form of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, so while you are dreaming big and opening your heart to new possibilities, gather your nuts (or cash) and prepare for the possibility of contraction and setbacks.
- When setbacks come, as they must in the ebb and flow of life and in the guise of Saturn and Capricorn, remember that these setbacks provide opportunities to shift our priorities and find meaning in our lives as we wait for the clouds to clear.
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[…] Meanwhile, this month with Jupiter in Capricorn is ideal for taking the expansive goals and dreams you may have formulated over the past year with Jupiter in Sagittarius, and bring them down to earth with practical plans and strategies to make them happen. This is the domain of Capricorn, and if we understand how this all works we can make this the best year ever, despite the potential of negativity if there is an economic contraction. Read more about Jupiter in Capricorn here. […]